Simple Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

I wanted to try a pork tenderloin in the Instant Pot & found this recipe. It was also really good of course. The recipe called for carrots but I added an extra onion instead. I used a new button-the meat/stew setting. I'd make this again.

Pork Tenderloin (Pinterest):

2-3lb pork tenderloin
Med white onion, thinly sliced
3 large carrots, chopped into large chunks
Salt & pepper, to taste
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 c chicken stock, water or white wine
1 tsp finely chopped parsley, optional
Oil

Turn instant pot to saute; drizzle about a tbsp of oil in bottom. While oil is heating, slice onions & carrots. Set aside. Massage salt, pepper, garlic powder & paprika into pork & place in instant pot. Sear for 2-3 min on each side until nicely browned. Pour in stock around pork and using a wooden spoon scrape up any browned bits.

Sprinkle rosemary & thyme onto pork & top with carrots & onions. Turn to "Meat/Stew" setting & "High Pressure" on the instant pot & secure the lid. Set the timer to 40 in. Once cooked, use the quick release function to let the steam out. Take out pork, slice & arrange on a platter. Using a slotted spoon, place carrots on platter. Sprinkle with parsley if desired.




Ready to be cooked...

Fresh from the pot...

Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Pork Chops

I have never been able to cook pork chops without them turning out dry. I've tried them every which way-marinating them, cooking them in the oven, broiling them, cooking them on the stove, cutting them into small pieces & cooking them...nothing! I gave up cooking them a while ago. After cooking so many perfect things in the Instant Pot, I thought to myself...hmmmm, I wonder....so I gave it one more try and OMG, they turned out PERFECT!!!!! Still slightly pink in the middle and everything! I showed a picture to my parents & my dad even said they looked perfect! Score!!! They were so good!!!

Pork Chops (Pinterest) (2 servings):

2 pork chops, bone-in, 3/4"-1" thick
2 tbsp veggie oil
2 tsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 c chicken broth
1 tbsp liquid smoke

Mix together brown sugar, salt & pepper & rub evenly to both sides of pork chops. Set instant pot to saute & add veggie oil. When oil is hot, brown both sides of pork chops for about 2-3 min. After browning, remove from pot & set aside and press cancel.

Add chicken stock & liquid smoke to pot & scrape the bottom with wooden spoon. Place trivet in pot & add pork chops onto trivet. Secure lid & set to pressure cook for 10 min. Natural release for at least 10 min before removing from pot & serve. Enjoy!




Ready to be cooked...

Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Wild Rice

I love wild rice & it's so much more healthier than white or brown rice. And I'm from MN, where it's grown. But wild rice is also hard to cook-it normally takes a longer time to cook. I've cooked it in my rice cooker before & when I did that, I burned the bottom of it. But I did make a big batch of it and froze it in individual servings. When I went home a couple weeks ago, I bought a 5lb bag of wild rice-that will last a me until hopefully Christmas, when I can ask for some more.

When I made the wild rice in the instant pot, it came out perfect-nothing stuck to the bottom & the rice was still crispy. So good! I only made one batch this time, since I wasn't sure how much it would make but I think next time, I'll made a double batch. I like freezing it in individual servings. It's so easy to take out as an easy side.

Wild Rice (Pinterest) (8 servings):

2 c hand-parched wild rice
5 c water, bone broth or a combo (I used chicken broth)
2 tsp salt

Add the wild rice, water and/or bone broth and salt to instant pot. Place lid on instant pot & turn until it locks into place. Make to seal the vent. Press the manual button & adjust the cooking time to 35 min and the pressure to high. Manually release pressure. Open lid immediately & fluff with a fork. Enjoy!




Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Sweet Potato Chicken Curry

I've never made curry before & this recipe threw me for a loop but it sounded so good so I wanted to try it. And I'm so glad I did. It had so much flavor!! I didn't eat it over any rice, which I should have done to soak up up the broth. I ended up freezing half of the batch so when I take it out of the freezer, I'll be sure to have some rice on hand. I'll definitely make this again and look for some more curries to try!

