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.

Egg Foo Young with Almond Sauce…Oven or Breville Toaster Oven

Preheat oven to 375° Or even
I save my stir fry leftovers. I make sure to cool them down and put the leftover Stir Fry away right away into the Refrigerator. Use with in a few (2-3 days)
You will need about 3 cups worth of leftover Veggies and Meats.
Pics show different Batches below.
I suggest Making only enough to feed you and your Family one Meal of this. Because it doesn’t freeze well as the Ingredients have been pre cooked once and will then be cooked again. From a Food Safety Perspective, that’s it.
I personally discard the Leftovers unless the Gravy has been made fresh.

3 cups leftover stir fry. meat cut small. I make Pork, Chicken or Beef.
6-8 beaten eggs.
1 Tbsp Oyster sauce.
3 shakes Fish Sauce. 1/8 tsp
1 Tbsp Flour
1 tsp Baking powder.
1 tsp Sesame Oil.
1 tsp of Simply Asia Sweet Ginger Garlic seasoning

FFOR THE ALMOND SAUCE: Not lower Carb so go easy if your watching them.

INGREDIENTS for the Sauce:
3 c Chicken Broth or 3 c water and 3 Tbsp Reduced Sodium Better than Bullion Chicken.
1/2 tsp Sesame oil.
1/2 tsp Almond extract.
Slurry of 1/4 c Corn Starch and 1/4 c Water.
OPTIONAL: 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice.

Preheat the Oven
You can use a Preheated Cast Iron Pan, or a Frying Pan. just put them in about 5-10 min before your ready with the Foo. Add a tsp of Sesame Oil and swish it around just before you add the Mixture.
Spray any Oven safe Dish with Baking Spray .. a Souffle Dish, or Cassarole Dish, or even a Toaster Oven sized Broiler Pan.
In a good sized Bowl, mix the Flour and Baking Powder together and sprinkle over the leftover Stir Fry .
Add the rest of the Ingredients, and mix well but quickly so that you don’t flatten the Baking Powder.
Pour into sprayed or Preheated Pan. If you use a preheated Pan it shortens the cook time.
Place in the Oven on the Middle Rack …Breville Toaster Oven goes more towards the bottom.

Bake for 15-20 min and check for doneness. The Breville will take longer. Especially if you use a Cassarole Dish.
When it’s done it will be Golden on top or just slightly puffy, and either a knife comes out clean or there is no jiggle in the center.

MAKE THE SAUCE:
While the Egg Foo Young is Baking, get a medium sized Sauce Pan and add to it

Using ingredients from above
3 cups of chicken broth or I use Reduced Sodium better than Bullion Chicken because I can make it more concentrated. So that would be 3 c water and 3 Tbsp of the Costco better than bullion because it has less sodium in it. You can add more later if you want
Slurry of 4 Tbsp Corn Starch and 3 level Tbsp Better than Bullion Chicken
1/2 tsp Almond Extract
1/2 tsp Sesame oil

Make the sauce by heating the Broth and sesame oil first and slowly adding just enough of the slurry to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency, then add the Almond Extract.

Adjust the taste to your liking. When you do taste it don’t double dip or the saliva on the spoon can break the sauce.
I add more of one or the other to get the taste I’m looking for.

This Sauce was BTB Chicken, Water, Sesame Oil, Corn Starch and Almond Extract.
Simply Asia Sweet Ginger Garlic and Eggs
  • For this Sauce, I used Turkey Gravy, water, corn starch, BTB chicken, sesame oil, & almond extract.
  • Leftover Brussel Sprouts, Sesame Oil and Simply Asia
  • Leftover Turkey Roast
  • Leftover Stir Fry
  • Bean Sprouts
  • Eggs
  • Corn Starch, it’s actually easier to mix it with a little water before adding it to the eggs .
  • Preheated Cast Iron Pan with a little Sesame oil swished around the Bottom before filling.
  • Sauce makings
  • Leftover Gravy for the Sauce BEFORE mixing and Cooking in a Sauce Pan.
  • It is done!
  • And Delicious with Sauce!

