Best Fudgy Chocolate Brownie Cookies

Ingredients

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup white granulated sugar

1/2 cup melted butter

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 egg

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/3 cups all purpose flour (or plain flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup semi sweet chocolate chips, (add more if desired)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 cookie sheets or baking trays with parchment paper (baking paper).

In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the cocoa powder, white sugar, butter and vegetable oil. Beat in egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.

Add the flour, baking powder, and salt; stir the dry ingredients first before mixing them through the wet ingredients until a dough forms (do not over beat). Fold in the chocolate chips.

Scoop out 1-2 tablespoonful of dough with a cookie scoop (or small ice cream scoop), and place onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down as thick or thin as you want your cookies to come out. 

Bake in hot preheated oven for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will come out soft from the oven but will harden up as they cool. (Be careful not to over bake as they will dry out.)

Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.

EASY GARLIC LEMON THYME CHICKEN

 INGREDIENTS

 1/4 cup olive oil

 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

 4 garlic cloves, grated/minced

 1 tablespoon dried thyme

 1 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

 3 pounds bone-in chicken pieces

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, thyme, salt and pepper in a large zip-top plastic bag.* Add chicken pieces; seal bag and turn to coat. Place in refrigerator and marinate for at least 30 minutes up to 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 450-degrees F.

Arrange chicken, skin side down, in a single layer in an oven-proof skillet, baking dish or pan. Pour marinade over chicken.

Bake uncovered for 15 minutes, turn chicken to skin side up and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

Cloud Bread

 Ingredients

• 3 egg whites
• 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon of corn starch
• 2 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon of sugar

How to:

1. preheat oven to 350
2. lightly whisk egg whites till they get slightly frothy
3. slowly fold in sugar
4. slowly fold in corn starch
5. beat till stiff peaks appear
6. add food color if desired
7. bake for 25 min

Lasagna Stuffed Zucchini Boats

Source: https://themodernproper.com/print/lasagna-stuffed-zucchini-boats-1 1/1

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Ground chicken
• 1 Red bell pepper, diced
• 1 Jar marinara sauce
• 8 oz Ricotta cheese
• 1 1/2 Cupsfresh spinach, chopped
• 4 Cloves garlic
• 1 Egg
• 2 tbsp Flat leaf parsley, minced, divided
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Pepper
• 4 Medium zucchinis, cut in half lengthwise, centers
• scooped out
• 8 oz Fresh mozzarella,sliced
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• Red pepper flakes, optional

How to:

1. Heat your oven to 375° F.
2. In a large skillet, brown the ground chicken until no pink remains. Stir in 3/4 of the pasta
3. sauce and bell pepper. Let simmer 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. In a small bowl, gently mix the ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic, egg, 1 tablespoon of parsley, salt
5. and pepper until thoroughly incorporated.
6. Slice zucchini lengthwise and carefully scoop out the center with a spoon to create a shell or
7. boat. Place zucchini skin side down in a baking dish.
8. Fill each zucchini with equal amounts of the chicken mixture. en dollop the ricotta mixture
9. on top of the chicken. Place a few thin sliced of fresh mozzarella on each zucchini half. Spread
10. the remaining pasta sauce over the zucchini boats and top with 1/2 of the parmesan cheese.
11. Bake 35 minutes or until zucchini is tender and cheese is bubbly.
12. Sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of parsley and parmesan cheese.

Charred Tomato & Ricotta Toasts

 Ingredients:

• 1 clove carlic
• 10 grape tomatoes
• 8 oz ricotta cheese
• pinch of chili flakes
• 4 slices sourdough bread
• 1/2 oz walnuts
• 5 teaspoons basalmic glaze
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

1

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wash and dry all produce.

2

Peel and grate or mince garlic. Halve tomatoes; toss on a baking sheet with half the garlic, a large drizzle of olive oil, and pinch of salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until tomatoes are lightly charred, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl. Carefully wipe off sheet with paper towels.

3

Meanwhile, pick parsley leaves from stems; mince leaves. Mince chives. In a second medium bowl, combine ricotta, half the Parmesan (save the rest for serving), and half the minced herbs. Season with salt and a pinch of chili flakes to taste.

4

In a small bowl, combine remaining garlic and a large drizzle of olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Brush one side of each slice of sourdough with garlic oil. Place on baking sheet used for tomatoes. Bake on top rack until toasted, 4-5 minutes total.

