Cheese

Thicker Instant Pot Chili
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Thicker Instant Pot Chili

Thicker Instant Pot Chili

I’ve been craving chili recently but did not want to take all day so I decided that I would do it in the instant pot. I’ve tried this before but they seem to come out soupy than what my mind’s eye wants.

I wanted something that was thick and full of flavor. I had a pound of hamburger in the freezer and my pantry was stock so what the hell.

 

Ingredients

  • lb ground meat
  • 16oz tomato sauce
  • Small to medium size onion roughly diced
  • Pinto Beans
  • Tablespoon chili powder
  • teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
  • teaspoon smoked paprika
  • ½ heaping teaspoon cumin, I like this stuff
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • ½ Small Red pepper roughly chop or more your choice

Garnish

  • Freshly ground cheddar
  • Thinly slices scallion

Turn the instant pot to sauté and add maybe a teaspoon of oil. Add ground beef and brown. Depending on the % you may want to drain the pot after browning. My frozen was 90% sirloin so no draining was needed. Add the rest of the ingredient and mix thoroughly.

Put cover the cover on and turn to no venting then turn the instant pot to manual and 10 minutes. When it is done turn off and let naturally depressurize.  I then turned back to sauté add the red pepper, stirring constantly and when it came to a boil turn it off.  It is essentially done just taste for spices shovel out a serving and top with cheese and scallions.

Good for a bowl or a burrito or a taco.

 

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Reign On Steve’s Vegetable Lasagna -Week 17
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Reign On Steve’s Vegetable Lasagna -Week 17

I remember trips to Maine and those great Sunday dinners of Rose’s.  Her smile would grow if you ask for seconds and with one hand holding the edge of your plate making retreat impossible she would pile on the pasta, lasagna, meatballs…..and when you could hardly hold the plate up then she was satisfied you had ample seconds. Well this Christmas I made lasagna in her honor but added some vegetables since Lyn batted her eyes and asked do you think…… I never came up with those picture perfect lasagna but it always taste good.

Ingredients

  • 1 box of lasagna noodles ( this time I cheated and used the oven ready ones)
  • 1 container (32 oz.) Dragone Part-Skim Ricotta cheese
  • 1 large zucchini slice very thin lengthwise – I used a mandolin
  • I carrot julienned and roughly chopped
  • 1 egg, beaten
  • About 1-1/2 tsp. dried oregano
  • ½ tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp. pepper
  • 1 package (16 oz.) Mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ¾ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
  • Pasta sauce -3-5 cups

Ingredients

How

Heat oven to 375

Combine the ricotta, egg, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add 3 cups of Mozzarella and ½ cup of Parmesan cheese mix thoroughly

Cheese mixture

Spread one cup of sauce on bottom of glass 13*9 pan

Layer 1

Place one layer of noodles – I laid them across since the fit nicely

Cover with a layer of cheese mixture

More sauce

Layer of zucchini and all the carrot

Layer 3

Cheese mixture

Sauce

Pasta

Cheese and sauce

I guess in whatever order you really want to.

top layer

Cover tightly with foil

cover with foil

Bake for about an hour minutes until sauce is bubbly

Cover with the remaining cheeses and bake until melted about 10 minutes uncovered

I also finished off with 2 minutes under the broiler I like that very slight crunchiness

Cover loosely and let sit for at least 15 minutes

Done

I served with sauce, meatballs, chicken sausage and salad with 18 year old balsamic vinegar mmmmmmm anything is better with 18 year old balsamic vinegar

Lyn's sauce my meatblaas and chicken sausage

eat1 eat

Serve best part leftovers

Rose’s meatballs

 

Reign On Game Day Recipe Week 5: Spicy Southwest Meatloaf Minis
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Reign On Game Day Recipe Week 5: Spicy Southwest Meatloaf Minis

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
  • 1/2 cup diced onion
  • 1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey (7% fat or less)
  • 3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
  • 1/3 cup seeded and finely chopped jalapeño peppers
  • 1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
  • 1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)- I used one real egg
  • 1/4 cup frozen sweet corn kernels, thawed
  • 1/4 cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 3 tbsp. ketchup
  • 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Mexican-blend cheese
  • Optional toppings: salsa, fat-free or light sour cream, hot sauce

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How:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 10 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with foil baking cups, or spray them with nonstick spray.

