Thursday, December 14, 2017

Spaghetti IP

Spaghetti  IP
Ingredients
1 Pound Lean Ground Beef
1/2 Teaspoon EACH Salt, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Italian Seasoning
1 Pound Spaghetti Noodles
1 (24 Ounce) Jar Spaghetti Sauce
36 Ounces Water, 1 1/2 Jars
1 (14.5 Ounce) Can Diced Tomatoes

Directions:
Set the Instant Pot to saute' and add the ground beef. Add the salt, garlic powder, onion powder, and Italian seasonings. Cook the meat and seasonings, breaking the meat up until it's completely browned. Turn the Instant Pot off. Drain any excess grease from meat if necessary.
Break the spaghetti in half and place on top of meat in the Instant Pot. Pour over the spaghetti sauce, diced tomato, and water. Push the spaghetti down with a spoon if necessary to make sure it is completely covered in liquid.
Seal the instant pot and set it to manual mode, high pressure, 8 minutes cooking time. When the time is up, use manual quick release to open the Instant Pot. Stir the spaghetti well. Serve immediately.
Recipe Notes

NOTE: This spaghetti may appear to be a little liquidy right after cooking. Be sure to stir well to incorporate all of the liquid into the noodles before serving.

Saturday, November 18, 2017

Brussels Sprout Salad With Apples And Walnuts



Brussels Sprout Salad With Apples and Walnuts

Brussels Sprout Salad 
With Apples And Walnuts

INGREDIENTS
1 cup walnuts
1 pound brussels sprouts, ends trimmed
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more, if desired
¼ cup finely grated Parmesan or pecorino, plus more for shaving (about 2 ounces)
Kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper
1 fennel bulb, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
1 tart apple, such as Pink Lady, quartered, cored and thinly sliced lengthwise
½ cup pomegranate seeds (optional)
1 cup mint leaves, coarsely chopped
½ cup parsley, tender leaves and stems, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
  1. Toast walnuts in a skillet over low heat, shaking pan frequently, until evenly toasted and fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer nuts to a cutting board and chop.
  2. Remove all outer leaves from the brussels sprouts (reserve cores for roasting or pickling) and place in a large bowl with garlic, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup Parmesan and season with salt and pepper. Massage leaves until they are all evenly coated. Let sit about 5 minutes. (This will help them soften.)
  3. Add walnuts, fennel, apple and pomegranate seeds (if using) to brussels sprouts and toss to coat. Add mint, parsley and olive oil and season with salt, pepper and more lemon juice, if desired. Garnish with shavings of Parmesan.

Wednesday, November 15, 2017

IP Lasagna

Instant Pot Lasagna - nom nom nom!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving Size: 1/4 piece
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Brown 1lb ground beef.
  2. Mix ricotta cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1 egg, and spices.
  3. Line bottom of 7" springform pan with no-boil lasagna noodles. Break into pieces to fit the pan.
  4. Add layer of tomato sauce - enough to cover the noodles.
  5. Add layer of half of ground beef.
  6. Add layer of half of cheese mixture.
  7. Repeat with another layer of noodles, tomato sauce, ground beef, and cheese.
  8. Top with layer of noodles, and additional tomato sauce.
  9. Add remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.
  10. Place trivet in Instant Pot insert, and add 1.5 cups water.
  11. Loosely cover pan of lasagna with foil to keep out water.
  12. Place lasagna pan on top of trivet in insert.
  13. Lock lid on pot, and set valve to sealing.
  14. Press manual, 20 minutes (be sure pot is on high pressure).
  15. After cook finishes, allow to naturally release (NR) pressure - approximately 10 minutes.
  16. Remove lasagna after pressure releases. Broil on high for a few minutes to brown cheese.
  17. Enjoy!
Notes
Total time for recipe: Up to pressure - 5 minutes, cook time - 20 minutes, natural release - 11 minutes = 36 minutes.
You could also substitute cottage cheese for the ricotta.
www.sistersunderpressure.com

