Name: Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (meal prep)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 27 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 Chicken Breasts; 1 cup chicken broth or stock; Salt and pepper

Archive for the ‘Main Dishes’ Category

10 Minute Fish Tacos

Friday, February 21st, 2020

This quick fish taco recipe is the perfect recipe to get dinner on the table in under 15 minutes. Customize these baked fish tacos with my list of fun toppings. This is a quick and easy dinner that your whole family will love.

Looking for a recipe that you can prepare in ten minutes ? Today I’m sharing one of my tried-and-true weeknight dishes that has become a regular part of our menu rotation.

Are you a big fan of fish tacos?

After having some delicious fish tacos, in California, I wanted to enjoy this fish taco treat at home.

These tacos can be created from any white fish, depending on your family’s preference.

Personally, we are a big fans of tilapia that can be found over in the frozen foods aisle.

Not only is tilapia a mild white fish, it also comes with an affordable price tag.

You can also find some additional white fish ideas in the frequently asked questions below.

This weeknight meal is one that I regularly rely on for a meat-free taco night that our whole family loves.

10 Minute Fish Tacos Recipe

To prepare the fish quickly and easily, dice up the fish and put it in a medium bowl.

Toss the fish with your favorite spice blend with olive oil.

Spread the fish on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and then cook it at the suggested temperature for 4-6 minutes.

While the fish is cooking, you can prepare a variety of fun toppings.

Fun Taco Toppings To Try

Traditional toppings for tacos are fun, but sometimes the taco night needs a little switch up. Try these topping suggestions to make taco nights more fun!

Salsa- Add a combination of black beans, tomato, corn, chopped jalapeno chile peppers, and cilantro.
Traditional- Toss shredded cabbage with a little olive oil and lime juice.
Asian- Add broccoli slaw, toasted sliced almonds, and bottled Asian vinaigrette.
Fruity- Add fresh fruit salsa made with kiwi, red onion, strawberries, and mango.
BLT- Add shredded lettuce, bacon, tomato, and mayo.
Caprese- Add basil, cubed tomato, cubed mozzarella cheese, and balsamic vinaigrette.
Other Fun Toppings- Add Greek yogurt, jarred salsa, guacamole, limes, hot sauce, freshly cracked black pepper, cheese, thinly sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, and shredded lettuce to your taco condiment bar.
Fish Taco Sauce Recipe- Looking for a sauce to add to your tacos? Mix together a 1/2 cup sour cream 1/3 cup Mayo, juice from one lime, and a teaspoon of garlic powder. To spice it up, add a little Sriracha sauce or a generous shake of Old Bay seasoning in your sauce.

Here a few other commonly asked questions about this recipe!

If my family doesn’t like tilapia, what are some other mild white fish options for my tacos?

Flounder, hake and tilapia are all white fish with mild taste.

Looking for other options? Snapper, mahi mahi, grouper, flounder, halibut, or cod are also excellent inexpensive options.

If you want to skip the white fish altogether, salmon can also be a great option. I recommend this easy method for broiling salmon for tacos.

I don’t want to bake my fish. Can you tell me how to prepare fish tacos on the stove top?

You can prepare fish tacos in a skillet, if this works better for your family. Spice up your fish, just as you would for the baked version. Make sure that you pat your fish, with a paper towel, before cooking so that it gets a nice crust. Over medium high heat, cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.

Can I substitute with frozen fish sticks for my tacos?

Baking the fish, as prepared in this recipe, is healthier and takes a lot less time than preparing fish sticks.

If you prefer to use these, preheat your oven to 475ºF.

Line a baking sheet with foil and arrange the fish sticks on baking sheet.

Sprinkle with the seasonings recommended below and bake for 11-13 minutes.

You can also make your own fish nuggets for taco stuffing. This is our family’s favorite panko crusted tilapia nuggets recipe.

How do I remove the fish odor from my home after baking?

Simmer a small pot of water with a few cut lemons to cut the smell.

I’m also a huge fan of this citrus oil for my diffuser.

I use it for kitchen scents AND diffuse it in my office in the mornings to wake me up!

What sides are good with fish tacos?

Personally, we are fans of tortilla chips with salsa and guacamole.

Looking for a fresh spin for dipping?

Try my roasted corn salsa as a chip dip or as a topping for your fish tacos.

If you are looking for other fish taco sides, check out this list of 20 quick and easy sides for fish tacos.

10 Minute Fish Tacos

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Mexican

Author: Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Cookbook

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Serves: 4

This quick fish taco recipe is the perfect recipe to get dinner on the table in under 15 minutes. Customize these baked fish tacos with my list of fun toppings. This is a quick and easy dinner that your whole family will love.

Ingredients

1- 16 ounce bag of frozen tilapia (or your favorite white fish), thawed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning (found over by the seafood counter)
Salt and pepper
1½ cups shredded lettuce, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, lime, or salsa (optional)
Taco shell, flour tortillas, or corn tortillas (warmed)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Rinse fish, pat dry with paper towels.
Cut fish crosswise into ¾ inch slices and place them in a mixing bowl.
Combine the fish with the olive oil and seasonings, tossing gently. Make sure the fish is throughly coated with the spices and oil.
Dump the prepared fish on a parchment-lined cookie sheet, adjusting the pieces of fish so that none are overlapping. 6. Bake for 4-6 minutes or until fish begins to flake when tested with a fork.
To serve, spoon lettuce and tomato into each taco shell, add fish slices, and top with salsa or your favorite toppings.

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Love this recipe? Check out our other favorite meat-free and seafood dinner ideas!

shrimp scampi recipe (can be made gluten-free)

5-ingredient salmon sheet pan meal

mexican quinoa stuffed bell peppers (dairy-free and gluten-free)

herb baked tilapia sheet pan meal

Happy cooking!

Tags: 10 minute recipe, Fish Sauce, Fish Tacos, Tilapia
Posted in Celebrations, Kid Eats, Main Dishes | 3 Comments »

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

Wednesday, February 12th, 2020

This shrimp scampi recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough to share with dinner guests. Swimming in white wine (or broth), this is a perfect dish to pair with a big loaf of crusty bread and a bowl of cooked pasta. This gluten-free main dish is one you will turn to again and again!

Don’t you love replicating dishes from your favorite restaurants to make at home?

Shrimp Scampi is one of those dishes that I absolutely love when I go out for seafood, but I don’t always love the price tag that comes with it.

As I have been researching, for this recipe, I discovered that scampi are actually tiny, lobster-like crustaceans with pale pink shells. You may see them referred to as langoustines.

Italian cooks, who lived in the U.S., ended up swapping out the scampi with shrimp.

And that, folks, is how we have the name today.

Just a fun little trivia for your next dinner party!

Today I wanted to share with you an easy gluten-free shrimp scampi that is a delicious dish you could share, during this Lent season, for a Friday night feast that the whole family will love.

The shrimp can be dredged in a gluten-free flour to add a little bit of coating or they can just be quickly sauteed in the delicious wine and butter sauce, tossed with parsley, and finished with fresh ground black pepper.

Personally, I love to put the shrimp scampi on top of some gluten-free pasta and serve it all with a side of roasted veggies.

Thanks to the garlic in the scampi, it coats and adds flavor to your pasta beautifully.

Slice up a few lemons and dress the plates with a sprig of flat-leaf Italian parsley to really make it feel like restaurant dining.

Here are a few commonly asked questions about this recipe.

Shrimp Scampi Recipe

What Kind of Wine Should I Use For My Shrimp Scampi?