5

Remove sheet from oven; add walnuts to same sheet. (TIP: If sourdough is done at this point, remove from sheet.) Return to oven until walnuts are toasted, 2-3 minutes. Once cool enough to handle, roughly chop walnuts.

6

Divide toasts between plates; spread with herby ricotta. Evenly top with tomatoes, walnuts, and remaining Parmesan. Sprinkle with remaining herbs and chili flakes to taste. Drizzle with as much balsamic glaze as you like and serve.

No-Bake Layered Blueberry Cheesecake (Gluten Free, Paleo + Vegan)

 Ingredients

For the crust

• ½ cup raw pecans
• ½ cup almond flour
• 2 pitted dates
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

For the cheesecake

• 2 cups raw cashews soaked in cold water for at least four hours or preferably overnight (see Notes)
• ½ cup canned coconut milk shaken
• ¼ cup coconut oil melted and cooled (use refined coconut oil if you want no coconut flavor)
• ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla bean powder
• ¼ cup freeze-dried blueberries

For the blueberry layer

• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries thawed, if frozen
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds

Instructions

Grease a 6” springform pan with coconut oil, or line an 6” cake pan with strips of parchment paper for easy removal, and grease well with coconut oil. Set aside.

Add the pecans, almond flour, pitted dates, coconut oil, cinnamon and salt to a food processor or high-powered blender and pulverize until it comes together into a sort of sticky dough, with small pecan bits remaining. Don’t over process, or it’ll turn into nut butter! Press the pecan date dough evenly along the bottom of the prepared pan.

In the same food processor or high-powered blender (no need to wash between - I used my Vitamix, but most powerful blenders should do the job), combine all of the filling ingredients except for the freeze dried blueberries and blend for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture is silky smooth and creamy. Scrape down the sides as necessary. You may need to add a bit more coconut milk or lemon juice to get it to blend smoothly if your blender isn’t super high-powered.

Once it’s smooth, taste the mixture and adjust the sweetness/tartness levels by adding more maple syrup, vanilla, or lemon juice, if desired.

Pour 2/3 of the filling into the prepared pan over the pecan crust. Smooth out the top and tap the pan hard against the counter a few times to release any air bubbles. Place in the freezer.

Add the freeze dried blueberries to the remaining batter and blend to incorporate. Spread over the plain layer. Return to the freezer.

Rinse out the blender, and add the fresh blueberries, lemon juice and chia seeds to it. Blend until smooth, and then pour over the other layers.

Place in the freezer to set for at least 3 hours or until completely firm before slicing and serving. I recommend running your knife under hot water to warm it up before cutting the cheesecake with the still-hot (dried) knife.

Serve frozen or let them thaw at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before serving. Store in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

Recipe Notes

You can also cover the cashews in very hot/boiling water and let them sit for about an hour if you want to speed up the process - it won't be quite as creamy, but it will do the trick!

Pasta e Fagioli Soup {Olive Garden Copycat Recipe}

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 1/2 cups chopped yellow onion
• 1 cup diced carrots (about 2 medium)
• 1 cup diced celery (about 3 stalks)
• 3 cloves garlic, minced (1 Tbsp)
• 3 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
• 2 14.5 oz cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup water, then more as desired
• 1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
• 2 tsp granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup dry ditalini pasta
• 1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (15 oz) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• Finely shredded Romano or Parmesan cheese , for serving
• 3 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

**Recipe notes: I used only one can of beans and put in extra carrots and celery. Also, this recipe is too salty when I didn't use the low sodium chicken broth, so that is very important**

Instructions

• Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat, crumble in ground beef and cook, stirring occasionally until cooked through. 
• Drain fat from beef then transfer beef to a plate, set aside. Heat remaining 1 Tbsp olive oil in same pot. 
• Add onions, carrots, and celery and saute over medium-high heat until tender about 6 minutes, add garlic and saute 1 minute longer. 
• Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, water, canned tomatoes, sugar, basil, oregano, thyme, marjoram and cooked beef then season with salt and pepper to taste. 
• Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with lid and allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, until veggies are soft, about 15 - 20 minutes. 
• Meanwhile prepare ditalani pasta according to directions on package, cooking to al dente.
• Add cooked and drained pasta to soup* along with kidney beans and great northern beans. Thin with a little more broth or water if desired. 
• Allow to cook 1 minute longer. Stir in parsley, serve warm with grated Romano or Parmesan cheese.