Friday, October 27, 2017

Fig, Pear, And Walnut Salad




pear salad 1 Fig, pear and walnut salad

Fig, Pear and Walnut Salad

Gretchen McKay/Post-Gazette

Fig, pear and walnut salad


Fig, Pear and Walnut Salad
Apples tend to get most of the love this time of year, but fall also is prime time for a variety of pears. My favorites are Bosc and Anjou pears, both of which are firm and sweet, and when sliced on top of a simple green salad elevate it to greatness.
Blue cheese pairs especially well with fresh pears, so that’s what I always crumble on top. Usually with abandon. Figs are another given, both to celebrate the season and to add a sweet counterbalance to the peppery, spicy bite of arugula.  
My fledgling fig tree didn’t bear fruit this year, so I used dried mission figs. If you’re not a walnut fan, substitute pecans or almonds. 
If you like, you can add a handful of homemade croutons for extra crunch.  But it’s just as nice served with crusty bread, and less work. 
For dressing
1 garlic clove, chopped with a pinch of salt into a paste
1 shallot, finely diced
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
Juice 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
For salad
6 dried figs, sliced into bite-sized pieces, or 4 fresh figs, quartered
4 firm pears, halved, cored and thinly sliced
1 cup toasted walnuts
8 ounces blue cheese
3 cups spinach
3 cups arugula
Mix the dressing ingredients in jar with a lid, and shake well to combine. Add salt and pepper to taste. 
Place salad ingredients in a large bowl, and toss together with hands. Season with a little salt.
Add dressing, and toss lightly to combine. 
Makes 4 generous servings. 

Saturday, October 7, 2017

Seared Scallop Salad With Orange And Bacon




2500th  Recipe
Today I complete the journey I began 10 1/2 years ago.  The blog has been a great investment of my time which I looked forward to sharing with so many unknown readers.  It is my hope you have truly enjoyed your visit to the blog.  This is my final recipe I will share and do hope you will return to search a favorite.  Donna


Seared Scallop Salad with Orange and Bacon


Ingredients:
3 oranges
¼ cup olive oil
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tsp maple syrup
½ tsp minced garlic
Salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices bacon, finely chopped
12 large dry-packed scallops, patted dry
8 cups washed and dried salad greens
Directions:
Grate 1 tsp zest and squeeze 2 tbsp juice from 1 orange. Cut peel and white pith from remaining oranges and separate into segments.


In a small bowl, whisk together orange zest and juice, oil, vinegar, maple syrup, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Add scallops to skillet. Cook, without moving them, until seared, about 2 minutes. Turn scallops and cook until seared, 1 to 2 minutes.

In a large bowl, toss salad greens and orange segments with just enough dressing to coat them. Divide salad among 4 plates. Top each salad with scallops. Drizzle scallops with any remaining dressing. Sprinkle salads with bacon.


Serves 4

Friday, October 6, 2017

Madras Lentils / Daal Makhani With Brown Rice - Instant Pot




Madras Lentils/Daal Makhani 

with Brown Rice - Instant Pot

A creamy lentil dish cooked with whole black lentils and kidney beans, lightly spiced to enjoy as a chili or over rice!  My new toy, an electric pressure cooker called Instant Pot.
 Course Main Course
 Cuisine Indian
 Prep Time 10 minutes
 Cook Time 50 minutes
 Total Time 1 hour
 Servings 6
 Author Archana Mundhe

Ingredients

Ingredients for Madras Lentils/Daal Makhani:

1 cup Black Gram Beans/adzuki beans/whole brown lentils
1/3 cup Red Kidney Beans
1 tablespoon oil ghee or coconut oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup finely diced onion
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 tablespoon fresh ginger grated
2 cups diced tomatoes
2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 teaspoon kashmiri red chili powder
1/2 cup light cream or coconut cream or cashew cream
1 teaspoon garam masala optional for non-spicy lentils
cilantro for garnish
Rice:
1 cup brown rice
1 tsp salt

Directions:
Rinse and soak black gram beans and red kidney beans in 3 cups of water. Overnight or 6-8 hours. Drain the water after soaking and keep the beans aside.


Set Instant Pot to Sauté (more) mode. Once the "Hot" sign displays, add oil and cumin seeds. Add onions and mix well.

Add turmeric powder, fresh ginger, tomatoes, salt, red chili powder and beans. Mix well.

Add 2 cups of water.

For pot in pot rice (optional)
Rinse and drain rice. Add rice, 2 cups of water and salt in a stainless steel container.

Put a tall trivet ( I have a 2.75 inch one from amazon) over the beans.

Place rice container on the trivet.

Close Instant Pot with pressure valve to sealing. Cook on Manual(Hi) for 30 minutes followed by Natural Pressure Release.

Open Instant Pot and set to saute mode.
Carefully take out the Rice container and the trivet.
Stir in cream, add garam masala (optional) and garnish with cilantro.

