instant pot

Name: Mississippi Roast (without added butter)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 8 h
Total time: 8 h 5 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 3-4 lb Chuck Roast, excess fat trimmed; 10 Pepperoncini peppers; 1/2 cup juice from pepperoncini peppers; 1 (1 ounce) packet Ranch seasoning; 1 (1 ounce) packet Onion soup mix; 1/2 cup Beef stock (or water)

Instant Pot Apple Butter (with free printable canning label!)

October 10, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

cutting board with burlap napkin with jar of apple butter and spoon

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When I think of fall flavors, I immediately think of the rich apple and cinnamon flavor of apple butter! Oddly enough, apple butter does not contain any actual butter. It is really just spiced applesauce that is cooked down to the point that all of flavors basically caramelize into a sweet, apple-y, cinnamon-y love in a jar.

The process to make apple butter is usually pretty time consuming if you make it on the stove or in the slow cooker. I’ve cut it down to a total time of 45 minutes by using the Instant Pot!

How to Make Apple Butter

By cooking in the Instant Pot, we cut down the time it takes to cook down the apples. To start, all you have to do is core and slice your apples. There is no need to peel them if you don’t want. I really like leaving on the peels because it is added nutrition and it helps deepen the color of the apple butter.

You can also use whatever apple variety you prefer or have on hand. I tend to go for the crunchy and super juicy varieties like Gala and Fuji. Go with apples that you enjoy to eat raw and you can’t go wrong.

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Mississippi Roast (without added butter!)

May 24, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

pot roast with pepperoncini peppers on white plate with title graphic

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Who doesn’t love a good pot roast? I love that you can throw it in the slow cooker or Instant Pot and forget about it. I was first introduced to Mississippi Roast, pot roast with butter, pepperoncini peppers, ranch seasoning and au jus seasoning, by a coworker. Don’t get it wrong, it tasted amazing! I wasn’t be biggest fan, though, that it called for a whole stick of butter!

In an effort to lighten up this dish, I tried making it without any butter and didn’t miss it at all. Rather than use powdered au jus seasoning, I used what I had on hand: a packet of onion soup mix. Guess what? It tasted amazing. You still get an amazingly flavorful “gravy” to spoon over melt-in-your-mouth pot roast.

Why Chuck Roast?

Chuck roast is the perfect cut for slow cooking because it falls apart and turns to butter. It also happens to be one of the more affordable cuts of beef roast. You can also use pork butt for this recipe as an even more budget-friendly option.

Freezer Meal Option

This recipe is perfect for freezer meal prep. Combine all of the ingredients in one of these 64 oz freezer containers and freezer. When ready to cook, thaw in your fridge overnight. (It’s ok if it is still frozen when added to your slow cooker or Instant Pot.) Cook as directed.

How to Serve It

I usually serve this with mashed potatoes and roasted carrots. It would also make perfect beef sandwiches. Pile it up on a hoagie roll and top with provolone cheese. Yum!

Yield: 6 servings

Mississippi Roast (without added butter)

Pepperoncini peppers, ranch seasoning and onion soup mix make the perfect sauce for this tender pot roast. Serve with mashed potatoes or on hoagie rolls with provolone cheese.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 8 hours

Total Time 8 hours 5 minutes

Ingredients

3-4 lb Chuck Roast, excess fat trimmed
10 Pepperoncini peppers
1/2 cup juice from pepperoncini peppers
1 (1 ounce) packet Ranch seasoning
1 (1 ounce) packet Onion soup mix
1/2 cup Beef stock (or water)

Instructions

Place Chuck Roast in your slow cooker.
Add Peppers, Juice, Ranch seasoning, Onion soup mix and Beef stock or water.
Cover with lid and cook on Low for 8 hours.
Remove meat to a platter and shred with two forks. Return to slow cooker.

