Let the Games Begin

For our first competition we'll be using the 1977 version of the Betty Crocker cookbook. We decided to start with an old-fashioned classic (Classic Beef Stroganoff) and then drew names to determine who would cook the Betty Crocker recipe (Bruce) and who would challenge it (Connie).

For this challenge, Connie had to include some type of beef, mushrooms, and sour cream.  She decided to combine several crock pot recipes for her dish....because, gee, what's more old-fashioned than crock pot cooking?

Full disclosure:  Connie is a pescoterian (eats veggies, seafood, and dairy) so cooking a meat dish is going to be a challenge!

Classic Beef Stroganoff (From Betty Crocker)

                                                    photo from the Betty Crocker cookbook

Makes 6 servings:

1 1/2 pounds beef sirloin steak, 1/2 inch thick
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (2 1/2 cups)
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 cups beef flavored both
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3 cups hot cooked egg noodles

Cut beef across grain into about 1 1/2 x 1/2 inch strips.  Cook mushrooms, onions and garlic in butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are tender; remove from skillet.
Cook beef in same skillet until brown. Stir in 1 cup of the broth, the salt and Worcestershire sauce.  Heat to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer 15 minutes.  Stir remaining 1/2 cup broth into flour; stir into beef mixture.  Add onion mixture; heat to boiling, stirring constantly.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir in sour cream; heat until hot (do not boil). Serve over noodles.

Tip from Betty Crocker:  Beef is easier to cut when it has been partially frozen for about 1 hour first.

Crock Pot Beef Stroganoff (The Challenger)

Makes 8 servings:

3 lb. beef round steak, ½ inch thick

½ cup flour

2 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. pepper

½ tsp. dry mustard

1 onion, diced

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ lb. portabella mushrooms, sliced

1 (10 ½ oz.) can condensed cream of mushroom soup

¼ cup dry white wine

1 cup water

1 ½ cup fat-free sour cream

¼ cup flour

Fresh Parsley for garnish

4 cups hot cooked egg noodles

Trim all excess fat from steak and cut meat into 3 inch strips about ½ inch wide. Combine ½ cup flour, salt, pepper, and dry mustard; toss with steak strips to coat thoroughly.  Place coated steak strips in crock pot; stir in onion, mushrooms, garlic powder, and cream of mushroom soup.  Add wine and water; stir well.  Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Before serving, combine sour cream with ¼ cup flour; stir into crock pot.  Serve stroganoff over egg noodles or rice.  Garnish with fresh parsley.

Let us know who you think will win this week's competition...Betty Crocker or The Challenger??????

We are two cooks (Connie and Bruce) in Atlanta who love competitions of all types!  Our family has a long history of competing...first there was Family Fear Factor (we blindfolded everyone and they had to go from the farthest point in the backyard to the front mailbox).  Fortunately, only one teenager ran into a telephone pole and he lived to tell about it!

Then we had a competition involving backward running around a track (we have a lot of runners in our family).  No one got too sick and it was pretty funny.

For the past 5 years we have held a cooking competition during the holidays.  You can check out this year's competition on http://www.trailmixfortwo.blogspot.com/. See the article entitled, "May the Odds Be Ever in Your Favor!"

Connie loved cooking from her 70's Betty Crocker Cookbook and she still keeps a treasured copy of it.  We thought it would be fun to challenge each other with a cooking contest that we call the Betty Crocker Cookoff.

Here are the rules:

1.  Each week we will select one Betty Crocker Cookbook recipe.
2.  We will draw names to determine who will cook that recipe and who will
     challenge it with a new creation using similar ingredients.
3.  The main ingredients in the Betty Crocker recipe must be used in the
     challenge recipe (e.g., you can't substitute filet mignon for hot dogs)
4.  The dishes will be judged by assorted friends and family members and
     we'll post the winner and both recipes on our blog each week.

That's the concept...now for the first challenge stay posted!