I almost forgot this week’s installment. Here you go.

Quick and Dirty Beef Stroganoff

You’ll need:

10 or 12 ounces of tenderloin
Two servings of thick egg noodles
A cup of beef stock or unsalted beef broth
A tablespoon or three of sour cream
A dollop of Dijon mustard
Two tablespoons of cheap-ass cognac
A half cup of diced mushrooms, most any kind
A small pinch of thyme
Paprika

Slice the beef into small, bite sized chunks. Cover liberally with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, put a pot of water on to boil.

Heat a ten-inch frying pan on High. If it isn’t non-stick, add a few drops of cooking oil, then drop the beef in there, constantly flipping for about a minute. You pretty much just want to sear it. Set it aside in a bowl, and reduce the heat to medium high.

Pour in most of the beef stock, scraping the bottom with a spatula to get all the good bits into the sauce. Now add in the mustard, sour cream, cognac, thyme, and a sprinkle or three of paprika. While it boils, stir constantly. If it’s reducing too quickly, reduce the heat to medium, and feel free to add a little more stock. But not too much – the sauce should thicken. Add more sour cream if needed.

Once the water comes to a boil, put in the egg noodles. If you got the thick kind, they should take about seven minutes. When two minutes are left, put the beef (and all the collected juices) and mushrooms into the sauce. Stir well.

When ready, strain the noodles and distribute onto two plates. Ladle the beef and mushrooms on top, then pour on the sauce. Too much is never enough. Now, sprinkle on more paprika for a touch of taste and color.

Will make two people very full and happy.