Stroganoff - Instant Pot

This recipe is amazing.  Tim's grandma used to make the best stroganoff ever, until this one.  This is full of flavor and making it in the instant pot really brings out the flavor and makes the meat so tender.  Some of us had it over noodles and some had it over rice.  A personal preference for sure!!!

INGREDIENTS:

• 12 oz package of wide ribbon-like egg noodles, cooked separately
• 1.5-2 lbs of beef stew meat
• Kosher salt, a few generous shakes for seasoning the meat
• Black pepper, a few generous shakes for seasoning the meat
• 3 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 tbsp of salted butter
• 1 large yellow onion, diced
• 16 oz of Baby Bella mushrooms, sliced (you can use 8 oz instead if you want fewer mushrooms but I prefer it loaded with them)
• 1 tbsp of crushed garlic
• 1/4 cup of dry white wine (like a Chardonnay or you can use white cooking wine too)
• 1 Tbsp of dijon mustard (like Grey Poupon – and don’t worry, for if you hate mustard, you won’t taste it. It simply brings out more flavor in the sauce once combined with the other ingredients)
• 1 tsp of seasoned salt
• 1 1/2 cups of beef broth 
• 1 tsp of dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp of cornstarch + 2 Tbsp of water
• 1 packet of Lipton dry onion dip/soup mix 
• 1 cup (8 oz) of sour cream
• 5.2 oz of Boursin Garlic & Herb (SECRET INGREDIENT! If you can’t find the Boursin which is usually located in the deli section of your supermarket near the fancy cheeses and cured meats, use 5 oz of a brick of cream cheese )

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook the egg noodles or rice on the stovetop according to package instructions while the meat’s cooking and strain and set aside (Note: you can also do this during Step 7 while the Stroganoff is pressure cooking, but just make sure you do it separately on the stove and don’t add the noodles directly into the pot while pressure cooking or they will absorb too much of the liquid and will become mushy)
2. Season the meat with the kosher salt & pepper (about 1-2 tsp of each should be fine)
3. Add the olive oil and butter to the Instant Pot and hit “Sauté” and adjust so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting. After about 3 minutes (and once the butter’s melted and oil’s bubbling), add in the meat and sear on all sides so it’s lightly browned (about 2-3 minutes total; the meat shouldn’t be fully cooked at all)
4. Remove the meat with a slotted spoon and set aside in a bowl for the time being
5. Now, add the onion to the pot with the already heated oil and butter and let cook for 2 minutes and then add the mushrooms and let cook for 3 minutes more. Then, add in the garlic and cook for another minute
6. Next, add in the white wine and stir for a minute followed by the dijon mustard and seasoned salt, stir well and deglaze (scrape) the bottom of the pot so nothing’s stuck to it
7. Lastly, add in the beef broth and thyme and stir well followed by adding back in the browned beef
8. Secure the lid, hit the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button followed by the “Manual” or “Pressure Cook” button High Pressure for 7 minutes for firmer meat and 12 minutes for more tender meat. Do a quick release when done OR allow a 10-minute natural release (meaning you do nothing for 10 minutes when done and the timer count up to either “00:10” or “L0:10”) followed by a quick release if you wish it to be more tender – this goes for either cooking time you choose
9. When the lid comes off, hit the “Keep Warm/Cancel” button and then hit “Sauté” again and adjust so it’s on the “More” or “High” setting. Bring the pot to a bubble and add in the cornstarch slurry and stir immediately. Then, add in the onion mix packet and let bubble for a minute and then turn the pot to “Keep Warm” so that the bubbles die down
10. Once the bubbles have mostly subsided, add in the sour cream and Boursin. Stir well until they are both totally melded into the sauce and it will be ready!
11. Place some noodles or rice in individual bowls and then follow with some the beef and plenty of sauce
12. Enjoy!

Yum-A-Setti

16 oz egg noodles
1 TB Olive Oil
1 Onion, large, chopped
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 can Tomato Soup
1 can Mushroom Soup
1 cup Milk
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
1/2 t Paprika
1/2 t Dried Parsley
Garlic
Tony's Seasoning


How to make it

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 – spray a large oven dish with cooking spray.
2.) Cook the pasta, in a large pot, as per the instructions on the packet.
3.) Meanwhile, saute the Onion in the Olive Oil until soft – add the Ground Beef and cook until done.
4.) As soon as the Pasta is done – drain and return to the pot.
5.) Add the cooked Meat, Tomato and Mushroom Soups and Milk to the Pasta – stir through – season to taste with Salt and Pepper.
6.) Transfer to the prepared oven dish – sprinkle with Paprika and Parsley – bake 25 – 30 minutes.

