Weeknight Chicken and Dumplings

A friend recently posted some type of chicken and dumplings dish that looked yummy. I asked for the recipe, but as one was not forthcoming (ahem), I decided to try one I found online entitled 30-Minute Chicken and Dumplings. Hmm...too good to be true? Nope! True and truly good! Typically, I prefer my southern family’s rolled out/slider type of dumplings, but this style is faster and still very tasty. They are very much like the kind you get at Cracker Barrel. And of course, I made this dish in my magic pot!

IP 30-Minute Chicken and Dumplings
(Source: Adapted from The Slow-Roasted Italian)

5 cups chicken broth
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground celery
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast (I used boneless, skinless thighs)
1 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
2 cups frozen peas and carrots (or mixed vegetables)

Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons butter (softened)
1 cup milk

In the liner of the Instant Pot on saute mode, bring the chicken broth, butter, parsley, poultry seasoning, onion powder, garlic powder, ground celery, basil, thyme and black pepper to a boil.
Meanwhile, cut chicken into one-3/4-inch pieces. Add to the pot and stir to combine.

In a large bowl, whisk the flour and milk together until smooth. Slowly pour the slurry into the IP, stirring constantly. Add frozen vegetables.

Meanwhile combine dumpling ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix the dry ingredients and the butter with a fork. Gradually add the milk until just combined. Drop dumplings into the soup one tablespoon at a time. Reduce pot to low saute and cook until soup is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about ten minutes.

Fall-in' Back into the Soup Routine

Despite my willing it not to be true, summer is over, and we're back to school. Even though it's only the beginning of the second week, I'm already stressed and exhausted! Since I figure my colleagues might be feeling the same way, I decided to make the first communal pot of soup of the semester to bring in and share at lunchtime. My most recent concoction was born of the question, why do people never put meatballs in chili? It was also born out of my desire to incorporate some seasonal vegetables such as local farm stand corn and zucchini and peppers from my garden. Lastly, it was born out of my need to make something fast and easy during the work week in my magic pot! I think it turned out delicious, and the crock pot emptied out pretty quickly at work today. :-)

Instant Pot Meatball Chili Mac Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 sweet pepper (or I use an Anaheim-type chili), seeded and chopped

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 medium zucchini, cored and shredded

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can tomato sauce

1 lb. (smallish) frozen meatballs

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup dried elbow macaroni

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 ears sweet corn, shucked and kernels cut from the cob

1 can chili beans in sauce

Add the olive oil to the pot on high saute. Cook the onion, pepper, garlic, and zucchini for a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Then add the tomatoes, sauce, meatballs, chicken broth, macaroni, and seasonings to the pot. Cook on manual for five minutes and do a quick release. Stir in the corn kernels and the chili beans. Taste to correct seasonings if necessary, and serve garnished with shredded cheese and/or sour cream on top.

Another Way to Deal with Your Garden Zucchini (You're Welcome)

I picked my first--and maybe only--zucchini of the season the other day (I'm battling pests this year that are eating the flowers before they fruit). I really should've picked it earlier, because it was pretty big! Since then, I had been trying to decide what to do with it, and a friend mentioned that he liked it with stewed tomatoes, which I had actually never tried before. So I whipped this up in my magic pot--easy and delish! (And so good for you!)
P.S. Take a stick blender to this, and it would have made a lovely sauce for pasta.
P.P.S.Next time I make this, I am going to add an 8 oz. package of sliced mushrooms to the initial veggie sauté. I think that would be yummy!
P.P.S. A friend suggested that mixing this with rice would make a nice vegetarian main dish. I concur!

Instant Pot Zucchini and Stewed Tomatoes

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 large sweet onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped bell pepper (I used an Italian frying pepper for some kick!)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large or 2 smaller zucchini, unpeeled, cored, and cubed
1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, or to taste

To the IP on high saute, add the olive oil, celery, onion, sweet or hot pepper, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent. Then add the zucchini, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and Italian herbs. Pressure cook on manual for one minute. Let release naturally--no peeking! Stir in the balsamic vinegar, sugar, salt, and pepper, and serve.

Orphan Black Viewing Demands Southern-Style Feast!

