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.

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.

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.

Roasted vegetable gravy

I love gravy.  It's one of my favorite things in the world.  This is one of my favorite gravy recipes.

When I roast a chicken I put parsnips, carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms in the bottom of the pan with NO WATER.

When the chicken is roasted and the vegetables are nice and brown, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.

It should look like this when you take it out of the oven.

Take all the delicious roasted vegetables out leaving the drippings in the pan.  Put vegetables in a blender, add chicken broth and blend it up!

Now use the pureed vegetables to thicken your gravy.  Add some chicken bouillon, chicken broth, salt, pepper and thyme.

You may need to add a tiny bit of flour/butter to thicken at the end.  Then add a few pats of butter.

This makes a TON of gravy.  You can freeze it and use it later.  :)  Mmm!

I love gravy.  It's one of my favorite things in the world.  This is one of my favorite gravy recipes.

When I roast a chicken I put parsnips, carrots, onions, celery and mushrooms in the bottom of the pan with NO WATER.

When the chicken is roasted and the vegetables are nice and brown, you can add a little bit of water or chicken broth to the bottom of the pan.

It should look like this when you take it out of the oven.

Take all the delicious roasted vegetables out leaving the drippings in the pan.  Put vegetables in a blender, add chicken broth and blend it up!

Now use the pureed vegetables to thicken your gravy.  Add some chicken bouillon, chicken broth, salt, pepper and thyme.

You may need to add a tiny bit of flour/butter to thicken at the end.  Then add a few pats of butter.

This makes a TON of gravy.  You can freeze it and use it later.  :)  Mmm!

Seafood Pasta Salad

I don't have measurements for this one...you can add as much of each ingredient as you like.

Large elbow macaroni cooked in well salted water.
Gulf shrimp, boiled in water seasoned with salt and Zatarain's liquid crab boil.
Krab (with a K)
fresh dill and parsley
a cucumber
grape tomatoes cut in half
lots of celery
2 leeks
salt and pepper
sour cream
mayonaise
lemon juice

I don't have measurements for this one...you can add as much of each ingredient as you like.

Large elbow macaroni cooked in well salted water.
Gulf shrimp, boiled in water seasoned with salt and Zatarain's liquid crab boil.
Krab (with a K)
fresh dill and parsley
a cucumber
grape tomatoes cut in half
lots of celery
2 leeks
salt and pepper
sour cream
mayonaise
lemon juice

Onion Dip!

Alton Brown's Onion Dip. Soooo yummy.  I double because I know I'm going to eat the whole thing

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Alton Brown's Onion Dip. Soooo yummy.  I double because I know I'm going to eat the whole thing

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups diced onions
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/2 cups sour cream
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Directions
In a saute pan over medium heat add oil, heat and add onions and salt. Cook the onions until they are caramelized, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool. Mix the rest of the ingredients, and then add the cooled onions. Refrigerate and stir again before serving.

Garlic olive oil

I love garlic. And I love olive oil. I simmered about 20 cloves of garlic in enough olive oil to cover for 20 minutes. I used the garlic in one recipe and saved the olive oil to dip crusty bread in. So so tasty.

I love garlic. And I love olive oil. I simmered about 20 cloves of garlic in enough olive oil to cover for 20 minutes. I used the garlic in one recipe and saved the olive oil to dip crusty bread in. So so tasty.

Blueberry Apple Walnut Maple Cream Crockpot Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts
• 4-1/2 cups milk (or substitute non-diary alternative like almond milk)
• 4-1/2 cups water
• 3 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• heavy whipping cream

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Add all the ingredients except the whipping cream.  Stir, cover, and cook on low for approx. 7 hours (slow cooker times can vary).

Add heavy whipping cream at the end to thin out your oatmeal.

This makes an entire crockpot full of oatmeal.  You can also make this on the stove in smaller batches by following the directions on your oatmeal, using 1/2 milk and 1/2 water and as much fruit as you would like.

Ingredients

• 4 apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 pint fresh blueberries
• 1 cup walnuts
• 4-1/2 cups milk (or substitute non-diary alternative like almond milk)
• 4-1/2 cups water
• 3 cups uncooked steel-cut oats
• 1 cup brown sugar 
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup maple syrup (depending on how sweet you want it)
• 1 stick butter, cut into 8 pieces
• heavy whipping cream

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.  Add all the ingredients except the whipping cream.  Stir, cover, and cook on low for approx. 7 hours (slow cooker times can vary).