Bring a skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Cook and stir bell pepper and onion until softened and lightly browned, 5 – 7 minutes.

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Transfer cooked veggies to a large bowl. Add all remaining ingredients except ketchup and cheese. Mix thoroughly.

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Evenly distribute mixture among the 10 lined or sprayed cups of the muffin pan. Evenly top with ketchup, about 1 tsp. each. Bake until firm and cooked through with lightly browned edges, about 35 minutes.

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Sprinkle meatloaves with cheese. Bake until cheese has melted, about 2 minutes.

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Eat up!

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From http://www.hungry-girl.com/

Avocado Tuna Fish Melt
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Avocado Tuna Fish Melt

Ingredients:

  • ½ Avocado
  • 1 small can of tuna – I found this great multipack of what appear to be ½ size cans at BJ (perfect for one) so if a regular is 5 oz. this would be 2.5 oz.. If you don’t have a small can double other ingredients
  • A few chopped roasted Baby Roma Tomatoes – salsa is nice also
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • A shake of Onion and garlic powder to taste (optional)
  • Bread – your choice
  • Sliced or shredded cheese your choice I happen to have some sliced provolone left over from my stuffed eggplant.

 ingredients

How:

  • Drain the tuna and flake in a small bowl. Add avocado and other ingredients and combine to mix well
  • Lightly toast the bread
  • Spread tuna mixture on the bread

spread the tuna

  • Cover with cheese

top with cheese

  • Place on cookie sheet and under a broiler on high until the cheese is melted I like slight browned.

server

Served with corn salad and what else a couple Baby Roma Tomatoes, the slice cucumber never made it to my plate. What one’s got to munch you know.

Stuffed Eggplant Milanese Con Formaggio
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Stuffed Eggplant Milanese Con Formaggio

This is a great dish and I had been craving something warming and when I saw eggplants on sale I grabbed one. After preparing I looked at Lyn and said that was a lot of work. She smiled and said it is an act of love. It was well worth it and I better freeze some quickly I already found a way to have it make my plate three times now.

Since Lyn is still on her special strict diet I have to fend for myself, so I had a small eggplants and I cut the ingredient in half.

Prepare first

Ingredients

  • 1 –  28 oz. can Pastene kitchen ready crushed tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon basil
  • 2 tablespoons Olive oil

How: Place oil in pot mix the seasoning in and heat slightly mix in the add the sauce bring boil and then to simmer

marinara sauce

Eggplant

Ingredients

  • 1 medium eggplant
  • ½ cup flour
  • 2 eggs Beaton with 1 teaspoon grated cheese and ¼ teaspoon Bell seasoning.
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Olive Oil for Frying (about 1 cup) add as needed.
  • ½ lbs. of provolone and mozzarella cheeses

How: Slice the eggplant ¼ inch thick. Lay out on paper towel and sprinkle with salt. After the moisture comes to the surface (little water bubbles) pat dry with paper towel. Flip and repeat. This takes a while we went shopping. There are other methods to draw out the moisture you can Google them.

Dip eggplant in flour, shake off excess and then into egg mixture to cover and shake of excess. Slowly brown on both sides. Set aside.

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Stuffing for eggplant

Ingredients

  • 3 cups Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 3 table spoons grated cheese
  • 2 teaspoons chopped parsley
  • 4 eggs
  • ¼ teaspoon bell seasoning
  • Salt and pepper

How: Mix together and mix in ¼ cup hot water to moisten.

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Prepare the casserole

Cover the bottom or baking dish with sauce

Make first layer of eggplant

Spoon the stuffing over the eggplant

Spoon a little of the sauce

Place ½  of provolone and ¼ slice of mozzarella cheeses on top

Layer the rest of the eggplant

Cover with provolone cheese and sprinkle with grated cheese

Pour marinara sauce to fill casserole. Cover tightly with tin foil. Bake in 350 oven for 45 minutes.