You will want to use a dry white wine for this recipe. Personally, I prefer a pinot grigio, but I’ve been known to cook this in a buttery chardonnay as well.

If you do not typically purchase wine, a liquor store might be your best option for advice on this one.

I would also advise asking if they have small boxes or bottles of wine that they carry, if you are just planning to cook with the wine and don’t want the expense of a whole bottle.

I Don’t Want to Use Wine. Do You Have Any Recommendations for Substituting Wine in Shrimp Scampi?

If you don’t want to use wine in your dish, chicken broth can be used as a substitution. The flavor will be a little different, but you will achieve similar results.

How Do I Prepare Shrimp for This Dish?

Since we live in the Midwest, we rely heavily on frozen shrimp. You want to make sure that the frozen shrimp you purchase are naw shrimp.

For this recipe, we are using jumbo or extra-large shrimp. Purchasing shrimp that are already peeled and deveined can be a huge time saver.

How Do I Devein Shrimp For My Scampi?

This is a wonderful tutorial to help you learn how to devein shrimp.

Gluten-Free Shrimp Scampi

Recipe Type: Main

Cuisine: Italian

Author: Adapted from Williams-Sonoma

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 10 mins

Total time: 20 mins

Serves: 4 servings

This shrimp scampi recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal and fancy enough to share with dinner guests. Swimming in white wine (or broth), this is a perfect dish to pair with a big loaf of crusty bread and a bowl of cooked pasta. This gluten-free main dish is one you will turn to again and again!

Ingredients

½ cup (2½ oz./75 g) all-purpose gluten-free flour (found the gluten-free section of the store), can omit if you prefer to not have a crispy exterior to your shrimp
A pinch of red pepper flakes
½ tsp. salt, plus more, to taste
¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper, plus more, to taste
2 Tbs. olive oil, plus more as needed
1½ lb. (750 g) jumbo or extra-large shrimp, peeled and
deveined, tails intact
12 Tbs. (1½ sticks) (6 oz./185 g) unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup (2 fl. oz./60 ml) dry white wine
Grated zest of 1 lemon
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

In a shallow bowl, stir together the flour, red pepper flake, ½ tsp. salt and ¼ tsp. pepper.
In a large fry pan over medium-high heat, warm the 2 Tbs. olive oil.
Toss half of the shrimp in the flour mixture to coat evenly, shaking off the excess. Add the shrimp to a large skillet and cook, turning occasionally, until opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely with aluminum foil. Repeat with the remaining shrimp, adding more olive oil to the pan as needed.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. add 2 Tbs. of the butter to the pan and then add garlic, stirring frequently. Cook garlic until it softens and is fragrant but not browned, about 2 minutes.
Add the wine, lemon zest and lemon juice, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Cook until reduced by half, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to very low.
Whisk in the remaining 10 Tbs. butter, 1 Tbs. at a time, letting each addition soften into a creamy emulsion before adding more. It will become very creamy, like a sauce.
Add the cooked shrimp to the sauce and mix gently to coat well. The shrimp will turn pink as they finish cooking in the garlic butter sauce. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately with lemon wedges and gluten-free pasta.

Looking for more fish and meat-free meal ideas? Here are a few of our family favorites!

5-ingredient sheet pan salmon meal

shrimp boil recipe (just leave out the sausage in this one!)

prep shrimp fried rice for a frugal lunch or meal

herb baked tilapia sheet pan meal

Happy cooking, friends!

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Tags: Fish Recipes, Gluten Free Shrimp Scampi, Lent Recipe, Lenten Recipe, Meat Free Dinner Ideas, Shrimp Recipes, Shrimp Scampi Recipe
Posted in Main Dishes | No Comments »

Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal

Thursday, November 21st, 2019

Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal from MomAdvice.com

Apple season is one of my favorite produce seasons and one of my favorite snacks. Try this slow cooked honeycrisp apple oatmeal that you are going to love for a warm and satisfying breakfast on chilly fall mornings. The best part about all of this though, is my incredible tip for getting creamy oats that won’t burn or stick to your slow cooker.

Have you tried cooking steel cut oats in your slow cooker yet?

Today I wanted to share some tips for making the perfect overnight crock pot apple cinnamon oatmeal for the perfect fall breakfast for entertaining or just for a healthy way to start your day.

I love steel cut oatmeal, but it takes a LONG time to create steel cut oats. Not only that, oatmeal requires constant stirring over medium heat to achieve their best flavor and have a tendency to burn when not monitored.

Today I wanted to share some tips for making steel cut oatmeal in your slow cooker and the one SHOCKING tip for creamier slow cooked oats.

I promise, it’s a game changer.

How to Make Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal

What’s the Difference Between Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats?

Rolled oats and steel cut oats come from the exact same whole cereal grain. The difference is really in how they are processed.

In whole form, they are known as “groats” and both types of oats are separated from their hard outer “hull” for our store shelves.

Here’s where those differences between the two types of oats really come into play. The rolled oats are steamed, to prevent cracking, and then they are rolled through the mill to be flattened.

Steel cut oats are, basically, chopped into pieces rather than going through that process of being flattened.

Are Steel Cut Oats Gluten-Free?

Many of our readers are pursuing that gluten-free life so I’m thrilled to tell you that steel cut oats ARE gluten-free…well, pretty much!

If you are celiac, oats can be processed in factories that are also processing wheat, barley, and rye.

If you are celiac, look for steel cut oatmeal that clearly discloses that on the label to be sure that you are not exposed to any of these allergy triggering ingredients.

Do Steel Cut Oats and Rolled Oats Have the Same Nutritional Value?

Did you guys know that I went to school for dietetics?

Questions like this are my love language.

Often, when it comes to discussing processed foods, we immediately have a knee-jerk reaction that it isn’t good for you.

Can we all blame the Whole30 and Paleo movement for this? Hahaha!

Seriously, in MOST cases, processing means that the food has lost its nutritional value, but that is not the case when it comes to steel cut oats and rolled oats.

In fact, steel cut oats, rolled oats, and quick oats all have the SAME nutritional value.

I do find that steel cut holds up better in an overnight dish, but am thankful quick oats offers the same benefits if I need a nutritious breakfast or lunch.

What Types of Apples Should I Use For Overnight Oatmeal?

Often when it comes to baking, I reach for a Granny Smith apple.

When researching different varieties of apples that are best to bake with, I discovered that the Honeycrisp Apple and the McIntosh apple were both great varieties to choose when baking.

How Do I Prevent My Slow Cooker Oatmeal From Getting Burnt or Overcooked?

I admit that I have never had good success with overnight oats.

The oats were usually burnt or overcooked and I always had a hard time getting my slow cooker clean after a batch.

That is why I am so excited to share with you this easy technique to create a double boiler right in your slow cooker:

Find a oven-proof dish that you can place inside of your slow cooker and spray it well with a little cooking spray.
Place your oatmeal ingredients right inside of the dish and then, using a liquid measuring cup, pour water around the dish to create a water bath. It doesn’t need to be really full, just an inch or so.
Set your slow cooker to LOW and you will have perfectly creamy oatmeal with no burnt spots every single time.

Once you try this tip, you won’t make your oatmeal ANY OTHER WAY.

I promise you that you will will yield a creamy pot of oats every time.

How Can I Prepare This Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal in My Instant Pot Instead?

I would recommend going to this recipe for details on making steel cut oats in your pressure cooker. I haven’t tested this one out yet, but I’m looking forward to giving it a try!

