Hot & Sour soup - modifications

On 12/9/2019 I used Jeffrey Eisner's recipe for Hot & Sour soup from pressureluckcooking.com. It was very good, however I made some modifications and believe my second attempt will suit me better after documenting the modifications and suggestions.

The original ingredient list:
7-8 cups of vegetable broth (I used 7 tsp of Vegetable Better Than Bouillon + 7 cups of water; NOTE: using 7 cups vs. 8 creates an even more intense hot & sour flavor of the soup)
1 tbsp of canola oil
3 tbsp of rice vinegar
1 tbsp of red wine vinegar
1/4 cup of reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 tsp of chili garlic sauce (or Sriracha will work fine too!)
1 tsp of sesame oilsesame oil
1.5 tsp of granulated sugar
2 tsp of ground ginger
1 tsp of white pepper
1.5 tsp of Kosher salt
1 bunch (or about 5 strands) of scallions, sliced
16oz of Baby Bella (Crimini) mushrooms, sliced (you can also use Shiitake mushrooms, just remove the stems)
16oz can of bamboo shoots, drained
8-10oz bag of baby spinach
8-14oz of firm or extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1/4 cup of cornstarch + 1/4 cup water, for a slurry
2 large eggs, whisked

I didn't have sriracha, or the correct chili garlic sauce, so I used Louisiana hot sauce and used chicken base in place of the "better than bouillon", since I prefer this brand and had no vegetable base left having used it all the day before.  

I also added diced chicken, hoisen sauce, sweet garlic chili sauce (contains honey as well as the peppers), white mushrooms & ginger.  I omitted the salt & sugar, cut the sesame oil & baby bella quantities in half, and doubled the tofu because I did not want any leftovers. 

I believe next time, I will either cut the tofu quantity in half, (Jeffrey's lowest estimated quantity would have been correct), or I will double the batch of soup.  There was just way too much tofu for me with it being doubled though, and I would add at least one more box of mushrooms, and would repeat all of the additions I made.  It really added to it giving it a much more robust flavor. 

It turned out so good in fact that even my mother, who hates hot & sour soup, ate two bowls! That is the true test of whether something is good! lol! 

PSYCHOPATH CHILI - IP

PSYCHOPATH CHILI

1 T olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced—more if you like garlic
1-1/12 lbs. lean ground beef
2 14 oz. cans of diced tomatoes, undrained
4 14 oz. cans chili beans, drained and rinsed (hahaha)
1 14 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup beef stock or soup base
1 T steak seasoning
3 T chili powder
1 T Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup leftover coffee
2 tsp. cumin—more if desired
Chipotle powder or cayenne pepper to taste—we like our chili fairly spicy
Jalapeño salt to taste (worth looking for) If you don’t have it, regular salt will do.

Sauté vegetables, garlic, and meat in olive oil in IP for five minutes or so. When meat is still about half pink, add chili powder and cumin. Add remainder of ingredients plus a little water, if it’s not soupy enough for you.

Cook on Bean setting—my Bean setting is 30 minutes. I let it NPR for 10 minutes and then QR.

**  Taken from the IP group on Facebook.  Original authors name: Jody Wilson.  Link: [ https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotCommunity/permalink/2889461994481103/ ]

Rotisserie Chicken Rub

• 3/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup smoked paprika
• 1/4 cup onion powder
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
•  2 tablespoons dried thyme
• 2 tablespoons dried basil
• 2 tablespoons dried oregano
• 1 tablespoons dried rosemary
•  2 tablespoons dried parsley
•  2 tablespoons dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
• 2 tablespoons black pepper

Place all ingredients together, mix and store in an air-tight container.  Enjoy! 

Note:  I place all ingredients into a food processor and give it a whirl.  It makes mixing easier, as well as producing a finer texture.

Optional: 

·         1 tablespoon red chili flakes

·         Tarragon

·         Cumin

·         Fresh lemon (when cooking)

·         Fresh garlic (when cooking)

Instant Pot Omelet w/ sausage & cheese

Good morning!

