Roasted Potatoes

 Ingredients: 

Oven: 450

1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 lbs potatoes--chopped into medium cubes
1/3 C olive oil

Directions:
In large plastic Ziploc, bag add all ingredients. Close bag and shake until potatoes are very well coated. Empty potatoes into shallow 13x9 baking dish (coated with PAM!!). Bake stirring occasionally 40 minutes or until potatoes are golden brown and tender. Makes about 8 servings.

Hummus

 Makes 6 servings or about 1 1/2 cups

YOU WILL NEED

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas or 1 ½ cups (250 grams) cooked chickpeas

1/4 cup (60ml) fresh lemon juice, 1 large lemon

1/4 cup (60ml) well-stirred tahini, see our homemade tahini recipe

1 small garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons (30ml) extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

Salt to taste

2 to 3 tablespoons (45ml) water or aquafaba, see notes

Dash ground paprika, sumac, or Za’atar for serving

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the tahini and lemon juice and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then process for 30 seconds more. This extra time helps “whip” or “cream” the tahini, making the hummus smooth and creamy.

Add the olive oil, minced garlic, cumin, and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to the whipped tahini and lemon juice. Process for 30 seconds, scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, and then process for another 30 seconds or until well blended.

Add half of the chickpeas to the food processor and process for 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl, then add the remaining chickpeas and process them until thick and relatively smooth, 1 to 2 minutes.

The hummus will likely be too thick and still have tiny bits of chickpea. To fix this, slowly add 2 to 3 tablespoons of cold water or aquafaba with the food processor turned on until you reach the perfect consistency.

Taste and adjust as needed. Serve hummus with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika, sumac, or Za’atar.

Store homemade hummus in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to one week. Freeze, covered with a thin layer of olive oil, for up to one month.

Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

 

LIFE-CHANGING INSTANT POT MASHED POTATOES

yield: 6 SERVINGS

 

prep time: 32MINUTES MINS

cook time: 8MINUTES MINS

total time: 40MINUTES MINS

INGREDIENTS

• 4 pounds potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes (see note about type of potatoes)
• 2 teaspoons coarse, kosher salt
• 1 cup milk, preferably not skim
• 4 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon-size pieces
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ cup sour cream

INSTRUCTIONS 

• Add the potatoes and salt to the Instant Pot insert (6-quart). Add at least 1 1/2 cups water or enough to cover the potatoes (either way is fine). Don't exceed the max fill line.
• Secure the lid on the Instant Pot, making sure the valve is set to "seal" and not "vent."
• Select Manual and then dial up or down to 8 minutes. The IP will start on its own.
• While the potatoes cook, warm the milk, butter and garlic powder in a saucepan or microwave-safe container until the butter is melted and the mixture is warm.
• When the potatoes are done cooking, quick release the pressure. If liquid bubbles and spurts from the valve, cover loosely with a damp dishcloth while the pressure releases.
• Drain the potatoes in a colander over the sink, discarding the cooking liquid.
• Return the potatoes to the insert of the Instant Pot and coarsely mash.
• Add the 2/3 of the butter/milk mixture along with the sour cream, and mash until the potatoes are the desired texture, as smooth or as chunky as you like, adding more of the remaining milk/butter mixture if you want creamier, less stiff mashed potatoes (I usually add it all).
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve immediately OR return the insert to the Instant Pot, secure the lid, and select Keep Warm. The potatoes can stay on this setting for up to three hours.
• When ready to serve, give the potatoes a good stir and a drizzle of warm milk, if needed.

NOTES

Potatoes: my favorite type(s) of potatoes to use for mashing are a combination of red potatoes and Yukon gold potatoes. But you can definitely vary the type of potato used in this recipe without altering cooking time. 

Instant Pot: I buy potatoes in bulk (I do live in Idaho after all), so I always weigh out the 4 pounds (or 8 pounds if using my 8-quart Instant Pot) for this recipe, but you should be able to fit in a commonly sold 5-pound bag of potatoes into the 6-quart Instant Pot, as long as the max fill line isn't exceeded after water is added. Just increase the milk/butter/sour cream/garlic powder a smudge to account for the extra pound.

