Attempting to be a Super Mom

My kids are mac and cheese addicts. I found this instant pot recipe for macaroni and cheese here and it has taken over as a common food in our house. When I make it for lunch while the kids are at school, Ben comes home so upset we cooked it without him. Instant Pot Mac n Cheese 1 box (16 ounce) elbow macaroni 1 cup of heavy whipping cream 3 tbsp butter 2 tsp salt 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 4 cups of water Put macaroni, water, salt, and butter. Set the instant pot on manual high for 4 minutes. Quick release. Set pot on sauté and add whipping cream and stir. Slowly add the cheese at is melts.

I love soup, especially when it's cold outside. Because we do soup so much, I'm constantly looking for new yummy soup recipes. I found this recipe here . The kids and I had it while Shawn was out of town and we loved it!!! Instant Pot Soup with Smoked Sausage, White Bean & Vegetables 1 lb bag dry navy beans, soaked for several hours 1-2 tbsp olive oil 14 oz smoked turkey sausage, sliced into medallions 1/2 onion, diced 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 carrots, peeled and chopped 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped 7 cups vegetable broth 3 cups fresh baby spinach 1 tsp salt (plus more to taste) 1/4 tsp black pepper Using the sauté function, add olive oil and cook sausage until browned. Add onions and sauté until translucent. Add garlic and sauté for one minute. Turn sauté off. Rinse the beans and add them to the pot, along with the remaining ingredients. Set pressure cook (manual) on...

For my sister in law's baby shower, I made a delicious punch that I found here . It was so good I ended up having to make two rounds of it. The kids kept coming up for seconds and thirds. Raspberry Sherbet Party Punch 2 Liter Bottle Sierra Mist, chilled 2 Liter Bottle Club Soda, chilled 1 Fruit punch can (12 oz), or pink lemonade, thawed in the fridge 1 Pineapple juice can (12 oz), thawed in the fridge 6-8 scoops Raspberry Sherbet ice cream, or any flavor you have available (If you can't find fruit punch or pineapple juice, then 2 cans of pink lemonade will work as well) For Garnish Fresh or Frozen raspberries Pineapple slices (canned or fresh) Combine all the ingredients in a punch bowl and serve. As the sherbet melts the punch keeps getting sweeter.

We did a baby shower for my sister in law in January and I was asked to bring meatballs. I've never made cocktail meatballs before. I found a pretty typical recipe here . You can find my meatball recipe here . Sweet and Sour Cocktail Meatballs 2 lbs meatballs 1 1/2 cups ketchup 3/4 cup grape jelly Put all the ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high for 2-3 hours. Super simple but sooo good. I probably doubled the recipe and didn't have any to bring home. Everyone loved them.

We very rarely make desserts from scratch, outside of cookies, but we are trying to do more home cooking. Shawn found this recipe and thought it looked interesting. It was all made with stuff we already had in the fridge and pantry. We put a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top and it was really good. The kids weren't in love with it but Shawn and I enjoyed it. Easy Traditional British Rice Pudding 1 ½ pint/850 mL whole milk ½ pint/285 mL double cream 1 vanilla pod (split) 4 oz./110 g. short grain (pudding) rice 1 oz./25 g. golden caster sugar 2 strips of lemon zest 1 nutmeg 1 oz./25 g. butter (use a little for greasing the dish) Preheat the oven to 300 F Lightly butter a 1.25-litre ovenproof pudding dish. Place the milk and cream into a saucepan. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pod using the back of a knife. Add the seeds to the pan stir then finally add the vanilla pod. Heat the milk and cream through very gently and do not boil. On...

When you eat green veggies with every dinner, you have to find new ways to keep them from getting boring. I found this Asparagus Parmesan on all recipes and it was really good. Asparagus Parmesan 1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup olive oil 1 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed 3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese salt and pepper to taste Melt butter with olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add asparagus spears, and cook, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or to desired firmness. Drain off excess oil, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper.

