Strawberries, Sour Cream and Brown Sugar

I have never heard of fresh strawberries dunked in sour cream and then brown sugar.  They sounded delicious and I couldn't wait to try them.  Luckily, I just got some strawberries form Costco and I had plenty of sour cream and brown sugar.

They were fantastic.  A quick treat to dunk and eat.  I will be enjoying these all summer long.


Strawberries, Sour Cream and Brown Sugar
From Our Best Bites

Ingredients

Fresh Strawberries, Stems attached
brown sugar (I suggest a fresh bag)
Sour Cream (I suggest full fat)


Instructions

Place some sour cream in a small bowl, place some brown sugar in a separate small bowl.  To serve, have people dip a berry in sour cream and then in brown sugar, and eat immediately!

Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken

This is a delicious dinner that is quick, healthy, and has the flavors of the Mediterranean.  This recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare and about 20 minutes cooking time.

I found this recipe  on one of my favorite websites, Taste of Home.  The recipe was very easy to prepare and it tasted delicious. Everything came out perfectly cooked.    It was loved by the entire family.  I will be making this recipe again soon.

Instant Pot Mediterranean Chicken Orzo
From Taste of Home

Ingredients:
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs (about 1-1/2 pound), cut into 1-inch pieces
2 cups chicken broth
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
1 cup sliced pitted green olives, drained
1 large carrot, halved lengthwise and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons lemon juice
 2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon Herbes de Provence
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta

Directions:

1. In  a 6-qt. Instant Pot, combine the first 11 ingredients; stir to combine.  Lock the lid; close pressure-release valve.  Adjust to pressure-cook on high for 8 minutes.  Quick release the pressure.
2. Add orzo, Lock the lid; close pressure-release valve.  Adjust to pressure cook on low for 3  minutes.   Allow the pressure to naturally release for 4 minutes, then quick-release any remaining pressure.
3. Let stand 8-10 minutes before serving.


Serves 6

Turkey Farfalle Pasta Skillet

This is a great recipe for using leftover turkey or chicken you have on hand.  The turkey is cooked with carrots, celery, mushrooms in  some broth.  Farfalle pasta is then added to the mix and cooked until tender.  Stir in some sour cream, top with grated Parmesan cheese, let rest and serve.

A very easy dinner that is quick, delicious, and inexpensive.  Enjoy.


Turkey Farfalle Pasta Skillet

Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup diced carrots
3/4 cup diced celery
4 ounces sliced white mushrooms
1/4 cup all purpose flour
3-1/2 cups chicken broth
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1-1/2 cups diced cooked turkey
4 cups dried Farfalle pasta
1/2 cup sour cream
Grated Parmesan Cheese

Directions:
1. In a large skillet melt the butter over medium-low heat.  Add the carrots celery and mushrooms.  Sauce in the butter until the vegetables are soft.
2. Add the flour and cook for about 3 minutes.  Pour in the chicken broth and add the onion powder, dried parsley, salt, garlic powder, thyme, and black pepper.  Stir well.
3. Bring to a boil.  Stir in the turkey and pasta.  Cover and cook until pasta is tender about 11-15 minutes.
4. Stir in sour cream and top the dish with grated Parmesan Cheese.  Let rest for 5 minutes and serve.

Serves 6

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

I love Mac and Cheese.   It is my go to comfort food.  This recipe is rich, creamy, cheesy and made in an Instant Pot.  The pasta is first cooked in some chicken broth.  Once it is done, add some cheese, sour cream, seasonings, stir and serve.

This could possible be the best Mac and Cheese ever.   Try it and see what you think.


Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

Ingredients:

1 pound elbow macaroni (about 4 cups)
4 cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon Hot Sauce
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup sour cream
1-1/2 teaspoons prepared yellow mustard
3-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
1. Add the uncooked macaroni, chicken broth, butter, hot sauce, onion powder, garlic powder, pepper,  and salt to the Instant Pot.
2. Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing.  Select the Manual setting and set the cooking time for 6 minutes at high pressure.
3. Perform a quick release by moving the Pressure Release to Venting,  Open the pot and stir in the sour cream, mustard, and cheese.  Let the mac and cheese sit for 5 minutes to thicken, then stir again and serve.

Makes 8 servings

Triple Cheese Bread

My family loves Cheese Bread.  With the shortage of any type of bread around, I made my own.   I found a great recipe from King Arthur Flour for Triple Cheese Bread.  I love what the cottage cheese does for this recipe.  It makes the bread nice and moist.

Try it, you'll like it.

Triple Cheese Bread
From King Arthur Flour

Ingredients

3/4 cup (170g) warm water
2 teaspoons instant yeast
3 cups (361g) King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
2 tablespoons (25g) sugar
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons (28g) soft butter
1/2 cup (57g) shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup (113g) cottage cheese
3 tablespoons (18g) Vermont cheese powder or Parmesan cheese

Instructions

Mix and knead all of the ingredients — by hand, in your mixer, or in your bread machine on the dough cycle — to make a soft dough.

