0 EASY White Chicken Enchiladas

Skip the hassle of rolling your tortillas and try this EASY layered white chicken enchiladas. While I love a traditional red enchilada sauce, this recipe is a true contender. The creamy white sauce pairs well with chicken, allowing the tang of sour cream and spices from the chilies to come through and shine in this family favorite.

This recipe comes from my sweet sister in law, who has adapted her time honored family recipe to meet the tastes of her children. She has tried various sauces, canned, homemade, tweaking the spice level and has settled on this recipe, which I'm so pleased to share with you. Please feel free to tweak it to your family's preferences.

The original recipe calls for a can of cream of chicken soup, but I have been able to make my own homemade version, using butter, flour, milk & Better than Bouillon chicken base. I really love having this BTB chicken base on hand and it keeps in the fridge for at least a year. I use it regularly in chicken soup, my red enchilada sauce, Mexican rice, chicken pot pie, chicken gravy, and much, much more.

Look how creamy and thick! Doesn't this look better than the canned cream of chicken?

I love using this flat whisk for all my sauces. 

The recipe also originally called for canned chicken or turkey. You can cook your own chicken and shred it. I used to thaw/cook my boneless chicken in the microwave. Now, I plunk the frozen chicken into my Instant Pot pressure cooker, add 1/4 cup water, and let it do all the work. This recipe here will show you how easy it is to cook frozen chicken in your pressure cooker.

Do you have an electric hand mixer or stand mixer? Then use it to quickly shred your chicken! Pulse it, so you have control over how chunky you want it. This is my trusty Kitchen Aid stand mixer that I've had for more than 25 years.

Mix together your grated cheese, drained green chilies, chicken and sour cream. This is your FILLING. 

For the SAUCE, mix together the cream of chicken soup and your green enchilada sauce. 

You can use corn or flour tortillas. I like white corn tortillas, so I dip them into the sauce and line six of them into my 9x13 baking dish. 

Add half of your filling and another layer of six tortillas. 

Pour the white enchilada sauce over the top and sprinkle with a cup of shredded mozzarella cheese. 

Bake uncovered, for 45-60 minutes until golden brown and bubbly.

TIP: Allow this to sit for 20-30 minutes before cutting. This allows it to thicken a little bit for easier cutting into squares. If you try to cut into it while hot, it'll look soupy and be hard to cut. 

Top with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream or guacamole and serve it with a side of Mexican rice or refried beans.

Enjoy!

print recipe

White Chicken Enchiladas 

by Frieda Franchina, adapted from a family recipe  May-04-2020

Layers of corn or flour tortillas are sandwiched in a simple filling and topped with a creamy sauce and cheese. Corn tortillas more readily absorb the sauce while flour holds their shape more readily. You can use this easy casserole layering style or fill each tortilla individually.

Ingredients

• 1 pound of cooked chicken, cubed or shredded
• 1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese (reserve 1 cup for topping)
• 1-2 small cans green chiles, drained (use 1 can for a mild flavor)
• 16 oz carton of sour cream
• SAUCE
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 teaspoon chicken Better than Bouillon
• 1/4 cup all purpose flour
• 1 1/3 cup milk
• 1 large 28oz can green enchilada sauce
• 1 package of white corn tortillas (12-18)
• 1 small can of sliced black olives (optional)

Instructions

1. Make the filling: In a medium bowl, mix together cooked chicken, shredded cheese, drained chilies and sour cream. Set aside.2. Make the sauce: In a medium sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the bouillon and flour, stirring it into a thick paste. Cook & stir for one minute, to cook out the raw flour taste.3. Pour the milk all at once into this mixture, stirring until incorporated. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring until it's the consistency of a thick gravy.4. Remove from the stove and add the entire can of enchilada sauce, mixing well.5. Pour about a cup of this sauce onto a shallow plate or pie dish. 6. Dip a corn tortilla into this mixture, flip it over, coating both sides, and place it into a 9x13 baking pan. Repeat, layering six tortillas.7. Spread half of the meat/cheese filling on top of prepared tortillas. 8. Dip remaining six tortillas, one at a time, placing on top of meat/cheese filling. Spread other half of filling on top, and if desired, layer another six coated tortillas on top. 9. Pour remaining sauce over entire dish and top with 1 cup of reserved shredded cheese. 10. Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for 45-60 minutes or until top is browned and bubbly. Remove from oven and let sit for 20-30 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, sour cream or guacamole.
NOTES: Can use 12-16 oz of canned chicken/turkey.
Can use 1 can (10.5oz) cream of chicken soup in place of butter, bouillon, flour and milk.
Can use 1 cup of chicken broth instead of bouillon. Reduce the milk by 1 cup.
Can be made the night before. Cover with plastic wrap and store in the fridge. Remove plastic wrap prior to baking.  