Sweet Potato Chicken Curry (Pinterest) (4-5 servings):

2 tsp ghee or coconut oil
1/2 med yellow onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced (I used asafoetida powder)
1lb chicken breast, cubed
1 sweet potato, cubed
1 red bell pepper, sliced or diced
2 c green beans, trimmed
2/3 c chicken broth
3 tbsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp salt
1 (14 oz) can full fat coconut milk
Cashews, cilantro & cauliflower rice, for serving
Optional: tapioca starch (I used cornstarch), for a thicker curry

Set instant pot to saute. Add ghee, onion & garlic & saute until onions are translucent. Then turn off & set to pressure cook. Add chicken, sweet potatoes, red pepper, green beans, broth, curry, cumin, turmeric, cayenne & salt. Seal pot & set time for 12 min.

Once time is up, release pressure by switching from seal to vent. Once pressure is released, remove lid and turn pot to saute. Stir in coconut milk & let cook for an additional 2-3 min or until soup is hot. For a thicker curry, whisk together 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water. Stir into curry.

Serve over cauliflower rice, if desired. Top with cashews & fresh cilantro.










Ready to cook...

Ready to serve...

Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Pork Chili Verde

Since I have a pretty severe allergy to tomatoes (my throat gets really itchy & feels like it's closing up), it's hard to find a really good chili & man I miss chili! I found this recipe & of course I had to try it. I learned awhile ago that tomatillos is not a tomato, but a berry and it doesn't bother me. Yay! This chili was really good. The tomatillos melted down & gave it such a good flavor. The only thing I didn't notice, until I tried it, was that it didn't call for any seasoning. I added my own at the end-my go-to's-onion powder & celery salt.

Pork Chili Verde (Pinterest):

1 tbsp oil
1 lb tomatatillos, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced (I used Asafoetida powder)
3/4 c diced onion
2/5 c diced sweet potato
2 serrano peppers, minced, optional (I used jalapeno peppers with the seeds removed)
2 lb pork stew meat (pre-cubed)
1/2 c broth
2-3 tbsp chopped cilantro

Turn instant pot to saute. Add all ingredients except the broth & cilantro & saute 5 min, then turn off. Add broth & cilantro. Set instant pot to pressure cook for 20 min. Use the quick release method, stir well to help the sweet potatoes & tomatillos break down even further. Serve warm. Enjoy!




Ready to be cooked...

Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Pot Roast & Potatoes

I've always loved a good pot roast. When I was at the store & picked up several roasts & figured I'd find good recipes to use them in. I was surprised how quickly the roast took to quick & how flavorful it still was. I wasn't a big fan of the potatoes-they were too mushy. When I make this again, I think I'll use russet potatoes. I ended up freezing half of the recipe but towards the end of eating this, I was eating it with wild rice I had taken from the freezer. The juice from the roast was way too good & it made a lot. So so good!

Pot Roast & Potatoes (Pinterest) (4 servings):

1 (3-5 lb) beef chuck roast
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder (I used Asafoetida Powder-see post a couple below)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp smoked paprika, optional
1 lb baby red potatoes
4 large carrots, chopped into large chunks
1 large yellow onion, chopped
4 c beef broth
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (I omitted this since there's garlic powder in it)
1/4 c water
2 tbsp corn starch

Turn on your instant pot & set to saute. In small bowl, stir together salt, pepper garlic powder, onion powder & smoked paprika. Rub mixture all over roast to coat all sides. Drizzle oil in instant pot, wait about 30 seconds, then using tongs to place roast in pot. Do not move it for 3-4 min until well seared and browned. Use tongs to turn roast onto another side for 3-4 min, repeating until all sides are browned.

Switch instant pot to pressure cook on high and set to 60-80 min (60 for a 3lb roast 80 for a 5lb roast). Add potatoes, onions and carrots to pot (arrange them around the roast) and pour beef broth and Worcestershire sauce over everything. Place lid on pot & turn to locked position. Make sure vent is set to sealed position.

