Rigatoni Pasta

Ingredients

1 lb rigatoni pasta

1 lb Italian sausage

1 onion, minced

2 Tablespoons garlic

1 Tablespoon Italian Seasoning

1 teaspoon red chili flakes, optional

15 oz tomato sauce

6 oz tomato paste

15 oz Italian diced tomatoes

1 Tablespoon sugar

3/4 cup heavy cream

instructions

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook the rigatoni pasta according to the directions on the back.

Then in a skillet brown the Italian sausage. Then add the diced onion and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Then add the remaining ingredients (except the heavy cream) and let simmer for 15 minutes.

Then add the heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes. Then serve on top of the rigatoni pasta.

Slow Cooker Fajitas

Ingredients

2 pound flank steak

2 large bell peppers, or 3 small/med (use red, yellow, or orange)

1 large onion (red, white or yellow)

1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 3 large limes), plus extra for serving

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

4–5 cloves minced garlic (pre-minced garlic works great!)

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Optional: extra lime and a handful of chopped cilantro

SAUCE

1 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons lime juice (zest a little lime in the sour cream before juicing!)

1 teaspoon chili powder

kosher salt to taste

---

Instructions

Cut flank steak against the grain into about 1/2-inch slices. Then slice the opposite direction so you have 2-3-inch strips of meat. Place in slow cooker. Cut peppers and onions into large 1-inch strips and place on top of meat (see note below).

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup lime juice, soy sauce, liquid smoke, vinegar, chili powder, cumin, garlic, salt, and pepper. Whisk to combine and then pour over meat and veggies and toss to coat. Place lid on cooker and cook 4-6 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low.

While meat is cooking, whisk together sauce ingredients and store in fridge till serving.

When meat is done, optionally squeeze a little more lime on top and toss in a handful of chopped cilantro.

Serve on tortillas of choice, with any additional toppings (ie: avocado, pico de gallo, etc.)

Caramel Apple Crisp

INGREDIENTS

• Filling:
• 8 cups sliced apples (5-6 large apples, we like Granny Smith or Honey Crisp)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 14oz caramels (2 1/4 cups)
• 6 Tbsp milk
• Topping:
• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup oats
• 3/4 cup butter, soft
• 1 tsp cinnamon

INSTRUCTIONS

Peel and thinly slice the apples. Toss with the sugar, flour, and cinnamon. Pour into a greased 9x13" pan; set aside.

Mix caramels and milk in a glass bowl. Microwave until melted, stirring occasionally. Drizzle about half of the caramel sauce over the apples.

Combine topping ingredients in a small bowl till crumbly and spread evenly over apples and caramel.

Bake at 350° for about 45 minutes, or till topping is golden brown and apples are tender. Serve with vanilla ice cream and the remaining caramel sauce.

NOTES

-If I have homemade caramel sauce on hand, I use it in place of the caramels and 6 Tbsp of milk.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup

YIELD: SERVES 6-8

EASY BROCCOLI CHEESE SOUP

PREP TIME 30 MINUTES

 

COOK TIME 15 MINUTES

 

TOTAL TIME 45 MINUTES

INGREDIENTS

•  3 1/2 cups chicken broth
•  1/2 cup finely diced onion (white or yellow)
•  1 teaspoon salt
•  1/2 teaspoon pepper
•  5-6 cups (about 30-36 ounces) chopped broccoli (see note)
•  4 cups milk (I use 2%)
•  1/2 cup all-purpose flour (use 2/3 cup if you want it extra thick)
•  3 cups (12 ounces) freshly grated cheddar cheese (see note)
•  1 cup (4 ounces) freshly grated Swiss cheese (see note)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. In a large saucepan (6-quarts or so), add the chicken broth, onion, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and add the broccoli (it won't be completely covered with liquid). Cover the pot and cook for 8-9 minutes until the broccoli and onions are tender.
2. In a blender, combine the milk and flour and process until smooth. Slowly add the milk mixture to the soup, stirring quickly. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring constantly, and cook until thickened, 3-4 minutes.
3. Turn the heat to low and stir in the cheese, one handful at a time, letting each addition melt before adding more. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper, if needed.
4. Serve immediately (the soup will thicken as it cools).

