Beef stroganoff was one of the first dishes I learned to make as a young adult. I had a recipe that had been given to me by a friend's mother. For a number of years, it served as my standby when cooking a first meal for any guy I dated. It was well received too. It seemed that most of the men I met, loved anything with beef in it. Later, as I became a busy professional and wife, time became more critical. Arriving home after an eight to nine hour day at work only to rush into the kitchen to make this favorite dish was just overwhelming.

Like most women, I learned to adapt! I took my favorite recipe and altered it to use in the crock pot. It reduced the overall preparation time and allowed me to do part of the work in the morning before leaving and the other half after arriving home. The crock pot beef stroganoff recipe on this page is the result of this transition to the slow cooker.

1 to 1 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 tablespoon cooking oil

8 ounces sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 cup beef broth
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons cooking sherry

8 ounces sour cream
4 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup beef broth chilled

Cut sirloin steak into 1" cubes. Brown it in skillet with hot oil. Drain.

Combine beef, onion, garlic, and mushrooms in the crock pot. Combine tomato paste with beef broth, then add sherry. Pour over ingredients in the crock pot.

Cook on low for approximately 7 1/2 hours.

Whisk cornstarch into chilled, 1/4 cup beef broth and add to sour cream. Stir to mix well. Add to crock pot, stirring again. Cover and cook for an additional 30-40 minutes. Do not allow it to boil. It will thicken as it cools.

This easy beef stroganoff can be served over cooked rice or egg noodles.