After the storm we had last night, this morning was the morning for something quick, easy and healthy (according to my diabetic carb points booklet from the hospital).

So, after some perusing the internet as well as the booklet, and my phone app, I compiled some of the "egg bite" recipes into one that suited me and away we went!  However, I'm too lazy to divide it all out into those little cups, so it became one giant egg bite!  And it tastes really really good!! So, while my photography skill is lacking big time, just imagine the best omelet you've ever tasted and there you have it!

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup half & half
• 4oz Jimmy Dean Original ground sausage
• 1/4 cup cheddar, mozzarella & Parmesan cheeses, shredded
• A sprinkling (1/8-1/4 tsp) of: 
• black pepper
• garlic
• onion
• Old Bay original
• dried chives

1. I put the sausage into the IP first, letting it cook the juices and fat out in the stainless steel bowl.  Cook time was 10 minutes + QR.  
2. While that was cooking, I beat the eggs, half & half, and seasonings together.
3. When the sausage was finished and pressure was out, I drained the grease off the sausage patty and chopped it all up.  
4. Next I poured the beaten eggs over the sausage and stirred a little bit to make sure it was coated in the egg.
5. Finally I sprinkled all of the different kinds of shredded cheeses over the top.
6. Placing the trivet into the IP, (the food on top of the trivet) with cold water in the bottom, I set the cook time for 8 minutes and walked away for awhile.  I quick released the pressure and bon appetite!  'Twas yummy! If I do say so myself!  Best of all?  It stayed well within my allowed carbs for this meal!

Nutrition facts:

Calories:  754 kcal

Protein:  49.95 grams

Fat (total): 58.43 grams

Carbohydrates:  8.88 grams

Chinese Chicken & Broccoli (Instant Pot translation and recipe revision)

Good evening my lovely readers! It's a beautiful 50* out and this momma is thinking "chinese"! Hubby and I are getting pretty good at perfecting the homemade chinese, so here is the basic run down of how we handled the last batch we made! My picky little people love homemade chinese normally, but this recipe was such a hit that I didn't even have enough left over to send in lunches for the next day!

This recipe is what I jumped off of, and it's obviously not an IP meal, but is easily translated. Here is the basic ingredient listing, with my revisions:

• 1 large Head of Broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 6 boneless chicken thighs skinless, chopped into bite sized pieces
• 2 cloves, minced or 2 tsp granulated garlic
• 1 onion, cut julienned
• 1 can bamboo shoots, drained
• 1 can water chestnuts, drained
• 1 tsp dried ginger, to taste, adjust after cooking
• 2 Tablespoons Hoisin Sauce + more to taste after cooking
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce (extra to taste)
• 6 Tablespoons honey **
• 1-3 cups hot water per preference of gravy to veg/meat ratio

** I skip the honey, but have left it in just in case someone else would like to know how much to add.

1. Cut the chicken into bite sized pieces and push "saute". When it says "hot" add your oil and push it around so it coats your IP liner. Then add your chicken, and sear it lightly, just till the chicken is getting white, or light brown spots.
2. Next you're going to deglaze the liner using the water. While the chicken is still in the bottom of the liner, and while the pot is still good and hot, add 1 cup of water and using a wooden spoon or scraper, scrape up anything that might be stuck to the bottom. The chicken will produce liquid, but the IP requires liquid to work correctly, and we like lots of gravy.
3. Cancel the saute function.
4. Add the garlic, onion, ginger, soy sauce, hoisin, & oyster on top, don't stir.
5. ** If you desire rice with this meal, & have a stainless steel PIP bowl, and a long legged trivet, you can measure your rice & water out into your PIP bowl and place the long legged trivet in on top of your food.
6. Set the cook time for 5-10 minutes depending on how much chicken you have, (if you have a single batch 5-7 is sufficient. If you double it you'll need to cook a little longer. Let it naturally release for 10 minutes.
7. While it's cooking, cut up your broccoli to suit you, some like it big, some like it small, I have preschoolers so I have to accommodate their small mouths.
8. When the IP beeps, you're going to stir the food and taste. Season accordingly. I added more ginger, hoisin, water, oyster, black pepper, and rice wine.
9. Once you're satisfied that it is seasoned to suit you, put the bamboo, water chestnuts & broccoli in on top, in that order. Do not stir it in. Reset the IP to either 0 (zero) minutes HP, or 1 minute LP depending on which one you have. This SHOULD produce broccoli that is softened but not mush... however I am not 100% on it, it COULD be too mushy... some folks like their broccoli pretty firm...
10. Anyway, when it beeps after adding the broccoli do a quick release.
11. If the quick release spits sauce... close it back up and do a controlled pressure release. Don't make a mess of your counter ... just close it back up and release the pressure slowly by hand...

