Instant Pot Roast Chicken (and Broth) Recipe

I did something that felt brave with my IP this week; I cooked an ENTIRE chicken at once.  My chicken was only 5 lbs but I was afraid that it wouldn't fit in my IP but miraculously not only did the chicken fit in there but a bunch of vegetables, water and even the IP rack.  A-mazing.

Now, about this chicken.  It turned out moist, delicious and perfectly cooked.  It required little preparation and a huge bonus was that it made 4 cups of chicken broth to use another time.  Woot woot!

I separated the chicken from the bones and kept 1/2 to use now froze the other 1/2.  The next day I cut up chicken into small pieces and added walnuts, mayo and dried cranberries.  My big girl and I had it for lunch on toast - Yummy!!

So if you have an IP and have been reluctant to cook a chicken wait no more!  Use this recipe, you won't be disappointed.

IP Roast Chicken

Ingredients
4-6 lb whole organic chicken
3 celery stalks - chopped
2 carrots - chopped
1 onion - chopped
2-3 cups of water
Seasoning Salt
Garlic Salt
Salt & Pepper

Directions

1. Place celery, carrots and onion in the bottom of the IP.  Put the rack on top and add 2-3 cups of water.
2. Season chicken with seasoning salt, garlic salt and any other preferred dried herbs (ie: rosemary, thyme, etc).  Place the chicken on top of the rack and add salt and pepper.
3. Place the IP on the MEAT setting and adjust the time down to 25 minutes.
4. Once the 25 minutes are up let the pressure naturally release for another 25 minutes.  (*If you cut it short and open the valve early the meat will be less moist!).
5. Remove the chicken and take off the meat from the bones.  Strain the broth into a mason jar to use later!  Enjoy!
*Those chicken bones could then be added back to the IP to make Bone Broth, but I'm not *that* brave yet so I don't have a recipe for you.  Ha!

Chicken Quarters (or 1/2 Chicken) Roasting Recipe

We are having a busy week around here; someone turned 6 and had a Rubber Ducky themed party (more on that soon), and my husband and oldest daughter are currently in Alaska on a father/daughter fishing trip!  If that wasn't enough my big 6 year old had too much excitement/sugar/pool water at her Rubber Ducky Party and ended up sick the next morning.  So we spent the last 36 hrs at home.  

With the extra time I've been working on my overdue blog posts. :)  Here is a yummy Chicken recipe I made a couple weeks ago!

In my effort to scoop up deals on organic poultry and meat products I sometimes purchase out-of-my-comfort zone cuts.  I'm usually a boneless chicken breast girl so when I picked up some chicken quarters I had to look around for the best way to prepare them.

I adapted a recipe for 1/2 chickens and it worked quite well. 

Roast Chicken Quarters

Ingredients
2 quarter chickens
2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons Sea Salt Seasoning (I used Johnny's Seasoned Organic Sea Salt)
1 whole lemon: 1/2 sliced
2 sprigs rosemary (or 1 tsp dried)

Instructions
1. Rinse the quarter chickens and dry them completely with paper towels. Place them on a sheet pan and coat the whole outside surface with olive oil. 
2. Heat a skillet over medium-high heat. Liberally sprinkle the seasoning blend all over the skin of the chicken, making sure to get under also. When the skillet is hot, add 1 tablespoon oil, swirl it around to coat the pan, and add both of the quarter chickens, skin-side-down and cook for 6-7 minutes until good and browned. The heat on the skillet may need to be turned down to medium during cooking to prevent excessive smoking. When browned, return the quarter chicken to the sheet pan.
3. Roasting: Preheat oven to 350. Squeeze 1/2 of the lemon over the chicken. Place a few sprigs of rosemary on the sheet pan as well as the sliced lemon. Place the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 40-50 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 165 on an instant read thermometer. Remove from the oven and let sit at least 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup (tastes like Nordstrom Cafe recipe)

I've been experimenting with my Instant Pot again.  I'm a fan of tomato soups and already have go-to recipes for the stove and Crockpot, so I had to find one for my new kitchen toy, the Instant Pot!

This recipe is a mixture of the other two recipes and is fantastic because it's all done in the one pot.  Love that!  You'll need an immersion blender but if you don't have one you could use a regular blender at the end too.

I'm told it tastes just like the Nordstrom Cafe Tomato Basil Soup, try it out and let me know what you think. 

