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.

Instant Pot Red Cabbage

While the Polish Kielbasa was boiling on the stovetop, I prepared this side dish in the Instant Pot.  Next time, I'd cut the recipe in half because we were eating cabbage for several days in a row (but it still tasted good).  This was a perfect way to make this recipe which typically cooks very slowly on the stovetop. 

Instant Pot Red Cabbage
Makes >8 servings

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, sliced
1 head (2 lb) red cabbage, thinly shredded
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup apple juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced

Directions:
Using the Saute setting, melt the better in the Instant Pot. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just starting to soften.  Stir in the cabbage and cook for a couple minutes.  Stir in the salt, pepper, and allspice.  Add in the vinegar, juice, and sugar, and stir well.  Cancel Saute mode.

Set the Instant Pot to Pressure Cook on high for 5 minutes.  When finished, quick release pressure.  Stir cabbage, season to taste, and serve.

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Not healthy.  Don't care.  Sometimes you just need cheese and bacon.  It was yummy.  I just cooked a whole chicken in the Instant Pot, so I shredded it and used some of that chicken for this recipe.  I also threw in some broccoli in an attempt to add at least some nutritional value.  Approximate measurements in recipe---I mostly just threw handfuls of stuff in and hoped for the best.  It worked.  Looking forward to leftovers tonight. 

Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Ingredients:
~1-1&1/2 lbs cooked chicken (cubed, shredded, whatever)
1/2 teaspoon pepper
~2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
6 slices bacon
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
2 cups milk
1 packet Dry Ranch Mix (optional)
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
1 can (10.5 oz) condensed cream of chicken soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided
1-2 cups fresh broccoli, chopped
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs (optional)

Directions:
Season the cooked chicken with ground black pepper.  Place in large bowl.

Cook the macaroni per package directions and drain.  Add to bowl.

Cook the bacon in a large skillet.  Let bacon cool on paper towel.  Drain all but 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.

In same skillet, add the pepper, onion, and garlic.  Cook for 3-5 minutes until tender.  Add to bowl.

In same skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Whisk in flour until paste forms.  Gradually add milk while continuously whisking.  Stir in the Ranch, cream cheese, and cream cream of chicken soup until combined.  Stir in 1&1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Pour cheesy sauce into bowl with chicken and pasta and veggies. 

Add broccoli or other veggie to bowl and stir everything to combine.  Pour mixture into a 13x9" baking pan.  Top with crumbled cooked bacon, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar, and bread crumbs.  Bake at 375º for 20-30 minutes until mixture is bubbly and cheese is melted.  Enjoy!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

I could only find whole chickens in the grocery store a couple weeks ago, so I purchased one.  I decided to try to cook it rotisserie-style in the Instant Pot.  It worked, especially just for shredding up the meat.  The skin wasn't crisp enough for my liking though.  Next time, I might try broiling it for a couple minutes after it's done pressure cooking.   I completely forgot to take a photo until I was halfway done shredding it up.  Oh well.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (~4-5 lbs), innards removed

1 lemon, cut in half

1 small onion, cut in half

Rotisserie Seasoning:

1 tablespoon kosher salt

2 teaspoons pepper

1 tablespoon garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1 tablespoon paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

dash of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Rub seasoning mixture all over chicken.   Stuff the chicken cavity with the lemon and onion.

Place a trivet in the Instant Pot and pour in 1 cup water or chicken broth.  Place chicken on trivet.  Pressure cook on high for 6 minutes per pound of chicken (30 minutes for a 5-lb chicken).  Let pressure naturally release for 15-20 minutes before removing lid.  Insert a meat thermometer into chicken thigh and make sure it has reached 165º F.  Remove chicken from pot and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing or shredding.

Grilled Chicken

We felt like grilling out, so I made this chicken recipe.  It was excellent--juicy and flavorful.  I also made some foil pouches with beans and potatoes for the grill.

Unbelievable Grilled Chicken
From allrecipes

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 cloves garlic
1 lime, juiced (2 TBSP)
1 lemon, juiced (3 TBSP)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together all the marinade ingredients (everything except chicken).   Place chicken in a large resealable bag and pour marinade into bag, tossing to coat.  Chill in fridge 8 hours or overnight.

Remove chicken from marinade and discard liquid.   Grill chicken 6 to 8 minutes per side until internal temperature reaches 165ºF.

Shrimp Scampi with Veggies

Friday Fish Fry is out; eating at home is the current norm.  I felt like trying a new recipe and wanted to use the last of the shrimp in the freezer so I made this Shrimp Scampi recipe.  I had some leftover asparagus that I threw in there too.  It was good, but not fabulous.  Kinda boring.  Some bites had more flavor than others.  I think next time I would add butter or lemon juice at the end to kick up the flavor.  It was fine though. I was excited because I got to use the ribbon setting on the spiralizer for the zucchini and yellow squash.

Shrimp Scampi with Squash Ribbons

Recipe from Food Network, slightly adapted

Ingredients:

8 oz spaghetti

1 yellow squash, peeled or spiralized into ribbons

1 zucchini, peeled or spiralized into ribbons

1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

handful asparagus spears, chopped (optional)

1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

4 cloves garlic, minced

pinch crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 cup chicken broth

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the spaghetti to al dente.   Save 1/4 cup of the pasta water.   Place the zucchini and squash in a colander and drain the pasta into the same colander.  Stir to combine pasta and squashes.

