Instant Pot Beef Stew

I wanted to make beef stew and make sure that Henry could have it as well as make sure it is something that mostly everyone will enjoy (once I convince the kids to try it).  I found a couple of recipes that looked good, mostly this one from Pinch of Yum, but it did not have potatoes, so I took ingredients from here and here and put it together to make a hybrid version.  Takes approximately 90 minutes start to finish.  It was a hit with everyone!

Instant Pot Beef Stew

2 LB beef chuck roast - cut into 1-2" chunks
1 onion - diced
2 stalks celery - sliced
1/2 bag baby carrots - sliced
1 LB potatoes (5 medium) - cubed
2 cloves garlic - minced
8 oz can tomato sauce
2 1/2 cup beef broth
1 tsp salt
1 tsp italian seasoning
2 T brown sugar
2 T cornstarch
1/4 cup water

Place everything except the cornstarch and water in the Instant Pot. Cook on high pressure for 35 minutes, then let it release naturally for 10 minutes.  Release the rest of the steam, then mix cornstarch with the water and add to the broth to thicken.  It takes about 30 minutes to come up to pressure.

Allergy Free Meatballs

I was making Everyday Meatballs for everyone else, and wanted to make something similar for Henry, so I modified my allergy free meatloaf recipe to with the seasonings from everyday meatballs to get a different taste.

Allergy Free Meatballs

1 LB hamburger
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup oatmeal
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
1/2 tsp onion powder
dash red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove - minced

Place all ingredients in a large bowl and mix together with a fork.  Form into 1.5" meatballs and place in a 9x13" baking dish.  Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until done.  Serve with spaghetti sauce.

Everyday Meatballs

I asked my sister Lindsey for more Dutch oven recipe suggestions.  She sent me an email with a few, and this was one she sent me from Smitten Kitchen.  There was a link to her Perfect Garlic Bread to pair with it for a meatball sandwich.  It was awesome.  The sauce needed some work, so I changed it.  I got the idea for a jar of spaghetti sauce from the Pioneer Woman, so if it is good enough for her, it is good enough for me.  The first time I made it I wished that I had more sauce (and more flavor).

Everyday Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 LB hamburger
2/3 cup homemade italian breadcrumbs (recipe below)
1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp parsley flakes
2 T Parmesan Romano cheese
1 tsp salt
dash red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 eggs
1 garlic clove - minced

Sauce:
2 T olive oil
1 garlic clove - minced
dash red pepper flakes
28 oz crushed tomatoes
6 oz tomato paste
1 tsp salt
1 T sugar
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp basil
1 jar spaghetti sauce

In a large bowl, use a fork to mix meat, crumbs, milk, parsley, cheese, salt, pepper, onion powder, eggs, and garlic in a large bowl.  Form into 1.5-2" meatballs and arrange on a plate.  Place in fridge for 30 minutes to let them set.  In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add garlic and pepper flakes and let sizzle until garlic is golden, 30-60 seconds.  Add remaining sauce ingredients and let mixture simmer over low heat for about 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Turn heat to lowest setting and add meatballs to sauce one by one, then cover with the lid.  Do not stir for at least 20 minutes or the meatballs will fall apart.  Cook meatballs for at least 25 minutes or until done.

Homemade Italian Breadcrumbs (Alton Brown)

4 slices Italian bread
1 T Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt

Use stale bread or dry out by baking at 300° for 10 minutes and tear into 1" pieces.  Place bread, italian seasoning, garlic powder, and salt in a food processor in batches and pulse until coarse crumbs form. Spread the crumbs evenly on 2 half sheet pans and bake at 300° for 5 minutes or until the crumbs just begin to brown and are crisp. Cool the crumbs on the pans for 15 minutes.  Makes about 3 cups.

Pizza Rice

I got this recipe from the Holland Christian cookbook.  I modified it to have more rice, otherwise I felt that there was too much sauce.

Pizza Rice

2 package rice-a-roni - beef
1 LB hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
8 oz cheddar cheese - shredded
8 oz mozzarella cheese - shredded

Make rice according to directions, place in the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish. Brown hamburger, mix in sauce, layer over rice. Top with cheeses and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until cheese melts.

Lasagna

This is the lasagna I grew up on.  I never remember to buy cottage cheese at the store, since this is the only thing that I use it for.  That must be why I haven't made it in forever.  That will no longer be the case though - the girls loved it!  And since they complain about almost everything I make for dinner, we will put this into heavier rotation.

Lasagna

1 LB hamburger
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 pint cottage cheese
10 lasagna noodles
2 cup mozzarella cheese
diced green pepper (optional)

Brown hamburger, drain. Mix with spaghetti sauce. Pour half of mixture in a 9x13" pan. Layer half of lasagna noodles, pour cottage cheese on top and spread. Layer the rest of the lasagna noodles, then pour the other half of the sauce mixture on top. Add mozzarella cheese on top, add green pepper, then cover with foil and bake at 425° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.