Instant Pot Tomato Basil Soup
Ingredients
1-2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
8 oz Carrots peeled and chopped (about 3 medium)
8 oz Onion chopped
1 Tablespoon Dried Basil
3 28 oz cans Organic Tomatoes  
1 cup Chicken Stock/Broth
1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream or Half & Half
2 teaspoons Salt
1/2 teaspoon Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Optional: 2 Tablespoons Fresh Basil leaves cut into fine ribbons

Instructions 
1. Peel and chop up the carrots and onions.  I used a scale to measure out exactly 8oz of each.
2. Push Sauté on your Instant Pot and allow to full heat. Add oil and then add carrots, onions and dried basil. 
3. Sauté for 4-8 minutes, or until vegetables start to caramelize and the onions become a bit translucent. 
4. Add canned tomatoes and chicken broth. Lock on Lid and close Pressure Valve. Push manual and select 5 minutes. When Beep is heard, let the pot do an instant release for about 5 minutes before opening the lid. 
5. Turn Pressure Cooker off.  Using an immersion blender blend until soup is smooth. (alternately remove the soup and blend in portions in a blender). Add cream,  salt and pepper to taste.  Add fresh basil as a garnish if desired. Serve with cheesy or garlic bread.

This recipe made enough for about 8-10 servings so there are plenty of leftovers. 

More Tomato Soup Recipes:

Quick and Easy Creamy Tomato Basil Soup 
Tomato Basil Parmesan Crockpot Soup
Orzo Tomato Spinach Soup
Italian Tomato Chicken Noodle Soup

Vegetable Beef Instant Pot Soup Recipe

My love of my new Instant Pot is increasing with each successful recipe!  Last week I craved some vegetable beef soup and this was SO. EASY.  I'm talking easy.  I simply sautéd the meat and onion (in the pot!) and then added the vegetables to the SAME pot.  Oh man, my life may never be the same.

The family gave it two thumbs up, everyone liked it.  I'll be making it again soon.

Vegetable Beef Instant Pot Soup

Ingredients 
1 pound organic ground beef 
½ medium onion, diced 
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups frozen (or fresh) Lima beans 
2 cups organic frozen mixed vegetables 
2 cups frozen organic corn 
3 cans of diced tomatoes 
2 cups water (more if you prefer more broth)
1 TBSP dried basil 
Salt and pepper to taste 

Instructions 1. Set your Instant pot to sauté setting. Cook meat and onions until brown and onions are soft (about 5 min). When they are almost cooked add the garlic and sauté for one more minute.
2. Add all the other ingredients to the Instant pot. 
3. Add lid and and set to sealing. 4. Click the manual button and set the time for 4 minutes. Allow it to naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes and then do a quick release.
5. Remove lid, stir, and add more salt and pepper to taste. 
Enjoy!

To get your own amazing Instant Pot check out the link below.

For more Instant Pot recipes check out:

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Instant Pot Popcorn

Slow Cooker Pork Roast and Vegetables

While visiting my parents last week in cold-cold WA we tried out a new recipe.  My mom had a pork roast so we added a bunch of ingredients and crossed our fingers that it would turn out.  This was particularly risky since there would be 8 of us coming together for dinner that night from 2 different states and this was the only food we prepared!  

Fortunately it turned out great and everyone had seconds (or thirds).  The only downside was there were hardly any leftovers. :)

Slow Cooker/Crock Pot Pork Roast with Vegetables
2 lb pork roast (frozen)
3 cups mini carrots
1 tbsp Garlic, minced
1 Onion, diced
6 small'ish potatoes
1 (10 ounce) can or box Cream of mushroom soup
1/4 cup balsamic salad dressing (or regular balsamic vinegar)
1/4 cup Soy sauce
1/4 cup Brown sugar
Salt and pepper

Instructions
1. Place the pork roast into the crock pot.  Ours was frozen, but thawed would work too just adjust the cooking time.  
2. Cut potatoes into uniform size pieces and dice an onion. 
3. Add the carrots to the crock pot around the roast.  Then add the potatoes and onions on top.
4. Add the garlic, soy sauce, balsamic dressing, 1/2 cup water and 1/4 cup brown sugar to a small mixing bowl.  Whisk the ingredients making sure the sugar is dissolved.  Add the can (or box) of mushroom soup and whisk again.  Once mixed pour it over the top of the potatoes and roast.  
5. Add a little salt and pepper.
6. Cover the crock pot and cook on high for 4-5 hrs (less if your roast was thawed, ours was frozen solid and took 5 hrs).
7. Check to make sure the crock pot isn't boiling towards the end, if it is turn it down or to warm for the last few minutes.
8. Serve and enjoy!
*Note if you would prefer a thicker gravy remove some of the broth and thicken with flour or cornstarch as desired.  

