Instant Pot Beef Bourgignon

The girls had a recent day off of school for teacher in-service and I loved finding them being creative instead of looking at screens.  

Now making slime is one of my least favorite "creative" activities (and it's banished to outside) but with one kid getting ready to drive and talking about college, I know our slime days are numbered.  And, it's something they like to do together (and did I mention outside?).  Big is painting a pair of shoes for Middle to wear when we go to Disney World since her own Rapunzel inspired ones are done.

I've been thinking about creativity and how that part of my job is what I miss the most so I'm trying to write a little more here on the blog and on another project so that I can use that part of my brain a little more.  

The creativity I struggle with is coming up with new ideas for dinner . . . I still dread the "what's for dinner" question that I get (most days before breakfast from Little or even the night before).  Part of it is that I feel like my one picky eater doesn't really like most of what the rest of us like to eat and another part of it is that I get in a rut of making the same 5-7 dishes over and over.  Send any new meal suggestions my way!

This winter we've really liked this Beef Bourguignon and other beef stew variations and the instant pot makes it so easy to have very tender braised beef.  I keep forgetting to save the recipe I like so here it is so I can always find it again!

A couple of recipe notes:  I like to buy my own roast and cut it into chunks - the chunks of stew meat that most places sell are tough and not delicious.  I leave my mushrooms large (sometimes halved cremini mushrooms) so that my girls can pick them out.  As always, it's not an "instant" recipe by any stretch but it tastes like you spent longer than an hour on it and a lot of the time is hands off.

Instant Pot Beef Bourgignon (serves 6)

from Creme de la Crumb

1 T vegetable or olive oil

6 pieces of thick cut bacon, roughly chopped

3 lbs beef roast cut into 2 inch chunks

1 cup red wine

2 cups beef broth

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1 beef boullion cube, crushed

1/4 cup flour

1 white or yellow onion, chopped

2 carrots, sliced into 2 inch pieces

1 T minced garlic

2 T fresh thyme, chopped

1 lb baby potatoes

8 oz fresh mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

salt and pepper to taste

fresh parsley to garnish & serve

Set the instant pot to sauté and add the oil and bacon.  Cook until crisp, stirring frequently with a slotted spoon.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate and set aside.

Add the beef and sear 3-4 minutes using tongs to rotate the pieces so all sides are browned.

Add red wine to the pot and scrape up any cooked beef or bacon bits.  Simmer and reduce for about 5 minutes.  Gradually add the beef broth, tomato sauce, and boullion.  Whisk in the flour, a little at a time.  Stir in bacon, carrots, onion, garlic, thyme, mushrooms, and potatoes.  Season with a little salt and pepper.  

Put the lid on and set the instant pot to pressure cook for 45 minutes.  After that, do a natural release for 10 minutes and then a manual release, switching the valve to vent.  When you can safely remove the lid, change the setting to saute and let the sauce thicken for 5-10 minutes.  Give it a good stir, taste it, and season with more salt and pepper if you want.  Serve with fresh chopped parsley.  My girls like a good crusty bread on the side as well!

Classics reimagined for new (sports) seasons

Even thought it has felt like a long, wet California winter, these days.we mark the season more with sports seasons than with weather.  Big played her first year of high school varsity basketball, Middle played her first year of middle school basketball, and now the younger two are playing another season of basketball on co-ed teams at the YMCA.  We spend 5 nights a week at the Y between practice & games for two teams so that has impacted the way I meal plan.  One night, I need something that's ready almost as soon as we get home from practice, other nights, I need something everything can eat at different times, and still other nights, we eat early before we go to basketball.  That's not to say that we don't grab Chick-Fil-A once in awhile or order a pizza, but I try really hard to save eating out for a treat on the weekends.

One of my go-to weeknight meals is a pot of green soup with grilled cheese sandwiches.  Still, almost any time I ask my husband what he wants for dinner, the answer is "green soup."  The girls *may* be a little tired of it so I've switched up my recipe to a new version that we all like.  I usually make a big batch of grilled cheese to go with it because while green soup is delicious, high in nutrients, and low in calories, I don't want to feed my kids again before bedtime so they need something more to go with it.  In addition to getting a little tired of my old green soup, Big informed me that she's "never liked grilled cheese" (can any parents of teenagers relate to this sort of announcement?). So, now I make baked turkey & cheese sliders on Hawaiian rolls.  Same concept - warm sandwich that can be made in the oven with minimal hands on time.

The great thing about these soups & sandwiches is that most of the ingredients I have on hand, I don't need a recipe anymore, and it comes together fast.  Below you'll find the recipes (or concept) for the "new" green soup and "new" sandwiches but if you want to see the originals as well, here are the links:

Green Soup

How to make Grilled Cheese in the oven in a big batch

Creamy Kale & Potato Soup (4-6 servings)

Note:  The main difference between this green soup and the other one is the use of potatoes instead of rice as the starch and the addition of some dairy - you can substitute non-dairy milk / creams if that's an issue for you or just use more broth and leave it out altogether.

