Beer Battered Fish Tacos

Here I am again, with yet another recipe inspired by The Defined Dish. You can check out her healthier version of this recipe here.

Fish or shrimp are by far my favorite rendition of a taco. My go to at any taco establishment is usually seafood related – Tempura Shrimp Tacos at Fuzzy’s, Fish & Chips taco at Velvet Taco, and the Baja Shrimp Taco at Rusty Taco. Hashtag YUM!

Alex with The Defined Dish never fails me, so when I saw her post her recipe I knew I had to try. All hail my non-paleo, non-healthy version of her Paleo Battered Fish Tacos, below!

RECIPE

Prep Time  25 minutes

Cook Time  30  minutes

Serves 5 people 

Ingredients

Fish & Shrimp

• 4 tbsp Avocado oil (vegetable oil is fine, too.)
• 1 lb skinned Cod, cut into 2-3 inch pieces
• 1 lb cooked shrimp, peeled and deveined, tail off

Batter

• 1 cup beer (I used Heineken)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tbsp baking soda
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Slaw

• 4 tbsp mayo
• 2 tbsp lime juice
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tsp hot sauce (I use Valentina)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups shredded purple cabbage

For Serving

• 12 tortillas
• Pico de gallo
• Cilantro

Instructions

1. Start by making the batter for frying the fish and shrimp. In a large mixing bowl, combine the beer, flour, baking soda, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and black pepper. Whisk well and set aside for a bit to let it thicken. (The batter should be similar to pancake batter – not runny, but not thick.)
2. For the slaw, in a separate bowl combine the mayo, lime juice, garlic cloves, hot sauce and salt. Set aside – we will add the cabbage to the mixture later.
3. To cook the fish, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Take about 1/2 of the fish and place in the bowl containing the batter. Gently toss to coat. Using tongs or a fork, one by one, carefully place each strip of coated fish into the hot oil. Try not to overcrowd the pan – none of the fish should be touching. Fry until golden brown on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Remove from pan and place on a place on a paper towel lined plate or cutting board, and dust with a little salt and pepper. Repeat this step until all of the fish has been cooked.
4. Heat the tortillas one at a time on a dry or very lightly oiled skillet over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds per side.
5. Now, add the cabbage to the slaw mixture.
6. Assemble by adding slaw, then fish, then pico de gallo and fresh cilantro to each tortilla.

Tips

1. Don’t have any pico de gallo on hand? You just need one tomato, 1/2 red or white onion, 1 jalapeno, a squeeze of lime juice, a bit of fresh cilantro, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Remove seeds from tomato and jalapeno, and finely chop them along with the onion. Add to a small mixing bowl, along with cliantro, lime juice and seasonings. Gently stir to combine.

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Cajun Chicken Pasta

There is one reason, and one reason only for going to Chili’s: Cajun. Chicken. Pasta.

I’ve been obsessed with this pasta for as long as I can remember, which is far enough back to know that my uncultured mouth couldn’t handle the heat and would ask for the seasoning on the side.

There are certain recipes I try not to recreate, because it makes my dining out experiences less than exciting. This was one I had steered clear of for a while, but I finally decided to go for it. Sorry Chili’s, I won’t be needing you for a while!

RECIPE

Prep Time  15 minutes

Cook Time  40  minutes

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients

Pasta

• 16 oz Penne Pasta
• 2 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
• 2 Boneless, Skinles Chicken Breasts, tenderized
• 6 Tbsp Butter (About 3/4 Stick)
• 1/2 Large Yellow Onion, Diced
• 4-6 Garlic Cloves, Minced
• 1 Cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 Lemon, Juiced
• 1/4 Cup Freshly Grated Parmesan
• 1-2 tbsp flour

