Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta -Instant Pot Inspirations #1

I have had an Instant Pot for almost 2 years now. It literally took me a year and a half from when I got it to take it out of the box and use it. I was nervous about how the whole pressure thing would work. I am so glad I finally got up the courage because I absolutely love it! I have the 6 quart IP-DUO model. After watching endless YouTube videos, mostly from Pressure Luck, I have ventured into pressure cooking and it is going well. I made this particular recipe this week and both hubs and I loved it. He said it was the most tender chicken we've ever made. That's a pretty big deal! You definitely have to have an Instant Pot to exactly replicate this recipe. But you could also use the ingredients as a guideline to make a delicious pasta dish using traditional cooking methods. But really, get yourself an Instant Pot because it is really fun to cook in and does SO many things! You can find the original recipe, by Pressure Luck, HERE.

Creamy Lemon Chicken Pasta -Instant Pot Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 chicken breasts, diced into bite size chunks
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups garlic broth ***see note
• 1 box (12 oz) penne
• 1 tbs capers
• 1-2 cans artichoke hearts (I omitted this because hubs is not a fan)
• 4 tbs butter
• 1 shallot, diced (I used a small onion)
• 1 tbs garlic, minced (about 3 cloves)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan
• salt and pepper

***note - to make garlic broth you use a tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon garlic flavor in 2 cups of water. If you don't want to go to the trouble, just sub 2 more cups of chicken broth and add a sprinkly of garlic powder

Directions:
Add butter to your Instant Pot and hit "saute". The saute function should be on the high setting. Once the butter melts, add your shallot/onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 2 minutes and then add the garlic and the chicken. Cook an additional 2 minutes (the chicken will not be cooked through at this point. That's ok, the pressure cooking finishes the chicken completely). Add your broth and lemon juice. Add in your box of pasta on top and gently press down into the broth/chicken mixture but DO NOT STIR. Put your Instant Pot on the Pressure Cook setting on high for 6 minutes. Use the Quick Release when the 6 minutes is up. At this point stir in your artichoke hearts (if using), cream, and capers. Stir well. Serve with additional Parmesan. Enjoy!

Country Fried Steak Bites - Home Cooked Recipe #84

I love, love, love country fried steak. I didn't really have it growing up so when I discovered it as an adult I couldn't get enough. There are a couple of restaurants I absolutely love it at, and others that don't do such a great job. I came across this recipe for country fried steak, but in bite size pieces and I was hooked. I experimented a bit and came up with my own version, so here it is! You can serve it with white gravy for dipping, or ranch like I had, or even a horseradish sauce like the kind you get with a fried onion. It is delicious with any sauce you like really.  Also, you can make it as the protein in a meal, or serve them for snacks or an appetizer.

Country Fried Steak Bites

Ingredients

• 2lbs cube steak, cut into bite size pieces (about 1 inch)
• 2 cups flour
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp Paprika ( I used smoked Paprika)
• 1 tsp Cayenne
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup milk
• oil for frying (use a light oil like vegetable or peanut)

Directions:
Preheat your oil and let it come up to between 350 and 375 (I used a 6 quart pot and had about 2 inches of oil in the pot). Meanwhile, in one bowl mix together the eggs and milk. Whisk together well. In a separate bowl, mix together flour and all spices. Dip your cube steak bites in flour, then in egg mixture, then back in flour. Fry in batches. It should take less than 5 minutes per batch, just look for a beautiful golden brown crust to form. Place each batch on a paper towel lined plate to drain off excess oil. Salt bites when the pieces come out of the oil. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Simply Sides 27 - Better Than a Restaurant Mexican Rice

As promised in my last post for the queso chicken, today's recipe is an easy way to make a delicious rice side dish. In my opinion, this recipe is even better than a lot of the rice I have at Mexican restaurants. Plus you can control the amount of spices you put it in so you can make it as flavorful as you like!

Better Than a Restaurant Mexican Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 1 8oz can tomato sauce
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 a small onion, diced
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper
• 1 tbs olive oil

***optional: 1 clove garlic minced

Directions:
Saute the onion in olive oil for 5 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and cumin. If you are adding garlic, saute now for 1 minute. Stir in the rice.  Saute for 2 minutes until rice is coated with oil and seasonings and begins to toast. Add in 1/2 the can of tomato sauce; stir well. Pour in chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a very low simmer and place a lid on. Steam rice for 25-30 minutes.  When the rice is cooked through, add the remaining tomato sauce if desired, and fluff with a fork. Serve with your favorite Mexican or Southwestern meal. Enjoy!