Instant Pot Bone-In Chicken Instructions

1. Put 1 cup of water in the liner
   
2. Put the rack (trivet) that came with the IP into the liner
   
3. Now place your chicken into the liner, on the trivet. Do not pile. Just do a single layer on each trivet. (If you allow air flow between the layers, you can cook 12 pieces of chicken in 10-15 minutes instead of 30-45) Season it however you want, just remember that you may need to step up the seasoning just a little more than you'd expect. (I use Italian dressing as a marinade sometimes.  So you would move the chicken all around till its all coated in it)
   
   If you are using multiple trivets, add the next trivet now and continue adding chicken to the pot.  This works for up to 4 layers in my 8qt IP Duo.
   
4. Now hit Meat/Stew or Pressure Cook and using the "+" and "-" buttons go up or down to reach 15 minutes (00:15) and turn the black knob to the sealing position.
   
5. The screen will display "on" for awhile, you'll hear boiling and hissing sounds, might see some steam come out the top for a short time, then it'll seal and it will become quieter. The screen will still read "on" for a short time then the pressure inside (12psi) will be reached and the clock face will change to read your selected cook time. The pot will beep one time letting you know it's beginning the cook count.
   
6. It will now count backwards from (00:15) to (00:00) at which time it will beep multiple times & the clock face will change to (L0:00) and begin counting up instead of down to indicate how long is been on low/keep warm.
   
7. Now, if this were veggies you'd flip the lever open and release steam (known as a quick release). But you're not going to do that this time because it's meat.
   
   This time, you're going leave it alone and allow the clock to read (L0:10) or (L0:15) before you open it. This allows the meat to rest and it will absorb the liquid in doing this and make very tender chicken.

Blueberry bread pudding with lemon curd

Blueberry Bread Pudding 

In a buttered 2 qt soufflé dish:
Beat 4 eggs, add 2 cups milk, 1/2 c sugar, 1 t vanilla, 1/4 t salt
Fold in
8 oz white bread, cubed, 1 c blueberries 

Cover with greased aluminum foil. 
Lower into trivet in instant pot that has 1 1/2 c water in it.

Close IP, set to sealing. Cook on high manual 25 min, NR 20 minutes. Uncover and cool 10 minutes. 

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. 

Serve with lemon curd and/or whipped cream.

**  I want to keep this so I don't lose it.  This was gotten from ( Sheri King Ward ) on Facebook's Instant Pot group.  I believe it is her recipe, but I don't know for sure.  Either way, I am in no way claiming this as my own, I simply do not want to lose the recipe or the idea. 

Instant Pot Yogurt #3

Well, I've done it.  #3 it is!  After having pretty much everyone taste it, it's been decided this 3rd attempt at making the perfect yogurt was the best batch so far!  I've had some accidents and some failures along the way, but it turned out so good that I have people who don't like yogurt saying they would eat it, and my 5-year old (picky eater) even likes it.  My 3-year old (eats everything) can't leave it alone, and my dad is taking it on the road with him while he's driving a semi!   Yay for healthy snacks!

