I love to write. I remember the third-grade teacher scolding me for having a messy desk. In response, I closed my Trapper Keeper. My great American novel would have to wait.
In sixth grade, I overheard another student receiving praise for her novel. I received no such feedback. Twenty-plus years later, I figured out why. Good stories are more than a collection of words or even ideas. So much goes into writing a great novel.
I’m not there yet, but I’m getting closer every day.
Hamburger
Cubed potatoes
Stewed tomatoes
Tomatoe sauce
Corn
Green beans
Carrot
Salt
Pepper
Brown hamburger, add all to instant pot. Drain corn and green beans.
Cook 40 minutes.
Gather the following ingredients:
Chicken
Cup of water
Seasoning
Use the rack in the instant pot
Place chicken on the rack. Do not put more in than the line at the top
Add a liquid. I add water up to the bottom of the rack. You can use chicken broth or Crockery Gourmet for chicken mix which will also make gravy.
Season the chicken as you like. If you used water you can pour vinaigrette like salad dressings over the chicken to add flaver.
If frozen cook for about 40 minutes. If thawed it should only take 15- 20 minutes.
Put the lid on and set to seal. Hit manual and set the time. Walk away.
When it is done cooking the timer will count up. You can vent the steam, do not put hand over steam. You can open when the steam has fully released.
If it is bone in chicken it may fall apart.
Serve.
Gather the following ingredients:
Can of black beans drained
Can of whole kernel corn (no salt is the best) drained
Cherry tomatoes
Red onion (optional)
Salt and fresh pepper
Olive oil
Drain the black beans and rinse in a colander, put in bowl
Drain corn and add to bowl
Cut cherry tomatoes in half and add to bowl
Chop red onion and add to bowl
Add salt (salt is optional) and pepper, lots of pepper
Drizzle olive oil over everything and stir
Serve
Gather the following ingredients:
Cubed ham
15 bean mix – cajun is best even if you don’t use the seasoning
7-8 cups of water
Add all of the ingredients to the pot – you do not need the rack
Put on lid and set venting to seal
Hit manual and set time to 1hr 45 minutes – walk away
When the time has ended the instant pot will count up.
When ready to eat set the top to vent, do not put hand over steam. Once fully vented you can open the lid.
Taste a bean to make sure it is done. If not fully cooked cook for another 15 minutes. It should look more like soup then water and beans when it is ready.
Serve
Rice Krispies Treats are a simple and perfect dessert. Be careful, one person could easily eat half a pan. You can find the recipe on the box and it is super easy to make.
Gather the following ingredients:
3 tablespoons of butter
1 package of marshmallows
6 cups of Kellogg’s Rice Krispies
A large Pot
A large glass pan
Non-stick cooking spray
Melt the butter in the pot. Add the marshmallows and melt them on a low heat stirring continuously until completely melted.
Remove the pot from the heat and add the Rice Krispies. I like to measure them into the glass pan so that I can pour them all in at once. It is a bit less than a small box. Stir until the Rice Krispies are coated.
Quickly spray down the glass pan with non-stick cooking spray.
Pour the marshmallows and Rice Krispies into the glass pan and flatten the top with your stirring device. Allow them to cool.
Cut and serve. Once they are cool you can wrap them in Saran wrap. If you do it when they are warm it will stick to it. Same thing with parchment paper.
Fajita Rice and Beans
Gather the following ingredients:
Steak
Red pepper
Green pepper
Olive oil
Fajita seasoning packet
Cheddar cheese
Vigo rice and beans
Medium pot with lid
Large frying pan
Glass pan
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook the rice and beans according to the package directions.
Cut up the steak into nice bite sized pieces. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan. Cook the steak over a medium heat until all sides are browned. Set aside on a plate.
Cut up the red and green peppers. Slice the peppers into long slices. Add a tablespoon of olive oil to the frying pan. Cook the peppers until you can cut them with a spatula.
Add the stead back into the frying pan. Cover in fajita seasoning and a some water. About a forth of a cup.
Cover the bottom of the glass pan with the rice and beans. Top this with the peppers and steak. Sprinkle the cheddar cheese over the top. Cook for 30 minutes.
Goulash – simple and tasty
Gather the following ingredients:
1 lb. hamburger
1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 green pepper chopped
1 tbsp. soy sauce
1 can 15 oz. tomato sauce
1 can diced tomatoes
1-2 tsp. Italian herbs
1 cup large elbow macaroni
**optional: onion, cheddar cheese
Large Pot or Dutch oven
Brown the ground beef in the pot. Add the garlic to the beef while it cooks.
Chop the green pepper and add it to the pot. Add the soy sauce, tomato sauce, and diced tomatoes to the pot. Add Italian herbs for taste.
Add 1 1/2 cups of water. Simmer , covered, for 20 minutes. Add macaroni noodles. Simmer, covered, until macaroni noodles are cooked, about 25 – 30 minutes. Let this sit before serving.
**Double recipe if needed. If you like onions add them after you cook the beef and saute them until tender 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Add cheddar cheese if desired.
Prime Rib
Gather the following ingredients:
4+ lbs Prime Rib (rib eye) – marble, marble, marble
Steak Seasoning
Au Jus Sauce
Pan large enough for your steak
Pot
Meat thermometer
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees or 475 degrees.
Season all of the sides of the prime rib roast generously and place it into the pan. Cook for 30 minutes at 500 or 475 degrees or until the smoke alarm goes off (about 28 minutes).
Reduce the heat down to 250 degrees and slow cook the meat for a few hours. For 5 lbs of meat cook it about one and a half hours. 140 degrees internal temperature for a medium rare prime rib.
When the meat is done pull it out and make the Au Jus sauce.
Serve a thick slice of prime rib swimming in a scoop of Au Jus.
Apple Crisp – my favorite dessert of all times
Gather the following ingredients:
3 cups of apples – about 3 apples – I used honey crisp
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup oatmeal
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup butter softened
Small glass pan
2 bowls
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Soften the butter and let it cool.
In one of the bowls mix the 1 cup sugar, 1 tbsp. flour, and 1 tsp. cinnamon. Cut up the apples into bite sized chunks. I cut them into half and half again from top to bottom. Remove the core of the apple. Cut those quarters, top to bottom, into thirds and then finally a horizontal cut to half the thirds. Add the apples to the sugar and cinnamon mix. Coat the apples with the sugar.
In a separate bowl mix the remaining oatmeal, brown sugar, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and the softened butter. This will become your crumble topping. You can use more butter than a third cup butter if needed, up to half a cup max.
Dump the apples and sugar mix into the glass pan. Top this with the crumble topping.
Cook for 40 minutes.
