Instant Pot Smoky Beef

 Great for tacos or rice bowls. 

3 lb chuck roast, cut into bite sized pieces

1 Tbs kosher salt

1 Tbs chili powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbs cocoa powder

1 tsp oregano

3 Tbs oil

1 white onion, diced

5 cloves garlic, sliced

1 chipotle in adobo sauce, sliced (can add some sauce from can too, depending on spice tolerance)

14 oz crushed tomatoes 

1 cup beef broth (or dark beer)

Juice from 2 oranges

Juice from 2 limes

1 bay leaf 

Toppings: we make taco bowls with brown rice, smoky beef and:

Cilantro

Pickled red onions

Crumbled queso fresco

Sliced radishes

Sliced green onions 

In a large bowl, whisk together spices (salt through oregano) then toss beef in spices until well coated

Heat oil on saute function in instant pot.  Brown beef pieces on all sides, working in batches & transfering to plate as done

After beef, add onion to pot & saute until starting to brown. Add garlic & chipotle & saute an additional minute. Add tomatoes, broth, & juices to pot and stir well, scraping browned bits from bottom. Add beef & bay leaf & either pressure cook on high x 45 minutes or slow cook on high x 6 hours. 

30 minutes before serving, remove lid & simmer beef & sauce with saute function, stirring as needed to keep from burning. After 30 minutes, discard bay leaf & serve w tortillas or rice with toppings of choice 

Cold Noodle Salad

 This is good topped w protein of your choice (shrimp, chicken, pork, tofu, etc). We like shrimp & chicken marinated in extra dressing & grilled) Veggies are totally flexible too-use whatever you like (either raw or grilled/roasted)

8 oz vermicelli rice noodles

Sliced veggies (we used 1 head bok choy (stems & leaves), sliced radishes, sliced snowpeas, sliced cucumber, & green onions

Chopped peanuts to top

Mint & Thai basil (cilantro would be goo too) to top

Sriracha or chili crisp to top 

Dressing:

(We mixed a bottle of lemongrass salad dressing with 3 Tbs soy sauce, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1 Tbs sesame oil, 1 Tbs minced ginger, 1 tsp sriracha but if making from scratch use:

1/2 cup rice wine vinegar

3 Tbs brown sugar

1 Tbs minced lemongrass

And above ingredients 

Cook noodles to package instructions (usually boil x 3 min then drain & rinse well w cold water)

Toss warm noodles w bok choy & dressing & chill until cold (at least 30 min)

Top w additional veggies, peanuts, herbs, & hot sauce as desired when ready to eat  

Broccoli Melts

 This recipe can be changed up so many ways -add bacon bits, change up the seasonings, slather the bread w some mustard after grilling, change up the cheese (Swiss, white cheddar, provolone, etc

1# broccoli, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tsp dried dill 

1/2 package herb & garlic Boursin

6 fairly thick slices sourdough

Butter

Sprinkle of black pepper & crushed red pepper

6 slices American cheese 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

Using a large baking sheet, scatter broccoli on sheet then seasonings & garlic

Roast x 15 minutes

While broccoli is roasting, place Boursin cheese into a medium mixing bowl & spread sourdough slices with butter

Grill bread in a skillet or grill pan on both sides over medium heat until toasted

Add roasted broccoli to bowl w Boursin cheese & stir well. 

Arrange toast slices on same sheet pan as broccoli roasted on. Spread broccoli mixture over toast, sprinkle w peppers then top w cheese slices. 

Return toasts to oven until cheese is melty (could broil too)

White Pork Ragu

 

from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers: new classics for your forever files” by Deb Perelman

serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1 small bulb fennel, chopped 
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes
1 pound ground pork

1 Parmesan rind 

1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
Pasta water, as needed
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound dry fettuccine, or 1 pound fresh
Lots of cracked black pepper & grated Parmesan, to serve

Build the sauce:

Heat a medium-to-large heavy pot or Dutch oven (4-5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons oil, and once it is warm, add the onion, carrot, and fennel and season well with salt and black pepper and/or pepper flakes, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned all over. Don’t worry if anything sticks. Add the pork and garlic, season it generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up with your spoon, it until it has browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine and scrape up any stuck bits; cook until the wine disappears (1-2 minutes). Add the broth, milk, and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer, leaving the lid off. Congratulations, you’ve now reached the “walk away” portion of the recipe.