So, in case you'd like to try your hand at it... here's what I did!

Instant Pot Yogurt #3

Ingredients & Items needed: 

• 2 quarts of whole milk
• 2 tablespoons of Noosa Yogurt
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk
• 1 vanilla bean pod, split & scraped
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 (8qt) Instant Pot with yogurt function
• 1 IP liner
• 1 pressure cooker trivet
• 1 food thermometer
• 5 pint jars, washed & sterilized
• 5 pint jar lids

Pour your milk and sweetened condensed milk into the Instant Pot liner.  Stir until well incorporated then place liner into the Instant Pot base and push the "Yogurt" button until it reads "BOIL".  I leave the vent open. It isn't necessary to close it for the milk to heat up to the correct temperature, but you can if you would feel better about it.

** This step is important for thick yogurt, because it is denaturing the protein strands and allowing them to change shape to become longer and more "friendly" with their neighbors.  

While the milk is scalding, clear off a space large enough for your instant pot liner inside your refrigerator

Once the "BOIL" cycle is completed, allow the milk to rest for 5 minutes, in the base.  After 5 minutes open the lid (unless you've sealed it, in which case you need to vent the pressure).

Remove the Instant Pot liner from the base and rest it on the counter, on a hot pad and stir around to make sure everything is well blended etc until it reaches approximately 150*F.  Place the liner into the refrigerator and stir it every 10 minutes until it reaches an approximate temperature between 98-110*F.  

** Should be in the correct range within about 30 minutes.  If it gets too cold, it's alright, it will still make yogurt and you don't need to start over or anything. 
Once the temperature drops into the "happy zone" of 98-110*F, stir the vanilla bean paste, vanilla extract and the 2tbsp of Noosa Yogurt into the sweetened milk in the liner.

Now here, is where you have two options:  

1)  You can do as I do, and place the liner into the base with 1 cup of water and the trivet, bringing the water to a boil, turn the heat off, but don't remove the water or trivet.  While the water is heating up, pour the sweet milk mixture into the pint jars, keeping them in reserve on the counter until the water is finished boiling. Add 1-quart cold water, then place the jars (carefully so as to not burn yourself) into the liner, on top of the trivet so the jars do not come into direct heat with the heating element in the bottom of the pot. I then take the sprayer on the sink and fill the liner with water until the water is at the "shoulder" of the jars.  This produces a more even incubation throughout the entire batch rather than just the bottoms becoming thick and the top portion being thinner. The jars are now your incubation containers, and you need do nothing more except put a lid on them when they've completed the yogurt process. 

2)  You can leave all of the milk mixture inside the liner, place the liner into the base and use the liner as your yogurt incubation container. However if you do, you'll need to transfer the finished product into other containers once the process is complete, and moving the yogurt will disturb the proteins and produce a thinner yogurt, unless you choose to strain the whey off using a yogurt strainer from Amazon, in which case it will be thicker than thick.

Whichever option you choose, you are now going to cancel any prior instructions given to the pot so that it reads "OFF".  You are now going to press the "Yogurt" button one time, so that the heat setting is on "normal", then select "8 hours" (08:00) and put the lid on, walking away to allow the milk to incubate and change into yogurt for the next 8 hours! It's that easy!

Once the incubation process is completed, do not stir, or disturb in any way.  Simply pop your container(s) into the refrigerator and allow to chill for at least 4 hours or until the yogurt is an equal temperature throughout.

This recipe shouldn't require any straining, it turns out very thick for me when left undisturbed in the jars, but if it should turn out thinner for you and you wish to try to strain it, I will post instructions on how to do that as well, in a later post. 



Edit To Add:
For my fourth attempt at making yogurt, I chose to get creative by putting the flavoring in BEFORE it incubated.  The attached photo is from that batch, with two Luxurious Lemon, two Double Vanilla Bean & one Rockin' Raspberry.