Slow Cooked Honey Crisp Apple Oatmeal

Author: MomAdvice.com

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 6 hours

Total time: 6 hours 15 mins

Serves: 4

This recipe can be personalized according to your family’s dietary needs or what variety of apple is on sale at the grocery store. I loved preparing this one with almond milk! Try my technique for creating your own double-boiler to get a creamier oatmeal!

Ingredients

1 cup steel cut oats (NO substitutions)
3 1/2 cups milk (or milk substitute)
1 Honeycrisp apple, diced
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions

Spray your slow cooker with cooking spray or brush with melted coconut oil.
Place the steel cut oats, milk, honeycrisp apple, butter, cinnamon, brown sugar, and vanilla extract into a slow cooker, and stir to combine and dissolve the sugar.
Cover the cooker, set to Low, and allow to cook 6 to 7 hours (for firm oats) or 8 hours (for softer texture).
Top with a little extra brown sugar, milk, or a drizzle of maple syrup.

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This post contains affiliate links.

Looking for more great breakfast ideas? Check out these recipes to inspire your next morning meal!

chicken pesto frittata recipe (so good to make ahead for a big crowd)

sausage & vegetable frittata( great for anyone on a more restricted diet)

meal prep these freezer breakfast sandwiches

make these make-ahead smoothie packets for your freezer

make these breakfast burritos for your freezer

don’t want a cook? no biggie! try this hack for an easy breakfast bar

or just bake a roll of cinnamon rolls and shape into a christmas tree. done.

What are your favorite holiday breakfasts to share with loved ones?

Overnight Slow Cooker Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oatmeal from MomAdvice.com

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Tags: Double Boiler Slow Cooker, Honeycrisp Apple Oatmeal, Slow Cooked Apple Oatmeal, Slow Cooked Oats, Slow Cooker Oatmeal, Walmart Moms
Posted in Breakfast, Main Dishes, My Work, The M Challenge | 2 Comments »

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

Tuesday, November 5th, 2019

With just 3-ingredients, you can have fall-off-the-bone ribs in minutes using your pressure cooker.

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I remember feeling the same way when I got mine and now that I’ve been enjoying it for the last few months, I can honestly say that it has saved us a bundle on dining out thanks to its speedy cooking.

In fact, it has helped me feel more confident taking on dishes that I normally would never try, whether it is because of time constraints or complete intimidation, allowing for a lot more variety in our rather tired menu plan that had I had been executing month after month.

Of all the dishes that we have made in our pressure cooker, I must say that the biggest hit has been these easy 3-ingredient ribs that you can make in your Instant Pot.

That’s right, you can cook pork ribs right in your Instant Pot.

Can you believe it?

Ribs are something I have often thought of adding to our menu plan, but I just didn’t think they could ever taste as good as what we would get out in restaurants especially on a busy weeknight.

I must say though, these ribs are BETTER than many restaurants we have been to and are fall-off-the-bone tender every single time.

I have done a rack of Baby Back Ribs in my 6-quart Instant Pot and I have even been able to fit up to two racks in this size cooker without any trouble, although it is a much tighter squeeze than a single rack.

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs Recipe

First, remove the membrane (or the silverskin, as the fancy folks like to call it!) from the meat.

Here are a few answers to some frequently asked questions about cooking ribs in your pressure cooker.

How do I Remove the Membrane From Pork Ribs?

Haven’t done this before?

Well, I hadn’t either.

I actually had NO IDEA that you were supposed to do this.

At some point, I will go back and fix the error of my ways, on these images, but for now you can imagine the pork without this on it.

Looking for a tutorial on this?

You weren’t the only one!

Here is a great tutorial to help you learn how to do this, easily and safely.

How Can I Fit a Rack of Pork Ribs in My Instant Pot?

Cut your ribs into thirds so you can fit them in comfortably.

Add a cup of beef broth in your cooker and put your steaming rack inside (that little rack that came with your cooker!).

Can I Fit Two Racks of Pork Ribs in My Instant Pot?

I have only attempted this one time and had no issues adding two racks of ribs in my pressure cooker. Some people say you can fit three racks of ribs in the Instant Pot, but I find two is challenging enough.

Were you good at Tetris?

Maybe you can pull it off!

How Do I Spice Up Pressure Cooked Ribs?

Season your ribs generously with salt and pepper and place these on top of the steaming rack.

Want to add another layer of flavor to these to spice them up even more? Consider adding your favorite spice rub. You can find a lot of fun dry rubs here.

Of course that would be four ingredients (one more than showcased here!)

Lock that baby up, press the meat button on the front of the pressure cooker, and adjust the timer to 30 minutes of high pressure.

If you don’t have a Meat button on your pressure cooker, just cook ribs on HIGH Manual Pressure.

While the ribs are cooking, line a baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, pour in your favorite barbecue sauce for brushing.

This barbecue sauce is always a Clark favorite from the supermarket, but I’d love to hear if you think there are any others we should try!

After the Instant Pot beeps, do a quick release on that valve on the top.

Don’t know what a quick release is?

No problem!

This just means that you are going to move your valve from Sealed to Venting and allow all that steam to come out quickly instead of letting it release pressure on its own.

It is going to REALLY steam so make sure you are prepared for that and keep it away from your cabinets, face, and hands.

Also don’t scream because you will want to the first time.

It’s terrifying.

Almost all the recipes I do usually say to do this Quick Release pressure cook method, rather than a natural release.

The big difference between natural and quick release?

Natural Release is when you sit around just waiting and letting that pressure to come down on its own which can take up to 25 minutes!

Ain’t nobody got time for that.

We already had to wait for the pressure to build, people, we can’t sit around waiting for the pressure in this gadget to subside.

We are BUSY!

After the pressure has released, remove the lid and carefully take out those ribs with a pair of tongs and place them on your lined cookie sheet.

Starting with the back of the rib, brush them each generously with sauce.

Turn on your broiler on your oven and slide the ribs in for 3-4 minutes, watching them carefully so they don’t burn.

Flip them over, and repeat with the other side of the ribs.

Finish by cutting them into sections and serving with additional barbecue sauce.

HELLO, HEAVEN! These are SUCH A HIT at our house and I’m guessing they will be a hit at yours too.

Keep in mind, if you are new to the Instant Pot cult (totally a thing!), that it takes awhile for these to come to pressure so give yourself a 20-25 minute allowance before that stated 30-minute cooking time I’m sharing.

We have loved these so much that they have become the new birthday request and we even took a couple of racks of these and my Instant Pot on vacation so we could enjoy this yummy treat while we were renting our beach house on break.

I now make it a regular habit to keep my eyes peeled in our grocery flier for any sales on racks of ribs to keep stocked in our freezer.

I hope to share many more recipes in the upcoming weeks with you! If you are on the hunt for great cookbooks to make the most of your Instant Pot this one, this one, and this one are all excellent books for a newbie Instant Pot cult member (totally a thing- I’m serious!).

I can’t wait to hear what you think of these 3-ingredient Instant Pot Ribs!

Be sure to SCROLL DOWN for more Instant Pot recipes. I have you covered!!

3-Ingredient Instant Pot Ribs

Recipe Type: Instant Pot

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 30 mins

Total time: 40 mins

Serves: 4-6 servings

These ribs are fall-off-the-bone tender and can be prepared with your favorite barbecue sauce. These are just one (of many) reasons to get an Instant Pot.

Ingredients

1 or 2 racks of pork baby back ribs
1 cup beef broth
Barbecue Sauce

Instructions

Cut the racks of ribs into thirds and season generously with salt and pepper. (Note- if you prefer to add a rub on your ribs, this is where you would do that!)
Pour beef broth in the bottom of the pot, place the steaming rack inside, and put the seasoned ribs on top.
Lock the lid, select the Meat function, and set timer for 30 minutes.
Quick release your valve after the timer beeps and remove the ribs from the cooker. Place on a foil-lined cookie sheet (prepared with cooking spray) and brush on your barbecue sauce on the back side of the ribs.
Broil the ribs for 3-4 minutes (watching carefully to prevent charring), flip the ribs over and brush the other side with barbecue sauce. Broil that side again for 3-4 minutes. Place on platter and serve with additional barbecue sauce on the side.

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This post contains affiliate links!

Looking for more Instant Pot meal ideas? Check these posts out!

best instant pot wings recipe

the best instant pot risotto recipe (step-by-step)

instant pot indian vegetable rice

instant pot korean street tacos

instant pot shredded chicken (for meal prep)

What is your favorite thing to create in your Instant Pot?

*this post may contain affiliate links- I only recommend what I love though.

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Tags: How to Make Ribs in Instant Pot, Instant Pot Recipes, Instant Pot Ribs, Pressure Cooker Ribs
Posted in Kid Eats, Main Dishes | No Comments »

Tomato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower Crumble

Monday, October 21st, 2019

This quick and easy homemade tomato soup and grilled cheese combo gets an update in the form of golden brown roasted cauliflower florets. It’s just the right combination of classic and new just in time for fall.

From our food contributor, Shaina Olmanson.

I’m giving in, but not without a bit of stomping my feet and audible sighing.

Autumn is here, and with it there is a crispness to the air that didn’t accompany my summer evenings.

I find myself continually reaching for my sweaters, and although they’re still kicking out a few tomatoes, the production in my garden is slowing mightily.

I even wore boots last week, pulling them from the closet where they sat all summer as I ran around in sandals and low profile tennis shoes, skipping along the pavement in the sunshine.

I zipped them up over my jeans and stared in the mirror at my sweatered reflection before heading to the market.

There I grabbed as many tomatoes as I could find, hauling them to my car and then home where I rinsed them and diced them and stewed them in a large pot, trying to preserve the flavors of summer for the winter that is just around the corner.

At the end of the session, several pots of tomatoes later, I let the final batch cook down a bit longer, added a sautéed onion and some herbs, and then blended it together as the oven warmed the house right as the sun started to fade.

I suppose fall isn’t so bad when it means the return of oven-warmed rooms and the smells that come with baking and roasting.

This soup gets a bit of a twist by placing the roasted cauliflower right on top.

Cut your cauliflower into tiny florets so that they can suspend themselves right at the top of the bowl, just getting a bit of a dunk in the thick tomato broth.

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Tomato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower Crumble

Recipe Type: soup

Author: Shaina Olmanson

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 35 mins

Total time: 45 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup minced yellow onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
32 ounces stewed tomatoes
1/2 cup water
3 tablespoons minced basil
2 cups milk
kosher salt to taste
[i]For the roasted cauliflower:[/i]
3 cups cauliflower florets
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh oregano
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 5 minutes until translucent. Stir in the garlic.
Add the stewed tomatoes and the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and and simmer for 25 minutes.
While the tomatoes are simmering, preheat oven to 425ºF. In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower, olive oil, oregano, honey, salt, and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through, stirring once.
When the tomatoes have simmered for 25 minutes, remove from heat and blend in a blender until smooth. Pour back into the pot and heat over medium-low heat, stirring in the milk, basil, and salt. Cook until hot, but do not boil.
Serve with cauliflower sprinkled over the tops of the soup bowls.

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Don’t miss these other great posts from MomAdvice.com:

Hazelnut Soup Recipe

Instant Pot Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice

Make Ahead Green Bean Casserole

How to Make Blanket Scarves

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Tags: Fall Soup, Gluten Free Soup, Soup Recipes, Tomato Soup with Roasted Cauliflower Crumble
Posted in Food & Recipes, Main Dishes | No Comments »

The Best Instant Pot Risotto (Step By Step)

Wednesday, October 16th, 2019

Risotto can be a very labor-intensive dish, but it doesn’t have to be with a pressure cooker. Today I’m sharing my step-by-step tutorial for creamy gluten-free risotto, made in your Instant Pot. Ditch the boxed mac and cheese for this easy weeknight dish.

Have you ever made risotto before? After our trip to Italy, I was so inspired to replicate this dish when we got home. Of course, I had no idea what a gift of love a bowl of risotto is.

Stovetop risotto (you can see my recipe over here) requires constant stirring to achieve that creamy consistency.

One pot holds your warmed broth and the other is where you stand and stir until your arm falls off.

Maybe I’m being dramatic?

It’s not the first time.

This dish really does need a lot of babysitting so that’s why I was thrilled to discover that risotto could be made in your pressure cooker with very little effort and all the reward.

Honestly, I have made this dish almost weekly since we got our pressure cooker. If I am stumped for a good dinner this dish always comes in for the dinner save.

Risotto recipes are a great way to use up produce items, put shellfish to work, add any leftover chicken, or just load it up with parmesan cheese.

After making this for YEARS at our house, it’s time to share my electric pressure cooker secrets.

No more standing over a stove top, friends!

You can present this dish with all the love and almost none of the stirring.

As Ina would say, “How bad could that be?”

Let’s start with a few frequently asked questions on pressure cooking risotto!

What Type of Rice Is Risotto Rice?

Risotto is made from Arborio rice and can be found, typically, in the same section as the other rice varieties or in the international foods section of your grocery store.

The appearance of arborio is different because it has a shorter, fatter, and more oval-shaped appearance.

Long-grained rice has to go through a lot of milling, but arborio rice isn’t as processed and that’s how it is able to retain its natural starch content.

When this starchy rice is agitated with stirring, it releases those starches and adds to the creamy consistency.

It also draws in liquid, like a sponge, and a pound of this can soak in as much as eight cups of liquid as it is cooking.

Can This Pressure Cooker Risotto Recipe Be Made Without Meat?

Today’s tutorial does have chicken in it, but it is definitely not required.

Personally, I love to roast medium shrimp in my oven (just toss them with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and Old Bay) and roast them on a baking sheet at 450 for 6-8 minutes. Once they are done, they are perfect for risotto topping.

If you want to keep this dish vegetarian, substitute the chicken stock with vegetable broth and omit the meat.

Can I Leave the Wine Out of This Risotto Recipe?

I am loving that they now carry mini bottle or mini boxes of white wine, if you want to save money (and not have to throw out wine).

This has been a great cooking option for a lot of people in my life.

Don’t feel like you have to add this step in, although I do think it makes the flavors more rich and complex.

Personally, if you skip the wine, I would balance it with a little acidity. Hit the broth with a squeeze of lemon or a little red wine vinegar from the pantry.

I also love to add an additional acidic component, to my risotto, with a diced tomato finish.

What Kind of Wine Should I Use for My Instant Pot Risotto?

I am not snobby about wine so I usually rely on a very fine box of Black Box Chardonnay. I love a sauvignon blanc, pinot grigio, or chardonnay in my risotto.

Just steer of any wines that are super sweet. You are looking for one with a dry finish.

How Can I Save Money on Wine for My Dishes?

I’m a huge ALDI wine fan so I *do* recommend you check that out. I can usually find some pretty incredible wine for under $10.

Recently, we placed an order with Wine Insider and used the wine from one of their white wine packages. Here’s a $25 off of a $50 wine order coupon if you want to shop there. I found the price to be more than fair for the value.

What if I Don’t Like Onions?

