Polish Kielbasa and Pierogi Casserole (Instant Pot)

We had some frozen pierogies in the freezer that we wanted to use, so I found this hearty recipe.  It was cheesy and creamy and delicious, and I don't even want to know the calorie count.  We were skeptical of the 1 minute pressure cook time, but it worked!

Polish Kielbasa and Pierogi Casserole (Instant Pot)

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

4 slices of bacon, chopped

1 cup diced onion

1 (12-14 oz) package of Polish kielbasa, sliced into 1/4" rounds

1 cup chicken broth

14 oz package frozen pierogies

1/2 cup frozen peas 

4 oz cream cheese

1 cup shredded colby jack cheese

Directions:

Set Instant Pot to Sauté.  When hot, add bacon and cook until crispy.  Add onion and sauté in the bacon grease for a few minutes.  Stir in the sliced sausage and let it brown for a couple minutes.

Pour in the broth and scrape any bits sticking to bottom of pot.  Dump in the frozen pierogies and peas.  Add the cream cheese on top.

Cover Instant Pot and pressure cook on LOW for 1 minute (yes, only 1 minute).  Let naturally release for 5 minutes.  Open lid and gently stir to fully incorporate the cream cheese.  Sprinkle the shredded cheese over top and let it melt.  Enjoy!

Meatball Zucchini Boats

This is a fun and easy way to use your garden zucchini as a main dish.    I used frozen cooked meatballs for convenience, but you could also make your own meatballs which would be even tastier.  The meatballs we had on hand were pretty big, so I could only fit 3 in each zucchini boat.  I used lots of fresh herbs from my garden in the sauce.

Meatball Zucchini Boats

Serves 2 

Ingredients:

1 Medium zucchini, halved lengthwise.

Olive oil

salt and pepper

Italian seasoning 

Frozen cooked meatballs (# depends on size of meatball)

~1 cup marinara sauce

1 garlic clove, minced

fresh chopped basil

fresh chopped oregano

fresh chopped parsley

shredded mozzarella cheese (~1/4 cup per boat)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º F.  Cut the zucchini in half lengthwise.  With a spoon, scoop out the center seeds to make a boat.  Place the zucchini, cut side up, on a baking sheet pan lined with foil. Drizzle each half with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle Italian seasoning over each half.  Bake at 350º for about 15-17 minutes until mostly tender.

Meanwhile, heat the meatballs and sauce together in a small pot over medium heat.  I recommend adding garlic and herbs to the sauce.  

When the zucchini is ready, place the sauced meatballs in the boats and spoon any remaining sauce over top.   Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over top.   Return to oven and Broil for about 2-3 minutes until cheese is melted.   Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

 

It's been a little chilly, so I decided on a warm-your-bones type of meal.   This recipe was delicious!  I liked that I could pressure cook both the ribs and the potatoes in the pot to make things really easy.  The meat fell off the bone and the sauce was super tasty.

Instant Pot Short Ribs

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

6-10 pieces bone-in short ribs (~2-inch thick)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

6 cloves garlic, minced or crushed

2 medium carrots, peeled and sliced/chopped

2 ribs celery, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 cup red wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1-2 tablespoons brown sugar

2.5 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons cold water

Mashed Potatoes:

3-4 russet potatoes, quartered

100 ml milk

2-4 tablespoons butter, to taste

salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Set Instant Pot to Sauté mode, and when hot, add 1 tablespoon olive oil.   Generously salt and pepper the ribs.  Working in batches, brown the ribs for 3-4 minutes on each side to get a nice sear.  Set aside the ribs on a plate.

Add onions to the Instant Pot and and sauté about 3 minutes.  Add garlic and stir about 30 seconds.  Add in the carrots, celery, thyme, and bay leaves; sauté for about 2 minutes.  Add the wine to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits.  Let it simmer for a minute. 

Stir in the broth, vinegar, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and brown sugar.  Add the short ribs back to the pot.

If making potatoes, place them in a stainless steel bowl and set on top of ribs in the pot.

Pressure cook on high for 42 minutes.  When done, let naturally release for 15 minutes.

Remove the bowl of potatoes; drain and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Mash the potatoes and mix in milk and butter.  Season with salt and pepper.

