Instant Pot Baked Ziti

1 lb. ground beef (I use Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage)
2 cups broth
 2 cups cream (see note for lightened up substitutions)
 1/2 teaspoon salt
 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
 2 cloves garlic, finely minced (or 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder)
 16 ounces uncooked ziti pasta or other tube-shaped pasta
 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
 1 1/2 teaspoons dried basil
 1/2 to 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
 Fresh basil, for serving (optional)

Lightly spray the bottom and sides of a 6-quart Instant Pot with nonstick cooking spray. Using the Saute feature on the Instant Pot, cook the ground beef or sausage, drain the fat, and proceed with the recipe, making sure when you add the broth to scrape the bottom of the pot really well before adding the other ingredients.  Pour in the broth and cream and add the salt, pepper and garlic.

Add the pasta; don't stir, but if it's mounded in the center, arrange into an even layer. Pour the crushed tomatoes evenly over the pasta and sprinkle the oregano and basil over the top. Don't stir.

Secure the lid of the Instant Pot, set the valve to seal, and select "manual" or "pressure cook" and dial up or down to the minutes needed --> take the cooking time on the pasta package directions, cut it in half and subtract two more minutes. So for pasta that cooks to al dente in 12 minutes, the IP cooking time would be 4 minutes (add an extra minute if you like your pasta super soft).

Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Add the Parmesan cheese and stir thoroughly (it's ok if there are some darker, cooked spots on the bottom of the pot/bottom layer of pasta). Serve the ziti immediately with chopped, fresh basil, and additional Parmesan, if desired.

NOTES
If you want to lighten up the cream a bit, I've had great success making this with 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon cornstarch (whisked together) + 1 cup cream.

If I'm taking this meal somewhere I usually put it in a 9x13 pan after it's cooked, sprinkle mozzerella cheese on top and place it under the broiler to melt. 

World's Easiest Chicken Salad

My kids prefer this to the fancier recipes and I make it often because it's so easy.  They have requested it in their sack lunches once school starts.  :)

Sprinkle Lowry's seasoning salt and some lemon pepper on three fresh (not frozen but I am sure frozen would work too) chicken breasts and cook them on high in the crockpot until just cooked to 165 degrees but no longer. 

While it's hot, shred the chicken using two forks.  You want it in nice chunks, not overly shredded.  Then let it cool.

Add mayonnaise to make the chicken salad as creamy as you like it and add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve on King's Hawaiian rolls. 

Creamy Tomato Soup

A very mild tomato soup that you can have on the table in 30 minutes.  Serve with grilled cheese, of course!  Slightly adapted from The Food Nanny.

1 cube butter, softned
1 c. flour
4-5 c. chicken broth
4 c. half and half
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 c. marinara sauce
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, pureed
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat.  Whisk in the flour and cook and stir for 5 minutes to slightly brown the mixture (it's sort of a dry, crumbly roux).  Whisk in 4 cups of chicken broth.  Increase the heat and cook and stir until thickened.  Decrease the heat to low, stir in the half and half and basil and simmer for 20 minutes. 

Stir in the marinara sauce and pureed tomatoes, and cook until heated through.  Add more chicken broth if the soup is too thick for your taste.  Season with salt and pepper before serving.  If you half the recipe, still use the whole can of diced tomatoes...it works great.  I added a little tomato paste from a squeeze tube for a little more tomato flavor. 

Spicy Tomato Cream Spaghetti Sauce

This spaghetti sauce comes together really quickly but tastes like it cooked all day.  If you cook the noodles at the same time as the sauce you can do the whole thing in 30 mins, though I do like the sauce to simmer longer if I have time.  :)

1 lb. Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage
1/2 c. finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 TB tomato paste (from a squeeze tube is best but from a can works too)
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1 small pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional, depending on how spicy you want to go)
1/2 teaspoon coarse, kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
8-ounce can tomato sauce
1-2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1/3 c. heavy cream or half and half
1/4 c. part skim ricotta cheese
parmesan, for serving

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the ground meat, onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt and pepper, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks, until the meat is not longer pink.  Drain any excess grease.

Stir in the tomato paste, basil, oregano, thyme, pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, for about a minute, until the mixture smells fragrant.  Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, brown sugar and soy sauce. Stir to combine.  Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for 5-10 minutes (or as long as you like/need).  Just before serving add in the cream and ricotta and stir until combined and hot.

Serve over hot, cooked noodles (or zoodles!) and top with parmesan. 