Recipe Notes

Notes to make a more authentic daal makhani:

1.Add 1/2 tablespoon of cumin powder, 1/2 tablespoon coriander powder, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic along with ginger and red chili powder. 2. Add 1 tablespoon kasoori methi {dried fenugreek leaves} along with fresh cilantro in the end. 3. You can also add more or less red chili powder and garam masala to adjust the spice level.

Notes to make dairy free: 1. Replace ghee with oil 2. Use coconut cream or cashew cream(blend cashews in water)

I prefer soaking the beans overnight. If you decide to cook them unsoaked, increase the cook time to 60 minutes.


Thursday, October 5, 2017

Shrimp And Mango Shrimp Rolls

Shrimp & Mango Spring Rolls

Ingredients:
2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp lime juice
2 tbsp packed brown sugar
¼ tsp red chili flakes
8 oz frozen, cooked shelled shrimp, thawed
1 large mango, peeled, pitted and diced
3 radishes, cut into matchsticks
2 green onions, thinly sliced
2 tbsp finely chopped cilantro
2 tbsp shredded fresh basil
1 tsp Asian chili-garlic sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
6-inch rice paper wrappers, about 12

Directions:
In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and red chili flakes until sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Pat shrimp dry, then chop. In a bowl, toss together shrimp, mango, radishes, green onions, cilantro, basil, chili-garlic sauce and sesame oil.

Working with 2 wrappers at a time, dip them in a bowl of warm water and lay out in a single layer on a clean tea towel.

Spoon about 2 heaping tbsp shrimp mixture in a strip just below centre of each wrapper, leaving a 1-inch border on either side. Fold in sides of each wrapper, then roll up wrappers to enclose filling. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling.

Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce.
Makes about 12 spring rolls

Wednesday, October 4, 2017

Homemade Fig Newtons

Homemade Fig Newtons
Cakey Cookie Dough:
Ingredients
10 1/2 ounces all purpose flour, such as Gold Medal, plus more for dusting (2 1/4 cups, spooned;)
5 ounces unsalted butter, soft but cool, about 65°F (1 1/4 sticks;)
4 ounces light brown sugar, gently packed 
1/2 plus 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use about half as much by volume or the same weight
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 ounce honey (about 2 tablespoons, ungreased)
1 teaspoon orange zest
1/2 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice (about 1 tablespoon)
3 large egg yolks, straight from the fridge (approximately 1 1/2 ounces)

No-Cook Fig Preserves:
12 ounces plump, sticky dried Mission figs, stems trimmed,about 2 1/2 cups
3 1/2 ounces sweetened or unsweetened applesauce about 1/3 cup

1 ounce freshly squeezed orange juice, about 2 tablespoons

Directions:

Prepare the Dough: Combine butter, brown sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, honey, and orange zest in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed to moisten, then increase to medium and cream until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add orange juice, then add the egg yolks one at a time and continue beating until smooth. Reduce the speed to low and sprinkle in the flour, mixing until well combined.

Knead the dough against the sides of the bowl to form a smooth ball. Flatten into a disc and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until cool and firm but not hard, about 1 hour. (The dough can be refrigerated for up to 1 week; soften for 30 minutes at room temperature.)

Prepare the Preserves: Cut the figs in half. Pulse with applesauce and orange juice in a food processor until roughly chopped, then process to a thick, smooth paste. Scrape the bowl and blade with a flexible spatula, then process a minute more to ensure absolutely no chunks remain. Transfer to a sturdy piping bag fitted with a 1⁄2-inch plain tip and set aside until needed, up to 24 hours. (The preserves can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks; bring to room temperature before using.)

To Assemble the Cookies: Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F. Knead the cool dough on a bare work surface until pliable and smooth, then dust with flour and roll into an 8-inch square. Sprinkle both sides with flour and roll into a 15-inch square. Slide an offset spatula under the dough to loosen it, brush off excess flour, and cut into four 3 1/4-inch strips.

Holding the bag at a 90-degree angle just above the surface of the dough (this will force the preserves to flatten as they leave the bag), pipe a 1-inch-wide strip down the center of each portion. Fold a long flap of dough over each strip, brush away excess flour, and roll each bar over, seam side down. Gently flatten each bar with your fingertips, then transfer to a parchment-lined half sheet pan (all four bars will fit on a single sheet).

Bake until the bars are puffed and firm, without any significant browning, about 18 minutes. Immediately cut into 1-inch pieces with a bench scraper, then transfer to an airtight container, with a paper towel between each layer and on top. This will steam the cookies and retain moisture for them to reabsorb, creating a uniquely soft and cakey texture. Cover and “mature” for at least 6 hours before serving; prior to that, the cookies will taste dry. Store for up to 1 week at room temperature or up to a month in the fridge.