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

I have joined the world of Instant Pot (electronic pressure cooker) cooking!  I've been thinking about getting one for over a year but finally pulled the trigger after Thanksgiving when the prices were so low.  I decided it could replace my beloved and well used rice-cooker and also work for crock-pot type recipes in a fraction of the time.

It took me about 2.5 weeks to take it out of the box after it arrived, as I found the prospect of learning a new electronic device intimidating. ;)  However, it really wasn't a big deal once I gave it a try and this easy-peasy chicken soup recipe is proof!  It was the first recipe that I made and turned out great.

I made my own recipe using many of the ingredients from my crock-pot chicken soup recipe, but with Instant Pot soup directions. 

For the original crock pot/slow cooker recipe go here.

Instant Pot Chicken Soup

Ingredients
1 lb chicken breasts (mostly thawed)
3 carrots chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 bay leaf
3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 Tbsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
4 cups chicken stock
2 cups water
*cooked noodles or rice

Instructions
1. In the liner pot add the vegetables, then chicken, then herbs.
2. Add 4 cups chicken stock and 2 cups of water.
3. Close the lid tightly and make sure the vent is closed.
4. Press "SOUP"
5. When the timer goes off let the pressure release manually for about 10 minutes, then do a quick release.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Enjoy!
*Serves about 4-6

Feel free to add cooked pasta or rice.

For my favorite Crock Pot Chicken Soup recipe go here.

To get your own Instant Pot check out this one on Target, or this one on Amazon.

Italian Meatball Tortellini Soup Recipe

The weather outside is cold and perfect for some nice warm soup!  This particular recipe had a little something for everyone in my family, even the picky youngest appreciated the tortellini.

It didn't take too much effort to prepare either and this recipe makes a-lot of soup!  I had to share some with my BFF and a neighbor because there was so much.  So perhaps if you have a smaller family go ahead and 1/2 the recipe.

Italian Meatball Tortellini Soup
Ingredients
12 oz Chicken Meatballs (mine were from Target)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 med onion, diced
3-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 red bell peppers, diced
1 bay leaf
8 cups vegetable or chicken broth (I did 1 box of chicken and 1 vege box)
2 (15 ounce) cans diced tomatoes
3 cups fresh spinach
10oz cheese tortellini (fresh or frozen)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
1. In a skillet, brown the chicken meatballs according to the directions. Set aside.
2. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in the red peppers and bay leaf. Cook until peppers are soft, about 5 minutes.
3. Stir in the broth and tomatoes. Add the cheese tortellini and cook until tortellini is tender, 7-8 minutes. Stir in the spinach, fresh basil and chicken meatballs and heat until warm. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaf and serve.

Makes enough for 6-8 servings 

Roasted Zucchini and Shrimp Recipe

I've been watching videos on Facebook of recipe preparation again.  There is something mesmerizing about watching someone prepare an entire recipe in 30 seconds.  I end up with dozens of these how-to recipes saved in my account but I rarely actually make one.  Today's recipe was the exception.  

Tasty linked to a recipe called Zucchini "Linguine" with Roasted Shrimp from Buzzfeed. It looked so easy and included simple ingredients that my family (usually) likes so I went for it.  To hedge my bets I made it a side dish rather than the main dish...just in case it was a fail.  Hey, it's happened to me before.  Nothing like preparing a dinner and ending up eating cereal.

I digress.  This recipe was a winner due to it's simplicity and my family actually liking it.  Win-win!!  Next time I'll make it the main dish and skip the extra protein (I did a surf and surf meal - ha-ha- by adding my always-a-winner Ahi with lemon-butter cilantro sauce recipe).

Roasted Zucchini and Shrimp

Ingredients
2 medium zucchini 
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 yellow bell pepper, sliced thin
1 lime, juiced (about 2 Tbsp)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 Tbsp olive oil
Parmesan (we preferred shaved) 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Using a vegetable peeler slice the zucchini into long ribbons (like linguine).
3. In a large bowl mix the zucchini ribbons, shrimp, bell pepper, lime juice, salt, pepper, garlic powder and olive oil (I used my hands to evenly coat it).
4. Spread the ingredients evenly on a baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes.
5. Add a little shaved Parmesan to the top and enjoy!

Vegetable Beef Soup in the Crockpot

I've got a fabulous easy-peasy crockpot recipe for this first day of Fall.  Of course it's still in the 90s here in Phoenix but we won't let that stop us from bringing out soups, jeans and long sleeves.  Well at least inside where we can turn up the A/C. :)

This recipe is a mishmash of 3 other recipes that I found online, with a bunch of changes to suit my family's preferences and what I had on hand.  Feel free to adapt it yourself too.