Tonight was the first Orphan Black gathering we've had in ages, and we watched three episodes back-to-back! So I decided that the momentous occasion called for a veritable feast--a Southern meat-and-three extravaganza for my soul seestras. I prepared Ham Hock and Fava Bean Soup, Magic Pot Baby Back Ribs with Jamaican BBQ Sauce, Magic Pot Four Cheese Mac and Cheese, and Spicy Sautéed Kale (the kale and hot pepper were from my garden). And of course, we topped it all off with sweet tea pie!

First, I will tell you about the soup, which was an IP experiment that turned into an IP fail...and then into a soupy success. I tried to cook a bag of frozen (thawed) fava beans with onions, garlic, yellow peppers, a can of Rotel, a packet of Sazon, and a ham hock in some chicken stock, on manual for five minutes, but they came out really mushy--very flavorful, but sadly mushy. Plus, they had those awful, tough skins! So I sliced open and squeezed out each one of those darn beans, added another couple of cups of chicken stock, and used a stick blender to purée. Lastly, I stirred in a little heavy cream. It ended up tasting just like split pea with ham soup. Delish!

I bought two racks of frozen, pre-marinated (Kansas City BBQ) ribs, and I thawed them overnight in the fridge. To cook them, put the metal rack into the IP, pour in a cup of apple cider vinegar, then CURL the racks of ribs into the pot. Cook on either meat or manual for 27 minutes, then brush with your favorite BBQ sauce and broil for five to ten minutes in the oven until browned and crispy on top.

Spezzatino? (You Do, and You'll Clean It Up!)

I caught an episode of Giada at Home the other day, and she made something called a "spezzatino,"  which was basically Chicken, Artichoke, and Cannelini Bean Stew. And of course, I converted the recipe to be made in my magic pot! As the weather is soon to turn frigid again, this dish is delicious, healthy, and will stick to your ribs until spring makes a proper--and less capricious--return.

Chicken, Artichoke and Cannellini Bean Spezzatino
(Source: Adapted from Giada de Laurentiis via Food Network)

4 cups chicken stock
1 small can tomato paste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 sprig of rosemary
1 bay leaf
pinch of red pepper flakes
2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 oz. bacon, diced into 1/4-inch pieces
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 celery stalks, large dice
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
2 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans (or butter beans), rinsed and drained
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley*

Add the stock, tomato paste, oregano, basil, thyme, salt, pepper, rosemary, bay leaf, and red pepper flakes to the Instant Pot and stir well to combine. Submerge the chicken thighs and cook on poultry for 15 minutes, then do a quick release.

Meanwhile, add the olive oil to a skillet, cook the bacon, and reserve the crispy pieces. Then sauté the carrots, celery, onion, and garlic in the bacon fat until the onion is tender.

Remove cooked chicken from the broth to cool. Add the sautéed veggies, artichokes, and beans to the IP and cook on low sauté until the carrots are tender. Remove the bay leaf and rosemary stem. Cut the chicken into one-inch pieces and add it and the fresh parsley* to the pot. Taste to correct seasonings. Serve the stew garnished with the reserved bacon pieces.

*A few handfuls of fresh spinach or basil would also be nice.

Always Save the Instant Pot Broth...and Make Soup!

I woke up an hour early yesterday for no reason, so what's a gal to do but get up and head to the kitchen to make some soup in her magic pot? I had some reserved black bean liquor from making refried black beans recently, and I bought some spicy sausage that was an in-house special at a local grocery store. I added some sweet potatoes and other tasty things, and ended up with this soup. And it's gluten-free and fairly low-carb--well, it has the good carbs, anyway--if such things are important to you. (I shared the leftovers at work today, because I'm nice like that.)

Spicy Sausage, Black Bean, and Sweet Potato Soup

1 lb. spicy sausage (chorizo or Italian)
1 large onion, diced
1 large Cubanelle or Italian frying pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch chunks
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 quart black bean liquor* (or chicken or vegetable stock)
4 cans black beans, drained and two cans mashed by hand

Saute the sausage in the IP with the onion, pepper, and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Add the sweet potatoes, oregano, and black bean liquor or stock. Cook on manual for four minutes. Do an instant release, then add the black beans, and additional stock to thin if desired. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

*My black bean liquor (reserved liquid in which a previous batch of beans were cooked) was already very well-seasoned, but if you're using regular broth or stock, you may wish to add other/more seasonings such as paprika, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and salt and pepper, to taste.

