Instant Pot Venison Stew

Venison Stew:

1 lb. deer meat cut into bit sized pieces and all sinew removed
4 cups beef broth or 4 cups water with 4 tsp. beef bouillion
2 Tbs. stew seasoning (stew seasoning recipe is on this blog)
1 1/2 c. V8 or 1 quart bottled tomatoes, blended
1-2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

4 potatoes
4 large carrots
3 celery stalks
1 onion
2 Tbs. melted butter
2 Tbs. flour

Set Instant Pot to Saute.  Add about 2 Tbs. oil to the hot Instant Pot.  Drop in the meat and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and about 1/2 tbs. of the stew seasoning.  Brown the meat on saute, then turn the Instant Pot off and pour in the beef broth to deglaze the pot.  Stir in the V8 or tomatoes, (whatever you're using), the rest of the stew seasoning, worcestershire sauce, bay leaves, and garlic powder.  Set time for 15 minutes, and then quic release the pressure when cooking is done.

In the meantime, cut up vegetables.  In a small bowl, melt the butter and whisk in the flour.  When the meat is done cooking and the pressure is released, add all the vegetables and the flour/butter mixture.  Set pressure cooker for 4 minutes.  Quick release when done.  Enjoy!

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

- 2 Tbs. Oil
- 2 Tbs. chopped onion (I often use dehydrated onion)
- 1/2 T. minced jalapeno (I seldom have a jalapeno on hand.  I use about 1/2 tsp. cumin and 1/8 -1/4 tsp. ground red pepper instead. A little less than 1/4 is great for my family)
- 2 cloves minced garlic

-1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 cups long gain white rice
- 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
- 3 1/4 cups water (only use 3 cups if you are using the pressure cooker method)


Stovetop: Heat oil in pan.  Add onion, jalapeno, salt, and minced garlic.  Add in the rice.  Sauté until the rice just starts to brown.  Add tomato sauce and water.  Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork and serve.

Pressure Cooker:  Using the sauté feature, sauté the onion, garlic, jalapeno, and rice for 4-5 minutes.  Turn sauté off and add water.  Add in the tomato sauce and the rice.  Stir well and then set on high pressure for 10 minutes.  Let the pressure release on its own, or for at least 10 minutes. 

Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot

These can be used as refried beans too!

Pinto Beans in the Instant Pot

2 cups dried pinto beans (about 1 lb)
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbs. dehydrated onions
1/2 Tbs. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 cups water
2 tsp. salt
3 tbs. chopped cilantro
1/8 tsp. red pepper (ground)

Put everything in the instant pot and turn on to high pressure for 30 minutes.  Allow a natural pressure release. 

If you want to make refried beans out of them, drain most of the liquid (reserving some) and put in the blender.  Add liquid to your desired thickness/texture. 

NOTE: If you want to soak the beans first, go right ahead.  It is not necessary, but it is believed that doing so can reduce the amount of flatulence you experience when your body digests the beans.  I always do a quick soak.  Simply bring the beans to a boil in water on the stovetop (faster than the instant pot in my opinion).  Let them boil 5 minutes, and then rinse the beans.  This does, however, take away a little of the flavor.

Salsa Chicken in the Instant Pot

I have made a similar recipe in the crockpot a lot, recently I tried it in the Instant Pot.  It turned out really good!  My chicken was even frozen when I started. You can use fresh thawed chicken too. 

 

Salsa Chicken

1- 1 1/2 lbs. chicken breast
1 (16 oz.) jar salsa - chunky works great as well as home canned salsa
1/2 packet taco seasoning
garlic salt
1/4 cup chopped cilantro (optional)


Place the chicken in the bottom of the Instant Pot and Sprinkle just a little garlic salt over the chicken.  Sprinkle taco seasoning over both sides of the chicken breasts.  Poor the salsa over it all.  Set the pressure cooker to 30 minutes high pressure. (If your chicken is thawed it will take 20 minutes).  When it is done, you can quick release or let it set about 15 minutes first (whatever you have time for).  Open the lid and shred the chicken with two forks. 

Optional:  Add in about 1/4 cup chopped cilantro after it has cooked and you've shredded it. 

This is great for tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and chicken salad! 

NOTE: I rinsed my chicken first because it was so frozen, and I wanted to have a stickiness to it so the seasonings would stick to it.

This is before it's cooked.  I sprinkled some garlic salt, then added taco seasoning and salsa. 

This is what it looked like after it was cooked, but before I shredded it.

I like to add chopped cilantro in after it's cooked and after I've shredded the chicken.

 

 

Winter Squash in the Pressure Cooker

 

Squash

Butter

Brown sugar

 

 

Cut the squash into pieces that are about 4"x4".  Add 1 cup water (for 6 quart pots) or 1 1/2 cups water (for 8 quart pots) and set the squash pieces on top of the trivet or a steaming rack.  Set the pressure cooker on high for 11 minutes.  Quick release after the time is up. 

 

Spread with butter and brown sugar on top while still warm. 

 

Note: The squash used in the picture is a banana squash.

Seasoned Brown Rice (pressure cooker)

Seasoned Brown Rice

2 c. brown rice
2 1/2 c. hot water
2 Tbs. butter (divided)
2 tsp. dried basil
3 tsp. chicken bouillon , or 3 cubes
1 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder (generous 1/4)
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. oregano

Press saute button on the pressure cooker.  After it is hot, add 1 tbs. butter and the rice. Saute the rice for about 4-5 minutes.  Add the water, 1 tbs. butter, and the spices.  Pressure cook on high 15 minutes.  Let the pressure release naturally.  