Vegetable Beef Soup Recipe

1 lb ground beef
4 cup beef broth
4 cup water
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
2 stalk celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1-2 shallots, chopped
4-6 small red potatoes
1 package (12 oz) frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp seasoning salt
1 tsp salt (and more to taste)

1.Brown ground beef in a skillet over medium heat. Drain off most of the fat and place into the crockpot.  Add the rest of the ingredients.
2. Set to 3-4 hrs on high or 6-7 hrs on low.
3. Add more salt and pepper to taste.

This recipe made so much soup!  Plenty for my family and a little to share with my BFF. :)

Happy First Day of Fall!

Crockpot Crab and Corn Chowder (SOOOO easy)

It's heating up here in Phoenix, daily temperatures are now over 100 and up to 118.  Sigh.  So perhaps a hot soup may not be the first thing you'd think to make for a summertime dinner but if you use a crockpot you avoid cooking over a stove!  And hey, with A/C it's a comfortable 75 degrees in here anyway. :)  I picked this particular recipe to try last week because my oldest got braces put on and soup with soft veggies was just the thing she needed!

This easy soup is on the thinner/more broth like side (not thick) which is how my family prefers it.  If you like your chowder goopy/thick just add some cornstarch (2 Tbsp) towards the end.

Crockpot Crab and Corn Chowder

Ingredients
1 box of chicken broth (4 cups)
1/2 pound red potatoes, diced 
3 medium carrots, diced
1 medium-size onion, chopped 
2 ribs celery, diced 
1/2 teaspoon thyme (or fresh leaves,chopped) 
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 bag frozen corn (I used a 10 oz size)
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced 
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
8-10oz (I used 1/2 a 16oz can) of crab meat

Directions
1. Combine chicken broth, potatoes, carrots, onion, celery, corn, red bell pepper, bay leaf and thyme in a large oval slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 6 hours. 
2. In a bowl (or 2 cup glass measuring cup), stir together heavy cream, milk and salt. 
3. Stir milk/cream mixture into slow cooker, replace cover and cook on LOW for 1 hour (or HIGH for 20-30 min) 
4. Stir crabmeat into soup about 20 min before serving. Serve warm.

For another seafood chowder check out my Salmon Cod and Corn Chowder recipe.

Crockpot Orange Shredded Beef with Riced Cauliflower

I'm a fan of crockpot recipes.  I LOVE preparing food in the morning and having it ready in the evening after filling my home with delicious aromas.  So when my BFF shared a recipe that she made that was tasty and cooks in the crockpot I had to make it!  Her recipe was from newleafwellness but I made a few changes to fit my family's needs.

The riced cauliflower was an addition for the beef to either go over or as a side dish.  Now I am a cauliflower fan and my family is absolutely not.  I've tried so many different ways to serve it so that they'll happily eat it and unfortunately this one was not successful.  They ate it but complained.  I however loved it, especially with some salt and a dab of butter.  Next time I make the Orange Shredded Beef recipe I will serve it over my Brasilian Rice instead.

I found the leftovers for this recipe even better than the first day by the way!

Crockpot Orange Shredded Beef
1.75 - 2 pounds of beef (roast)
1/2 cup orange juice (fresh squeezed it is about 1 orange worth)
1 Tbsp orange zest
4 Tbsp apple cider vinegar 
2 Tbsp soy sauce
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 inch ginger root, peeled and grated (about 2 Tbsp)

1. In a medium bowl add orange juice, zest, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger.  Stir to combine.
2. Place beef roast (preferably frozen) in your crockpot and pour the sauce over it.
3. Set on Low for 8 hrs.
4. When fully cooked shred beef with a fork and spoon sauce over the meat to fully combine.
5. Serve over rice, or riced cauliflower (see recipe below).

Note: Check your crockpot an hour or so before finishing to make sure it still has enough liquid.  If it's looking dry add some water.  I didn't need to do this but my BFF did.

Riced Cauliflower
1 onion, chopped
1 head of cauliflower, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, diced
1-2 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

1. Wash and roughly chop 1 head of cauliflower (I used a medium head and had enough for 6 people!).
2. "Rice" in small batches by putting through a food processor (or blender).  Took 4 batches to complete mine (and I think I made it too small).
3. In a medium to large pan heat olive oil and saute onion until translucent.  Add garlic and saute for 1 more minute.
4. Add cauliflower and 1 cup of water.  Cover and cook for 6-10 minutes or until heated through (and the water absorbed, like rice!).
5. Serve warm with salt and pepper (and butter) to taste.