When cooking time is up, do a natural release for 10 min (don't touch anything on the pot, just let it depressurize on it's own for 10 min). After 10 min, turn vent to the venting release position & allow all of the steam to vent & the float valve to drop down before removing the lid.

Transfer the roast, potatoes, onions & carrots to a platter & shred the roast with 2 forks into chunks. Use a handheld strainer to scoop out bits from the broth in the pot. Set instant pot to "soup" setting. Whisk together the water & cornstarch. Once broth is broiling, stir in cornstarch mixture until gravy thickens. Add salt, pepper & garlic powder to taste.

Serve gravy poured over roast & veggies & garnish with fresh thyme or parsley, if desired.




Ready to be cooked...

Roast is done...

Enjoy!...

Pressure Cooker Easy Mushroom Risotto

My friend made me some risotto once in her pressure cooker & I was in love! And I've had it since and it was soooo good! I've heard it's hard to cook on the stove so once I got my Instant Pot, of course I wanted to try it myself. I used to hate mushrooms & now I have a love/hat relationship with them. If I don't fully taste them, I'm okay with them. I was at a vegan Mexican place with a friend of mine & she had mushroom tostadas & I tried one of the mushrooms on it & it was actually pretty good. I can get mushrooms on my pizza & be fine with them too...as long as they aren't too big. I could never eat a mushroom burger though-too much!! Which is why I thought I'd try this risotto and it was actually really good. I didn't add all the mushrooms it called for-I went a little easy on them for my first time and I cut them really small. And I had to call my mom to figure out how to cut them up haha! But the risotto turned out fantastic & I would definitely make it again!

Mushroom Risotto (Pinterest) (4-5 servings):

1 onion, diced
24 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1/4 c red or white wine
2 c arborio rice
4 c chicken or veggie broth
1 c grated parm cheese (I used my vegan parm)
1 tbsp butter (I used vegan & soy free butter)
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp olive oil

Press the saute button on your Instant pot. Add oil. When you hear the beep that the oil is hot, add the onions & saute until translucent. Add the thyme & mushrooms & stir until mushrooms have softened. Add the rice & mix thoroughly until rice has toasted. Pour in wine & the broth. Add salt & pepper.

Close lid & press cancel. Press the pressure cook button & cook for 7 minutes. When 7 minutes have passed, release the pressure. Open the lid & add the cheese & butter. Mix well & check for seasoning. Rice should be creamy & thick, if not, cook in saute mode for 2-3 min. Enjoy!




Enjoy!...

Instant Pot Sausage & Mash

I caved & gave into the craze & bought myself an Instant Pot & I'm so glad I did!!! I've made so many recipes since buying it. This just works for me because I can go home & whip up something quick, instead of waiting forever in the slow cooker or on the stove or in the oven. And you can do everything in the pot-sauting included. I just love it! And this is good for all my diet restrictions-I can cook a lot of meat again & start filling up my freezer again with meals!

One of the first recipes I made were these brats & mashed potatoes. The recipe I found included mashed potatoes, but I used the recipe found in the Instant Pot cookbook it came with. I was amazed how quick everything took & how it still tasted amazing.

*Classic Mashed Potatoes (Instant Pot) (4-6 servings)

5-8 medium potatoes
2 c water
1 tsp salt
1/2 c almond milk
Salt & pepper to taste

Place washed potatoes (I also peeled & cut them in quarters) in pot. Pour in water & sprinkle wiht salt. Close & lock lid. Select pressure cook & then adjust buttons to set 20 min of pressure cooking time. When time is up, do a quick release & open lid.

Transfer potatoes to mixing bowl, reserving the cooking water. Remove skins, if you didn't before. Add 2 tbsp of cooking liquid or butter and begin mashing with a potato masher (I used a mixer). Continue adding small quantities of cooking liquid & cream until desired consistency is reached. Add salt & pepper taste.


