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Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp

Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Shrimp

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from: Cafe Delites

Fast, simple dinner. Serve with Couscous.

  • 2TBS salted butter
  • 6cloves garlic, finely diced
  • 1lb shrimp — tails on or off
  • 1small yellow onion, finely diced
  • ½cup white wine
  • 5oz jarred sun dried tomato strips in oil, drained
  • 1½-1¾cups heavy cream or half-and-half
  • salt and pepper, to taste
  • 3cups baby spinach leaves
  • ⅔cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2tsp dried Italian seasoning or equivalent herbs
  • 1TBS fresh parsley, chopped

Slurry:

  • 1TBS cornstarch mixed with 1 TBS of water (optional)


Preheat skillet and oven:

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. While the skillet heats, preheat the oven for the boule.

Saute shrimp:

Melt 2 TBS butter and add in the garlic and fry until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add in the shrimp and fry 1½ minutes on each side, until just cooked through and pink. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.

Saute onion:

Fry the onion in the butter remaining in the skillet until it softens. Pour in the white wine and reduce by half. Add the sun dried tomatoes and fry for 1-2 minutes to release their flavors.

Heat bread:

Put the boule in the oven.

Sauce:

Reduce heat to low-medium heat, add the heavy cream or half and half and bring to a gentle simmer, while stirring occasionally. Check seasoning and adjust to taste with salt and pepper.

Add in the spinach leaves and allow to wilt in the sauce, and add in the Parmesan cheese. Allow sauce to simmer for a further minute until cheese melts through the sauce. (For a thicker sauce, add the slurry to the center of the pan, and continue to simmer while quickly stirring the mixture through until the sauce thickens.)

Finish:

Add the shrimp back into the pan; sprinkle with the Italian herbs and parsley, and stir through.

Serve:

Serve over Couscous, pasta, rice, steamed veg or with a nice boule.

Poulet a la Crème (Chicken with Cream Sauce)

Poulet a la Crème (Chicken with Cream Sauce)

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Yield: 4 servings
adapted from Jacques Pépin

This dish is usually made with whole chicken cut into pieces or boneless skinless thighs.  This is a breast version.

  • 2TBS butter, divided
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 4boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup chardonnay
  • ½cup good chicken stock
  • 1small onion (about 3 ounces), peeled and left whole
  • 8oz baby carrots
  • ½tsp parsley
  • ½tsp thyme
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1TBS soft unsalted butter mixed with 1 TBS all-purpose flour (beurre manié)
  • 1cup heavy cream
  • 1tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon (optional)

Season the chicken with the salt and pepper.

Melt a tablespoon of butter in a sturdy wide saucepan, and add the mushrooms. Sauté until water evaporates and mushrooms are browned. Set aside.

Melt the tablespoon of butter in the saucepan, and add the chicken breasts.

Brown over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side. The chicken should be lightly browned. Remove and discard some of the rendered fat, leaving only 1 to 2 tablespoons of fat in the pan.

Add the wine, carrots, reserved mushrooms, chicken stock, onion, parsley, thyme and bay leaves. Bring to a boil, and boil gently, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Transfer the chicken to a platter, and discard the onion. Boil the liquid in the pan until it is reduced to about 3/4 cup.

Meanwhile, whisk together the tablespoon of soft butter and the flour, then pick this mixture up on the looped wires of a whisk, and whisk it into the reduced liquid in the pan until it is smooth. Bring to a boil to thicken the liquid, then add the cream, return to a boil, and boil gently for 5 minutes.

Taste the sauce for seasonings, and add salt and pepper, if needed. Serve sprinkled with the chopped tarragon, if desired.

Serve with rice seasoned with onions and thyme.

Pulled Pork (IP)

Pulled Pork (IP)

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Yield: 4 to 8 Servings
Adapted from Pillsbury
  • 1TBS butter
  • 1TBS veg oil
  • 3–4lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed; cut in 3 pieces
  • 1cup chicken broth
  • 2TBS packed brown sugar
  • 2TBS soy sauce
  • 10cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1tsp salt


Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ NORMAL setting. Add oil and butter and heat until butter stops foaming. Add pork and sear 2 to 4 minutes on all sides or until browned. Select CANCEL.

