Beef Stew in the Pressure Cooker

This is sooo good and quick and easy.  This has become a family favorite!

1 ½ lb beef stew meat
3 TBS oil
2 large potatoes
4-5 large carrots
1 large onion
1 can green beans with liquid
2 cans diced tomatoes with liquid
Salt
Pepper
2 TBS cornstarch
1/3 c cold water or beef broth
Cut the beef stew meat into bite size pieces. Do the same with the potatoes, carrots and onions. Heat the pressure cooker over medium high heat. Add the oil and stew meat. Stir and cook until the meat is well browned all over. Add the potatoes, carrots, onion, beans with their liquid, and tomatoes with their liquid. Add salt and pepper to taste. Place the lid and weight on the pressure cooker according to your manufacturer’s instruction. Heat on medium high setting until pressure is achieved (weight begins to rock gently and steadily). Continue cooking for 15 minutes. At the end of the 15 minutes cooking time, reduce the pressure immediately by running cold water on the top of the pressure cooker. When pressure releases, open the top of the cooker and place it back on the stove. Combine the cornstarch and cold water in a small bowl. Bring the stew back up to the boil, add the cornstarch and water and stir until thickened. Serve over rice or noodles.

I found this at http://www.lanascooking.com

I did add a couple of shakes of worchestshire sauce to the meat as it browned.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Boil 3 chicken breasts – shred
Mix chicken with Fred’s red hot sauce, until orange
2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese and one pkg dry ranch dressing
Spread cream cheese mix in 8x11
Top with chicken mix
Cover with 16 oz of sharp cheddar sprinkle cheese
Bake 350 for 30 minutes

Everyone has a verison of this.
This is from my friend Marcia, our 4 boys will clean the pan! 

Mom's Southern Pecan Pie

This is the pecan pie I grew up eating.  Mine isn't ever as good as my mom's.  But it will have to do since mom passed away in October.  I alway throw about 1/2 - 3/4 of the pecans in the blender and pulse a couple of times.  People who usually don't like pecan pie don't believe it really is, as the nuts get chopped.

8 " Unbaked Pie Crust (I always use a deep dish)
1 c brown sugar, packed
1/2 c white sugar
1 TBS flour
2 eggs
2 TBS milk
2 tsp vanilla
½ c butter, melted
1 c pecans, broken
Directions:
Mix together dry ingredients. Beat in liquids. Fold in pecans, pour into crust. Bake at 375 for 40 - 50 minutes or until top cracks! Top MUST crack or filling will be too gooey.
To cheat: Mix in blender (in this order) eggs, milk, vanilla, butter, mixed dry ingredients.

Pumpkin Pie Cake

This is a re-post.  I have already made this 3 times and it isn't even Thanksgiving.


We first had this cake when we went to visit John’s family in Michigan. This is Aunt Jeannie’s recipe for a cake she made while we were there. My guys ask for it all year long – not just at the holidays. We’ll have a piece for Aunt Jeannie as she passed away in February.

1 spice cake mix
1 can pumpkin
½ c brown sugar
2 ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice
½ c water
3 eggs
Blend together and pour into greased and  floured 9 x 13 pan. Bake at 350 for 30 - 35 minutes or until done. Let cool a few minutes and sprinkle with powdered sugar. Can put Cool Whip on top, like pumpkin pie.

Cranberry Salsa

1 bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
2 TBS lime juice
  Grind these together in blender until smooth (may need a TBS of water or so)
Add 1 bunch fresh cilantro leaves, grind
Add 1 bunch fresh green onions, (green only), grind
Add  1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped (remember to wear gloves)
This will be a smooth salsa.  Best made a day ahead.
Serve with chips or over cream cheese and crackers.
Wish I knew which grocery store I got this from last fall, it is always a hit.
This is linked to Ingredient Spotlight at Eat at Home.

3 Ingredients Peanut Butter Cookies

1 cup peanut butter
1 cup white sugar
1 egg

Combine the peanut butter, white sugar and egg. Mix until smooth. Drop spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. Do not overbake! These cookies are best when they are still soft and just barely brown on the bottoms.  These mix up fast.  I ususally get about 20 - 24.

Aunt San San’s Oven BBQ Chicken

Mix & heat sauce:
3 TBS Catsup
2 TBS Vinegar
1 TBS Lemon juice
2 TBS Worcestershire sauce
4 TBS Water
2 TBS Butter
3 TBS Brown sugar
1 Tsp Mustard
1 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Chili powder
1 Tsp Paprika

Dip floured chicken pieces in sauce (one chicken cut up or your choice of pieces). Place in foil lined pan, cover with more foil & seal well. Bake at 500 for 15 minutes, reduce heat to 325, & bake 1 hour & 15 minutes more. Easy & great for a crowd, can be doubled.

