Chicken Salad with Grapes

 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped

1/2 c chopped celery

1/2 c red grapes, halved

1/4 c dried cranberries

1/2 c mayonnaise or plain greek yogurt

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Combine and chill. Serve on croissants or other rolls.

Serves 4.

Perfect Instant Pot Beef Stew

Yield: 6 Servings

 

Prep Time: 40minutes mins

Cook Time: 20minutes mins

Total Time: 1hour hr

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon oil
• ½ cup chopped yellow or white onions
• 1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
• 3 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce (see note)
• 2 tablespoons instant/minute tapioca (see note)
• 2 bay leaves
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper, I use coarsely ground
• 2-3 pounds stew meat, or a chuck or arm roast, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 to 2 ½ cups chopped carrots, about 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 to 2 ½ cups peeled and chopped potatoes, any variety, about 1/2-inch pieces
• 2 cups frozen peas

Instructions 

• Select the Saute function on the Instant Pot (use the + or - button to adjust the heat to the normal setting). Add the oil and onions, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring often, until the onions start to turn translucent. Add the tomato paste, stirring it into the onions, and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Add the beef broth, soy sauce, tapioca, bay leaves and black pepper. Whisk or stir to combine.
• Add the stew meat and give a quick stir. Secure and lock the lid with the vent in the closed position. Cook on high pressure for 18 minutes (select "manual" or "pressure cook" and dial up or down to get to the right number, the IP will start on its own).
• When finished cooking, let the pressure release naturally for about 10 minutes and then quick release the remaining pressure. Add the carrots and potatoes. Wipe the seal and inside of the lid dry and make sure the ring is pressed down all the way (if the ring is out of place or too wet, the IP may not come back up to pressure). Secure and lock the lid with the vent in the closed position. Cook on high pressure again for 3 minutes.
• Quick release the pressure (or naturally release for 10 minutes and then quick release the rest). Take out the bay leaves. Stir in the frozen peas to heat through, and add additional salt and pepper to taste, if needed. The stew will thicken a bit as it cools.

Notes

Tips: sometimes I replace half of the soy sauce with Worcestershire sauce. Also, maximize time by getting the first round of ingredients cooking in the pressure cooker and using that time to chop the carrots and potatoes.

Instant Tapioca: is sometimes called "granulated tapioca" - small or large pearl tapioca is not the same. It thickens the stew without any odd textures or flavors (I haven't tried subbing tapioca flour, cornstarch or flour, but you could definitely experiment!).  

Minimal Fuss: also, when I want an even more minimally fussy meal, I nix browning the onions in the oil and skip the oil and onions altogether and use 1-2 teaspoons onion powder, adding it with the tomato paste, beef broth, etc. There's probably a slight difference in depth of flavor, but it's still delicious. Just an option for all you looking for an even easier option. 

©Mel's Kitchen Cafe — https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-instant-pot-beef-stew/

Zuppa Toscana Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound spicy Italian ground sausage, use mild for kid-friendly
• 4 tablespoons butter
• ½ white onion, diced
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups water
• 4-5 yellow potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 3 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups chopped kale
• chopped bacon or bacon bits and grated parmesan cheese for topping, optional

Instructions

• In a large pot saute sausage 5-6 minutes until browned. Use a slotted spoon to transfer sausage to a plate and set aside. 
• In the same pot, add butter and saute onions over medium heat until translucent. Add garlic and saute for another minute until fragrant. 
• Add chicken broth, water, potatoes, salt, and pepper and bring to a boil. Boil until potatoes are tender. Stir in kale, and heavy cream. Add sausage. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. Serve garnished with grated parmesan cheese and/or bacon if desired. 

Notes

The sausage: if you have regular ground sausage, simply add 1 teaspoon dried Italian herb seasoning or Herbs de Provence + a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. 

Chicken Pot Pie

 1 Tbs olive oil

1/2 c chopped onion

3/4 c chopped celery

1 1/2 c chopped carrots

1 1/2 c chopped potatoes

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

4 Tbs butter

1/3 c flour

1 1/2 c chicken broth

1 1/2 c milk

1 c cooked, diced chicken or 1 can of chicken

3/4 c frozen peas

1 unbaked pie crust or biscuits

In medium sauce pan, add oil, veggies and salt and pepper. Cook for 1-2 minutes over medium heat stirring often. Cover with a lid and cook until vegetables are lightly steamed and mostly tender, 5-7 minutes. Check and stir every couple of minutes. Add a couple TBS of water or broth if the mixture is overly dry. Scrape veggies into a 9x13 pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Return the pot to the burner and melt the butter. Then add flour and stir, cooking for a minute or two. Gradually add broth and milk until incorporated. Bring to a simmer stirring constantly and cook until thickened, 5-7 minutes.

Add chopped chicken and peas to the veggies in the baking dish and pour sauce over all, mixing thoroughly. Taste and add additional salt if needed. Top with biscuits or pie crust.

Bake for 30-35 minutes.

White Sauce

2 TBS butter

2 TBS flour

1 cup milk OR chicken broth

salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter in small pot. Add flour and cook 1 minute. 

Add liquid and combine using handheld mixer. 

Cook on medium high until thickened.

Mini Meatloaves

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs 
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c onions, chopped
• 1/4 cup of ketchup or BBQ sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp of each Salt and pepper
• 
  
• topping:
• 1/3  brown sugar
• 1/2 cup ketchup

• Preheat oven to 350.
• In a large mixing bowl combine ground beef, breadcrumbs, onion, barbecue sauce, garlic powder, salt, pepper and egg.
• Divide the mixture among the 12 cups in a standard muffin tin, pressing them down to fill the cup. Bake for 15 minutes.
•  In the meantime, in a small bowl mix together all of the ingredients for the sauce.  
• Remove the meatloaf from oven and use a paper towel to soak up any grease on the meatloaf.
• Generously spoon sauce over each mini meat loaf. Return to oven for an additional 10-15 minutes or until the meat is cooked through.

Paprika Chicken in a Lemony Sauce

4 carrots

2 scallions

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 lemon

1/2 c basmati rice

10 oz chicken

1 tsp paprika

1 TBS chicken stock

1 1/2 TBS sour cream

1/2 oz pistachios

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425

Trim, peel and cut carrots on a diagonal into 1/2 inch thick pieces. Trim and thinly slice scallions, separating whites from greens. Zest and quarter lemon.

Toss carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast on top rack until golden brown and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Melt 1 TBS butter in a small pot over med-high heat. Add scallion whites, cook, stirring, until just softened, 1 min.

Stir in rice, 3/4 c water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until rice is tender, 15 minutes. Keep covered until ready to serve.

Pat chicken dry and season all over with paprika, salt and pepper.

Heat drizzle of oil in large pan over med-high  heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through 3-5 min per side. Turn off heat; transfer to a plate. wipe out pan.

Melt 1 TBS butter in same pan over med-high heat. add thyme, stock and 1/4 c water. Bring to a simmer, then immediately turn off heat. Stir in sour cream and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with pepper.

Fluff rice; stir in lemon zest and pistachios. season with S & P

Top chicken with sauce and sprinkle with scallion greens. 

Serve with carrots, rice and lemon wedges.