NOTES

I like the broccoli chopped pretty small for this soup - but you can chop it as small or as large as you prefer.

Also, remember that pre-shredded cheese won't melt as well in this soup thanks to the powdery substance that's added to it to prevent clumping (the powder prevents it from melting as smooth and creamy as block cheese you grate yourself). I prefer sharp cheddar cheese (extra sharp makes the soup a little gritty and mild cheddar cheese doesn't have as much flavor). 

For Instant Pot fanatics, I think this stands a good chance of working in the IP (taking notes from this IP creamy potato soup recipe). Maybe combining the broth, salt, pepper, onions, and broccoli and cooking at HP for 1-2 minutes. Quick release the pressure and then use the saute function when adding the milk and cheese? Just a starting place. 

Cranberry Salsa

Description

The perfect sweet & savory holiday appetizer: bright and tangy cranberries combine with spicy jalapenos and are cooled by creamy cream cheese.

---

SCALE 

Ingredients

• 12 oz bag fresh cranberries, washed
• 2 jalapenos, minced (adjust according to taste)
• 1/2 cup sliced green onions, roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, roughly chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon lime or lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup sugar, more to taste if desired
• 2 8-ounce packages cream cheese, at room temperature

---

Instructions

1. Place cranberries, jalapenos, green onions and cilantro in a food processor and process until fine. Transfer mixture to a bowl and stir in lime juice, salt, and sugar. Chill in fridge for about 2 hours or more. To serve, spread cream cheese evenly in a pie plate or other shallow serving dish. Spread salsa on top and serve with crackers.

---

Notes

• Feel free to adjust this basic recipe to taste. I like to be heavy-handed with the onion and cilantro, and if you like a kick, add more jalapeno peppers! One recipe makes enough for 2 blocks of cream cheese. Often I’ll just serve it over one block at a time and save the extra salsa for another night.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Ingredients

• 1 cup diced yellow or white onion
• 1 medium green bell pepper, diced
• 4 (15-ounces each) cans kidney beans, undrained
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons coarse or freshly cracked black pepper (see note)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2-3 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 1 1/2 pounds kielbasa or chicken sausage, sliced (see note)
• Hot, cooked brown rice, white rice or quinoa for serving

Instructions

1. Combine all the ingredients except the kielbasa/sausage in a medium slow cooker and give it a good stir. Cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. Add the sausage and cook until warmed through (anywhere from 20 minutes to another hour).
2. Add additional salt to taste before serving. Serve over hot, cooked rice (white or brown) or quinoa.

Notes

For the kielbasa/sausage, you're looking for precooked sausage that you slice into rounds - I like using the chicken sausage (Aidell's brand). Something similar, pork or beef or turkey, would work for this recipe.
PRESSURE COOKER: To adapt this to a pressure cooker, combine all the ingredients except the sausage and rice to a pressure cooker. Cook at high pressure for 20 minutes. Quick release the pressure. Add the sausage and use the Saute feature (on the Instant Pot) to heat through. Serve over the cooked rice.UPDATE: A lot of the flavor (given the short list of seasonings) comes from the black pepper. I used coarse ground black pepper (from Costco) and the full 2 teaspoons was perfect for us but depending on the brand/type of black pepper you are using, it might add more heat than you like. You can always add 1 teaspoon during cooking time and add more at the end, to taste, if you want to play it safe.