*Brats (Pinterest) (2 servings):

6 thick pork sasauges, prick with a sharp knife
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 c sticky onions (I had no idea what sticky onions were so I just used regular onions)
1/2 c red wine or beef broth
1/2 c water
1 tbsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp water
Salt and pepper, to taste

Add oil to pot & set to Saute. Add the sausages & brown in oil-you will need to move them around regularly to get all sides colored. When browned, stir in the onions, immediately following with the wine & water. Turn off saute. Set to pressure cook for 8 min. Once cooked, do a quick release.

Take off lid, hit cancel & push the saute button. Stir frequently & pour in cornstarch mixture. Bring to a bubble for a couple of minutes until desired consistency is reached. Serve over mashed potatoes. Enjoy!





Enjoy!...

Gluten Free Drop Biscuits

I can't find the website where I found the recipe-when I find my notebook of sites to check out/starred, I'll update this entry. These rolls are dairy free, egg free, soy free, nut free & seed free. So basically allergy free. These stuck out to me because if they were good, then I could make them again & freeze them. And they were pretty good. I had to go on a hunt for the different flours and they didn't brown up, but then the recipe said they wouldn't.

Gluten Free Drop Biscuits (9-10 biscuits):

1/2 c millet flour
1/2 c sorghum flour
1/2 c potato starch
1/4 c cornstarch
1 tsp xanthan gum
1 tsp cream of tartar
2 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 c oil
1 egg (or 1 egg replacement)
3/4 c unsweetened milk replacement

Heat oven to 400. Prepare a light colored cookie sheet by either greasing it or covering with with parchment paper. Combine dry ingredients (through salt) in bowl. In larger bowl, combine oil, egg replacer mixture & milk. Add dry ingredients and beat with mixer for 25-30 seconds, scraping down sides & beat for another 10 seconds or so, just until everything is combined. Don't overmix or biscuits won't be fluffy.

Spray a large cookie or ice cream scoop or large spoon with cookie spray. Scoop & drop the dough onto prepared baking sheet. Bake at 400 for about 12-14 min.

Note: When baking without dairy or eggs, it is sometimes hard to determine when the product is done because it doesn't brown the same. These biscuits will brown a little. They are usually done when the bottom of the biscuit is lightly browned, but no more than 14 min, unless the biscuits are big.




Enjoy!...

Egg Free Gluten Free Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread

I was so excited to see this on Pinterest & to know I could still eat zucchini bread, chocolate chip zucchini bread even! I just had to make a few adjustments in my pantry, which was totally doable! And this recipe called for a banana, which is gross so I substituted applesauce. I think I used too much applesauce, since the bread came out a little too crumbly, like it literally could not hold up, but it still tasted sooo good!

Zucchini Chocolate Chip Bread (Pinterest):

2 /14 c gluten free flour
1 c grated zucchini
1/2 c dairy free chocolate chips
1/4 c dairy free milk
2/3 c sugar
1 1/2 c ripe bananas (or applesauce)
1/2 c oil
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp guar gum

Preheat oven to 350 for 20 min. In large bowl, smash bananas with a fork until small lumps remain & turn into a liquid consistency. Wash & grate zucchini. Place grated zucchini in several layers of paper towels and wring out excess water. Combine zucchini and all remaining ingredients. Mix until well incorporated.

Bake in a 9x5 bread pan with a foil tent for 45 min. Remove foil tent and bake for another 25-30 min. Check center for a toothpick, it should come out clean. Remove bread from oven. Allow to cool in pan for 5 min, then carefully transfer to wire rack to cool. Allow to cool before slicing. Enjoy!




Ready to be baked...

Cooled & ready to be sliced...

Crumbly bread...Enjoy!...

Vegan Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Sauce

The theme for this potluck at work was dips & spreads & at the time, I was completely clueless as to what to make or bring. My coworker had tried this recipe & used it as a sauce & said it was really good. Only I found out after, she made hers a little different. The flavor was good, it just looks a little funky. I'm not sure if I'll make this version again but I'm up for trying other vegan versions again.

