Category: Soups, Stews, Curries, Sauces and Dips

Cioppino

Sorry, no Clams left?

There are several ways to make this…. You can use the Jarred Sauce in the recipe or you can use your own Marinara Sauce, or Look up my Marinara Sauce in the files. Another way to make this is to use up your leftover Chicken Caccitore Sauce. See recipe here. I reduce it before making Cioppino with it.
https://www.homemakergeek.com/chicken-cacciatore-ip/

1 small pkg of Seafood Medley (or part of a big Costco bag or even a few of your favorites in separate bags like Cod, Scallops, Shrimp, Muscles, Clams, Calamari, Crab, Octopus) your choice.
1 Fresh Salmon fillet cut into 2”x 1” segments
1 Frozen Sea Bass fillet (needs thawing in the frig for 1 day) or you can substitute white fish cut up 1 cod or Halibut fillet cut into 2”x 1” strips.
1 small bottle or 8 oz. Chardonnay White wine.
1 large Walla Walla Sweet Onion chopped into finer pieces, about 1/4”
6 cloves garlic minced
6 Tbsp butter
1 jar spaghetti sauce.
2 Tbsp Costco (lower sodium) Better than Bullion Chicken
1 c Clam Juice (or 1 Small bottle)
1 Bay leaf
1 tsp Basil (or 1 Tbsp fresh chopped ).
3 Tbsp chopped Cilantro.
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

*Mushrooms if desired (sauté them in a couple tbsp butter, and add to the sauce after you have it assembled.)

Parmesan for garnish
1 Lemon cut into wedges.
2 chopped Scallions.
A few sprigs of fresh Basil.

Defrost all seafood. Drain well set aside and Reserve liquor (juice from the seafood)
Pour the liquor into a sauce pan and turn to med hi heat. Reduce liquor until a bit thick. Set aside. In a large skillet that can hold everything, melt the butter and Sauté onions a couple of minutes, then add garlic. Sauté till translucent. Add the wine, and all other ingredients except for the seafood and garnish. Bring to a boil and turn down to simmer. Simmer uncovered for about 15 min to reduce and to blend flavors. Last… add the fish and let cook for a minute and then add the rest…all seafood, cover and let seafood barely simmer/cook for about 3-5 min until the seafood is almost done. Watch closely at this point, as the seafood can over cook quickly. For the Seafood, Salmon is done when just past raw looking, and Shrimp are done when they just turn pink. Pull Cioppino off the heat and serve with bread sticks or garlic bread. The Greek bread is great with this…in the files. Serve with lemon wedges on the side and Parmesan .

This time I couldn’t find a bag of Medley so I bought separate choice seafoods ….no clams this time.

Chicken Noodle Soup. IP. from leftover Chicken, Alfredo Noodles and Butter Beans…Use what you have.

Fast and fun dinner! IP Chicken noodle soup. Well maybe not so fast. But kinda. We got some miles from that costco chicken?. I picked the bones and made bone broth this morning, and this afternoon I cut it up.
here is the links to the Alfredo with Pappardelle Noodles, Butter Beans, and Black Beans or Pintos.
Alfredo Blue Cheese with Pappardelle Pasta IP.
Lima Beans/Butter Beans IP includes Stove Top instructions.
Beans Pintos and others cooked In the IP Also here is another Chicken Noodle Soup recipe from fresh Chicken.Chicken Noodle Soup. IP Simple

6 cups Bone Broth. (Important because this is a richer Broth with more flavor).
2 tbsp lower sodium Better than Bullion Chicken, Costco s.
2 tsp better than bullion mushroom.
1/2 sweet Vidallia type Onion.
2 Carrots . About 2 1/2 c
2 large Celery stalks.
1 clove Garlic minced.
1 c cut Green Beans.
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning.
1 Roma Tomato

Hold next ingredients out till the soup is cooked (like your gonna have it right.???‍♀️ But if you dont have the alfredo Pappardelle you can substitute leftover rice or just cooked noodles).
1 cup Leftover Butter Beans and juice ( or use what you have…Black Beans or Pintos would work too).
1/2 chicken.
1 cup chopped leftover Pappardelle Noodles with alfredo sauce.

