What’s For Dinner: Beef and Gravy Over Noodles

This is a little something I came up with one night when I was craving Beef Stroganoff but didn’t have the time to make it. It’s now one of my boyfriend’s favorites, and I normally have all the things needed to make it on-hand. It’s pretty fast to make, too – however long it takes the noodles to boil!

This makes enough for two people, possibly with some saucy leftovers. I normally have bread with it to eat with the remaining sauce. Also, I am sure you can make your own gravy rather than using a packet, but I don’t because a $.40 packet takes less time and tastes just as good. It’s pretty easy to multiply, and fairly inexpensive. I use the cheap cuts of beef you can buy in “family packs” at the grocery store.

What you’ll need:

• 8 oz. egg noodles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Half an onion, cut into thin slices
• A cup of fresh mushrooms, or a 4-ounce can, drained (I like using lots of mushrooms, so you can add more or less, depending on your tastes)
• 1 lb. beef, cut into strips
• 1 packet brown gravy
• 1 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons sour cream
• Salt and pepper to taste

What you need to do:

1. Boil water for noodles. I normally salt the water, but that’s optional. Cook noodles according to package instructions.
2. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized pan over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until semi-transluscent.
3. Toss in beef, sauteing until the outsides are brown (but the inside is not cooked through). Add mushrooms, and stir for 1-2 minutes, until starting to cook.
4. Mix gravy packet according to package, then pour into pan. Bring to a boil and allow to reduce.
5. Stir in sour cream. Add parsley, then salt and pepper to taste.

And voilà! Serve the beef and gravy over the noodles, and sop up the extra gravy goodness with a loaf of your favorite bread or warm rolls.