Skillet Beef Stroganoff

$6.24 per recipe          $0.89 per serving          22% savings

Has there ever been a dish that you've never really enjoyed, but make every so often using a different recipe each time because the dish is common and inexpensive?

Maybe macaroni and cheese?

Tomato soup?

Chicken and rice? 

Most people have one.

This has been my relationship with beef stroganoff for YEARS.

I've just never really enjoyed it that much. But, it's kid friendly and inexpensive, so my best choice is to suck it up. 

Over time, I must have tried close to 10 different versions. They all struck me as being very blah. 

However, after putting this dish in an extended time-out, I finally came across a recipe in a community cookbook that intrigued me. 

It didn't call for any cans of condensed cream soup...

...Nor did it require half a stick of butter. In fact, there is NO butter involved.

The recipe was simple, and used ingredients I was comfortable with, and a method of making the stroganoff that was new to me. I implemented a few minor modifications to suit my family's tastes and gave it a go. 

WOW!!!

It was a breeze to put together. Not only did I enjoy the results, I finished off what few scraps were left on my daughter's plate, and snuck bites from my baby's bowl as I fed him. Rude. But I couldn't seem to help myself. 

It was just so surprisingly good!

The photo doesn't do the dish justice... my lack of photography skills at work...

The important thing is:

My kids all loved it. As did my hubby, who's relationship with beef stroganoff has mirrored my own. We all agree that this recipe is the hand's down winner of any stroganoff dish ever.

Skillet Beef Stroganoff
Printable Version

*Serves 6-8


INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 tsp. jarred minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped onion
5 cups water
*4 tsp. Better than Bullion (beef base)
8 oz. lasagna noodles broken into bite-size pieces
1 cup sour cream
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. water
1/4 tsp. pepper

*may substitute 4 tsp. beef bullion


DIRECTIONS
In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté the ground beef, garlic, and onion. Drain any excess grease.

Add 5 cups water and Better than Bullion (beef) to the skillet. Bring to a boil. Add noodle pieces and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer 15 minutes or until noodles are tender.

While the noodles cook, in a separate bowl, combine the sour cream, flour, 2 Tbsp. water, and pepper. Add to the noodle mixture when noodles are tender. Cook and stir until bubbly. Remove from heat, and serve immediately.




COST BREAKDOWN:
1 lb. lean ground beef (on sale)- $3.68
1/4 cup chopped onion- $0.10
1/2 tsp. jarred minced garlic - 0.01
2 Tbsp. flour - $0.01
4 tsp. Better than Bullion (beef base) - $0.36
8 oz. lasagana noodles - $1.26
1 cup sour cream - $0.79
1/4 tsp. pepper$0.03

Total Cost = $6.24
Cost per (8) Servings = $0.89


COMPARISON:
Betty Crocker Beef Stroganoff Hamburger Helper (9 oz.): $1.98 + $3.68 (ground beef added) = $5.66
Cost per Serving = $1.13

Savings: 22%