Notes

To cook in Instant Pot: Add all ingredients to Instant Pot. Seal and cook on High Pressure for 65 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for at least 10 minutes, the release pressure. Shred meat and return to sauce.

Freezer Meal: For Freezer Meal prep, label a gallon-size freezer bag with slow cooker or Instant Pot cooking instructions. Place all ingredients in freezer bag. Seal, pressing to remove excess air from bag. Store in freezer up to three months. Thaw in fridge overnight when ready to cook.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

March 11, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

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We may have finally turned the corner on all of this winter weather, but I still make chili on the weekly. It really is the easiest dish and it tastes even better as leftovers! I decided to gussy up my usual chili recipe by adding diced sweet potatoes. They add a really interesting sweetness that balances the smokiness of chili. And we can’t ignore that it is a great way to bulk up the recipe and stretch your food budget. Feel free to cut down on the ground turkey and add even more sweet potatoes and/or black beans if you like.

Freezer Meal Option

This dish also freezes beautifully. Just cool completely before transferring to freezer containers. I always make a double batch of this so that we can eat leftovers for a couple of days and throw a batch in the freezer for a quick dinner. This will be INSANELY helpful now that we’re officially in softball season.

Turkey and Sweet Potato Chili

Sweet potatoes add an interesting twist to this easy, smoky chili.

Author: Sarah
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 35 min
Total Time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings 1x
Category: Dinner
Method: Stove
Cuisine: Mexican

Scale

Ingredients

1 Tbsp. Oil
16–20 oz package Ground Turkey
3 Tbsp. Chili Powder
2 tsp. Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Ground Coriander
1 Tbsp. Onion Powder
2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Pepper
3 (15 oz) cans Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes (regular Diced can be used)
1 (28 oz) can Crushed Tomatoes (or Tomato Sauce)
4 cups Peeled, Diced Sweet Potato (approximately 2 lbs.)
1 (15 oz) can Black Beans, drained and rinsed (optional)

Instructions

Heat oil over medium high heat in a large pot.
Brown the Ground Turkey, breaking up pieces.
Add all Spices, Salt and Pepper. Saute for 1 minute.
Add Fire-Roasted Diced Tomatoes, Crushed Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes and Black Beans (optional).
Stir to combine and cover. Reduce heat to Low and simmer for 30 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are tender.
Serve or allow to cool completely and package in freezer-safe container for storage in freezer for up to 3-6 months. To reheat: Thaw in fridge overnight and heat in microwave or on stove until heated through.

Notes

Garnish with Avocado, Sour Cream or Shredded Cheese if desired.

To cook in Instant Pot: Brown the turkey using “Saute” setting. Add all remaining ingredients and cook on High Pressure for 5 minutes. Allow pressure to release naturally for 10 minutes, then release remaining pressure.

Keywords: chili, dinner, freezer meal

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For another freezer friendly dinner recipe, check out my Mississippi Roast (without added butter!).

Perfect Instant Pot Brown Rice

March 8, 2019 by Sarah Leave a Comment

Cooking brown rice doesn’t have to be a daunting, time-consuming task. Instant Pot Brown Rice takes one-third of the time and it is completely hands off. You simply add all the ingredients and let the pressure cooker do the work.

I like to cook a large batch of brown rice at a time. Each batch gets split up for several meals and can be stored in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for up to three months. To freeze rice, let it cool completely after cooking. Then spread it in a thin layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment or a baking liner and freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer the rice to a freezer bag. Freezing in a thin layer prevents it from freezing in a solid block.

Cooking your rice in advance can save you major time when you’re ready to cook dinner. You can reheat refrigerated or frozen rice in a non-stick skillet or use the rice to bulk up your meals.

My favorite thing to do with cooked rice is make skillet meals by adding a protein, some vegetables and some seasonings to kick it up. Take two cups of cooked rice, add one cup of salsa and one drained and rinsed can of black beans. Sauté it so the flavors can come together and top with cooked taco meat for a delicious Taco Bowl.