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Purists may scoff at substituting ground beef for strips of beef tenderloin in a stroganoff recipe. But this quick, low-cost version -- it takes less than half an hour -- is still pretty tasty. Popular in the 1950s and '60s, the dish might seem very "Mad Men." But beef stroganoff was actually created in the late 1800s in St. Petersburg, Russia. It's traditionally served over egg noodles.

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/3 pounds ground beef (85 percent lean)
• 1/2 cup chopped sweet onions, like Vidalia
• 2 teaspoons garlic paste or minced garlic
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 8 ounces fresh mushrooms, stems removed, wiped clean and sliced
• 1/4 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 1/4 cups beef broth
• 8 to 9 ounces dried egg noodles
• 1 cup sour cream

Place a large pot of water over medium heat and bring to a boil.

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add ground beef and onions and cook, stirring frequently, until beef is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, flour, salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, chili sauce, Worcestershire sauce and broth. Stir to combine. Reduce heat to low and simmer, for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, as beef mixture is simmering, add egg noodles to boiling water. Reduce heat to medium-high. Cook noodles, uncovered, stirring occasionally, following package instructions, until al dente, about 10 to 12 minutes. Drain cooked noodles in colander.

Stir sour cream into stroganoff and heat through, about 2 minutes (do not allow to boil or sauce will curdle). Serve stroganoff over egg noodles.

Serves 4.

-- "Quick, Cheap Comfort Food: 100+ Fresh Recipes for Meals in a Hurry" by Victoria Shearer (Sellers, $14.95)

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