Category: Tips & Tricks

Artichokes With Roasted Garlic Wine Dip

home-artichokeI love living in Southern California where there is the availability of local fruits and vegetables in the stores, as well as what is trucked and flown in from around the country and from other parts of the world, pretty much year-round.  It really makes cooking and eating fun! #ThisGirlLovesToEat 

One of the few things that I do have to be patient for are artichokes.  Nowhere grows them as big and meaty as we do in California.  In fact, 99.99% of all commercially grown artichokes are grown in California. 

CAF_fest_logo-2017Since I happen to love them, it’s a pretty good thing that Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom named artichokes the Official State Vegetable of California on April 10, 2013.  Artichokes from California are so fabulous that they’ve had their own festival for the past 56 years: Castroville Artichoke Food & Wine Festival.

Some people dip their leaves in mayonnaise (which makes me want to gag), others in various aiolis, dips or other concoctions, but I’ve been a ridiculous creature of habit for as long as I can remember, eating my artichokes one way and one way only: dipping each succulent leaf into a bowl of melted butter.  Occasionally I may deviate in the preparation of the steam that surrounds my artichoke, adding some white wine, maybe some garlic or some lemon to the water, but I never deviate on my buttery leaf bath.  Until now.

This long forgotten recipe I’d clipped from the May 2007 edition of Cooking Light Magazine convinced me to change my ways (at least temporarily).

artichokes-dip-ck-1622453-x

Artichokes With Roasted Garlic Wine Dip

  • 2 whole garlic heads
  • 4 medium artichokes (about 3 1/2 pounds)
  • 1/2 cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Chopped fresh parsley
  1. Preheat Oven to 400° F.
  2. Remove white papery skin from garlic heads (do not peel or separate the cloves). Wrap each head separately in foil. Bake at 400° F for 45 minutes; cool 10 minutes. Separate cloves; squeeze to extract garlic pulp. Discard skins.
  3. Cut off stems of artichokes, and remove bottom leaves. Trim about 1/2 inch from tops of artichokes. Place artichokes, stem ends down, in a large Dutch oven filled two-thirds with water; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 45 minutes or until a leaf near the center of each artichoke pulls out easily. Remove artichokes from pan.
  4. Combine half of garlic pulp and wine in a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook 2 minutes. Add broth; cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 8 minutes). Remove from heat; stir in butter and salt. Pour mixture into a blender; add remaining half of garlic pulp. Remove center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Sprinkle dip with parsley, if desired. Serve dip with warm artichokes.

If you’re interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to like:  health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, gadget reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a community page on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Houston’s Hawaiian Rib-Eye

Someone at Bon Appétit was able to sweet talk the people in charge of the vault of recipes for some of the most ordered favorites at Hillstone’s (Houston’s Steakhouse) and I couldn’t be more excited!

One of my favorite items on the Houston’s menu is the Hawaiian Rib-Eye Steak.  It’s obviously one of their most popular items as well, since it it the featured photo on their website!  It’s juicy, full of flavor and hits the table with a hint of sizzle from the grill. What more could anyone ask for? #ThisGirlLovesToEat

hawaiian-rib-eye-steak

Houston’s Hawaiian Rib-Eye Steak (Serves 4)

Steak

  • 2 cups pineapple juice
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 5 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • ⅓ cup chopped white onion
  • 1 – 1-inch piece ginger, peeled, finely chopped
  • 2 – 1-inch-thick bone-in rib-eye steaks (about 3 pounds total)
  1. Whisk pineapple juice, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, and oil in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved.  Add onion and ginger.
  2. Set aside 2 Tbsp. marinade for butter.
  3. Transfer remaining marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Add steaks and seal bag, pressing out excess air. Chill at least 1 day.
  4. Remove steaks from marinade, pat dry, and let sit until room temperature, about 1 hour.

Do Ahead: Steaks can be marinated 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Butter

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • Kosher salt
  1. Whisk butter and oil in a medium bowl to combine. Vigorously whisk in reserved marinade; season with salt.
  2. Transfer to the center of a sheet of parchment paper and roll up into a log. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.

Do Ahead: Butter can be made 3 days ahead. Keep chilled.