Southwest Queso Chicken - CROCK*POT CAFE 13

I know a lot of you have busy lives and now that kids have recently gone back to school in the area, I know a lot of parents are looking for a lot of easy dinner ideas. I tried this recipe yesterday and I have to tell ya, it doesn't get much simpler than this. Not only that but it's very few ingredients AND it is super delicious. Plus, it cooks itself since this dish uses your slow cooker as the cooking vessel. Prepare some rice in a rice cooker and a heat up a veggie like corn in the microwave for side dishes and you have a complete meal in no time! I served mine with a homemade version of rice you would get at a Mexican restaurant (super easy, I will post that recipe in the near future!). You can also add some great additions like black beans to bulk the dish up with virtually no effort. Also, you can start the chicken from fresh OR frozen with no change to the cooking time. In addition, you can easily double, triple, or quadruple the recipe depending on your family size. How great is that???

Southwest Queso Chicken


Ingredients:

• 1 lb chicken breasts 
• 1 can Rotel (I use the one with fire roasted tomatoes, great flavor)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 jar queso (I use Tostitos, it's the only one I like)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (use your favorite, I favor Old El Paso)

Directions:
Place chicken breasts in your slow cooker. Sprinkle on the packet of taco seasoning. Combine the chicken broth and Rotel, and pour over the chicken. Cook on low for 4 hours. Stir in the queso and let cook 30 more minutes. Serve with your favorite Southwest sides. Enjoy!

Beefy Cheesy Sliders - Home Cooked Recipe #83

In addition to perusing Pinterest and the internet for recipe ideas, I also watch a boat load of cooking shows on Food Network and the Cooking Channel. One of my favorite Food Network shows is The Kitchen which premieres new episodes on Saturday mornings. Sunny Anderson is one of my favorite hosts from that show and when I saw her recipe for these yummy sliders I had to make them. I varied the recipe slightly but the results are still delicious. You can find here original recipe HERE. These are great for a party or tailgate or any event where you are wanting delicious little sandwiches.

Beefy Cheesy Sliders

Ingredients:

• 12 count slider rolls (I use Hawaiian Rolls - the butter flavored ones)
• 1 tbs Montreal steak seasoning
• 1/2 lb roast beef, sliced paper thin
• 8 oz shredded cheddar
• 4 oz provolone slices (I use Sargento ultra thin slices)
• 1/4 cup chipotle mayo 
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 2 tbs grated onion
• 2 tbs grated Parmesan
• 1 tbs Worcestershire
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350. Slice the rolls in half and place the bottom halves in a baking dish. Sprinkle the Montreal steak seasoning on the buns then top with the provolone slices. Top the cheese with the roast beef slices. Mix together the cheddar and chipotle mayo and spread over the roast beef slices. Top with the roll tops. Mix together the butter, Worcestershire, Parmesan, grated onion, and red pepper flakes. Brush this mixture over the tops of the rolls. Cover with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake and additional 5 minutes to brown the rolls. Enjoy!

Nacho Cheese Casserole - Pinterest Pick #25

Sometimes I will just get a craving for Doritos. It's not super often but once in a while. It's funny because as a kid I think Doritos were my least favorite chip. When I was scrolling through Pinterest one evening I saw this casserole and thought I just had to make it. It was pretty delicious! Here is the original PIN. The recipe can be found HERE.

Nacho Cheese Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 tbs oil
• 3 tbs flour
• 2 10 oz cans of your favorite enchilada sauce (I use Old El Paso)
• 1.5 cups of chicken broth
• 1 tsp cumin
• salt & pepper
• 1.5 lbs ground beef
• onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp salt
• black pepper
• 1/2 bag Doritos
• 2 cups shredded cheese (you can use cheddar, monterey jack, pepper jack, or a combo of your favorites)

***Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, olives, green onions, sour cream, salsa - whatever you like on a taco basically!

Directions:
First, the sauce. In a pot over medium, make a roux with the oil and flour. Once combined and the flour is cooked out for a couple of minutes, add the sauce, broth, cumin, salt, & pepper. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer while preparing the meat. Next, the meat. Brown the ground beef. Add onions and garlic and spices and cook a few more minutes. Combine beef with sauce mixture. Then, prepare the casserole. Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 dishes with cooking spray. Lightly break up Doritos. Divide into 2 portions. Place one portion in one baking dish and reserve the 2nd portion. Top with the beef mixture. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 30-60 minutes. Top with your favorite toppings. Enjoy!