Details

Prep time:15 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 0 mins Yield: 6-8 servings

8 Instant VORTEX Air Fryer Rotisserie 101- Lemon Herb Chicken

Skip the store bought rotisserie chicken and make it yourself in an hour or less! Nothing is more mouthwatering than watching a chicken go round and round, basting in its own juices, turning dark golden brown and developing a crispy skin.

Rotisserie chicken is incredibly easy to make. The hardest part for me was trussing (tying) the chicken, and after watching a few videos, I felt comfortable wrestling the chicken and tying it down.

Here are all the tips and tricks I learned along the way! Watch my video or read for step by step directions.

1. Chicken Size 

Use a 4lb chicken or less, when using the Vortex rotisserie. If you use a larger chicken, one or both things can happen;
1. Your chicken will burn, as it is too close to the heating element, and
2. The black attachment holding your spit rod can crack and break. See photo below:

If you have a hard time finding a small chicken, you can roast up to a 5-6  lb chicken on the lower tray. You'll still get a fantastic oven roasted chicken.

I found my chickens over at Costco. They come two to a package and I had to sort through several to find one that was close to 8 lbs total.

2. Prep

• Use a flat baking sheet or cutting board as your prep surface. This will keep contamination to a minimum and allow you to wash it afterwards. 
• Check the cavity of your chicken for any parts (liver, neck, etc) and remove. Save these for chicken stock.
• Do NOT rinse your chicken! Doing so will only spray chicken juices all over and in places you can't see. 
• Place your chicken on your prep surface and pat it dry with some paper towels.
• Trim any loose, fatty parts near the neck and tail. 

3. Season Cavity

Sprinkle some salt & pepper into the cavity or add some sprigs of rosemary and thyme. 

TIP: put a lemon, potato or onion in the cavity. Split it down the middle to accommodate the spit rod. This helps balance the chicken and give it additional flavor. 

OPTIONAL: loosen the skin on top of the breasts. Insert your choice of seasonings.
I used 1/2 recipe of the Herbed Turkey Breast recipe found here.

4. Truss (Tie) 

Trussing the chicken achieves two things. 

1. Keeps the chicken parts from flopping around and getting burned. 

2. Helps the chicken cook more evenly. 

5. Assemble

• Secure the fork on one end of the spit rod, and screw it tight. You may want to watch a short demo of how to do this and practice it a few times before doing it with a chicken. 
• Insert the spit rod into the tail end of the chicken, making sure it goes through the lemon and out through the neck and press the fork in between the chicken legs. 
• Push the chicken down the rod, pressing the fork into the chicken and securing the screw.
• Check to make sure the chicken is centered.
• Roll the rod between your hands and make sure the chicken is balanced. 

6. Brush oil & Season

Oil makes the skin crispier than butter (which can burn). The oil will also help your seasonings stick.

Place the trussed chicken/spit over a large 9"-10" bowl. 

Turn the chicken, making sure it is fully coated and seasoned. 

7. Preheat the air fryer

Place the drip pan in in the bottom of the fryer.

Select ROAST - it will default to 380°F and 1:00 hour

Push the (+) (-) to adjust the time, if desired. 

I like to set it for 1 hour and check the internal temperature at 40 min. 

Push START. 

When the air fryer beeps and the display shows ADD FOOD, proceed to the next step.

8. Use Lift to insert chicken 

Using the lift attachment, pick up the chicken on the spit rod and insert it into the air fryer.

Press /hold the red lever towards the middle until you have your chicken all the way in.

