Ginger Carrot Soup

The only things left in the garden are lots of carrots and a couple brussels sprouts plants.  On the advice of friends, I decided to try making carrot soup.  This was an easy recipe.  I enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would--which is good because the recipe made a lot of soup.   I cheated and used squeeze bottle ginger instead of grated.  It still tasted fine. It didn't need extra salt, but we did add pepper.

Ginger Carrot Soup

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients: 

2 tablespoons butter

2 onions, chopped

6 cups chicken broth

2 pounds carrots, peeled and sliced

2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger

1 cup whipping cream

salt and pepper to taste

parsley, for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Melt butter in a large stock pot over medium-high heat.  Add onions and cook until soft, stirring often.  Add broth, carrots, and ginger.  Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 30-40 minutes.

Remove from heat and transfer to a blender in batches, filling no more than halfway.  Blend until smooth.   Return soup to pot and add cream.  Stir and heat until hot.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake for Instant Pot

YUM!  I've been craving chocolate, and I've been wanting to try out cheesecake in the Instant Pot for awhile, so that's what I decided to make for my birthday dessert.  IT WAS SOOOO GOOD!   Rich and creamy and decadently delicious.  Honestly, it tasted just as good as Cheesecake Factory.   I was worried about how it would set up when finished, but it worked perfectly.  Also, I liked that it made a small 6" cheesecake.  Any bigger, and I'd feel the need to share it.... haha!  

Death by Chocolate Cheesecake for Instant Pot

Makes a 6" cheesecake, ~8 servings

Ingredients:

20 Double Stuff Oreo cookies (for crust)

2 packs cream cheese (8 oz each), room temperature

1/2 cup sour cream

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

2 eggs

4 oz semi sweet chocolate, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

Ganache topping:

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

Directions:

To make crust, place whole Oreos with filling in a food processor and blend until they form crumbs.  Press crumbs into a 6" springform pan.  Place in freezer while you make the filling.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese on high until light and fluffy.  Add in sugar and mix until just combined.  Add in sour cream and mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.   Add the melted chocolate, cocoa powder, and vanilla, and mix until combined.  Lastly, add the eggs and mix as little as possible just until they are fully incorporated.  Pour filling over crust and cover pan with aluminum foil.  

Pour 1 cup water into Instant Pot.  Place cheesecake pan on a trivet with handles and lower into Instant Pot.  Secure the lid and pressure cook on high for 35 minutes.  When finished, allow it to naturally release pressure.  Remove pan and let it cool on counter.  Place in fridge overnight to allow it to set completely.

After the cheesecake has set overnight, make the ganache.   In a small bowl, combine the chocolate chips and cream.  Microwave in 30 second intervals until the chocolate is mostly melted.  Stir until completely melted and pour over the cheesecake.   Enjoy!

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.   

Parmesan and Panko-Crusted Halibut

The grocery store had a sale on halibut, so I bought a couple fillets on impulse.   I found this recipe and gave it a try.  It was good.  Likely, anything with parmesan-panko coating will taste good.  And it's baked, so it's relatively healthy.  I cooked green beans from our garden and made a little tomato salsa which gave some moisture to the bite of fish.  

Parmesan and Panko-Crusted Halibut

Ingredients:
2 halibut fillets, skin removed

2 teaspoons olive oil

juice from 1/2 lemon

salt and pepper

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

1 tablespoon freshly chopped parsley

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450º F.  Line a baking sheet with foil and place a cooling rack on the sheet.  Coat the rack with cooking spray.

Drizzle the oil and lemon juice over both sides of fish and season with salt and pepper to taste.   Combine the remaining ingredients on a plate or shallow bowl.  Press the fish into the panko mixture on each side and place on the cooking rack.   Bake for 10-15 minutes (depends on size) until the fish is cooked and flaky.   Serve with a lemon wedge.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

 

We bought a plain pork tenderloin on sale at the grocery store so I found this recipe to jazz it up.  I love grilling a tenderloin because it stays juicy on the inside and gets the tasty grill char on the outside.  I think the honey in the recipe made it char a little more than usual, but it was fine. The marinade flavor was really tasty.  I'll add this to the recipe save pile.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 to 2-lbs pork tenderloin

Marinade:

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons oil

juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

Mix together all the marinade ingredients and pour half into a large Ziplock bag along with the pork.  Seal bag and massage marinade into all sides of pork.  Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Grill over medium heat for 15-20 minutes, turning every few minutes to ensure even cooking.  Brush reserved marinade over pork halfway through grilling.  When done, transfer to a cutting board to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

Instant Pot Egg Bites

 

I've been wanting to make these egg bites since I got my Instant Pot.  The egg bite silicone molds have been sitting unused in the cupboard, and I finally decided to try them out.  The Instant Pot worked perfectly and the eggs tasted great.  It's like a little bite-size omelet. They were handy to store in the fridge and pop a few in the microwave for breakfast or to take to work.  I liked that this recipe used ingredients I already had on hand and was very easy to make.  I picked some of our garden veggies to add to it.

