Beef Stroganoff

I have no idea where this recipe came from.  It is the recipe my mother used when we were growing up and every once in a while I crave it something terrible!  I use light sour cream and fat-free, low-sodium broth to attempt to make it better for the body.  I've also added mushrooms and rosemary to the original recipe for some depth and also, because I married an anti-onion person.  But I really miss the onions so sometimes I make it with the onions and pack it into lunch portions so I can enjoy it properly at the office :)

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1/2 pkg fresh mushrooms, cleaned & chopped
• 1 sprig rosemary
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1 lb think sliced sirloin beef, cut into 2 inch strips

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp flour
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1 can beef broth
• 1 8oz container sour cream
• 1 package wide egg noodles, cooked according to package directions

Melt 2 Tbsp butter and add onions, mushrooms and entire sprig of rosemary to pan.  Saute until onions are translucent.  Stir occasionally, pressing on the rosemary to release the flavor into the dish.  Add salt & pepper to taste at this stage.

Coat beef with flour and add to pan.  (I put the beef into a plastic bag, sprinkle the flour over the beef, and close the bag leaving as much as air as possible, then shake to coat.)

Quickly brown the beef and then remove beef mixture from pan and set aside.  You don't want to cook the meat all the way through as it will continue to cook a bit after you remove it from the pan.  You can remove
the rosemary sprig at this time.


Melt 2 Tbsp butter to any pan drippings, then whisk in 2 Tbsp flour.  You should have a thick paste in your pan. 
 

Whisk in 2 Tbsp tomato paste.  This will create a "blob" like below.

Then VERY slowly stir in the beef broth a wee bit at a time.  (The idea is to slowly thin out the flour mixture.  If you add too much broth too quickly, the flour mixture will break apart into small lumps and your sauce will not thicken.)  Let simmer 3-5 minutes.  Return beef to pan.

 Stir in sour cream.

 Cook an additional 2-3 minutes so that everything is warmed through.

 Spoon over egg noodles and enjoy!

Witch's Notes:  If you know me or have read any of my other blog you know that I am a bit of a magnet to spiritual energies.  Sometimes I can feel those energies building and know that they will soon try to get my attention in one way or another.  In learning about herbs it became apparent to me that I may crave dishes with onions and dig the flavor of rosemary for a reason.  It turns out, both are great for protection.  And it may be just a coincidence but after moving in with my now husband and excluding onions from our meals, the frequency of my experiences with spirits skyrocketed.  Other magickal properties that onion and rosemary have in common are exorcism, healing, lust, and help with sleep (prophetic dreams and peaceful sleep, respectively).

Orange Rosemary Shortbread Cookies

Ever notice how pot lucks usually end up with a table full of store bought sweets and multi-layered Mexican dips?  It can be difficult to bring warm dishes to a pot luck if it is outdoors or in a small space with limited access to power outlets.  I decided I would make a savory shortbread cookie to bring to Circle last month for a change of pace.  Delicious!

2 cups flour
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped (1-2 sprigs)
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

Combine flour, sugar, salt, and rosemary together in a food processor and pulse to combine.  Add zest and juice from the orange, as well as the butter, and pulse until combined into a dough.  You will need to refrigerate the dough for a bit (15-20 minutes).  I scooped mine as you would a chocolate chip cookie.  You can also form it into a log, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate it that way so you can slice and bake.  If you want to do the slice and bake method, I would leave the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden on the edges.  Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes or so before you move them to a cooling rack as they are quite delicate.

Witch's Notes:
Both Rosemary and Oranges are associated with the element earth, making them perfect for grounding.  Rosemary also holds protection properties which will help if you are doing any spirit work. It is always a good idea to ground after ritual work or meditation.  If you have ever not grounded after ritual or spirit work, you know that your energy levels can be depleted and out of whack.  I will get dizzy or even nauseous.  Eating is a great way to connect with earth energy to ground and these savory little cookies are perfect for that!