Instant Pot recipes

Hi.  Yes, I am still here, but have been spending more time living life and working on projects than updating the blog.  I catch myself thinking ‘I should make a blog post about this’ so one of these days I will write about some of my current projects.

Just wanted everyone (anyone?) to know that I just added the links to some of my family’s current favorite Instant Pot recipes to the ‘Links to Instant Pot Recipes’ page.  Tonight I cooked the Pork Chops and they were very good.

Do you have a favorite Instant Pot recipe?  If so, please share the link.

Later – Heather

Tip Tuesday

So, I made some gluten-free sourdough starter with sorghum flour that I had in the house from the following recipe and we thought it was too sour.

https://successfullyglutenfree.blogspot.com/2013/12/easy-gluten-free-sourdough-starter.html

And, then I realized I didn’t have any brown rice flour in the house, but I realized that I had brown rice in the pantry so I ground some of the brown rice with a older coffee grinder (which hadn’t been used for coffee) similar to this one and made my own brown rice flour!

https://www.target.com/p/mr-coffee-174-blade-grinder-black-ids57-np/-/A-16391441?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&fndsrc=tgtao&CPNG=PLA_Appliances%2BShopping&adgroup=SC_Appliances_Food+Dehydrators&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9030852&gclsrc=aw.ds&ds_rl=1246978&ds_rl=1247068&ds_rl=1246978&ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Appliances+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Appliances_Food%20Dehydrators&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=g&device=c&location=9030852&gclid=CjwKCAjw6-_eBRBXEiwA-5zHadkXcFHD7V0BYp0KC6q7QsO17p_9CJ-gNlpOm-ZmRcdib-k4wi3E9xoCxD4QAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

At the moment the brown rice flour and water are sitting on the counter.  Later this week / next week I will report back how the sourdough bread turned out.

What creative cooking tips have you done lately?

Later – Heather

 

Homemade Ranch Dressing (Gluten-free even)

Another favorite recipe that I even have problems finding on the blog.  I updated the blog post even.  Enjoy!

While on vacation we decided we liked the flavor of the Restaurant Ranch Dressing (for dipping fries,etc) better than the ‘name brand’ gluten-free Ranch Dressing we have been buying for years.  I asked around and found out we probably could buy ‘Restaurant style’ Ranch Dressing, but it comes in large containers – about a gallon.

So, I did a Google search and found ‘Chili’s Ranch Dressing Recipe’ on http://www.food.com

http://www.food.com/recipe/chilis-ranch-dressing-392314

When I just went to check that the link was still valid it took me to:

http://www.geniuskitchen.com/recipe/amazing-pickle-juice-ranch-dressing-392314

I will definitely need to keep the link to this recipe handy.

Enjoy – Heather

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Crockpot fall off the bone ribs!

I figured it was time to rerun this post since it is still one of my favorites and hard to find on the blog.  Enjoy!

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July!  Since the local grocer had ribs on sale I decided we would have them last week, but we decided it was too hot to even cook them outside on the grill.

So, I wanted an easy (and hopefully cooler) way to cook the ribs so I went Google searching with the words Crockpot and Ribs.

I wish I came up with this idea since the ribs turned out SO good!  Here is the link to the site I used:  http://www.mylifeasamrs.com/2011/05/crockpot-bbq-ribs.html

The ribs I bought came pre-rubbed so all I did was cut the rack in two and put them in the crockpot.  I cooked mine on Low for 6 hours and then kept them warm for a few hours.

Husband put them on the grill (with the BBQ sauce), but he only flipped them a couple of time before the meat was falling off the bones!

So, I forgot to take a photo of the ribs prior to eating them, but here is a photo of a few ‘clean’ bones that the meat fell off the bones by itself.

 

Depending upon what is in your rub or BBQ sauce this could definitely be a gluten-free meal.

 

Enjoy! – Heather

Instant Pot Korean Beef

I got an Instant Pot 7 in 1 for Christmas.  Our daughter sent me a link to the Instant Pot recipes listed on the Cookies and Cups website.  This one sounded interesting.

http://cookiesandcups.com/instant-pot-korean-beef/

I knew we had the ingredients in the house – even an apple that we needed to eat soon.

I even made it on the pressure cooker settings.   The Instant Pot ran really quiet versus when my mom used to use a stove top pressure cooker.

I am happy to say that it was a hit with my family.  Now to figure out what I will be making next.

Do you have an Instant Pot?   What are your favorite recipes?

Later – Heather

Giveaway: Build a Budget that Works by Jessi Fearon

So, you all know that I try to be thrifty by doing DIY projects, making food from scratch, using coupons, find deals at the Thrift Stores and finding the best deals on the new items or services we need to buy.  Well, another way is by keeping your family on a budget (and one that works is even better).

Jessi Fearon sent me a copy of the Build a Budget that Works  book to review as part of her book launch.