Preparation

  1. Build a two-zone fire in a charcoal grill for direct (medium-high coals) and indirect (medium-low coals) heat.  Alternatively, heat a gas grill to high just before cooking, leaving one burner on low.
  2. Season steaks very lightly with salt (omit this step if marinating more than 24 hours).
  3. Grill over high heat, turning, until steaks are well browned and beginning to char around edges, about 4 minutes.
  4. Transfer to cooler part of grill and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of steaks registers 120° for medium-rare. (Alternatively, cook in a grill pan over medium-high heat, turning steaks every couple of minutes.)
  5. Transfer steaks to a wire rack.
  6. Slice butter into ¼”-thick rounds and divide between steaks.
  7. Let rest at least 10 minutes before slicing.

Serve alongside a baked sweet potato with a pat of butter & a dusting of cinnamon and sugar (or a splash of maple syrup) and a simple mixed green salad.

If you’re interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to like:  health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, gadget reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a community page on Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Salmon in Parchment

If you are always on the lookout for quick and easy weeknight recipes, and don’t stop here first, do what I often do when I am looking for inspiration and follow Food Porn on Twitter.

Today there was a quick and easy to follow video for Salmon Baked in Parchment that will help you get dinner on the table in under 30 minutes!

4salmonrecipes

  • Pesto Salmon
  • Teriyaki Salmon
  • Lemon Dill Salmon
  • Garlic Butter Salmon

 

I’ve done the lemon dill salmon and it came out perfect.  Next on my list to try is the pesto salmon.  This girl loves pesto and this girl loves salmon!  Let’s face it, #ThisGirlLovesToEat 

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active community page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Cook Your Meat Perfectly With Science

cowchart

I love beef of nearly any cut, but I can’t stand it if it’s overcooked! I saw a headline for a way to cook it to a perfect degree of doneness every time and clicked on it immediately.  I did get struck by the giggles at the name of the not-so-new online cooking tool created by three girls at MIT in 2013: Cook My Meat.

Come on, COOK MY MEAT?  It doesn’t give your inner 12 year old the giggles?

Alright, I’ll revert to my adult self.

  • #CookMyMeat was created by Kate Roe, Laura Breiman, and Marissa Stephens, students at MIT in 2013.
  • You fill in the cut of your meat, the temperature you’ll be cooking it at, then you’re shown an approximation of how your meat will turn out: red, pink or well-done/overcooked

cook-my-meat1

You can even compare two different cooking methods and get a side by side result of how the steaks (or turkey or tuna steak) will turn out: 

  • Flip every 4 minutes
  • Flip every 15 seconds
  • Sear then cook low
  • Sous Vide then Liquid Nitrogen
  • Enter your own parameters

cookmymeat2

On_Food_And_Cooking_UScoverThe girls developed the tool by calculating heat diffusion in the meat at each time step with the Crank-Nicolson method, using On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen as a guidepost for protein denaturaization temperatures.

The book, published in 1984, has been described by Alton Brown as “the Rosetta stone of the culinary world.”

I just wanted something simple to tell me how long to cook my steak so it comes out a bit more than medium-rare but not all the way to medium in that almost warm pink state.  This is a bit high tech and too much science, so I’ll be sticking to my instant read thermometer and my trusty steak knife & mag-light in the dark to make sure it’s not overcooked.  #ThisGirlLovesToEat

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Short Rib Mushroom Risotto

stuffedWe have a lot of family celebrations that come in a very short time, which means a lot of heavy big dinners either out at restaurants or at one family gathering or another.  By the time we hit our wedding anniversary in late February (which is the same day as my sister-in-law’s birthday) and, a week later, my husband’s birthday, we are about food-ed out!

Despite that, I make a big to-do and tonight, am making a new recipe I’ve been playing with for a dish I had made for me at my post-Christmas birthday at one of my favorite restaurants, The Winery in Tustin, CA.   I’m good enough in the kitchen to be dangerous so I’ve gathered the ingredients and am giving it a go tonight! If it sucks I can always order pizza, right? #ThisGirlLovesToEat

First a tip:  Start this recipe either the day before, early on the the day, or at least 2 hours before you want to eat.  You’ll want to prepare the short ribs first so that you’ll have the broth left from cooking them to use for the risotto.  Trust me on this. It makes a huge difference.

