5 medium carrots, chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked wild rice*
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
1 teaspoon poultry seasoning (or a mixture of thyme, sage, etc.)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
To the Instant Pot, add all ingredients and cook for 45 minutes (manual, high pressure, quick release).
* Use only wild rice. Do not substitute brown rice or a wild rice blend.
8–10 large carrots, peeled and chopped coarsely
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk
1-1/2 cups chicken or veggie broth
1/4 cup peanut butter
1 tablespoon red curry paste
cilantro and peanuts for topping
Stovetop Instructions: Saute the onions and garlic with a little bit of oil until soft. Add the carrots, coconut milk, broth, and curry paste. Simmer until carrots are soft. Add peanut butter and stir until melted. Using immersion blender, blend until smooth; season generously with salt, top with peanuts and cilantro.
Instant Pot Instructions: Place all ingredients in the Instant Pot and set for 15 minutes. Using immersion blender, blend until smooth; season generously with salt, top with peanuts and cilantro.
1 pound macaroni pasta
4 cups water
4 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt (optional)
1 (5 ounce) can evaporated milk
4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded cheese that melts well (Swiss, Gouda, Fontina or Monterey Jack)
To the Instant Pot, add the macaroni, water, butter, kosher salt, ground mustard and garlic salt. Cook in the pressure cooker for 5 minutes on high, then quick release. Add the evaporated milk and half of the cheeses and use a wooden spoon to vigorously stir until the cheeses have melted. Add the rest of the cheese, stirring until the sauce is creamy. Add any additional toppings or mix-ins below at this time.
Note: The creamy texture comes from the evaporated milk and the Swiss-like cheese. Using regular milk and only Cheddar will not yield the same results.
Pesto Mac & Cheese: To each single serving, add pesto sauce (about one tablespoon?), some toasted pine nuts plus chopped sun-dried tomatoes or roasted red bell peppers.
Veggie & Crispy Fried Sage: To the instant pot, stir in cooked butternut squash, steamed broccoli or roasted cauliflower. To make the crispy fried sage, add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to a fry pan over medium-high heat. When hot, add the sage leaves and cook for 15-30 seconds, flip, and cook for another 20 seconds or so. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate and sprinkle with kosher salt to top the mac and cheese.
6 ounces Polish beef kielbasa, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup beef broth (preferably College Inn Bone Broth or another bone broth with minimal seasoning)
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 head green cabbage, cored and chopped into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Turn on the Instant Pot and select Saute function. Cook and stir kielbasa, onion and olive oil until well browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Add butter to the pot and let it melt. Mix in beef broth, thyme, and Worcestershire sauce. Add cabbage and stir until well coated. Close and lock the lid.
Select high pressure according to manufacturer’s instructions; set timer for 5 minutes. (It will take 10 to 15 minutes for the pressure to build before the 5 minute cook time begins.)
(For Mom, let sit for another 2 to 3 minutes, then…) Release pressure carefully using the quick-release method according to manufacturer’s instructions. Unlock and remove lid. Serve using a slotted spoon.
Good with noodles or mashed potatoes.
2 pounds baby back ribs
1-1/2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon coarse salt
Sweet & Sour Glaze
2/3 cup apricot preserves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
BBQ Glaze
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup honey mustard
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
Mix garlic and salt together. Rub evenly over meaty side of ribs.
Put in slow cooker, meaty side down, and cook on low for 5 hours. Then transfer ribs, meaty side up, to a broiler pan.
Mix together ingredients for either the Sweet & Sour or the BBQ glaze and brush the glaze over the ribs. Broil for 10 minutes or until glaze is bubbly and slightly brown.
1 (6 pound) boneless pork shoulder roast
1 tablespoon red clay Hawaiian sea salt (no substitutes)
1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring (Reese’s mesquite smoke flavoring, if you can find it)
Pierce pork all over with a carving fork. Rub salt then liquid smoke over meat. Place roast in a slow cooker.
Slice open a banana (leave in the peel) and set it on top of the roast while it cooks to give it the taste of actually being wrapped in banana leaves prior to cooking it underground (make sure you remove the banana after the pig is fully cooked). This gives the pork a very SLIGHT sweet taste which the islands are famous for.
Cover and cook on low for 16 to 20 hours*, turning once or twice during cooking time (remove and replace banana each time).
Remove banana and peel and discard. Remove meat and shred. Return shredded meat to slow cooker and cook 1 hour more on low.
*If you put it in at 11 pm it will be ready between 4 pm and 8 pm.
2 quarts vegetable broth
1 cup uncooked barley
1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 zucchini, peeled & chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon white sugar
Combine all ingredients in Instant Pot. Close and lock the lid. Select high pressure; set timer for 20 minutes. Allow 10 to 15 minutes for pressure to build.
Release pressure using the natural-release method (according to manufacturer’s instructions, may take 10 to 20 minutes). Unlock and remove the lid. Remove bay leaves. Serve.
Note: This is a nice, mild soup. Might be good with herbs (thyme, basil).
3 pounds bone-in beef short ribs
salt, pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
4 medium carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 10-ounce can beef broth
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
2 onions, cut into 1/2-inch wedges
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup dry red wine
1 cup chicken broth
4 teaspoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons cold water
Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. In batches, brown ribs on all sides; transfer to a slow cooker. Add carrots, beef broth, thyme and bay leaf to slow cooker.
Add onions to the skillet used for the ribs; cook and stir over medium heat 8-9 minutes or until tender. Add garlic and tomato paste; cook and stir 1 minute longer. Stir in wine and chicken broth. Bring to a boil; cook 8-10 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half. Add to slow cooker. Cook, covered, on low 6-8 hours or until meat is tender.
Gravy
Remove ribs and vegetables; keep warm. Transfer cooking juices to a small saucepan; skim fat. Discard thyme and bay leaf. Bring juices to a boil. In a small bowl, mix cornstarch and water until smooth; stir into cooking juices. Return to a boil; cook and stir 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with ribs.
3/4 to 1 pound flank steak, sliced thin across the grain* and cut in 1″x3″ strips
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 to 2/3 cup brown sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
1/2 cup light (reduced sodium) soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon rice wine (or other dry white wine)
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (for M&D, use 1/4 t. chili powder)
Cornstarch Slurry:
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
Garnish:
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
*You can substitute chuck steak, as long as it is sliced very thin.
Instructions
Total prep and cooking time is 40 to 50 minutes. Good with sticky rice or (for Mom) vermicelli.
1 c. water
1 3-pound boneless pork loin roast
1 18-ounce bottle of Sweet Baby Ray’s Honey BBQ Sauce
1/4 c. brown sugar
2 T. hot sauce (Tabasco)
2 T. Worcestershire sauce
1 t. salt
1 t. pepper
Cook meat and water in slow cooker on high for 7 hours.
Shred meat. Add BBQ sauce and next 5 ingredients Reduce heat to low and cook uncovered an additional hour.