For the beans, I rinsed a pound of dry black beans and let them soak while I got started on the other ingredients. In 1/4 cup olive oil in the IP, I sauteed a large onion, four large cloves of minced garlic, and 4 whole canned green chilis that I chopped (I was looking for a chipotle in the freezer when I found the milder green chilis, so I used those). To the sauteed veggies, I added two teaspoons of dried oregano, a teaspoon of chopped dried rosemary, a half teaspoon of black pepper, and a teaspoon each of chili powder, cumin, and ground celery, and a good pinch of cayene. I put in the drained beans and a quart of vegetable stock, stirred everything, then cooked on chili/bean mode for 35 minutes. I let it release naturally, drained and reserved the liquid, mashed the beans by hand with a potato masher, adding some of the bean liquor back in until I reached a desired consistency, then seasoned to taste with a favorite cilantro seasoning salt blend.

Stew from a Swedish Chef (Bork, bork, bork!)

This summer, I was lucky enough to get to visit my college friend, Jen, who lives near Stockholm, Sweden. The first night at Chez Tunehag, her husband Mats made us a wonderful meal of kalops and new potatoes. Kalops is beef stew, but the flavor is different--and slightly sweeter--because of the use of distinctly Swedish ingredients. We also watched a wonderful Swedish movie that night entitled A Man Called Ove.

Tomorrow, my book club is meeting to discuss the novel on which that film was based (incidently, it was the BEST book I've read in years--so funny and poignant), and since the main character's favorite meal is meat and potatoes, I thought it would be perfectly fitting to try to recreate Mats' kalops. The hardest part was translating it from Swedish! And of course, I wanted to try and convert his recipe to be made in the Insta-Pot. In the end, I think I managed to produce a worthy homage and a very tasty stew! I hope my book club members agree.

Tunehag Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

2 1/4 lbs, chuck steak

2 large yellow onions

4 carrots

6 bay leaves

15 allspice

2 juniper berries

2 tablespoons anchovy brine

1 anchovy

1/2 cup red wine

2 tablespoons beef bouillon

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2-4 tablespoons black currant jelly

2-3 tablespoons flour

salt, white pepper, black pepper

Cut the meat into chunks. Cut onion into large pieces. Cut carrots into disks. Mince anchovy.

Brown the meat with salt and pepper. Transfer to a cast iron pot. Sprinkle with flour and stir. Add the wine, soy sauce, anchovy brine, and water to almost cover, then stir. Add bay leaves, juniper berries, and black currant jelly and stir. Add onions.

Simmer 15-20 minutes. Add about half of the carrots. After another 15-20 minutes, add the rest.

Season to taste with more salt, soy sauce, bouillon, and/or jelly.

Let stew simmer a total of 90 minutes.

Instant Pot Kalops (Swedish Beef Stew)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 1/2 lbs. chuck roast, cut into chunks

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 cup red wine

3 cups water

2 large yellow onions, cut into chunks, divided

4 medium bay leaves

15 allspice berries (I used 1 teaspoon ground allspice)

2 juniper berries, crushed

2 tablespoons anchovy brine, plus 1 anchovy (I used 1/2 teaspoon anchovy paste)

2 tablespoons beef bouillon (I use Better Than Bouillon Roasted Beef Flavor)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (I used low-sodium)

1/4 cup flour

4 large carrots, peeled and cut into thick disks

1/2 teaspoon white pepper

2-4 tablespoons black currant jelly, to taste

Add a tablespoon of oil to both the IP liner and a large skillet. Sprinkle the pieces of roast with the salt and black pepper. Brown the meat in two batches (half in the IP and half in the skillet). Add the browned beef from the skillet to the browned meat in the IP. 

Deglaze the skillet with the red wine, scraping up the yummy browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Pour into the IP. Add the water, one of the cut onions, bay leaves, allspice, juniper berries, anchovy, beef bouillon, and soy sauce. Cook on meat/stew mode for 25 minutes. Do an instant release. Remove the bay leaves and discard.