Amanda's Meatballs

Meatball Ingredients:

• 3 lbs hamburger
• 13 oz can evaporated milk
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 2 cups quick oats
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder

Sauce:

KC Masterpiece

Sweet Baby Rays BBQ Sauce 

*Equal amounts*

Or you can use your favorite BBQ sauce

Mix all meatball ingredients and roll in small balls. Mix equal amounts of BBQ Sauce.   Bake with sauce for 1 hour at 350.  

Mock White Castle Sliders

• 1 1/2 lbs hamburger
• 8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 package onion soup mix
• 4-6 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 2 packages slider buns

Brown ground beef and drain. Add onion soup mix, cheese, and mayo. Put meat mixture on bottom bun and then a pickle and bun top. Microwave on a microwave-safe plate till heated through. Approximately 30-second intervals.  Great to be made ahead and then can warm up as needed.

Bacon Cheeseburger Pops

We tried this recipe with using crescent rolls also.  I liked them both ways but using biscuits really was easier.  This is a simple and really good supper.  Pair it with salad and you have a great meal for the evening.

Cheeseburger Pops

• 1 can Pillsbury Biscuits (10 biscuits)
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• ½ onion, finely chopped
• 3 slices of bacon, chopped
• ⅓ cup cream cheese
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon yellow mustard
• 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
• 5 oz cheddar cheese, chopped into 10 squares
• 1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. 
2. In a large pan, brown ground beef, bacon and onion until cooked. Drain any grease.
3. Add cream cheese, ketchup, barbecue sauce, mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Stir over low heat until cream cheese is melted. Allow to cool.
4. Roll each biscuit out very thin. Place 2 tablespoons beef mixture on each biscuit and add 1 square of cheese. Wrap the biscuit around the beef/cheese and tightly seal the edges.
5. Place biscuits on a parchment lined pan seam side down. Brush with egg white.
6. Bake 13-16 minutes or until lightly browned.
7. Serve warm.

Maid-Rites

If you live in Iowa than you more than likely one time or another had a Maid-Rite.  I grew up in Minnesota and we called them Sloppy Joe's.  I am guessing the difference between a Maid Rite and a Sloppy Joe is a Sloppy Joe you usually have some kind of sauce on them??? So I didn't get to experience a Maid Rite till I moved to Iowa.  I would probably have to say I now enjoy a Maid-Rite more than I do a Sloppy Joe.  There is nothing better than a nice hot Maid Rite on a fresh bun with some pickles and mustard MMMMM.  This recipe makes a pretty big batch with 3 pounds of hamburger, so you should have leftovers which are just as good as the first day.


3 lbs Ground Beef
2 Tbsp Dried Onion or regular onion
1 Beef Bouillon Cube

1 Chicken Bouillon Cube
1 1/2 cups water
2 Tbsp Brown Sugar
2 Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce


Add the first nine ingredients to the crock pot.  Stir together to combine ingredients and break up the ground beef.

Cook on High for 4 hours. Stir occasionally to combine ingredients as they cook and to keep the beef from clumping together.  The smell that emerges from the crock pot each time you stir it is to die for!

Pizza In The Round

Way back in the day I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant.  This recipe used to be one of my favorites to make cause it is so simple to put together.  Also most of the items you usually have on hand.  This is very similar to my recipe of Taco Ring.  They are both winners.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 medium green pepper
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1 clove garlic pressed
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 (7 1/2 oz) can pizza sauce, divided
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 packages crescent rolls
• 2 TBSP fresh parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Cut top off green pepper, remove stem, discard membrane & seeds.
3. Reserve bottom of pepper (to serve pizza sauce in later).
4. Chop the top of the pepper to make 1/4 of a cup.
5. Chop onion.
6. Cook ground beef, green pepper, onion and garlic in skillet over med-high heat until meat is no longer pink.
7. Remove from heat& drain.
8. Shred mozzarella cheese, combine meat mixture & cheese, 1/4 cup of the pizza sauce, Italian seasoning & salt.
9. To assemble the ring: Unroll crescent dough, separate into 16 triangles.
10. Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking/pizza pan, with wide ends of triangles overlapping in the center & the points of the dough towards the outside. There should be approximately a 5 inch diameter in the center of the pan.
11. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle.
12. Bring points of triangles up over meat filling and tuck under the wide ends of the dough at the center of the ring.
13. (Filling will not be completely covered.) Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
14. Grate fresh parmesan cheese over top with cheese grater.
15. Heat remaining pizza sauce and fill green pepper bottom, place in center of the ring.
16. To serve, cut into wedges & serve with the pizza sauce.

 

Meatloaf

I have been trying meatloaf recipes since we got married.  And that my friend is a LOT of meatloaves.  If I find one I like my husband doesn't like it, but if he likes it than I don't like it.  Isn't that how life works?  Well, the search is over, after 27 years of marriage I think we found a winner.  One that we both agreed was pretty good.  This recipe didn't call for Italian sausage but I had it in refrigerator so what the heck.  I think this is what makes the nice flavor we were always missing.  Hope you enjoy as much as we did!!!