Release the red lever and check to make sure the rod is securely in the black attachment. 

9. Watch

1. Make sure the black attachment on the LEFT is latched onto the spit rod. If not, open the door and reattach the rod, following the directions in step 8. 
2. Make sure the chicken is not touching the heating coil above or the trip tray below. If it's touching, remove the chicken from the rotisserie rod and use a tray instead. 

10. Temp, Rest & Carve

At the end of the cook time, place the lift under the spit rod and press/hold the red lever toward the middle to release. Place the chicken on a food safe plate or cutting board. Reserve the juices to make gravy, if desired. 

1. Using an accurate food thermometer, take the temperature of your chicken. 
2. Insert the probe into the thickest part of the meat, making sure you do not touch the bone.
3. Thighs should be 180°F and breasts at least 160°F.
4. Cover your meat with foil and let it rest for 5-10 minutes. This will allow the juices to be redistributed throughout the meat and be easier to carve. Meat can also go up 5-10°.

Carve your chicken, first removing the thighs, wings, then breast meat. Don't throw away the bones, or carcass - freeze it to make a delicious chicken stock. You can try this easy pressure cooker chicken stock recipe. 

Enjoy your delicious rotisserie chicken! 

print recipe

Lemon Herb Rotisserie Chicken - Instant Vortex Plus

by Frieda Franchina, adapted from Herb Roasted Turkey  July 18, 2019

Skip the store bought rotisserie chicken and make your own! Place a lemon, onion or small potato inside the cavity for balance & flavor. You can use any of your favorite seasonings, under the skin or on top. Use cooking oil, rather than butter, for an extra crispy skin.

Ingredients

• 4 lb whole chicken, or smaller
• Salt & pepper
• 1 whole lemon, split
• 1 sprig of rosemary, 1 sprig of thyme
• 1.5  teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
• 1.5 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1.5 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 whole lemon, split
• 3-4 feet 100% cotton butcher's twine
• Medium sized bowl

Instructions

1. Prepare the chicken by removing any contents from its cavity, trimming any lose fat/skin, and patting it dry with a paper towel.2. Salt & pepper inside the cavity of the chicken; insert rosemary and thyme sprigs. Insert split lemon. *If desired, loosen the skin from the breast to place spices.3. In a small bowl, mix together: garlic, mustard, rosemary, thyme, salt, pepper, oil, & lemon juice, to make a paste.4. Spread half of this mixture, under the loosened skin on both sides of the chicken breast.5. With the chicken on its back, center the cotton twine and truss the chicken as desired.6. Secure one rotisserie fork to one end of the spit rod.7. Insert the free end of the spit rod into the tail end of the trussed chicken, going through the lemon and out of the neck. Push the chicken down and secure the other fork to the spit rod. Check to make sure the chicken is centered and balanced by suspending it between your palms. 8. Set the chicken & rod over a 9"-10" bowl. Spread the rest of the paste mixture on all sides of the chicken. 9. Select ROAST on the Vortex air fryer. It will default to 380°F and one hour. When it displays ADD FOOD, use the lift accessory to pick up the chicken, open the door, and with your other hand, push/hold the red lever towards the center of the oven. Place the spit rod on the center metal slat as far as you can. Release the red lever and ensure that the spit rod CLICKS in place. 10. Watch the chicken rotate 360° and make sure it does not touch the drip pan or heating coils. Check the temperature at 40 minutes. Cook for additional time if necessary.
When cook time ends, open the door, push/hold the red lever towards the center, and use the lift accessory to remove the chicken onto a plate or cutting board. Test the internal temp by inserting a thermometer into the thickest part of the chicken, not touching bone. Thigh should be at least 180°F and the breast at least 160°F. Cover chicken with aluminum foil and allow to rest 5-10 minutes. Carve and enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 60 mins Total time: 1 hour 10 mins Yield: 4-5 servings

What? You have leftovers? Well, here are some recipes that you can use for your rotisserie chicken. You can skip the parts that call for cooking the chicken, since you already have delicious rotisserie chicken on hand!
Chicken Noodle Soup

Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Gnocchi Soup - Olive Garden Copycat

Chicken Pot Pie
Chicken Enchiladas

Chicken Dumplings
Bahama Mamma Chicken Tortilla Soup - Rhumbi Copycat

10 Perfect Instant Pot Pork Loin Roast

Cook a perfectly seasoned and tender pork loin in your pressure cooker! It is so easy and makes a wonderful gravy, so give this recipe a try....