I am glad I got it since it reminded me of categories that I sometimes forget to budget for (like recently needing tires for our truck [which I found a sale on] and now it sounds like we will need them for the car also this year – ouch,  definitely not something I planned for, but I will be looking for a deal on those also).

I will continue to tweak our budget using the tips in Jessi’s book.

So,  would you like to win a FREE copy of the Build a Budget that Works book?  I was given one copy to give away to a reader.

Between now and Thursday 20 November 2014 make a comment (which will be delayed in posting since I have to approve them) with your name and email address.  After that I will pick a winner using a Random Number Generator (hey, I have to use something nerdy).

Good luck!   – H

Gluten-free Carrot Cake Cupcakes….

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter.  We were supposed to go out of town to visit family, but the family is sick.  So, we decided to stay home.

Yesterday we went to Costco and they had their (wheat) Carrot Cake Cupcakes on sale.  They looked so good!  I didn’t pick any up, but I did come home and decided to make some Gluten-free ones.  Not sure if mine cost less, but I at least was able to control all of the ingredients that went into them.

This is the link to the recipe I used:

http://glutenfreecooking.about.com/od/glutenfreecakerecipes/r/glutenfreecarrotcake.htm

Oh, and by the way I added a page that lists other people’s gluten-free recipes that I have tried and liked.  This is partly so I don’t have to keep finding the recipe and to give you some help also.  Your welcome.

Later – H

 

 

Gluten-Free Baked Fried Chicken

When I found the link to the Baked Fried Chicken (not gluten-free) on Pinterest:

http://thewondertwins.blogspot.com/2011/10/mondays-menu-baked-fried-chicken.html

I knew I had to figure out how to make it gluten-free for my family.  This recipe is a HIT with my family.  Up until now I had only done it with skinless/boneless chicken breast, but today I decided to do it with skinless chicken thighs.

I use my version of Season All (without the curry) – another one of my posts:       http://wp.me/p2CNE7-5O

Here are my revised instructions:

Place thawed chicken breast tenderloin (or I have used thighs) strips in a bowl of milk. Let soak for 20-30 min.

Mix in a Gallon Size Ziploc or Large Bowl:  

1 Tablespoon  Season All  – I used my version of this –        http://wp.me/p2CNE7-5O

3/4 teaspoon Pepper

1 cup Flour  (Gluten-free  with no xanthan gum)

2 teaspoon Paprika

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut 1/2 stick of butter into a few pieces and place in a 9×13 pan. Melt butter in pre-heated oven.

Spread melted butter around the bottom of the pan. Lightly spray the pan, if needed, to make sure that there are no dry spots.

Shake excess milk off of chicken and completely coat each piece with the seasoning mix. You can either shake the chicken in the bag, until coated, or dip each piece in the bowl until coated.

Place each piece of chicken in the pan.

Cook for 20 min. Turn each piece of chicken and continue cooking for 20 more minutes, or until cooked through.

(I cooked the chicken thighs for 30 minutes, turned and then cooked for 30 additional minutes.)

Here is a photo of a piece that was reheat the next day:

   Enjoy! – H

My version of ‘Season All’

When I found the recipe for Baked ‘Fried’ Chicken (my gluten-free version will be posted soon) I knew I had to change it to gluten-free, but I realized I didn’t have Season All in the house (and wasn’t really sure what it was).  So, I did a Google search for a Season All recipe:

Here is the original recipe for Season All Seasoning Blend that I modified:  http://www.food.com/recipe/season-all-seasoning-blend-224441

When I started to make it I realized I didn’t have any curry in the house.  So, I made the spice mix without it.  My family liked the flavoring of the Gluten-free Baked ‘Fried’ Chicken better than the taste of KFC chicken.  I wonder if the KFC spices has curry in it…..

So, here is my version of the Season All

1 cup salt

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 Tablespoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 Tablespoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon allspice

3 Tablespoons paprika

1 1/2 teaspoons celery salt

1 1/2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 Tablespoon black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ginger

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix together and store in a cool, dry place.

 

Enjoy – H

Crockpot fall off the bone ribs!

Hope everyone had a Happy 4th of July!  Since the local grocer had ribs on sale I decided we would have them last week, but we decided it was too hot to even cook them outside on the grill.

So, I wanted an easy (and hopefully cooler) way to cook the ribs so I went Google searching with the words Crockpot and Ribs.

I wish I came up with this idea since the ribs turned out SO good!  Here is the link to the site I used:  http://www.mylifeasamrs.com/2011/05/crockpot-bbq-ribs.html

The ribs I bought came pre-rubbed so all I did was cut the rack in two and put them in the crockpot.  I cooked mine on Low for 6 hours and then kept them warm for a few hours.

Husband put them on the grill (with the BBQ sauce), but he only flipped them a couple of time before the meat was falling off the bones!

So, I forgot to take a photo of the ribs prior to eating them, but here is a photo of a few ‘clean’ bones that the meat fell off the bones by itself.

 

Depending upon what is in your rub or BBQ sauce this could definitely be a gluten-free meal.

 

Enjoy! – H