Remember the leftovers taste even better!

Hello Fresh Review (how I fed a family of 4 with a 2 person classic box)

Have you heard of Hello Fresh?  It's a mail order subscription meal delivery service.  I decided to give them a try since coming up with meal ideas is always a challenge around here.  After selecting which size subscription (3 meals for 2 people) and which type (Classic Box for omnivores) I was able to select 3 meals from a possible 5 choices.  

Then a few days later a big (and surprisingly heavy 14 lb) box appeared at my doorstep.  Unfortunately it arrived at 8pm so too late for dinner that night as I'd planned, so if you order be aware that it comes UPS and note when your UPS man usually appears.  

Despite the delay (and our having to eat cereal for dinner) it still felt like Christmas morning as we opened the box and unpacked the goodies inside.

Our three meals this week were: Spiced Salmon, Caramelized Onion Burgers and Chicken Paillard.

First up was Spiced Salmon with Blood Orange-Arugula Salad, Couscous and Lemon-Shallot Vinaigrette.  I selected this recipe to prepare first due in part to the "eat me first" sticker on the box.

We are a family of 4 but we don't eat 4 adults worth of food, more like 2.75-3 people which is why I didn't select the 4 person (family) meal plan.  This recipe came with enough couscous for 4, salad for 3 and salmon for 2 so I simply added another salmon fillet that I had in my freezer.  My youngest just ate salmon/couscous the rest of us ate the full recipe.

The recipe was easy to follow, the ingredients fresh and the results surprisingly well received.  I say surprisingly because in the past my family has expressed a strong dislike for arugula (too spicy) and we never ever put fruit in our salads.  However, we loved the combination!  I added this recipe to our "favorites" list.

Next up was Caramelized Onion Burgers with Garlic Aioli and Crispy Cauliflower.  I am a burger fan but I never make them at home so this was a treat for my family.  There was enough cauliflower for all 4 of us but the burgers were only enough for 3 (husband ate 1, 8 year old and I split a burger - perfect amount for me, 4 year old had cauliflower and leftover salmon/couscous).

The recipe was easy, ingredients were fresh and the result was also well received.  I found the buns especially delicious and big enough that I was satisfied sharing my burger with my daughter.  The cauliflower wasn't exactly "crispy" but it was good.  I've made roasted cauliflower before but never added the breadcrumbs, which provided a nice texture.

Last but not least we had Chicken Paillard with Mustard Potato and Green Bean Salad.  I swapped out a larger package of chicken (16oz instead of the 12oz provided) and froze their chicken for another day.  There was enough of the salad to feed 3 people, the youngest ate chicken and green beans only.

As before the recipe was easy, ingredients (except the celery, it had wilted so I replaced it with my own) fresh and result was a hit.  This is saying a lot because I am the only one in my family who likes mustard, especially whole grain mustard.  However, as it was presented they liked it!  This recipe actually had some ingredient leftovers as we didn't need all of the vinegar, mustard and onion.  The bottles were so tiny and cute!

So in review, here is what I thought:

Cons

-Waste: A lot of packing materials for a small amount of food.  Although they appear to be mostly recyclable it still makes me pause to consider all the fuel and resources used to ship them to us.
-Cost: It does cost about the same as a dinner out, so you are paying for the luxury of home delivery/portioned ingredients, etc.
-Delivery schedule: You are responsible to stay on top of your deliveries and selecting which meals are being sent to you.  If you forget (ah-hem like I did) and miss the deadline you may end up getting a meal that doesn't meet your family's preferences.  Or meals delivered when you are out of town, busy, etc.
-Delivery days: They only offer Wed-Sat delivery and I'd prefer a monday.

Pros

-New recipes and ingredients that I don't normally select or try.
-Pre-portioned ingredients make cooking so much faster and easier.
-Less waste of vegetables especially and other ingredients and they only send what you need.
-Step by step instructions on how to prepare the meals, I even learned a couple different ways to cook/prepare items than I normally do.
-Ingredients were all fresh, high quality and consistent.
-We liked all 3 of the meals!
-Now that I've made the recipes and have directions I could recreate them later on my own if I wanted to.

We have another Classic box arriving this week with three more meals.  I'm looking forward to more new challenges and tastes!  I plan on trying another meal delivery company to compare and decide which one we like better.  I'll be back with that review in the future.

Do you want to try Hello Fresh?  If you use this link to sign up you will get $40 off your first box, that's a great deal!  Or at checkout put in the code 4EYNB5.  

