Slow Cooker Tomato Soup

What’s better on a cold winter night that warm soup with a dollop of ricotta or burrata? Mmmm so good!

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 c finley chopped celery
1 c finely chopped carrots
1 c finley chopped onin
1 28 oz can whole peeled tomoatoes
3 1/2 c vegetable broth
1 sprig thyme
1 parmesan rind
1/4 c fresh basil
1 bay leaf
1/2 c ricotta or burrata 

In the sauté mode heat the oil over medium heat and add the celery, carrot and onions and cook until soft. 

Pour the tomatoes into the cooker with the broth, thyme, rind and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours.

Use an immersion blender and purée until smooth. Garnish with ricotta or burrata and basil. 

Serves 6.

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Fast or Slow Lime Chili Chicken

You can do these tacos in the slow cooker or in the pressure cooker. I love TJs Chili Lime seasoning for this recipe. Serve the chicken with your favorite taco fixings.

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbsp chili lime powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp smoked salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 cloves garlic, minced

Place chicken in pressure cooker pot. Squeeze in the juice of both limes. Sprinkle all seasonings over chicken and add garlic and rub it in.

Secure lid on pot and cook at high pressure for 6 minutes. When finished let rest for 5 minutes and then release steam. Check temperature of chicken with an instant-read thermometer and make sure internal temperature is at least 165 degrees.

Shred chicken and return to pot and toss in juices.

If using a slow cooker – do all the above and cook on low for 4 hours.

Serves 4 – 6.

Pasta Carbonara

This dish is so wonderful!! So glad I found guanciale check bacon at the farmers market!

2 large eggs and 2 large yolks, room temperature
1 1/3 packed cup grated pecorino Romano, plus additional for serving
1 1/3 packed cupgrated Parmesan
Coarsely ground black pepper
4 oz of slab guanciale, pancetta or bacon, sliced 1/4 inch thick
12 oz spaghetti

Cook pasta according to package.
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks and pecorino and Parmesan. Season with a pinch of salt and generous black pepper.

In a large skillet over medium heat, add the pork, and sauté until the fat just renders, on the edge of crispness but not hard. Remove from heat and set aside.

 Just before pasta is ready, reheat guanciale in skillet. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and add to the skillet over low heat. Stir for a minute. Remove from heat.

Stir in cheese mixtures into the skillet, adding some reserved pasta water if needed for creaminess, stir.

Serve immediately, dressing it with a bit of additional grated pecorino and pepper.

Serves 4.

Slow Cooker Cheddar, Cauliflower Ale Soup

This soup is so yummy! Make sure you use good beer! 

Ingredients:
4 oz bacon, chopped, optional
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery rib, chopped
1 tbsp garlic, minced
Salt and pepper
1 small cauliflower, cored and chopped
2 12-ounce bottles Belgian dark-abbey-ale style
3 c chicken stock
1 bay leaf
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 tbsp course mustard
8 oz sharp cheddar cheese, grated

In a multicooker 0n medium sauté, add bacon, onion, carrot, celery, garlic and some salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the veggies begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
Add the cauliflower, beer, stock, bay leaf and cayenne.  Cover and cook on low for 4 hour A-Z

Stir in the mustard, and purée the soup with an immersion blender. Add the cheese mixture to the soup a handful at a time, stirring all the while, until it’s well incorporated.

Serves 4 – 6.

Pressure Cooker Spicy Peanut Sauce Pasta

His recipe sounds weird, but it is oh so good! 

Ingredients:
1/4 c natural peanut butter
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sambel oelek
1 1/2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 lb ground pork
1 onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 carrots, chopped
1 tbsp ginger, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz dried pasta
2 c chicken stock
1/4 c cilantro, minced

Whisk together peanut butter, soy sauce, sambal oelek, Worcestershire, vinegar and brown sugar, set aside.

Heat oil on medium sauté. Add Pork, celery, onion and carrot and cook until meat is browned and veggies soft. Stir in ginger and garlic. Add sauce and pasta and stir to coat.

Cook on high pressure (9-11 psi) for 7 minutes. 

Serve with a little cilantro on top.

Serves 4 – 6.

Pressure Cooker Mustard Salmon

Fancy dinner in less than 30 minutes? You got it! I served it with some sautéed spinach and baked bread.

Ingredients:
16 oz 2 thick salmon filet
4 tbsp dijon
1/2 tsp dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 c white wine
1/2 c broth
1 onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp creme fraiche or heavy cream

Pour wine and brothe into multicooker, add onions. Place a vegetable steamer on top of the onions and line with parchment paper. Lay the filet on top, spread mustard on fillet, sprinkle on dill and pepper.

Cook on high pressure (9-11 psi) for 6 minutes.

Place the salmon on a platter and cover with foil. 

Set cooker on medium high, whisk in creme fraiche and bring to a boil whisking. Cool until thickened. Pour over fillet and serve.

Serves 2 – 4.

Pressure Cooker Pork Loin with Apples

This is so simple and so tasty. It tastes even better the next day. Totally time is just about an hour. 

Ingredients:
1 3 lb pork loin roast
1 red onion, sliced thin
2 grabby smith apples, sliced thin
4 springs thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 c white wine
1/4 chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp groubd black pepper

Add all ingredients to the pressure cooker, stir.

Set on high pressure (9-11 psi) set for 30 minutes. Remove the rhyme and Bay leaves when done.

Use to forks to shred the Pork and serve.

Serves 6 – 8.

Pasta with Tomato Sauce and Cheese

This takes a little time, and it’s totally worth it.

Ingredients
1/2 lb penne pasta
2 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 14 oz cans tomatoes, 2 drained
4 oz soft goat cheese
1/2 c parmesan, grated
1/4 c basil, chopped
1/2 c bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350.

Cook pasta according to package.

Heat 1 tbsp oil over medium heat in a medium pot, add garlic and cook about 30 seconds, add tomatoes and salt. Cook for 20- 30 minutes until tomatoes cook down and fragrant. Remove from heat and purée with an immersion blender. Stir in cheeses and basil. Stir in pasta. Poor into a baking dish.

Toss breadcrumbs with 1 tbsp of olive oil and spread over the pasta.

Bake 30 minutes.

Serves 6.

Raiser Oatmeal Cookies

These are from Cookies by Dorie Greenspan – they are amazing!!

Ingredients:
3 c old-fashioned oats
1 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 c light brown sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 c plump, raisebs
9 oz chocolate, chopped

Preheat oven to 350.

Whisk together oats, flour, cinnamon and  baking soda.

Best butter, sugar and salt until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add eggsbone at a time. Add 1/3 dry mixture beat until incorporated, repeat. Stir in raisins and chocolate. 

Use a medium scoop and place on a prepared baking sheet.

Bake 15 min, turning 1/2 way.

Makes 3 dozen. 

Coffee Malted Cookies

These cookies are so amazing – they remind me a coffee milkshake in a cookie.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c flour
1/4 c malted mili powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 c sugar
1 tbsp finely ground espresso coffee
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine flour, Malted milk powder, baking powder in a bowl and set aside.

Combine butter, espresso, salt and sugar and beat for 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and vanilla. 

Add 1/3 of the dry and beat in until smooth, repeat.
Scoop 1 teaspoon of dough into prepared baking sheets.

Bake 14 minutes, rotating 1 time. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 10 min. Then cool completely on a rack. 

Makes 36 cookies.