Fluffy Honey Oat Dinner Rolls

Ingredients

• 2 cups (7.5 ounces) quick cooking oats (see note)
• 1/3 cup honey
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2 1/2 cups boiling water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons instant yeast (see note for active dry yeast)
• 4 to 5 cups all-purpose flour
• Melted butter, for brushing baked rolls (optional)

Instructions

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine the oats, honey, butter and salt. Add the boiling water and mix until combined. Let the oats soften and the mixture cool for 15-20 minutes until about 110 degrees (or lightly warm to the touch).
2. Add the yeast and 2 cups of the flour. Mix until combined. With the mixer on low speed, continue adding flour, 1/2 cup at a time, until a soft dough forms that clears the sides of the bowl but is still soft and tacky to the touch (be careful not to overflour!). The exact amount of flour will depend on many factors, so don't worry if you have to add more or less than called for to achieve the right texture for the dough. Knead the dough for 4-5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
3. Place the dough in a lightly greased bowl and cover with a clean towel or greased plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on the warmth of your kitchen.
4. Punch down the dough and divide into 12 equal pieces (see note). Shape each piece into a round ball, pinching the bottom to seal.
5. Grease a 9X13-inch baking pan and place the rolls in the pan. Cover and let the rolls rise until puffy and almost doubled in size, about an hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Bake the rolls for 20-25 minutes until golden on top and baked through. Brush with melted butter, if desired.

Notes

I'm sure you could sub old-fashioned rolled oats for this recipe. If you don't want the oat texture to be noticeable in the rolls, pulse the old-fashioned oats in a blender or food processor until coarsely chopped before using.
To use active dry yeast instead of instant yeast, combine the same amount of yeast in a small bowl with a pinch of sugar and 3-4 tablespoons water. Let the mixture sit until foamy, 5-7 minutes, and then use in the recipe in step #2 as directed.
I like making 12 rolls out of this batch - it makes really large, fluffy rolls. You could definitely make upwards of 18-20 rolls out of this batch if you want smaller rolls. If doing so, I'd suggest baking them on a large, rimmed baking sheet (don't cram that many into a 9X13-inch pan).

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

How to Cook Hard Boiled Eggs in Pressure Cooker

• Place 1 cup of water in inner pot of pressure cooker (liquid is ALWAYS needed for the pressure cooker to be able to reach pressure.)
• Place eggs in egg rack or carefully on top of rack that the Instant Pot came with.
• Seal pressure cooker.
• Set cook time to 5 minutes (5 minutes on high pressure–push the manual button and adjust timer to 5 minutes)
• After cook time has elapsed, let pressure release naturally for 5 minutes (I suggest setting a timer that will beep at 5 minutes so you don’t lose track of time. )
• Once 5 minutes has elapsed, release any remaining pressure in Instant Pot by using wooden spoon or kitchen towel to knock vent knob to vent position.
• Carefully, remove eggs from pressure cooker and place in ice bath. Eggs are VERY hot, so use pot holder if you fingers aren’t made of steel!
• After eggs have been in ice bath for 5 minutes, remove eggs from ice bath.
• Peel and enjoy your PERFECT hard boiled eggs.

Instant Pot Indian Butter Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
• 1/2 cup diced white, red or yellow onions
• 3-4 medium cloves garlic, finely minced or pressed through a garlic press (for about 2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or ginger paste (see note)
• 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (see note if using chicken thighs), cut into about 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups peeled, chopped russet, yellow or red potatoes (about 10 ounces)
• 2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 2 teaspoons garam masala
• 2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse, kosher salt)
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 2 cans (15-ounces each) canned tomato sauce
• 1 can (15-ounces) reduced fat coconut milk
• 1 to 2 tablespoons butter, optional (but delicious)
• Hot, cooked rice for serving
• Fresh, chopped cilantro, for garnish

Instructions

1. Add the oil to the insert of the Instant Pot and select the Saute function (making sure the temperature is adjusted, using the + or - button, to normal). Add the onions, and cook, stirring often, until they start to soften and turn translucent, 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for 10-20 seconds.
2. Add the chicken and cook, stirring often, 1-2 minutes.
3. Add the potatoes, spices (coriander, garam masala, turmeric, salt and paprika), tomato sauce, and coconut milk. Stir well.
4. Secure the lid and make sure the valve is closed. Select the Manual or Pressure Cook button and dial up or down to 6 minutes. The Instant Pot will start on it's own.
5. After the cooking time is finished, quick release the pressure (if it bubbles and spurts through the valve, close the valve, let it sit for 10 minutes and try again), and remove the lid.
6. Add the butter and give the curry a good stir to melt the butter completely (see note if you want to thicken it up a bit more). Serve over rice garnished with fresh cilantro, if desired.