Slow Cooker Shoyu Chicken

I've got a new crock pot recipe to share.  I continue to be obsessed with Tasty and their enthralling cooking videos and so I had to give this one a try.  I was pleasantly surprised that the chicken tasted just like the Shoyu Chicken I regularly ate while living in Hawaii.  The vegetables were a nice addition since I had everything done at one time (in one crockpot), but just chicken alone with the sauce would be wonderful too (double the chicken/sauce ingredients). 

Inspired (and slightly changed) from Tasty's Slow Cooker Honey Garlic Chicken.   

Slow Cooker Shoyu Chicken
Ingredients
4 chicken thighs
1 pound red potatoes (in chunks, size depending on your preference)
1 pound carrots sliced
1 pound green beans

Sauce
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup reduced sodium soy sauce
4-6 cloves minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
pinch teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more if you like it hot)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions:
1. In a large bowl, mix honey, soy sauce, garlic, basil, oregano, red pepper flakes and pepper.
2. Place chicken thighs in the bottom of a 6-qt slow cooker. Pour all of the soy mixture over the chicken. Throw in the red potatoes and carrots.
3. Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours. Feel free to baste midway. Add green beans during the last 30 minutes of cooking time.
4. Serve immediately!

Taco Stuffed Peppers Recipe

I branched out and tried a new recipe this week.  Turns out stuffed bell peppers are one of my husband's family favorites and yet I've never made it in the 12 yrs we've been married.  Whoops!  I found this recipe on Tasty but of course made a few changes.

My husband said it was good but nothing like the way his mother made.  So...I'll be checking with her ASAP to find her recipe. :)  But for now it was a success and about 350 calories per serving.  This recipe makes enough for approximately 7 servings (1 cup of filling each), but I only used 4 peppers and saved the rest for leftovers.  

Taco Stuffed Peppers

4-7 Medium/Large Bell Peppers (make sure they have a flat base so they will stand up when cooking) 
1 lb Ground Beef 
1 Medium Yellow Onion - Diced 
1 Can Black Beans - Drained 
1 Cup Cooked Brown Rice 
1 Cup Frozen Corn 
1 Jar Medium Chunky Salsa 
2 Tbsp of Taco Seasoning Mix (or one packet of store bought) 
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Grated Cheddar/Motzarella Blend Cheese 
Optional: Guacamole and Sour Cream to finish 

*To make your own Taco Seasoning at home: (makes more than needed for this recipe) 
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder 
1 1/2 tsp Ground Cumin 
1 tsp Salt 
1 tsp Black Pepper 
1/2 tsp Paprika 
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder 
1/2 tsp Onion Powder 
1/4 tsp Oregano 

Instructions  
Cut off the top and remove the seeds from each pepper. Place in a baking dish and bake for 20 minutes in a preheated oven at 350˚F (175˚C). While the Peppers are roasting - heat oil in a large skillet over medium/high heat. Add ground beef and season with taco seasoning mix. Allow beef to brown on all sides. Add diced onion - continuing to cook until softened. Reduce heat to Medium. Mix in the black beans, brown rice, corn, and salsa. Add in 1 cup of cheese and stir until incorporated and the cheese has melted. Remove from heat. Remove peppers from oven and fill each with the taco mixture. Top with additional cheese and return to the oven for 15 minutes until the cheese has melted. Top each pepper with guacamole and/or sour cream and enjoy!  

Seasoned Oven Roasted Cauliflower

Tis the season of vegetables, low calorie dishes and whole foods.  I've got a simple and healthy side dish recipe for you to try.  Cauliflower is the new "it" vegetable, haven't you heard?  So give this one a try and let me know what you think.

My family is tolerating cauliflower (not a favorite) so I added a little extra cheese to their portions. ;)

Seasoned Oven Roasted Cauliflower
Ingredients
5-6 cups cauliflower florets (one medium/large size head)
1/8 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 tbsp sliced garlic
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
2. Place cauliflower in a large Corning Wear, roasting or large saute pan.  Drizzle olive oil over cauliflower and season with garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper.
3. Cook in oven for 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally. (Cook longer if you prefer softer cauliflower, shorter for a crisper).
4. Remove and sprinkle with Parmesan.  Add more if you love a cheesier veggie! :)  Serve while warm.

Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

In my attempt to simplify cooking for my family I decided to try out a new pot roast recipe that can be used in my crockpot/slow cooker.  I have another pot roast recipe that includes barley and vegetables which is good but I wanted something more simple/clean.