Instant Pot Egg Bites
Makes 14-21 bites (depends on how much extra stuff you add)

Ingredients:

9 large eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

~1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, to taste

cooking spray

Optional stuff, to taste (I added chopped chard, green onion, diced tomato, shredded cheese)

Directions:

In a 4-cup measuring cup, whisk together the eggs, milk, baking powder, salt, and pepper.

Spray two silicone molds with cooking spray.  Pour mixture into each of the 7 openings of each mold about 2/3 full.  Add whatever toppings you'd like.  No need to stir.   Close each mold with the silicone lid and stack in a staggered position on top of a trivet with handles

Add 1 cup water to a 6-qt or 8-qt Instant Pot and carefully lower trivet into the pot.  Close lid and pressure cook on low for 8 minutes.  When done, quick release.  Using oven mitts, carefully lift the entire trivet out of the pot by its handles.  Open the lid of each mold and let cool for a few minutes.  The egg bites should easily pop out.  

Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days.  Microwave bites to reheat for 30-45 seconds.

Freeze for up to 3 months.  Microwave 60-90 seconds from frozen.

 

Garlic Roasted Carrots

 

We plucked some carrots from the garden to give ourselves a break from the green beans and tomatoes we've been having every night.  This was a tasty side dish (you know, for a vegetable).

Garlic Roasted Carrots
Serves 2

Ingredients:
~3-4 carrots, split in half lengthwise if large

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon dried thyme

salt and pepper

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions:

In a bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, garlic, and thyme.  Toss carrots in oil mixture until well coated.  Place on a lined baking sheet and season with salt and pepper.  Bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes until tender.  Serve garnished with parsley if desired.

Tomato Jam

Another day, another bowl full of tomatoes.  I decided to try something a little different and made tomato jam.  I smeared some on crostini for a delicious snack.  I think adding some cheese and basil would be even better.  Or maybe as a topping for avocado toast. Delicious. 

Spiced Tomato Jam

Ingredients:
2 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon peeled and grated or minced fresh ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves 

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:

Add everything to a heavy bottom saucepan and bring mixture to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened to a jam consistency, about 1 to 2 hours. (Mine took 90 minutes)

Let cool and store jam in a glass canning jar.  May keep refrigerated in sealed container for up to 2 weeks.

Easy Chicken Fajitas

Our garden has an abundance of bell peppers right now, so I figured this would be a tasty way to use the peppers and also incorporate a tomato salsa with our many tomatoes.  The chicken seasoning was really tasty and the tomato salsa I added as a topping helped prevent the fajitas from being too dry.  It was a super fast and easy recipe which I appreciated.

Easy Chicken Fajitas
Makes 4 servings (2 fajitas/serving)

Ingredients:

2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 medium onion, sliced 

3-4 bell peppers (depends on size), sliced 

1 lime

tortillas

Optional toppings:  diced tomatoes/salsa, chopped cilantro, shredded cheese, sour cream, etc

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine seasonings.  Add chicken strips and toss to coat.   

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook chicken in skillet until done, about 5 minutes.  Transfer chicken to a plate and set aside.  Heat another tablespoon of oil in the now empty skillet and add peppers and onions.  Cook 3-5 minutes until they start to soften.  Add the chicken back into the skillet, and squeeze the lime over everything. Stir to combine.  

Serve chicken mixture in a tortilla with toppings of your choice.

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

 

Fresh Tomato Salsa (Pico de Gallo)

Ingredients:

3-4 medium-large fresh tomatoes, diced

1/4-1/2 red onion, minced

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

juice of one lime

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

salt and pepper to taste

pinch dried oregano

pinch cumin

Directions:

Put everything in a bowl and stir to combine.  Adjust seasonings as needed.  Store covered in fridge for up to 5 days.