In small bowl, mix broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, garlic and salt. Pour over pork in insert. Secure lid; set pressure valve to SEALING. Select MANUAL; cook on HIGH pressure for 70 minutes. Select CANCEL. Keep pressure valve in SEALING position to release pressure naturally.

When cool enough to handle, shred pork, and toss with 1 cup of the cooking liquid; discard remaining cooking liquid.

Pork Carnitas (IP)

Pork Carnitas (IP)

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Yield: 4 to 8 Servings
adapted from  damndelicious
  • 1TBS canola oil
  • 1(2-4lb) boneless pork shoulder, excess fat trimmed and cut into 2-inch chunks
  • 12oz pilsner or lager beer or water
  • ½cup freshly squeezed orange juice
  • ¼cup freshly squeezed lime juice
  • 6cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2tsp dried oregano
  • 2tsp chili powder
  • 1½tsp ground cumin
  • 1½tsp kosher salt
  • ½tsp freshly ground pepper
  • Special Equipment: Instant Pot

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the high SAUTÉ setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Working in two batches, add pork and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes.

Stir in beer, orange juice, lime juice, garlic, oregano, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 30 minutes. When finished cooking, quick-release pressure.

Remove pork from the Instant Pot and shred the meat using two forks; season with salt and pepper, to taste, if needed.

OPTIONAL: Preheat oven to broil. Place pork onto a baking sheet and broil until crisp and crusted, about 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately.
Serve with:

Vegetable Starch
Mixed Salad Mexican/Spanish Rice
pico de gallo Tortillas
Re-fried or Black Beans
Mini-Frittatas

Mini-Frittatas

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Yield: 6 Servings
Scott Nowell

I based this on a combination of something I saw on TV while waiting for a tire repair and the “Just Crack an Egg” from the supermarket. My usual combination is 4 oz sausage scrambles, 1 green pepper, 1 onion, ¾ cup shredded cheese.

  • 6eggs
  • ½cup milk or light cream
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • 1 of the following meats
  • 8oz uncased sausage, breakfast, sweet, mild or hot Italian, Chorizo, etc.
  • 8slices of cooked bacon (crumbled)
  • 8oz ham, diced ¼-inch
  • 1TBS vegetable oil
  • choice of the following vegetables
  • 1lb potatoes, peeled, diced ¼-inch
  • 1green pepper, diced ¼-inch
  • 1medium onion, diced ¼-inch
  • 8oz mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 4oz spinach, chopped.
  • ½to 1 cup shredded cheddar, Colby jack, pepper jack, etc.
  • salt and freshly ground pepper
  • cooking spray


In a bowl whisk together eggs, salt, pepper, and milk. Set aside.

Cook the meat as needed. Drain.

Cook the vegetables as needed, potatoes boiled in salted water until tender, onion and peppers in 1 TBS oil until soft and lightly browned, mushrooms sautéed until brown, spinach until just wilted. Drain.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray a large 6 cup muffin pan with cooking spray.

Divide the meat, vegetables and cheese into the muffin cups.

Pour egg mixture into each cup until ½ to ¾ full and stir gently to combine.

Transfer to a baking sheet and top with any remaining cheese.

Bake cupcakes at 350°F for 18 to 25 minutes.

The eggs will puff up and get nice and light.

These keep 2-3 days in the refrigerator or you can freeze breakfast cupcakes for up to one month.

Turkey Pie, Double Crust

Turkey Pie, Double Crust

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Yield: 8 Servings
Scott Nowell

This is a complete all in one meal. Yes, you can substitute chicken. For a jumbo pie, use a 12” cast iron pan for a baking dish. This recipe easily made enough for 2 12” pies or 4 normal sized ones. For the crust use all butter or a combination of butter and shortening.
Crust:

  • 3cups AP flour
  • 1tsp salt
  • 16TBS butter/shortening
  • 6-8TBS ice water

Pie:

  • 2lbs turkey, chopped into bite sized pieces
  • 2lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into bite sized pieces
  • 1cup baby carrots, cut into bite sized pieces or ¼” thick sliced whole carrots
  • 1cup celery, sliced ¼- ½” thick
  • 1cup frozen pearl onions
  • 1cup frozen corn
  • 1cup frozen baby peas
  • 6-8cups turkey gravy
  • 1egg, beaten with 1 tsp milk for egg wash

Special equipment:

  • 9- to 12-inch cast iron pan

Crust:

Pulse the flour and salt in a food processor for a couple of seconds. Many recipes call for putting the food processor bowl and ingredients in the refrigerator/freezer for 30 minutes at this point. If it’s hot you might try that.