Vegan Chipotle Cheddar Cheese Sauce (Pinterest) (8 servings):

2 c peeled & chopped Yukon gold potatoes
1 c peeled & chopped carrots
1/2 c raw cashews
1 c unsweetened almond milk
1/2 c nutritional yeast
1 chipotle pepper in adobo
3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Pepper, to taste

Bring med pot of water to boil, place potatoes, carrots & cashews in once boiling. Simmer for about 20 min, or until fork-tender. Drain and transfer to a high-speed blender. Add remaining ingredients into blender and blend until completely smooth. Serve with favorite crackers and veggies as a dip or use as a cheese sauce.




Enjoy!...

Simple Spinach Salad with Apple Cider Vinaigrette

Work was having a potluck & I knew I probably wouldn't be able to eat anything so I wanted to bring something I could at least eat. The vegan cheese I eat had just released a feta cheese but it was so rich so I decided to throw it in a spinach salad with green apples & cranberries. And then make up a dressing my coworkers could drizzle on top of it. It was really good! And healthy and something I could eat! I just chopped up some green apples & tossed some spinach in a bowl with some cranberries. Super easy. I found the dressing on Pinterest.

Apple Cider Vinaigrette (Pinterest):

1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
Pepper, to taste
1 1/2 tbsp maple syurp
5 tbsp olive oil

Place in mason jar & shake to combine. Enjoy!




Close up of the salad...

Enjoy!...

Simple Vegan Pesto

Finding a topping to put on pastas has been hard with these new diet restrictions, especially since I can't eat tomatoes. My go to before was tomatillo sauce but every store-bought one has garlic in it. I've made it before but making pesto is just easier. I found this one on Pinterest. This one calls for garlic, but I found a substitute weirdly enough at the place I buy tea, called Asafoetida Powder. The guy said a lot of vegetarians use it in place of garlic or those who are allergic to garlic. So that's what I've been using. It smells pretty funky but it works. I use it like I would use garlic powder.

I keep saying I'm going to make a big batch of this pesto & then freeze it but I have yet to do that. I just keep making it over & over again.

Simple Vegan Pesto (Pinterest) (6 servings):

3 c basil, moderately packed
Juice of one small-med lemon
1/3 c pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, peeled & roughly chopped
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 c EVOO

In food processor, combine all ingredients except oil. Pulse until evenly chopped. Slowly add in the oil through the top of the processor. Pulse until evenly combined but not completely smooth. Enjoy!




Asafoetida Powder...

Enjoy!...

Pizza

Right around April, I saw a natural homeopathic doctor & had a food allergy test done. Turns out I tested positive for dairy, eggs, soy, gluten, garlic, pineapple, peanuts and of course I still can't have tomatoes. I always knew about the dairy to some degree but everything else was a shock. The doctor wanted me to stop eating all foods that contained those ingredients for 3 months to detox my body & to find out what my body's reaction would be to them at a later date. It's now July and I'm finally accustomed to not eating any of it. I quickly found a vegan cheese that is a pretty good substitute. I've accidentally eaten garlic a couple times & it's given me migraines right away, which sucks because I love garlic. Gluten gives me migraines as well. I ate some processed cheese on a hamburger & never again-such horrid cramps!! I'm not sure what eggs & soy do to me. It's been interesting doing some trial & error on some recipes but I'm getting pretty good at looking at a recipe now & knowing what I can substitute out now. Usually when a recipe calls for garlic, I just omit it all together. The new diet changes have made me feel better, so something is working!

For pizza, a lot of places have gluten free. I found this amazing gluten free crust at Whole Foods and for the first month, it was my life savor!! I brought some back with me to MN when I went home in early July too. I've included what the crust looks like & a couple of examples of some of the pizzas I've made with it.




Gluten free, vegan pizza crust...

Violife cream cheese, smoked salmon, onion, capers...

Olive oil, Leftover ground turkey with onions, Violife cheese, fresh herbs, sea salt...

Flavored olive oil, Leftover shredded pork, onions, Violife cheese, dried herbs, sea salt...