So Simple Instant Pot Saucy Meatballs

Ingredients:

Frozen Italian Meatballs (I've heard the ones from Costco are great, but I just grabbed a bag from the grocery store)
1 bottle Sweet Baby Ray's Original BBQ Sauce
water

Dump meatballs in the instant pot.  (I filled my 6 qt. pot about 1/2 full.)  Pour 1 cup of water over the meatballs and then dump 1 to 1.5  cups of the BBQ sauce over the top of the meatballs.  Cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.  When it beeps and is done, turn off the Instant Pot and let the pressure naturally release for 10 mins.  Quick release the rest of the pressure and open the pot.  Stir the meatballs and serve over rice or mashed potatoes with a green salad and/or veggies.  You could also serve these as an appetizer without the rice.

If you were doing more meatballs you would want to add a little more water and more BBQ sauce.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

• 1 box (16 ounce) of elbow macaroni
• 4 cups of water
• 3 Tb of butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 cup of heavy whipping cream (can sub 1 can of evaporated milk(12 ounce), half and half, or even whole milk)
• 2 cups of shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese

Place the macaroni, water, salt and butter into the Instant Pot.  Set Instant Pot on 4 minutes high pressure and do a quick release of the pressure as soon as it's done.  Take lid off and immediately add whipping cream and stir. Then slowly add cheese and stir until it melts.  You can add a little hot sauce and dry mustard for flavor if desired.

Quick and Easy Korean Beef

recipe from Six Sisters Stuff

Korean Beef
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 – 1 teaspoon crushed red peppers (depending on how spicy you like it)
salt and pepper
1 bunch green onions, diced
Rice, cooked
Directions:
Heat a large skillet over medium heat and brown hamburger with garlic in the sesame oil. Drain most of the fat and add brown sugar, soy sauce, ginger, salt and pepper and red peppers. Simmer for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Serve over steamed rice and top with green onions.

Pioneer Woman's "Simple, Perfect Chili"

We love this chili recipe at our house!

Ingredients

2 pounds ground beef
2 cloves garlic, chopped
One 8-ounce can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 cup masa harina ( corn flour, found in the Mexican food section of many supermarkets)
One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
Shredded Cheddar, for serving
Chopped onions, for serving
Tortilla chips, for serving
Lime wedges, for serving
Directions

Place the ground beef in a large pot and throw in the garlic. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain off the excess fat, and then pour in the tomato sauce, chili powder, cumin, oregano, salt and cayenne. Stir together well, cover, and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. If the mixture becomes overly dry, add 1/2 cup water at a time as needed.

After an hour, place the masa harina in a small bowl. Add 1/2 cup water and stir together with a fork. Dump the masa mixture into the chili. Stir together well, and then taste and adjust the seasonings. Add more masa paste and /or water to get the chili to your preferred consistency, or to add more corn flavor. Add the beans and simmer for 10 minutes. Serve with shredded Cheddar, chopped onions, tortilla chips and lime wedges.

Naughty Chicken Enchiladas

These are the best chicken enchiladas I've ever made.  They are a special treat, but everyone I've served them to just dies over them.  The recipe is easy to double and they freeze well.  I like to serve them with black beans and sometimes cafe rio rice.  I got the recipe from kevinandamanda.com


Ingredients:
1 tbsp butter or margarine
1 can Rotel tomatoes and green chilies, drained
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, cut up and softened
2 cups chopped, cooked chicken breast
8 (8″) flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 pint whipping cream

Direction:
Preheat oven to 350. Spray 9×13 baking dish with Pam. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add rotel and saute 1 min. Stir in cream cheese and chicken and cook, stirring constantly until cream cheese melts. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons of chicken mixture down center of each tortilla. Roll up tortillas and place seam side down in a lightly greased 9×13 baking dish. Sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese, and drizzle with whipping cream. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 min. Take off foil and cook for another 15 mins, or until top is golden brown.

Maple Mustard Chicken

Serves 4
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
Salt & Pepper
Rosemary

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In a small bowl, mix together mustard, syrup, and vinegar. Place chicken breasts into 9×13 baking dish. Season with salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle dried rosemary lightly over the top.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees.

*Shelly's notes:  I cut the chicken breasts in half and pounded them thin to make them extra tender.  If you do this they will cook faster.  Next time I am going to double the sauce recipe and serve the chicken and sauce over rice.