Peanut Butter-Chocolate No-Bake Cookies

 Ingredients

• 2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 cup smooth peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• Large pinch kosher salt

Directions

• WATCH Watch how to make this recipe.
• Line a baking sheet with wax paper or parchment.
• Bring the sugar, milk, butter and cocoa to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally, then let boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. Add the oats, peanut butter, vanilla and salt, and stir to combine.
• Drop teaspoonfuls of the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet, and let sit at room temperature until cooled and hardened, about 30 minutes. Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Best Chocolate Chip Cookies

"Crisp edges, chewy middles."

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar (original recipe was one cup white and one cup packed brown sugar - even with one cup, this was very sweet)

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons hot water

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup chopped walnuts

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Cream together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar until smooth. 

Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. 

Dissolve baking soda in hot water. Add to batter along with salt. 

Stir in flour, chocolate chips, and nuts. 

Drop by large spoonfuls onto ungreased pans.

Bake for about 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until edges are nicely

browned.

Basil vinegarette salad dressing

• 1 shallot roughly chopped
• 2 cups tightly packed fresh basil leaves stems removed (about 4 ounces)
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Zucchini with Thyme

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 pound fresh zucchini, cut into 3-by-1/2-inch sticks
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

1. Cook onions with parsley: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and butter on medium heat. Add the onion and parsley, sprinkle with salt, and cook until soft, but not browned.
2.  Add zucchini and thyme: Add the zucchini sticks and thyme to the onions. Sprinkle with a little more salt and some black pepper. Gently stir to coat the zucchini.
3. Cover and cook until tender, from 10 to 15 minutes, depending on how tender the the raw zucchini is to begin with, and how small you have sliced the pieces. Check and stir every few minutes. Be careful not to overcook.

from Simply Recipes ~ https://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/zucchini_with_thyme/

Sheet Pan Sausage (Keilbasa) and Vegetables

INGREDIENTS

•  one 12-ounce precooked sausage or kielbasa (pork, turkey, or beef sausage or kielbasa; I used beef polska kielbasa), sliced into 1/2-inch rounds
•  1 medium/large yellow bell pepper, diced into bite sized pieces (red, orange, or green pepper may be substituted)
•  1 medium/large zucchini, trimmed and sliced into bite sized pieces
•  3/4 to 1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
•  about 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
•  1 tablespoon dried onion flakes
•  1 tablespoon smoked paprika (regular paprika may be substituted)
•  1 tablespoon dried parsley
•  1 tablespoon dried oregano
•  1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
•  1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper, or to taste
•  freshly grated Parmesan cheese, optional for garnishing

INSTRUCTIONS

• Preheat oven to 400F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil for easier cleanup, and add the sausage, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes, and evenly drizzle with olive oil.
• Evenly sprinkle with the onion flakes, smoked paprika, parsley, oregano, salt, pepper, and toss with your hands to evenly coat and distribute seasonings. Scatter vegetables in a flat layer and not piled on top of each other.
• Bake for about 45 minutes, or until vegetables are tender and have as much color as desired; toss halfway through baking to ensure even cooking. Start checking at 30 minutes for doneness since all ovens, veggies, etc. vary.
• 
  
• Optionally sprinkle with Parmesan and serve immediately. Dish is best warm and fresh but extra will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Vietnamese Grilled Pork Chops

INGREDIENTS

• 1 small shallot, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce (such as nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 4 1" thick-cut bone-in pork chops (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• Kosher salt
• Lime halves (for serving)

PREPARATION

• Whisk shallot, brown sugar, fish sauce, vinegar, and pepper in a shallow dish. Using a fork, pierce pork chops all over (to allow marinade to penetrate faster) and add to marinade in dish. Turn to coat. Cover and let pork chops marinate at room temperature, turning occasionally, 20 minutes.
• Remove pork chops from marinade, Grill for 5 min on each side
• DO AHEAD: Chops can be marinated 1 day ahead. Chill, turning bag occasionally.