Grilled Lemon Zucchini Skewers

 

Grilled Zucchini Skewers Recipe

Summertime skewer season is here! In addition to balsamic mushrooms and pineapple chicken, we'll be adding zucchini and lemon skewers to our plates.

 CourseSnack

 CuisineAmerican

 Keywordgrilled, skewers, zucchini

 Prep Time10 minutes

 Cook Time10 minutes

 Total Time20 minutes

 Servings4 people

 Calories164kcal

 Cost5

Ingredients

• 2 zucchinis sliced
• 2 lemons cut into wedges
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 tbsp. dried oregano
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Wood or metal skewers
• Skewers Preparation

Instructions

• Preheat grill to medium heat.
• In a bowl combine olive oil, garlic and oregano; season to taste.
  1/4 cup olive oil,1 tbsp. dried oregano,2 garlic cloves,Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• Thread the zucchini slices and the lemon wedges onto the skewers.
  2 zucchinis,2 lemons
• Brush the skewers with the olive oil dressing.
  Wood or metal skewers
• Grill until zucchini are tender, 2 to 3 minutes per side.
  Skewers Preparation

Cilantro Lime Rice with Pineapple

 1 cup dry white rice, cooked according to directions

2 tablespoons real butter

Juice from 1 large lime, or two smaller ones (taste as you go, I add a lot!)

1 small can crushed pineapple, drained (You may want 2 small cans)

½ – ¾ cups chopped fresh cilantro

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice. As soon as it’s done, toss in the butter and stir to melt. Add lime juice, pineapple, and cilantro. Stir to combine, and then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

You’ll want to serve this right away, if you don’t, the flavors tend to mellow a bit and you’ll probably need to add more lime juice because the rice kind of sucks it up.If you’re not quite ready to eat when your rice finishes cooking, just toss in the butter and keep a lid on it so it stays warm.Then right before you serve it, toss it all together.

Perfect Roasted Green Beans

 

Perfect Roasted Green Beans

• Author: Cookie and Kate
 
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
 
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
 
• Total Time: 20 minutes
 
• Yield: 4 side servings 1x
 
• Category: Side dish
 
• Method: Roasted
 
• Cuisine: American
 
• Diet: Vegetarian

★★★★★

 

4.9 from 32 reviews

Learn how to roast green beans with this simple recipe. Roasted green beans are an easy and delicious side dish (or snack)! Recipe yields 4 side servings.

SCALE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 pound (16 ounces) green beans or haricots verts
• 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
• Scant 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
2. Wash and trim the rough ends off the green beans. Pat them very dry with clean tea towels (wet green beans turn soggy in the oven).
3. Place the prepared green beans on your baking sheet. Drizzle the olive oil over the beans and sprinkle the salt all over. Use your hands to toss until all of the beans are lightly coated in oil. Arrange the green beans across the pan in a single layer.
4. Roast for 14 to 16 minutes, undisturbed, until they are crisp-tender with some golden, caramelized spots. (If using slender haricots verts, they may be ready a couple of minutes earlier.)
5. Transfer to a serving dish and enjoy with any desired accompaniments (see recipe notes for seasoning suggestions). Roasted green beans are best enjoyed while warm, but will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for 4 to 5 days.

NOTES

Seasoning suggestions: Roasted green beans are nice with lemon zest or wedges, grated Parmesan, fresh herbs (basil, mint, parsley, chives or green onion), red pepper flakes, pats of butter, a drizzle of balsamic reduction or thick balsamic vinegar, or toasted sliced almonds.

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.