Add the cubed butter and cubed shortening to the processor and using pulses mix into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs.

Add ¼ cup of the ice water and pulse a few times. Add another TBS water, pulse and repeat until the dough starts to come together in a ball.

Dump dough onto a floured surface, form into two discs, 3/8 for one and 5/8 for the other, wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Pie:

In a medium pan, add the potatoes and carrots cover in water, and bring to a boil. After 5 minutes, add celery and pearl onions. Cook until potatoes are almost done. Baking will finish them. Drain, rinse to cool and set aside.

Make or heat the gravy in a 6-qt stock pot or Dutch oven. Add the turkey and heat through. Add the vegetables and the frozen corn and peas and bring to a boil.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Preheat oven to 375°F to 400°F.

Brush the bottom and sides of a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or similar with vegetable oil. Set aside.

Roll out the larger dough to an 18-inch circle (for 12-inch pan). Lift and place the pie crust and fit firmly onto the bottom and sides of the pan. There should be overhang all around.

Ladle enough of the hot turkey mixture into the pie crust to nearly fill the pan.

Lay the second crust on top. Lift and fold the edges under and crimp to seal.

Brush with egg wash and cut four 2-inch slits in the top to release steam.

Place on a sheet pan to catch drips and bake for 45 minutes or until the top is browned and the filling is bubbling through the slits.

Remove from the oven and let sit ten minutes.

Serve.

Chicken Stew (IP)

Chicken Stew (IP)

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell, Chicken adapted from Amy & Jacky Pressure Cook Recipes

This started out as pressure cooker chicken and I turned it into a stew.  I think I used 2 large breasts.

  • For chicken:
  • 1 to 4chicken breasts, either boneless skinless or w/bones & skin
  • cold water
  • 1TBS salt
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1tsp dried thyme
  • 1tsp dried rosemary or 3 sprigs fresh
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • For stew:
  • ½ to 1lb potatoes, peeled and cubed to ½ inch
  • ½ to 1lb baby carrots
  • 1cup frozen pearl onions
  • 1cup frozen peas
  • 8TBS butter
  • 8TBS all-purpose flour
  • salt and pepper

For chicken: Add chicken, salt, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, and 1 tsp oregano to Instant Pot. Pour in cold water to cover chicken in Instant Pot.

Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 0 minutes (zero minutes), then use 10 – 12 minutes Natural Release.

• For 1 Chicken Breast: Natural Release for 12 minutes
• For 2 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 11 minutes
• For 4 Chicken Breasts: Natural Release for 10 minutes

Check Chicken Breasts’ Internal Temperature: Place chicken breasts on a chopping board, then check internal temperature at its’ thickest part with an accurate thermometer. 165°F is the safe internal temperature for cooked chicken. If the temperature is low by more than 10°F, quickly place the chicken breasts back in Instant Pot. Close the lid, then let the residual heat in Instant Pot cook the chicken breasts for 1 to 2 more minutes.

Check Chicken Breasts: Once the chicken breasts have reached 165°F, Remove chicken to plate or cutting board and cover loosely with foil. Remove bay leaves and rosemary sprigs from IP, discard. You can also strain out the remaining herbs if desired.

Assemble Stew:

Make a Beurre Manie, by mixing ½ cup flour with ½ cup softened butter until blended. Sometime best done with your hands.

Add potatoes and carrots to liquid in Instant Pot and set to HIGH SAUTÉ and bring to a boil. Cook until almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes and add frozen onions. Continue cooking until potatoes and carrots are tender.  Slice, shred or cube the chicken an. Add chicken and peas to Instant Pot and stir.

Add half of the beurre manie and stir until sauce thickens. Add more as needed to achieve the desired thickness of the finished stew. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Serve as a stew with biscuits, or use as the filling for a chicken pie.