In the now empty pot, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat.   Toss the shrimp with salt and pepper and add to the pot.  Cook until just pink around the edges, about 2 minutes.  Add the asparagus, tomatoes, garlic, and pepper flakes, and cook until tomatoes have softened, about 1 minute.  Add the pasta, squash, broth, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil.  Cook, tossing, until warmed through and most of the liquid has been absorbed.  Add pasta water if more liquid is needed.  Season with salt and pepper.

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings

I wanted comfort food, so I made this recipe.  Luckily, we had some chicken breasts in the freezer since the stores seem have no chicken at all.  For veggies, I used carrots, celery, onions, peas, and asparagus.  Fast and easy and it tasted great.  We were nervous that 3 minutes pressure-cooked wouldn't be enough time to fully cook the chicken and dumplings, but it was perfect.  The dumplings were just what I needed to lift my spirits. 

Instant Pot Chicken and Dumplings
Recipe from Food Network, adapted slightly
Makes 4 large servings

Dumpling Ingredients:
1 tablespoon baking powder
1&3/4 cups flour
pinch salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 cup milk, room temperature

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons thyme leaves
2 tablespoons flour
2 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup white wine
1-1&1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" pieces
1 cup frozen peas
handful asparagus spears, chopped (I added this)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
For dumplings, in a medium bowl, mix together the baking powder, flour, and salt.  Stir in the milk and melted butter until well combined.  Set aside.

Set the Instant Pot to Saute mode and add butter, stirring constantly while it melts.  Once melted, add onions, celery, carrots, and pinch of salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 2-3 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another minute.  Stir in the thyme and flour until combined.  Pour in the chicken stock and wine and stir.  Add the chicken, peas, asparagus, salt, and pepper.  Turn the pot off.

Carefully drop the dumpling dough by large spoonfuls into the pot (about 9-10 dumplings).  Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 3 minutes, then quick release.   Spoon the dumplings and soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley.

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp

We had some shrimp we needed to use and when I looked through my cookbooks for a recipe, this one caught my eye.  The original recipe didn't call for asparagus, but I wanted to include more veggies so I added them in.  I didn't have mirin in my cupboard and I didn't feel like buying a bottle for a single recipe, so I substituted rice wine vinegar and a pinch of sugar.  Jeremy and I both enjoyed this dish.  It was something different from our normal rotation.  The recipe made 2 huge servings.  

Singapore Noodles with Shrimp

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen: Dinner for Two

Makes 2 large servings

Ingredients:

4 oz rice vermicelli (rice sticks)

8 oz extra-large uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed

1&1/2 teaspoons curry powder, divided

1/8 teaspoon sugar

4 teaspoons oil, divided

2 shallots, sliced thin

1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and cut into thin strips

1 cup chopped asparagus tips & stems (~1/2 bunch)

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 cup chicken broth

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons mirin (or white white or rice wine vinegar with pinch sugar)

1/2 teaspoon Sriracha sauce (or to taste)

pinch red pepper flakes (optional)

1 cup (2 oz) bean sprouts

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

Directions:

Add noodles to a large bowl and cover with very hot tap water.  Stir to separate.  Let noodles soak until softened but not fully tender, about 15-20 minutes; drain.

While noodles soak, cook shrimp.  Pat shrimp dry and toss with 1/4 teaspoon curry powder and sugar.  Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Cook shrimp for 1 minute, stir, and continue to cook for 30 seconds.  Transfer to a bowl.  

Add 2 teaspoons oil to the skillet and heat until shimmering.  Add shallots, bell pepper, and asparagus, and cook until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and remaining 1&1/4 teaspoons curry powder and cook for 30 seconds.

Stir in broth, soy sauce, mirin, Sriracha, red pepper flakes, softened noodles, and cooked shrimp.  Cook, tossing gently, until everything is well-coated with sauce, about 2-3 minutes.  Stir in bean sprouts and cilantro.  Serve.

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.

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Tenderloin - Instant Pot

10 minutes to cook a Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot?!  Awesome!  I think it took about 35 minutes from start to finish including prep.  It was easy to make plus delicious. 

Instant Pot Balsamic-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Ingredients:
1 pork tenderloin (~2 lb)  [I cut into two pieces to fit in pot]
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Directions:
In a small bowl, mix together the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.  Rub olive oil over pork and then rub in seasoning.

Set Instant Pot to "Saute" mode and add garlic and pork.  Brown the meat for a minute on all sides.  Remove pork from pot.  Add 1 cup water to deglaze and scrape up brown bits with a wooden spoon.  Cancel Saute mode and whisk in soy sauce, sugar, and balsamic vinegar.  Return pork to the pot.

Seal the lid and pressure cook on high for 10 minutes.  Let the pot naturally release for 10 minutes, then quick release the rest of the way.

Place pork on a cutting board.  While it rests, turn the Instant Pot to "Saute" mode.  In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 1/4 cup cold water.  Add to the pot and cook for 2 minutes, whisking until thick and bubbly.

Slice the pork and pour balsamic glaze over the top.