Garlic Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes (pressure cooker)

Garlic Chicken with Sun Dried Tomatoes

2 lbs. fresh chicken breasts, sliced across the breast so they are thin, and cut into serving sizes
2 cloves garlic
3 tbs. oil
1/2  tsp. salt
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 c. chicken broth (1/2 c water and 1/2 tsp. chicken bullion)
3/4 c. whipping cream
1 tsp. Lawry's season salt
1/2 c. fresh Parmesan, grated
1-2 c. fresh spinach, chopped
1/2 c. sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Put the chicken in a Ziploc baggie and pound with a meat tenderizer.  Mix together the oil, garlic, salt, and Italian Seasoning and rub it all over the chicken. If your electric pressure cooker has the saute feature, turn it on and wait a few minutes for it to heat up.  Brown the chicken pieces on both sides.  When they are browned, add in the chicken broth and scrape the pieces off the bottom of the pan.  Set the pressure cooker to high pressure and cook 4 minutes.  Do a quick release once done.

Open pressure cooker and add in the cream and the seasoning salt.  Turn the pressure cooker back on to Saute.  Stir together well and let the cream reduce by half, about 5 minutes.  Add in the Parmesan cheese and stir until it's melted.  Add in the spinach and tomatoes and let it simmer for about 2 minutes.

Serve over your favorite pasta!

Cheese Tortellini Soup in the Pressure Cooker

This recipe is from my friend Tawna Fuller.  She does it in the crockpot. I converted it to just be made on the stovetop (because I never think far enough ahead to do anything in the crockpot), and recently I had great success making it in my Instant Pot. 

Cheese Tortellini Soup

1 lb. hamburger (or sausage)
1 onion
1-3 garlic cloves
6 cups beef broth
1 (28 oz.) can tomatoes, stewed or diced (or 1 quart bottled tomatoes, blended)
1 can tomato sauce
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups cubed zucchini
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 tsp. sugar
1/4 c parsley
1 (19 oz, about 4.5 cups) bag frozen cheese tortellini
*Fresh grated parmesan for garnish (optional)

Set the instant pot to sauté.  Brown the hamburger with the onion and the garlic cloves.  Drain the grease.  Cancel the sauté setting.  Add all the other ingredients into the Instant Pot EXCEPT the tortellini and the fresh parmesan.  Set pressure on high for 5 minutes and seal it up.  It will take a long time to come to pressure!  In the meantime, cook the tortellini according to package directions.  When the timer goes off, do a quick pressure release.  Add the cooked tortellini just before serving.  Sprinkle with parmesan.

Note: I have also added the frozen tortellini to the hot cooked soup (after it has de-pressurized) and changed the setting to boil to cook the tortellini for three minutes.  This will save a pan to have to clean up. 
**I hate mushrooms, therefore I have never used them in this soup! But I left them in the recipe because I am sure there are plenty of people (like my husband) who would love them.

Stuffed Pepper Soup

Stuffed Pepper Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 pound ground hamburger
- 6 cups beef broth (or water with beef bouillon)
- 2 (14-ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained (or 1 jar bottled tomatoes, chopped)
- 2 green bell peppers, chopped (or substitute 1 red bell pepper)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 cups cooked rice (added at the end) - Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for garnish (optional)

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef with the diced onion and minced garlic over medium heat until the beef is no longer pink. Drain excess grease and transfer the mixture to a large stockpot. Add the beef broth, diced tomatoes, bell peppers, brown sugar, salt, pepper, and Worcestershire sauce. Bring the soup to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20–25 minutes. Stir in the cooked rice during the last few minutes of cooking. Serve hot, topped with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and saltines if desired.

Notes:
I prefer adding the rice at the end so it doesn’t overcook, but this can be adjusted to taste. I usually simmer the soup closer to 20 minutes when short on time. Extra fresh tomatoes can be chopped and added if available. Original inspiration: Six Sisters’ Stuff Stuffed Pepper Soup https://www.sixsistersstuff.com/recipe/stuffed-pepper-soup/, with personal adjustments made.

Pork Chops and Rice (pressure cooker)

This is super easy and fast when you use an electric pressure cooker. The meat is very tender this way.

4 bone-in pork chops

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c. Rice
1 tsp. oil (give or take, no need to measure it)

3 cups water

1 package onion soup mix

If you have an Instant Pot, you can brown the pork chops right in it.  Turn it to sauté, then add about 2 Tbs. cooking oil to the Instant Pot.  Season the pork chops with salt and pepper and brown on both sides.  Remove from the Instant Pot.  If you don't have an Instant Pot (like I used to have the Power Pressure XL), you will have to brown them on the stovetop, no big deal.

Place rice in the bottom of the pressure cooker. Add water and about 1/2 of the condensed soup, spreading it around a little to disburse evenly. Sprinkle half of the onion soup mix over top.  Set the pork chops on top and add the rest of the condensed soup and onion soup mix over all and stir just a little to blend, just make sure the rice stays on bottom.

Turn the pressure cooker on and cook for about 20 minutes. I let the pressure release on its own at least 10 minutes instead of forcing it to.

*Note: I've tried this with boneless pork-chops with less than stellar results.  The pork chops were dry.