Restaurant Style Salsa

This restaurant style salsa comes together in about 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 15 ounces canned whole peeled tomatoes
• 2 teaspoons diced canned jalapeno
• 1/2 large onion chopped
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 teaspoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup cilantro optional

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Add everything to a blender or food processor and process until mostly smooth.
2. Taste and add additional salt or lime juice as desired. Add additional jalapeno as desired, keeping in mind that the salsa will get spicier the longer it sits.
3. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cottage Pie / Shepherd's Pie

Ingredients:

Filling:

• 2lbs of ground beef 80/20
• Stew, broth, or 2 bullion cubes
• Tomato paste
• Celery
• Carrots
• A bottle of Cabernet
• Small amount of thyme
• 1 onion

Pie top:

• 3  russet potatoes
• Two eggs
• Cheese (Asiago)
• Butter

Directions:

• Brown meat
• Put potatoes on boil
• Shred all the carrot,onion,and celery
• Shred those directly into the meat
• Add broth/bullion to meat, reduce fluid
• spread tomato paste evenly
• stir and add thyme
• Add wine (whole bottle), reduce

Move to potatoes

• Drain water
• Add cold goods while hot
• Cheese, butter, and egg
• Mix

Lay mashed potatoes on your meat

Bake at 400 for 15 mins

Then broil for 15 mins

The reduction of the broth and wine takes the most time but both are important.  That is why I separated the two tasks of the pie top and the filling.

Chimichurri Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 cloves garlic peeled & quartered
• 3 limes juice only
• ½ cup fresh parsley leaves
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

Instructions:

• Add all ingredients into the blender except for the olive oil
• While the blender is running, slowly pour in the olive oil to mix it in
• Blend until the sauce is smooth

HOW LONG DOES CHIMICHURRI KEEP IN THE FRIDGE?
Store this sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It should keep for 2-3 weeks, so don’t be afraid to make a little extra. Mix in a bit more olive oil before use if it gets too thick in the refrigerator.

SMOKY WHITE BEAN SHAKSHUKA

SMOKY WHITE BEAN SHAKSHUKA


INGREDIENTS

• 2 Tbsp olive oil 
• 4 cloves garlic 
• 1 yellow onion 
• 28 oz can whole peeled tomatoes 
• 1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin 
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano 
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes 
• Freshly cracked pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt, or to taste 
• 15 oz can cannellini beans
• 4 large eggs 
• Handful fresh parsley, chopped
• 2 oz feta, crumbled 

INSTRUCTIONS

• Mince the garlic and finely dice the onion. Cook both in a large deep skillet with olive oil over medium heat until the onions are soft and transparent (about 5 minutes).
• Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, crushing the tomatoes with your hands as you add them to the skillet. Add the smoked paprika, cumin, oregano, red pepper flakes, and some freshly cracked pepper as well. Stir to combine.
• Allow the sauce to come to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5-7 minutes, or until it has thickened slightly. Add 1/4 tsp salt, then taste the sauce and adjust the salt or other spices to your liking.
• Drain the white beans, add them to the skillet, then stir to combine. Allow the skillet to return to a simmer. Simmer for 2-3 minutes more.
• Crack four eggs into the skillet, then place a lid on top and let them simmer for 5 minutes, or until the whites are set but the yolks are still soft. Top the skillet with the crumbled feta and chopped parsley.

Breakfast Tostadas

INGREDIENTS

For the Avocado Salsa Verde:

• 2 medium tomatillos, husked and rinsed
• 1/2 jalapeno, sliced (seeds removed if you prefer less spice)
• 1 large California Avocado, peeled and pit removed
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, packed
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• salt to taste

For the Black Beans:

• 1 (14.5 oz) can black beans, mostly drained
• 1/2 tsp each: Chili Powder, Garlic Powder, Cumin
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• pinch of salt

For the Tostadas:

• 8 crunchy corn tostada shells
• 1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 eggs
• salt and pepper
• cotija cheese
• fresh cilantro
• sliced cherry tomatoes

INSTRUCTIONS

For the Avocado Salsa Verde:

• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and pulse a few times, until mixture is mostly combined, but still slightly chunky. Set aside. (can be made up to a week ahead of time, store in an air-tight container in the fridge)
• For the black beans:
• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or blender and blend until smooth. These can be made up to 4 days ahead of time. (store in an air-tight container in the fridge)

For the Tostadas:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with tinfoil and lightly spray with cooking spray. Place the tostada shells in an even layer on the baking sheet.
• Spread about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the black bean mixture over the top of each tostada, then sprinkle with a couple tablespoons of shredded cheese. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.
• Meanwhile cook your eggs to your preference. The eggs pictured are “sunny side up.” Lightly coat a skillet with non-stick spray and heat over medium-high heat. Crack the egg into the skillet, season with salt and pepper, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until whites have set and yolk is still runny.
• Place cooked eggs on top of the hot tostadas, top with the avocado salsa verde, sliced tomatoes, fresh cilantro and a little cotija cheese. Enjoy!

