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Category: General Recipes
General Recipes include those that do not need to be done using a special cooking tool like the Instant Pot or Breville Oven. They are usually stovetop or oven baked.
Spicy.. you can change that though… some may not want the seranno and some may want more. For more spicy, use medium or even hot Salsa.
1 lb lean Burger sautéed (you dont drain the fat). 1/4 larger Onion chopped (3/4 c) 2 cloves Garlic crushed and diced. ( 1 Tbsp Minced) 1 Serrano Pepper. Sliced (optional for those that don’t want spice) 1 1/2 tsp Cumin. 1 tsp dry Oregano leaves (crushed in the palm of your hand). 1 tsp Chili Powder. 1/2 jar or 8 oz mild Salsa. 1/2 tsp ea. Salt and pepper. 4 teaspoons low sodium Better than Bullion Chicken 1-2 Tbsp Butter. 1 c Water. About 3/4 c elbow Macaroni I do less because it’s less carbs so the pic shows 1/2 c
Brown Burger in 1 tbsp oil, leave the juice in, ( it’s part of the liquid) and add the Onion, Garlic, Pepper and Spices. Saute for a minute, add Salsa, stir. Add noodles…. dont stir! Add the Butter and Better than Bullion Add water. Lid on, vent to sealing. Hit manual/pressure cook, time to 4 minutes. Then do 10 min npr. Open up. Stir the Mac down into the juices and, Depending on the moisture content of the Meat, or if you added more Burger, then turn the pot to sauté and reduce the sauce. Taste and add more Butter, more spices or Salsa if you want. Serve up in a bowl with Chips, Fritos or Hard Taco shell. Garnish with Salsa, Cilantro and Crema or any of the above suggestions, be creative !
Enjoy!
Stir noodles in and turn it to sauté and reduce the Sauce.
This Cake Recipe has been a part of our family for at least 60 years. I love how it takes no eggs and you can mix it right in the pan if you want. Also the Crazy Spice Version of this is the best Spice Cake that I have ever tasted. When I make the Frosting… I use a simple Butter Cream method but don’t measure.. I am adding the Ingredients below but they aren’t exact. I can only tell you that the end result is fluffy frosting that tastes like Ice Cream!
Preheat oven to 350°
3 c Flour. 2 c Sugar. 6 Tbsp dark Hershey Baking Cocoa Powder. 2 tsp Baking Soda. 1 1/2 tsp Salt. 1 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar. 2 tsp Vanilla. 3/4 c vegetable oil 2 c Cold water. 9 x 13 pan
DIRECTIONS: You can mix this Cake right in the Pan by making 3 wells and then mixing it, but I use a bowl first Mix all Ingredients together, mixing well, and Pour into a non greased 9×13 pan
Bake at 350° for 35-40 min. Serve with Butter cream frosting (for the spice cake sometimes I add a few pinches of nutmeg to the frosting,) or chocolate butter cream frosting**
FOR CRAZY SPICE VERSION: NOTE The Cake in the Picture is only 1/2 Recipe and is the chocolate version Replace the Cocoa powder with 5 Tbsp Flour. 1 1/2 tsp Cinnamon. 1/2 tsp Nutmeg. 1/4 tsp Cloves. 1/4 tsp Allspice. If I make the Spice cake I use the Butter Cream Frosting Below and sprinkle lightly with Nutmeg, or I make the Butter Cream into Chocolate Frosting by omitting the Vanilla and adding 1/3 to 1/2 c of Hershey’s Dark Cocoa Powder to the Frosting.. this requires more Cream as well so do it by feel. It should not be too Stiff. Sometimes when I can’t make up my mind, I’ll Spread Half with the Vanilla and whip cocoa powder into the Remaining frosting and make Chocolate.
FOR THE FROSTING: I Start with. 1 Stick of Butter. about 2 c Powdered Sugar. about 3 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream. about 1 tsp Vanilla. A couple pinches of Salt.