I hate, hate, hate onions so I completely understand. I am showing you how to prepare this dish with shallots, a very mild onion.

Personally, I skip the onions. I just add the rice to the olive oil and move right on to the next step, once the rice is translucent.

The Best Instant Pot Risotto Tutorial Step-by-Step

Chop your chicken into bite sized pieces.

Toss with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, and any of your favorite seasonings.

I swear by this Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil Garlic Seasoning, if you on the hunt for perfect spice blend.

Finely chop your shallots (I rely heavily on this tool for finely chopping) and set these aside.

Turn on your pressure cooker and select the SAUTE setting and adjust it to HIGH.

Add your olive oil and brown your chicken on each side (you are not cooking this through). Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon and set it aside.

Add a little more oil and saute your onions for a few minutes. Be careful to not let them burn.

Now, add your rice and stir constantly to help agitate out the starches. It will go from a bright white to a translucent shade. When you see it is starting to look translucent, you can add your wine.

Add the wine and keep stirring like a crazy lady to get it to absorb all of the wine into the rice. Once all of the liquid has been absorbed, turn OFF the pressure cooker.

Add four cups of chicken stock, a 1/2 cup of water, salt, and pepper, to the Instant Pot.

Finish by adding the chicken and stir.

Cover with your lid and lock it into position.

Have I mentioned the importance of replacing your seal?

If you have issues with your pressure cooker coming to pressure, this is a must replace item. Also, be sure to check that your vent is in the sealed position before setting it.

Press the MANUAL button and set it to 7 minutes high pressure.

Once it is finished, do a QUICK RELEASE and open the lid. You should see that this is not fully absorbed and will look soupy.

This is good.

I promise.

You will just stir in your parmesan cheese and give it a few minutes to set up.

After a few minutes, you should have just the consistency you are after.

Some people love to put a pat of butter in with the cheese.

I haven’t found it to be that necessary after the pressure cooker has done its work.

I would also highly recommend having one of these lids for easy serving out of your pot. I love, love, love this lid for the refrigerator so I don’t have to find a storage container to put this away in.

I hope you love this recipe as much as our family.

Remember, this is just the start of a beautiful risotto relationship.

You can make this your own by switching out the protein, add mushrooms or peas, and try different cheeses.

The Best Instant Pot Risotto (Step By Step)

Recipe Type: Main Dish

Cuisine: Italian

Author: MomAdvice.com

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 7 mins

Total time: 17 mins

Serves: 6 servings

Risotto can be a very labor-intensive dish, but it doesn’t have to be with a pressure cooker. Today I’m sharing my step-by-step tutorial for creamy risotto, made in your Instant Pot. Ditch the boxed mac and cheese for this easy weeknight dish.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil (divided)
1/2 cup finely chopped shallots (I omit)
1 pound chicken breast (diced and seasoned)
2 cups risotto rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
Parsley & Diced Tomatoes (optional- for topping)

Instructions

Finely chop your shallots.
Dice and season your chicken.
Turn on your Instant Pot to the SAUTE function. Adjust to high.
Add two tablespoons of olive oil to the pot (once it is hot) and brown your chicken (do not cook through). Remove the chicken with a slotted spoon.
Add two more tablespoons olive oil to the pot. Toss in your shallots and let them cook for a couple of minutes.
Add your rice, stirring frequently and letting it cook until it is translucent.
Once the rice is translucent, add your white wine and stir vigorously to agitate the rice. Once the wine is fully absorbed, turn off your pressure cooker.
Add 4 cups chicken broth, 1/2 cup water, salt and pepper to taste (don’t get too aggressive with the salt since we are adding cheese).
Cover with lid and lock into position. Press the MANUAL button and do this high pressure cook for seven minutes.
Once it beeps, do a QUICK RELEASE. Give the rice a stir and add in your cheese. Let the rice set for a few minutes to absorb the liquid.
Serve in bowls and enjoy every dang week.

Looking for more great pressure cooker recipes? Here are a few of our most popular recipes on the site!

meal prep shredded chicken in in your pressure cooker

make pressure cooked chicken wings with just three ingredients

the most loved recipe on our site are these 3-ingredient ribs

pressure cooked italian beef roast is my favorite dish to entertain with

if you haven’t tried pulled pork in the pressure cooker, you are in for a treat

this instant pot indian vegetable rice is the perfect meat-free pressure cooker dish to prepare

I hope this gives you loads of ideas for new ways to use your Instant Pot. Be sure to sign up for my newsletter for great ideas!

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Tags: Best Instant Pot Risotto Recipe, How to Make Risotto in Instant Pot, Instant Pot Risotto Tutorial, Pressure Cooker Risotto Recipe
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Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (meal prep)

Thursday, October 10th, 2019

Did you know that you can make enough shredded chicken for a week of recipes with your pressure cooker? This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe can be meal prepped for your week or frozen for future meals. Don’t miss this post filled with ideas for ways to put pressure cooked chicken to work in your kitchen!

I hope you all are as in love with your Instant Pot as much as me. Our pressure cooker continues to be my favorite gadget and I’m excited to share more family recipes with you.

Today I wanted to show you how to meal prep shredded chicken in your Instant Pot.

This technique is super simple and straightforward.

In your pressure cooker, you will add one cup of chicken stock to the bottom of your pressure cooker. Add your chicken breasts and season well with salt and pepper.

Cook your chicken on High Pressure for 10 minutes (for small chicken breasts) or 12 minutes (for large chicken breasts).

These chicken breasts, for example, required fifteen minutes to fully cook.

Allow your pressure to release naturally (instead of quick releasing the valve). A good amount of time is ten minutes!

Once the chicken is cooked, you can shred it with two forks. If you are feeling fancy, break out your hand mixer to make quick work of this task.

Reserve half the liquid in the pot for storage and to reduce the chances of your chicken drying out.

I looked up some frequently asked questions, on pressure cooked chicken, and thought I would share more about my technique here.

Do I need to add more chicken broth (or stock) if I decide to cook more than four chicken breasts?

If I’m meal prepping for my family, I always double our recipes. I have doubled this successfully by doubling the chicken stock and keeping everything else, like cooking time, the same. It will take a bit longer to come to pressure, but the duration you set will remain the same.

Can I use this pressure cooker shredded chicken technique with frozen chicken breasts?

Cooking frozen chicken in the Instant Pot can be a real budget-saver and help you avoid ordering takeout.

Once again, cooking time on frozen chicken varies, based on the size of the breast. If the chicken breasts are small, 12 minutes of high pressure works great. Average size chicken breasts will take about 14 minutes. Large pieces are best at 16 minutes.

Can I Use this Shredded Chicken Recipe for Chicken Thighs Instead of Chicken Breasts?

Personally, I prefer thigh meat over chicken breasts because they don’t easily dry out and get overcooked.

I’ve had great success with cooking chicken thighs for 15 minutes on high pressure.

I love to toss my thigh meat with salsa and a little chicken broth for taco night or burrito bowls.

My Shredded Chicken Didn’t Fully Cook, Can I Restart My Instant Pot?

Do you find that your dishes seem inconsistent with cooking times? I discovered a really important solution…getting a new Instant Pot seal. If the seal is stretched out, it will take much longer to come to pressure.

For chicken to be fully cooked, you want to make sure it has come to 165 degrees. Since the size of the breasts is so different, it is hard to always nail the length of time.

If you find that your chicken is not fully cooked, simply cook it for 2 more minutes of High Pressure.

Since the liquid is already hot, it won’t take that long to come to pressure again.

What Other Seasoning Can I Use on My Shredded Chicken?

