"Best Ever" InstaPot Beef Stew

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The title doesn't lie!  This may be the only way we make Beef Stew from now on! From the website The Salty Marshmallow.
  • 1 1/2 Pounds Beef Stew Meat
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Italian Seasoning
  • 2 Tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 Large Onion, Chopped
  • 1 16 Ounce Bag Baby Carrots, Cut Into Slices
  • 1 Pound Potatoes, Cubed
  • 2 1/2 Cups Beef Broth
  • 1 10 Ounce Can Tomato Sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
  • 2 Tablespoons Water
  1. Add the olive oil to the instant pot and turn on the saute function. When the oil starts to sizzle add the meat and season with the salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning.
  2. Cook the meat until Browned on all sides.
  3. Add the beef broth to the instant pot and use a spoon to scrape the brown bits from the bottom of the pan.
  4. Add the Worcestershire sauce, garlic, onion, carrots, potatoes, and tomato sauce.
  5. Close the lid and steam valve on the instant pot.
  6. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then allow the pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes before doing a quick release.
  7. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl and stir into the stew until thickened.

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Black Eyed Pea and Smoked Sausage Soup

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We have made this soup over and over again.  Definitely one of our very favorites!Credit: Plain Chicken

  • 1 lb smoked sausage, sliced into 1/4-inch pieces (can use turkey)
  • 4 cans black eyed peas, drained
  • 1 Tbsp minced onion flakes
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 can Rotel tomatoes (regular or mild)
  • 1-2 Tbsp cajun seasoning
  • 2-3 cups Swanson's Louisiana Cajun broth
  • 2 cups cooked rice (white or brown)

In a Dutch oven over medium-high heat, cook smoked sausage until lightly browned. Add black eyed peas, onion flakes, garlic powder, Rotel, cajun seasoning and broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Simmer for 20 minutes. Serve with cooked rice.Pressure Cooker: (InstaPot) Soup setting for 20 minutes, then let simmer

Lemon Pound Cake

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So I was folding laundry the other evening and Keeping up with the Kardashians were on the TV (don't ask) and they were having this controversy over a lemon cake that apparently the family thought was homemade but came from a box. Fast forward a few days later and I see this post on Facebook for the "Famous" Kris Jenner Lemon Cake recipe (from a box) and decided to take a look.   I needed to take a cake to work for a holiday lunch and since I love lemon cake I thought why not, it is a super easy recipe.  I whipped one up on Saturday to try it out and all I and Guy could say was OMG!!! This is one fantastic cake.   I then proceeded to make a second one as we were devouring the first :) Here is the recipe straight from the Duncan Hines website (hahaha):

Ingredients:

  • 1 package Duncan Hines® Signature Lemon Supreme Cake Mix

  • 1 (3.4 oz.) package instant lemon pudding and pie filling

  • 4 large eggs

  • 1 cup water

  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil

Directions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch Bundt® or tube pan.

  • Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl.

  • Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Pour into prepared pan (I used a bundt pan)

  • Bake 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

  • Cool cake on wire rack for 25 minutes. Remove cake from pan and cool completely.

  • Dust with sifted confectioner’s sugar.

  • Baking Tip: Glazed Lemon Pound Cake: Place ½ cup Duncan Hines® Creamy Home- Style Classic Vanilla Frosting in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on High 10 to 15 seconds; stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

And the cake? It was a huge win at work.  Lots of requests for the recipe and no one could believe it was from a box either.  Definitely will be a go to when I need a cake for an event!

Sausage and Ranch Quiche

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Saw the latest post from “Plain Chicken” website in FB for Sausage and Ranch Quiche and I knew we had to try it. This site always has the best, simple, real recipes so I visit if often for ideas. Anything I have tried always turns out great. We loved it and since I had a second pie crust I went ahead and made a 2nd one and froze it. Looking forward to seeing how that turns out from frozen state.

I did change it up a little by using Jimmy Dean Turkey Sausage crumbles and low fat heavy cream. Neither change made any difference in my opinion and saved us a few calories ? If you use the Turkey crumbles frozen like I did you will need to add about 5-10 minutes to cooking time.Recipe:

  • 1 (9-inch) frozen deep dish pie crust

  • 8-oz sausage (Jimmy Dean or Tennessee Pride)

  • 1/2 cup prepared Ranch dressing

  • 1/2 cup shredded cheese

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 cup heavy cream or milk

  • dash black pepper

  1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.

  2. In a skillet, cook sausage until no longer pink. Drain fat. Combine cooked sausage and Ranch dressing. Drop crumbles of sausage mixture in bottom of pie crust. Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

  3. Whisk together eggs, pepper and cream. Pour egg mixture over sausage and cheese mixture in pie crust.

  4. Bake 1 hour. Allow quiche to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving.