Turkey Tacos Stuffed Sweet Potatoes

 

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin divided
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper
• 3/4 pound lean (93%) ground turkey
• 4 garlic cloves minced
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1 1/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
• 1/4 cup grated pepper Jack cheese
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley

Instructions

• Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Cook in the microwave on HIGH until tender when pierced with a fork, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Let the potatoes rest until cool enough to handle.
• Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop the flesh out of the potatoes and place in a medium-sized bowl. Reserve the skins. With the back of a fork, mash the potato flesh until most lumps are gone. Stir in the olive oil, ½ teaspoon cumin, ¼ teaspoons salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Divide the mashed sweet potato evenly between the potato skins. Place on a baking sheet.
• Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lightly coat with cooking spray. Add the ground turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon, until cooked through. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, remaining ¾ teaspoon cumin, oregano, paprika, and remaining ⅛ teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the crushed tomatoes.
• Preheat the broiler. Spoon the turkey mixture into each sweet potato skin. Top each with 1 tablespoon grated cheese. Broil until the cheese is melted, about 30 seconds. Garnish with parsley. Serve.

Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey or ground pork)
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 small onion , chopped
• 1 clove garlic , minced
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms , sliced
• 1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 10.5 ounce can cream of mushroom soup (or homemade)
• 2 1/4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 8 ounces wide egg noodle
• 1/3 cup sour cream (or Greek Yogurt)
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley leaves , chopped

Instructions

• Turn Instant Pot to saute. Once the pot is hot, spray the bottom with cooking spray (or add a little oil), and add ground beef. Brown the meat, breaking it into small pieces as it cooks, and season it with salt and pepper. Remove any excess grease.
• Add onion, garlic and sliced mushrooms and saute for 1 minute.
• Add the flour, homemade or canned cream of mushroom soup, beef broth, and noodles and stir to combine.
• Secure instant pot lid, and turn valve to sealed position. Cook on Manual Setting or High Pressure Setting for 2 minutes.
• When pressure cooking is complete, use a quick release. (If liquid sprays from the knob, close knob, wait 30 seconds then release pressure again. You may also turn knob half way so only a small amount of steam is being released.)
• Carefully remove the lid and stir mixture. Allow the mixture to cool for a few minutes, then stir in sour cream, parsley, additional salt and pepper to taste.

Slow Cooker Moroccan Lamb (or chicken)

 

Ingredients

• ▢1 kg lamb diced (or chicken)
• ▢1.5 tsps ground cumin
• ▢1.5 tsps coriander powder
• ▢1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• ▢1.5 tsps salt
• ▢1 tsp fennel seeds
• ▢6 tbsps olive oil
• ▢1 eggplant chopped into 2cm cubes
• ▢2 small brown onions finely diced
• ▢3 cloves garlic sliced
• ▢6 dates seeds removed, chopped
• ▢1 quarter of a preserved lemon finely chopped (or add lemon juice)
• ▢1.5 cups water
• ▢3 cinnamon sticks
• ▢3 cups diced tomatoes with their liquid
• ▢1 tin of chickpeas drained and rinsed
• ▢4 tbsps chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

• Combine the salt, cumin coriander powder, cayenne pepper and fennel seeds in a large bowl. Coat the lamb in the mix.
• Heat 2 tbsps of olive oil in a large fry pan over medium heat. Fry the lamb in batches to brown on all sides. Remove
• Fry the eggplant until brown on all sides, Remove.
• Add the onion and garlic and lemon, lower the heat and fry until soft.
• Add the dates, the water and cinnamon. Bring to a boil then simmer until sticky. Add the tomatoes and the chickpeas, return to the boil.
• Add the meat and eggplant and stir well.

Instant Pot/ Pressure Cooker

• Select pressure cooking and time: 25 minutes, close and bolt the lid. Stir through chopped coriander and serve with couscous.

Slow cooker

• Select low temp and 8 hours. Or High temp and 4 hours. Stir through chopped coriander and serve with couscous.

Slow Cooker Tacos with Beans and Veggies

 

INGREDIENTS

  

• 2 cups diced veggies (such as onion, carrot, red/yellow/orange bell pepper, and/or sweet potato)
• 3/4 cup mild salsa
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 pound chicken thighs OR 1 ground beef
• 2 cups garbanzo, black, or pinto beans (or one 14.5 ounce can)
• 8 small tortillas (corn or flour)
• Cheese, salsa, guacamole, avocado for serving

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Add the vegetables, salsa, cumin, and salt to the slow cooker. Stir to combine.
• Spread the chicken thighs over the top in a single layer.
• In the slow cooker: Cover and cook on LOW for 7-8 hours or on HIGH for 4-5 hours in the slow cooker.
• In the Instant Pot: Add 1/4 water to the vegetable mixture. Seal and cook on HIGH for 8 minutes, naturally release the pressure for 5 minutes, then quick release.
• Remove chicken, set aside on a plate, and shred with 2 forks.
• Puree the vegetable mixture with an immersion blender or by transferring to a regular blender.
• Return to the slow cooker with the chicken. Add the beans and stir to combine. Cover and let sit on warm until ready to serve.
• Serve with tortillas and any taco toppings your family likes.