Simply Sides 26 - Funeral Potatoes

I can't believe it has already been 2 months since I have given you a new recipe but a lot has been going on around here. In January hubs brought me home a new kitty fur baby he adopted from our local shelter and in February we adopted a doggy fur baby from an event that our local shelter was having at a PetSmart location. I have attached their pics at the bottom of this post so you can see my new kids! And now on to our new recipe...
Do NOT be discouraged by the name of this dish! It is nothing morbid, in fact it is a flavorful & cheesy potato side dish that you will want to eat often. Funeral potatoes are also called hashbrown casserole, cheesy hashbrown casserole, and party potatoes so if you feel weird calling them funeral potatoes, use one of the monikers. The best part of this dish is that it hits so many cravings people have. Cheesy, salty, crunchy, creamy... And very comforting! This is also an extremely easy dish to make, so try it soon!

Funeral Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of fresh shredded potatoes (I use Simply Potatoes, plain hashbrowns - find them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, by the eggs etc). **You can also use frozen, you may need to bake the casserole for longer.
• 2 cups sour cream (1 16oz container should be fine, I use Breakstone's)
• 1 can cream of chicken soup (I use Campbell's)
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 package shredded cheddar (or grate a block and use 2 cups)
• salt & pepper to taste
• 2 cups potato chips, crushed
• 2 tbs butter, melted

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9x13 baking dish. In a bowl, mix together sour cream, cream of chicken soup, onion, salt & pepper, and shredded cheese. Fold in potatoes. Combine butter and crushed chips in a separate bowl. Pour sour cream/potato mixture into 9x13 pan. Top with chip mixture. Bake for 30-45 minutes (closer to an hour if using frozen hashbrowns). Enjoy!

Creamy Tortellini Soup - Pinterest Pick #24

Two years ago I made a delicious tortellini soup (you can find that recipe HERE). Because the weather has actually been pretty cold this winter in FL I was looking for comforting soup, stew, and one pot meal recipes. I came across this recipe on Pinterest for CREAMY tortellini soup and I remembered how good my other recipe was, so I decided to give it a try. Both hubs and I loved it! And it fit the bill for a comforting soup dinner on a chilly night.  Not to mention you make it in your slow cooker so it's super easy as well. I made a couple of adjustments, as I always do. Instead of both cans of diced tomatoes I only used 1 can and then a can of plain tomato sauce. I used frozen spinach instead of fresh. And because my diced tomatoes were plain and not Italian style, I spiced up the soup with a couple of dashes of garlic salt, a big pinch of Italian seasoning, and lots of black pepper. Also, I made this soup without meat for meatless Monday, but you can easily add in some chicken or sausage if you choose. You can find the original pin HERE and the original recipe is listed on the pin, it does not link to a website. 

Creamy Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 bag of frozen tortellini
• 1 box (10 oz) frozen spinach (or a bag of fresh baby spinach)
• 2 cans diced tomatoes (or 1 can of diced, and 1 can of tomato sauce)
• 1 block of cream cheese, cut into 4 chunks
• 1 carton chicken broth
• garlic salt
• black pepper
• Italian seasoning

***Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)
***Garlic bread for serving (optional)

Directions:
Put all ingredients in the slow cooker. Cook on low for 4 hours. Enjoy!

Stuffed Tuscan Chicken - Pinterest Pick #23

New ways to eat chicken are always on my mind when I am browsing the internet for recipe ideas. I came across this recipe and when I saw that it had both cheese and sundried tomatoes, I was in. This is a great low carb, gluten free option that is pretty filling. We had ours with salad and that was enough for a dinner.  You can find the original pin HERE and the recipe HERE. The one shortcut I took was instead of making the garlic herb cheese myself was that I used Alouette garlic herb cheese that you can find in your deli's cheese section. 

Stuffed Tuscan Chicken

Ingredients:

• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 tbs olive oil
• 2 tbs Cajun seasoning (I use Slap Yo Mama - I find it at Walmart)
• 1 tbs Italian seasoning
• 1 tbs paprika
• 1 tbs onion powder
• 1 container Alouette garlic herb cheese spread
• 1 small container of sun dried tomatoes (chop all the tomatoes and reserve the oil)
• 1 10 oz pkg of frozen spinach, thawed & drained
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan

Directions:
Butterfly all of the chicken breasts, being careful not to slice them all the way through. Rub the chicken with the reserved oil from the sun-dried tomatoes. Season the chicken with the Cajun spice, Italian spice, paprika, and onion powder. In a separate bowl, mix together the spinach, sun-dried tomatoes, garlic herb cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan.  Add a heaping tablespoon of the mixture to each chicken breast and press both sides together to close (use toothpicks to seal so the mixture doesn't come out. Bake at 350 for 30-40 mins (the original recipe calls for searing both sides of the chicken in a pan for baking but I did not find this step necessary, especially on a weeknight). Let rest 5 minutes before serving. Enjoy!