"Lite" Beef Stroganoff

I decided to try and make beef stroganoff tonight, and might I say it was pretty delicious! My one complaint was that I didn't cook the beef long enough, so it was pretty tough. But besides that, Jonathan and I really enjoyed it. :)
As usual, I got the recipe off of Mr. Food (thanks mom!)

Serves: 6

Cooking Time: 35 min

Ingredients

• 1 pound no-yolk egg noodles
• 1 1/2 pounds boneless beef top sirloin steak, well trimmed and thinly sliced across the grain
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1 (10-¾ ounce) can condensed reduced-fat cream of mushroom soup
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

1. Prepare noodles according to package directions; drain, rinse, drain again then set aside and cover to keep warm.
    
2. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray, brown beef and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes or until no pink remains in steak and onions are tender, stirring occasionally. Add mushrooms and cook 3 minutes, or until tender. Reduce heat to medium-low and stir in soup, wine, and pepper; simmer 25 minutes, or until meat is tender. Add sour cream and parsley, and cook 1 minute, or until heated through. Do not boil.
    
3. Serve over warm noodles.

Notes

If you prefer a saltier flavor, as we do, then add 1/2 teaspoon salt when you add the pepper.

I tweaked the recipe a bit though.

Instead of white wine I used a cup of beef broth. And my noodles were also whole wheat.

I also used canned mushrooms and dried parsley.

I'm pleased with how it turned out though, and would recommend it to others :)

Stressed!

I'm graduating in August, my major is criminal justice and my minor is sociology.
I don't want to do anything after college dealing with cj, my plan has shifted away from it completely. I want to help kids, which is something I've always planned on doing, but it's shifted from law enforcement to something along the lines of being a sociologist/psycologist fml. Ideally, I want to be a suicidologist. 

I'm thinking about getting another BA in psych, then getting a masters (which I was planning on doing anyway) in sociology, now with an emphasize on suicide. 

That just seems like so much schooling (=$$$). And the most ideal place for me to go to graduate school for that would be here because I wouldn't have to take the GRE and it only takes 3 semesters. BUT it's so late for me to be deciding this, it's too late for me to even get in for the fall, so the earliest would be next Spring. Jonathan and I have already made solid plans about moving back to his hometown in the fall and we've been SO excited about the fact that we finally get away from this godawful city.
I looked into the graduate program for the university where we'd be and they have it, but it's more expensive, takes longer, and I'd have to take the GRE. That's in general too, and I've always planned on getting my masters but with ANYTHING here at my current school would be most ideal.

The thought of all this is just so overwhelming and stressful. I don't know what to do. I suppose the first step is talking with my academic advisor and get his advice. But then what? Move back home for a few months then drag myself and my boyfriend back up to this city that neither of us don't want to be in? I don't even know how getting a BA in psych would work, the way they do the Arts and Sciences requirements. Would I have to get ANOTHER minor?
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I need to figure out how to insert .gifs onto this blog so I can accurately express how I feel. 

Tonight's Dinner: Balsamic Chicken

My mom introduced me to this awesome, nifty website called Mr. Food, which is all about easy recipes, which is exactly what I need since I'm a beginner. I was browsing through the recipes and found this one for Balsamic Chicken. Not only is it easy, but it's also healthy (shhh, don't tell my boyfriend).

Here is the recipe:

Serves: 4

Marinating Time: 30 min

Cooking Time: 15 min

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 (5-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Instructions

1. Combine all ingredients in a large resealable plastic storage bag; mix well. Seal, and marinate in refrigerator 30 minutes.
2. Heat a grill pan over medium heat until hot. Place chicken on pan, discarding excess marinade, and cook 6 to 10 minutes per side, or until no pink remains and juices run clear.
   
   

It even includes the nutritional information!

• Calories 199, Calories from Fat 59, Total Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 2g, Cholesterol 85mg, Sodium 144mg, Carbohydrate 2g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 1g, Protein 31g

As the sides, I'm making sautéed asparagus and squash. I'm pumped, it's going to be so good! I'll update in a bit :)


2 hours later...
Success!!

I know one thing..

I want to be comfortable enough to wear just a sports bra (and shorts) when I run by June.

Crossed one idea off.

I've decided to wait and do my Happiness Project until after I graduate (5 months!!!!!). 

So that leaves either weight-loss or cooking, or both, or neither! 

But the boyfriend and I haven't really cooked at all this past week and are going out for his birthday dinner tonight. If I cook tomorrow night I will start blogging about it, though.

:)

I'm back, y'all.

I'm sad to admit that this blog doesn't get too much attention from me. However, I'm very determined to start it back up again. I have three ideas, and I'm debating on whether or not to make separate blogs for them or combine them into one.

My first idea is a cooking blog. Be forewarned though, I'm just now, and I mean as of this week, started cooking. I cooked my first "real" meal earlier this week (and might I say it turned out delicious ;) ). But a blog to keep the recipes and show my progress would be fun and rewarding, I think.

My second idea is my Happiness Project. I feel like this should be started after I graduate (5 months!!) but then again, it's never too soon to find happiness. (To make it clear, I am not unhappy by any means at the moment. Actually, I'm very happy! But this project focuses on the little, everyday things to make my overall perspective brighter and nicer.)

My third idea is a weight-loss blog. However, I already have a weight-loss tumblr. That blog is not very personal though. Plus, weight-loss would mesh well with cooking and food, and all of that makes me happy!

Alright, I guess I will think and decide later. I'm off for a nice 3 mile run now though.

:)

:)

I'm happy.