Beautiful Brussels Sprouts

I wanted to up my Brussels sprouts game last year for Thanksgiving last year and be a little more healthy. So I found this recipe on Pinterest-I think the original recipe came from the Pioneer Woman. And it was soooo good! I believe I'll definitely make this again next year. The recipe calls for pomegranate molasses, which I didn't have so I used an aged balsamic. I've since found pomegranate. But the aged balsamic was just as good.

Beautiful Brussels Sprouts (Pinterest) (8 servings:

1 1/2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed & halved
1 whole small butter squash, peeled & cubed
1 whole large red onion, peeled & cut into wedges
Olive oil, for drizzling
Salt & pepper, to taste
1 tsp chili powder
1/3 c pomegranate sauce/molasses
Pomegranate seeds

Preheat oven to 425. Place veggies on a rimmed sheet pan & drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper & chili powder & toss together. Marinate overnight or roast right away for 20-25 min, until slightly browned. Remove veggies from oven & arrange them onto a serving platter.

Drizzle on the pomegranate sauce, then sprinkle on pomegranate seeds. Serve. Enjoy!




Marinating...

Enjoy!...

Microwave Chocolate Fudge

This fudge came out so much better than the last batch. And much easier to clean up!! It was just a basic chocolate fudge but to make it better, I put peanut butter chips on half of it & coarse sea salt on the other half of it. There wasn't a ton left over after I divided between 8 therapists but I managed to taste it & it was pretty good! I'd definitely make it again! There's so many variations you could make with it since it's just the basic chocolate base too.

Microwave Chocolate Fudge (Pinterest) (32 servings):

18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz) can condensed milk
4 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt

Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with foil & spraying foil with nonstick cooking spray. In large microwave safe bowl, combine chips, condensed milk & butter. Microwave for 1 min & stir. Continue to microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after every 30 seconds, until the fudge is melted and smooth.

Stir well to ensure all the chocolate is melted, then add the vanilla & salt. Stir until everything is smooth & well-mixed. Pour fudge into prepared pan & smooth it into an even layer. Place fudge in fridge to set, for at least 2 hours. Once set, cut into 1-inch squares & serve at room temp. Store excess fudge in an airtight container in the fridge.




Enjoy!...

5-Ingredient Microwave Caramel Chocolate Fudge

Last year, my coworker & I decided to make homemade treats for my the therapists at work. She was going to make cookies I thought I'd attempt fudge, since I though it would be so easy. I found this recipe on Pinterest and when I found out you could microwave it, I thought hey even easier! Man, was I wrong! The caramel was soooo sticky!!! It stuck to everything! Luckily I tried the recipe a couple days before because it created such a mess that the night before I went out the store & got another can of condensed milk & made another batch of different fudge. I showed pictures of the mess I made with this batch. The fudge did taste good after I cleaned everything up but it would have been way too hard to turn these things into treats to give away. I ended up keeping these for myself but I had to eat these with a spoon. They stuck to the cutting board, to the parchment paper, everything! Maybe you'll have better luck!

5-Ingredient Microwave Caramel Chocolate Fudge (Pinterest):

3 c milk chocolate chips
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk, full-fat
2 tsp vanilla extract
25 caramels, unwrapped
2 tbsp heavy cream
Sea salt, optional (a must!!)

Line an 8x8 pan with parment paper-do not skip this or you'll likely won't be able to get your fudge out looking very nice. Combine the chips & the sweetened condensed milk in microwave-safe bowl. Stir together & microwave for 30 seconds then stir for 30 seconds. Microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring for 30 seconds in between until completely melted. Stir in the vanilla extract.

Pour into the prepared pan. Spray a spatula with nonstick cooking spray & smooth the chocolate fudge. Quickly rinse out & dry the bowl. Combine the unwrapped caramels & heavy cream in bowl. Microwave for 30 seconds & stir for 30 seconds. Return the mixture to microwave & microwave in bursts of 15 seconds, stirring for 30 seconds in between until completely melted.

Pour caramel over chocolate evenly. If desired, top fudge pieces with sea salt. Cover tightly (make sure nothing touches the fudge!!!) and place in fridge to harden/set up overnight. Cut the fudge with a hot wet knife. Store any leftover fudge in an airtight container in the fridge.