Good Lil Gingerbread

This recipe was my moms and her moms before her. Over 100? yrs old… That is why it says things like 150 hand strokes. And to be honest, it turns out good that way? . I also think they didn’t sift the flour. Flour was different back then.

Oven 350°
1 1/4 c Flour (don’t sift. Use the dipping method).
3/4 c Sugar.
3/4 tsp Baking Soda.
1 tsp Ginger.
1/2 tsp Cloves.
1/2 tsp Cinnamon.
1/2 tsp Salt.
1/4 c Shortning/ Margarine (I use BUTTER ) SOFT.
1/2 c Molasses.
1/2 c Sour milk or Buttermilk (To make sour milk use 1 Tbsp vinegar or lemon Juice and fill to 1/2 c with Milk. Let set 5-10 min for it to work).
1 Egg

Preheat Oven
Sift dry ingredients into bowl, drop in butter. Add sour milk, and Molasses.
Beat by hand 150 strokes or by mixer for 1 1/2 min.

Add the eggs and beat for another 1 1/2 min or 150 strokes by hand.

I wrote this from moms recipe in 1980! And the recipe was old then.

Grease and Flour 8×8 pan. Pour batter in the Pan and Bake at 350° For 30-35 min or till done…springs back up when you touch and press with your finger…another way to tell is that it will seperate from the sides of the pan, or knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Note: Another way to make the cake is to beat butter, molasses, and sugar first and then add dry ing alternately with milk.

For a double recipe bake at 350° for a lititle longer. (40-50 min)serve with whipped cream, Ice cream or cooked frosting, Recipe in files.

Pasta Salad with Spiral Noodles and Veggies (IP for Pasta)

This can be made ahead and assembled right before serving or an hour before. Serves 8 with leftovers.

1/2 Cucumber, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/2 Red Pepper, chopped into 1/2” chunks
1/2 Yellow Pepper, chopped into 1/2” chunks.
1/2 Orange Pepper, chopped Into 1/2” chunks
1/2 head Broccoli tops. Chopped into bite size pieces
2 scallions, chopped
1 can Olives cut in half.
1/2 Purple Onion, chopped
1/2 Summer Squash, sliced
2 cups Roma or beefstake Tomatoes.
2 stalks Celery, sliced
1 large Carrot sliced thin.
1/4-1/2 c grated Parmesean Cheese.
Paul Newman’s “Cesar Salad dressing”.
8-12 oz pkg spiral and colored Pasta Noodles …cooked in 2 c water for 4 min in the IP .( Drain and rinse in cold water.)

*Crimini mushrooms sliced if desired, also chopped up Salami, pepperoni or Ham can be added for variation.

Note * Keep in mind that the rule of thumb with pasta cooked in the IP, is 4 oz noodles to 1 cup of water or liquid so if you want less pasta, then do less water in accordance to how much pasta you do. for more pasta in it use the whole pkg .

Pour 2 cups water in the IP, add the noodles, add 1 tbsp oil or Butter.

Lid on, vent to sealing, set manual to 4 min.

Do a QR or CR (Controlled release) if it starts to spit on release.

When the noodles are done pull the pot and run cold water in it from the sink faucet to cool the noodles faster, drain them really well and set aside?

Meanwhile, use more or less of the veggies, your preference. The list of ingredients is suggestions. Cut all the veggies including tomatoes and cucumbers into 1/2” chunks, no need to peel cucumbers unless the skin is tough then I rough peel it (leaving some peel on.) save the other veggie halves for veggie n pork, (I’ll make that recipe, and put it in the files)

Assemble salad, sprinkle with Parmesan, stir and pour 3/4 of the bottle of the dressing on an hour before serving. Stir gently. Stir before serving.

Zuppa Toscano IP

This delicious Soup is one of our favorites, and probably one of the fastest and easiest that I have made.
Here is the link to my Greek Bread that is what we drove with it. I guess the one hour fast roll recipe would work well for the sticks if ya have time.
Greek Bread Breville or oven.