DIRECTIONS: My Mom and Gramma taught me to mix this using a Wooden Spoon when I was a Kid but I have since graduated to a Kitchen Aid or Hand Mixer. So it is a by feel kinda thing. Use a Mixer set to low to medium speed, blend the Butter in a Medium mixing Bowl (or Kitchen Aid on speed 2 for 30 seconds and then 6 until light and fluffy), add the Powdered Sugar, Whipping Cream and Vanilla. Turn the Mixer to Low and combine the Ingredients, then turn the speed up to blend well…this can take a couple minutes but check the consistency first. It should be like shown in the Picture and not stiff, yet not too soft either… when you dip into it, with a spoon (or finger?) it should not cave in on itself… So at this point you may need to add more Cream (1 Tbsp at a time) and more Powder Sugar 1/4 c at a time. Be careful adding the Cream because it can liquify the Frosting . Also It should not taste like Butter, but should taste like Sweet Buttery Whipped Cream.
This frosting was the one that my Highschool Cafeteria served on chocolate cake. My all time favorite. Almost like Whipped Cream
1 c Milk
1 Tbsp Flour
1 c Butter salted
1 c Sugar
pinch of salt
1 1/4 tsp Vanilla
In a sauce pan combine the Milk salt and Flour
Heat till boiling and stir constantly til thick. Take off heat and cool completely.
Mix the Sugar and Butter in a kitchen Aid type mixture …whip until light and fluffy and sugar is completely incoorperated, and dissolved. Add Vanilla . With mixer on and running, slowly pour cooled milk into the butter and mix until frosting is smooth, light and fluffy resembling whipped cream.
Oven 375° Bake 45-50 min Best Cobbler we have ever had..
I double this for a 9x 13 pan.
This recipe is the only cobbler that we ever had growing up. like over 50 years . I have used it to make Mix Berry cobbler, BlackBerry Cobbler (see bottom pic) and Fruit Cocktail Cobbler, and I have used fresh Peaches as well. Always the best.
Preheat Oven To 375*
1/4 Butter Softened
1/2 c Sugar
1 c Flour
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Salt
1/2 c milk
Drained Peaches (#2 can or large) reserve juice
for the juice mix:
1/4 – 1/2 c sugar
1 c fruit juice
In a smaller bowl mix juice and sugar and set aside In a bowl, mix dry ingredients, and in another larger bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the flour mixture alternately with milk, just until blended I use butter to lightly grease my pan. If your not doubling it, then an 8×8 pan worksif you doubled it then use a 9×13 pan.Spread batter on the bottom of the pan, evenly distribute fruit on top of the batter. Pour juice evenly over the fruit.
Bake in oven For 45-50 min
this one is fresh Peaches and BlackBerries. This batch is a single recipe and made into Mini Individual fruit Coctail Cobblers375° for about 25 min, turned halfway.
Switch it up, use what ever you want in here it’s just a start even add pecans, almonds, pine nuts. Use this one for Zucchini Boats too!
1 or 2 nice sized summer squash OR Zucchini. depending on size. 1/2 lb Hamburger. 1/2 lb Sausage. 1 Onion chopped fine. 3 cloves minced Garlic. 6 Criminis Mushrooms Squash Meat from the Squash 3 Broccoli branches or Brocolini (or asparagus) cut into 1” pieces 3 Roma Tomatoes chopped. Fresh Basil (a few leaves ) chopped finely Parmesan cheese add some to the recipe and garnish with it. 1 Tbsp corn starch 1 Tbsp water….slurry to thicken. Or use Costco’s better than bullion chicken, (it has less sodium) and water for the liquid. EVOO. Salt and Pepper .