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup ketchup
1 lb ground beef
1 lb Italian sausage
3/4 cup milk
3/4 cup oatmeal
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic


Pour oatmeal and milk in separate bowl to soften.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Press the brown sugar in the bottom of the prepared loaf pan and spread the ketchup over the sugar.

In a mixing bowl, add the remaining ingredients along with the soften oatmeal, mix thoroughly and shape into a loaf. Place on top of the ketchup. Bake in preheated oven for 1 to 1 1/2 hours or until juices are clear.

Taco Lasagna

When both my daughters are home we have a new tradition that we always try a Pinterest project.  The first time we tried the crayon art.  Let's just say crafts is NOT our strong suite.  So this time I said lets try cooking.  So we picked a recipe off of Pinterest and tried it.  Boy was it good. 

1 lb ground beef

1/4 cup onion, chopped
1 packet taco seasoning
Water as called for on back of seasoning packet
1/2 cup con queso*
3 large flour tortillas (8 inch size)
1 1/2 cups Monterrey Jack Cheese
Lettuce
Tomato
Sour Cream
Salsa

Brown hamburger along with onion.  Add taco seasoning and water.  Cook until thickened. Add Queso. 

Place flour tortilla in a 9 inch cake pan or a spring foam pan, or even a pie plate.

Spread 1/3 meat mixture, top with 1/3 of the cheese.  Repeat layers ending with cheese on top.

Bake in oven at 350 for 15-20 minutes until it is warmed thru.

Cut into pie triangles.  Top with lettuce, tomato, sour cream or salsa.

Enjoy!

* We use Carlos O'Kelly's queso but any store bought would be good too.

Taco Ring

If you are looking for a quick supper, with few ingredients this is it.  This was one of my families favorite meal when the kids were growing up.  It is fast and delicious.  This is an old Pampered Chef recipe that has been around for a long time.  Sometimes the classics are the best.  Enjoy!!

Ingredients:

1 lb lean ground beef

1 (1 1/4 ounce) package taco seasoning mix

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (4 ounces)

2 tablespoons water

2 (8 ounce) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

1 medium bell pepper

1 cup salsa

3 cups lettuce, shredded

1 medium tomato

1/4 cup onion, chopped (optional)

1/2 cup pitted ripe black olives (optional)

sour cream (optional)

Directions:
 

1. Preheat oven to 375°.

2. Brown ground beef, add taco seasoning and 2 Tbsp water.  Add cheese.  
3. Unroll the crescent dough; separate into triangles. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray. Arrange triangles in a circle on a pizza pan with the wide ends toward the center of the pan, overlapping each other. It should look like a sun, with a large opening in the center. Spoon the meat mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough. (There should be gaps where filling is showing). Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
4. Fill center with the optional toppings or, leave empty. A cute idea is to cut off the top of the pepper and hollow it out, then use the pepper as a salsa bowl.


 

Italian Beef Sandwiches

4 lb Boneless beef sirloin or rump roast
1/2 cup Water
0.7 ounce envelope Italian dry salad dressing mix
2 tsp dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1/2  to 1 tsp Crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic powder
10-12 Hoagie bun, kaiser roll or bun
Provolone slices

Trim fat from beef; cut the meat into 2-3 inch pieces.  Place pieces of meat in a slow cooker.  In a small bowl, stir together the water, salad dressing mix, Italian seasoning, crushed red pepper and garlic powder; pour over meat.  Cover and cook on low heat setting for 10 to 11 hours or on high heat setting for 5 to 5 1/2 hours.

Remove the beef from cooker with a slotted spoon, reserving the cooking juices.  Using two forks, pull meat apart into shreds.  To serve, fill buns with  meat and, if you like assorted toppings.  If you like place sandwich filling with cheese and place sandwiches on two large baking sheets; broil sandwiches, one pan at a time, 4 to 5 inches from the heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Strain cooking juices through a fine mesh sieve.  Drizzle each sandwich with some of the strained juices to moisten.  If you like serve remaining cooking juices for dipping.

Italian Beef Sandwiches

I made this Italian Beef tonight for supper.  I have never made these before but will have to say they were FABULOUS. It also is great as it is a crock pot recipe and  you don't have to heat the kitchen in the summer.  I got the recipe from here MrsBettyRocker.  We used just some french bread.  We buttered the bread and than fried it (toasted it) in a fry pan till it was golden brown.  Added provolone cheese and than the meat.  You can use the juice to dip your sandwich if you would like.  One word of advice is trim the roast as much as you can so you don't have fatty pieces floating around.