Cajun Seasoning

• 1 tbsp Smoked Paprika (regular is fine, too)
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1/2 tsp Thyme
• 1/2 tsp Rosemary
• 1/2 tsp Oregano
• 1/2 tsp Parsley Flakes
• 1/4 tsp Cayenne (More or less, depending on your spice preference.)
• 1 tsp Salt
• 1 tsp Pepper
• 2 tbsp flour (for seasoning chicken)

For Serving

• 2 Roma Tomatos, Diced
• 1 Stalk Green Onion, Chopped

Instructions

1. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta according to package instructions; drain well, saving about 1/4 cup pasta water for later.
2. In a medium small mixing bowl, whisk to gether ingredients for cajun seasoning. Separate seasoning into halves, pouring one half in a Gallon Ziploc bag. In the Ziploc bag, add two tbsp flour to the seasoning mixture. Shake well to combine. Baste tenderized chicken breasts with 1 tbsp Olive Oil, and add to the Ziploc bag with the seasoning. Shake until the chicken is evenly coated.
3. In a large skillet, heat remaining Olive Oil over medium-high heat. Place each chicken breast in the pan, and cook for 5-6 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature has reached 165 degrees. Set aside and keep warm.
4. Melt your butter in the skillet, scraping up any brown bits. (Pro-Tip: If you have a significant amount of brown bits in the pan after cooking the chicken, add a splash of white wine or lemon juice – the acidity will pull it right off!)
5. Add diced onion to the pan, and cook until translucent – about 3 minutes.
6. Next, add in minced garlic and cook until fragrant – about 45 seconds.
7. Reduce heat to Medium, and gradually whisk in lemon juice and heavy cream. Cook for 2-3 minutes, whisking slowly until the ingredients are incorporated.
8. Fold in Parmesan and remaining seasoning and cook for another 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly. If the mixture is too thick, add more heavy cream as needed; if too think, add flour one tablespoon at a time until desired thickness is achieved.
9. Stir in pasta and reserved pasta water and toss to combine.
10. Serve sliced chicken breast over a bed of pasta, topped with diced tomato, sliced green onion and a sprinkle of freshly grated parmesan.

Tips

1. All of the seasonings combined are equal to 2 tbsp cajun seasoning.
2. The best way I have found to tenderize my chicken breasts is to lay them out on a cutting board, cover them with a piece of plastic wrap, and pound until the breasts are thinned out evenly. Tenderizing isn’t absolutely necessary, but since we are frying the breasts in this recipe it will aid in making sure the chicken cooks evenly.
3. If you don’t already have one, you I highly recommend that you invest in a sauce whisk! They are the best for mixing sauces – so much better than the traditional whisk! I believe mine is from Pampered Chef, but I can’t find it on their website. This one from Williams Sonoma looks like a great alternative, or you can find them on Amazon by searching “sauce whisk” or “spiral whisk”.

White Lasagna with Spinach & Mushrooms

We have been trying to consume less meat around my house, which means we have simultaneously been consuming a lot more pasta. If you have ever been concerned that eating meatless will leave you unsatiated, you were wrong!

If you love creamy pasta bursting with flavor and the tiniest dash of nutritious value, this is the recipe for you!

**If anyone has non-pasta meatless recipes – hook your girl up!!**

Recipe

Prep Time  15 minutes

Cook Time  35 – 40  minutes

Serves 6 people 

Ingredients

• 16 oz alfredo sauce 
• 3 cups spinach
• 16 oz white mushrooms, sliced
• 24 oz cottage cheese
• 7 oz Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
• Oven ready lasagna noodles
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. In a large skillet, saute mushrooms until tender – about 4 minutes. (Pro-tip: If you have non-stick cookware, you don’t really need to use oil since mushrooms release a lot of liquid while they are cooking.)
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, about ¾ of the shredded mozzarella and seasoning. Stir to combine.
3. In a greased baking dish, spread a thin layer of the Alfredo sauce across the bottom. (You can find my recipe for homemade Alfredo sauce here.
4. Next, lay noodles on top of sauce. Cover noodles in a layer of the cottage cheese and shredded cheese mixture. Top with about half of your sautéed mushrooms, and then cover with a layer of spinach.
5. Add another layer of noodles, then Alfredo sauce, and repeat step 4. (The size of your dish will determine the number of layers you will end up with. For a 9 X 13 dish I got two layers.)
6. After you have laid the final layer of spinach, pour the rest of the Alfredo sauce across the top. Sprinkle the remaining cheese on top and bake at 375º for 35-40 minutes.