Cook the ragu:

Here’s how the next 1 to 1.5 hours will go:Check in on the sauce from time to time, adding more water if needed to keep it loose, but not enough to submerge the meat (which would boil, not braise–shudder). Taste it from time to time, and add more seasoning if needed. The sauce is done with the meat tastes tender, butter, and rich; this takes 60 to 90 minutes. There’s little harm in going a little longer (up to 2 hours) if real life is more interesting. Do a final taste for seasoning, and cook any remaining liquid down to a saucy puddle. Remove from heat; discard the bay leaf and either discard or chop up Parmesan rind & add back to sauce.  Add the cream, and stir to combine.

To finish:

Cook your pasta 1-2 minutes shy of done in well-salted water. Before you drain it, ladle a cup of the pasta water int a glass by the stove. Drain the pasta, and add it directly to the ragu, along with a quarter to a half of the reserved water. Cook the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is as as done as you like it, adding more pasta water if needed to keep it moving. Serve in wide bowls, finished with Parmesan and pepper. 

California Pizza

 Inspired by a Farellis pizza we like, but tweaked 

One Pizza dough

Top with: 

Pesto

Shredded mozzarella 

Chopped sun-dried tomatoes

Sprinkle of red pepper flakes

Sliced red onion

Feta cheese

Cashews 

Bake at 450 x 18 minutes 

Ravioli w Vodka sauce & Arugula Salad

• For pasta & sauce: 
• 3 tablespoon Butter
• 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
• 3 cloves Garlic minced
• ⅓ cup Tomato Paste
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or to your spice preference)
• 1 shot Vodka
• ¾ cup Heavy Cream
• 1 teaspoon Sugar
• 1 cup Parmesan grated and divided
• 2 boxes fresh ravioli (we like Costco chicken & mozzarella ravioli)
• 2 balls Fresh Burrata

For salad:

Lemon Dressing

• 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 5 Tbs fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Salad

• 4 cups arugula
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Whisk/emulsify dressing ingredients. Combine dressing, arugula, and Parmesan 

 

• Boil a pot of water to cook ravioli.
• Meanwhile, melt butter and olive oil in a large sauce pan over medium heat then add garlic. Cook down for a few minutes, stirring often, until the garlic is soft and fragrant but not browned.
• Add tomato paste and chili flakes to the pan and continue stirring until everything is incorporated and the tomato paste has darkened slightly; about 3-4 minutes.
• Now add the vodka and stir vigorously for another 2-3 minutes until the pan has been completely deglazed and the sauce has come together.
  • Turn the heat to medium-low and add heavy cream and stir until incorporated. Let it simmer on low for 3 minutes then add sugar and a pinch of salt followed by ½ cup of grated parmesan cheese and continue stirring until it’s melted. Turn the heat to low and simmer.
  • At this point, the ravioli water should be boiling. Add the ravioli to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes or until it starts to float and puff up just slightly.
  • Drain ravioli, reserving 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add pasta water as needed until the sauce becomes smooth and creamy! If it still looks dry, add more of the reserved pasta water, little by little, over medium-low heat until the sauce looks silky and smooth.
    Add ravioli and stir to combine. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese and arugula salad (either on top of pasta or as a side)

Keith & Gracie’s Thai Tea

 13 tea bags Thai tea (ChaTraMue from World Market is our favorite

8 cups boiling water

1 can sweetened condensed milk

3/4 cup 2% milk

Pinch of salt

In a large mixing bowl, steep tea bags in boiling water for 10 minutes. Discard tea bags. Whisk sweetened milk, milk, & salt into tea. Serve warm or iced (or with a couple of shots of rum if you’re Keith)

Drunken Noodles w Shrimp

 8 oz wide rice noodles

2 Tbs oyster sauce 

2 Tbs soy sauce

2 Tbs fish sauce

Juice of 1 lime

1 Tbs Thai herb blend (in a tube from grocery store produce section-or sub some finely diced ginger, lemongrass, & Thai basil)

1 Tbs honey

Avocado or vegetable oil for stir frying 

Additional soy sauce for seasoning

1 pound shrimp, peeled & deveined

3 eggs

1/2 head sliced red cabbage (or bag of coleslaw)