I've seen SO many people try cooking a pork loin in their pressure cooker and complain that it's too tough, too dry, or undercooked. Pork loin is a very lean cut of meat and will dry out unless you use the right cooking technique. If you want a shreddable pork, you'll want to use a fattier cut of pork: shoulder, butt, or country style boneless ribs. This recipe for a Sweet Pork Barbacoa is more suitable for these cuts of pork.

Today, we'll use a technique called "Sous Vide."  Sous vide is French for "under vacuum." No, we won't use a vacuum, but you'll understand what I mean later on...It's a method of cooking that ensures an even, uniform temperature all throughout the food. Never over cooked, or undercooked.

Pork loin (also known as a Pork Loin Roast) is different than pork tenderloin, as shown below. 

Pork loin is on the left, tenderloin is much smaller and is on the right in the photo.

Image from Peg's Home Cooking

TEST THE WATER 
Before we begin, you will want to test the temperature of your Instant Pot Keep Warm setting. The Instant Pot specs say there are 3 Keep Warm temps, but only list the range: 145°F - 172°F, but I find this temp to be more in the 140°-145°F range. This will give you a medium to medium rare pork.

From Serious Eats

To test your Keep Warm temp, fill your Instant Pot insert half full with water. (10-12 cups)
Push the Keep Warm button once. It will default to Normal.
The display will show 10:00 (10 hours)
Cover the pot with a lid, dinner plate, or plastic wrap.
Wait 30 minutes.
Use an accurate thermometer and take the temperature of the water.

If you have the Ultra, Smart WiFi, or Max, use the Custom temp setting. You will still want to test the temp of your water to ensure accuracy, adjusting the temp based on your results. For example, if you set it for 144°F, and your water is 140°F, set your cooker for 148°F.

My Instant Pot Duo Plus Keep Warm Test Results
Less = 135°F
Normal = 147°F
More = 169°F

LET'S GET STARTED! 

I found a HUGE pork loin at Costco - it's almost 2 feet long!

There's no way this will fit, so I cut it to 8.5" to fit into my 6 quart Instant Pot.

Measure the thickness of your meat and make a note for cook time.
This one is between 2.5"-2.75".

SEASON & BAG IT UP
Mix all the seasonings to make a dry rub. Rub this mixture all over the roast and put it into a freezer Ziploc bag. For maximum flavor, let this rub sit on the meat for 30-60 minutes, or up to 2 hours in the fridge. This is called "dry brining."

START COOKING
Lower the unsealed bag into your inner pot of water. When most of the air is removed, seal the bag and use a binder clip to attach the bag to the rim of the pot. This keeps the meat from moving around. You want the meat to be fully submerged, under the water.

You can use a FoodSaver, vacuum bags, and remove all the air to ensure that the food doesn't float. You can also use a dedicated immersion circulator that heats and circulates the water in any size pot for larger cuts of meat. I used an immersion circulator to cook a perfect medium rare steak and used this method for a quick, homemade vanilla extract!

Seasoned pork loin, with most of the air removed and ready to close

Cover your pot with plastic wrap, dinner plate or my favorite, a flat silicone suction lid.
We are not using pressure, and covering your pot will keep the water from evaporating.

Push the Keep Warm Button once.
It will default to NORMAL, light up and display 10:00 (10 hours).
Set a kitchen timer according to the chart below.

My fresh pork loin is between 2.5"-3", so I will use a 2.5 hour cook time.

    Fresh                     Frozen
2"    1 hour 30 min     2 hr 15 min
2.5" 2 hours               3 hr
3"    3 hours               4 hr 30 min
3.5" 3 hr 45 min         5 hr 40 min
4"    5 hr                    7 hr 30 min


**If you have the Instant Pot ULTRA, Smart WiFi or MAX, you're in luck! **
Use the CUSTOM temperature setting, select 144°F and use the cooking time chart above.