1 T olive oil

1 onion, diced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 1/2 cups vegetable stock / broth

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

1 cup milk

2 large handfuls of kale (stems removed and chopped)

black pepper

cooked bacon (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a big pot and add the onion and potatoes.  Cook for 10 minutes or so until softened.  Add the garlic and saute for another minute or two.  Add the broth and scrape up anything on the bottom of the pot.  Let it simmer for 10-15minutes or until the potato is soft.  Add the kale and stir and cook until it's all wilted (3-5 minutes).  Using an immersion blender, blend it until smooth (or you can transfer it to a blender and then back to the pot).  Add the milk, season with pepper to taste, and warm it back up.  Serve with cooked bacon as a garnish.

Turkey & Cheese Sliders

In a small saucepan, melt 1/2 cup of butter and add 1/2 T of Worcestershire and 1/2 T of dijon mustard.  Set aside.

Cut an entire bag of Hawaiian rolls in half lengthwise and remove the top.  Spread with yellow mustard.  Top with deli turkey and sliced cheese.  Replace the top of the bread.  Brush over the melted butter mixture and sprinkle with Everything Bagel seasoning.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes or until toasted and melty.

Happy Birthday Dessert!

It's October and my husband's birthday month!  I haven't posted in awhile and right now I'm not working for the first time (other than maternity leave) my entire adult life.  While it's a little strange to not be in a classroom, these days are so busy for our family and I'm grateful to be around for it all.  As of right now, the girls are doing cross-country, band, gymnastics, Little Ladies Etiquette class, basketball, tennis, ASB and Big has an exciting new part-time job.  We spend a lot of time in the car but it's a great time to catch up and hear what's going on at school & with their activities.

Here are a few photos from the past few months:

From my previous posts, you know that my husband has great birthday dessert ideas - this year he said "something lemon or blueberry or both" and I found and modified a recipe online that turned out awesome.  We all loved it and I'll be making it again for friends.

Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake

from Gonna Want Seconds blog

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

16 oz cream cheese (room temperature)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 cup marshmallow fluff

1 cup blueberries

1/2 - 1 cup lemon curd

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9 inch springform pan with nonstick baking spray and set aside.  

Combine the graham cracker crumbs with the butter and stir until combined.  Press the mixture into the bottom of the springform pan using an empty measuring cup to press it down evenly.  Bake the crust for 10 minutes.  Remove to a wire rack while keeping the oven at 350 degrees.

Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Beat until smooth and creamy.  Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract.  When it is all well-combined, add marshmallow fluff and beat until it's combined.

Pour the filling over the crust.  Sprinkle the blueberries on top and press them lightly with the back of a spoon to sink them into the filling

Bake for 20 minutes.  After the 20 minutes are up, without opening the oven, reduce the heat to 200 degrees and bake for an additional 30 minutes.  Once it's all finished baking, turn the oven off, but leave the cheesecake inside for 10 minutes.  Remove and allow to come to room temperature.

Cover it and place it in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours.

When ready to serve, pour the lemon curd over the top and spread it evenly before slicing.

Baked Oatmeal (Food from Instagram Part I)

On Mother's Day, my daughters wanted to make a special breakfast for me but we weren't going to the grocery store and I was trying to think of what I wanted with what we had in the house.  I remembered this baked oatmeal that I had recently seen on Instagram and it was delicious!  You've probably seen the post or the reel but here is the full recipe and the proof that it's great in real life!  We ended up making it a few more times in the weeks that followed.  

The fruit & toppings can be easily adjusted and it's a "flexible" recipe in terms of portions but I like that it doesn't have added sugar but satisfies the sweet tooth and contains whole grains, fiber & protein.  You'll see below how adaptable it is . . . omit the chia seeds if you don't have them!

One Pan Baked Oatmeal (4 servings)

1/2 T coconut oil (or butter)

1 banana

1 cup old fashioned oatmeal

Almond milk (or soy or regular milk)

3 tsp. chia seeds (optional)

frozen or fresh berries

shredded coconut

sliced almonds

optional:  maple syrup, agave or brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium baking dish, brush the bottom with coconut oil (or butter).  Mash a banana all over the bottom of the pan.  Sprinkle with 1 cup oatmeal. Pour in enough almond, soy or cow's milk to just cover the oatmeal.  Sprinkle with chia seeds.  Whisk the oatmeal, milk and chia with a fork to combine.  Top with frozen or fresh berries, some chopped nuts and coconut and bake for 25 minutes.  If desired, sweeten with maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar.

"Air Fried" Chicken Tenders

Quick confession - I do not have an air fryer.  Although I've been tempted by rave review from friends and online recipes, I don't have room in my kitchen for more appliances.  Essentially, an air fryer is a smaller convection oven, so I've been experimenting with making some "air fried" recipes in my . . . convection oven.  I was looking for a new way to make some chicken tenders at home and stumbled across this on Pinterest.  My girls really liked the chicken tenders and I'm happy with the overall method and recipe.  I've been messing around with a cauliflower version (think: buffalo cauliflower appetizer) and I'll post an update when I have that one down.