Tips

1. If you don’t have oven ready noodles, you will need to boil your pasta prior to assembly. If you do this, you will only need to bake for 10-15 minutes.

Hamburger Gnocchi

We’ll call this “Boujee Hamburger Helper”!

My favorite thing about Hamburger Helper is that it tastes just as good, if not better, as leftovers. This recipe is no different!

This is a creamy, flavorful recipe that the whole family will enjoy!

RECIPE

Prep Time  10 minutes

Cook Time  35  minutes

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients

• 1 Package Dry Gnocchi
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 lb hamburger meat
• 1 jalapeno, finely chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 oz (1/2 can) of tomato paste
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomato, lightly drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1 stalk green onion, finely chopped

Instructions

1. Swirl 1 tbsp olive oil around in a large skillet over medium high. In a single layer, add gnocchi to the pan. Allow to toast for 3-4 minutes, flip, and allow other side to toast for another 3 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
2. Over medium high heat, add remaining olive oil and bell pepper, and diced onion to the skillet. Cook until onionis translucent and bell pepper is tender but not soft, about 3 minutes.
3. Add in minced garlic and chopped jalapeno. Cook until fragrant, about 30-45 seconds.
4. Add beef to the vegetable mixture in the skillet, and stirring occasionally, cook until meat is browned.
5. Stir in tomato past and mustard until combined.
6. Pour in diced tomato, and stir to combine.
7. Add gnocchi to the pan, and pour in vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low/medium-low. Cover, and stirring occasionally, let simmer until at least 1/2 of the broth has evaporated, or about 10 minutes.
8. Add in heavy cream and cheddar cheese. Stir to combine.
9. Serve topped with chopped green onion.

Vegan Sloppy Janes

I’ll admit, when I started cooking this I was not planning a full on vegan recipe. It wasn’t until I finished and sat down to eat that I though, “Well look at that…your girl didn’t even use butter!” which is a huge accomplishment.

I’ve tried to go vegan/vegetarian many times, but was never able to stick to it for long. Even living in a big city like Dallas, it is still a very inconvenient restriction in my opinion. However, what has worked for me is trying out meatless meals a few times a week. I started with Meatless Mondays, and gradually worked my way up to eating a few meatless meals a week without even forcing it.

As a newbie to the vegetarian/vegan/meatless/plant-based (you get the point) world, it has been very challenging to come up with meatless recipes that aren’t pasta or Mexican stuffed vegetable of choice. I received the Impossible Meat in my Imperfect Produce box, and decided I would create a meatless spin-off of the Defined Dish Sloppy Jane recipe.

We loved it, so I hope you do too! Don’t forget to leave a review, or tag me on instagram if you decide to try it out!

RECIPE

Prep Time  15 minutes

Cook Time  60  minutes

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients

“Meat”

• 1 (16 Oz.) Package Impossible Burger Ground (This one.)
• 1 (15 oz.) Can Brown Lentils
• 1 Cup Finely Chopped Mushroom
• 3 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion – Diced
• 4 Cloves of Garlic – Minced
• 1 Medium Green Bell Pepper, Finely Diced
• 1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
• 3 oz. Tomato Paste (About 1/2 of a can, or 3 tbsp.)
• 1/4 Cup Coconut Aminos
• 2 tbsp Brown Sugar
• Garlic Powder – to taste
• Onion Powder – to taste
• Salt – to taste
• Pepper – to taste