Bean and Avocado Toast

Ingredients:

Avocado Smash

• 15 oz can no salt added cannellini beans rinsed and drained
• 2 avocados pitted, peeled and chopped
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup parsley roughly chopped
• 1/4 cup basil leaves roughly chopped
• 1 clove garlic minced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Tomatoes

• 4 Roma Tomatoes cut in half, seeds and juice removed
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 2 tsp balsamic vinegar
• Pinch each of salt and pepper

Toast

• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 4 slices thickly cut gluten free bread
• leaves Basil for garnish
• Fleur de sel for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 450 F.
• Toss the tomatoes with the oil and spread out onto a baking sheet, cut side up. Add the garlic into the cavities of the tomatoes, drizzle with balsamic and add a pinch each of salt and pepper. Lightly press the tomatoes down to flatten.
• Roast until the tomatoes soften and caramelize, about 20-30 minutes. Allow them to cool compltely, then carefully remove and discard the skin.
• Meanwhile, add the beans, avocado, lemon juice, parsley, basil, garlic, salt and pepper to a food processor and puree until smooth.
• Once the tomatoes are finished, brush the bread with the remaining oil and toast on the bakign sheet in the hot oven until lightly golden brown, about 5 minutes.
• To assemble, divide the avocado between the four slices of toast, top with a piece of roasted tomato and garnish with the fresh basil leaves and fleur de sel.

Sourdough

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE STARTER FIRST DAY

• 2 cups warm water
• 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast, 1 packet
• 3.5 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar

STARTER FOR FOLLOWING DAYS

• 2 tbsp starter
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup room temp water
• pinch of sugar

BREAD INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1.25 cups water
• 1 cup starter

Directions for starter:

• Combine starter ingredients in non metallic bowl (glass preferred). Leave in a warm place to ferment, 4 to 8 days. Depending on temperature and humidity of kitchen, times may vary. Place on cookie sheet in case of overflow. Check on occasionally.
• When mixture is bubbly and has a pleasant sour smell, it is ready to use. If mixture has a pink, orange, or any other strange color tinge to it, THROW IT OUT! and start over. Keep it in the refrigerator, covered until ready to bake.
• When you use starter to bake, always replace with equal amounts of a flour and water mixture with a pinch of sugar. So, if you remove 1 cup starter, replace with 1 cup water and 1 cup flour. Mix well and leave out on the counter until bubbly again, then refrigerate. If a clear to light brown liquid has accumulated on top, don't worry, this is an alcohol base liquid that occurs with fermentation. Just stir this back into the starter, the alcohol bakes off and that wonderful sourdough flavor remains! Sourdough starters improve with age, they used to be passed down generation to generation!

Directions for Bread:

• Combine bread ingredients and mix:
• by hand 20 min
• mixer 7 minutes
• Place dough in greased bowl and let rise 45-60 minutes until doubled. I just leave it in the mixing bowl and put a lid on it to let it rise.
• Lightly grease loaf pan
• Deflate the dough (I just put the mixer back on with the dough hook for 1 minute)
• Place dough in loaf pan, let rise for 60-90 minutes
• Preheat oven to 350
• Bake bread for 40 minutes
• Remove bread from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving.

I like serving with whipped garlic herb butter.

Instant Pot Bottom Round Roast

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2.25 pounds bottom round roast 
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground pepper .5 cup red wine
• 4 cups beef broth
• 1 medium onion (cut in half and then in slices)
• 1 pound carrots (washed and cut in chunks)
• 5 medium potatoes (Yukon gold, washed and cut in chunks)
• 1 stalk celery (washed and cut in half lengthwise and then sliced)
• 1 large sprig roasemary
• 1 large sage leaf
• 1 teaspoon oregano (dried)

