Beef Paprikash

February always has such damp weather - frosty snow-laiden wind or rain filled storm clouds. It is difficult to get into the mood of the season when you're shivering. With that in mind, we thought what would be better then sharing some comfort food with someone you care about or even to brighten up your day. So where better to find some ideas then from a recipe book with the title Like Grandma Used to Make: A Treasury of Fondly Remembered Dishes which was originally published by Reader's Digest. 

Beef Paprikash 
Nonstick cooking spray or olive oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless beef chuck steak, trimmed and cut into 3/4 inch pieces
2 medium-size yellow onions, cut into wedges
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika or paprika
2 teaspoons dried thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) lower-sodium tomatoes, undrained and cut up 
1 cup lower-sodium beef broth
1 large sweet bell pepper, cut into bite-size strips
1 cup reduce-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1. Coat a Dutch oven with cooking spray. Heat the Dutch oven over moderately high heat. Add the beef, onions, and garlic. Cook for 10 minutes or until meat is browned.
2. Stir in the 1 tablespoon flour, paprika, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Add the tomatoes, beef broth, and bell pepper. Bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours or until the meat is tender, stirring occasionally.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the sour cream and the 2 tablespoons flour; stir into meat mixture. Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes or until thickened (do not boil). Serve over hot cooked noodles.

~ The Artist ~ 

      I thought it would be a great idea to make something that would add a bit of warmth to the season to share with someone or just have while snuggling up into a blanket. Following the instructions, I enjoyed how the aroma of meat and veggies mixing with the sweet and smoky scent of the paprika filled the kitchen as I cooked. Serving it up on a small bed of wheat noodles, I was surprised how good of a combo the sweet tomatoes worked with the savory meat and creamy sauce. I think that the next time I make this, I will try it with egg noodles instead or even with rice just to experiment but it did taste delicious. 

~ The Gamer ~

     This is another dish that ended up well. The meat turned out just right in terms of texture, soft and tender but not to the point where it just fell apart. There was still some rather fatty spots in the portion I received, but that's to be expected with a chuck roast. Although there is sour cream in the sauce, it's not overpowering. You can taste just a hint of tanginess coming from it, but that's about it. Other than that, it was rather similar to a thick beef stew, especially with the peeled tomatoes added into the mix. The recipe book recommends serving this over pasta, which we did, but I also had some on its own, and it's just as delicious with the pasta as it is without. All in all, it's a nice, simple dish that's perfect for a winter evening.