Carefully remove the short ribs to a plate.  Mix the cornstarch and cold water together in a small bowl.  Slowly add the mixture to the pot juices while stirring.  Bring the juices to a simmer and stir until thickened a bit.  Return the ribs to the pot to keep hot.

Serve ribs and sauce over the mashed potatoes.

Baked Reuben Sliders and Garlic-Chive Air Fries

I wanted a fun and easy St. Patrick's Day meal, and this was perfect.  The Reuben sliders were delicious.

Baked Reuben Sliders

Makes 12 sliders

Ingredients:

1 package (12 rolls) Hawaiian sweet rolls, sliced horizontally

1/2 pound thinly sliced deli corned beef

1/3 pound sliced Swiss cheese (6-8 slices)

8 oz sauerkraut, drained and squeezed to remove moisture

1/4-1/2 cup Thousand Island dressing (to taste)

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter, melted

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon minced dried onion

1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º.  Spray a 9x13" baking dish with cooking spray.  Place bottom half of rolls in pan. Arrange corned beef evenly over rolls, then cheese slices, then evenly spread the sauerkraut.  Drizzle Thousand Island dressing over sauerkraut to taste.  Place top half of rolls on top.

In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients.  Brush topping over tops of rolls.

Cover pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake at 350º for 10 minutes.  Remove foil and bake and additional 10 minutes until browned and cheese is melted.  Use a knife or spatula to separate the sliders.

Air Fryer Garlic-Chive Fries

Makes 2 servings

Ingredients:

2 russet potatoes, cut into 1/4" julienne strips

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2 teaspoons dried minced chives

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Rinse and dry potatoes.  Drizzle with oil and toss with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and chives.  Arrange in a single layer in Air Fryer tray.   Bake at 400º for 20-30 minutes, turning fries halfway through time.

Zucchini Skillet Meal

This was a great fast and easy one-pot meal that used up a bunch of my garden vegetables (zucchini, tomatoes, green pepper).  The recipe made more than expected, so we had leftovers for a couple nights.  If I made it again, I'd spice it up a little more with more chili powder or cayenne or something.  Jeremy put Tabasco sauce on his serving. 

Zucchini Skillet Meal

Makes 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb ground turkey or ground beef

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, seeded and chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon oregano

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1-2 zucchini, diced (I used 1 large zucchini)

2-3 large tomatoes, seeded and diced

1 cup uncooked instant rice

1/4 cup water 

shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)

Directions:

Cook ground turkey in a large skillet over medium-high heat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.  Add in the onion and peppers and cook for a few minutes to soften the veggies.  

Stir in the seasonings, zucchini, tomatoes, rice, and water, and bring to a boil (the zucchini will release more moisture).  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until rice is tender, about 15 minutes.  Sprinkle shredded cheese over everything and let melt a bit.

Mongolian Beef

 I was in the mood for something Asian-inspired, so I made this easy Mongolian Beef recipe, served with rice and steamed broccoli.  The flavor was great.  Fast and east weeknight meal.  I'd definitely make this again.

Mongolian Beef

Ingredients:

1 pound flank steak, thinly sliced (1/4" thick) against grain

1/4 cup cornstarch

3 tablespoons oil

1-2 teaspoons ginger, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 green onions, sliced

Directions:

Combine the steak and cornstarch in a gallon-sized ziplock bag and toss to make sure the steak strips are fully covered with cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.  Shake off excess cornstarch, and add steak to skillet (work in batches so the skillet isn't over-crowded).  Cook steak slices for 1 minute on each side, then remove to a plate.  

When all the steak is cooked, add the ginger and garlic to the skillet and sauté for 20 seconds.  Stir in the soy sauce, water, and brown sugar and let the sauce come to a boil.   Add the steak back to the skillet, and stir to fully coat with the sauce.  Turn off the heat and let it sit for a minute to let the sauce thicken.  Stir in the green onions.  

Serve over rice and broccoli and garnish with more sliced green onions if desired.

Irish Stew with Lamb

 Happy St. Patrick's Day!  I decided to go with a lamb recipe today.  It was delicious.   The store didn't have any shoulder chops so I just used some lamb stew meat that they had packaged up.  It was still tender and delicious.  Next time, I'd chop the potatoes in half before adding them to the stew.

