Instant Pot, Recipe, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Buttered Cabbage (Instant Pot)

1

My Forking Life has it all together. This recipe is amazing! I mean amazing!! I am not a huge cabbage fan, but in this recipe was excellent, and was just as good the next day. It is easy… I mean easy!! It can’t get much easier if you have an Instant Pot. I have no doubt you can make this in a skillet too. So good, so simple, so yes make it!! I have made it twice now and changed it up a bit. Once I added bacon bits too. I am going to put my version below but check out My Forking Life for the original recipe!

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 head of cabbage chopped into 1 inch pieces
  • 1/4 cup butter unsalted
  • 1 cup beef broth
  • Fresh ground pepper

Directions:

  1. To your Instant Pot add beef broth and butter. Top the butter with the chopped up cabbage.
  2. Close the Instant Pot lid, and don’t forget to set the valve to Sealing
  3. Cook on high pressure for 4-5 minutes depending on your preference. If you want it crunchier I would go with 4 minutes, less crunchy you can go up to 6 minutes. I liked it at 4 minutes because it had a little crunch left, but that is up to you.
  4. Once your Instant Pot has completed, Do a quick release.
  5. Once your pot has de-pressurized carefully remove the lid
  6. Top with pepper, then stir all together
  7. Serve right away

Original Recipe Source

Recipes

Mushroom Sugar Snap Peas


This recipe is delicious, very flavorful and so easy to make. It certainly makes a nice presentation because of the color! I have been trying and trying to find a good recipe that uses sugar snap peas. I found a recipe (see bottom) that sent my recipe juices flowing. My recipe is similar with a few (ok maybe a lot) changes. We all really enjoyed this and my sugar snap peas didn’t go to waste. I was afraid they would go bad before I could find a recipe to use them up in. 


Ingredients:
  • 1 4oz can of sliced mushrooms
  • 1 tbs. margarine
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 1/4 pound fresh or frozen sugar snaps peas
  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1 beef bouillon cube
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 tablespoons of toasted sesame seeds


Directions:
  1. In a skillet Sauté sliced onion in margarine until onion becomes soft.
  2. To the sautéed onion add drained can of mushrooms, sesame oil, sugar snap peas, water beef bouillon cube, garlic powder, salt and pepper
  3. Cover your skillet and steam on a medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until liquid has mostly evaporated and sugar snap peas are tender.

Adapted From Original Recipe


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Recipes

Kale Chips (The Health Potato Chip?)

I have heard so many people say how great Kale Chips are that I have been dying to try them myself.  Last week I was at the farmers market and they had Kale for .75 cents a bunch. I figured I had nothing to lose except .75 cents so why not grab a bunch.

After what seemed like a long process of cleaning, removing steams, and drying the kale was ready to go. I placed the kale on two jelly roll pans and let it bake. The last 5 minutes of the baking process I added cheese. 

I must say that my initial reaction was MEH! It’s OK, but after a few more bites it really grew on me. I actually severed it along with dinner that night to get the reaction of everyone at the table. At first I was met with a lot of apprehension about even trying it. Let’s be honest it’s green and looks like spinach that crunches.

After a few bites everyone was hooked. By the time we left the dinner table there wasn’t one piece of kale left to be had. Now I have heard many many times kale chips being compared to potato chips, but I have to disagree on this one. I loved the kale chips and can’t wait to buy more, but I don’t see them ever replacing potato chips in our home.

My husband even suggested adding different types of cheese or even adding different seasonings. I think garlic would be awesome on this little leaves!

This was a fun experiment and I can’t wait to make them again, but they will never be (to me) as good as potato chips. They are certainly a fun snack to have and keep around the house.

For those of you think “Oh my kid would never try them” you might just be surprised to see those little hand sneaking a kale chip here and there. They really are that good!  

Ingredients:
  • 1 bunch of kale
  • 1 tsp. spray olive oil, vegetable oil (like Pam or Crisco)
  • Shredded Parmesan cheese or a cheese of your choice
  • A few dashes of salt

Directions:

  1. Wash your kale thoroughly to remove any sand or dirt that maybe lying within. Remove any stems that are thick (I used a knife and just followed along the steam to move it). 
  2. Tear each piece of kale into pieces the size of potato chips.
  3. Allow time for your kale to dry very well. (this is important if it’s not dry it won’t get crispy)
  4. When your kale is dry pre heat your oven to 350°F  
  5. Sprays your cookie or jelly roll pan with oil
  6. Place your kale in one single lay in each pan. (You don’t want to double up your pieces or they will not get crispy.) You may have to use multiple pans or make multiple batches in the oven.
  7. Then lightly spray the top of your kale with the oil and sprinkle with salt.
  8. Bake the kale for about 10 minutes then remove and add the cheese. Then proceed to bank another 5 minutes or so until it’s light and crispy.
  9. I will warn you to watch it very carefully because it can burn easily. 

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Recipes

Brussels Sprouts & Cauliflower Gratin

I really loved this recipe! My only beef with it is that you can’t really taste the cauliflower because the Brussels sprouts really over power the dish. If you don’t like sprouts you will NOT like this recipe. I happen to love sprouts, but even when we were finishing up the left overs a few days later I thought the sprouts were a little stronger than I like. The bacon takes the cake in this recipe and just makes it into something really special. 

I think you could do so much with the concept of this recipe by changing out the vegetables. I think potatoes and carrots would rock in this sauce!


Ingredients:
  • 2 cups fresh cauliflower florets
  • 2 cups fresh brussels sprouts, quartered
  • 2 bacon strips, chopped
  • 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/8 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 1/3 cup half-and-half cream
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
  1. Place cauliflower and brussels sprouts in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.
  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels with a slotted spoon; drain, reserving drippings. Sauté onion and garlic in drippings until tender. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add the milk, cream, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.
  3. Stir in cauliflower mixture and bacon. Transfer to a greased 2-1/2-qt. baking dish. Cover and bake at 375° for 15 minutes.
  4. Uncover and bake, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.

Original Source

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Recipes

Roasted Cabbage


I love roasted vegetables, and for some reason I have grown to really enjoy cabbage. It’s taken awhile to get there, but here I am. It must be the German blood line in me creeping out. I still can’t stomach sauerkraut… maybe someday.

I was looking on Penterest a few days ago and discovered a cabbage recipe I had never thought of and one that was a must try. I wasn’t in favor of the recipe itself so to speak, but I was definitely in favor of the concept of roasting cabbage.

The original recipe called for lemon to be drizzled over the cabbage, but I am not a huge lemon fan. I love the smell of lemon!  I just don’t really care for eating it unless it’s for dessert.

I took the concept of roasting the cabbage and ran with it. I just so happened to have a half head of cabbage that needed to be used up, so the timing was perfect, and so was this recipe!

I love how this roasted cabbage turned out. I had no idea how good it would be in truth it was a shot in the dark, but one well worth taking. This will definitely be a recipe I will be making over and over again! It’s easy, and fantastic!  

Ingredients:
  • ½-1 head of cabbage depending on your needs
  • Olive oil (or any type of oil I used pecan oil)
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
  1. Pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees
  2. Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil for easy clean up.
  3. Slice cabbage into ½ inch slices and place each slice on your lined pan. Remove most of the stem, but leave enough to insure your pieces would stay together.
  4. Drizzle oil on each side of the cabbage and rub in. As stated in the original recipe you can use a pastry brush to easily spread the oil.
  5. Generously add salt and pepper to each side, then place in the oven.
  6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cabbage is brown enough for you. I loved the browner areas, they were bursting with flavor. 

Original Recipe


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