Okay, I’ll admit it. I caved.
I caved, I caved, I caved!
It was probably a week or two ago when we had those beautifully brisk days of low 70s and cicada song that I fell into my usual pattern. It’s a mantra in our house to embrace every moment (i’m sure you could have guessed that though…haha), but my mom and I have the insatiable habit of heavily anticipating the days to come. Whether it’s spring moving into summer or summer moving into fall, we’re always so excited for what’s next.
Now, that’s not to say that we skip past pivotal experiences in the seasons…we just appreciate some more than others! To put it more simply, my time to shine is from pre-fall to Christmas. Before and after then, I’m looking forward to the next time the leaves will shift, and fall, and come back.
So, right after that perfect weather hit, I really couldn’t be saved. I was done with summer and onto pumpkins, sweaters, and spooky movies.
BUT, my *superior fall* agenda can wait, so we’re meeting in the middle with this one!
Meet: pre-fall!
It’s that time when you might just admit that you’re looking forward to fall too, but you want to squeeze out those last few sweltering days that summer has to offer.
I don’t blame you, it’s just not my style haha!
So, for this “pre-fall” we’re going to incorporate the best parts of the beginning of autumn with some glorious summer accents. Queue: Beef Stroganoff (we’ve really been grabbing inspiration from my Aunt Cindy a lot lately) paired with a fresh Tomato Salad and Burrata,
A compromise!
The recipes…
If you think you’ve had Beef Stroganoff before, trust us, you’ve never had it quite like this. The beef melts in your mouth (quite literally) and all of the flavors are the perfect savory experience to pour over some homemade fettuccini noodles – gluten free in our case.
Then, the Tomato Salad and Burrata is a game changer. Keep an eye out for the reel of us picking the tomatoes, but truly, it was an experience! Fresh as can be with some aged balsamic vinegar, Brightland Arise Basil Oil, and LadyBug Picnic Seasoning.
If you’re wondering what you should do for this momentous pre-fall gathering, well I’ll tell you! Candles (Brooklyn Candle Co-Woodsmoke is a favorite) and open windows are the name of the game. Opt for linen napkins in a terra-cotta color (or any other earth tone) for your tablescapes and a glass of red wine to top it all off. We listened to Italian music as we cooked, and that definitely set the scene too! Check out our playlists post for the same one.
Alright everyone! I hope you love your pre-fall celebration and stick around for the actual fall festivities. You’ll be a devout autumn-obsessive in no time if I have anything to say about it!
Beef Stroganoff
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter (add more if the pan gets dry)
- 2 lbs cubed stroganoff meat
- 1 medium onion
- 1 qt mushrooms
- 3 cups beef broth
- 1/3 cup sweet Marsala wine
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- fresh parsley, chopped
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- homemade pasta or boxed fettuccini
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325º F. Roll meat lightly in flour. Slice onion thinly. Melt butter in Dutch oven. Add onion and cook until softened.
- Add beef, and lightly brown. Remove beef from pot Turn the heat to high and add the wine. Scraping up the brown bits, cook until wine reduces slightly. Add the beef back into the pot.
- Then add beef stock and mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Place in the oven for 2-2 ½ hours, stirring once. Add additional broth if needed.
- During the final 30 minutes, bring a salted pot of water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente. Remove pot from the oven, stir in sour cream, and sprinkle with fresh parsley.