Irish Stew

Made 4 servings

Ingredients:

1 lb lamb stew meat (or shoulder chops would be better)

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon oil

1 onion, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups chicken stock/broth

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

3 carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

water or broth as needed

3/4 lb baby yellow potatoes

1/4 cup chopped green onions

Directions:

Heat oil in large skillet over high heat.  Season lamb with salt and pepper and sear meat on all sides, a few minutes per side.  Transfer meat to a stock pot.  

In the same skillet, cook the onions until slightly softened.  Stir butter into the onions until melted.  Add flour and stir until onions are coated.   Pour chicken stock into skillet, and rosemary, and stir until mixture thickens, about 5-10 minutes.

Add carrots and celery to the stock pot with the lamb and pour the contents of the skillet into the pot.  Add some more broth or water if needed to cover meat completely.  Bring mixture to a simmer, reduce heat to low, and cover.  Cook, covered, for 60 minutes.  Add potatoes to the pot, submerging the potatoes in the broth, and cook for another 60 minutes.

Bring stew to a boil and cook until reduced and thickened, about 10-12 minutes.  Stir green onions into the stew and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

We had some leftover cooked kielbasa, so I added ingredients we already had on hand and made this tasty skillet meal to use it up.  Jeremy said he'd cut back on the brown sugar because the sauce was a bit sweet, but I loved it.  I'd cut back to 1 tablespoon sugar next time and I'm sure it will still taste great.

Kielbasa Potato Spinach Skillet for Two

Ingredients:

3-4 red potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces

3 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chopped onion 

1-2 links cooked kielbasa or Polish sausage, cut into thin slices

3-4 cups fresh baby spinach

Directions:

Place potatoes and water in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave, covered, on high for about 4 minutes until potatoes are tender; drain.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, mix brown sugar, vinegar, mustard, thyme, and pepper.  

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Saute onions until tender.  Add potatoes and kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3-5 minutes.  Stir in the brown sugar mixture and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 2 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and cook until wilted. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

I decided to try out this Swedish meatball recipe made in the Instant Pot.  It was good, but we weren't blown away.  The gravy was delicious, but there wasn't enough of it. After cooking the meatballs, I froze half of them for another time.  Even with half the meatballs, we could have used more gravy!  I suppose if we ate them by themselves, it would have been fine, but since we served them over egg noodles, we really needed more gravy.  Cooking them in the Instant Pot made it easy and convenient for cleanup at the end.  I seem to remember really liking the Swedish meatball recipe I made 10 years ago for my Muppet party (see link).  I'd probably use that recipe for the actual meatballs and gravy instead but do it all in the Instant Pot since it seemed to work well.

Instant Pot Swedish Meatballs

Makes ~30 meatballs (6-8 servings)

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1/3 cup milk

2 large egg yolks

1 medium shallot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

1 tablespoon canola oil

2 tablespoons flour

2 cups beef stock

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves (for garnish)

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine the beef, pork, breadcrumbs, milk, yolks, shallot, garlic, spices, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir or use your hands to combine the mixture.   Roll into about 30 meatballs.

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high Saute setting.  Heat oil.  Working in batches, add meatballs and cook until all sides are browned, about 3-4 minutes.  Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.

Whisk in flour until lightly browned, about 1 minute.  Stir in beef stock, scraping up any browned bits. 

Return meatballs to Instant Pot.   Set pot to Pressure Cook on high for 8 minutes.  When finished, do a quick release of pressure.  Remove meatballs and set aside.

Select high Saute setting again.  Simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 4-5 minutes.  Stir in the sour cream and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Return meatballs to sauce and stir to warm them up again.  Serve immediately and garnish with parsley.   

Grilled Steak with Balsamic-Basil Tomatoes

I decided to treat ourselves to grilled steaks last night.  And since we have a bounty of tomatoes, I made a grilled tomato salsa for it.  The warm balsamic tomatoes were super delicious.  They are very versatile and would work with chicken or fish as well.   We had leftover salsa so I saved it in the fridge for breakfast and put it over an egg and everything bagel. Yummers.