My previous posts about these chicken tenders are still the family favorite (and check out those dipping sauces!) but what tips the scales towards this recipe is how simple it is.  Instead of doing the flour, egg wash, and bread crumbs, you marinate the chicken first in ranch dressing and then use a complete baking mix (which has both egg & flour in it).  I was trying to avoid the multiple dipping layers (and the trip to the store when you don't have panko or other breadcrumbs).  It's more delicious if you add some spices to the baking mix (try paprika + salt + ground pepper or Italian seasoning + parmesan cheese).

Tips:  To simulate the air fryer, you need high heat, a convection setting, and the olive oil (don't skimp or skip this step!)

I usually marinate the tenders in the ranch for a little while but it's not that necessary.  You can spruce up the baking mix by spices like I mentioned above.

"Air Fried" Chicken Tenders (4-6 servings)

1 cup prepared ranch dressing (like Hidden Valley)

1 cup Bisquick or other complete baking mix

1.5 pounds chicken tenders

salt, pepper, seasoning

Olive oil

For serving:  bottled buffalo sauce, bbq sauce, or bleu cheese dressing 

Heat oven to 450-475 degrees.  Line a rimmed baking sheet or 9x13 pan with foil.  In a bowl or large ziplock bag, combine the ranch dressing and chicken tenders, making sure they are completely coated with the ranch.  Allow to marinate for 15-30 minutes (or while the oven preheats).  

In a plate, dish or large ziplock bag, add the Bisquick (or baking mix) and add some salt, pepper, and other seasonings (like paprika or seasoning salt).  Take the ranch-marinated chicken tenders and coat them with the baking mix.  

On the baking sheet or foil rimmed baking pan, drizzle it with olive oil and use spread it all over (I use a brush to make sure it's all coated with the olive oil).  Place the chicken tenders flat in the olive oil coated baking dish or pan, making sure they don't overlap or touch each other.  

Bake for 8-10minutes or until the bottom of the chicken is golden brown then carefully & gently flip the chicken over.  Bake for 9-10 more minutes or until the chicken is slightly crispy and golden brown.

Serve with some dipping sauces & enjoy!

Taco Cake

 In our family, we've recently been talking about palindromes like Tacocat (and Madam, I'm Adam).  This Taco Cake isn't a palindrome, but it was a fun dessert we made for Cinco de Mayo.  While my girls continue to tease me that my favorite food is chicken, it's actually tacos . . . and taco cake!  I pinned this on Pinterest a long time ago and it's actually one of the rare times that our version met and exceeded our Pinterest expectations (#nailedit!).

It's more of a method than a recipe . . . make a cake flavor of your choosing in one cake pan (we used a boxed yellow cake recipe).  Take a white frosting (we used a canned frosting) and dye it a pale yellow (a couple drops of yellow food coloring).  Cut the cake in half, stand it on the sliced ends and put a generous layer of frosting in the middle to stick it together.  Frost the outside of the whole cake with the pale yellow frosting.  

 

Make the taco fillings.  We used crushed Oreos for the ground beef, red m&ms for the tomatoes, coconut dyed green for the lettuce, and sliced orange jelly candies for the cheese.  We sprinkled it over the middle of the taco cake and were so happy with how realistic it looked!

Thai Chicken Noodle Soup

Recently, Thai red curry is a flavor we can all agree on and all enjoy.  I'll post soon the revised red curry stir fry that's in regular rotation, but this soup is something a little different.  I only have a mini chopper, not a full food processor and can just barely fit it all in there to make the paste that becomes the soup base.  Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients - I bought some of these pastes at a grocery store (Stater Bros) and made 3-4 batches of soup with them but you could chop your own ginger, cilantro and lemongrass and add it to your food processor.  

The amount of heat is determined by the chilis in the garnish more than the red chile paste or red curry paste and we liberally add Sriracha at the table.  If you're gluten free, just use a GF soy sauce alternative.

Word of warning:  You'll wish you had made a double batch!

Ingredients:

2 large cloves of garlic, chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, chopped

2 T fresh ginger (or ginger paste)

1 T lemongrass paste

2 T red curry paste

2 T fresh cilantro (or 1 T cilantro paste)

1 T red Chile paste (or 2 red chiles, chopped)

2 T coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 T soy sauce

4 cups chicken stock or broth

1 can coconut milk

2 cups shredded chicken

7 oz rice noodles

For garnish:

4-5 green onions, thinly sliced (both white and green parts)

1 green chili (sliced, seeds removed)

1 red chili (sliced, seeds removed)

Chopped cilantro

Combine garlic, onion, red pepper, ginger paste, lemongrass paste, red curry paste, cilantro (or paste), and coconut oil in a food processor and process until a paste forms.

While you are making your paste, start boiling water for the rice noodles.

Add paste to a medium pot and fry it for a couple of minutes, just until fragrant.

Add chicken stock and coconut milk and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for about 10 minutes.  While soup is simmering, cook noodles according to package directions and drain.

Add shredded chicken.  Add soy sauce, lime juice and zest, and rice noodles to the soup.  Top with garnishes and serve.