Covers & Covers

One time my friend Emily and I were trying to decide what to make for supper and we came across this recipe.  It is delicious.

Covers & Covers

2 tube crescent rolls
1 LB hamburger
2 T onion - chopped
1/4 cup salsa
6 slice velveeta cheese

Brown hamburger with onion, drain. Stir in salsa and heat through. Roll out 1 tube crescent rolls, pressing to seal cuts. Top with meat mixture and then cheese slices. Unroll second tube and place on top. Pinch together edges to form a pocket. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes.

Spaghetti Pie

I keep forgetting to take pictures until after we have already dug into the food.  Oh well, it was still delicious.  I got this recipe from my sister in law, Sue.

Spaghetti Pie

8 oz spaghetti noodles
2 T butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 eggs - beaten
1 cup cottage cheese
1 LB hamburger
1/4 cup onion - chopped (optional)
1/4 cup green pepper - chopped (optional)
1 1/4 cup spaghetti sauce
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Cook spaghetti, drain. Stir in butter, parmesan cheese, eggs, and cottage cheese. Use spaghetti mixture as "crust" in a 10" pie pan. Brown hamburger, onions, and green pepper, drain fat. Stir in spaghetti sauce and heat through. Pour over spaghetti. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake an additional 5 minutes.

Doubled recipe:

1 LB spaghetti noodles
1/2 stick butter
2/3 cup parmesan cheese
4 eggs - beaten
1 pint cottage cheese
1 LB hamburger
1/4 cup onion - chopped (optional)
1/4 cup green pepper - chopped (optional)
1 jar spaghetti sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese - shredded

Beef Roast

I have been making this for a long time, just never bothered to write up a recipe because there isn't much to it.  We recently bought half a cow and the meat from it is so good, this roast tasted like what my gramma used to make - and that is saying something, because I have been building up the taste in my memory for a long time.

Beef Roast

3 lb beef roast
1 envelope onion soup mix
dash oregano
2 cup water

Mix together water, onion soup mix, and oregano in your crockpot.  Add roast and cover.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.  If you are home, spoon some of the liquid over the roast throughout the day.

**If you wish to cook potatoes with it, add more water and cut up some potatoes and put them in the bottom of the pot, then the roast.

Meatloaf with Bacon Bits

I updated my meatloaf recipe to be allergen free, and Jer liked it even better than my regular recipe.  Probably because I added bacon bits.

Meatloaf with Bacon Bits

1 lb hamburger
1 tsp onion flakes
1 cup oatmeal
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup chicken broth
2.5 oz bacon bits
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix together hamburger, onion flakes, oatmeal, salt, pepper, mustard, 1/4 cup ketchup, chicken broth, and bacon bits. Pour into a 9x5" pan. In a separate bowl, mix together 3/4 cup ketchup and brown sugar.  Pour on top of the loaf and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

Spaghetti

This is the spaghetti I grew up on.  Now I usually leave out the meat because it is easier, but I made it this way the other night and it was a hit.

Spaghetti
1 LB spaghetti noodles (ronzoni – wheat free)
1 LB hamburger
1 1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

Cook spaghetti, drain.  Brown and season meat, drain.  Add spaghetti sauce to the meat, stir.  Serve sauce over noodles.

Tater Tot Casserole

I love tater tots!  This casserole uses a whole bag, how can you lose?

Tater Tot Casserole

1 LB hamburger
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 can french cut green beans - drained
1 bag tater tots

Brown and season the hamburger, drain.  Mix together hamburger, soup, and beans in the 9x13" pan.  Top with tater tots.  Bake at 400° for 1 hour.

Cornbread Casserole

I thought that I got this recipe from a Mr. Food cookbook, but I can't find my original back, and since it is so simple, I usually make it from memory, not actually from a printed recipe.

Cornbread Casserole

1 LB hamburger
1 can creamed corn
1 box corn muffin mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger, drain.  Mix in creamed corn and place in a casserole dish or 9x13" baking dish.  Prepare corn muffin mix according to box and pour over top.  Sprinkle cheese on top and bake at 400° for 30 minutes.

Meatloaf

I modified this recipe from my dad's.  I really love the brown sugar/ketchup mixture on top, it really makes it delicious.  I am also someone who doesn't usually have onion in the house, and I also don't like to bite into big chunks of onion in meatloaf, so I use onion flakes instead for the flavor.

Meatloaf

1 LB hamburger
1 tsp onion flakes
1 cup oatmeal
2 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 T mustard
1/4 cup ketchup
1 egg - beaten
1 cup milk
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar

Mix together hamburger, onion flakes, oatmeal, salt, pepper, mustard, 1/4 cup ketchup, egg, and milk. Pour into a 9x5" pan. In a separate bowl, mix together 3/4 cup ketchup and brown sugar.  Pour on top of the loaf and bake at 350° for 1 hour.

**Allergy Free version **