1 bunch green onions, sliced

4 garlic cloves, minced

Chopped cilantro to garnish

Chili crisp oil to garnish

Bring a medium stockpot of water to boil. Remove from heat & stir in rice noodles. Allow to soak 10-20 minutes until al dente, stirring frequently to keep noodles from sticking together Drain noodles & rinse with cold water, making sure no noodles are stuck together

While rice noodles are cooking, whisk together oyster sauce through honey to make sauce for noodles

In a large skillet or wok, heat a bit of oil over medium heat & stir fry shrimp w a dash of soy sauce.  Transfer shrimp to a large bowl

In same skillet, scramble 3 eggs w a dash of soy sauce until cooked through (firmer is better-too soft & the eggs get lost in the dish)  Transfer eggs to same bowl as shrimp

In same skillet, stir fry cabbage in a bit of oil until charred & slightly softened  then add to bowl w shrimp & eggs

In same skillet, stir fry garlic & onions in oil about 1 minute, then add rice noodles & stirfry until heated through & slightly charred.  Pour sauce over noodles and continue stirring until noodles have absorbed liquid (about 3 min)  Add bowl of shrimp, eggs, & cabbage to noodles & conyine cooking until heated through  

Serve w cilantro & chili crisp as desired  

Caramelized Onion & Blue cheese Pizza

 Loosely based off this recipe: https://food52.com/recipes/4481-balsamic-caramelized-onion-and-blue-cheese-pizza

We added herbs we had in the garden (chives & tarragon) but I think rosemary or parsley or thyme or sage (or a mix of all) would be good too. 

Ingredients:

1 pizza dough

4 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into large bite sized pieces

2 red onions, thinly sliced

1 tsp herbs de Provence (or Italian seasoning)

4 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1 Tbs worchestershire sauce

1 cup ricotta cheese

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Black pepper to taste

5 oz crumbled blue cheese, divided

1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts

Handful of chopped fresh herbs (we used tarragon & chives)

Balsamic glaze to top, as desired

Instructions:

Sauté bacon in a large skillet until cooked soft (but not crisp-bacon will continue to crisp while baking on pizza) Transfer bacon to a paper towel to drain, reserving bacon grease

Sauté red onions in bacon grease over medium heat until caramelized & softened (about 30 min), stirring often to prevent burning  Stir in herbs de Provence, vinegar, & worchestershire sauce & continue cooking until liquid has mostly evaporated/formed a thick sauce.  Remove from heat

Preheat oven to 450*.  

Stir together ricotta, garlic, Parmesan, & pepper. 

Stretch pizza dough over a greased pizza pan  Spread onions evenly over dough.  Dollop ricotta mixture over onions.  Sprinkle 4 oz of blue cheese over pizza, reserving last oz of blue cheese & fresh herbs to sprinkle over pizza after it’s removed from oven.  Sprinkle bacon pieces then chopped walnuts over pizza

Bake for 15-20 minutes until crust done & pizza toppings crisped & bubbling  

Remove pizza from oven & top with last of blue cheese, fresh herbs, & a drizzle of balsamic glaze, as desired  Slice & enjoy 

Shrimp & sesame cold noodle salad

 

Ingredients

Dressing:

• 5 Tbs rice vinegar

• 1 Tbs sugar

• 2 Tbs soy sauce 

• 1 tsp ground ginger (or 1 Tbs Thai herb blend tube)

  1 Tbs toasted sesame oil 

Noodles

• 12 ounces uncooked fresh soba noodles, prepare per package directions (or noodle of choice-whole wheat spaghetti, ramen noodles, or rice noodles would be good too)

• 1 medium head of broccoli, chopped into large chunks

  1 pound peeled & deveined shrimp

• 1 1/2 cups roughly chopped fresh cilantroleaves and tender stems (about 1 small bunch) 

• 4 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally 

• Furikake seasoning, for serving (or just toasted sesame seeds or chopped seaweed or chili crunch or chopped jalapeños)

  
  

  Preheat oven to 400 degrees & spread shrimp & broccoli on greased baking sheet. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until shrimp are cooked through

  While broccoli & shrimp are roasting, whisk together dressing. In a large bowl, toss together dressing, cooked noodles, cilantro, & scallions. 

  Once shrimp & broccoli are done, mix those into bowl as well. 

  Can be served warm, but we prefer to chill for at least an hour (leftovers are great the next day too) & serve with choice of toppings. 