    Tuesday, October 3, 2017

    Short Rib Stew


    Short Rib Stew
    Ingredients
    3 1/2 pounds boneless beef short ribs, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces 
    1/4 cup all-purpose flour 
    3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 cups dry red wine 
    3 cups veal or chicken stock 
    6 carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice 
    1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice 
    3 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice 
    1 large onion, cut into 1-inch dice 
    1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, quartered 
    1 tablespoon thyme leaves, chopped 
    8 sage leaves, coarsely chopped 
    Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper 
    Directions:
    In a large bowl, toss the short ribs with the flour. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Working in batches, cook the short ribs over moderately high heat until browned all over, about 6 minutes per batch. Discard the oil.

    Return the meat and any juices to the casserole. Add the wine and boil until reduced by half, 8 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat until the meat is tender, 2 hours

    Skim any fat from the stew. Stir in the carrots, potatoes, parsnips, onion, mushrooms, thyme and sage. Cover and simmer over low heat until the vegetables are tender, about 35 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

    Suggested Pairing  Juicy, berry-rich Shiraz.

    Monday, October 2, 2017

    Chicken With Persimmon Sauce


    Chicken With Persimmon Sauce


    By: Lucy Waverman



    Use the pulp of the hachiya persimmon for this recipe. The sauce is a glorious dark color with a strong flavor that enhances the chicken. Serve with rice and sugar snap peas and garnish with fuyu persimmon if you have one on hand.

    Ingredients:
    2 tsp garam masala or curry powder
    1 tbsp honey
    1 tsp dry mustard
    1 tbsp lemon juice
    2 tbsp persimmon pulp
    2 tbsp olive oil
    4 boneless chicken breasts with skin on
    Salt and freshly ground pepper

    Sauce
    ½ cup white wine
    1 tsp garam masala
    1 tbsp wine vinegar
    1 tsp honey
    1 cup chicken stock
    ½ cup persimmon pulp
    2 tbsp finely chopped coriander

    Directions:
    1. Combine garam masala, honey, mustard, lemon juice, persimmon pulp and 1 tbsp olive oil. Brush on chicken. Leave to marinate for 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper.

    2. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

    3. Heat remaining 1 tbsp oil in ovenproof skillet on medium-high heat. Add breasts skin-side down and sear 2 minutes or until skin is golden. Turn over and sear second side for 1 minute.

    4. Place skillet in oven and bake chicken for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once or until juices run clear. Remove chicken to a serving platter.

    5. Skim off any fat in skillet, leaving any juices. Add wine, garam masala, vinegar, honey and chicken stock. Bring to boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes or until reduced by half and slightly thickened. Stir in persimmon pulp and coriander. Simmer together for 1 minute. Slice chicken and serve with sauce.


    Serves 4

    Sunday, October 1, 2017

    Homemade Caramel Sauce

    Homemade Caramel Sauce
    Ingredients:
    1 cup Brown Sugar
    1/2 stick Butter (4 Tablespoons)
    1/2 cup Half-and-half Or Cream 
         (cream Will Make It Thicker)
    1 Tablespoon Vanilla
    Pinch Of Salt

    Directions:
    Mix all ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium-low to medium heat. Cook while whisking gently for 5 to 7 minutes, until thicker. Turn off heat. Serve warm or refrigerate until cold.

    If sauce is thin, just continue cooking for a few more minutes.

    Saturday, September 30, 2017

    Lebanese Slaw

    Ingredients
    1 head white cabbage, thinly sliced
    2 pints cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
    1 English cucumber, quartered lengthwise and sliced
    1 small head purple cabbage, thinly sliced, or 1 small bag purple cabbage
    4-5 colorful radishes, sliced thin
    1 small red onion, sliced in thin half-moons
    Handful flat leaf parsley leaves, minced
    Handful mint leaves, minced
    2 small garlic cloves, minced
    1-2 teaspoons kosher salt
    Juice of 2 lemons
    1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
    2 teaspoons za'atar
    2 teaspoons sumac
    2 teaspoons crushed dried mint, or Mint Salt
    Pinch cayenne pepper

    Directions
    Combine all of the salad vegetables except the herbs in a beautiful salad bowl.

    In a small bowl, whisk the garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and lemon juice. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking continually. Add the za’atar, sumac, dried mint, and cayenne and stir to combine. Taste and adjust the seasonings, adding more salt and any other spices to taste.

    Finish the salad with the parsley and mint just before serving, giving it another stir.