Category Archives: Uncategorized

Cream of Mushroom Soup

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  • 1 stick Butter.
  • 2 pounds button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced.
  • 3 onions, peeled and chopped.
  • a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper.
  • 1/2 bottle hearty red wine.
  • 4 cups chicken broth.
  • 1 cup heavy cream (35%)
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup water

Place a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. The mushrooms will initially release a lot of moisture, preventing them from browning. Eventually that moisture will evaporate, allowing the pot’s heat to rise to browning temperature.

Pour in the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Continue cookingthe moisture in the wine will evaporate, concentrating its flavouruntil the wine has reduced by about two-thirds.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Stir well and bring the soup to a simmer.

Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add this mixture slowly to the simmering soup, stirring until it returns to the simmer and thickens slightly. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker, feel free to add more cornstarch. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Balsamic-Bacon Vinaigrette

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  • 2 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1.5 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1/4 tsp. dijon mustard
  • 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
  • salt and pepper

Cook bacon until crisp and golden. Remove bacon. Add shallot. Add 1 tbsp. of vinegar and scrape bottom of pot to dissolve brown bits. Off the heat, stir in remaining vinegar, lemon juice, mustard. Gradually whisk in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Bechamel Sauce

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  • 5 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups warm whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp. salt

Melt butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Gradually add the warm milk, whisking constantly to prevent any lumps from forming. Simmer over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the sauce is thick, smooth, and creamy – about 10 minutes (do not allow to boil). Remove from heat and stir in salt and pepper, pinch of nutmeg.

Marinara Sauce

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  • 1/2 cup EVOO
  • 2 onions, finely copped
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 2 celery stalks, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 tsp. pepper
  • 2 cans (32 oz) crushed tomatoes
  • 2 dried bay leaves

Heat oil over medium-high flame. Add onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Add celery, carrots, 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper. Saute until all vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour. Remove and discard bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper to taste.

Sweet Potato Hash

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  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 3 medium sweet potatoes, skin-on and diced into equal, bite-size chunks
  • 1/2 medium white onion, diced
  • 2 stalks celery, diced
  • 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • sliced green onions, for garnish
  1. Heat oil in large pan over medium-high heat.
  2. Add the potatoes, onion and celery to the oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
  3. Cover and cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are almost tender.
  4. Turn the heat to high and add the garlic, stirring to combine. Cook on high for 2-5 more minutes until sweet potatoes are nicely browned.
  5. Serve hot and with sliced green onions, if desired.

Instant Pot Yogurt

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  • 1/2 gallon milk
  • 2 tablespoons prepared yogurt with cultures

Pour milk into inner pot of Instant Pot.

Push yogurt button then adjust until the screen reads “boil.” This will take about an hour.

Once the Instant Pot beeps that the boil cycle is complete, carefully remove the lid and test the temperature. It should be around 180 degrees.

Let inner pot sit in instant pot for 5 minutes and then remove inner pot.  Allow the milk to cool to 105-115 degrees. This will take an hour on the countertop or about 15 minutes if you place your inner pot into an ice bath.

Gently skim off the “skin” on the yogurt and discard.

Whisk in the prepared yogurt.

Place inner pot (be sure to dry off well if you had in ice bath),put lid on and press yogurt button again and then adjust until screen reads 8:00.

Once yogurt beeps that it is complete, store in glass jars or a large plastic container in the fridge.

Jollof Rice

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2 cups) vegetable stock
3.5-4 tbsp tomato puree
1 tsp ground coriander
0.5 tsp ground ginger
0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
0.5 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp vegetable oil (or olive oil)
1 onion finely sliced
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 cups basmati white rice
Salt to taste
Freshly ground white pepper (or black pepper)

  • Mix together stock, tomato puree, coriander, ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and chilli in a jug and set aside.
  • Select saute on pressure cooker, once it reads “hot” add oil and onion into the insert and saute for 5 mins then press cancel.
  • Add in the garlic, stock and tomato mixture, rice and season with salt and pepper to taste and mix. 
  • Lock the lid, set valve is set to “sealing” position, select manual, high pressure and 5 mins cook time. (See recipe notes for additional cook time options.)
  • When the cook time ends, turn the Instant Pot off and let the pressure release naturally.
  • Stir the rice, let stand for another 5 mins then serve.