Sweet Potatoes

• 4 Medium Sweet Potatoes
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Start by pre-heating the oven to 400º. *Carefully* poke several holes in each sweet potato using a fork or a knife. Individually wrap each potato in foil, place on a baking sheet and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the potatoes are fork tender all the way through.
2. After the potatoes have been in the oven for about 20-30 minutes, begin making the “meat” mixture by heating your olive oil in a large skillet over Medium-High heat.
3. Add in diced onion, garlic and bell pepper and saute until slightly tender, about 4 minutes.
4. Add in your Impossible Beef, and cook until browned, about 7 minutes. Then, add in drained lentils, chopped mushrooms and seasonings. Stir to combine.
5. Lower heat to Medium, and mix in mustard and tomato paste with meat and veggies.
6. Pour in coconut aminos and brown sugar, and mix.
7. If necessary, reduce heat to Low to keep the meat mixture warm while your potatoes finish baking.
8. To Serve: Split potato in half and mash with fork. Pour meat mixture over the potato, and top with finely chopped parsley if desired.

Tips

1. You can use 4 small/medium size potatoes, or 2 very large ones and serve 1/2 per person.
2. Impossible Beef is the only brand of plant based “meat” I have tried, which is why I am recommending it here. Feel free to try any other brand of plant based ground beef.
3. If you’re not into the Vegan thing, just swap Impossible Beef for 1 pound of ground beef.

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce

I have always said there should be a rule that when a restaurant discontinues an item, they must release the recipe to the public. I had never felt so strongly about that sentiment until Panera Bread stopped selling their Butternut Squash Ravioli every fall.

I haven’t ventured into the make-my-own-pasta phase of making my life ridiculously overcomplicated yet, so when I came across a bag of pre-made butternut squash ravioli at Sprouts, I knew I needed to attempt a recreation recipe.

If you love flavorful, Fall inspired pastas -yes, I know it’s Spring, there are no rules – then you will fall in love with this butternut squash ravioli with brown butter sauce.

Enjoy!

RECIPE

Prep Time  5 minutes

Cook Time  20  minutes

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients

Butternut Squash Ravioli

• 1 (20 oz) Package Butternut Squash Ravioli (I used this one from Sprouts, which isn’t technically ‘ravioli’, but any brand will work.)

Brown Butter Sauce

• 2 Cups Cubed Butternut Squash (Fresh or Frozen – thawed if using frozen.)
• 3 tbsp Olive Oil, divided
• 1/2 medium yellow onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 sticks of butter
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 Large Handfuls Fresh Spinach (Best I can do for measurements!)
• 1/4 cup half & half
• Shelled Sunflower Seeds for Topping
• 1/4 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper
• 3 tbsp fresh thyme
• Sprinkle of nutmeg*

*Nutmeg is an extremely overpowering spice in my opinion, so I always start with a tiny amount and add more if needed. To each their own.

Instructions

1. Start by preheating your oven to 400º and prepping your fresh butternut squash. Combine cubed butternut squash, 1 tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, fresh thyme and nutmeg. Toss to coat.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (see tip #2). Spread seasoned butternut squash in a single layer on baking sheet and roast in preheated oven for about 30 minutes.
3. While the squash is roasting, boil your pasta according to package instructions. (Usually about 5-7 minutes, but follow instructions on your bag since each brand/pasta can vary.) Drain and set aside once pasta is cooked.
4. In a large skillet over medium heat, saute diced onion until translucent – about 2 minutes. Add in minced garlic and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
5. Reduce heat to medium and add in butter. Watching carefully, cook for about 3-5 minutes until browned. Do not allow the butter to smoke or burn. You will know it is done browning once the butter is a caramel-y brown.
6. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add in balsamic vinegar and lemon juice and whisk to combine.
7. Add in cooked squash and spinach. Cook until spinach is wilted, about 3-4 minutes.
8. Pour half and half into the sauce, and stir to combine.
9. Add cooked pasta to the sauce, and voila!
10. Serve topped with shelled sunflower seeds.