This recipe was simple to make, smelled delicious and was enough all on it's own, no side dishes needed.  My kids thought it was a little bit spicy (the pepper) but otherwise they didn't complain.  My husband raved and it's on our make-again list. :)

Simple Slow Cooker Pot Roast
Ingredients
2-3 lb Beef Roast
1 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tbsp Salt
1 tsp Pepper
1 tsp Thyme
1 lb Carrots
1.5 lb Fingerling Potatoes
1 large Onion
Fresh Mushrooms (I used about 6 but only b/c that's all I had)
32 oz Beef Stock
3 tbsp Cornstarch

Directions 
1. Peel and cut carrots into 1-3″ pieces. Peel and cut onions into 1-3″ pieces. Wash potatoes (if using regular potatoes cut into 1-3″ pieces).  Wash mushrooms and keep whole.
2. Mix together salt, pepper and thyme. Rub roast with olive oil and cover with about 2/3 of spice mix. Heat skillet over medium high heat and brown on all sides. Transfer roast to slow cooker.  Lightly coat vegetables in olive oil and season with remaining spice mix. Transfer vegetables to slow cooker. Add some stock to skillet and stir to break up any remaining bits. Pour liquid into slow cooker. Add remaining stock to slow cooker.
3. Cook on high for 5 hours or low for 10 hours until vegetables are tender and meat pulls apart easily. Transfer meat and vegetables to serving dish.
4. Pour liquid in sauce pan and heat. Mix cornstarch with an equal amount of water and stir until well blended. Add cornstarch mix to sauce and heat, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables.

Broccoli Cheese Potato Chowder Soup

I tried a new recipe last week when we had a cold fall day.  I thought the combination of a chowder/cream based soup and lots of fresh vegetables would be a comforting dinner for my family.

The upside to this recipe is that it's delicious, keeps well (wonderful leftovers the next 2 days) and is kid friendly.  The only downside is that it took quite a bit of prep/cooking in order to prepare all the veggies and to keep the soup going.  I'd say I was on my feet for about 1hr 20 min total.  Sigh.  But....it was worth it and I'll make this recipe again for sure!

I found the original recipe here but that one called for heavy cream, more milk, more butter and more flour.  My version is a bit lighter calorie wise but still tastes very creamy!

Broccoli Cheese Potato Chowder Soup
Ingredients
3 1/2 Tbsp butter, divided
1 1/3 cups chopped carrots (about 3)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
1 cup chopped onion (1 small)
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups chicken broth, divided
3 1/2 cups peeled and cubed potatoes, cut 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch thick (I used 3 medium red potatoes)
3 cups chopped broccoli (from about 2 heads)
1/4 tsp dried thyme
Salt and black pepper
5 Tbsp all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (preferably 2% or whole)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (1 oz)

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, melt 1 1/2 Tbsp of the butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute 3 - 4 minutes. Add garlic and saute 30 seconds longer. Stir in 3 cups chicken broth, potatoes and thyme and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium, cover with lid and cook 15 minutes. Stir in broccoli and cook 5 minutes longer or until veggies are tender (took me closer to 10).

Meanwhile, melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour and cook, whisking constantly 1 minute. While whisking vigorously, slowly pour in milk and 1 cup chicken broth (whisk well until no lumps remain). Cook stirring constantly until mixture begins to gently boil and thicken. Remove from heat and once all veggies are tender pour into the soup and stir. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar and Parmesan cheese until melted. 

Bon Appetite! 

Fabulous Fall Slow Cooker Beef Stew Recipe

Evidently fall makes me more creative in the kitchen as evidenced by all the recent recipes I'm posting. Soups, donuts and now stew...delicious cold weather foods!

Today's slow cooker beef stew recipe is a variation of another recipe I've used in the past.  I pulled up that recipe last week but didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so I made this variation instead.  It is a little more simple to prepare and alcohol free as I didn't have red wine on hand (sadly).  It takes about 20-30 minutes of prep and then you're good to go.  Your house will smell A-mazing the entire day as it cooks.  Yum!

Fabulous Fall Slow Cooker Beef Stew

1 1/2 - 2 pounds cubed beef stew meat
¼ cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 cup carrots (sliced)
4 medium russet potatoes, cubed
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 yellow onion, sliced
6 oz fresh mushrooms, whole or in halves
2 ¼ cup beef stock
3 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 Tbsp dried)
3 bay leaves

Instructions 

1. Place meat in a large plastic bag. Combine ¼ cup flour with ½ teaspoon salt; pour into the bag with the meat, and shake to coat. Remove from the bag and tap the excess flour from the meat. 