Pizza Dough

https://sugarspunrun.com/the-best-pizza-dough-recipe/

The original recipe on the website makes 1 large pizza~since we're a family of 4, I always double it.  So below, the recipe is doubled to make 2 large pizzas (or 4 smaller ones if everyone wants to make their own toppings)

Ingredients

• Approx. 4 (to 4 2/3) cups all-purpose flour OR bread flour¹ divided (250-295g)
• 2 packet yeast² (1 1/2 Tbs yeast)
• 3 teaspoons sugar or honey 
• 2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tbs garlic powder and/or dried Italian seasoning (we use TJs soffrito seasoning & garlic salt instead of the regular salt above)
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil 

1 1/2 cups warm water

Instructions

• Combine 2 cup (125g) of flour, instant yeast, sugar, and salt in a large bow (we use our mixer & dough hook) If desired, add garlic powder and herbs at this point as well.
• Add olive oil and warm water and use a wooden spoon to stir well very well.
• Gradually add another 1 cup (125g) of flour. Add any additional flour as needed (I've found that sometimes I need as much as an additional 1/3 cup), stirring until the dough is forming into a cohesive, elastic ball and is beginning to pull away from the sides of the bowl (see video above recipe for visual cue). The dough will still be slightly sticky but still should be manageable with your hands.
• Drizzle a separate, large, clean bowl generously with olive oil and use a pastry brush to brush up the sides of the bowl.
• Lightly dust your hands with flour and form your pizza dough into a round ball and transfer to your olive oil-brushed bowl. Use your hands to roll the pizza dough along the inside of the bowl until it is coated in olive oil, then cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in a warm place.
• Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes or until doubled in size. If you intend to bake this dough into a pizza, I also recommend preheating your oven to 425F (215C) at this point so that it will have reached temperature once your pizza is ready to bake.
• Once the dough has risen, use your hands to gently deflate it and transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead briefly until smooth (about 3-5 times). Cut dough in half to make 2 pizza crusts
• Use either your hands or a rolling pin to work the dough into 12" circle.
• Transfer dough to a parchment paper lined pizza pan and either pinch the edges or fold them over to form a crust.
• Drizzle additional olive oil (about a Tablespoon) over the top of the pizza and use your pastry brush to brush the entire surface of the pizza (including the crust) with olive oil. 
• Use a fork to poke holes all over the center of the pizza to keep the dough from bubbling up in the oven.
• Add desired toppings (see the notes for a link to my favorite, 5-minute pizza sauce recipe!) and bake in a 425F (215C) preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until toppings are golden brown. Slice and serve.

Notes

¹I've found that all-purpose flour yields a softer crust while bread flour gives a slightly crispier exterior. Please see the post for more information on all-purpose vs. bread flour in pizza dough.

²Many commenters have reported using active dry yeast (use the same amount, 2 1/4 teaspoon) with success. Some people have proofed the yeast first with the 3/4 cup warm water, which is what I would recommend, while others have just mixed it into the dough as instructed. Both have had success! 

³Ideally your water should be between 105-115F (40-46C). I usually just use warm tap water but do make sure that your water isn't too hot or it will kill your yeast!

Making in Advance:

To make in advance, let the dough rise covered at room temperature as indicated in the recipe, then deflate it, wrap it tightly so it doesn't dry out, and store in the refrigerator for up to several days or it will freeze for up to a month. 

Pot Roast w Cararmelized Onions and Mushrooms

https://letthebakingbegin.com/beef-with-caramelized-onions-and-mushrooms/

Really good served over mashed potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 1/2 - 4 lb beef chuck fat trimmed, cut into 1 1/2 pieces
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 large carrots peeled, cut into 2/3 inch pieces
• 1 medium onions peeled, cut in half and sliced into half rings
• 20 medium sized button mushrooms wiped clean with a wet paper towel, cut in half
• 5-6 garlic cloves peeled, pressed or minced
• 1 1/2 tsp black ground pepper
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• 3 Tbsp oil
• 2-3 bay leaves
• 1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup red or white wine Optional
• 3-4 Tbsp chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

1. Toss beef chuck with 5-6 pressed garlic cloves, 1 ½ tsp black pepper, salt, paprika, and 3 tbsp olive oil until the meat is evenly coated. Then toss with flour.