Tips

1. If you can’t find butternut squash ravioli, you can use any other type of ravioli or stuffed pasta. My suggestions would be some version of a 3 cheese ravioli, or spinach and ricotta ravioli.
2. To keep your parchment paper from curling up on the baking sheet, tear off a piece of the appropriate size to cover your baking sheet, and crumble into a ball. When you unfold it, the wrinkles will prevent it from rolling up on the edges!

Hearty Chicken Pot Pie

Wow. What a week month+ it has been! I’ve had this recipe typed up and ready to go since February, but the snow-pocalypse we had in Texas over Valentine’s Day week was quite a huge life interruption, to say the least. To be honest, I just had no motivation to get my life back in order afterwards.

I have also had a major case of writer’s block, and that combined with a moderate to severe case of OCD has been crippling for this recipe sharing adventure.

So here I am, sharing a recipe with nothing heartfelt to say about it.

OH! These do hold a special place in my heart because of my dad. Growing up, he always had a freezer stocked with Banquet brand chicken pot pies, which is how I came to love them so much and why I ever tried making one from scratch in the first place. (Banquet is still the best frozen pot pie brand there is – anyone who disagrees can fight me.) How is that for heartfelt?

RECIPE

Prep Time  20 minutes

Cook Time  30  minutes

Serves 4 people 

Ingredients

Pie Filling

• 4 Cooked Boneless, Skinless Chicken Thighs
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ medium yellow onion, chopped
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
• ¼ cup all purpose flour
• 1 bag (12 oz.) Frozen Mixed Vegetables
• 1 Russet potato, cubed
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup
• 1 egg, beaten
• Onion Powder
• Garlic Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Pie Crust

• 2 Premade Pie Crusts (I use these Pillsbury Pie Crusts , which usually come in a pack of 2.)

Instructions

1. To cook the chicken, season with salt and pepper and place in the Instant Pot with 1 cup of chicken broth. Turn Instant Pot to “Meat/Stew” setting, close lid and set timer for 15 minutes. Once pressure has naturally released, remove chicken from the pot and allow to cool for 5-7 minutes. (Don’t throw away the broth yet – you’ll need it for the filling.)
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, drizzle olive oil and add in diced onion. Saute until translucent – about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add minced garlic to the skillet and cook until fragrant – about 30 seconds.
4. Pour about 1/2 cup of leftover chicken broth into the skillet, and add frozen vegetables and diced potato. Reduce heat to medium-low and allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes, until vegetables and potatoes are fork tender and most of the broth has evaporated.
5. Sprinkle flour over vegetable mixture and stir to combine. Season generously with onion powder, garlic powder, salt & pepper.
6. Combine vegetable mixture, cream of chicken and diced/shredded chicken in a large mixing bowl.
7. Follow the instructions on your pie crust box for prepping your crust. Pillsbury has some great tips for getting the perfect pie crust that I have yet to master here.
8. Pour filling into pie crust, and top with second crust. Brush top crust with egg wash to get the perfect golden-brown, crispy crust.
9. Bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes, or until crust is golden grown.
10. I know this is the hardest part – but if you want your pie to hold its shape when you serve it, you HAVE to let it cool for at least 20 minutes, if not more.

Seafood Stuffed Salmon

Around my house, I jokingly refer to this as “Marry Me Salmon”. Michael likes to give me a hard time by saying I trapped him with my cooking – which was totally unintentional. However, I will say if it was any one meal in particular that hooked him, this was probably it.

Even if you’re not just smitten with the amazing new woman in your life (haha), this is sure to be a crowd pleaser for any seafood lover.

You can make this with one whole cut of salmon, or with individual sized salmon fillets. I’ve done it both ways, and either way you slice it – pun totally intended – it’s sensational.