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add stew meat, and cook until evenly browned on the outside. Remove meat and in the same skillet, add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add the stock, thyme sprigs and bay leaves and stir to dislodge any brown bits.  Then pour contents of the pan over the beef in the slow cooker. Add the carrots, potatoes, parsley, mushrooms and pepper.  Stir to combine.

3. Cover, and cook on high for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to low and cook for 6 hours or until meat is fork tender.  Remove the bay leaves before serving.  Add more parsley, pepper and salt to taste.

The stew is wonderful alone or with some fresh hot bread.  Enjoy!

For more Beef Stew recipes check out:

Spring/Summer Vegetable Beef Stew

Crockpot Beef Stew

Orzo Tomato Spinach Soup Recipe

I've been in the Fall spirit lately and finally, finally the weather outside here in Phoenix is starting to resemble Fall.  Well, that or we'd better build another Ark thanks to all the rain, hail and flooding but the temperatures are dropping so I'll take it!

I've been wanting to try this recipe from the blog the Little Spice Jar.  I made a few changes to work with the ingredients (and patience) that I had on hand, the recipe below is my version.  It turned out super although I think next time I'll cook the pasta separately and add it to the broth to keep it from turning into a pasta casserole the next day!

Orzo Tomato Spinach Soup
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups chopped onions
1¼ cup carrots, sliced into ½ inch rounds
1 cup celery
6 cloves garlic, diced
7 cups of chicken stock (or vegetable)
1 28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup diced fresh basil
1½ cups orzo (whole wheat or regular)
½ teaspoon dried thyme
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon oregano
3 cups baby spinach, packed
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

Heat the oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onions and saute them for 4-5 minutes until they get soft. Add the carrots, celery, garlic and continue to saute for an additional 5-7 minutes. Add the stock, along with the tomatoes, basil, orzo, thyme, Italian seasoning, and oregano, stir to combine. Reduce the heat to medium and let the orzo pasta cook to al-dente, about 10 minutes, stir occasionally. Just before serving, add the baby spinach and continue to cook for 1 minutes or until the spinach gets nice and bright green and wilts down. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm.

Note: Next time I'll cook the veggies separately from the pasta.  I prefer my carrots tender and 10 minutes was not enough time for them to be soft.  It took about 30 minutes so the pasta cooked longer than necessary and soaked up too much fluid.  It still tasted great but was more pasta dish than soup by the end.

Lemon Chicken Spring Vegetable with Quinoa Soup

It is starting to feel just the tiniest bit like fall around here.  It is still in the 90s most of the time but we are having cooler nights and mornings and occasional rainy storms that bring the temps down into sweater wearing high 70's-low 80's. :)  So I decided to try out another chicken soup recipe, just to celebrate!  The recipe may have "spring" vegetables in it but they are all easily found around here right now.

This one was a winner by everyone in my family!  Well, the youngest had it deconstructed but she still ate it.  So give it a try and enjoy fall for me if you live in an area of the country that has actual cool weather. :)

Lemon Chicken Spring Vegetable with Basil and Quinoa Soup

2 tablespoons butter 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
3 carrots, peeled and diced small (multi-colored if possible) 
3 cloves garlic, pressed through garlic press 
Salt 
Black pepper 
1 teaspoon herbs de Provence 
4 cups chicken stock, hot 
1 cup fresh English peas (or frozen peas) 
1 1/2 cup baby zucchini, small dice 
2 cooked chicken breasts, shredded or cubed  
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
2 cups cooked quinoa  
¼ cup chopped, fresh basil leaves  
4 lemon wedges, garnish 

Instructions

Place a medium-large soup pot over medium heat; add in the butter and olive oil, and once melted, add diced carrots, and sweat for about 3-5 minutes, or until slightly tender.  Add in the garlic, and once that becomes aromatic, add in a pinch or two of salt and pepper, and the herbs de Provence; stir to combine. 

Next, add in the hot chicken stock, and bring to a gentle simmer; cover partially with a lid, and cook for about 15-20 minutes, or until carrots are tender. 

Turn the heat off; add in the English peas (or frozen peas), the diced baby zucchini, the shredded or cubed chicken breast, and the lemon juice; stir to combine, and allow the peas/zucchini to become crisp-tender and bright green in the hot stock, about 3-4 minutes; check to see if additional salt or pepper is needed. 

To serve, add about ½ cup of the cooked quinoa to a bowl, and ladle some of the soup with the veggies and chicken over top; sprinkle over some of the fresh basil, and squeeze in some additional lemon juice from the lemon wedge garnish, if desired.