Very carefully cut out the middle of the Squash, (using a grape fruit knife helps a ton). Dice it into 1/2” pieces. In a frying pan, brown the meats, in a couple Tbsp of Evoo, drain if needed leaving 2-3 Tbsp of grease in the pan. Add the Onion, Garlic and Mushrooms. Sauté for a couple minutes, and then toss in the rest of the ingredients Except the cheese, (Not the squash halves either ?? taste and adjust spices to taste. Turn burner down to warm….Stirring occasionally. Make sure that the Squash and Broccoli gets cooked, but not mushy. Add the slurry if needed to thicken the juice created by the veggies. It helps to hold it all together. Sauté for a minute or two. Then keep hot. Drizzle Evoo over the squash halves, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and microwave them for 2 minutes. Take them out and put on a cookie sheet , fill with the hot filling and top with cheese. If you want, pop it in the oven under broil for A minute….careful don’t burn it. Kick it up a notch ..for those who like it.Add Red Pepper flakes or hot sauce to serve.
I recently found Almond Flour Tortillas that work well in this for the lower Carb crowd. Use what ever Tortillas suit Your tastes you can use Corn or other Gluten free Tortillas to change it up as well. You can change this Recipe up in so many ways, use pulled Pork, Shredded Beef, Shredded or chopped Chicken. It all has to be precooked though. I recently made it from Leftover Pork Tenderloin Taco meat and added a can of Black Beans and a cup of cooked Rice. (Last Pics). Just make sure your filling isn’t too dry.
The Original Recipe was given to me many many years ago from my Sister, I have made many versions of it over close to 40 yrs now.
Use this same process for Enchilada Pie and switch up with Chicken or Pork or both. See the pulled Pork in the last 3 photos.
For Enchilada Pie, dip your fried tortillas in enchalada sauce and serve with the sauce instead of Salsa. For Burrito Pie made in a Spring form Pan either for the IP or Oven see Below.
Preheat oven to 350°
INGREDIENTS FOR THE FILLING: 6-8 …8” Flour Tortillas Or Burrito Size if you cut want to cut them down. 1 lb Hamburger. 1 Finley chopped Onion about 1 1/2 cups. 3 cloves Garlic minced. 1 tsp Cumin. 1 tsp Oregano or Italian seasoning. 1 1/2 tsp Chili powder. 1 reg can Refried beans OR 1 can Black Beans 1 c Salsa Salt and pepper to taste Flour Tortillas lightly fried in oil, but you can use corn or the blended ones. 2 c Mexican cheese blend. Divided into 3 1-4 oz can chopped green chili peppers.
DIRECTIONS: Lightly fry the Tortillas …but not too crisp. Unless you cut them to your pans size. Set aside and keep warm. Brown and Drain Hamburger, add Onion and Garlic and sauté til translucent. Add Spices Salsa and Beans. Keep filling Hot. For Oven …..Grease a 9x 13 Pan, I like butter for more flavor. Add layer of Tortillas to the greased Pan. Spread 1/2 of the cooked meat mixture, then Sprinkle 1/3 of the Cheese and then lay down more Tortillas. Repeat with Meat and Cheese, then top with more Tortillas and then the last of the Cheese. Bake in 350° oven for about 15-20 min. Until Hot and Bubbly and Cheese is Melted. This is one of the best ways I think .
Stock photoThis is what the Filling looks like when all mixed up. Burger, Onion, salsa, garlic, refried Beans etc.Start the Pie with a fried Tortilla on the Bottom and add about 1/2 INCH of the meat filling, then Cheese,….repeat until you finish with a Tortilla on top and then more Cheese…cover securely with Foil.