Put everything except the last 3 things in the pot and push soup. 10 min. QR and then add the leftovers. Turn the pot off and back on to saute and heat the Chicken and Noodles and Butter Beans. Bon Apatite ?.

Split Pea Soup IP

After stirring

1 ham bone ( or 2 Ham Hocks smoked)

2 Tbsp Evoo

2 1/2 c Chopped sweet Onion

3-4 cloves minced garlic

2 c Chopped Carrots

2 c chopped Celery

1 chopped potato if desired

1 bag Split Green Peas sorted, washed and rinsed (about 2 cups or 1 lb).

5 cups chicken broth (Or 2 Tbsp Costco’s Better than Bullion Chicken and water)

1 bay leaf

Cayanne or Red Pepper flakes to taste.

If your using Frozen Hocks, you may want to use 1 c water from the recipe and pre cook them in the IP For 10 min with QR before adding the rest of the ingredients.

Toss Onion, Garlic in the pot, add Ham Bone or Hocks, then the Peas and All the rest of the ingredients. Don’t Stir.
Lid on, Set time for 10 Min, then 10 min NPR due to chance of foaming.
remove Ham Bone or Hocks. Fish out any bones that fell in. Chop the ham up and remove meat from the Bones. Return meat to the Pot and stir in.
Serve up? and enjoy.

This is what it looks like as soon as the lid is opened
After stirring

Cheesy Burger Sausage and Mac IP

If your not a fan of cheesy creamy, mellow, warm comfort food, scroll on by☺️
Ever buy a pkg of Hamburger helper for emergencies, and leave it set on the shelf for too long because ya just can’t bring yourself to add that processed package, and then it expires….? Well, like how about jun 11/2011!?. NO, I didn’t use the packet! I just used the Noodles. Substitute Penne or even Bow tie Pastas for the mac if you like.

Change it up. Use Bratwurst or andouille sausage in the place of the hamburger and sausage meat.

1/2 lb hamburger, not 80/20 because you don’t drain it.
1/2 lb mild sweet Italian sausage.
1/2 onion chopped finely.
1/2 c Cream.
1/2 c half n half.
8 oz grated cheese….Colby in this case
10 Crimini mushrooms, sliced.
1 cup macaroni plus a little……(I used the 1 pkg hamburger helper meal macaroni).
About 2 c water with 1/8 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp Costco’s better than bullion (less sodium) chicken or use chicken broth And the salt.
Olive oil 2 Tbsp
salt and pepper to taste.
Parmesan Cheese to sprinkle on top
Tapatio sauce or Tobasco

Optional. Condiment.. Add fresh tomatoes and scallions on top for garnish.

Turn the IP (instant pot) onto Sauté and adjust to More. Let heat a bit and add olive oil and put the burger and sausage in and shop it up and sauté till done, (if you like it brown, do that in a skillet, it works faster and better).
Add the onion and Mushroom slices and sauté for a minute.
Move the Burger and Onions to one side and dump the noodles in and cover them and spread them out with the hamburger, don’t stir in too much.
Add the broth or water, butter, salt ,cream and Chicken broth.
Turn the pot off and back onto manual, set it for 3 min. . If you use penne or other artisan pasta increase time to 4 min.
Lid on quickly and vent to sealing. And let it go.
When it beeps, do a Quick Release and then turn off. When the pin drops, take the lid off. Turn pot back on to Sauté. Stir in the half and half. Let it come up to bubbling. Add the cheese and stir in. Let it bubble for an minute and turn off the pot while you make your veggie. About 5 min. It will soak up more of the cream.
*(If you use all heavy cream, you can add it before cooking.) it will continue to thicken after you stir everything in.

Serve with hot sauce and parmesean.

Zuppa Toscano IP

This delicious Soup is one of our favorites, and probably one of the fastest and easiest that I have made.
Here is the link to my Greek Bread that is what we drove with it. I guess the one hour fast roll recipe would work well for the sticks if ya have time.
Greek Bread Breville or oven.