_{Seriously how does this not make your mouth water!?}

RECIPE

Prep Time  20 Minutes

Prep Time  20 Minutes

Serves  4 People

Ingredients

• 1 lb Fresh Salmon
• 1 package Cream Cheese (8 oz), softened
• Generous amount of spinach
• 1/2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1 can lump crab meat (6 oz)
• 8-10 cooked jumbo shrimp, peeled, deveined and chopped.
• 4 oz butter
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• Old Bay Seasoning
• Paprika
• Cayenne Pepper
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt
• Cracked Pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400º.
2. Over medium heat, drizzle olive oil in a skillet. Cook garlic until fragrant – about 30 seconds. Add in spinach and sauté, stirring constantly, until tender – about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella, cooked spinach, about 2/3 of the crab meat, and 2/3 of the cooked shrimp. Season the mixture with Old Bay, Paprika, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Salt, Pepper and Cayenne (if desired).
4. For the salmon, make a pocket in the fillet by gently cutting a horizontal slit in the salmon flesh, leaving about one inch on each end connected. Do not cut all the way through to the other side – this is a pocket, not a hole!
5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and place salmon on top, skin side down. Generously season the salmon flesh with all seasonings listed above.
6. Using a spoon, scoop cream cheese mixture into the pocket of the salmon. The pocket should be pretty full – don’t be stingy with the stuffing!
7. In the same pan you cooked the spinach, melt butter over medium heat. Add in bread crumbs and mix well until it becomes paste like in consistency. Once butter is melted, this should only take a few seconds.
8. Spread buttered breadcrumbs on top of the salmon filet – this will create a crust like consistency for the top of the salmon.
9. Lightly sprinkle remaining cheese, crab meat and shrimp over the top of the stuffed salmon.
10. Bake at 400º for 20-25 minutes.

Tips

• For the lump crab meat – you can definitely use fresh lump crab meat from your local fish market or deli. They didn’t have any when I went, and I found the canned version to be just as good. Just make sure you drain any excess water or oil if using the canned meat.

Quick & Easy Instant Pot Chili

This is the perfect weeknight meal for quite literally anyone! Whether you throw it in the Instant Pot when you get home from work, or slow cook it while you are at work – you’ll have a delicious, cozy meal ready just in time for dinner. It’s easy to make, full of flavor, and super filling.

Leftovers:

As someone who is not the biggest fan of leftovers, this is one of the only things I actually love taking to work and reheating for lunch. You can also freeze chili in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Beans:

Okay. I am fully aware that there is a huge debacle regarding beans in chili, especially in Texas. Look, if I’m making a Frito Pie or Chili-Cheese Dog, I would probably prefer to nix the beans. But beans just add a little more substance to a bowl of chili, so that’s how I’ll be making mine.

_{Not Pictured: Beef, Garlic, Corn & Seasonings.}

RECIPE

Prep Time  15 minutes

Cook Time  25  minutes

Serves 8 people 

Ingredients

• 1 Pound Ground Beef (Frozen or Thawed)
• 1 Can Black Beans, Drained
• 1 Can Red Kidney Beans, Drained
• 1 Can Lentils, Drained
• 1 Can Tomato Paste
• 1 Can Tomato Sauce
• 1 Can Fire Roasted Diced Tomatoes
• 1 Can Corn, Drained
• 1 Yellow Onion, Roughly Chopped
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Red Bell Pepper, Diced
• 1/2 Green Bell Pepper, Diced
• Cumin
• Chili Powder
• Cayenne
• Garlic Powder
• Onion Powder
• Salt
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Turn on Instant Pot to “Meat/Stew” setting.
2. Add onion, garlic, bell peppers and tomato paste to the pot. Stir until vegetables are coated with tomato paste. Season with chili powder, cumin, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper and cayenne, to taste. (Start with about 1/2 tsp of each. You can always add more later.)
3. Add in beans, lentils, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, corn and beef.
4. Close Instant Pot and set timer for 25 minutes for thawed beef, or 35 minutes for frozen.
5. When timer goes off, release pressure and open the pot. If you choose to add more seasoning, do that now.
6. Serve topped with sour cream, shredded cheese and a side of cornbread.

