I woke up to a stormy morning, leaves were flying across my yard, it was raining sideways at some points.  Icky way to start a Monday!  I brought Old Blue as my camera to work today – I thought it would just be dark all day so didn’t bring the DSLR.

Be prepared from some interesting eats this week.  I decided not to grocery shop and use up some of the pantry/freezer items we have on hand.  Although, I did spend $20 bucks at Trader Joe’s on Sunday. 😀

Breakfast was a spinach cheezy egg white sammie on 2 ounces of ciabatta bread with a sliced kiwi on the side.  Breakfast comes in at 9 points.

I was super busy at work, and it was iffy because of the weather if I was going to get a walk/jog in.  I was at a good stopping point, and checked weather.com and it said between 12 and 1 it was an 80% chance of rain.  I thought about it, and said “who the hell cares if I get wet?”

With Shelley’s hat she gave me and my hoodie, it was all good.  It sprinkled on and off and I ended up walking/jogging/running for 55 minutes.  It felt good I hadn’t worked out since last Wednesday!

I ran through the covered bridge only to discover there was a small waterfall on one side of it – so pretty!  I still have no idea, but my blackberry pictures come out looking like paintings!

Lunch was delicious tasting if it doesn’t look appetizing – 1/2 cup of bbq pork (chopped up from a roast I made last weekend) on Thomas light english muffin, and an apple, edamame, grape spinach salad – it was supa filling and comes in at 10 points.

So before leaving work I pulled out a small sirloin steak and some chicken breasts.  On my drive home I started to think what else I had and decided to make a chicken and steak stroganoff.  I did have to stop at the store to pick up coffee creamer so the only thing I needed was the mushrooms.  So add $5.27 to my grocery bill this week. 😀

I adapted this from Cooks Illustrated:

Beef Stroganoff
recipe from Cooks Illustrated

1 1/4 lbs sirloin steaks, tips ( trimmed of excess fat and cut lengthwise with grain into 4 equal pieces) (I had 12 ounces of steak and chicken)
2 teaspoons soy sauce (I only used 1 teaspoon)
1 lb white mushrooms, quartered (I only used 8 ounces since Tony is the only one that eats them)
2 teaspoons hot water
1 tablespoon dry mustard (I used 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard)
1 teaspoon sugar

fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 medium onions, finely chopped (you know I left these out)
table salt
2 teaspoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. white wine or 1/3 cup dry vermouth (I used 1/3 cup white wine)
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/2 cup sour cream (I used 1/4 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves (nope)

Using fork, poke each piece of steak 10-12 times. Place in baking dish; rub both sides evenly with soy sauce. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.  (I marinated for 15 minutes)

While meat marinates, place mushrooms in medium microwave-safe bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power until mushrooms have decreased by volume by half, 4-5 minutes (should be as much as 1/4 cup liquid in bowl). Drain mushrooms and set aside; discard liquid. Combine water, dry mustard, sugar, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a small bowl until smooth paste forms; set aside.

Pat steak pieces dry with paper towels and season with pepper. Heat oil in 12″ skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Place steak pieces in skillet and cook until browned on all sides and internal temperature registers 125 to 130 degrees, 6-9 minutes, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to large plate and set aside while cooking sauce.

Add mushrooms, onion, and 1/2 tsp salt to skillet and cook until vegetables begin to brown and dark bits form on bottom of pan, 6-8 minutes. Add tomato paste and flour and cook, stirring constantly, until onions and mushrooms are coated, about 1 minute. Stir in 1/3 cup wine, beef broth and mustard paste and bring to simmer, scraping bottom of pan with wooden pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium and cook until sauce has reduced slightly and begun to thicken, 4-6 minutes.

While sauce is reducing, cut steak pieces across grain into 1/4″ thick slices. Stir in meat and any accumulated juices into thickened sauce and cook until beef has warmed through, 1-2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and let any bubbles subside. Stir in sour cream and remaining tablespoons wine; season to taste with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley to garnish.  I didn’t have any parsley, so I just quickly shred some zucchini and added some crushed red pepper to mine.

For the meat mixture, each serving (makes 4) comes in at 282 calories, 14 fat, 7 carbs and 25 protein, or 7 WW points.  With the cup of cooked egg noodles, dinner comes in at 12 points.

Holy yum, was this good – and a super easy weeknight dinner – this was done in about 35 minutes from beginning to end.  And while I love the flavor of mushrooms, can’t stand the texture – best part about this meal?  Tony gave it two thumbs up! 😀

When I was at my Mom’s house yesterday, I was going through some old photographs.  I think I should carry this picture around with me as inspiration that at least at one time I had a flat stomach!  I have the hot sexy red bathing suit on, my sister is sporting a klassy short/shirt up to boobs look.  Gotta love 1985 swimwear!

The next picture I found was of Hannah and my Dad – probably taken around 12-18 months before he died.

My Dad didn’t really learn how to cook until the late 1970’s when he decided to try his hand at restaurant management and went back to school.  One of the classes he had to take was cooking classes, and he would come home and show us his skillz at making crepes suzette!

I think he made them five nights in a row if I remember correctly.  And while my Mom is a great cook, my Dad was I think more adventurous of a cook, which I totally didn’t appreciate at the time.  My Dad’s Mom however was a horrible cook.  I remember goign to her house and she would make us Chef Boyardee boxed pizza – and she would take her slice, eat the sauce and cheese on top, then put more sauce and cheese on the naked pizza dough, and put it back in the oven – she wouldn’t eat the bottom crust until the second time around.

My Mom’s Mom had a can of bacon grease on her stove at all times – need I say more? 😀

So who inspires you to cook?  Parent/grandparent/friends/t.v. chef?  Just curious!

Stats for Monday:

  • 55 minute walk
  • 31 WW points
  • average blood sugar 129
  • I put the strength rock on my bedside table so I can see it when I wake up 😀  Thanks for the idea Jacky!