Whisk the flour with a cup or so of the beef stew liquid until smooth. Stir back into the pot, and add the carrots and the other cut-up onions. Cook on manual for four minutes. Instantly release, and stir in the white pepper and up to 1/4 cup of black currant jelly (to taste).

Serve with steamed new potatoes on the side.

I steamed the potatoes in a basket over a cup of water for ten minutes, then let the pressure release on its own. I sliced a half stick of butter, and tossed that into the potatoes with a couple of punches of salt and some fresh dill.

Adirondack Game Night

This past summer, my friend Vicky was on the hunt to find an old-fashioned, hand-cranked, ice cream machine to make ice cream with her little grandson, but she struck out. So for Christmas, I found one online and made a gift of it. Last night, she decided that she wanted to give it a test run--in the middle of winter, no less--and have a few people over to her cozy cabin deep in the Adirondack woods for game night and homemade ice cream. FUN!

Vicky dishing up the good stuff!

Old-fashioned wooden ice cream bucket, as befits her cabin-in-the-woods lifestyle.

Mmmmmm....hand-cranked ice cream with real vanilla beans!

We were asked to bring our favorite ice cream toppings. Our friend Mia brought sprinkles!

Vicky and her beautiful Mennonite stove.

My friend Sally insisted that we pose in front of the stove for a selfie.

Mia the Care Bear (and youngest in our group) won the 80s Trivial Pursuit game.

More games! More fun! YAY!

Instead of bringing an ice cream topping as assigned, I decided to bring broccoli cheese soup that I made in my magic pot, sort of an homage to Panera's Broccoli-Cheese Soup. It looks a little thin in this photo, because I added some extra broth for travel out to Vicky's house, as I knew it would thicken up en route. And indeed, it was quite thick and hearty when I reheated it on the wood stove and we finally ate it. Also, I blended it almost smooth because I was hiding the vegetables from one of the finicky guests. But feel free to leave it chunkier if you prefer.

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheese Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1 cup julienned carrots

1 (16-ounce) package frozen broccoli

3 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups half-and-half

8 ounces (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

16 oz. sharp cheddar-flavored Velveeta, cubed

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 

Add the olive oil to the IP insert on sauté mode and cook the onions for a few minutes until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in the julienned carrots, frozen broccoli, and broth. Cook on soup mode for five minutes. 

Meanwhile, on the stove top in a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a minute or two. Slowly whisk in the half-and-half, and keep whisking and cooking until thick and smooth. 

Do a quick release when the vegetables are done cooking. Using a stick blender, purée the soup to desired level of chunkiness or smoothness. Stir in the prepared white sauce and both the shredded cheddar and cubed Velveeta. Turn the pot on low sauté, and keep stirring occasionally until the cheeses have completely melted. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

P.S. PLEASE don't start about the Velveeta! If you don't like it, don't use it. I would use four cups of shredded cheddar (total) instead, though of course, it won't have the same consistency. Your choice.

Dinner and a Movie: Bridget Jones's Diary

I was recently horrified to learn that several of my dearest friends had never seen Bridget Jones' Diary, so I made it my personal crusade to rectify this abominable situation. I gave one of said friends the dvd and the even more entertaining novel as Christmas gifts, and tonight, we watched the movie together with a bunch of good friends, and I prepared a special themed buffet dinner. This was the menu I envisioned, and echoing Bridget's words, "Have sneaking suspicion am somewhat of a genius in the kitchen as well."

Cocktail Gherkins
Orange Marmalade Dip with Crackers
Blue Soup (Leek and Potato)
Turkey Curry with Jasmine Rice
Baked Ham and Cheese Omelette

The pickles on sticks and turkey curry were inspired by Bridget's mother Pam's New Year's Turkey Curry Buffet. And the blue soup, omelette, and orange marmalade dip were an homage to the tragic birthday dinner that Bridget tried to cook for her friends.

The appetizers included little cornichons on toothpicks (I didn't even bother to take a picture, but see above), and an unusual orange marmalade-topped cream cheese dip with crackers. In the movie, Bridget attempts to create a dessert called Orange Pudding in Sugar Cages, but you see them scooping the finished product up with crackers, and one of her friends describes it as tasting like marmalade.