Instant Pot Cough Syrup

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Put water, thyme, and chopped ginger into the Instant Pot.

Press the Saute button. Simmer the herbs in water until reduced by half.

Allow to cool until the temperature is warm, not hot, steeping the herbs the entire time. Strain.

Discard or compost the thyme and ginger. Return the thyme-ginger tea to the Instant Pot. Whisk in honey, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper, if using.

Transfer to an airtight jar or bottle. Syrup will keep in a dark cupboard for 1 week. After that, it should be stored in the refrigerator. Administer a tablespoon as often as necessary to soothe a sore throat and calm a cough.

Instant Pot Cornbread

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  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • 4 tsp baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk
  • ⅓ cup vegetable oil
  • 1 cup water
  1. Put the egg in a large bowl and whisk with a fork. Add milk and oil and mix until combined.
  2. Add flour, cornmeal, sugar, salt and baking powder. Mix until combined.
  3. Spray a baking dish that fits inside the Instant Pot with a non-stick cooking spray. Pour the cornbread batter into that baking dish. Cover with a sheet of paper towel (to absorb extra moisture) and wrap with aluminum foil.
  4. Pour 1 cup of water into Instant Pot and put in a trivet (the rack that came with the Instant Pot) with the handles facing up. Put the foil-covered baking dish inside the Instant Pot on a trivet.
  5. Close the Instant Pot lid and turn the valve to a Sealing position. Press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the time to 55 minutes on High pressure.
  6. When Instant Pot is done cooking, quick release (QR) the steam.
  7. Using oven mittens, carefully remove the cornbread from the Instant Pot by lifting the handles of the trivet.
  8. Remove the foil and paper towel covers, and invert the cornbread onto a plate.
  9. Let the cornbread cool down for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Instant Pot Banana Bread

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1 ripe banana, mashed with a fork
1 egg
1 cup sugar
6 tbsp butter, softened
⅔ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1½ cups flour (make sure you do not pack the flour when measuring)
2 tsp baking powder (preferably aluminum-free)
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup water

  1. Grease a round baking dish that fits inside the Instant Pot with 1 tbsp of butter.
  2. Whisk the egg with sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add mashed banana, vanilla, milk and remaining 6 tbsp of butter and mix until combined.
  3. Add the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix until combined.
  4. Pour batter into greased round baking dish. Cover the dish with paper towel and then cover with aluminum foil on top of paper towel. (The paper towel will be absorbing the moisture from the steam).
  5. Pour 1 cup of water in the Instant Pot and insert the trivet. Put the foil-covered baking dish with banana bread batter on the trivet inside the Instant Pot.
  6. Close the lid of the Instant Pot and turn the valve to a Sealing position. Press the “Pressure Cook” or “Manual” button and set the time to 60-65 minutes on High pressure.
  7. When the Instant Pot is done cooking, natural release for 15 minutes.Open the lid and carefully remove the dish with banana bread from the Instant Pot using potholders or baking mittens (I just grab the handles of the trivet and lift it out together with the banana bread dish).
  8. Remove the foil and paper towel cover and invert the banana bread onto a plate. Let the banana bread cool for 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

OR

3 Ripe Bananas, mashed
1/2 cup Butter, softened
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1/2 cup White Sugar
2 Eggs, beaten
1 tsp Vanilla
1/4 cup Buttermilk (or Sour Cream)
2 cups All Purpose Flour, sifted
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt

47 minutes Bundt pan, 60 minutes normal pan