Place the dough in a greased bowl or other rising container, cover it, and let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

Deflate the dough, form it into a 9" log, and place it in a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan. Cover loosely with greased plastic and let rise until the bread domes an inch above the rim of the pan, about 60 minutes. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.

Bake the bread for 30 to 35 minutes, until it's golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers at least 190°F.

Remove the bread from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the loaf to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Skillet

 Chicken Cordon Bleu is one of my favorites so I was excited to try this recipe.  This meal is very easy to prepare and tastes delicious.  Start by cooking some egg noodles.  In a skillet, add some butter and cook up your diced chicken.  I added  some mushrooms to the chicken.   I then added the remaining ingredients and mixed well.  When the cheese was melted and the chicken no longer pink, I added the noodles, stirred, heated through and served.

It was a hit.  The family enjoyed the meal and it was easy to prepare.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Skillet
From Taste of Home Adapted by From My Southwest Kitchen


Ingredients:
8 ounces uncooked medium egg noodles (about 5 cups)
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1-inch pieces
3/4 cup sliced mushrooms
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1/2 cup shredded Gruyere cheese
1/2 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1/4 white wine
Fresh parsley for garnish

Directions:
1. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain.
Meanwhile, sprinkle chicken with pepper.
2. In a large cast-iron or other heavy skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat; saute chicken just for about 2 minutes and then stir in the mushrooms.  Cook for another 2 -3 minutes.
3.  Stir in soup, cheese, ham and wine; cook, covered, over medium heat until cheese is melted and chicken is no longer pink, 6-8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in noodles and warm through. Sprinkle with parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Happy Easter

Homemade Bread

 Sometimes when I go to the store they are out of bread. I decided to try making some home made bread.  I found a very easy to follow recipe to bake bread on the Taste of Home website.  This is a basic white bread that is perfect for sandwiches, toast, or just eating it with some jam.

Basic Homemade Bread
From Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
2-1/4  cups warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
3 tablespoons sugar plus 1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoon canola oil
6-1/4 to 6-3/4 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons melted butter

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and 1/2 teaspoon sugar in warm water; let stand until bubbles form on surface.  Whisk together remaining 3 tablespoon sugar, salt, and 3 cups flour.  Stir oil into yeast mixture; pour into flour mixture and beat until smooth.  Stir in enough remaining flour, 1/2 cup at a time, to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 8-10 minutes.  Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease the top.Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1-1/2 to 2 hours.
3. Punch dough down.  Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide dough in half.  Shape each into a loaf.  Place in 2 greased 9x5-inch loaf pans.  Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
4. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown and bread sounds hollow when tapped or has reached an internal temperature of 200 degrees, 30-35 minutes.  Remove from pans to wire racks too cool.  Brush tops with melted butter.

Makes 2 loaves

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs

With Easter coming this week, a lot of us will be hard boiling eggs.  I tried making hard boiled eggs in my Instant Pot and I will never go back to the old way again.

The recipe I used was from Taste of Home magazine which used the 5-5-5 method.  Five minutes pressure cook, five minutes release and five minutes to cool.  The eggs came out perfect.  Never has hard boiling eggs been easier.

Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs
From Taste of Home

Special Equipment:
Instant Pot
Steamer Basket or Trivet

Ingredients:
1 cup water
Eggs

Directions:
1. Pour water in Instant Pot. Place steamer basket  or trivet on top of water. Carefully place eggs on top of trivet or basket.
2.Secure the lid. Set the pressure release to Sealing.
3.Select Manual setting and set the cooking time to 5 minutes at High Pressure.
4.While cooking, prepare an ice bath.
5.When cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally for 5 minutes. Then, move the pressure release to Venting to release all remaining steam.
6.Open the pot and transfer the eggs to the ice bath to cool for 5 minutes. Peel when ready to eat or use.

Quick Green Chicken Chili

This chili is fantastic and so easy to make.  You use many ready made products like rotisserie chicken, green salsa, and canned cannelloni beans.  Put all of the ingredients in a pot, stir and cook.  That is it.  Dinner is ready and it tastes as if you spent hours preparing it.

I love this recipe.  It tastes wonderful and has a nice light spicy flavor to it. Leftovers taste better the next day.  The family also loved this chili.  It is a keeper.



Quick Green Chicken Chili
From Cook's Country

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion chopped fine
3/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 cups chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans cannelloni beans, rinsed
1 cup jarred green salsa
1 (2 1/2-pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bit-size pieces (3 cups)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering.  Add onion, pepper, and salt and cook until softened, about 4 minutes.  Stir in garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
2. Increase heat to medium-high.  Stir in broth, beans and salsa and bring to boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors have melded, about 10 minutes.
3. Using  the back of  a wooden spoon, mash some beans against side of pot until chili is slightly thickened. Stir in chicken and cilantro and cook until warmed through, about 2 minutes.  Serve.

Serves 4