I try to really map out what I’m making with it before deciding on seasoning. This basic idea of just salt & pepper is always appealing to me though because it can be used in any recipe.

That said, you can always make your own flavor combo! This Mrs. Dash seasoning, for example, is a family favorite. I also love to season my chicken with oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, or dried rosemary.

Feeling inspired to get your pantry organized? Here are some free printable pantry labels to get you started.

I Don’t Have a Pressure Cooker. How Do I Make This Shredded Chicken In My Slow Cooker Instead?

For many years, I just did the shredded chicken in my slow cooker. You will follow the exact same recipe, but you will cook the chicken in your slow cooker for six hours instead.

I hate dry chicken though so I usually do the six hours of cooking time with frozen breasts instead.

I find today’s slow cookers are so much faster than they used to be.

For me, six hours is as long as I’m willing to let my chicken cook in one of those.

If you are on the hunt for a new slow cooker, I can’t recommend this model enough. I use it weekly and love that I can brown our meat before slow cooking it.

Are There Any Other Ways to Prepare Chicken For My Week?

I can’t recommend this roasted chicken technique enough.

In fact, I got stopped three times at a family cookout to ask how I prepared my meat.

It is perfectly seasoned, tastes like it has been grilled, and is perfectly tender.

What Recipes Can I Make With Shredded Chicken?

Shredded chicken can be stuffed into wraps with spinach, tomatoes, and ranch.

Shredded chicken can be tossed with salsa, and reserved liquid, to make chicken tacos.

Shredded chicken can be added to a delicious frittata, like this one.

Shredded chicken can be made into chicken salad. I love to skip the mayo and toss it with pesto and a little creamy Greek Yogurt.

Shredded chicken makes the perfect pizza topper with a pesto base, spinach, and tomatoes.

Shredded chicken is a great addition to any salad (here is one of my faves!).

Shredded chicken can be tossed with barbecue sauce and stuffed in sweet potatoes or in buns.

Shredded chicken can be added to soup or chili.

Shredded chicken be made into delicious enchiladas (this is our family’s favorite recipe).

Shredded chicken is great in homemade lo mein, fried rice, or stir fry.

You get the idea.

There is SO much you can do with this. Just think of how you can use shredded chicken in your favorite casseroles, pasta dishes, or rice bowls.

What if I Can’t Eat All This Shredded Chicken?

One of the best things about having this prepared is that you can freeze it. Freeze your pressure cooked chicken in freezer bags, with a little of the reserved broth. Make sure to take out as much air as possible and label. This should keep for 3-6 months in your freezer.

Instant Pot Shredded Chicken (meal prep)

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Additional Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

Did you know that you can make enough shredded chicken for a week of recipes with your pressure cooker? This Instant Pot Shredded Chicken recipe can be meal prepped for your week or frozen for future meals. Don’t miss this post filled with ideas for ways to put pressure cooked chicken to work in your kitchen!

Ingredients

4 Chicken Breasts
1 cup chicken broth or stock
Salt and pepper

Instructions

Pour one cup of chicken broth or stock in the bottom of your Instant Pot.
Add fresh chicken breasts to Instant Pot, seasoned with salt and pepper.
Put the lid on your Instant Pot and cook your chicken on High Pressure for 10 minutes (for small chicken breasts) or 12 minutes (for large chicken breasts).
Once the Instant Pot beeps, make sure your instant pot turns off (and doesn't start the, "keep warm," setting. Allow it to naturally release for ten minutes.
Remove the chicken from the pressure cooker and shred with two forks or a hand mixer.
Add half the liquid from the pot to your shredded chicken and toss to make sure it is fully incorporated.
Use the chicken right away for your recipes (see post for fun ways to put this to work in your kitchen) or freeze for 3-6 months in an airtight freezer bag with a little additional liquid.

Notes

Doubling the chicken? I have doubled this successfully by doubling the chicken stock and keeping everything else, like cooking time, the same. It will take a bit longer to come to pressure, but the duration you set will remain the same.

Using frozen chicken breasts? Cooking time on frozen chicken varies, based on the size of the breast. If the chicken breasts are small, 12 minutes of high pressure works great. Average size chicken breasts will take about 14 minutes. Large pieces are best at 16 minutes. Still follow the steps above for natural releasing the pressure.

This post contains affiliate links

Love this recipe? Here are three other great pressure cooker recipes to check out!

3 ingredient instant pot ribs

3-ingredient instant pot pulled pork

3 ingredient instant pot wings

Let us know what you think about today’s recipe in the comments below!

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Tags: Chicken Recipe, Instant Pot Recipes, Instant Pot Shredded Chicken, Make Ahead Recipes, Meal Prep
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Hazelnut Soup Recipe

Tuesday, October 8th, 2019

This is a rustic hazelnut soup made with parsnips and roasted hazelnuts. It is a quick weeknight soup and the recipe can easily be made vegetarian. Make a batch today and have a taste of Autumn in a bowl for dinner!

From our food contributor, Diana Bauman.

Rapunzel, It’s Hazelnut Soup!

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself.

Whenever I think of hazelnut soup, I’m reminded of one of my favorite Disney movies about a beautiful princess and her long silky hair.

Along with a dreamy guy, a cast iron skillet, and parsnips… what’s not to love?

Honestly, the first time I saw this movie I was more intrigued with the mention of hazelnut soup than the rest of the movie.

Rapunzel’s fake mother brought home parsnips after a trip to town in order to make her hazelnut soup.

I happen to love parsnips and hazelnuts so I knew this was a soup I had to recreate… animated or not.

Parsnips are carrot-like root vegetables that contain vitamins, minerals and nutrients, most notably fiber, folate, potassium and vitamin C.

They’re in season during the late fall and winter.

They’re sweet, yet can have a bit of bite to them.

Large parsnips can have a bitter center which is best removed before cooking.

They taste great mixed into stews, soups, and any other way you would normally use a potato or other root vegetable.

I tell you what, when I saw one of my favorite vendors at my farmers market selling freshly harvested parsnips in the fall, I stocked up and purchased about 15lbs of them to carry me through the winter.

They keep wonderfully in the crisper and actually get sweeter over time.

When I purchased them, I knew right away that I was going to be using some of them to make a comforting batch of hazelnut soup.

I usually make this rustic hazelnut soup once or twice during the winter season – thick and silky, just the way I like it.

In order to create complexity, I start by sautéing onions in a cast iron dutch oven until they’re caramelized, deep and sweet.

While the onions are caramelized, I roast the hazelnuts to deepen their flavor.

Once the onions are caramelized, I deglaze the pot by adding a bit of homemade beef broth.

To the pot, I then add the parsnips, carrots, a potato, some of the roasted hazelnuts, seasonings, and a fair share of more broth.

If you decide to use store bought organic broth, be aware that it won’t have as much depth and character as one made over a stovetop and simmered for 24 hours.

If something like this intimidates you, I promise, you’ll be surprised at how simple it is to make and the nutrients inside will be unlike anything that can be purchased at a store.

Once the additional broth has been added, the vegetables are covered and simmered until tender.

Once tender, a bit of milk or cream is added to the soup and is then ready to be served with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with roasted hazelnuts.

This soup serves beautifully with a green salad and a hunk of crusty bread (or not… if you’re gluten free).

Hazelnut Soup Recipe

Recipe Type: Vegetarian Soup

Author: Diane Bauman

Prep time: 15 mins

Cook time: 55 mins

Total time: 1 hour 10 mins

Serves: 4-6 servings

This is a rustic hazelnut soup made with parsnips and roasted hazelnuts. It is a quick weeknight soup and the recipe can easily be made vegetarian. Make a batch today and have a taste of Autumn in a bowl for dinner!