2. Transfer to an ovenproof baking dish and add carrot pieces in between the meat pieces. Top with the 2-3 bay leaves. Cover with foil and bake for 2 hours at 350°F or until the meat pieces are tender and almost fall apart.

3. Meanwhile, saute 1 medium onion with a couple of tablespoons oil in over medium heat until golden in color. When done, tilt the skillet and allow the oil to pool at the bottom, while you remove the onion to a separate dish.

4. To the same skillet add 20 mushrooms, cut side down. Over high heat sear the mushrooms on both sides. Then, add onions back to pan & saute with worcestershire sauce until liquid is evaporated.

5. Once the beef is soft and easily pierced with a fork, remove the foil, sprinkle with caramelized onions and the mushrooms and bake for another 15 minutes to allow the mushrooms to heat through. This is when you can add 1/2 cup of red or white wine to the baking dish to enhance flavor.

6. Now gently mix everything together, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Queso Fundido Pizza

 1 pizza dough

cornmeal to dust pan

1 pound Mexican Chorizo

1/2 red onion, chopped

1 can chipotles in adobo sauce

1 cup tomato sauce

1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 cup crumbled queso fresco

1 cup black beans (could sub 1 cup corn)

chopped cilantro & chopped red onion to top 

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  You could use a pizza stone, but this is a pretty loaded pizza and the grease from the chorizo tends to stain, so I prefer to use a pizza pan.

Saute chorizo and red onion in frying pan until chorizo is cooked thoroughly.  Drain grease as much as possible.

Roll out pizza dough & place on pizza pan sprinkled with cornmeal.

Mix together tomato sauce, 3 Tbs adobo sauce from can (or amount of heat to your preference), and 3 chopped chipotles from can (again, more or less depending on heat preference)

Spread tomato sauce mixture over dough.

Top with Monterey Jack cheese, then chorizo, beans (or corn), and crumbled queso fresco

Bake 20 minutes at 425 degrees or until crust is crisp and cheese is melted & bubbly

Top baked pizza with cilantro and red onion and enjoy

Spinach Sausage Braid

https://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/sausage-crescent-braid/7119179b-c67e-4bc6-a2c6-dbfc878e824b


We modified the original recipe (used puff pastry, ricotta instead of cottage cheese) due to necessity, but really like the crispy, puffy crust
Click the link above for original recipe.  Below recipe makes 2 loaves.
Ingredients:
1 lb bulk Italian turkey sausage
1 (10 oz) bag fresh spinach (or chard or kale)
1 can chopped olives, drained
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
3 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbs Italian seasoning
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 box (2 sheets) puff pastry (defrosted)

• 1

  Heat oven to 375°F. In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat, stirring frequently, until no longer pink; drain.  Add spinach and garlic and saute until spinach is wilted and extra moisture is evaporated.
• 2

  In large bowl, mix sausage/spinach, cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, seasonings, and mozzarella cheese
• 3

  Roll puff pastry sheets out between 2 sheets of wax paper.  With rolling pin, roll dough into a 13"x8" rectangle
• 4

  Spoon 1/2 of sausage mixture in 4-inch-wide strip lengthwise down center of each rectangle. 
• 5

  With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on long sides of dough rectangle to within 1/2 inch of sausage mixture. Fold strips of dough up over sausage mixture to meet in center; pinch to seal.
• 6

  Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from cookie sheet; cut into crosswise slices. Serve warm.

Chocolate Mug Cake

https://www.tablefortwoblog.com/the-moistest-chocolate-mug-cake/

Gracie likes mini M&Ms in hers
Kenny likes butterscotch chips
Keith like chocolate chips
Sarah likes a spoon of peanut butter

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoon granulated sugar (you can add 1 tbsp. more if you like it a bit sweeter)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp. milk
• 2 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon mix in of choice

INSTRUCTIONS

• In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients.
• Whisk in the milk and vegetable oil until all ingredients are combined and batter has no clumps.
• Pour batter into a microwave-safe mug. Mine was a 14-ounce mug. You want enough head space for the cake to rise without pouring over.
• Add mix in of choice in the middle of the batter. Just drop it in the middle, no need to push it down and sink it in the batter. It does that on its own when it cooks! :)
• Place a paper towel into the microwave and set the mug on top (this is to catch any batter if your mug cake overflows).
• Microwave mug cake for 70 seconds on high (microwaves vary~start with 60 seconds, but it may take up to 90 seconds for cake to puff)