Instapot stir-fry

I found this recipe for instapot ramen stir-fry online. It is a great basic recipe. I want to continue to tweak it. 

Ingredients:

Choice of veggies. We used onions, carrots, and peas.

2 packs of ramen

1 cup of water or chicken stock

4 Tbsp soy sauce (1 for chicken, 3 for end sauce)

1 tsp sesame oil

Optional toppings: Fried egg, sliced green onions, sriracha sauce.

I sautéed the vegetables for a couple of minutes and then deglazed the pan with the chicken stock.  I threw in some precooked chicken and the broken chunks of noodles.  I cooked it on high for one minute and then did a quick pressure release. I added the sesame oil and soy sauce and gave it a gentle stir. After letting it rest for five minutes it was dished into bowls. Grown-ups got a fried egg and some sliced green onions. 

Stovetop Granola

I like to make a double batch of this. The recipe is simple, delicious, and makes me happy.  

2 c. oatmeal (I've tried kamut and instant oats, but I think regular oatmeal is the best fit.)

2 Tb butter

1 Tb honey

2 Tb brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 tsp salt

Desired additions (raisins, pumpkin seeds, sliced almonds, dried fruit)

Toast oats on cookie sheet under broiler. Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a pan over low heat on the stove. Cook mixture for one minute then add in toasted oats.  Cook and stir mixture for 3-4 minutes. Add 1/3 cup of desired fixings and cook for one more minute. Spread end mixture on cookie sheet and return to warmed oven for 15-30 minutes. (The oven should be warm from broiling, but not on.) This helps the granola crisp up. Keep in an air tight container. 

I love my granola sprinkled over yogurt. Sliced almonds, pumpkin seeds, and raisins are my favorite combo. What would you add to your granola?

Quick Gumbo

Recipe from Amanda Adams:

1/3 c. oil
1/3 c. flour
14 oz Hilshire Farm Sausage cut into half moons
1 bag of frozen peppers and onions
1 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 bag frozen okra
32 oz chicken stock

1/3 cup oil and flour in dutch oven or stock pot. Cook over medium heat until it starts to turn golden. (5-10 minutes) Stir continuously. Add sausage, peppers and onions, Cajun seasoning, and garlic powder. Cook for another 7-10 minutes. Add chicken stock and okra, bring mixture to a boil, turn down to simmer for 10 minutes. Serve over rice.

Drop Sugar Cookies

Recipe from Carolyn Nielson

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cream together 2 minutes:

2 c. sugar

1 c. butter, softened

1/2 c. shortening

Add:

3 eggs

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Mix in:

1 1/2 tsp. each baking soda, baking powder, salt

5 c. flour

Scoop or roll dough into 1.5 inch balls, then roll balls in sugar. Regular sugar works, but I like coarse sugar better. 

Smash them flat. 

Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes. 

Notes:

These freeze well. I put them in a small container with wax paper between.

The key to making these cookies taste fantastic is to underbake them a decent amount--no hint of brown except maybe on the very bottom. If they get fully baked, they're crumbly and dry and sad. Pull them out while they still look puffy and a little doughy and you think they're not done yet. Move them to a rack after a few minutes, then let them cool into chewy, buttery, yummy cookies.

Butternut Squash Soup

Butternut Squash/Pumpkin Soup from Sheryl Beckham - Whangarei, NZ

1 cube butter

1 large, sliced onion

1 large peeled & sliced potato

1 small peeled & chopped pumpkin (or butternut squash)

1 tsp ginger

4 cups chicken stock

2 tomatoes

Salt & pepper to taste

½ tsp ground nutmeg

Melt butter in pot. Add onion, potato, ginger, tomatoes and bullion dissolved in hot

water. Then add salt, pepper & nutmeg. Bring to boil. Add pumpkin/squash and simmer 30

minutes. When soft, put in blender until smooth (or use an immersion blender). Serve with a little cream and fresh ground nutmeg.