Grilled Steak with Balsamic-Basil Tomato Salsa

Ingredients:

Steaks (whatever kind you want)

3 tomatoes, halved

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 green onion, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon olive oil over tomatoes and season with salt and pepper.   Grill about 3-4 minutes per side. 

Grill steaks about 4-5 minutes per side until done (Internal temp of 140º for medium steaks).  Time will depend on thickness.

Chop the grilled tomatoes and place in a medium bowl.  Add 2 tablespoons oil, vinegar, basil, parsley, and garlic; toss to combine.   Serve over the grilled steaks or anything you want.

Anne's Easy Meatball Zucchini Boats

Since my garden is producing a lot of zucchini right now, I was looking for a new recipe.  I saw something similar to this online, and I simplified it by using frozen meatballs that I already had in my freezer and then I added some fresh herbs from my garden.  It was super easy and quite tasty and we both agreed that we would make this again.

Anne's Easy Meatball Zucchini Boats
Serves 2

Ingredients:
1 zucchini, halved lengthwise
olive oil
salt and pepper
1 cup pasta sauce
6-8 meatballs (depends on size)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
chopped basil to garnish

Directions:
Scoop out the seeds from each zucchini half (throw out or save and add them to the sauce).  Place on a baking sheet.   Brush a little olive oil on each zucchini and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 350º for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat sauce and meatballs in a small pot on stove over medium heat.  I also tossed some fresh chopped oregano, basil and minced garlic into the sauce for extra flavor.

When zucchini is crisp-tender, remove from oven.  Place meatballs into zucchini boats and pour sauce over the top.  Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top.  Broil for 2 minutes to melt the cheese.  Serve garnished with fresh basil if desired.

Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole

I wanted something different than our typical taco night, so I decided to make an Enchilada casserole.  I found a couple different recipes online and then combined and edited them to make my own recipe.  It turned out better than I expected.  I absolutely loved the flavor.  Jeremy said it was good, but he wanted a "crunch" element.  Perhaps sprinkled tortilla chips or Fritos for Jeremy's leftovers?

Ground Turkey Enchilada Casserole
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Turkey (or Ground Beef or Shredded Chicken, etc)
1 large red bell pepper, cored and diced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon oregano leaves
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch salt
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn kernels (I used frozen)
1 can (10 oz) Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles
1 can (10 oz) Red Enchilada Sauce  (I used mild, but you can kick it up)
12 (6") corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Monterrey Jack or cheddar or Mexican blend cheese
Optional Toppings: Chopped fresh cilantro, sliced green onions, sour cream, avocado, etc

Directions:
Cook the turkey/beef in a large skillet over medium heat until done.  Transfer meat to a bowl.   Using the juices still in the skillet, saute the bell pepper and onions until softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the spices and add the meat back into the skillet.  Stir in the beans, corn, tomatoes, and 1/2 of the enchilada sauce.  Remove from heat and set aside.

In a 9x13" baking dish, pour the remaining 1/2 can of enchilada sauce to thinly cover the bottom.   Arrange 6 tortillas so they cover the bottom, overlapping slightly.  Spoon half the meat mixture over the tortillas.  Top with 1&1/2 cups shredded cheese.  Arrange the remaining 6 tortillas, followed by the remaining meat mixture, topped with the remaining cheese.

Bake, covered with foil, at 375º for 20 minutes.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes.  Serve warm with toppings of your choice.

Make Ahead Note:  I think this recipe lends itself well to make ahead/freezing.   I actually prepared the casserole layering earlier in the day and then put it in the fridge, covered.  When it was time to eat in the evening, I put it in the oven to bake.  I'm sure you could make this into smaller casserole dishes and freeze some for another day.

Classic Chili

I was in the mood for chili, and I had ground turkey in the freezer, so I found this classic recipe and just substituted the meat.  We had elbow macaroni on hand so we made it chili-mac.  Tasted good.

Classic Chili

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb ground beef or ground turkey
2&1/2 tablespoons chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1&1/2 cups beef broth (or chicken broth)
1 can (15 oz) petite diced tomatoes
1 can (16 oz) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

Directions:
Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook for a few minutes.  Add the ground beef to the pot and cook for 5-6 minutes until the beef is browned, breaking up large chunks and stirring occasionally.