FOR THE IP, line the bottom of a spring form pan that will fit the IP. Line the Bottom with Parchment Paper unless you have a leak proof Pan like I do. Spray the Sides of the Pan. Put 1 fried Tortilla down into the bottom. Spoon 1/2 inch thick layer of Meat Filling, sprinkle with Cheese…. Repeat with another Tortilla, Filling, Cheese, etc…. and top with Tortillas and Cheese. I used 5 tortillas. Spray Foil and cover tightly. Pour 1 c water in the inner Pot, use a long handled Trivet and lower the Pie down into the Pot on the Trivet. Set manual for 20 min, and when it beeps, leave it to do 10 min NPR (natural pressure release) . It will be 150° Cheese will be melted.(. if you want it hotter I suggest 25 min cook time with 10 min npr) Lift out and serve quickly. hint….a serrated knife works best. Gentle quick sawing motion rather than pushing down. While it’s cooking prep your Garnishes
This is what it comes out likeTa da!??This one was a Pulled Pork and Homemade Beans Version and Baked in the Breville . I only used 4 tortillas this time. For this filling, I just added my thawed pulled pork and thawed leftover beans and 1/2 c Salsa! Then 4 cooked tortillas and cheese. Put it together, popped it in the preheated oven. How ez can that be. It only took a little over about 1/2 hr…start to finish.Soooooo Good!This one was also Pulled pork …just before I doctored it up and added my lettuce and condiments.Another pulled pork fillingThis one was made in the Griswold chicken fry pan and baked in the Breville toaster Oven.
This was about 3 c leftover Pork Tenderloin Taco Meat, from Taco Salad, Link here .. Taco Salad. a can of Black Beans..juice included , about 1 c Rice. Cheese. Etc.
Chili. The pic above is of the chili but COLD. I didn’t get a hot Fresh one. It has more liquid than appears when heated. I have used Poblano, Anaheim, Jalapeño Peppers and Cayenne, for flavor and spice. Assuming your using Dry Beans 1/2 lb each. For the Beans…recommend soaking overnight, otherwise some will float to the surface and will not get done. Or you can invert a lotus steamer to hold them down while cooking. Rinse and pick rocks out. In a bowl, put Beans in the pot and cover with water by 3″. Soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans and add enough water to cover by 2″ water. Add enough salt to make the water taste like seawater. OR, You can use the fast soak method as well. Simply bring the water and beans To a boil (nothing else added at this time) And then turn off and let them set 10 min, until they start to swell and wrinkle, pour water off and add fresh clean water and cover by 2” of water add the following:
Lid on, vent to Sealing, and hit beans… and then 15 min. Allow for full 30 min NPR. QR the rest. Drain Beans and Reserve liquid. While the beans cook…About the peppers… I always chop up the maximum amount and add about 2/3 of what I think I need for sautéing and then add the rest if not spicy enough. I also taste the sauce and add more spices if I want.
MEAT SAUCE :
( You can hold this aside….. And then cook it in the Instant Pot Along with the beans, or you can do it in a separate pot, then add to drained beans). Chop up a 2-3 lb beef roast. You can add some pork shoulder or sausage if you want as well.
3/4 c red wine. 1 c beef broth (or 1/2 beef broth and 1/2 bean broth) 1 1/2 chopped large walla walla onions. 6 cloves garlic. 2-3 chopped jalapeños (depending on how hot you want it). 1-2 chopped Serrano. 1 chopped poblano. 3 chopped Aneheims. 1 Tbsp chili powder, 1 Tbsp oregano. 2 tsp cumin. 1 can stewed tomatoes. 1/2 can tomato paste. 1 can tomato sauce. 1 /4 cup catsup. Or a couple Tbsp vinegar and 1 Tbsp sugar.
In the Instant Pot, add the meat and sauté in a couple Tbsp EVOO until nice and brown. Add Onion Garlic and saute for a minute, add peppers, then add everything else In layers, ending with the Tomatoes, Beans, Tomato Sauce and Paste, and catsup on top, do not stir. turn pot off. Put the Lid on, vent to Sealing, set time….on Manual, Pressure cook, or Beans and 15 min, with 10 min NPR. Open the lid, and at this point, You may want to turn the pot off and back on to reduce excess liquid. Don’t stir yet.
**** if you are doing the sauce in a stove top pot, brown Meat and add Onion and Garlic. Add the rest of the ingredients, add 4 cups broth in stead of 1, and bring to a boil and simmer for 30-45 min.