Notes

For fresh ginger, I buy knobs of ginger, cut them into 1- or 2-inch pieces and toss in a freezer bag. When I need fresh ginger for a recipe, I grab a knob of ginger straight from the freezer and grate it on my microplane or on the small holes of my box grater (no need to thaw or peel the ginger before using). Ginger paste, which is pretty widely available these days in the refrigerated section of stores often by the fresh herbs, is a great option, too. 
For chicken thighs, add 5-6 minutes to the cooking time. 
The curry will thicken a little more as it cools. If you want it thicker for serving, mix together 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons cold water. Turn the IP to the Saute function and add the cornstarch slurry, whisking constantly, until the mixture is thick and bubbling. 
Also, I haven't made this particular recipe in the slow cooker or on the stovetop, so I didn't include directions in the recipe, but having said that, I think it would transition well to both options (maybe simmer for 15-20 minutes on the stovetop and try cooking on low for 5-6 hours in the slow cooker).

Asian-Style Meatballs

Ingredients

Meatballs:

• 2 pounds ground meat (beef, pork, turkey or a combo - see note)
• 1 cup panko or regular bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
• 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger (or ginger paste)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• Zest from 1 lime (about a teaspoon)
• Pinch of crushed red pepper, more or less to taste (optional)

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup soy sauce (I use low-sodium)
• 1/3 cup sweet chili sauce (see note)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (from 2-3 limes)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with cooking spray.
2. In a large bowl, add the ground meat. Add all the other meatball ingredients and mix until well-combined (I just dig in there with my hands). Roll 2-3 tablespoons of the mixture into meatballs and place 1/2-inch apart or so on the prepared baking sheet.
3. Bake for 20-25 minutes until cooked through (an instant-read thermometer should read 165 degrees F in the middle of a meatball).
4. While the meatballs cook, whisk together all the sauce ingredients in a microwave-safe bowl or small saucepan and heat until simmering.
5. Using tongs or a spatula, remove the meatballs from the baking sheet onto a plate or tray. Drizzle the cooked meatballs with the warm sauce and garnish with additional green onions and toasted sesame seeds, if desired. Serve the meatballs on their own or over brown rice, white rice, quinoa, etc.

Notes

If you want to change up the flavor a bit, use fish sauce instead of soy sauce in the meatball mixture. I've made these meatballs with a combination of ground pork and ground turkey and another time with 100% ground beef. All versions have been delicious.
Sweet chili sauce is pretty widely available in most grocery stores in the Asian-foods aisle (by the soy sauce). It is sweet and spicy; different brands may differ in flavor and spiciness (Mae Ploy is a popular brand). There are also lots of homemade versions online if you google a recipe.

Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Pasta

Ingredients

2 C chicken, cooked
Salt and pepper
1/2 lb spaghetti noodles
1/2 C oil packed sun dried tomatoes
1 T minced garlic
1 1/4 C heavy cream
2/3 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/3 C mozzarella cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 C chopped basil

Directions

Cook noodles in salted water.

In a medium pan, saute sun dried tomatoes with garlic. Turn the pan to medium and stir for about 30 seconds.

Turn heat to medium high and quickly add the cream and cheeses.

Cook for about 3 minutes or until thickened and return to a simmer at medium low heat. Add remaining ingredients.

Slice chicken and add it to sauce along with drained pasta.

Stir using tongs and serve immediately.