Short Rib Mushroom Risotto

Making the Ribs

  • 8-10 Strips Thick Cut Bacon – cut (with kitchen shears) into 1/2 – 1″ chunks
  • 3 to 4 Lbs Bone-in Short Ribs
  • 1 – 8oz Pkg Sliced Baby Bella Mushrooms
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 TBLS Minced Garlic
  • 1 Cup Mushroom Broth (Sprouts carries this) or Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 1 TBLS Light Brown Sugar
  • 1 tsp Ground Cloves
  • 1 TBLS Dried Herbes De Provence (McCormick)
  1. Set the Pressure Cooker to the brown setting with the lid open.
  2. Cut the bacon and cook it in the pressure cooker (with the lid open) until it just starts to get crisp. Remove and set aside.
  3. Put short ribs into the pressure cooker in the bacon grease, brown on all sides, in batches if needed, until all are browned.
  4. When all ribs are browned, put all back into the pressure cooker fattiest (if any) or bone side down.
  5. Put garlic, brown sugar, and broth into the spaces between the ribs.
  6. Sprinkle ribs with black pepper and lightly with ground cloves and Herbes De Provence.
  7. Add bacon and mushrooms on top of the ribs in the pressure cooker.
  8. Secure lid and set to pressure cook on high for 40 minutes.
  9. Let pressure release naturally for 10 minutes then do quick release.
  10. Remove ribs from the pressure cooker to a covered pot, and as you are moving them remove the bones – they should pull right out.
  11. When all ribs are deboned, use 2 forks and shred the meat while it is still hot.
  12. Add about 1/2 cup of the reserved broth from the pressure cooker to the meat and cover to keep warm and moist.

Making the Risotto

  • 1 TBLS Olive Oil + 1 TBLS Butter
  • 1/4 Cup Butter (1/2 Stick)
  • 1/2 Medium Yellow Onion Chopped
  • 1 – 8oz Pkg Sliced White Mushrooms (chop them)
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 TBLS Minced Garlic
  • 1 Cup Mushroom (Sprouts carries this) or Low Sodium Beef Broth
  • 2 Cups Arborio Rice
  • 2/3 Cup White Wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
  • 4 1/2 – 5 Cups Beef Broth (use the reserved strained drippings/broth from the short ribs and add enough stock/broth to make up the total amount)
  • 2/3 Cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
  1. Using a fat separator, pour the remaining liquid from the pressure cooker through the strainer top and allow to slightly cool.  Once cooled pour off the broth only into a 6 cup measuring cup.  Discard the fat.
  2. Add enough broth (mushroom or low sodium beef) to equal 5 cups. Then put in a pan to simmer.
  3. In heavy gauge saucepan heat olive oil + 1 TBLS butter until melted.
  4. Add rice.  Cook and stir about 3 minutes until lightly browned.  Remove from heat and set aside.
  5. To prepare the mushrooms, clean the mushrooms by brushing them off (do not wash if possible) and roughly chop (stems may be left on).
  6. Sauté onions, garlic and butter in heavy gauge saucepan over medium-high heat until onions are translucent about 5 minutes.  Add mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are soft (about 4 minutes)
  7. Add the browned rice to the vegetables and stir to combine.
  8. Pour in the white wine and allow the liquid to boil and be absorbed into the rice. Then pour in 1/2 cup of stock to the rice, stirring constantly. (If necessary, adjust the heat under the pot – you want a medium simmer.)  Add more stock 1/2 cup at a time – adding more just as most but not all of the liquid is absorbed before adding in more stock.)
  9. Stir the rice and stock together in this manner for approximately 25 minutes or so – until the rice is tender but not mushy. Stir about 1/2 Cup of the shredded short ribs into the risotto with the final addition of broth.
  10. Turn the heat off when there is still some liquid remaining in the rice and stir in the Parmesan cheese.
  11. Remove from heat and cover.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

TIP:  Risotto may be reheated by adding in some additional mushroom or low sodium beef stock and stirring to incorporate into the risotto.

To serve:  I toss some fresh spinach in olive oil over medium heat until wilted, lay a small bead in the center of the plate then mound some risotto atop the spinach, pile some shredded short rib on top with a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese and add a slice of french bread with some butter for sopping up the juices.

My husband said it was better than The Winery!  Sorry Chef Yvon Goetz. 😉

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”

Another Twitter video find when I was hungry…best part?  It’s from www.health.com!

buffalocauliflower

My sister Wendi and I fell in love with these when we went to San Diego and found a sports bar to watch USC football at before going to a Blake Shelton concert last year. I’ve finally found a recipe that comes close to what we had there!

