Zesty Chicken in the Instant Pot

I really have no business posting this because it is Shonna's recipe.  In fact, she made it up.  Shonna has had a pressure cooker for several years and is kind of an expert instant potter.  She uses hers all the time and really knows how to use it.  This recipe was delicious and easy.  Her kids love "chicken and rice."

Zesty Chicken in the Instant Pot
4 frozen boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Sauce
1 packet Grill Mates Zesty Herb Marinade mix
3 T. olive oil
3 T. vinegar
1/3 cup water


For later
1 cup plain yogurt or sour cream
Cooked rice

Mix together the sauce ingredients.  Put the frozen chicken in the instant pot.  Pour the sauce over the top. Cook on poultry setting for13-15 minutes.  Let pressure reduce.  Take chicken out and shred with beaters (or you can leave whole or cut in chunks.)  Take out some of the sauce and put in a measuring cup.  Add a couple Tablespoons of flour and whisk together.  Add back into the pot.  Whisk together while it cooks and thickens on the saute' setting.  Add 1 cup plain yogurt or 1 cup sour cream.  Whisk together.  Add chicken back in.  Serve over hot rice.

Lemon Cake

My husband and I agree that my best lemon cake recipe is this one, but this one is a close second.  It is tasty and easy.

Lemon Cake
1 box vanilla cake mix
Eggs, oil, and water indicated on the cake mix
1 15 oz can lemon pie filling
1 tub lemon frosting
1 8 oz. cool whip, thawed

Preheat oven to 350
Spray a 9 x 13 pan.  Prepare cake mix as directed.  Pour batter into prepared pan.  Place spoonfuls of lemon pie filling all over the cake batter.  Take a knife and swirl it around throughout the batter.  Bake at 350 for about 35-40 minutes until cake no longer jiggles in the center.  Cool completely.
Frosting
Mix together the frosting and the cool whip.  Spread over the cooled cake.

Marshmallow Brownies

These were easy to make and certainly were a hit with my family.  I never did get a great picture of them.  They disappeared too fast!

Marshmallow Brownies
1 package brownie mix (I love the Ghirardelli mix you get at Costco)
Ingredients to make the brownie mix as directed on package
Miniature marshmallows
Frosting:
1/2 cup butter
4 T. cocoa powder
3 T. milk
3 T. water
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla

Prepare the brownies in a 13x9 pan according to the package (I actually always spray the pan, then line it with baking paper or parchment. Then you can just lift the paper out when they are all done and cut them.)  Bake them according to package directions.  Take them out of the oven and cover them with miniature marshmallows.  Put them back into the oven for a few mintues until the marshmallows puff up and just start to brown.  Take them out and let them cool completely.  While they are cooling, prepare the frosting:

Frosting
In a saucepan, stir together the butter, cocoa, milk and water.  Bring to a boil.  Remove from heat.  Immediately add the powdered sugar and vanilla.  Beat well.  Pour frosting over the brownies while frosting is still hot.  Allow to cool.  Cut with a plastic knife.

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

I have been making whole chicken in the crock pot for many years.  It is one our favorite meals.  I recently tried it in the instant pot.  It worked really well. I will be doing it again.  I wish I had a chicken right now!

Instant Pot or Crock pot Whole Chicken
1 whole chicken (around 6 lbs. but any size will do)
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (optional)
2 stalks celery, chopped (optional)
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
Garlic salt to taste
1 cup chicken stock

Chop the vegetables on a cutting mat or board.  Sprinkle the poultry seasoning and salts over the veggies and toss all together with your hands.
Clean the neck and giblets out of the chicken.  Stuff the cavity of the bird with the seasoned vegetables.  Put in the instant pot and put any vegetables that didn't fit over the bird  Add the chicken stock.
Close the lid of the instant pot and close the valve.  Set the pot to poultry and 8 minutes per pound of your chicken.  Set the keep warm button and let it cook and release on its own.  Slice or shred the tender chicken.
Serving suggestion: cranberry sauce, mashed potatoes and gravy, stuffing, and veggie of choice.

Obviously, you do the same in a crock pot, but I usually add a bit more stock.  It smells so good cooking all day.
The chicken is so moist and delicious.  I usually put the liver in with the vegetables, too.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Michelle found this great recipe for chocolate frosting.  She already posted the cake recipe, which was to die for.  I wanted the frosting recipe on this blog, too, because I use it a lot.  It is really good.

Creamy Chocolate Frosting
2 3/4 cup powdered sugar
6 T. cocoa powder
6 T. butter
5 T. evaporated milk or half and half
1 teaspoon vanilla

Sift the sugar and cocoa into a bowl.  In another bowl cream the butter until smooth, then gradually beat in the sugar alternately with the milk.  Then beat in the vanilla.  Beat until very light and fluffy.  You can add more sugar or milk to get the right consistency.

Taco Dinner

When we were raising our children, there were very few meals that everyone liked.  This is one.  Every member of the family enjoyed it, and it was easy and fast. It is a great meal to expand and feed a crowd.

Taco Dinner
1 lb. hamburger
1 onion, chopped
1 or 2 cans tomato sauce (I like 2)
1 packet taco seasoning
1 can red kidney beans, drained
Lettuce, shredded
Tomatoes, chopped
Cheese, grated
Avocado, chopped
Fritos, lots of Fritos (I just made this for grandkids and we consumed an entire large bag!)
Toppings
Salsa, any kind
Sour Cream
Tabasco sauce

Brown the hamburger with the onion.  Add the taco seasoning, tomato sauce, and beans.  Put all the ingredients on the table and let people build their own dinner.  Fritos, meat sauce, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and toppings.

Kneaders Copycat Tuna Melt

My friend and I went to lunch at Kneaders.  We both ordered the tuna melt.  It was so delicious that I came home and tried to recreate it at home.  Honestly, I think my version was even better because I made the tuna salad more to my liking. I have since made it many times.  I love this sandwich!  This recipe makes 2 sandwiches.

Tuna Melt
Really good wheat/seed bread
1 can albacore tuna, drained and flaked
1 dill pickle, diced fine
Mayonnaise
Sliced cheese of choice: Kneaders uses cheddar; provolone is good
Whatever else you like in your tuna salad: hard boiled egg, dill, celery, etc.  Kneaders uses a lot of dill
Soft real butter (essential)
1 avocado, smashed and salted
Thin-sliced tomato, optional
Drain and put the tuna into a bowl.  Flake with a fork.  Add the mayonnaise and pickle and whatever else you would like.  Mix well.
Heat a frying pan or a griddle.  Generously butter one side of one bread.(It is very popular these days to use mayonnaise on the outside of the bread on a grilled cheese in place of butter.  I tried it on this and it was NO WHERE NEAR as good as real butter.)  Put it butter side down in the hot pan.  Top with a generous amount of the tuna salad (1 can tuna makes 2 sandwiches.)  Put on the avocado and tomato.  Top with two slices of cheese.  Butter one side of another piece of bread and put it butter side up on the cheese.  Grill until browned.  Turn over and grill the other side until browned and the cheese is melted.  You can also make this in a panini press.