Ingredients

2 large yellow onions, sliced
3 tbsp butter
3 parsnips, roughly chopped
1 potato, roughly chopped
2 carrots, roughly chopped
1 cup hazelnuts, roasted, divided
4¼ cups beef broth, divided (sub vegetable broth for vegetarian option)
1 tsp salt
dash of fresh cracked pepper
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 cup milk
chopped hazelnuts to garnish
sour cream to garnish

Instructions

In a large pot or dutch oven, over medium heat, melt the 3 tbls butter and add the onions. Stir the onions into the butter and allow to gently cook for 20-25 minutes or until the onions caramelize to a deep golden brown, stirring them along the way.
Once Caramelized add ¼ cup beef broth to deglaze the pan.
Once deglazed, mix in the parsnips, potato, carrots, ¾ cup hazelnuts, the rest of the broth, salt, pepper, and thyme leaves. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and then cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
Once tender, with an immersion blender or working in batches using a blender, puree the contents of the pot. If using a blender, return the puree to the pot over medium heat.
Add 1 cup milk and stir through. Simmer for an additional 5 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkled with roasted hazelnuts

Love this recipe? Don’t miss these other great posts from MomAdvice.com:

28 Instant Pot Soup & Stew Recipes

Gluten-Free Chicken Noodle Soup

Pizza Quinoa Mushrooms

Homemade Vanilla Chai Tea Mix

Easy Homemade Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread

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Do you enjoy soups? Share with us, what’s your favorite comforting soup during this season?

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Tags: Fall Soup, Gluten Free Soup, Hazelnut Soup, Parsnip-Hazelnut Soup, Soup Recipes, Soups, Winter Soup
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Meal Prep: Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe

Tuesday, September 24th, 2019

These freezer-friendly sandwiches are the perfect item to keep on hand for busy mornings. Although this recipe contains bacon, this can easily be omitted for a vegetarian freezer dish too. If you ask me, you just can’t go wrong with eggs and cheese on a toasted english muffin. Follow this easy tutorial for a healthy breakfast that is ready in minutes!

I’ll be honest, freezer cooking has saved our family tons of money over the years. The freezer breakfast sandwiches I am sharing today are my new secret weapon for busy mornings (or evenings) at our house.

I started to really become a fan of freezer recipes for breakfast when I put together my favorite make-ahead breakfast burrito recipe. These were filled with scrambled eggs, cheese, and bell pepper and are a cinch to whip up.

I loved them so much, in fact, that I hosted a sleepover buffet for my daughter with a make-your-own breakfast breakfast burrito bar.

In case you were wondering, it was a total hit!

Today’s breakfast sandwich preparation is a little different than the way we prepared our breakfast burritos. Instead of scrambling our eggs, we will be baking a sheet pan of our egg mixture and cutting them into circles for our breakfast sandwiches. With the addition of bacon (totally optional!!) and a slice of cheese you have the PERFECT frugal ingredients for a breakfast that your whole family will love.

How to Make Breakfast Sandwiches

The eggs are scrambled together with milk, salt, and peper and are poured into a prepared pan (sprayed with cooking spray) for baking.

Please don’t think you have to stop at just eggs though. This is a great recipe to add in other ingredients, like spinach or cooked veggies that you might want to put to work.

A good way to think about it is, if you would add it to a frittata, it is probably a delicious addition to these sandwiches.

Whatever combo you pick, just remember that salt and pepper are key to great flavor.

As you can see with my first pan, the darker nonstick yielded a browner crust on the bottom.

If you have a dark nonstick pan too, keep an eye on it. I also adjusted the cooking time and length on my second batch so I could make sure I nailed the right length of time.

As these eggs are baking, it is time to prepare your bacon for baking.

Have you baked bacon before? Personally, I think it is the only way to go because it cuts down a lot on the mess and cleanup that can be required with stove top preparation.

For this recipe, all you will need to do is to line a cookie sheet with tin foil. On top of your tin foil, you will place your cooling rack. A cooling rack really helps the bacon gets crispy on all sides.

As you know, crispy bacon is just what we are looking for, amiright?

Once the eggs are done cooking, remove them to cool while you slide in your bacon. Once cool enough to handle, cut them into circles for your muffins.

I didn’t have a biscuit cutter, but you don’t need one for this recipe. I found a cup that cut these perfectly for our sandwiches.

Don’t worry, the cup isn’t dusty (well….it *could* be) and is just filled with a little steam from our warm eggs.

Do you have a lot of egg scraps from your sandwiches? The frugal chef in me encourages you to find a way to repurpose those. For our family, I just plan to mix them into our shrimp fried rice and save a tiny bit of effort on the scrambling.

Once your eggs are cut, split your english muffins for toasting. Toasting insures that they don’t get soggy rolls, especially since we plan to reheat these for another day.

Are you gluten-free? They do make gluten-free English muffins that are available in the freezer section of many stores.

Udi’s and Glutino, for example, are two well-known brands that offer this as an option.

As with all things gluten-free though, these can be quite a bit more expensive.

With that in mind, if you really want to keep this recipe frugal, this gluten-free english muffin recipe looks like it is a winner!

How Do I Store My Freezer Breakfast Sandwiches?

Wrap each breakfast sandwich in a square of tin foil and then place these inside a freezer bag. I don’t add a layer of plastic wrap because they seem to hold up well with just the foil and freezer bag combination.

Now that you have your sandwiches, here are some tips for preparing them.

Bake and Eat Your Breakfast Sandwiches Right Away or Save Them For Up to 5 Days in the Refrigerator

By the way, don’t you think these would make a great breakfast for tailgating?

If you are making and preparing them for a crowd, wrap them in tin foil and cook them at 425 for 8-10 minutes.

I think they are awfully delicious topped with a little pesto or siracha to brighten up those flavors. These can be refrigerated overnight for the morning or even kept in your fridge for up to 5 days.

As fast as these went at my house, I’m not sure freezing them ended up even being worth it!

How to Reheat Your Breakfast Sandwiches In the Microwave Right From the Freezer

If you are planning to reheat right from the freezer, remove the tin foil and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I do like to flip these halfway through and find that they benefit from being wrapped in a paper towel to help the muffin keep its consistency and absorb the moisture.

How to Reheat Your Breakfast Sandwiches in the Toaster Oven Right From the Freezer

Do you have a toaster oven? This is a wonderful avenue for reheating your sandwiches. Keep your sandwich in the tin foil and toast for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is warm and the cheese is melted.

Meal Prep: Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe

Meal Prep: Breakfast Sandwiches Recipe Recipe Type : Breakfast Author: MomAdvice.com Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 40 mins Total time: 55 mins Serves: 6 breakfast sandwiches These freezer-friendly sandwiches are the perfect item to keep on hand for busy mornings. Although this recipe contains bacon, this can easily be omitted for a vegetarian freezer dish too. If you ask me, you just can’t go wrong with eggs and cheese on a toasted english muffin (regular or gluten-free). Follow this easy tutorial for a healthy breakfast that is ready in minutes!