1- 1/2 lbs Sweet Spicy Italian sausage (mild can be used as well)
Optional….3 pieces of Bacon chopped.
1 onion chopped 1/3“ to 1/4” pieces.
3 cloves Garlic minced.
4 white Potatoes finely sliced in food processor or mandolin..they should be almost see through and ply-able ), you could even run the onion through the same blade if you want.
5 big leaves of Kale chopped into about 1-2” pieces. (Or 1 1/2 5 Oz bags)
6 cups Chicken broth. Bone broth works just as well.
1 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
2 Tbsp low sodium Better than Bullion Chicken flavor .
Salt and Pepper to taste….(go easy on the salt because bacon and sausage and broth have salt).
Pinch of Nutmeg (only a small pinch because nutmeg takes over really fast and flavor comes out when it’s heated)

Garnish: Parmesan cheese or grated Parmigiano/Reggiano Cheese (Deli or fresh grated is best )

Serve with hot Sauce or Red Pepper Flakes.

While you can use the IP to sauté your Meat, I use a good frying pan, just because it’s faster and more efficient.
Break up Sausage and Bacon together and sauté til almost done and a little brown to give the soup more flavor. If you have used Bacon ….spoon off all but a couple of Tbsp fat, and reserve it in case you want to add some back in later. No When the sausage is done, deglaze the pan with a few Tbsp water. Add it to the Pot with the meat. Add all other ingredients as well as the Cream.

Put the Lid on. Set the time for 2 min. When it’s done allow for 5 min NPR. (natural pressure release) .
Serve with Parmesan and hot sauce or flakes.

This is from a batch where I added the Bacon. I always sauté the meat before adding it to the Pot.
  • To simplify the process, I use a food Processor to chop the Garlic before adding the slicer for the Onions and then Potatoes.
Deglazing the pan is an important step?
Always add the Meat on the Bottom first then layer the rest.
Add sliced Potatoes onions and Garlic.

This pic is from another batch. If you want, you can quickly sauté the onions and garlic, but it doesn’t make a lot of difference in the taste.
Add the broth then the Cream on top.

Serve with my Greek Bread! Greek Bread Breville or oven.

GREEN GODDESS DRESSING

Add 1 Perfectly Ripe mashed Avacado to the Creamy Italian Dressing.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c Mayo.
1/4 c EVOO.
1/4 c Basalmic Vinegar.
1/2-1 tsp Italian Seasoning.
2 tsp Grey Poupon Mustard.
1 clove minced Garlic.
1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/4 tsp . Mrs Dash Onion and Herb seasoning

Mix together in a Bowl.

Use this recipe minus the Evoo and Basalmic Vinegar And use in the place of Mayo on sandwiches

VINEGAR AND OIL SALAD DRESSING

Showing off one of my Garden grown Carrots.

1/4 c Evoo Oil or Walnut Oil
1/4 c Basalmic Vinegar or Apple Cider Vinegar.
1/4 c water.
1 small clove Garlic crushed and minced.
Salt and Pepper to taste.
1/4 tsp Mrs Dash onion and herb.
1/4-1/2 tsp Italian seasoning.
Adjust to taste …sometimes a dash of sugar.
Add Parmasean

CEASAR SALAD DRESSING

INGREDIENTS:
1 coddled egg (raw Egg dipped in boiling Water for 1 min).
2 tsp Anchovy paste.
1/4 c Evoo.
1 Tbsp Grey Poupon Mustard.
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce.
1 clove Garlic crushed and Minced.
Juice of 1 Lemon.
1/4-1/2 c Parm.
Cracked pepper.
Salt

DIRECTIONS:
Whisk together and taste. Adjust for flavor.
At this point, you can take your chopped Romain or other Lettuces, and pour dressing over it and toss the salad and serve with croutons and Parmesan Cheese on top or use as a spoon on dressing.

BLUE CHEESE SALAD DRESSING

I love to make the wedge Salads and use this as the dressing…add crumbles of fresh cheese and Bacon to the top… soo good !

1/2 c Gorgonzola or Stilton Blue cheese crumbled.
1 c Mayo.
1/4 c Buttermilk. (Or Greek yogurt with 1 tsp lemon juice)
1 clove Garlic crushed and minced.
Salt and cracked pepper to taste.
1-2 Tbsp Lemon juice.
1/4 tsp Italian Seasoning.
1/4 c Parmesan Cheese
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard

*Add more Parmesan if you like
or add a splash of Basalmic Vinegar