1- 1/2 lbs Sweet Spicy Italian sausage (mild can be used as well)
Optional….3 pieces of Bacon chopped.
1 onion chopped 1/3“ to 1/4” pieces.
3 cloves Garlic minced.
4 white Potatoes finely sliced in food processor or mandolin..they should be almost see through and ply-able ), you could even run the onion through the same blade if you want.
5 big leaves of Kale chopped into about 1-2” pieces. (Or 1 1/2 5 Oz bags)
6 cups Chicken broth. Bone broth works just as well.
1 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp low sodium Better than Bullion Chicken flavor .
Salt and Pepper to taste….(go easy on the salt because bacon and sausage and broth have salt).
Pinch of Nutmeg (only a small pinch because nutmeg takes over really fast and flavor comes out when it’s heated)

Garnish: Parmesan cheese or grated Parmigiano/Reggiano Cheese (Deli or fresh grated is best )

Serve with hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes.

While you can use the IP to sauté your Meat, I use a good frying pan, just because it’s faster and more efficient.
Break up Sausage and Bacon together and sauté til almost done and a little brown to give the soup more flavor. If you have used Bacon ….spoon off all but a couple of Tbsp fat, and reserve it in case you want to add some back in later. No When the sausage is done, deglaze the pan with a few Tbsp water. Add it to the Pot with the meat. Add all other ingredients as well as the Cream.

Put the Lid on. Set the time for 2 min. When it’s done allow for 5 min NPR. (natural pressure release) .
Serve with Parmesan and hot sauce or flakes.

This is from a batch where I added the Bacon. I always sauté the meat before adding it to the Pot.
  • To simplify the process, I use a food Processor to chop the Garlic before adding the slicer for the Onions and then Potatoes.
Deglazing the pan is an important step?
Always add the Meat on the Bottom first then layer the rest.
Add sliced Potatoes onions and Garlic.

This pic is from another batch. If you want, you can quickly sauté the onions and garlic, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference in the taste.
Add the broth then the Cream on top.

Serve with my Greek Bread! Greek Bread Breville or oven.

Rice a Roni IP with or without Chicken

Rice a Roni. With or without chicken.

Decide If you will be adding Chicken, I use Bone in Skin on Thighs. The recipe also includes instructions on the adjustments that you will need to do if you dont want the onion or if you dont want to do it with Chicken.
Make sure that if you are making Chicken with this that you DECREASE the Liquid by 1/4 c (you will use 1 3/4 c) this allows for the added liquid that the Chicken will make. If using Organic Chicken then ignore this note, (organic is not injected with liquids). You will need to Season and Brown it well on both sides while you sauté the rice, vermicelli and onion… then you will add it when it’s ready to put the lid on.

FOR THE CHICKEN:
4 bone in Skin on Chicken Thighs…. well seasoned on both sides with your favorite seasoning. (I use Johnnies seasoning.).
(Or use 2” chunks of raw Chicken but decrease the cook time to just 4/10NPR)
don’t forget to decrease water/ broth for the rice to 1 3/4c). * If you want to cut the Chicken into smaller 2” chunks, then you don’t need to pre Saute it, just toss it in and pressure cook for 4 min/10 min NPR. 2 Tbsp EVOO

FOR THE RICE -A-RONI:
1 1/2 cups Jasmine, Basmati or long grain rice.
1 c vermicelli.
1/2 stick butter.
1-1 1/4 c Onion-Chopped
1 clove Garlic- minced
2 cups Chicken Broth plus 1/4 tsp Salt (1 3/4 c if making the Chicken too) OR use water with 2 tsp Costco’s Reduced Sodium Better than Bullion Chicken).
NOTE: If you are making just the Rice-a-Roni alone and leaving out the Onions and Garlic, then and only then, you will increase the liquid to 2 1/2 c . Staying with the 1:1 rice to liquid ratio. Make sense?
If your not using Chicken then skip that step and continue on to “Turn the Instant Pot to Saute……” you will still turn the pot off after you brown the rice and vermicelli to deglaze…and then set the time to 4 min with 10 min NPR.