Rolls -- 13x9

Serves 24

Ingredients

• 2 c. whole milk (if you're in a pinch, you can use 2%, but whole is best. Don't use 1% or skim)
• 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 packages active dry yeast (or 4 1/2 tsp.), preferably bread machine yeast
• 2/3 cup warm (105-115-degree) water
• 8-9 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 beaten eggs

Instructions

1. Combine milk, 1/2 c. sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan. Heat over medium heat until butter melts. Remove from heat. Allow to cool to lukewarm. I usually rub some ice cubes along the sides of the pan or pop the entire pan in a sink full of ice cubes to cool the mixture down because this step can take forever. This step is really important because if the mixture is too hot, it will kill the yeast.
2. While the milk mixture is cooling, dissolve the yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water. Let stand about 10 minutes. If the yeast hasn’t bubbled, you’ll need to repeat this step–moving on with yeast that hasn’t been activated properly will only end in heartache for you and hate mail for us.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine 3 c. flour and milk mixture. Beat on low for 30 seconds, scraping sides of bowl constantly. Add yeast mixture and beat on high for 3 minutes.
4. Add beaten eggs. Why should you beat your eggs first? Same reason you should combine your dry ingredients before adding them to moist ingredients when making cookies and cakes–it ensures everything is well-mixed and can be evenly-distributed through your dough or batter. If you add the whole eggs, your dough may not be as consistent.
5. Stir in as much remaining flour as needed to make a soft dough. This dough should be very soft–it will be coming away from the sides of the bowl, but it will still stick to your finger when you touch it. Don’t worry, it will firm up during the rising process. Part of what makes these rolls so good is that they’re so soft and light; if you add too much flour, they will be heavy and dense. Place the bowl in a warm place and cover with a clean towel; allow to rise 1 hour.
6. Punch down dough. Lightly flour your work surface and turn dough out onto surface. Divide in half.
7. Spray 2 9×13 glass pans with cooking spray. Roll first portion of dough into a rectangle and then cut it into 12 equal-sized pieces. I like to use a pizza cutter because it has a blade on each side, so it cuts right through dough without sticking to the blade. This dough should be very easy to work with, almost like playdough. Shape each piece into a ball and place in prepared pan. Repeat with remaining dough in the second pan.
8. Cover with a clean cloth and allow to rise in a warm place for about 30 minutes. When dough has about 15-20 minutes to go (depending on your oven), preheat oven to 375.
9. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until golden-brown.
10. When done, remove from oven. Rub a stick of cold butter over the tops of the rolls.
11. Then pop the rest into a bowl and no one will ever know that you cheated.

Skillet Green Beans

Yield: 4-6 servings

Simple Skillet Green Beans

Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 8-12 mins

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon oil or butter
• 1 pound fresh green beans, ends trimmed
• 3/4 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat the oil or butter over medium heat. Add the green beans and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, to crisp up the edges of the beans just slightly.
2. Pour in the broth and bring the beans/broth to a simmer. Cover the skillet and cook anywhere from 6-10 minutes, depending on how tender you like your green beans. Keep an eye on the skillet – if it is simmering too vigorously and the liquid evaporates out, add a bit more as needed.
3. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Notes:

After trimming the ends of the green beans, you can cut them into 1- or 2-inch lengths, but I usually leave them long so I can maybe, hopefully teach my kids the importance of cutting up food on their plate before shoveling it into their mouths.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/4 cups rice (long grain white rice or jasmine rice works best)
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Juice and zest of 1 large lime
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Directions:

1. In a skillet or medium saucepan, melt the butter and add the rice. Stir, letting the rice and butter cook for 1-2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and cook for 15-16 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and serve.

Fried Rice

Ingredients:

2 3/4 C water
1 1/2 C white rice
3 TBS vegetable oil or wok oil
2 eggs, beaten
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 inches fresh ginger, minced or grated
1/2 C store bought shredded carrots
1 small red bell pepper, diced
4 scallions, thinly sliced on an angle
1/2 C frozen peas
1/3 cup dark soy sauce
1/2 C diced ham (optional)

Instructions:

Bring water to a boil. Add rice and then reduce heat. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until tender, 15-18 minutes. Spread rice out on a cookie sheet to quick cool it, or place cookie sheet in fridge.

Heat a wok, or a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add oil to the pan. Add egg to hot oil and break into small bits as it scrambles. When eggs are scrambled, add garlic and ginger to pan. Add carrots, pepper and scallions to the pan and quick stir fry the veggies for 2 minutes. Add rice tot he pan and stir fry rice with veggies for 2-3 minutes. Add peas, ham, and soy sauce and stir fry 1 minute more; then serve.