Instant Pot Cream Cheese Chicken

Another tasty Instant Pot recipe:

Instant Pot Cream Cheese Chicken over Pasta
4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (frozen)
1 can cream of chicken soup
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 pkg. Italian dressing mix
2 cups chicken broth

1 lb. pasta of your choice

Place the breasts in the instant pot and cover with the broth, soup, cream cheese and  Italian dressing mix.
Lock cover into place and seal the steam nozzle.
Set the time for 20 minutes
Naturally release the pressure.
Remove the chicken and shred it.  Stir the sauce until well mixed.  Add the chicken back into the sauce.
While the pressure is releasing, boil and salt a large pot of water and cook the pasta according to package directions.

Serve the chicken over the pasta.

Ice Box Cake Updated

 Ken's family- the Hintons grew up eating a dessert they called Ice Box Cake.  It was very similar to this recipe, but I've made it easier using a store-bought graham crust.  It's not really a cake at all, but a yummy marshmallow/ fruit dessert.  In my updated version, it's more like a pie.

Pictured is a blueberry Ice Box Cake

Ice Box Cake Updated
1- 9oz. (extra large) graham cracker crust
4 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows or 36 large marshmallows
1/4 cup milk

2 cups heavy cream
1/3 cup sugar
6 large, fresh peaches, peeled and sliced OR equivalent of other fruit such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, bananas (the Hinton family favorite) or pineapple, etc.
Crushed graham crackers to sprinkle on top


Heat the marshmallows and milk together in the microwave until melted.  Frequently stop the microwave and stir and stir until melted.  Cool.

Meanwhile, whip the cream in a large bowl until it forms soft peaks.  Beat in the 1/3 cup sugar until stiff peaks form.  Cool the marshmallow.  (You can put it in the fridge for awhile.)
Fold the cream into the cooled marshmallow mixture.  Then gently fold the fruit or mixture of fruits into the marshmallow mixture, evenly distributing the fruit as best as possible.

.  Sprinkle with graham crumbs.  Refrigerate.

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

I googled Instant Pot recipes and found that the most pinned Instant pot recipe on Pinterest is this one.  Well, that made me want to try it.  So I did.  It was good.  I loved how soft and tender it made the meat to cook it in the Instant Pot.  Wow!  It was like butter. I think next time I would add a little more taste by adding more of the Spices and maybe another onion.  But it was good.

Instant Pot French Dip Sandwiches

2-3 lb. chuck roast

About 1 T. vegetable oil

Kosher Salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 onion, sliced

1/2 cup red wine or beef stock

2 cups beef stock or beef broth

1 bay leaf

6 soft rolls

3 T butter, melted

1/4 tsp garlic powder

salt

6 slices provolone or Swiss cheese

Turn the Instant Pot on Saute'.  Put in the oil.  Season the roast with the salt, pepper and teaspoon of garlic powder.  Using tongs lower the roast into the instant pot and sear on both sides.  Remove the roast from the pot.  Add the onion and  saute' until they are starting to soften.  Add the wine or  1/2 cup broth and, using a wooden spoon, deglaze the pan.  After a couple of minutes add the beef broth and bay leaf.  Put the roast back in the pan.  Close the lid, making sure the pressure release valve is set to sealing.  Press the meat/ stew function and set the time to 100 minutes.  Let the pressure release naturally for about 1/2 hour, then turn release valve to steam.  Take the roast out and put on a serving plate.  Strain the liquid thorugh a fine mesh strainer and pour into small bowls for dipping.  Set oven to broil.  Mix together the butter, garlic powder and salt and spread on the rolls.  Broil until browned.  Remove the rolls and take the tops off of the pan.  Put meat on the bottoms and then a slice of cheese on each.  Put back under broiler until cheese is melted.  Serve with the au jus.

My mom's beef spread is a great way to use the leftovers.

Instant Pot Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken

This was my first successful attempt at cooking in the Instant Pot. I had one epic failure first that we won't talk about.  After the failure, I went online to look for Instant Pot recipes that I had all of the ingredients for.  This was the winner!  And it was a winner.  We loved it- and it was so easy.  I love that you can just put the chicken breasts in frozen.  I cooked the rice in my rice cooker and put the broccoli in the steamer in the top of that.  So I put all the food in machines and let em cook while I did other things.  My favorite kind of cooking.

Instant Pot Spicy Sweet and Sour Chicken
 4  boneless, skinless chicken breasts, frozen
1 onion, quartered and sliced
1 cup brown sugar
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T lemon juice
1 tsp oil
1 teaspoon ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, to taste

2 T corn starch
2 T water

Put the chicken into the pot with the onion.  Mix together the brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, lemon juice, oil, pepper, ginger, garlic, and pepper flakes in a small bowl.  Pour the mixture over the chicken.  Put lid on the pot and close pressure release valve.  Press manual and adjust the time for 40 minutes.  Allow pressure to release naturally.  Remove lid and turn off cooker.  Remove chicken.  Combine the cornstarch and water and add to the pot.  Turn pot to saute' and stir until thickened.  Serve sauce over the chicken and rice or noodles.