Instant Pot Minestrone

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

• 2 zucchini, sliced into bite sized chunks

• 3 cups fresh kale, chopped

• 1.5 cups chicken stock

• 5 cups tomato juice

• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

• ¾ cup elbow pasta

• 3 bay leaves

• 1.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1.5 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained.

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained.

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

• With the pressure cooker's lid off, brown the ground beef on high sauté

• Place the onion and celery in the cooker and saute until soft, about 5 minutes

• Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button.

• Add remaining ingredients, except for beans. Securely lock the lid and set for 6 minutes on manual High

• Perform a quick release to release the cooker's pressure.

• Stir in beans and warm through.

• Add tomato paste to thicken

• Remove bay leaves before serving.

Ingredients

• 1 lb. lean ground beef

• 1 yellow onion, diced

• 2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped

• 2 zucchini, sliced into bite sized chunks

• 3 cups fresh kale, chopped

• 1.5 cups chicken stock

• 5 cups tomato juice

• 1 28 oz. can diced tomatoes

• ¾ cup elbow pasta

• 3 bay leaves

• 1.5 teaspoon Italian seasoning

• 1.5 teaspoon salt

• ¼ teaspoon pepper

• 1 can great northern beans, rinsed and drained.

• 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained.

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions

• With the pressure cooker's lid off, brown the ground beef on high sauté

• Place the onion and celery in the cooker and saute until soft, about 5 minutes

• Press the Keep Warm/Cancel button.

• Add remaining ingredients, except for beans. Securely lock the lid and set for 6 minutes on manual High

• Perform a quick release to release the cooker's pressure.

• Stir in beans and warm through.

• Add tomato paste to thicken

• Remove bay leaves before serving.

Chicken Enchiladas

Priya's Delight

This is Priya. She has about 8 teeth. So she can't eat dry dog food. And she's a picky little bugger too.  She won't eat certain brands of wet dog food either. You would think being a rescue and living on the streets she wouldn't be so picky.

Wet dog food is expensive! So I decided to give homemade dog food a try. She loves it. Yay! Here's my recipe:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup spinach
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 can reduced sodium chicken broth

This picture was taken before the cottage cheese was added because I forgot. This will be less costly and I know it contains quality ingredients. I will make this with leftover chicken as well. We only eat the white meat in this spoiled family so the rest of the bird usually goes to waste. Not any more!

This is Priya. She has about 8 teeth. So she can't eat dry dog food. And she's a picky little bugger too.  She won't eat certain brands of wet dog food either. You would think being a rescue and living on the streets she wouldn't be so picky.

Wet dog food is expensive! So I decided to give homemade dog food a try. She loves it. Yay! Here's my recipe:

2 lbs. lean ground beef
1 1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup spinach
2 cups oatmeal
1/4 cup pureed pumpkin
2 eggs
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1/2 can reduced sodium chicken broth

This picture was taken before the cottage cheese was added because I forgot. This will be less costly and I know it contains quality ingredients. I will make this with leftover chicken as well. We only eat the white meat in this spoiled family so the rest of the bird usually goes to waste. Not any more!

Puppy Treats

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking power

1 cup chunky reduced fat peanut butter

1 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

Mix all the ingredients
Roll to 1/4 inch
Cut with a pizza cutter or cookie cutter

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking power

1 cup chunky reduced fat peanut butter

1 cup water

2 tablespoons honey

1 egg

Mix all the ingredients
Roll to 1/4 inch
Cut with a pizza cutter or cookie cutter

Bake at 350° for 15 minutes.

Inspirational Message

Patio Bar

I made this one a few years ago.

I made this one a few years ago.

New Sewing Projects

I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with these when I've collected a bunch of them, but I'm loving this new project I'm working on.

I'm not sure what exactly I'm going to do with these when I've collected a bunch of them, but I'm loving this new project I'm working on.

Hand Painted Reclaimed Wood Sign

Made this one for my friend Malin!

Made this one for my friend Malin!

For Sale $25 each

Hand painted signs on reclaimed wood.  7" x 14"

These cuties lived another life as the roof of a house in Oklahoma City.  $25 each.

Leave a comment if interested!

Hand painted signs on reclaimed wood.  7" x 14"

These cuties lived another life as the roof of a house in Oklahoma City.  $25 each.

Leave a comment if interested!

Shrimp Creole (low fat and super tasty)

Ingredients

1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic clives, minced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 can chicken broth

4 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cooked brown rice

• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Stir in flour and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
• Stir in celery, onion, garlic and green pepper.  
• Saute 5 minutes.
• Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, bay leaf and seasonings.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add shrimp and simmer 10 minutes.
• Just before serving add parsley and lemon juice.  
• Serve over rice.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 ribs celery, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 garlic clives, minced

1 medium green pepper, chopped

14.5 oz. diced tomatoes (do not drain)

1 can chicken broth

4 bay leaves

1 Tbsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

salt and pepper

1 pound uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced

Juice of 1/2 lemon

Cooked brown rice

• Heat oil in large skillet.
• Stir in flour and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is smooth and bubbly.
• Stir in celery, onion, garlic and green pepper.  
• Saute 5 minutes.
• Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, chicken broth, bay leaf and seasonings.
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer.
• Add shrimp and simmer 10 minutes.
• Just before serving add parsley and lemon juice.  
• Serve over rice.