Beef N' Noodles With A Mystery Ingredient

1 1/4 lb beef -- cut in 1 inch piecs

1 can Golden Mushroom Soup

1 env onion soup mix

1 cup red wine

1 lg dill pickle -- diced,retain juice

1/4 cup dill pickle juice

Homemade Noodles (see recipe below)

Lightly dust beef cubes with flour and brown in a small amount of vegetable oil. Leaving the meat in the pan, deglaze the pan with the red wine, and add both the onion soup mix and the Golden Mushroom soup. Stir well to mix and bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally. Cover and let simmer for a couple of hours or until meat is tender. Dice the dill pickle and add it and the pickle juice to the beef mixture. (Do NOT use kosher or garlic flavored pickles.) The pickle is the secret ingredient for this dish and must be used to provide the right flavor. Check the pan every 1/2 hour or so and stir to keep it from sticking. I use a heat diffuser under the pan to ensure that the mixture doesn't stick.

Homemade Noodles: I use the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. In order to make them lower in fat and cholesterol, I use Egg Beaters and skimmed evaporated milk. I usually make up a double or triple batch and freeze some (after they have dried) for later use. I prefer thick noodles so I don't roll mine very thin, but it does take them longer to dry so make them up in advance. The excess flour that coats the noodles acts like a thickening agent when you add them to the beef mixture to cook. After you add the noodles, cover and let simmer until noodles are cooked through, stirring occasionally. Check often to keep them from sticking.