Edit to add x2:
Recipes have now been tweaked for both coconut and strawberry as well as the raspberry and lemon.  

IP French Onion Soup

I had been told that the Instant Pot makes an amazing pot of French onion soup. But after several bloopers on the stove top years ago, I was uneasy trying this. My craving got the best of me however, and I am ever so glad it did!

I used Jeffrey's French Onion Soup recipe from his site pressureluckcooking.com.

I really didn't do very many things different, just cut it in half, doubled the garlic and pepper quantities, used Italian bread instead of croutons, & kept the bread on the side to be eaten as garlic cheese bread. But it turned out so fabulous that I have been "forced" to make it again in less than a week!  Below are my adjusted quantities. I followed the directions as Jeffrey has them written.

Instant Pot French Onion Soup - revised
1½ teaspoons of salted butter
1½ teaspoons of vegetable oil
1 teaspoon of light brown sugar
One half from 4 big onions. Onions should be halved and sliced into ribbons (I used ½ of each: Vidalia/Sweet, Red, Yellow and Spanish)
2 cups of beef broth (1 can of beef broth is 2 cups of liquid)
½ cup of dry red wine (I used a pinot noir)
½ teaspoon dry thyme
½ teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon of garlic powder
½ teaspoon of salt
½ teaspoon of pepper
1 loaf of Italian bread, sliced into rounds and toasted in the oven, or a package of your favorite croutons

** I chose to slice the bread and toast with cheese & garlic on top. Suggested cheeses include: Provolone, Mozzarella, Swiss/Gruyere and Asiago (optional)

Instructions:
1) Cut the onions so they are halved and then slice into strips (don’t dice!) and set aside in a bowl
2) Put the Instant Pot on Sauté and melt the butter and oil until it sizzles
3) Add the onions and brown sugar and stir regularly for about 10-15 minutes or until the onions have cooked down by about half and have become translucent and have a pasta-like consistency. Make sure they aren’t too firm or too mushy!
4) Add the broth, red wine, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, bay leaf, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Give it a stir and secure the lid.
5) Hit “Manual/Pressure Cook” or "Soup/Broth" for 8 minutes. Quick release when done. Adjust seasoning as needed.

** If intending to handle as I did, follow steps 6 & 7.

** If intending to handle as normal French onion soup, bake the Italian bread, cut into slices and toast, then follow steps 8-11.

** If intending to handle as Jeffrey did, he used croutons instead of bread as his case for the cheese on top of the soup.

6) Place the bread slices on a cookie sheet, spread with butter & sprinkle with garlic powder. Layer and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake until cheese is beginning to golden up.
7) Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the garlic cheese bread on the side.

8) Preheat your oven to broil while quick releasing.
9) Ladle the soup into the crocks until it’s just below the brim. Lay one slice of toasted bread, or a layer of the croutons, on top of the soup so that it serves as a foundation for the cheese.
10) Seal with 1-2 slices of cheese (depending on how wide your crocks are, mine need 2 to cover it properly but many will only need 1). And then layer a slice of Swiss or some shredded Gruyere (and a few flakes of the Asiago, if using). Leave some of the Swiss a little over the edges so when it bakes, it coats some of the side of the crock. Peeling the cheese off while eating is one of the best parts of the french onion soup experience! Sprinkle lightly with some paprika.
11) Place the crock on a baking tray lined with tin foil and pop into the oven for 5 mins or until the top begins to bubble, turns slightly brown and forms a cheese-like crust. ENJOY!

Parmesan Garlic Italian chicken

My oldest wanted Italian chicken ... But I didn't have the exact stuff I would normally use, so I used what I had (link below) and he doesn't like it, but I sure do! This chicken and the gravy it produced is so good I could put it over basically anything... Biscuits, toast, mashed potatoes... It's wonderful...