Ingredients

10 large eggs
1 cup skim or low-fat milk
1 teaspoon salt
6 slices of bacon (optional)
6 slices of cheese
6 english muffins
sriracha or pesto for topping (optional)
cooking spray
biscuit cutter, glass, or mason jar lid for cutting the egg rounds
9×13 pan
2 cookie sheets
metal cooling rack
mixing bowl & whisk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare your 9×13 with some cooking spray.
In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the egg mixture into the pan and cook for approximately 15 minutes. Be sure to keep your eye on it to make sure the bottom does not get dark.
While the eggs cook, prepare your bacon and english muffins. Split your muffins and place them on a cookie sheet (see picture above). Set aside. Cover the bottom of another cookie sheet with tin foil. Place metal cooling rack on top and spread the bacon, making sure there is space around each piece so the bacon is properly crisp.
Once the eggs are done, remove and set aside to cool. Raise the temperature on the oven to 400 degrees and slide your tray of bacon in. Cook the bacon for 15 minutes. Set aside.
Using a biscuit cutter (or glass), cut out circles of egg. Set aside scraps for another recipe.
Next, slide in your sliced english muffins for toasting for 8-10 minutes.
Make an assembly line and assemble the sandwiches: muffin, egg, bacon, and cheese. Wrap in tin foil and and then store the sandwiches in a freezer bag.
Follow instructions for warming, in the notes section of this recipe card

Notes

Bake and Eat Your Breakfast Sandwiches Right Away or Save Them For Up to 5 Days in the Refrigerator[br]If you are making and preparing them for a crowd, wrap them in tin foil and cook them at 425 for 8-10 minutes. These can be refrigerated overnight for the morning or even kept in your fridge for up to 5 days.[br]How to Reheat Your Breakfast Sandwiches In the Microwave Right From the Freezer[br]If you are planning to reheat right from the freezer, remove the tin foil and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. I do like to flip these halfway through and find that they benefit from being wrapped in a paper towel to help the muffin keep its consistency and absorb the moisture.[br][br]How to Reheat Your Breakfast Sandwiches in the Toaster Oven Right From the Freezer[br]Do you have a toaster oven? This is a wonderful avenue for reheating your sandwiches. Keep your sandwich in the tin foil and toast for 10-15 minutes or until the filling is warm and the cheese is melted.

Love this breakfast recipe? Here are a few other breakfast dishe we love at our house!

slow cooked honeycrisp apple oatmeal

easy sausage and vegetable frittata (dairy free/gluten free)

make ahead smoothie packets for your freezer

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Tags: copycat recipes, freezer breakfast recipes, freezer breakfast sandwiches, freezer gluten free breakfast sandwiches, Meal Prep
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Pressure Cooker Italian Beef Roast

Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

No need to break out your slow cooker for a great chuck roast. This Instant Pot recipe is ready in a fraction of the time, compared to a slow cooker roast. Dressed with a simple marinara sauce, this shredded beef recipe is perfect to serve over pasta or to stuff in a sub bun for an italian beef sandwich. Let me show you how with this pressure cooker recipe.

I am back again with another family meal idea that you can create in your pressure cooker.

Those of you that have my book may recognize this easy recipe that I had originally made for my crock pot. This pot roast recipe was formerly known as my, “Pot Roast Italiano,” and I thought it would be a fun one to adapt for the pressure cooker.

The exciting news is that this recipe DOES NOT DISAPPOINT AT ALL. I have a feeling that this might be in your regular recipe rotation.

If you haven’t used the sauté function on your pressure cooker, you are going to love the ability to brown your meats before you pressure cook them.

A three pound chuck roast can be difficult to flip so feel free to cut your roast in half, like I have demonstrated in the photo.

After mixing these seasonings, you can spoon them on and press them into both sides of your roast, while you wait for your Instant Pot to warm up.

Not sure when it is warm? Your Instant Pot will say HOT when it is ready to go and also will sound a little beep so you can get your meat started.

Add olive oil to the bottom of the pan and then brown the roast beef on both sides, approximately 2-3 minutes each.

Once you have this done, pull the beef out of the Instant Pot and cancel the sauté function.

Using a whisk, whisk in your tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, and salt. Don’t put in the tomato paste- we aren’t ready for that thickener just yet.

Be sure to use the whisk to lift up an of those delicious brown bits, that may have been left behind by your roast, and any of those italian seasonings that may be resting on the bottom.

Set your Instant Pot to high pressure and program it for 80 minutes cooking time. I usually just press the meat button on the IP since I have that set to MORE on the settings.

Once it is done, try to give it some time to come to a natural release (maybe ten minutes or so), but if you are in a rush a quick release won’t hurt it either.

If you are unclear about the difference between the natural release pressure and the quick release pressure, be sure to check out my post with a diagram that explains this more fully.

After releasing the lid, remove the meat from the pressure cooker and shred the meat. Thanks to the effectiveness of the Instant Pot, this should be an absolute breeze.

Your final step, to complete the accompanying sauce, is to whisk in a can of tomato paste. Be sure to give your sauce a taste and sprinkle in additional salt, onion powder, or garlic powder (as needed).

This meat can be placed into a sub roll with a layer of sauce and melted provolone cheese. If you are wanting a more formal meal, this pairs perfectly with mashed potatoes or spooned over a big pile of pasta and sprinkled with a healthy grate of parmesan cheese.

Unlike the traditional shredded beef recipe with pepperoncini peppers and beef broth, this recipe is always a bit of a surprise to our guests with the uniqueness of the sauce and the delicious Italian flavors.

I can’t wait to hear what you think of this recipe and look forward to sharing even more pressure cooker recipes with you this month.

Pressure Cooker Italian Beef Roast Recipe

Pressure Cooker Italian Beef Roast

Recipe Type: Main

Author: MomAdvice.com

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 80 mins

Total time: 1 hour 30 mins

Serves: 6 servings

No need to break out your slow cooker for a great chuck roast. This Instant Pot recipe is ready in a fraction of the time, compared to a slow cooker roast. Dressed with a simple marinara sauce, this shredded beef recipe is perfect to serve over pasta or to stuff in a sub bun for an italian beef sandwich. Let me show you how with this pressure cooker recipe.

Ingredients

3 pounds beef chuck roast
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 can petite diced tomatoes (with their juice)
1 can tomato sauce – 16 oz
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons basil
6 oz. can tomato paste
Salt and pepper
Grated Cheese (optional)

Instructions

Cut your beef chuck roast into two or three pieces so that it can fit and be flipped in your pressure cooker.
Turn on your pressure cooker and set it to the sauté function on HIGH.
On a piece of wax paper, take a paper towel and dry out the meat on both sides so that you can get a nice sear on your roast.
In a small bowl, mix together salt, pepper, oregano, garlic powder, onion powder, and basil.
Sprinkle the seasoning on both sides of your roast and push the seasoning in with your hands to make sure that it sticks well.
Add your olive oil to the hot pan and then sear the roast on both sides for two to three minutes, until your roast has developed a nice crust. Be sure to do this in batches so you get a nice sear on your roast. Set your roast aside.
Turn off the Instant Pot and then add your diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, red wine vinegar, and more salt & pepper. Whisk this in and use your whisk to loosen any of the browned bits on the bottom into your sauce. Give it a taste and make sure you have the right amount of seasoning.
Lock your lid and set it to HIGH pressure for 80 minutes (you can also use your Meat setting if you just want to press a button).
Once it is done, allow it to come to Natural Release Pressure (or if you are in a hurry, you can just do a Quick Release- it won’t hurt it!)
Transfer your meat to a cutting board to shred.
Meanwhile, whisk tomato paste into your gravy and check your seasonings one more time.
Spoon a bit of the sauce on your roast and mix it well.
Serve the additional sauce in a bowl or gravy boat. Serve the roast with mashed potatoes, pasta, or rice. Leftovers can be packaged and used later in Italian beef sandwiches, toasted with sauce and provolone.