I love steak, but sometimes when it's cold out, who wants to stand at the grill? Not me. We decided to use the sous vide.  We got the recipe from Anova which is the brand of sous vide we have. I don't know if I can even call this a recipe since its so simple. Sous Vide Steak 1- 8 to 12 ounce boneless steak kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil Set the Sous Vide to 130° Generously season the steak with salt and pepper and seal in a ziplock bag. Use the water immersion technique to get as much air out of the bag as possible Place the bag in the water bath for 2 hours. When done, remove the steak from the bag and pat dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over high heat. Once hot, add the steak and seer until well browned (about 30 seconds per side.) Move to a cutting board and let rest about 5 minutes before serving.

I've been all over trying to find yummy instant pot recipes and anytime we can use ground beef is a bonus. I found this Instant Pot Sloppy Joes recipe and it was a hit for the whole family. Instant Pot Sloppy Joes 3 cloves garlic, minced 1 lb ground beef or ground turkey, 85% lean or greater 1 red or green bell pepper, diced 1/2 C. ketchup 2 Tbsp brown sugar or Coconut Sugar 1 can (6 oz) tomato paste 6 oz water 3 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce 1/2 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp onion powder 1/4 tsp black pepper, or more to taste hamburger buns In your Instant Pot using the saute feature, add the garlic, ground beef, and optional red bell pepper. Season with onion, garlic powder and black pepper. Saute until the meat is browned, then turn OFF the saute function. Add the brown sugar, tomato paste, water, and ketchup and give it a stir to combine. Place the lid on the Instant Pot and seal the valve. Set the timer for manual (high) for 4 minute...

We have a Greek pork recipe that we absolutely love but I'm always looking for sides to go with it. I stumbled across this rice pilaf recipe here , and it was soooo good. It might be better than the rice pilaf at my favorite Greek restaurant. Instant Pot Rice Pilaf 1/4 c. olive oil or butter  1/3 c. orzo or vermicelli  1 c. white rice, rinsed  1 1/2 c. low-sodium chicken broth  1 tsp. garlic powder  3/4 tsp. coarse kosher sea salt  1/4 tsp. ground black pepper  1/4 tsp. onion powder  1/4 tsp. paprika  1 tbsp. freshly minced parsley OR 1 tsp. dried parsley Turn Instant Pot on SAUTE mode. Add the olive oil (or butter). Once hot, add the pasta and cook for 2-3 minutes or until browned. Add the rice and cook until it turns bright white, about 3-4 minutes. Carefully pour in the broth along with the garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, and paprika. Place the lid on. Make sure valve is switched to s...

The other night, we made spaghetti, using this sauce . I made a quick parmesan garlic bread in the bread machine and planned on a salad. When I went to get the salad dressing out of the fridge, all I could find was Ranch. That's great and all for the kids, but for us adults who are trying to make small changes to our diet to make things a bit healthier without sacrificing taste, Ranch isn't the best option. (Don't get me wrong, I love Ranch, but it's not very good for you.) I jumped online and found this recipe list at Genius Kitchen. It's easy peasy and so full of flavor. Lemon Vinaigrette 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 3 tablespoons lemon juice 1⁄2 teaspoon oregano 1⁄2 teaspoon minced garlic Shake all ingredients for your chosen variation together in a tightly-lidded container OR whisk together in a small bowl. Let stand 10 minutes to rehydrate dried herbs and blend flavors. Shake again then dress salad as desired.

I was craving something different and stumbled upon this super yummy Instant Pot recipe for Barbacoa Beef at Gimme Some Oven. We made Barbacoa bowls with rice, corn, black beans, onions, tomatoes, cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. Every one ate it and loved it. The kids argued that it was better than Chipotle. Shawn at the left overs in eggs the next 2 days as well. Instant Pot Barbacoa 2/3 cup beer or water 4 cloves garlic 2 chipotles in adobo sauce  (or more, to taste) 1 small white onion, peeled and roughly chopped 1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles 1/4 cup fresh lime juice 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar 1 tablespoon ground cumin 1 tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano) 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 1/4 tsp ground cloves 1 tablespoon olive oil 3 pounds beef chuck roast* (fat trimmed) ,  cut into 2-inch chunks 3 bay leaves Combine beer, garlic, chipotles, ...