What I did:
★ 1 cup water and the trivet (that came with my Instant pot) in the IP liner
★ 3 (large) frozen chicken breasts in a stainless steel 5qt PIP bowl
★ Poured the bottle of garlic parmesan Italian vinaigrette over it, so all exposed sides had been in contact with the vinaigrette. Then pressurized under the "meat/stew" button for 10+10 NPR.
★ After the first set of 10+10, I sliced it against the grain and put the sliced meat back into the bowl, pushing it down under the sauce and re-pressurized for 20+20 NPR.

** If I had cooked just one breast at a time, or had used racks to keep them from touching each other, the 10+10 NPR would've been effective to get them cooked thoroughly.

Momma's Potato Cheese Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups water, bone broth or chicken broth w/ 2 tsp (+/-) chicken base
• 6 cups potatoes, raw, peeled & cubed
• 1/2 cup onion, chopped
• 1 cup celery, chopped
• 1 cup carrot, peeled and sliced
• 2 tsp parsley flakes
• A dash of pepper
• 1tsp garlic powder (not garlic salt!)
• 3 cups milk
• 1lb Velveeta cheese, cubed
• Salt to taste
• Corn starch & water for thickening

Instructions:

1. Pour the water or broth into the liner with the bouillon.  
2. Layer the potatoes, onions, carrots, celery, parsley,  in the liner.  Do not stir.
3. Push "Pressure cook" or "Soup/Broth" & set for 5 minutes with a 5 minute NPR.
4. Stir. Taste. Adjust seasoning (keeping in mind that the cheese will add salt)
5. Add cubed Velveeta to the top, pressure for 0 minutes, 2 minute NPR, QR remaining pressure.
6. Stir till melted and incorporated. 
7. Prepare corn starch slurry.
8. Push sauté & thicken using corn starch & water slurry, pouring it in slowly while stirring constantly, during a boil.
9. Turn off sauté as soon as it's thickened.
10. Serve with warm French bread, homemade bread, or biscuits. 

{Instant Pot} Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Soup [Revised]

Ingredients

• 4 c. (32oz) chicken broth
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts;
• diced, cut into strips or left whole to be shredded later. Skip step 3 if pre-cutting the chicken
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 (15oz) can corn with diced peppers
• [Baja, Southwest, Fiesta, Jalapeño, Chipotle, & Fire roasted corn blends or (1 (7oz) can of chilis + 1 (15oz can of corn) are examples of what is meant by this ingredient
• 1 (15oz) can black beans w/o chili sauce, drained & rinsed
• 1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• Toppings:  

o    Tortilla Strips 

o    Sour Cream

o    Shredded Cheese

o    Avocado

Instructions

1.    Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker, in order, except topping ingredients.  Do not stir!

2.    Close lid and make sure pressure release valve is set to sealing. Set pressure cooker to high pressure using either "Pressure cook" or "Manual" button, and set for 15 minutes. When time is up carefully quick release the pressure cooker. 

3.    Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Place back in pressure cooker and stir. 

4.    Divide into soup bowls and top with any toppings of your preference. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Up To Pressure Time: 10 minutes, approximately. 

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes ~

Servings: 6

Author: Julie Evink, revised by Heidi Evans for clarity and burn warning elimination

PYREX vs pyrex confusion clarity

"PYREX" is safe. It is made from borcilica glass. The manufacturer still uses borcilica heat treated glass in France and so indicates what the bowls are made of by the lettering. All capitals indicates safe to use.

"pyrex" is NOT safe. It is made of soda glass and cannot withstand the thermal shock of being used in the oven or the IP. The soda glass has also been known to explode in the microwave; A fact that most people are unaware of.

Soda glass bowls are manufactured in the USA. Borcilica are old bowls, or have been imported from France. The company changed their product after the company was sold and they began cutting corners, because soda glass costs less to manufacture than the heat treated glass...

** My husband is passionate about glass and is a glass blowing hobbiest. Yes, I know, I'm too helpful.


https://icedteapitcher.myshopify.com/pages/borosilicate-pyrex-vs-soda-lime-pyrex