SEAR
You can grill or pan sear your meat. After the cook time has finished, put a little bit of cooking oil in a pan over high heat. You can use your Instant Pot to brown your meat, using SAUTE on its highest setting (Push the Saute button repeatedly until More/High is lit on the display).

Remove your meat from the bag (Save the juices in the bag!) and sear for 30 seconds on all sides. Transfer your meat onto a plate and cover it with aluminum foil to keep it warm while you make the gravy.

Checking the temp with my favorite Digital Thermometer

MAKE GRAVY 
Slowly add the 1/2 cup of chicken broth & remaining liquid contents in the freezer bag to your browned bits, or "fond," whisking and scraping off any browned bits as you go.
This is called, "deglazing."

In a separate bowl, make a "kneaded butter" by combining the all purpose flour and softened butter. The butter coats the flour particles and when put into a hot liquid, the butter melts, releasing flour particles without creating lumps.

Add this in your hot pan, stirring until thickened, about 3-4 minutes.

SLICE IT UP AND SERVE!

FAQ - (visit Serious Eats for more FAQ)
Is Pink Pork Safe to Eat?
If you are pregnant, elderly or very young, you may want to use the 145°F guideline for cooking pork.
These days, eating pink pork is just as safe as eating rare roast beef, according to Serious Eats.
As long as you are:
1. properly stored
2. cleanly cut meat
3. sear the exterior before serving

The risk for consuming rare pork is minimal.
At 130°F, the bacteria on the surface of the meat is actively being destroyed. Every moment your meat is in the cooker, it becomes safer to eat. You can read more about pork meat safety here.

Is Cooking in Plastic Safe?
From Cook's Illustrated:
"High-density polyethylene, low-density polyethylene, and polypropylene are considered the safest plastics. Many name-brand plastic bags are made with polyethylene and polypropylene. These types of plastic are resistant to the sub-boiling temperatures involved in sous vide cooking, and they are also considered safe in and of themselves."  Ziploc baggies are BPA free, but can fail when temps are above 150°F. Use a freezer Ziploc bag instead. 

print recipe

Perfect Instant Pot Pork Loin 

adapted from: Taste of Home May-6-2011

Use this fantastic spice rub for ultimate flavor. This recipe uses sous vide cooking techniques that create a perfectly moist and cooked pork loin. You can smoke or grill your meat after cooking for additional flavor. Reserve the liquid in the bag to make a fantastic gravy to serve over the meat.

Ingredients

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon Seasoned Salt (Season All)
• 3/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 3/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 pork loin, about 3-4 pounds
• 1 Tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon butter, softened
• 1/2 cup of chicken broth (I like to use Better than Bouillon)
• Gallon size freezer Ziploc bag
• Enough water to fill your pot insert half full (10-12 cups)

Instructions

1. Mix together all the dry seasonings. 2. Sprinkle seasoning over meat, rubbing on all sides. 3. Place seasoned meat in freezer baggie, or use vacuum sealer. Close baggie and put seasoned meat into the fridge for 30-120 minutes.4. Remove meat from fridge and open freezer baggie (leave vacuum sealed bag closed). Pour water into pot insert and select Keep Warm. Cooker will default to Normal, 10:00 hours. If using the Ultra, Smart WiFi or Max, Select the Custom setting to 144°F.5. Lower the bag of meat into the water, until most of the air has been removed and seal the bag closed.6. Set a kitchen timer for time according to meat thickness on the chart below.7. When cook time is up, remove the meat from the bag, reserving the liquid.8. In a saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon cooking oil over over high heat. When oil is shimmering, sear meat for 30 seconds on all sides, set aside, and cover with aluminum foil.9.Reduce heat to medium-high. Slowly add the chicken broth, and remaining liquid from the freezer bag, scraping off any browned bits from the pan.10.Combine all purpose flour, softened butter, till no flour is visible.  Put the kneaded butter into hot liquid, cook and stir until thickened, about 3-4 minutes. Slice the meat, and serve hot, with gravy.
Fresh                     Frozen
2"    1 hour 30 min     2 hr 15 min
2.5" 2 hours               3 hr
3"    3 hours               4 hr 30 min
3.5" 3 hr 45 min         5 hr 40 min
4"    5 hr                    7 hr 30 min

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 1.5 -5 hours Total time: 2-5 hours Yield: 6-8 servings 

2 One Pot Shepherd's Pie - Instant Pot

This version of Shepherd's Pie, a traditional Irish casserole, is made with ground beef, veggies, gravy and topped with a buttery, garlicky mashed potatoes, and with the help of my Instant Pot pressure cooker, is made all at the same time, in one pot!