So pretty...

The mess after I scraped the fudge off...

Enjoy!...

One Pan Healthy Sausage & Veggies

I was on a sheet pan kick for a little bit and I found this recipe on Pinterest of course. And it was an easy way to cook brats. This dish had a lot of flavor. I'd make it again. I didn't have a lot of the veggies it called for on hand, so I substituted for what I did have-I used asparagus, cauliflower & onions. Still turned out great but I think I would leave out the cauliflower next time.

One Pan Healthy Sausage & Veggies (Pinterest) (4 servings):

2 c red potato
3/4 lb green beans
1 large head of broccoli
1 1/2 c chopped bell peppers
9 oz smoked sausages
6 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tbsp dried oregano
1 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Fresh parm, optional

Preheat oven to 400. Line large baking sheet with foil or parchment paper. Prep veggies: chop red potatoes, trim green beans & half, chop broccoli, chop peppers into thick squares & coin the sausages into thick slices.

Place all veggies & sausage on a sheet pan. Pour olive oil & all the spices on top. Toss to evenly coat everything. Bake 15 min, remove from oven & flip/stir everything around. Return to oven & bake for another 10-15 min or until veggies are crisp-tender and sausage is browned.

If desired, sprinkle with fresh parm over veggies & sausage as soon as they come out of the oven.

Enjoy!




Enjoy!...

Autumn Minestrone Soup

I have new diet restrictions and luckily, everything in this soup, minus the garlic, I can eat, which means I can make this again. This soup was really good & I'd definitely make this one again.

Autumn Minestrone Soup (Pinterest) (6 servings):

2 med carrots, diced
1 med yellow onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 c veggie broth
2 1/2 c 3/4-inch diced yukon gold potatoes (I used sweet potatoes)
2 1/2 c 3/4-inch diced butternut squash (or pre-cut)
1 med zucchini, ends trimmed, sliced into half-moons or quarters
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes (I used a can of diced chiles)
2 1/2 tsp finely minced fresh rosemary or oregano
2 1/2 tsp minced fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper
2/3 c dry ditalini pasta, or other small pasta (optional)
2 c packed chopped kale (thick ribs removed)
1 (14.5 oz) can red or white kidney beans, drained & rinsed
Shredded parm, for serving (optional)

Heat oil in large pot over med-high. Add onions & carrots and saute 3 min, then add garlic and saute 1 min longer. Stir in veggie broth, potatoes, squash, zucchini, tomatoes, rosemary, thyme, bay leaves & season with salt & pepper to taste. Bring to boil & then stir in pasta, if using. Cover, reduce heat to med-low & simmer until veggies are nearly tender, about 15 min. Stir in kale and kidney beans and cook until kale is tender, about 5 min longer. Remove bay leaves, serve warm with parm.




Ready to be simmered...

Enjoy!...

Cookie Bars

Again I did not get an after shot...but to my defense, there wasn't any leftovers so I couldn't!! These were gone fast when I brought them to work!

Cookie Bars (Pinterest):

1/2 c butter
1 c brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 c flour, sifted
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp baking soda
3/4 c chocolate chips

Melt butter in microwave safe bowl until melted. Let cool. Add brown sugar, vanilla & egg-mix well. Add dry ingredients gradually. Blend well and pour into greased 9x9" pan. Sprinkle with chocolate chips and bake at 350 for 20-25 min.




Enjoy!...

Chocolate Chip Caramel Butter Bars

I needed to make a dessert for a potluck for work & I found this recipe on Pinterest. I don't have the after shot but they were really good! And they did not last long with the therapists!