At first, I was just going to serve orange marmalade with crackers, but that sounded pretty boring. Then I thought I might spread the crackers with cream cheese and top it with orange marmalade, but that sounded like a lot of busy work and still not very exciting.

So I did a Google search and found this recipe for a dip that turned out to be the surprise hit of the party! Many of my young friends are not very adventurous eaters, and they were surprised that something which seemed weird to them at first was so tasty. I took the picture below before I topped the dip with the toasted almonds, because it was prettier. The next time I make this, I think I might mix the almonds into the dip and let the marmalade be the only topping, because it would look nicer.

Orange Marmalade Dip
(Source: adapted from Food.com)

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup mayonnaise 
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese
8 large scallions, chopped
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
few dashes hot sauce, to taste
3/4 cup orange marmalade
1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds, toasted and cooled

Mix the cream cheese, mayo, cheese, scallions, pepper, and hot sauce. Spread into an 8x8 dish, top with the marmalade and spread in a thin layer. Sprinkle on the almonds. Serve with crackers.

In the movie, Bridget tries to make a soup flavored with leeks, and she's supposed to tie the leeks together with kitchen twine. She does not have the proper twine, so she uses some blue string she finds that, of course, ends up turning the soup blue.

So I decided to make a leek and potato soup with the help of my trusty magic pot. It was quick and easy in the Instant Pot (only five minutes!), and it turned out velvety and luscious and DELICIOUS! Of course, you don't have to dye it blue to enjoy this leeky, potatoey goodness.

Instant Pot Leek and Potato Soup

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large leeks, tough outer leaves removed, halved, washed thoroughly and thinly sliced
3 large stalks celery, thinly sliced 
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon ground celery
4 medium to large potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
4 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 cup cream
salt and pepper, to taste

On sauté mode, add the butter and olive oil to the pot and cook the leeks, celery, and garlic until the veggies are tender and just starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with the white wine and let continue to cook for a few minutes until the wine has almost evaporated. Stir in the thyme, granulated garlic, ground celery, potatoes, and vegetable or chicken stock. 

Cover with the lid and cook on soup mode for five minutes. Let the pressure come down for about ten minutes before doing a quick release. Using a stick blender, purée the soup until very smooth. Add the cream (or half-and-half or whole milk) and blend one more time. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

*If you're making this for a Bridget Jones dinner, add a little blue food coloring...but no string! 

For the first of two entrees, I prepared a curry with turkey and vegetables and served it over steamed jasmine rice (made in the IP, of course--three cups rinsed rice, three cups water, good pinch of salt, in the sprayed insert, on manual for four minutes, ten minutes rest then release). I couldn't find a recipe for the turkey curry, so I just made it up, and it turned our GREAT! Even one of the guests who swears she doesn't enjoy curry liked it!

Pamela Jones' Turkey Curry 
(as imagined by me)

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 lb. turkey breast cut into one-inch chunks
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon granulated garlic, divided
3/4 teaspoon pepper, divided

1 large onion, diced
1-2 chili peppers, seeded and diced (to taste)
2 large cloves garlic, peeled and minced
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into large dice
2 medium potatoes, peeled (or not) and cut into one-inch chunks
1 cup chicken (or turkey) broth
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon ground celery
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 can coconut milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

steamed jasmine rice

To a large skillet over medium-high, add two tablespoons of olive oil, add the chunks of turkey, sprinkle with a half teaspoon each of salt and granulated garlic and a quarter teaspoon of pepper, and cook the turkey until golden brown. Remove the pieces to a plate and reserve.

To the same skillet, add two more tablespoons of olive oil, and saute the onions and pepper(s) until tender. Add the garlic and cook another minute or two. Add the carrots, potatoes, and chicken stock, partly cover, and simmer for about five minutes or until the carrots and potatoes are tender. 

Stir in the curry powder, ginger, ground celery, cumin, turmeric, coriander, and the remaining half teaspoon of granulated garlic, then cook for another couple of minutes until the spices are very fragrant. Turn off the heat and stir the coconut milk, the remaining teaspoon of salt and half teaspoon of pepper (or to taste), the reserved turkey, and the chopped fresh cilantro.

Serve over steamed jasmine rice.