Creamy Bean and Sausage Soup

 

Instructions

• In a large dutch oven or stock pot, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add the sausage and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned. Add the onion, green bell pepper, carrot, and garlic. Season with the kosher salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and pepper softens, about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle the flour over the sausage and veggie mixture and stir to coat, stirring and cooking for 1-2 minutes or until it loses its raw floury taste and begins to smell toasty. Slowly add the milk and stir until smooth. Cook until the the mixture begins to thicken and bubble, stirring often, then add Worcestershire sauce, sage and beans. Reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to cook for 15-20 minutes or until the flavors come together, stirring occasionally. Add more salt and pepper to taste

Instant pot carnitas

 INGREDIENTS

INSTANT POT CRISPY CARNITAS INGREDIENTS:

1 (4-5 pound) lean boneless pork roast, cut into 2-inch chunks (with excess fat trimmed off)

fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

1 tablespoon avocado oil or olive oil

1 batch mojo sauce (see below)

for serving: chopped fresh cilantro, diced white or red onion, and/or fresh salsa (I used the pineapple salsa recipe included below)

MOJO SAUCE INGREDIENTS:

1 cup beer (or chicken stock)

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup fresh orange juice

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

1 tablespoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly-cracked black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

TO MAKE THE INSTANT POT CRISPY CARNITAS:

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the mojo sauce ingredients until combined. Set aside until ready to use.

Season pork chunks on all sides with salt and pepper.

Click the “Sauté” setting on the Instant Pot. Add the oil, followed by half of the pork, and sear — turning every 45-60 seconds or so — until the pork is browned on all sides. Transfer pork to a separate clean plate, and repeat with the remaining pork, searing until it has browned on all sides. Press “Cancel” to turn off the heat.

Pour in the mojo sauce, and toss briefly to combine with the pork. Close lid securely and set vent to “Sealing”.

Cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, followed by a natural release (about 15 minutes).

Set the oven broiler to high heat.

Remove the lid of the Instant Pot. Shred the pork with two forks. Then transfer it with a slotted spoon to a large baking sheet. Spoon about a third of the leftover juices evenly on top of the pork and toss to combine. Broil for 4-5 minutes, or until the edges of the pork begin browning and crisping up. Remove the baking sheet from the oven, then half of the remaining juices from the Instant Pot evenly over the pork and toss to combine. Broil for an additional 5 minutes to get the meat even more crispy. Remove baking sheet from the oven, then ladle the remaining juices over the pork, and toss to combine.

Chicken and biscuits casserole

 Ingredients

FOR THE FILLING:

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup half-and-half

⅓ cup butter

1 cup chopped onion

1 cup peeled and chopped carrots

1 cup chopped celery

½ cup flour

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon pepper

4 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken

½ cup frozen peas (not thawed)

FOR THE BISCUITS:

2 cups Bisquick

⅔-¾ cup cold buttermilk (or sub with regular milk)

¼ teaspoon dried parsley

2 tablespoons butter, melted

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder

** Can also use other biscuit recipe from this blog**

Instructions

PREPARE FILLING:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 2 ½ - 3-quart casserole dish with cooking spray and set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together chicken broth and half-and-half. Set aside.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and celery; sauté for 10 minutes. Add flour and continue cooking and stirring for 1 more minute. Reduce heat to medium and gradually stir in the chicken broth mixture.

Continue cooking over medium heat, stirring regularly, until thick and bubbly (about 5-6 minutes). Make sure that the mixture doesn’t boil. Stir in the salt and pepper. Add chicken and frozen peas.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Cover with foil and bake for about 10 minutes while you prepare the biscuit dough.

PREPARE BISCUITS:

Use a fork to stir together the Bisquick mix, buttermilk and parsley until a soft dough forms.

Remove the chicken mixture from the oven, take off the cover, and give the filling a stir. Use a large scoop to drop about ¼-cup of the biscuit dough at a time onto the hot chicken mixture. You should have about 8 biscuits on top of the dish.

Return dish to the oven and bake, uncovered, for about 12 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in a biscuit comes out clean.

Stir together melted butter and garlic powder; brush over warm biscuits and serve.