Baby It's Cold Outside...

If you have seen the national weather reports, you know that the country is in the throws of a deep freeze. Houston is no exception.

In a quest to bring warmth to our insides, I have been in the kitchen cooking warm, creature-comfort foods. Earlier in the week I fixed a tasty soup that I have been enjoying for lunch every day since.

Next up was a cheater beef stroganoff. What makes it a cheater stroganoff?

Instead of the usual sliced tenderloin or sirloin I use ground bison. Our family is a big fan of the bison. If you haven't tried it, I highly recommend it.

It's very low in calories and fat. It's even leaner than chicken. And it doesn't taste "gamey".

This cooks up quicker and there's no slicing. Gotta love that.

The other cheat? Pre-sliced mushrooms and bottled minced garlic (the roasted variety has a much better flavor). It costs a bit more but it's worth it.

Throw these in the skillet with a chopped onion and your foundation is complete. Cook until the onions are soft.

The sauce is just as simple. A carton of lite sour cream, a couple tablespoons of whole wheat flour, and a few teaspoons of beef bouillon granules. Stir to combine and add to the beef. Simmer until heated through and the flavors blend.

I served the stroganoff with some whole wheat egg noodles and roasted green beans.

Really. Really. Good.

The next night I made a split pea and bacon soup that I saw at Mixing Bowl Kids. The links are here in the menu.

I baked the bacon in the oven. 425* for 20 minutes. No mess.

Whoever came up with this form of bacon preparation...brilliant. Truly brilliant.

This was insane. I mean...it had bacon. That alone scores points.

My house had the aroma of a French bistro. Earthy. Smoky. Rich.

I served the soup with a side of very crusty beer bread sprinkled with some Parmesan.

Dip this into that soup and you have a true taste of heaven.

These meals were so good and plentiful that we had enough for leftovers tonight.

Double bonus.