This next recipe is giving me a bit of grief now... I'm trying to get it to load but thanks to the lovely NY Times recipes subscription screen I'm struggling getting it to load anywhere but my phone. It was really good, and my husband wants me to cook it again tomorrow. You can try this link and hopefully it works, or I'll post the recipe right here. Paul Prudhomme's Bronzed Chicken Breasts 1   tablespoon salt ½   teaspoon sweet paprika 1   teaspoon white pepper 1   teaspoon granulated or powdered onion 1   teaspoon granulated or powdered garlic 1   teaspoon dried basil leaves ½   teaspoon ground black pepper ½   teaspoon dried thyme leaves 8   boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 3 ounces each) at room temperature Heat a heavy skillet to 350 degrees (preferably using a grill thermometer; or leave it over a medium flame for 8 to 10 minutes or until 1/2 teaspoon of water bursts into droplets that chase each...

On an Amazon deal, right before Thanksgiving, my husband bought me the Instant Pot I'd been wanting. It has become one of my most favorite kitchen gadgets, to the point I even bought one for my mom for Christmas (She cooks a lot like I do and loves this stuff). I'm determined to find ways to make things I love to eat, easier. One of those things is mashed potatoes. I love them but will go for the instant ones because of time and ease 9 times out of 10, even though real mashed potatoes are a million times better tasting. In comes the Instant Pot. I found this recipe here on The Salty Marshmallow, and it went so perfectly with our meatloaf that I don't know how I'll do it any other way ever again. Also, if you're interested, my meatloaf recipe, is still a favorite in our house and you can find it here . Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes 3 Pounds Potatoes 6 medium, Peeled and Sliced Water to Cover Potatoes About 4-5 cups 2 Teaspoons Salt Divided 1/...

Recipe 24 of 52, Quick And Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole, also came from It was absolutely delicious. While I was making it, Rylie was licking the left over sauce from the sides of the bowl. Quick And Easy Green Chile Chicken Enchilada Casserole 10 oz chicken breast, cooked and shredded 16 oz green chili enchilada sauce 1 (4 oz) can chopped green chiles 12 oz Monterey Jack cheese 1 cup sour cream 10 medium tortillas 3 cilantro sprigs, chopped 3 green onions, chopped 1 medium tomato, chopped Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Mix the chicken with 8 ounces of the green chile enchilada sauce, the green chiles, and half of the Monterey Jack cheese. In another bowl, stir together the remaining enchilada sauce and the sour cream. Pour half of the sauce into a 9x13 inch baking dish. Take a tortilla, top with a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture, then roll it up and place over the sauce in the baking dish. Continu...

Recipe 23 of 52 was Creamy Herb and Mustard Pork Chops.  I don't have a picture because we dug right in. It was absolutely delicious. I got this recipe  from the book 30-Minute One-Pot Meals by Joanna Cismaru. Creamy Herb And Mustard Pork Chops 1 tbsp olive oil 4 pork chops (about 1 inch thick), fat trimmed Salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 tbsp unsalted butter 1 small onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tsp dried basil 1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 tbsp all-purpose flour 1 tsp grainy mustard 1/2 cup chicken stock 1/2 cup heavy cream Fresh parsley, for garnish (optional) Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. While the oil heating, season the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook for about 5 minutes per side; they should be golden brown. Remove the pork chops from the skillet and add the butter to the same skillet. When the butter has melted add the onion, garlic, basil and thyme and cook for...