Add the seasonings and stir.   Add the remaining ingredients and stir well.   Bring the chili to a low boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and gently simmer, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes.   Remove from heat and rest for 5 minutes before serving.  Serve as is or with noodles, cheese, cilantro, or favorite chili garnish.

Slow Cooker Beef Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

These were good.  The beef was fall-apart tender.  It's always nice to let something cook and not have to worry about tending to it. 


Slow Cooker Beef Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
2 lbs beef stew meat or chuck roast, cut into bite-sized pieces or strips
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano leaves

Tzatziki Sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons dried dill weed
salt and pepper to taste

For serving:
Soft pitas
diced cucumbers
cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
lettuce

Directions:
For tzatziki sauce, whisk together all the ingredients.  Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Place beef in the slow cooker and season with salt and pepper.  In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lemon juice, garlic, and oregano, and pour mixture over beef.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours until beef is tender.  Add extra salt and pepper to taste. 

Serve beef in pitas with tzatziki sauce and toppings of choice.

Spinach-Artichoke Pasta with Italian Sausage- Instant Pot

I think this was the best Instant Pot recipe I've made so far.  Definitely not on the lighter side as far as calories, but it does have some vegetables in it, so I'll give myself a pass.  Comfort food is needed sometimes.  There was a good sausage-to-pasta ratio and I enjoyed the creamy spinach-artichoke mixture.  The tomatoes cooked all the way down and got lost so I'd add more in the future.   This was an easy recipe with very little prep and a very short cook time.  Best of all, it only used a cutting board and knife, measuring cup, and the Instant Pot making for easy cleanup!  This is another successful recipe from Pressure Luck Cooking.  I'm looking forward to the leftovers.

Instant Pot Italian Sausage Pasta
Makes 6-8 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb raw Italian Sausage (sweet or hot), sliced into 1/2" pieces
3 cups chicken broth
1 cup white wine
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried parsley
10 oz cherry or grape tomatoes
1 lb (1 box) medium pasta shells
5-6 oz baby spinach
1/3 cup heavy cream or half & half
5 oz cream cheese
1 - 1&1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
14 oz can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly ripped by hand.

Directions:
Set Instant Pot to "Saute" on high and add butter.  When it melts, add the onions and saute for 2-3 minutes.  Add the garlic and sausage and cook and stir for 2 minutes. (The sausage will not be fully cooked yet).  Add in the broth, wine, Italian seasoning, parsley, and tomatoes.  Stir well.  Stop Saute mode.

Add the pasta shells to the pot, but DO NOT STIR.  Press down with a spoon to submerge a bit, and there will be some above the liquid which is okay.  Add the spinach, and DO NOT STIR.  The spinach will come up to the top, but it will cook down to almost nothing.

Secure the lid and Pressure Cook on high for 5-6 minutes (depending on how you like your pasta).  Quick release the pressure when done.

Stir in the cream, cream cheese, Parmesan, and artichokes for a couple minutes until the cheese is melted.  Let rest a couple minutes to thicken and enjoy! 

Instant Pot Pot Roast

I tried this Pot Roast recipe from Pressure Luck Cooking and followed the ingredients and directions exactly (except for leaving out the mushrooms).  I was so excited to dig in that I forgot to take a photo the first night.  So this is a photo of leftovers we had the following night.  It was really, really flavorful and the meat was fall-apart tender.  I'd say the overall process was a little more fussy than a slow cooker, but it only took 60 minutes to cook (plus extra for preheating and pressure release).  The flavor was worth it.   Note:  I used a 3-lb roast which fit nicely in my 6-qt Instant Pot.  A bigger roast may have been tricky.

I don't want to steal the recipe since I made no changes except the mushrooms, so here is a link to the website:  https://pressureluckcooking.com/recipe/instant-pot-roast/

Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese

I saw this recipe posted on a Facebook Instant Pot Group, and it looked good, so I gave it a try.  It was tasty, but I didn't get as much chili flavor as I expected.  It was more like "chili-inspired" mac and cheese--or fancy Hamburger Helper.  Also, I'm not sure if the Instant Pot really saved much time.  I guess it was nice to use just one pot and dump it all in and go do something else for a few minutes.  Instead of a can of tomatoes, I used garden tomatoes.  I'm thinking I should have stirred some more in at the end along with the cheese.

Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 yellow onion, diced
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 green pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 TBSP chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
1 can diced tomatoes
3 cups beef broth
1 lb dried macaroni pasta
1-2 cups grated or shredded cheddar cheese
fresh chopped parsley (for garnish)

Directions:
Add ground beef to instant pot and use Saute mode for 4-5 minutes until lightly browned.  Add onion, celery, pepper, and garlic, and saute for a couple more minutes.  Then add spices and stir.  Turn off Saute mode.  Add broth, kidney beans, diced tomatoes, and pasta. Stir to make sure pasta is covered in liquid.

Cook on high pressure for 4 minutes (it will need ~10 minutes to preheat).  When finished, quick release pressure before removing lid.

Stir in cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish with parsley if desired.

Slow Cooker Turkey Chili

Chili is a winter comfort food for me.  I used ground turkey instead of beef for a leaner alternative, and sneaked in some extra veggies.  I didn't notice a huge difference in taste from classic chili at all.  It was still delicious.  I cut this recipe in half when I made it because I only had one pound of meat to use, but next time I think I'd make the full recipe and freeze half.   Chili is fun because you can customize it before you eat it-- Jeremy chose to mix his with macaroni.  I chose a pinch of shredded cheese and green onions.

Turkey Chili
Adapted from Slow Cooker Revolution
Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
2 lbs ground turkey
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil (or vegetable oil)
6 garlic cloves, minced
3 onions, minced
1 red bell pepper, minced
1/2 zucchini, minced or grated
1/4 cup chili powder
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 (15-oz) can tomato sauce
2 (15-oz) can chili beans (red kidney beans)
1 (28-oz) can diced tomatoes
1&1/2 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced chipotle peppers in adobo sauce (optional)

Directions:
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic, raw veggies, herbs, spices, and tomato paste and cook a few minutes until veggies are softened.   Stir in the ground turkey and cook until no longer pink, about 3 minutes per pound.   Stir in the tomato sauce.  Transfer to slow cooker.

Add the remaining ingredients to the slow cooker and stir.  Cover and cook for 4 to 6 hours on low.

Serve with whatever accompaniments you enjoy. 

Reuben Braid

This is a recipe I've made in the past.  Just an easy and quick way to use up corned beef for a fun St Patrick's Day meal.  This time around, I had leftover filling that didn't fit in the dough, so I saved it and made a Reuben Panini the next day.  Still good.

Reuben Braid
Make ~4 servings

Ingredients:
3-4 oz cooked corned beef brisket, chopped
3/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 tablespoons Thousand Island dressing
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1 package (8 oz) refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.  Set aside.

Unroll the crescent roll dough onto a baking sheet.  Seal seams and perforations if needed.  Spread the corned beef filling down the center of the rectangle.  On each side, cut 1-inch-wide strips to within an inch of the filling.  Starting at one end, fold alternating strips at an angle across the filling, creating the braided effect.  Seal ends. 

Brush egg white over dough and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.  Slice and serve.

Crock Pot Venison Loin

Jeremy's dad gave us a venison loin, and this is the recipe I made with it.   It was tasty and slow cooking it removed the "gaminess" of the venison.  The meat was tender and just fell apart, and the gravy paired well with both the venison and our side of mashed potatoes.  You could serve the recipe with egg noodles or rice instead of potatoes.  I just used what I happened to have on hand. 

Crock Pot Venison Loin

Ingredients:
venison loin roast(s), 1-3 lbs (ours was 1 lb)
salt and pepper
flour
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup chicken broth (or beef broth)
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons red wine
1 can cream of celery soup (or cream of anything like mushroom)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:
Salt and pepper the venison and dredge in flour.   In a heavy skillet, melt the butter and brown the meat on all sides.  Transfer to a slow cooker.   In the same skillet, saute the onions and garlic for just a couple minutes. Pour the broth in the skillet to deglaze pan and pour contents into the slow cooker.

Add all remaining ingredients into the crock pot.  (A larger loin might require up to an extra cup of water/broth).   Cook on low for 8-10 hours until meat is tender.   Serve over potatoes, noodles, rice, or whatever you like.