*If using Chicken, Use a separate frying pan on medium, with 2 Tbsp of Olive oil. Place seasoned Chicken Skin side down for about 5 min and carefully pull up and flip. It should be golden brown.
When the Chicken has browned, remove it from the pan and use some of the liquid for the rice mixture to deglaze the pan, stir it around to get all the brown off.
While Chicken is cooking….


*Turn the Instant Pot to sauté, Medium …melt butter and add the rice and vermicelli, stir continuously for a few minutes until rice starts to brown slightly. Add Onion and Garlic and continue to sauté for a minute and then add the Better than Bullion to the water, stir. Add liquid. Stir the rice mixture well to get the brown off the bottom.
Turn pot off. Add all the liquid to the rice mixture and stir around for a few seconds to get any brown off the bottom of the pot.
Gently add Chicken to the top…by just lightly Laying it on top of the Rice mixture and then turn the pot on to manual for 4 min…let it fully NPR, 15-20 min, or for smaller chicken chunks then NPR for 10min. Remove Chicken and fluff with a spatula or wooden spoon.

Toss the Butter, Rice and Vermacelli in and slightly brown. (stock photo. ) Then the Onion and Garlic, Sauté for a minute and then toss in the Chicken Broth or the water and Bullion.
BooYa!

If your adding Chicken…. see below starting with the Chicken in the frying pan.

this is before it cooks

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

Add 1 Perfectly Ripe mashed Avacado to the Creamy Italian Dressing.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c Mayo.
1/4 c EVOO.
1/4 c Basalmic Vinegar.
1/2-1 tsp Italian Seasoning.
2 tsp Grey Poupon Mustard.
1 clove minced Garlic.
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/4 tsp . Mrs Dash Onion and Herb seasoning

Mix together in a Bowl.

Use this recipe minus the Evoo and Basalmic Vinegar And use in the place of Mayo on sandwiches

CREAMY ITALIAN DRESSING

1/2 c Mayo.
1/4 c EVOO
1/4 c Basalmic Vinegar.
1/2-1 tsp Italian seasoning.
2 tsp Grey Poupon Mustard.
1 clove minced Garlic.
1 Tbsp Worchestershire sauce.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/4 tsp Mrs Dash Onion and Herb seasoning

VINEGAR AND OIL SALAD DRESSING

Showing off one of my Garden grown Carrots.

1/4 c Evoo Oil or Walnut Oil
1/4 c Basalmic Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar.
1/4 c water.
1 small clove Garlic crushed and minced.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/4 tsp Mrs Dash onion and herb.
1/4-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.
Adjust to taste …sometimes a dash of sugar.
Add Parmasean

CEASAR SALAD DRESSING

INGREDIENTS:
1 coddled egg (raw Egg dipped in boiling Water for 1 min).
2 tsp Anchovy paste.
1/4 c Evoo.
1 Tbsp Grey Poupon Mustard.
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
1 clove Garlic crushed and Minced.
Juice of 1 Lemon.
1/4-1/2 c Parm.
Cracked pepper.
Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together and taste. Adjust for flavor.
At this point, you can take your chopped Romain or other Lettuces, and pour dressing over it and toss the salad and serve with croutons and Parmesan Cheese on top or use as a spoon on dressing.

BLUE CHEESE SALAD DRESSING

I love to make the wedge Salads and use this as the dressing…add crumbles of fresh cheese and Bacon to the top… soo good !

1/2 c Gorgonzola or Stilton Blue cheese crumbled.
1 c Mayo.
1/4 c Buttermilk. (Or Greek yogurt with 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 clove Garlic crushed and minced.
Salt and cracked pepper to taste.
1-2 Tbsp Lemon juice.
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning.
1/4 c Parmesan Cheese
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

*Add more Parmesan if you like
or add a splash of Basalmic Vinegar