In the movie, nothing Bridget tries to cook turns out right, so Mark Darcy to the rescue! For the entree, he suggests they make omelettes and serve it with the "congealed green gunge" (caper berry gravy) that Bridget has produced. Since I was cooking for about eight people, I didn't want to be standing at the stove making individual omelettes for everyone.

So I found a recipe for a big ham and cheese pan omelette that you bake in the oven, and I also siphoned some of the eggs and cheese mixture off before adding the ham and made an individual portion in a ramekin for one vegetarian guest. What a terrific brunch dish, and of course, you can add whatever ingredients you have that please you. (I doubled the recipe that follows and baked it in a 9x13 casserole dish.)

Baked Ham and Cheese Omelette
(Source: All Recipes)

8 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt
3 ounces cooked ham, diced

1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tablespoon dried minced onion

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8x8 inch casserole dish and set aside.

Beat together the eggs and milk. Add seasoning salt, ham, cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, and minced onion. Pour into prepared casserole dish.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until eggs are set. (The individual one-cup ramekin took 15-20 minutes.)

For dessert, I suggest you pass around a few pints of Ben and Jerry's and a bunch of spoons. And to wash everything down with, I suggest that you choose vodka...and Chaka Khan!

Instant Pot Hodgepodge Soup to Share with Work Colleagues

I wanted to make a big batch of soup to take to a lunch meeting at work yesterday, but I wanted it to be easy and to make use of whatever odds and ends I had in the vegetable bin and pantry. I came up with the following, and my co-workers raved. I didn't have the heart to tell them it was just a crazy hodge-podge that I made up as I went along. (But a tasty hodgepodge nevertheless!)

Instant Pot Italian Chicken, Veggie and Wild Rice Soup

1 1/2 cups wild rice, barley, and dried veggie* mix
8-12 cups homemade chicken broth, divided
2 large stalks celery, diced
1 large onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 large frozen boneless/skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes (with garlic and onions)
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon vegetable soup base (Better Than Bouillon), or more to taste
1 tablespoon dried Italian herbs
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
four handfuls of fresh spinach (or chopped kale)

*The soup mix I used had carrots in it, otherwise, I would have diced some fresh carrots to add in at the same time as the celery and onion and all.

Pressure cook the wild rice mix in four cups of chicken broth on Manual/high for 20 minutes. Add all of the other ingredients including another four cups of chicken broth, but not the spinach. Cook on Manual/high for another five minutes. Thin with more broth, remove the rosemary stems and bay leaves, correct seasonings, and stir in the spinach just before serving.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, Lee Ann! (2016 Instant Pot Edition)

My dear friend and office mate Lee Ann's birthday was this past Sunday, so I decided to host a little celebratory luncheon at work yesterday. I made a delicious beef, barley and mushroom soup in the Instant Pot, and a Waldorf chicken salad, with chicken also prepared in the magic pot. Then our mutual friend, Vicky, brought the fixin's for an ice cream sundae bar (as Lee Ann is not a big fan of cake).  Everything was very well-received, especially by the birthday gal. YAY!

For the soup, I loosely followed a recipe from the IP web site that calls for sour cream at the end. It makes it taste like stroganoff soup (second pic), and that's yummy, but next time, I think I'd just use the sour cream as an optional garnish. I kinda like the deeper, beefier/mushroomy flavor without it (first pic).

Beef, Barley and Mushroom Soup

(Source: Adapted from Sharon W. on the IP web site)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into small cubes

1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 large onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

8 cups beef broth, divided

1 package Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce, Tavern Pot Roast flavor

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon double-concentrated tomato paste

2 bay leaves

small bundle of fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine

pinch of cayenne
8 oz. Baby Bella mushrooms, washed and sliced

1 cup (uncooked) pearled barley

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Toss the beef cubes with Cajun seasoning and pepper. In a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and brown the meat. Strain the meat out and add to the IP. In the leftover oil, saute the onions for a few minutes, then add the garlic and cook another minute or so. Deglaze the pan with two cups of beef broth, scraping up all the brown bits. Pour into the IP. Add everything else, except the sour cream and parsley, and cook for 25 minutes on the Meat setting. Let release naturally. Stir in the sour cream and parsley, then taste to correct seasoning before serving. 