Chocolate Chip Caramel Butter Bars (Pinterest) (24 bars):

1 1/2 c unsalted butter
1 1/2 c sugar
2 large eggs
2 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cream of tartar
1 tsp salt
4 c + 1/4 c flour, divided
2 c chocolate chips
1 (11-12 oz) jar caramel or salted caramel ice cream topping

Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x13" pan with foil & spray with nonstick cooking spray. Cream butter & sugar with a mixer. Once mixture is creamed & fluffy, mix in the eggs & vanilla extract until smooth, then mix in the baking soda, cream of tartar & salt. Slowly mix in 4 c flour until mixture is just combined, then stir in the chocolate chips.

Press about 2/3 c of this mixture in the bottom and about 1/2" up the sides of the prepared pan. Stir in the caramel sauce & remaining 1/4 c flour in small bowl. Pour over the top of the dough. Drop spoonfuls of the remaining dough evenly over the top of the caramel.

Bake 25-33 min, or until the top looks done & is golden brown around the edges. It will still be somewhat jiggly in the center. Cool completely before cutting. It's easier to cut when chilled. Store in airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month.




Enjoy!...

Cauliflower Fried Rice

I found this recipe on Pinterest. It was good the day of but not so much as leftovers. And I didn't use the frozen kind, like it called for-I "riced" a cauliflower. I also had to use way more soy sauce & garlic to add flavor.

Cauliflower Fried Rice (Pinterest) (4 servings):

1 bag frozen riced cauliflower or a head of cauliflower chopped up & "riced in food processor
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 c frozen peas & carrots, thawed
1/4 c broccoli, chopped
3 tbsp soy sauce
Salt & pepper
Garlic salt, optional
1 egg

Heat oil in large skillet on med/high heat. Saute onions until tender. Add peas, carrots & broccoli and cook until soft. Add frozen cauliflower (or fresh riced) to pan. Mix with veggies & continue to saute until cauliflower is no longer frozen. Add about 2 tbsp soy sauce & mix well. Slide rice to one side of pan & scramble egg on other side of pan. Once egg is cooked, mix in with rice & add additional soy sauce (to taste preference). Add salt, pepper & garlic salt to preference. Enjoy!




Enjoy!...

Garlic Lemon Butter Salmon

Found this recipe on Pinterest. I can't make it again, since it contains two things I'm allergic to...garlic & pineapple but from what I remember, it was good.

Garlic Lemon Butter Salmon (Pinterest) (2 servings):

2 salmon fillets
1/2 pineapple, halved & sliced
1/4 c butter
1/3 c honey
4 large cloves garlic, crushed
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Chopped parlsey
Salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 400. In small saucepan, melt butter over low-med. Add honey, garlic & lemon. Whisk until honey has melted through the butter & the mixture is well combined. Add 1 tbsp chopped parsley, mix well & set aside.

Cut 4 sheets of 14-inch lenght foil. Divide pineapple slices among sheets layering in center in an even layer & sprinkle with pepper. Arrange salmon fillets on top & drizzle with honey mixture. Sprinkle with salt & pepper & top with more chopped parsley.

Pull sides of foil inward & seal, then roll edges up; try to leave a little room for heat to circulate. Transfer packets on a baking & bake in oven for 10-15 min. Eat with remaining sauce & additional parsley. Enjoy!




Two individual servings...

Close up of the parcels...

Wrapped up & ready to be baked...

Enjoy!...

Baby Back Ribs

I'm so behind on this, so bear with me please! I love this blend of seasoning and it tasted really good on the ribs. I've used it since, but omitted the garlic since I can't eat garlic anymore :(. I found this recipe on Pinterest.

Baby Back Ribs (Pinterest)

1-2 racks baby back ribs
2 tbsp garlic powder
2 tbsp onion powder
2 tbsp chili powder
2 tbsp cumin
2 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
1-2 tsp cayenne pepper

Mix all dry rub seasoning in bowl. Bring ribs to room temp & apply rub generously to ribs. Rub into meat & let sit 1 hour.

Place ribs on a foil-lined baking sheet, then cover with foil & bake in oven at 275 for 2 hours. Remove foil, slather with bbq sauce & place back into oven, uncovered, for 30 min or until meat if falling off the bone. Enjoy!




Seasoning...

Fresh from the oven...

Ready to eat...Enjoy!