A Ribbon in the Sky for our Love (Handles)

Beef Stroganoff with Veggetti Ribbons

This was most satisfying and came while in a food rut.  I reworked this recipe from the country cook website: https://www.thecountrycook.net/beef-stroganoff/

My Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped
• 1 teaspoon garlic minced (about 1-2 cloves)
• 1 pkg of portabello mushrooms
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp flour
• 2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• squeeze of lemon
• 1 1/2 cups beef broth
• 1 cup yogurt, a dash of almond milk
• salt and pepper to taste
• veggetti ribbon noodles 

Instructions

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown ground beef along with the onions,garlic & mushrooms until thoroughly cooked.
2. Drain ground beef to remove excess grease from pan.
3. Put pan back on stove over medium heat (don't add the ground beef back in yet.)
4. Add butter to pan and let it melt.
5. Then add flour to pan, stir and let it absorb butter.
6. Now add beef broth and whisk vigorously to remove any lumps, turning the heat up to high, bringing it to a boil for 2-3 minutes until you see it thicken slightly.
7. Bring temperature down to medium and whisk in yogurt 
8. Stir until mixture is thoroughly incorporated.
9. Add salt & pepper. Keep tasting mixture until it is seasoned the way you like.
10. If it gets too thick on you, just add a little almond milk
11. Add ground beef back to mixture until reheated.
12. Saute the veggetti noodles in a large pan for about 3 minutes add the thyme leaves, salt and pepper and serve with a squeeze of lemon.

If you're jonesing for pasta but your fat belly tells you to lay off, then this is a great alternative and it's really satisfying.  The yogurt gives a velvety slightly tart taste and you don't miss the sour cream.  A dash of soy sauce also helps.

In the spring, this will fill with a brilliant green waterfall and look fabulous in the middle of the block. I've admired it for years. I don't believe I've seen it in the winter before though.  It's a bit unsightly.

It's an actual tree at it's base, which is surprising and some of the branches are very thick.  There's no turning back with this weird experiment.  The birds are crazy for it by the sound coming from that side of the street though.