For the Waldorf Chicken Salad:

I cooked the boneless, skinless breasts in the IP on the trivet over a cup and a half of chicken broth for 20 minutes on high, because they were really big. So, after you cook the chicken (4 boneless/skinless breasts sprinkled with seasoned salt), cool and cut into chunks. Add half of a finely minced onion (or a few scallions, if you prefer). Make a dressing of about a cup of mayo, the juice of a lemon, a teaspoon each of ground celery, celery seeds, and sugar (or honey), and a 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper. Combine with the chicken mixture, then chill the salad for a few hours or overnight. Before serving, add two seeded and diced Granny Smith apples. In a dry skillet, toast a cup of chopped walnuts. Cool, then add those to the salad as well. Season with salt to taste.

P.S. I don't care for celery, but if you like it, chop up a couple of stalks and throw that in, too.

 

Stew...for you! (And you and you and you!)

As I mentioned before, I got my BFF Kurt an Instant Pot for Christmas, and he's taken to it like a duck to water. He recently sent me his favorite stew recipe from his favorite classic cookbook that he adapted himself for the IP. Of course, I can't leave well enough alone, so I fiddled with the recipe to suit my tastes, and here's what I came up with. DELISH!

Instant Pot Crazy K Ranch Beef Stew
(Source: adapted from Kurt Proctor and Heritage of America Cookbook)

2 lbs stew meat, cut into 1” cubes (I used sirloin)
seasoned salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
12 oz hot strong coffee
2 tablespoons molasses
2 tablespoons double-concentrated tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 large bay leaf
4 medium potatoes, cut in large dice
3 large carrots, scrubbed and cut in large dice
3 large stalks celery, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups beef broth
1/3 cup cold water
3 tablespoons corn starch
salt, to taste

Heat large skillet over medium high flame. Add oil and coat bottom of the pan. Season the meat. Brown the meat on all sides in the hot pan, but do not cook the meat through.

When browned, put the meat and the drippings no browned bits into the IP and add the coffee, molasses, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, oregano, black and red pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and set to the Meat setting which defaults to 35 minutes.

When the time has elapsed, do a quick release, and then remove the lid. Add the vegetables and beef broth and stir. Replace the lid and set to Manual/high pressure and adjust time to four minutes.

When time has elapsed, do a quick release and remove the lid. Set the IP to Saute mode. Whisk together the cold water and corn starch. Add to the simmering stew and cook until thickened, about three to five minutes, stirring frequently. Correct seasoning if necessary.

Kurt says: "Serve on a freshly baked biscuit, or with the biscuit on the side. Prepare yourself for the oncoming adoration!"

Hot Avocados? (Don't Be Afraid.)

Have you seen that Tip Hero recipe video for Avocado Chicken Tortilla Soup going around the interwebs lately? Well, I did, and I made it tonight, and I adapted the recipe to make in my magic pot, and it turned out DEE-licious! It's also easy and so good for you. Now don't let me hear you say, "Eww" to hot avocados. They make this soup creamy and luscious, without any actual cream. It's the good kind of fat, yo! And this dish is endlessly variable, depending on what kinds of toppings you add before serving. This one's a winner, folks.

Instant Pot Avocado Chicken Soup
(Source: adapted from Tip Hero)

1 quart chicken stock (homemade from the IP, please!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 lbs frozen boneless skinless chicken thighs (sprinkled with seasoned salt, black pepper, granulated garlic, cumin, and chili powder)--about five thighs
1 cup chopped green onions, stems removed
1 jalapeño, seeded and chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and cracked
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 tablespoon chicken soup base
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
juice of two limes
1 teaspoon of honey (or sugar)
2 large avocados, pits removed, scooped out of the shell

Pour the chicken stock into the IP and turn on low saute, then heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat on the stove top. Brown the seasoned chicken thighs on both sides (leave rolled up, don't flatten out), and then put the browned chicken pieces in the pot with the hot stock. Add the onions, jalapeño, garlic, cumin, chicken soup base, and black pepper. Set the IP to Manual/high pressure for eight minutes, then do a quick release.

Remove the chicken from the pot, then shred it into smaller pieces when it has cooled enough to handle. Meanwhile, add the cilantro, both avocados, and honey or sugar to the pot and use an immersion blender until creamy and smooth. Taste and use more seasoned salt if necessary. Lastly, stir in the pulled chicken and lime juice.