Not only does this save cooking time, it saves clean up time as well. Making it on the stove and finishing it in the oven takes 2.5 hours, where using the Instant Pot pressure cooker only takes 30 minutes!

We like to scoop this directly from the pot, but if you want a pretty, table top presentation, you can layer this in a 2.5 quart casserole dish and brown the cheese under the oven broiler.

Chop Stir makes browning ground meats easier!

Pressure Cooking Tips

Build Your Flavors
Cooking in the pressure cooker is all about building flavor, browning the bacon, onions, seasonings and beef to caramelize and bloom the spices. These flavors can be lost if all the ingredients are simply dumped into the pot.

Deglaze the pot
The next tip is to deglaze the pot. This means to add a thin liquid (water, broth, soda, beer, etc) into the pot and let it soften any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom of the pot. Leaving stuck on foods will prevent the pressure cooker from reaching pressure, which is what you need to cook your food quickly.

Layer the Ingredients & DON'T Stir!
Always put the thinnest liquids at the bottom of the pot, adding thicker sauces, & pastes on top.
Do Not Stir.
Why?
Thin liquids create steam, which is what you need to build pressure and cook your food. Stirring a thick sauce or liquid into your thin liquid will make your thin liquid...thicker, which will not create the steam needed to build pressure.

Thin Liquids = create steam = brings your cooker to pressure
Thick Liquids = burn on the bottom = doesn't bring your cooker to pressure

Cook Time Depends on Thickness
The thicker the food, the more time it will take to cook. When you are combining different foods like carrots & potatoes, consider how large you cut the veggies. With veggies, the longer you cook the softer they will become. You can see by this chart (from Lorna Sass, Pressure Perfect), that carrots take less time to cook than potatoes.
In this recipe, since the sauce is warm when the potatoes are adding, the pot will come up to pressure more quickly. As a result, I'm going to add another 1-2 minutes to my cook time.

Potatoes                             Carrots
1" chunks = 7-8 min          1" chunks = 6-7 min
1/2" slices = 5-6 min         1/4" slices 4-5 min
1/4" slices = 3-4 min         Baby cut = 4-5 min

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we did!

print recipe

Shepherd's Pie - Pressure Cook Pot in Pot

by Frieda Franchina,  adapted from Melissa d'Arabian, March 1, 2018

An traditional Irish layered casserole of ground beef, veggies & gravy, topped with buttery garlicky mashed potatoes and cheese, is sure to be a winner! Make is all in one pot to save time and clean up.
*This recipe makes 6-8 generous servings and can be cut in half, keeping the same cook time.

Ingredients

• 4 slices of bacon, cut up
• 1 Tablespoon of cooking oil
• 2 cups of onions, chopped (about 2 medium onions)
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1 teaspoon of granulated sugar
• 1 pound lean ground beef, thawed
• 1 teaspoon rosemary, finely chopped (1/4 teaspoon dried)
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (this is not a typo)
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled, pressed or minced
• 1 (12 oz) bottle of beer, root beer, or beef broth
• 1/2 cup beef broth 
• 1 cup carrots, diced (about 2-3 medium carrots)
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 2 Tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour + 1 Tablespoon softened butter, used after cooking
• Mashed Garlicky Potatoes
• 1.5 pounds russet potatoes, cut into 1/2" slices (about 4 large)
• 10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 4 Tablespoons butter, softened 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Cheddar, Swiss or combo
• 1 Tablespoon parsley