Buffalo Cauliflower “Wings”

  • Preheat oven to 400° F.
  • Wash a Large head of fresh cauliflower (About 1 lb).
  • Remove the outer leaves and stem and then cut to separate the individual florets.
  • Dry the florets and spread out on a cookie sheet lined with foil.
  • Sprinkle florets lightly with salt and pepper.
  • Put sheet in oven and roast for 20 – 25 minutes stirring once.

In a medium bowl combine:

  • 1 TBLS Butter melted
  • 3 TBLS Frank’s Red Hot Sauce (or any kind you like)
  • 1 tsp Vinegar
  • Put roasted cauliflower florets into the bowl and stir with rubber spatula until all florets are coated with sauce.
  • Return coated florets to the cookie sheet.
  • Roast at 400° F for 5-10 minutes more or until cauliflower starts to brown.

Make the dipping sauce:

  • In a small pan over medium-low heat put 2 tsp Olive Oil and 1 clove garlic, minced.
  • Heat until garlic starts to brown.
  • Transfer garlic and olive oil into the mixing container of a blender or Vitamix.
  • Add 1/2 Cup Plain Greek Yogurt.
  • 1/2 Avocado
  • 1 TBLS Parsley
  • 1 TBLS Chives
  • 1 tsp Dill
  • 1/4 tsp Apple Cider Vinegar
  • 1/4 tsp Onion Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Honey
  • Pinch of Salt & Pepper

Blend until well combined.  Transfer to a small serving bowl, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Serve with the dip and ranch dressing on the side.

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Giant Oatmeal-Vanilla Buttercream Pies

oatmealcreampierecipeOne look at this video and all I could think was, “Yum!”  I was able to eyeball the measurements of the ingredients pretty accurately from the video but, just to be safe, a quick Google hunt led me to the recipe at www.mybakingaddiction.com.  I love the internet!

Oatmeal Cream Pies

  • Preheat oven to 350° F
  • Line Cookie Sheet with Parchment Paper
  • In large bowl combine:  2 Sticks (1 Cup) Softened Butter
  • 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 3/4 Cup Packed Light Brown Sugar

Cream together with a mixer until light and fluffy.  Add in:

  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

Blend together until eggs are well incorporated.  Add in:

  • 1+1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Cinnamon
  • 3 Cups Old Fashioned Oats

Blend together until all ingredients are combined.

  • Drop dough by rounded large dough scoop into parchment lined cookie sheets.
  • Bake 13-15 minutes
  • Cool cookies on sheet for 1 minute then remove to wire racks to cool completely

To make Vanilla Buttercream filling, in a medium bowl combine:

  • 3/4 Cup Softened Butter (1 +1/2 sticks)
  • 2+1/2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 TBLS Milk
  • 1 tsp Vanilla

Blend with mixer until fluffy.  If too thick or stiff add a little more milk to thin.

Spread or pipe buttercream filling between two cookies sandwich style and enjoy!

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Lemon Turmeric Energy Balls

lemon-turmeric-energy-balls

I came across this recipe on Pinterest and am so excited to try it.

I have a tree bursting with Meyer Lemons in my backyard and just got a fresh delivery of Medjool Dates from Hadley Fruit Orchards in Cabazon, CA.  I can’t possibly ONLY drink date milkshakes (although I’d love to try), and I need to find a way to get more turmeric, with it’s anti-inflammatory gifts, into my diet, so this is a win-win.

I may even make a batch that substitutes blood orange for the lemon because I also have a tree full of ripe Blood Oranges. #CaliforniaGirlCitrusProblems

In the ginger family, turmeric is used to flavor both sweet and savory dishes in many different regions’ cuisines: South Asia, Southeast Asia (Vietnam, Cambodia), India, Eastern Asia, the Middle East, Iran, South Africa, and Thailand among others. In Medieval Europe it was known as Indian Saffron because it was used as an alternative to the more expensive and harder to get spice.

Lemon Turmeric Energy Balls

  • 12 dried Medjool dates
  • 1 cup old-fashioned gluten-free oats
  • ½ cup almonds
  • 1 tablespoon chia seeds
  • 4 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • ½ cup shredded coconut, for dusting
  1. Remove the pits from dates and soak them in hot water for several minutes. When the dates are softened, drain them and place in food processor. Save the water.
  2. Add the other ingredients to a food processor and blend until mixture turns into a dough-like consistency. Add 1 tablespoon of water from soaking the dates if the mixture is too dry.
  3. With the small spoon scoop the mixture and roll into balls. Roll the balls in shredded coconut and place on the baking sheet.