Add heavy whipping cream at the end to thin out your oatmeal.

This makes an entire crockpot full of oatmeal.  You can also make this on the stove in smaller batches by following the directions on your oatmeal, using 1/2 milk and 1/2 water and as much fruit as you would like.

Ranch dressing.

Ranch dressing is one of the best things to come out of America.  Here is my recipe.  Use fresh herbs if at all possible.  It makes such a big difference:

1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mayo (real, not miracle whip)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (don't skip this.  It adds a depth of flavor)
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk (don't use regular milk - buttermilk adds that ranch tang)

Directions:

Mince garlic and add salt to the cutting board.  Create a paste by smashing the garlic and salt together with the side of your knife or a fork. (or you can just use this).

In a medium bowl combine the all of your ingredients and mix it up.

Chill for a few hours so that all the flavors marry.  You can add more buttermilk before serving if it's too thick.

Once you make this dressing you will never go back to Hidden Valley.

Mmmm!  Delicious homemade ranch dressing. 

Ranch dressing is one of the best things to come out of America.  Here is my recipe.  Use fresh herbs if at all possible.  It makes such a big difference:

1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mayo (real, not miracle whip)
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup fresh parsley, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh dill, minced
2 Tbsp. fresh chives, chopped
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (don't skip this.  It adds a depth of flavor)
1/2 tsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 cup buttermilk (don't use regular milk - buttermilk adds that ranch tang)

Directions:

Mince garlic and add salt to the cutting board.  Create a paste by smashing the garlic and salt together with the side of your knife or a fork. (or you can just use this).

In a medium bowl combine the all of your ingredients and mix it up.

Chill for a few hours so that all the flavors marry.  You can add more buttermilk before serving if it's too thick.

Once you make this dressing you will never go back to Hidden Valley.

Mmmm!  Delicious homemade ranch dressing. 

Seafood Chowder

I like the idea of chowder, but I don't like clams.   So today I merged some of my favorite recipes to make a seafood chowder. Thick, rich, creamy and seafoody.  Served with crusty bread.  Mmmm.


Potatoes.  4 or 5 medium sized russet.  I cut mine into bite sized pieces and boil with lots of salt.  Just until they are ALMOST tender.

Vegetables.  I used 3 stalks of celery, 1 leek, 1 onion and a handful of baby carrots minced up.

Seafood.  8 oz. crabmeat, 1 cod filet and about 15-20 large Gulf shrimp (because they are the best).

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Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3/4 cups minced carrots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp. liquid crab boil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 7 Tbsp. blonde roux 
• 15-20 large shrimp
• 1 cod fillet, cut into bite sized pieces
• 8 oz. crab meat
• 4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and boiled.
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• A splash of worcestershire sauce

1. Saute vegetables and garlic in olive oil until tender. 
2. Add chicken stock, cream, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
3. Whisk in roux to thicken.
4. Add seafood and potatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add a splash of worcestershire sauce at the end and add salt and pepper to taste.

Mmmm!  Try it and let me know what you think!

I like the idea of chowder, but I don't like clams.   So today I merged some of my favorite recipes to make a seafood chowder. Thick, rich, creamy and seafoody.  Served with crusty bread.  Mmmm.


Potatoes.  4 or 5 medium sized russet.  I cut mine into bite sized pieces and boil with lots of salt.  Just until they are ALMOST tender.

Vegetables.  I used 3 stalks of celery, 1 leek, 1 onion and a handful of baby carrots minced up.

Seafood.  8 oz. crabmeat, 1 cod filet and about 15-20 large Gulf shrimp (because they are the best).

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Ingredients:

• 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise 
• 1 medium onion chopped
• 3 stalks celery, chopped
• 3/4 cups minced carrots
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 4 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. thyme
• 1 1/2 tsp. liquid crab boil
• 1 1/2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
• 7 Tbsp. blonde roux 
• 15-20 large shrimp
• 1 cod fillet, cut into bite sized pieces
• 8 oz. crab meat
• 4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and boiled.
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• A splash of worcestershire sauce

1. Saute vegetables and garlic in olive oil until tender. 
2. Add chicken stock, cream, and seasonings. Bring to a boil.
3. Whisk in roux to thicken.
4. Add seafood and potatoes, salt and pepper.
5. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Add a splash of worcestershire sauce at the end and add salt and pepper to taste.

Mmmm!  Try it and let me know what you think!