Instructions

1. Using the Saute medium setting, cook your bacon, stirring occasionally, until they are brown. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate layered with a paper towel.2. Add the cooking oil, onions, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt & cook, stirring until are soft. Sprinkle granulated sugar over the onions and cook for about 3 minutes, or until they begin to caramelize.3. Add ground beef, and cook until it begins to turn brown.4. Add the rosemary, salt, pepper, and garlic, stirring until they are fragrant, about 1 minute.5. Deglaze: Turn the cooker off and slowly add your thin liquid (beer, soda, or broth) to the pot, scraping the bottom to loosen any food stuck to the pot.6. Add reserved bacon, carrots, peas, and stir.7. Place the tomato paste on top & DO NOT stir. 8. Place a steamer basket on top of the meat. 9. Put the cut potatoes & whole garlic cloves in the steamer basket. 10. Put the pressure cooker lid on, in locking position and close the steam release valve. 11. Select HIGH pressure for 8 minutes, according to your model. 12. When cook time has finished, open the steam release valve for a quick release. 13. When the float pin has dropped, open the pressure cooker lid, remove the potatoes and place them in a separate bowl and cover.14. Mix together the 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour and butter and stir it into the meat mixture. Replace the lid on the cooker.15. Add sour cream, broth, butter, salt & pepper to the potatoes, and mash well. Remove the lid from the cooker, scoop the mashed potatoes onto the meat and spread them in an even layer. Sprinkle the top with shredded cheese and cover, for 2 minutes or until melted. Sprinkle with parsley and serve hot.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 15 mins Total time: 30 minutes Yield: 6-8 servings

4 Frieda's Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Pressure Cook & Stove Top

Image courtesy of Regina Coker, using Frieda's Spaghetti Sauce recipe

Make your kitchen smell like an Italian restaurant with this thick, rich, & meaty spaghetti sauce!  Typically, spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Use your pressure cooker to get this same flavor in 30 minutes, start to finish! This spaghetti sauce is filled with robust flavors and could not be any easier to make! This sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta.

One of the most important things to remember when pressure cooking, is that your food needs enough water or thin liquid to create enough steam to bring it up to pressure. Tomato sauce, barbecue sauce, etc. will cook and burn on the bottom of your pot. Some examples of thin liquids are:

• water
• broth
• juice
• beer
• wine 

Using thickeners such as cream, flour, or cornstarch is not recommended during pressure cooking and should be added after cooking.

Here's my secret for getting a thin liquid for your spaghetti sauce. Use whole or diced tomatoes and pour them into a strainer, set over another bowl. After a few minutes, this will give you a the thin liquid needed to build pressure in your cooker!

I used Cento Chef's Cut tomatoes that are cut into thin strips. San Marzano tomatoes are supposedly the standard for taste, but you may be surprised to find these 5 canned tomatoes to be top picks. You should have about 1 cup reserved juice. If there's too much, reduce the amount of juice to 1 cup.

The next step is to build flavor. This is done by cooking lean ground beef and Italian sausage on the saute/browning setting. Choose extra lean ground beef, so you won't have to mop up any leftover grease. You can omit the sausage, but it adds a wonderful flavor to the sauce. I used mild, but you most certainly can use a hot Italian sausage. 

I love using this chop/stirrer! It chops the meat quickly and doesn't leave any big chunks behind.

Sweet Vidalia onions add flavor and balance out some of the acidity of the tomatoes. Stir and saute for a couple of minutes to soften. 

This is the best time to add your spices: basil, oregano and Italian seasoning. The heat "blooms" the spices, making them more fragrant and adding flavor to your sauce. 

After blooming your spices, add the garlic next. I freeze my garlic and use this wonderful garlic press for easy clean up. Stir the garlic in and turn the pressure cooker off. 

Here's another great tip. Use Worcestershire sauce. This is a sauce that is fermented vinegar based condiment that will add the umami taste to any beef dish. Umami is Japanese for "pleasant savory taste" and boosts the earthy meaty taste of any beef dish. 

Pour this tomato juice mixture and stir it into your cooked and seasoned meat, making sure there are no cooked on bits (also called "fond") stuck on the bottom of your pot. This is known as "deglazing" and helps your pot come to pressure properly.

Next are the layering steps, where you pour in your sauce, strained tomatoes, and tomato paste onto the center of your meat. 