The Easy Way :

1. Dump all of the ingredients into the pot, in any order, and stir together once cooked. It’s fine, I promise.

Tips

1. When you are eating leftovers change it up a bit! You can add avocado, tortilla strips, saltine crackers, or anything your heart desires! I hate leftovers and this is how I can manage to eat the same thing multiple days in a row.
2. This recipe also works in a slow cooker/crock pot! Follow the same instructions above, and then cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
3. Trying to eat less beef? Swap with ground turkey or ground chicken for an equally delicious chili.

Instant Pot Red Wine Braised Chuck Roast

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

Red meat and red wine are two of my favorite things on the planet, so it only makes sense that cooking them together would result in taste bud explosion. If you are looking for a recipe that you can serve several different ways, look no further! Whether you choose to add in some diced potatoes and serve as a traditional pot roast, pour over a blanket of whipped potatoes, or pair with pasta in a creamy garlic sauce like I did, this recipe has range!

_{Like most of my photos, this is a very poor visual representation of how good this actually tasted.
**Proceeds to join a food photography class for beginners.**}

I recently had dinner at Sixty Vines in Uptown Dallas, where I ordered the Short Rib Papparadelle. I was blown away by how good the pasta was, but the entire time I was brainstorming about how I would manage to recreate that dish at home. Another great menu item that I used for inspiration was none other than the Glazed Short Rib Cavatelli from North Italia. (Yum!)

After failing to find decent short ribs at 3 different grocery stores, I finally decided to Google an alternative meat source for this recipe. According to Cook’s Illustrated, “Flavorful, easy-to-prep boneless short ribs aren’t actually cut from the rib section of the cow, as their name implies. They are cut from the chuck, or shoulder, of the animal. For that reason, chuck roast is the best substitute when boneless short ribs are unavailable.”

So, chuck roast it is! I promise to try again with actual short ribs and share my results, but I do believe that using a roast made this recipe more versatile.

_{Not pictured: Soy Sauce, Balsamic Vinegar, Brown Sugar & Beef Broth.}

RECIPE

Prep Time  20 minutes

Cook Time  1 – 6  hours

Serves 6 people 

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb chuck roast
• 1 yellow onion, sliced
• 1 cup sliced carrot (about 3 carrots)
• ¾ cup finely chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• ½ cup red wine (cabernet)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup chicken broth 

Instructions

1. Turn Instant Pot to Saute mode. Wait until the pot says “hot”, and then drizzle in olive oil. 
2. Season one side of the roast generously with salt and pepper. Place seasoned side down in oiled Instant pot and let the meat sear on one side for 4-6 minutes. While meat is cooking, season the top with salt and pepper. Once a crust has formed on the bottom (mine took about 6 minutes), flip and do the same for the other side. Remove from pot and set aside. 
3. Add onion to Instant Pot. (You might need a little more oil). Saute until translucent, about 3 minutes. Then add in garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. 
4. Add in celery and carrots and saute for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Pour red wine in to the pot, and deglaze the pan by scraping the brown bits off of the bottom with a wooden spoon or spatula. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes so that some of the alcohol evaporates. 
6. Add in soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and chicken broth, and stir to combine. 
7. Add beef back to the pot, and pressure cook for 40 minutes, or slow cook for 5-6 hours. 
8. Using two forks, pull apart beef until it consists of smaller, bite sized chunks. 

Tips

1. The original recipe uses beef short ribs, but I was unable to find any. Since short ribs are cut from the  chuck, or shoulder, of the cow, I opted for chuck roast as an alternative.  
2. For additional flavor, add bay leaves and/or a few sprigs of thyme to the stock before pressure or slow cooking.