Crustless Ham Quiche

Crustless Ham Quiche
 
4 eggs
1 ½ cups sour cream
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
½ cup flour
1/8 tsp. salt
4 drops Tabasco sauce
1/3 lb. diced pre-cooked ham
2 T butter
2 green onions, minced
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
2 cups grated Swiss cheese
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Combine eggs, sour cream, Parmesan cheese, flour, salt and Tabasco sauce in a large bowl; beat with a whisk until smooth.  Stir in ham.  Saute mushrooms and shallots in butter until soft and add to mixture.  Pour into ungreased 10 inch pie plate.  Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool 5 min. before serving.

Saturday Chicken

Words and recipe from:

All you need is about 6 Boneless Skinless chicken breasts, 1/2 pint of whipping cream, paprika, 2 family size cans of Cream of Mushroom soup, garlic salt, dried parsley, and that's all! Along with the chicken, it makes a gravy (and enough of it that you put it on top of mashed potatoes). Oh, oh, oh baby. 

Cut anything ugly off of the chicken and place it in a casserole dish. Sprinkle both sides of chicken with lots of garlic salt and lots of paprika. Optional: sprinkle the top side with a little bit of dried parsley flakes.



In another bowl, stir together the Cream of Mushroom soups and about half a pint of cream. Pour this mixture on top of chicken.  I just add the cream until the condensed soup isn't so thick and is more like a thick gravy.  Aren't you thinking, "this cannot be good"??  You are so wrong.  You will literally want to drink this gravy with a straw.  Pour the sauce over the chicken.  I'm a salt lover, so sometimes I can't help adding more shakes of salt and paprika on top.



Bake in a 350 degree oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.



Slightly whisk the gravy around the dish to mix up the flavors. Taste it.  I almost always add even more salt, garlic salt, paprika until I'm super happy.  Serve the extra gravy over mashed potatoes! This is a hundred times yummier than it looks! My husband and I always joke about how ugly this dish is, but how much we both love it!  I will make it until the day I die.

Saturday Chicken

6 BS Chicken Breasts
Paprika
Garlic Salt
2 cans Family Size Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 pint cream
Dried Parsley Flakes

Directions: Place chicken in glass casserole dish, sprinkle both sides with lots of paprika and garlic salt. Sprinkle some parsley flakes on the top side of the chicken. In another bowl, stir together the Mushroom soup and heavy cream. Pour on the top of the chicken. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Whisk around the gravy to mix flavors. Serve the extra gravy on top of mashed potatoes!

Grilled Santa Fe Burgers

1 lb ground beef
1.5 cups shredded Mexican blend cheese
1/2 cup salsa, divided
1/4 cup finely crushed tortilla chips (we used Tostidos Hint of Pepperjack for extra flavor)
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tsp. chile powder
1/2 tsp garlic salt
4 hamburger buns
ranch dressing
lettuce
tomato slices

In a medium bowl, combine the beef, 1 cup of cheese, 1/4 cup salsa, tortilla chips, green onions, chili powder and garlic salt. Shape into 4 patties. Cook on the preheated grill for about 5 minutes on each side, or until cooked through as desired. Sprinkle a handful of cheese on each burger during the last minute or so of cooking. Place on buns and top with ranch dressing and salsa. Serve with lettuce and tomato slices.

Chicken Enchilada Soup (crockpot)

1.5 lbs shredded cooked chicken breasts or the meat off a rotisserie chicken
1can diced tomatoes
1 can 10oz red enchilada sauce
1 med. Onion, chopped
1can chopped green chilies
1clove garlic, minced
2 c. Water
1can chicken broth
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 bay leaf
1 10oz. package frozen corn, or one can drained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
Tortilla chips
Sour cream
Cheddar cheese

In slow cooker, combine shredded chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, green chilies and garlic. Add water, broth and spices. Stir in corn and black beans. Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours or 3-4 on high. Break up tortilla chips in the bottom of a bowl, pour soup on chips then top with cheddar cheese and sour cream.

*Shelly's notes: Sometimes I get everything going in the crockpot in the morning and then put the chicken in later once I've had time to cook it or buy a rotisserie chicken. Other times I throw my chicken in the crockpot first and let it cook on high till it's done, take it out and shred it and then put all the ingredients into the crock pot for the soup. Either way, this soup is a great crockpot meal!

Easy Chicken Pesto Penne

Another so easy and so good. I used a rotissere chicken. I found pesto in a small jar by the jars of spaghetti/alfredo sauce at Walmart. I think I used half the bottle for this recipe.

from make and takes

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 box cooked pasta
• 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or cubed

Boil heavy cream, stirring constantly, over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until it thickens. Add pesto and stir then add parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese melts. Salt and pepper to taste. Toss with chicken and pasta.