Instructions

• Open meat package and pat it dry with a paper towel. Salt and pepper both sides of the roast
• Plug Instant pot in and press the sauté button. Let the IP heat up (the display will display "hot") and add olive oil and once that heats up add the roast fat side down. Sauté for 3 minutes and flip to the other side for another 3 minutes. Remove and set aside
• Add wine and use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the IP insert to deglaze. Make sure to get all the flavor crystals
• Add the meat back into the IP, then add broth, onions, rosemary, sage and oregano
• Seal the IP and make sure the venting knob is in the sealed position. Press pressure cooker button and set the time for 35 minutes
• Once the IP beeps, let it rest for 5 minutes, then do a quick release. See notes on how to do that
• Add carrots, potatoes and celery. Seal IP and make sure the venting knob is sealed. Press pressure cook button and set timer for 10 minutes - the IP won't take as long to come to pressure this time
• Wait 10 minutes before doing a quick release or you can wait for the pressure to release by itself
• Remove meat to a platter and take the vegetables out of the broth
• Take two forks and shred the meat however large or small you want it
• Plate some meat and veggies and ladle on some gravy

Insta Pot traditional Asian style chicken bone broth soup

INGREDIENTS

1. 3.8 lb whole chicken
2. 2 medium size loose carrots, cubed
3. 2 ½ cups daikon raddish, cubed (use a vegetable peeler to peel the outer skin first then cube)
4. 1 cup shiitake mushrooms, sliced (rehydrate the mushrooms a night before and keep the mushroom water)
5. 3 tbsp goji berries, optional
6. 4 large Chinese red dates, alt. medjool dates
7. 2 tea leaf bags mixed variety of Chinese dry herbal ingredients for chicken stew use, optional, (ginseng, astragalus root)
8. 2 ½ tsp sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Rinse the chicken under cold water. Pat dry. (optional) trim the chicken skin and extra fat.
2. Place the whole chicken in a large size about 6 Qt. pot. Add all the ingredients 
3. Fill the pot with mushroom water and cold water up to 3.5 Qt. (* leave extra room to prevent over boiling)
4. Press “Soup” - High Pressure - Normal - 35 mins.

Instant Pot Chicken Taco Meat

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons taco seasoning
• 1 pound chicken breasts 8 ounces each
• 1/3 cup salsa
• 1 fresh lime optional, but highly encouraged

Instructions

• Pour chicken stock into pressure cooker. Add in taco seasoning and mix well. Place chicken breasts in chicken stock and top chicken with salsa. 
• Close pressure cooker and point vent knob to sealed position. Cook on high pressure for 9 minutes for fresh chicken breasts, 13 minutes for frozen chicken breasts. 
• Let pressure release naturally.
• Remove lid from pressure cooker and shred chicken using hand held mixer or two forks. Add zest and juice of fresh lime to shredded chicken and mix well.
• Serve as base for chicken tacos, in burrito bowls or in enchiladas. 

Insta Pot Chinese Sticky Rice

Ingredients:

• 2 handfulls of dried shitake, soaked in water to rehydrate, then sliced to slivers
• half package of chinese sausage, chopped up into tiny pieces
• 3-5 scallions, chopped then separate whites from greens
• 1 cup sticky rice
• 1 cup water
• soy sauce

Cooking:

• put insta pot on sautee, and brown sausage and scallion whites
• add mushrooms, sticky rice, and water (make sure to use as much of the marinated mushroom water as possible and add water to complete the 1 cup) to the insta pot
• cook on rice setting (14 min?)
• let it natural release for 10 min then release rest of pressure before opening
• Add soy sauce to taste (usually a few shakes)
• garnish with scallion greens and serve

INSTANT POT CHICKEN AND RICE CONGEE

INGREDIENTS

• 1 package of costco chicken thighs (no bone)
• 7 cups water
• 1 cup rice
• 1 teaspoon of ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• soy sauce – for serving
• sesame oil – for serving
• green onions (scallions) – for serving (about 3)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Combine water, rice, frozen chicken, and ginger in the pot
• Set insta pot on normal porridge setting, let it start
• Use Natural Release when the cycle is done
• Open the lid very carefully. Remove the chicken pieces into a bowl and shred (I usually save about 1/2 cup of this to feed my very spoiled dogs). The congee may seem watery.
• Use the SAUTÉ function, and cook, stirring the congee until your desired thickness. The congee will thicken as you stir it. It will also continue to thicken as it cools a bit.
• Add the chicken meat back into the congee as well as a splash of sesame oil and soy sauce for flavor. Finely slice the green onions for garnish. 
• Turn off the Instant Pot. Taste and add salt, as needed. Ladle the congee into bowls and top with green onions.