It is critically important that you do not stir at this point. We want the thin liquid to come up around the sides of the pot, create steam, and help your cooker come to pressure. 

Bay leaves. Give it a try - It will give a complex, tea-like aroma/flavor and acts like a subtle background to your sauce. Since they need to be removed from the sauce before eating, I put them right on top. I use bay leaves in my Split Pea Soup, Irish Stew, Chicken Stock, and our family favorite Sunday Pot Roast recipe.

Pressure cook on HIGH for 5 minutes. At the end of 5 minutes, use a Quick Release and open the pressure valve.

Let's take a look and see in this video...

First, the smell is AMAZING!  One taste, and I got rave reviews from every member of the family. Hubby likes extra spice, so he sprinkled some red pepper flakes on his serving.

I used some of this awesome sauce to make this super easy, one pot Lazy Lasagne in my pressure cooker - it only took 5 minute of prep and was ready for the table 15 minutes later. 

I hope you will give this recipe a try, tweak it to your liking and enjoy it with your family! 

print recipe

Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Pressure Cook

by Frieda Franchina, June-04-2018

Typically, spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Use your pressure cooker to get this same flavor in 30 minutes, start to finish! This spaghetti sauce is filled with robust flavors and could not be any easier to make. This sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, 90% extra lean
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (choose either mild or hot)
• 1 cup diced onion (I used a medium Vidalia onion)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using sausage)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes, strained and juice set aside
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups of tomato sauce (two 16 oz cans)
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves - remove at end of cooking
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Optional: red pepper flakes, 8 oz sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

1. Select Saute or browning setting. Brown ground beef and sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces with a spatula while cooking.2. Add chopped onion, stir and cook till softened, about 3-4 minutes.3. Add oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and stir till fragrant, about 2 minutes.4. Stir in minced garlic, sugar and cook for about 1 minute. 5. Add the Worcestershire sauce to the reserved liquid tomato juice (from straining the diced tomatoes) and stir into your seasoned meat.6. Turn the pressure cooker OFF. 7. Pour your tomato sauce & drained tomatoes in the center and on top of the meat. Do not stir! Put the tomato paste and bay leaves on top of the sauce. 8. Cover the pressure cooker, lock the lid, and select HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. 9. At the end of cook time, open the pressure valve for a quick release. 10. Open the cooker, remove the bay leaves, stir and serve hot with your favorite pasta. Generously put shredded Parmesan cheese on top. Enjoy!

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 8 cups or 6-8 servings

print recipe

Thick & Easy Spaghetti Sauce - Stove Top

by Frieda Franchina, June-04-2018

Spaghetti sauce is simmered for at least 90 minutes to blend and concentrate all the flavors for a thick sauce. Filled with robust flavors, this sauce is perfect for lasagne, manicotti, or simply over your favorite pasta, and could not be any easier to make. 

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef, 90% extra lean
• 1/2 pound Italian sausage (choose either mild or hot)
• 1 cup diced onion (I used a medium Vidalia onion)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning 
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (reduce to 1/2 teaspoon if using sausage)
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 (28 ounce) can of diced tomatoes
• 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 4 cups of tomato sauce (two 16 oz cans)
• 1 (6oz) can tomato paste
• 2 bay leaves - remove at end of cooking
• Parmesan cheese, grated
• Optional: red pepper flakes, 8 oz sautéed mushrooms

Instructions

1. In a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven, over medium-high heat,brown ground beef and sausage, breaking it into smaller pieces with a spatula while cooking.2. Add chopped onion, stir and cook till softened, about 3-4 minutes.3. Add oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and stir till fragrant, about 2 minutes.4. Stir in minced garlic, sugar and cook for about 1 minute. 5. Add Worcestershire sauce and stir into your seasoned meat.6. Pour in diced tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, tomato sauce, and tomato paste.7. Reduce heat to simmer and add bay leaves. 8. Cover and simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally. 9. Serve hot, generously sprinkled with shredded Parmesan cheese over your favorite pasta. Enjoy! 

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 90 mins Total time: 1 hour 45 mins Yield: 8 cups or 6-8 servings