****************
CHILI… 2 day or IP (You can use the IP to make the beans). I made this for a Chili cook off so it makes over a gallon. I dry rubbed Pork Butt, and refrigerated it overnight while the beans soaked. Soak beans overnight before starting. See recipe below:
This recipe has you preparing several things at one time so prepare to be in the kitchen for quite awhile. 1 5 lb Pork shoulder…rub and refrigerate over night to blend flavors in then put in roasting pan and cover and cook in oven @ 350*for 2 1/2 hrs. Then 200* for 1 hr. When roast is done set meat aside to rest till handleable. It should be finger tearable. Save juice for sauce. When cool enough to handle, Tear pork into about 1″ chunks. Set it aside. While roast is cooking:
Chili Sauce:
FLAME ROAST AND sweat and DESKIN peppers: see directions below
4- Anaheim’s- large-chopped. 2- Poblano’s – large-chopped. 3- Jalapeño’s- 3″ -diced. 6- Serrano’s- 3″ sliced. 6- tomatillos, chopped. 2-Onions, chopped. 8-garlic cloves, chopped. 1 Tbsp Cumin. 1 Tbsp Chili powder. 2 tsp Oregano. 2 tsp italian seasoning. 2 tsp Ground coriander. About 20 pepermill turns of Pepper. 1 Tbsp Paprika. 1 lg can- crushed Tomatoes See directions below.
Beans:
These beans are made with all pintos and the recipe below
2 lbs or mixed pintos and small kidney beans. 1 cooked Ham hock. 3 Bay leaves 1 tsp Italian season. 1 Tbsp oregano. Salt (enough to make water taste like sea water). Pepper about 20 pepermill turns. 1-2 tbsp olive oil. 1-onion rough chopped (1″pieces unseperated). 5-Garlic cloves ( rough chopped). 1 Tbsp Chili pwdr. 1/2 tsp Red cayenne pepper. 1 Tbsp Paprika
You can make pintos, black and mycobas if you want more than one kind. These have shredded pork shoulder in them.
See directions below.
For Chili SAUCE:
Make sure you fire roasted the peppers if you don’t have a gas stove do them in the oven under the broiler. On the gas stovetop you will need the fan on To blister them and then sweat them ( put in plastic bag or sealed container when hot to loosen skin) and peel all peppers first.
Sauté onion and garlic in olive oil. Add spices and canned tomatoes. Add some of the bean juice. Cook till bubbly and simmer for about 1/2 hr. Add peppers and simmer until peppers are done. When bean liquid is a little thick add it to the sauce. Drain the juice from the Roast into a pot. Add all of the juice to sauce and reduce for about 1/2 hr till a lil thick. In the morning, after Roast is in oven…..
Drain the pre soaked beans, rinse in cold water. use a number 8 size dutch oven or pot, and add beans then enough cold water to cover them by about 2 inches. Add bean recipe ingredients and heat on high till boiling, then simmer and cook till beans are tender but not squishy. about 1 1/2- 2 hrs. Remove beans and set aside. Reduce bean liquid. ***NOTE (If you want to skip the longer stove top Bean process, they can be done in the IP.. just add all of the ingredients for the Beans to the pot and hit Beans and adjust to 35 min). When Chili Sauce is done, add Beans and torn Pork and heat just till bubbly and simmer for about 10 minutes, and turn off and let set to combine flavors. Enjoy or refrigerate over night for blending of flavors. Take out enough to eat and keep the rest in frig.