Sausage Tomato Penne

Recipe and picture from here:

Hilary's Notes: This was so easy and good. It makes a LOT, so either be prepared for leftovers or half it!


Sausage Tomato Pasta

1 package penne, cooked according to package
1 pound mild italian sausage
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 large can diced tomatoes with italian seasonings
1/2 onion, chopped (I used onion powder)
2 TBS olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced (used garlic from jar)
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese
italian seasoning

Cook onion, sausage, and garlic with olive oil. Drain fat. Add heavy cream and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add can of tomatoes and italian seasoning to taste. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, heat and toss with pasta.

Lemon Chicken

Lemon Chicken
Susan Branch "Heart of the Home" Cookbook 

4 chicken breasts (I used tenders)

1  1/2 cups flour (this is way too much - also it's easy to put in bag and shake to coat)

1/3 cup butter

2 TBSP olive oil

salt and pepper

Place chicken between wax paper and pound to flatten. Coat with flour and cook in butter and oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sauce

4 TBSP butter

4 TBSP parsley, chopped

1 lemon

Melt butter in pan with drippings from cooking chicken. Remove from heat and add parsley and 1 TBS lemon juice. Pour sauce over chicken.

Hilary's Notes: This calls for a TON of butter. Can easily be cut back. I'd cut back when you make the sauce. Also, I used dried parsley (forgot to buy the fresh). I also thought, "Lemons, yum-- I'll double the lemon since I like lemon so much." Not a good idea! PUCKER UP SOUR! But really tender and moist and I'll definitely repeat - just won't use so much lemon!

Mexican Pollo Spud

found on this blog
Mexican Pollo Spud
4 large baking potatoes
2 chicken breasts (boneless and skinless of course)
2-3 TBSP McCormick Grill Mates Mesquite seasoning or your favorite Mexican seasoning
1 1/2 TBSP olive oil
2 tomatoes, diced (whatever is your favorite kind...I used the on-the-vine kind, but roma is very good)
1/2 yellow or purple onion, finely diced
about 1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 fresh jalapeno, finely diced optional
cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream
butter
salt
pepper

Bake potatoes your favorite way. I wash mine, poke them with a knife a few times then wrap them in foil. Then I bake them at 400 for 1 hour or until tender. While potatoes are baking, combine diced tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeno together in a small bowl. Wrap with plastic and place in the fridge. About 15 minutes before potatoes will be done, cut up chicken into slightly larger bite size pieces. Sprinkle with seasoning and toss to coat. Place oil in a large skillet and heat to medium high heat. Once hot, place chicken in pan and cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the middle. To assemble, slice potato down the middle and then pinch the sides down and in to open it up. (Unless you have steel hands you will want to use pot holders.) Add desired butter, salt and pepper to taste. Top with chicken, cheese (I like to melt my cheese a little in the microwave a little), pico de gallo and sour cream. Then dig in!

Hilary's Notes: Mike doesn't like tomatoes, and I don't like onions, so we skipped the "pico"  and just did fresh cilantro and jarred salsa. yummy! We didn't add the butter or jalapeno either. This was VERY filling.

Chicken Panini

Leftover Rotisserie Chicken
Balsamic Vinaigrette (I like Newman's Own Light)
Provolone Cheese
Tomato, sliced
Thick sliced sourdough bread, or other panini appropriate bread

Shred or slice the chicken and place it in a bowl with just enough vinaigrette to moisten the chicken, but not so it's drowning. Layer the chicken, cheese and tomato slices on the bread and grill**. Serve hot with a tossed salad and chips!

**You can do this just like grilled cheese if you don't have a panini press, just use a heavy skillet or something to "weigh down" the sandwiches as they cook. I think Rachel Ray sometimes uses a brick wrapped in tin foil!

Lemon Spaghetti

This is another easy pasta dish that goes great with a Balsamic chicken.

(from Giada de Laurentis)

Amounts can be altered easily if you're not going to use a whole pound pasta

2/3 c extra-virgin olive oil

2/3 c fresh-grated parmesan

1/2 lemon juice (from about 2 lemons)

3/4 tsp salt (or to taste)

1/2 tsp pepper

1 lb spaghetti

1/3 c chopped fresh basil or about 1 1/2 T dried

1 T grated lemon zest (from the 2 lemons)

Cook pasta according to directions, but reserve 1 cup cooking liquid. While pasta is cooking:

Whisk together oil, parmesan, lemon juice, salt/pepper.

Toss sauce with spaghetti, basil, & lemon zest.

Add cooking liquid a bit at a time to moisten. Salt, pepper, & more parmesan to taste.