Garnish with tortilla chips, shredded cheese, salsa or fresh tomato, sour cream, etc.

Ramen...for Realz.

BEHOLD my special Golden Globes night dinner: Ramen in a Rich Pork Broth with Braised Pork Belly and a Teriyaki Soft-Boiled Egg. (The bone broth and the eggs were cooked in my magic pot...of course!) Now, I know this recipe looks daunting, and I ain't gonna lie--you have to start the day (or at least the night before). But none of it is hard, and if you have an Instant Pot, it makes it even easier. It's mostly a lot of passive time, and the result of your "slow food" efforts will be richly rewarded! Of course, those of you who live in more metropolitan areas with many excellent ethnic eateries that you frequent, you may choose to just hit up your local noodle shop and call it a day. But as I live in the sticks, I have to make my own ramen--the real stuff, not that crap on which impoverished college students live. Besides, it's winter time. If you're stuck inside anyway, might as well make some awesome soup to warm your bones!

Ramen in Rich Pork Broth with Braised Pork Belly and Teriyaki Eggs
(Source: adapted from Steamy Kitchen)

Kotteri Pork Broth:
2 tablespoons olive oil (or vegetable oil)
2 large or 3 medium onions, sliced
2 lbs. pork spareribs (have the butcher cross cut in thirds horizontally, then cut each long piece in quarters between the bones--this will help render more collagen for a broth with great body)
3 pork trotters (have the butcher slice these, too)
4 large cloves garlic
water to cover
1/2 to 3/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup mirin
1 tablespoon miso
1 tablespoon grated ginger
1 tablespoon sriracha, or to taste
1 teaspoon white pepper
2 cloves garlic, pressed or smashed into a paste
1 package refrigerated angel hair pasta (better yet, fresh noodles from a local Asian market if you have one, or quality airdried Ramen noodles if your grocery store carries them)

In the IP on saute, cook the onions low and slow for up to 45 minutes until a deep golden brown and caramelized, stirring frequently.

In a large stock pot on the stove, cover the spareribs and trotters with cold water and bring to a hard boil for at least five minutes to remove all the gunk that will float to the top. Rinse the bones and when the onions are done, place the clean bones in the IP. Add four garlic cloves and cold water to the max fill line, then cook at high pressure (Manual) for 90 minutes and let it release naturally.

Strain the bones and other solids from the stock and chill overnight. When cool enough to handle, pick meat from the cooked bones and reserve (in the fridge). The next day, remove the solidified fat from the top of the chilled broth. Reheat on saute and add soy sauce, mirin, miso, ginger, sriracha, white pepper, and crushed garlic. (Photos and bonus video to follow.)

Using the right ingredients and following the proper methodology should result in a broth that is well-flavored, gels beautifully, has wonderful body and texture, and is so good for you! Check it out in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kzLnj854x14

When ready to make the ramen, bring the broth to a roiling boil and add the noodles. Cook just until "al dente." Add cooked noodles and broth to big bowls with any toppings you desire. Start with the reserved meat, then below are some other ideas.

Teriyaki Eggs (aka Ajitsuke Tamago):
6 soft-boiled eggs (cooked on high in the IP for 3 minutes with QR into an ice bath, then peeled)
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce (or soy sauce plus 2T brown sugar)
1/2 cup water

Mix the teriyaki sauce and water, and then let the eggs marinate in the mixture for two hours or in the fridge overnight. Do this the night before as with the broth that needs to be chilled and defatted the next day.

Braised Pork Belly:
3/4 lb. pork belly
1 cup chicken stock
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (or soy sauce plus a a tablespoon of honey or brown sugar)
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
squeeze of sriracha

Place the pork belly in a Pyrex loaf pan, cover with the chicken stock, teriyaki sauce, garlic, pepper, and sriracha, and cook at 300 degrees for three hours, flipping the pork belly every half hour or so. Remove from the liquid, slice, and then crisp the pieces on both sides in a saute pan over medium heat.

Other possible toppings:
julienned carrots
sliced scallions
bean sprouts
oyster mushrooms
cilantro leaves
squeeze of fresh lime