  4. Store energy balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator until serving.

    Notes: Energy balls can be kept frozen up to 3 months.

    You can find the original recipe at http://www.natalieshealth.com/

    If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

slow-cooker-chicken-cacciatoreNobody likes to worry about cooking dinner after getting home from work on Monday night.

The weekend was a non-stop whirlwind of activity.  Kids games, recitals, activities, parties, chores, and maybe some adult beverages have left you with no energy to plan a meal after your first day back at the grind of the work week.

Thankfully Cooking Light Magazine has come to the rescue with a YouTube video to guide us all through a “fix it and forget it” healthy and hearty weeknight meal that will bring the whole family to the table and make you look like a SUPERSTAR!

Slow Cooker Chicken Cacciatore

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 2 cups unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
  • 1/4 cup drained capers
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  • 8 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 (28-oz.) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 (8-oz.) pkg. cremini mushrooms, quartered
  • 8 (6-oz.) boneless-skinless chicken thighs
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 12 ounces uncooked spaghetti, broken in half
  • 5 ounces baby spinach
  • 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup)
  1. Combine 1/2 cup water and flour in a 6-quart electric slow cooker, stirring with a whisk
  2. Stir in stock and next 8 ingredients (through mushrooms)
  3. Add chicken thighs to stock mixture; submerge in liquid
  4. Cover and cook on LOW 7 1/2 hours
  5. Remove chicken
  6. Add oil and pasta to slow cooker
  7. Cover and cook on HIGH 15 minutes or until pasta is done
  8. Stir in spinach until wilted
  9. Divide pasta mixture among 8 shallow bowls
  10. Top evenly with chicken
  11. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood

Beef Stroganoff

beef-stroganoff

There are few things I enjoy more than a hearty, thick, rich beef stroganoff.  My grandma used to make this hearty Russian dish, finishing it with a dollop of sour cream.  I loved taking her in her later years to a local Marie Callendar’s restaurant who did a pretty good job with their version of this comforting dish.

I tore this recipe out of the September 1999 edition of Bon Appétit Magazine and it’s been my go-to ever since!

Ingredients

    • 1 + 1/2-pound piece beef tenderloin, well trimmed, meat cut into 2x1x1/2 inch strips (I prefer chunks)
    • 4 tablespoons olive oil
    • 12 tablespoons (1 + 1/2 sticks) butter
    • 1/2 cup finely chopped shallots
    • 1 pound small button mushrooms, thickly sliced
    • 2 cup canned beef broth
    • 4 tablespoons Cognac
    • 1 + 1/2 cup crème fraîche or whipping cream
    • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 2 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
    • 12 ounces wide egg noodles
    • 1 tablespoon paprika

Preparation

    1. Pat meat dry with paper towels. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
    2. Heat oil in heavy large skillet over high heat until very hot.
    3. Working in batches, add meat in single layer and cook just until brown on outside, about 1 minute per side.
    4. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet.
    5. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in same skillet over medium-high heat.
    6. Add chopped shallots and sauté until tender, scraping up browned bits, about 2 minutes.
    7. Add button mushrooms. Sprinkle with pepper and sauté until liquid evaporates, about 12 minutes.
    8. Add beef broth, then Cognac. Simmer until liquid thickens and just coats mushrooms, about 14 minutes.
    9. Stir in crème fraîche and Dijon mustard.
    10. Add meat and any accumulated juices from baking sheet.
    11. Simmer over medium-low heat until meat is heated through but still medium-rare, about 2 minutes.
    12. Mix 1-2 teaspoons cornstarch into 2 tablespoons cold water and stir into the sauce to thicken
    13. Stir in chopped dill.
    14. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
    15. Meanwhile, cook noodles in large pot of boiling salted water until tender, about 8 minutes.
    16. Drain.
    17. Transfer to bowl.
    18. Add remaining butter and toss to coat.
    19. Season with salt and pepper.
    20. Divide noodles among plates.
    21. Top with beef and sauce. Sprinkle generously with paprika.

If you use Facebook and are interested in the things I may not devote an entire blog post to: things like health articles, my favorite recipes, fun drinks, food facts, nutritional information, restaurant reviews, photos and other things that make my mouth water, I have a very active page on Facebook you can visit too: https://www.facebook.com/ThisGirlLovesHerFood