This is linked to Eat at Home ingredient spotlight

Cherry Vinaigrette

This comes from Jessie at the  Vanderbilt Wife.

I made this dressing and it was great!  I had rasberry jam and cranberry juice.  I think any combo would work.  We had a mixed salad of romaine and spinach, wish I had added a few dried cranberries and crumbled bacon bits.  Best thing it made just a small amount.

Cherry Vinaigrette

2 TBS cherry whole-fruit jam, such as Smuckers Simply Fruit
1 TBS pomegranate or pomegranate-cherry juice
olive oil
salt and pepper
Whisk juice into the jam until jam is broken up and smooth. Whisk in olive oil until you reach desired dressing consistency. (I like just enough oil to make it runny so it is still very acidic, but it's up to you.) Add salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over salad and toss. Makes 4 side salad portions.

 
This is linked to Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight
 

Orange-Almond Salad

Lettuce
2 cans (11 ounces each) mandarin orange sections, drained
½ c sliced celery

¼ c thinly sliced green onions

½ c sliced almonds

   Dressing:
¼ c oil

2 TBS vinegar

2 TBS Sugar

Dash of salt

1/8 tsp almond or vanilla extract

Clean and tear the lettuce into bite-size pieces. Place the lettuce, orange sections, celery, green onions, and almonds in a bowl. In a screwtop jar, combine the salad oil, vinegar, sugar, salt, and almond extract; shake to combine well. At serving time, pour dressing over the salad and toss gently. Serves 6-8. 

We have been known to put this all together, with the drained oranges in a bowl the salad dressing in a jar and have it ready WELL before dinner, all we do is dress and toss!

This is from my aunt and goes GREAT with "The Casserole".

This is linked to Eat at Home  Ingredient Spotlight.

Pork Loin Roast

1 4-6 lb boneless pork loin roast (not tenderloin)
1 envelope dry onion soup

Sprinkle/rub soup in to roast. Bake fat side up at 350 for about 2 hours or until internal temperature reaches 160. Let rest 15 minutes and temperature will rise to 170. Carve and serve.

I seem to always impress my brother - in-law (the grill master) with this and it is SOOOO easy. I always use an oven bag and get a moist (hard to do with pork) roast and have an easy clean up.

For the most economical roast, buy a whole tenderloin at Sam’s or Costco.  They are usually around 10 pounds or more.  Cut into several roasts, or 1 roast and boneless pork chops.  

Dad's Clam Fettuccine

2 - 6 ½ oz cans clams, minced, drained, reserve liquid (1/3 c)
1 TBS olive oil
1 c onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c white wine or water
2/3 c chicken broth
4 tsp cornstarch
8 oz fettuccine, cooked and drained
salt and pepper
parmesan cheese to taste
Sauté onion & garlic 3-4 minutes. Add wine simmer 2 minutes, add broth & clams, NO CLAM JUICE, cover & reduce heat, stirring occasionally. Cook pasta. Combine clam juice & cornstarch in sm jar, shake to mix. Add to sauce to thicken. Spoon sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with salt, pepper & Parmesan cheese.

My father in law was a great cook!  Dad would cut recipes out of the paper, I think that is where this is from.  He made it and we all liked it,  I loved it the MOST and whenever we would come home Dad always made this for me.  This is simple enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough for a "special dinner".
 
This is linked to Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight for wine.
 

Asian Flank Steak (Freezer)

1 flank steak
½ c hoisin sauce
¼ c honey
¼ c sesame oil
¼ c lite soy sauce
¼ c white wine
¼ c sesame seeds  (can cut back to 1 - 2 TBS)
1 tsp minced garlic
Place all seasoning in ziplock and gently knead. Place steak in bag, and knead again.  Can be frozen at this point. Thaw and grill.

Wish I could give credit for this receipe.  This is one of the first things we made when we started freezing food and remains a favorite still today.

This is linked to Eat at Home Ingredient Spotlight.

Breakfast Casserole

6 oz Seasoned croutons
2 c Cheddar cheese, grated
1 lb Bacon, fried and crumbled (or 1 jar/pkg Bacon Bits)
1 pint Half and Half
10 Eggs or egg beaters
½ c Milk
Salt and Pepper To taste

Grease 9 x 13 pan. Beat ½ and ½ with eggs until frothy. Pour over ingredients. Layers should be crouton, cheese, bacon, and liquid. Cover with foil, let sit overnight. Bake at 325 for 40 – 45 minutes.
 
This is from Pam and has been made for over 20 years.  It really is a tried and true.
It is also linked to Ingredient Spotlight - Bacon