Beef Stew (IP)

Beef Stew (IP)

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Yield: 4 to 6 Servings
Adapted from PressureCookRecipes

Classic American Beef Stew Recipe adapted to Instant Pot: Make this soul-satisfying beef stew. Tender & moist cubes of chuck roast and vegetables immersed in an umami rich, hearty, sauce.

Note: The pot may be Instant, but this will take 2 hours to prepare.

Note: The Instant Pot is not the best at browning the meat. You can sauté the meat, mushrooms and vegetables separately in a skillet and get better results. Just sauté until desired browning and set aside. Pick up the Instant Pot directions at the Pressure Cook the Vegetables step.

Updated to increase stock from 1½ cups to 2-3 cups.

Note: The pot may be Instant, but this will take 2 hours to prepare.

  • 2-3lb Chuck Roast
  • 3medium garlic cloves, crushed and minced
  • 8oz white mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 2small onions, thinly sliced
  • 2-3celery stalks, cut in 1 inch chunks
  • 2-3medium carrots, cut in 1 inch chunks
  • 8small Yukon gold or Russet potatoes, quartered
  • ½cup frozen peas
  • ¼cup of dry sherry or Shaoxing cooking wine
  • 2bay leaves
  • ¼tsp dried thyme
  • 1TBS flour
  • Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
  • Chicken Stock Mixture
  • 2-3cups chicken or beef stock
  • 1TBS Worcestershire sauce
  • 1TBS soy sauce (not dark soy sauce)
  • 1TBS fish sauce
  • 3TBS tomato paste
  • Slurry
  • 2TBS corn starch
  • 1TBS water

Prepare the Instant Pot: Press SAUTE button and click the adjust button to go to SAUTE HIGH function. Wait until the Instant Pot says HOT).

Brown Beef: Season both sides of the chuck steak generously with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Add 1 – 2 tablespoons olive oil to Instant Pot. Ensure to coat the oil over whole bottom of the pot. Carefully place the chuck roast in the Instant Pot. Brown for 6 – 8 minutes on each side.  Leave it alone until it’s time to flip the meat. Remove and set aside in a large mixing bowl.

Make Stock Mixture: While the chuck is browning in Instant Pot, mix 1 TBS Worcestershire sauce, 1 TBS soy sauce, 1 TBS fish sauce, 3 TBS tomato paste with 1½ cup chicken stock.

Sauté the Mushrooms: Add sliced mushrooms in pressure cooker. Sauté, stirring occasionally until all moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated and the edges are slightly crisped & browned. Roughly 6 minutes. Remove and set aside.

Sauté the Vegetables: Add 1 TBS of olive oil in Instant Pot if necessary. Add thinly sliced small onions and sauté until softened and slightly browned. Add minced garlic and stir for roughly 30 seconds until fragrant. Add all celery and carrots. Sauté until slightly browned. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary.

Deglaze: Pour in ¼ cup sherry wine and completely deglaze bottom of the pot by scrubbing the flavorful brown bits with a wooden spoon. Let the sherry wine reduce to allow some of the alcohol to evaporate.

Pressure Cook the Vegetables:

Note: If you used a pan to saute the meat, etc., add the vegetables to the Instant Pot at this time.

Add 2 bay leaves, ¼ tsp dried thyme, quartered potatoes, and stock mixture to the pot. Mix well. Close and lock lid.  Press MANUAL on the Instant Pot and adjust time for 4 minutes. When done, use Quick Release process. Open the lid. Remove the carrots, celery and potatoes from Instant Pot and set aside.

Cut the Beef: While the vegetables are pressure cooking. Cut the chuck steak into 1 to 1½ inch cubes on a large chopping board. Place all stew meat and the flavorful meat juice back in the large mixing bowl. Add 1 tablespoon flour in mixing bowl and mix well with the stew meat.

Pressure Cook the Beef: Place beef stew meat and all its juice in the Instant Pot. Partially submerge the meat in the liquid without stirring, as you don’t want too much flour in the liquid at this point. Close and seal lid.  Select MANUAL on the Instant Pot, HIGH PRESSURE and adjust time to 32 minutes.  Let sit for 10 minutes Natural Release. Turn off the heat. Release the remaining pressure. Open the lid.