Ok, I don't know about anyone else, but I watch a ton of cooking show, including my fave competition shows like Top Chef. One thing everyone messes up is risotto. Having never made risotto before, Ive been terrified. I found this awesome cookbook though and it seemed easy enough. (I also pumped myself up, watching videos of professional chefs showing how to do it, to prepare.) The recipe came from the book 30-Minute One-Pot Meals by Joanna Cismaru and was recipe 22/52. Quick And Easy White Wine and Mushroom Risotto 1 tbsp olive oil 2 tbsp unsalted butter 1 small onion, chopped 1/2 celery stalk, chopped into small pieces 1 cup uncooked Arborio rice 2 cups mushrooms, chopped 3/4 cup white wine 2 cups chicken stock 1/2 cup milk Salt and freshly ground black pepper Fresh parsley, for garnish 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add the onion and celery and cook for 2 mi...

Recipe 21 of 52 was Better than Olive Garden's Fettuccini Alfredo that I found at Sandra's food blog, here . Better Than Olive Garden's Fettuccini Alfredo 3 tablespoons sweet butter 2 tablespoons olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 2 cups heavy cream 1/4 teaspoon white pepper 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese 3/4 cup mozzarella cheese Melt butter in a medium saucepan with olive oil over medium/low heat. Add the garlic, cream, and white pepper. Bring the mixture to a simmer and stir often. Add the Parmesan cheese and simmer the sauce for 8-10 minutes of until the sauce has thickened and is smooth. When the sauce has thickened, add the Mozzarella cheese and stir until smooth, stirring frequently. While the sauce cooks, boil the noodles. Place the pasta on serving plates and spoon sauce over the pasta. I also added a little cooked broccoli to the fettuccini alfredo. I didn't happen to have fettuccini so I used bowtie instead.

Recipe 20 in my 52 new recipes in 2017 is Ginger Spiced Plum Sauce. We needed a plum sauce to go with the our Pork and Plum Kebabs and I found this delicious recipe on Pinterest. I was super impressed with how easy and yummy it was. I found the recipe here . Ginger Spiced Plum Sauce 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari 3 tablespoons finely grated fresh ginger, peeled 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 teaspoon five spice powder 2 pounds red or black plums, pitted and coarsely chopped   Add all the ingredients EXCEPT the plums to a large pot and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes or so, then add the plums and continue to simmer until thickened and jammy (about 20 minutes or so). Carefully puree until smooth using an immersion blender. Simply cool the sauce and keep it in the refrigerator. 

The 19th recipe I did for 52 recipes in 2017 is Grilled Pork and Plum Kebabs. I know, I'm super behind on my 52 recipes, but I think I'll get caught up soon. We bought a huge carton of plums from Costco, and we needed to use them up, since I'm the only one who really eats them. I decided to search Pinterest for ideas, but most of what I found was desserts or jam. After a little harder search I found lots of pork and plum recipes. On nice summer evenings, we love the grill so the kebabs was perfect. I found the recipe here . Grilled Pork and Plum Kebabs 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce 1/4 cup rice vinegar 3 tbsp honey 3 tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tbsp sesame oil 1 clove garlic, minced or crushed 1 thumb sized knob ginger, peeled and grated 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes 1 pork tenderloin, cubed 8 black or purple plums, halved and pitted 1 onion, quartered and divided into slices Whisk first 8 ingredients together for the marinade, and pour into a zip lock bag. A...

Recipe number 18 in my 52 new recipes was Garlic Chili Edamame. Shawn and I go to this place called Cafe Beautiful for anniversary every year. The very first taste you get when you are there is this amazing Chili Garlic Edamame.   This recipe wasn't exact but it was pretty good. Garlic Chili Edamame 10 oz edamame precooked 4 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp sesame oil 1 tbsp chili paste 1 tbsp mayonnaise 2 tsp soy sauce sea salt In a small pan on medium low heat, add the sesame oil and garlic. Sauté for several minutes until golden brown. Remove pan from heat and cool. In a medium bowl, mix together the sautéed garlic, chili paste, mayonnaise, and soy sauce. Steam edamame in a microwave safe bowl for 2 minutes. Add the warmed edamame to the garlic chili sauce and toss to coat. Season with sea salt and serve warm.