Month: February 2018

Instant Pot Steak Chili
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Instant Pot Steak Chili

Like most I cook pretty much the same things over and over with small changes here and there. I was in a rut, sort of and wanted something different. I had some wholefoods stew meat in the freezer and had recently cooked one of my instant pot favorites Thicker Instant Pot Chili so beef stew was not on my list. I remembered the Texas chili I made and said maybe I’ll make a variation of that. I looked at some recipes for ideas and went to work.

 

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INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 1/3 pounds stew meat, diced into ½ to 3/4-inch cubes – I had a little over 1 pound
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1 red onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • Big spoon full of sliced jalapeños for the jar, then minced
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • About a cup of Lyn’s pasta sauce – got to use what’s on hand. (subbed for tomato sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 (15-ounce) cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • Shredded Monterey Jack cheese, for serving
  • Sour Cream, for serving
  • Chopped Avocado, for serving

 

DIRECTIONS:

  • Season stew meat with salt and pepper, to taste.
  • Let sit for about 10-15 minute
  • Pat dry with paper towel
  • Heat olive oil In Instant pot on sauté
  • Add stew meat and sear until browned, about 2 -4 minutes. Add onion, garlic and jalapeno, and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder, kidney beans and 1 to 1 ½ cups water.
  • Seal the instant pot and choose Chili button set for  30 minutes
  • Let natural release

Serve with shredded Monterrey Jack cheese, a dollop of sour cream and avocado maybe corn bread or chips, if desired.

I only had some left over Garlic toast and you got to use what you have, Mike, my son came over to do his taxes and laundry he did not mind at all.

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It’s hard to say where the heat came from but I might try less chili powder or jalapeños next time. Mike likes it hot said it was really good. I would like to make it a little thicker just my tastes.

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Really Good Garlic Bread.
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Really Good Garlic Bread.

Saw this on America’s Test Kitchen and tried once before but had a crustier bread, it was good. Trying again tonight with a lighter airier bread.

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INGREDIENTS

Print Shopping List

  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon water
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4—5 garlic cloves, minced to paste (1 tablespoon)
  • 1 (1-pound) loaf soft Italian bread, halved horizontally

 

INSTRUCTIONS

SERVES 8

A 12 by 5-inch loaf of supermarket Italian bread, which has a soft, thin crust and fine crumb, works best here. Do not use a rustic or crusty artisan-style loaf. A rasp-style grater makes quick work of turning the garlic into a paste. The amount of time needed to brown the bread after flipping it in step 3 depends on the color of your baking sheet. If using a dark-colored sheet, the browning time will be on the shorter end of the range.

  1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Combine garlic powder and water in medium bowl. Add 4 tablespoons butter, salt, and cayenne to bowl; set aside.
  2. Place remaining 4 tablespoons butter in small bowl and microwave, covered, until melted, about 30 seconds. Stir in garlic and continue to microwave, covered, until mixture is bubbling around edges, about 1 minute, stirring halfway through microwaving. Transfer melted butter mixture to bowl with garlic powder–butter mixture and whisk until homogeneous loose paste forms. (If mixture melts, set aside and let solidify before using.)
  3. Spread cut sides of bread evenly with butter mixture. Transfer bread, cut sides up, to rimmed baking sheet. Bake until butter mixture has melted and seeped into bread, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove sheet from oven. Flip bread cut sides down, place second rimmed baking sheet on top, and gently press. Return sheet to oven, leaving second sheet on top of bread, and continue to bake until cut sides are golden brown and crisp, 4 to 12 minutes longer, rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer bread to cutting board. Using serrated knife, cut each half into 8 slices. Serve immediately.

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The lighter bread toasted a little quicker than I thought but was still good.  I guess I’ll just forget about my love handles and keep trying till I perfect this.