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Spinach, Cheddar and Rice Pie.
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Spinach, Cheddar and Rice Pie.

Continuing theme a night dinner plan it was vegetarian night again. We have fallen very nicely into the flow and I don’t have to peek at the calendar as much to figure out what tonight brings theme wise.

We love the taste of spinach and cheese but can’t say that I have tried this combination. The best thing was that I came home from work and the house smelled soooooo good. Lyn worked from home and had everything ready for me including a nice glass of wine with cheese and crackers. How lucky am I!

 Ingredients

  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 small onion, finely chopped
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed , and squeezed dry
  • 3 cups cooked brown rice (small grain)
  • 1 cup diced extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ tsp. salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • ¼ cup nonfat milk (we use lactose free)
  • 1 roasted red pepper cut in strips

How

Make sure your wife is working from home 🙂

Preheat the oven to 4250. Generously coat a 9 inch pie pan with cooking spray.

Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat.

Add Onion and cook. Stirring frequently until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Transfer to a large bowl. Add rice, cheese, pepper and salt to the bowl and stir to combine.

Note: We thought after that some red-hot pepper flakes would be a nice touch if you wanted a little more heat.

Whisk eggs and milk in medium bowl then stir in rice mixture. Transfer to the pie pan and smooth the top with a spatula and arrange the roasted red pepper on top.

Bake the pie until lightly browned in spots about 25 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Spinach, Cheddar and Rice Pie   Spinach, Cheddar and Rice Pie

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Baked Macaroni & Cheese

I loved Mac & Cheese since I was a kid. I can remember in my teens making the Kraft boxed and thinking I was a great chef mixing powered cheese(?) with the freshly boiled tiny little elbow macaroni’s and milk or water. I graduated to the deluxe version that had the cheese(?) as sauce in the can. I was in Mac & Cheese heaven watching Bruin’s hockey a devouring a whole box. It was not until I was transferred to Dallas with 20th Century Fox that I met Paul and Clair who introduced me to Mac & Cheese made from scratch and real chesses. I was sold.

This time I made it with white cheddar and America cheeses, but normally I like a sharp orange cedar cheese. You can use many kinds of cheeses which I have, so experiment. I have found at least to my liking that cheeses that get stringy when melted (i.e. mozzarella) do work but everyone has different taste and who am I to say…..

Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

  • 1 pound penne, elbow or cavatappi (corkscrew) macaroni.
  • 1/3 cup whole wheat flour.
  • 4 cups milk, heated.
  • 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extra sharp Cheddar cheese.
  • 2 cups finely chopped American cheese.
    • Remember you can use more or all cheddar if you want.
  • Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Tabasco or hot pepper sauce.
  • ¼ freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

How

In a large pot bring lightly salted water to boil and cook macaroni and cook aldente. Drain well.

Preheat the oven to 350◦ with rack in center. Butter 13”x 9” baking dish, alternatively use a deep 4 quart casserole.

Melt the butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour. Slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to simmer, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 5 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1 cup each of Cheddar and American cheese. Season with salt, pepper and tabasco sauce.

Combine the rest of the Cheddar and American cheese. Spread ½ of the macaroni on the bottom of baking dish. Sprinkle with slight more than half the combined cheeses and then ½ the sauce. Add the remaining of the macaroni top with the cheese and then sauce. Now sprinkle the graded parmesan cheese over the top. If using the 4 quart casserole 1/3 of macaroni, ½ of combined cheeses, 1/3 of the sauce. Repeat with another 1/3 of macaroni and remaining cheese and ½ the sauce.  Finish with the removing macaroni and sauce and then sprinkle the grated parmesan cheese. I prefer the baking dish it is easier to make single servings and you can freeze these for a quick, meal or side. (Add a little water when re-heating in microwave.

Bake until bubbly and golden brown around the edges. About 30 minutes.