Thicken Beef Stew and Add Vegetables: Select SAUTE on the Instant Pot button and set to medium. Mix corn starch and water to form slurry and when the sauce is boiling, add and stir a little at a time to the Instant Pot to thicken the stew. Add frozen peas, sautéed mushrooms, carrots, celery and potatoes in the pot. Taste and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper if necessary.

Chicken Noodle Soup, Scrap (IP)

Chicken Noodle Soup, Scrap (IP)

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Yield: 6 Servings
Loosely adapted from jocooks.com

This tasty soup is made with scrap chicken and/or turkey bones, skins, etc. that you have saved in the freezer. This gets all of the flavor from the scraps and makes them easy to discard.

  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1large onion chopped
  • 3 to 4medium carrots chopped
  • 3 to 4stalks celery chopped
  • 1tsp salt plus more to taste
  • ½tsp pepper or to taste
  • 1tsp thyme dry
  • 1tsp parsley dry
  • 1tsp oregano dry
  • 8cups water
  • 4lb chicken scraps, thawed if previously frozen
  • 1chicken breast
  • 2 to 3heaping tsp Better than Bouillon chicken
  • 6oz egg noodles uncooked, (about 2½ cups)
  • Special Equipment: Instant Pot, Soup Bag/Soup Sock, available at Amazon.


Set Instant Pot to the HIGH SAUTÉ setting.

Add the olive oil, onion, carrots and celery, Season with salt and pepper and sauté for 5 to 8 minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent.

Season with salt and pepper, add the thyme, parsley, oregano and stir. Pour in half the water. Add the chicken scraps to a soup bag and place in Instant Pot . Add the chicken breast to the Instant Pot (not in the bag!). Add remaining water, but do not exceed the MAX FILL line.

Close the lid. Set the Instant Pot to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 20 minutes.

Once the Instant Pot cycle is complete, use a quick release. Carefully unlock and remove the lid from the instant pot.

Remove the chicken breast and set aside. Remove and discard the chicken scraps in the soup bag.

Dice or shred the chicken breast

Set the Instant Pot to the HIGH SAUTÉ setting again and return to a boil. Add the Better than Bouillon and mix. Check for seasoning and adjust.

Add the noodles to the soup and cook for 5 to 6 minutes uncovered, until the noodles are cooked al dente.

Turn off the Instant Pot. Add the shredded chicken back to the Instant Pot, taste and adjust seasoning.

Garnish with additional parsley if preferred.

Sliced Tomato Salad & Blue Cheese Salad

Sliced Tomato Salad & Blue Cheese Salad

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, (Delmonico Steakhouse)
  • 3large vine-ripened or heirloom tomatoes, each cut into 4 thick slices
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 2TBS plus 1/2 cup Herb Vinaigrette, recipe follows
  • 12(1/8-inch thick) slices red onion, or sweet onions
  • 1/2cup crumbled blue cheese, recommended: Maytag

Place the tomatoes in a large bowl and season on both sides with the salt and pepper. Add 2 tablespoons of the herb vinaigrette and toss lightly to coat.

Place 1 tomato slice on each of 4 salad plates and top with 1 onion slice. Repeat layering for 3 layers each of tomatoes and onions, ending with onions on top. Crumble 2 tablespoons of the cheese on top of each stack, drizzle with the vinaigrette, and serve immediately.

Herb Vinaigrette:

Yield: 1¼ cups

I’ve skipped one or more of the juices.  I never have grapefruit on hand.

  • 1TBS Champagne vinegar
  • 1½tsp fresh orange juice
  • ¾tsp fresh lemon juice
  • ¾tsp fresh lime juice
  • ¾tsp fresh grapefruit juice
  • ½cup vegetable oil
  • ½cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • ½cup chopped assorted herbs, including thyme, parsley, chives and basil
  • ¼tsp salt
  • ¼tsp freshly ground black pepper

Combine the vinegar, and orange, lemon, lime, and grapefruit juices in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the vegetable and olive oils in a slow stream, whisking constantly to form an emulsion. Add the herbs, salt, and pepper, and whisk well to incorporate

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