There are several ways to make this…. You can use the Jarred Sauce in the recipe or you can use your own Marinara Sauce, or Look up my Marinara Sauce in the files. Another way to make this is to use up your leftover Chicken Caccitore Sauce. See recipe here. I reduce it before making Cioppino with it. https://www.homemakergeek.com/chicken-cacciatore-ip/
1 small pkg of Seafood Medley (or part of a big Costco bag or even a few of your favorites in separate bags like Cod, Scallops, Shrimp, Muscles, Clams, Calamari, Crab, Octopus) your choice. 1 Fresh Salmon fillet cut into 2”x 1” segments 1 Frozen Sea Bass fillet (needs thawing in the frig for 1 day) or you can substitute white fish cut up 1 cod or Halibut fillet cut into 2”x 1” strips. 1 small bottle or 8 oz. Chardonnay White wine. 1 large Walla Walla Sweet Onion chopped into finer pieces, about 1/4” 6 cloves garlic minced 6 Tbsp butter 1 jar spaghetti sauce. 2 Tbsp Costco (lower sodium) Better than Bullion Chicken 1 c Clam Juice (or 1 Small bottle) 1 Bay leaf 1 tsp Basil (or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped ). 3 Tbsp chopped Cilantro. 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
*Mushrooms if desired (sauté them in a couple tbsp butter, and add to the sauce after you have it assembled.)
Parmesan for garnish 1 Lemon cut into wedges. 2 chopped Scallions. A few sprigs of fresh Basil.
Defrost all seafood. Drain well set aside and Reserve liquor (juice from the seafood) Pour the liquor into a sauce pan and turn to med hi heat. Reduce liquor until a bit thick. Set aside. In a large skillet that can hold everything, melt the butter and Sauté onions a couple of minutes, then add garlic. Sauté till translucent. Add the wine, and all other ingredients except for the seafood and garnish. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 15 min to reduce and to blend flavors. Last… add the fish and let cook for a minute and then add the rest…all seafood, cover and let seafood barely simmer/cook for about 3-5 min until the seafood is almost done. Watch closely at this point, as the seafood can over cook quickly. For the Seafood, Salmon is done when just past raw looking, and Shrimp are done when they just turn pink. Pull Cioppino off the heat and serve with bread sticks or garlic bread. The Greek bread is great with this…in the files. Serve with lemon wedges on the side and Parmesan .
This time I couldn’t find a bag of Medley so I bought separate choice seafoods ….no clams this time.
6 cups Bone Broth. (Important because this is a richer Broth with more flavor). 2 tbsp lower sodium Better than Bullion Chicken, Costco s. 2 tsp better than bullion mushroom. 1/2 sweet Vidallia type Onion. 2 Carrots . About 2 1/2 c 2 large Celery stalks. 1 clove Garlic minced. 1 c cut Green Beans. 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning. 1 Roma Tomato
Hold next ingredients out till the soup is cooked (like your gonna have it right.???♀️ But if you dont have the alfredo Pappardelle you can substitute leftover rice or just cooked noodles). 1 cup Leftover Butter Beans and juice ( or use what you have…Black Beans or Pintos would work too). 1/2 chicken. 1 cup chopped leftover Pappardelle Noodles with alfredo sauce.
Put everything except the last 3 things in the pot and push soup. 10 min. QR and then add the leftovers. Turn the pot off and back on to saute and heat the Chicken and Noodles and Butter Beans. Bon Apatite ?.
1 bag Split Green Peas sorted, washed and rinsed (about 2 cups or 1 lb).
5 cups chicken broth (Or 2 Tbsp Costco’s Better than Bullion Chicken and water)
1 bay leaf
Cayanne or Red Pepper flakes to taste.
If your using Frozen Hocks, you may want to use 1 c water from the recipe and pre cook them in the IP For 10 min with QR before adding the rest of the ingredients.
Toss Onion, Garlic in the pot, add Ham Bone or Hocks, then the Peas and All the rest of the ingredients. Don’t Stir. Lid on, Set time for 10 Min, then 10 min NPR due to chance of foaming. remove Ham Bone or Hocks. Fish out any bones that fell in. Chop the ham up and remove meat from the Bones. Return meat to the Pot and stir in. Serve up? and enjoy.
This is what it looks like as soon as the lid is openedAfter stirring
