Spanish Rice for Instapot

This is a delicious, simple Spanish rice recipe that's one-post with the Instapot.

Spanish Rice for Instapot 

adapted from the almond eater

Ingredients:

1.5 cups rice (long preferred, but short works here)

2 cup broth (chicken or veg)

1.25 cups tomato sauce (any smooth tomato sauce will work)

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbs butter

2 Tbs oil

1 tsp chili powder 

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt (more or less depending on how salty the broth you use is)

3 Tbs cilantro, chopped fine (optional)

Instructions:

1. Set Instapot to saute mode for 5 minutes (it will take a couple minutes to heat up) and add the butter. Once the butter has melted, add the oil, rice, and garlic. Saute until the timer clicks off, stirring frequently.

2. Add broth, tomato sauce, and dried spices to the pot. Stir together, place lid with the valve on seal, and cook on rice mode (disable keep warm).

3. Once rice mode has completed, and the seal has dropped - open lid, fluff rice, and let stand for 5 minutes.

4. Serve & enjoy!

Strawberry Cream Italian Soda

Delicious strawberry Italian Cream Soda - quick, easy & delicious.

Strawberry Cream Italian Soda

from Cookaholic

serves 1

Ingredients:

8 oz sparkling soda of choice (really anything will work)

2 oz strawberry syrup 

2 oz milk or cream of choice (I used full-fat oat milk, but half & half or coconut cream would be tasty)

1 sliced fresh strawberry, or 2 small processed strawberries (frozen, jarred, freeze dried, etc.), to garnish (optional)

Instructions:

1. In a 16 oz glass, place strawberries (if using) at bottom of the glass, then fill 1/2 way up with ice.

2. Starting with the sparkling soda, layer: sparkling water, strawberry syrup, and milk or cream of choice into the glass & in that order.

3. Stir and enjoy.

Peanut Butter Mousse Pie with Chocolate Ganache

Light, airy, peanut butter chocolatety deliciousness. This recipe does generate a lot of dishes, but the techniques are simple and it is WORTH it. Trust me.

Peanut Butter Mousse Pie with Chocolate Ganache

adapted from Pinch Me I'm Eating

Ingredients:

crust

10 graham crackers (~1.25 cup graham cracker crumbs)

6 Tbs butter, melted

1/4 cup granulated sugar

peanut butter mousse

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1.5 cups heavy cream, divided

1 cup creamy peanut butter

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

8 oz mascarpone cheese

chocolate ganache

3.5 oz dark chocolate >60%

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tbs butter, melted

garnish

2-3 Tbs honey roasted peanuts, crushed

1 pinch flaky sea salt

2 Tbs honey

Instructions:

crust

1. In a food processor, place graham crackers and run until a fine crumb without chunks.

2. Add melted butter and sugar, and pulse until just combined.

3. Dump crumbs into a pie or tart pan, and press evenly around edges with the bottom of a glass or back of a spoon. Refrigerate crust until needed.

peanut butter mousse

1. In a microwave-safe dish, combine 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream with the gelatin & whisk with a fork to combine.

2. Set aside for 5 minutes to allow the gelatin to bloom.

3. In a large bowl, combine peanut butter, mascarpone cheese, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Whish together using an electric mixer until smooth.

4. Heat the gelatin cream mixture in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to melt the gelatin, but do NOT boil. Add to the peanut butter mixture and whisk in to combine.

5. In a medium bowl, add remaining 1.25 cups cream and whip using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.

6. Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture to lighten it. In two more batches, fold in the remaining whipped cream, keeping as much air in as possible.

7. In a piping bag (or ziplock fitted with a star tip) set aside 1/2 cup peanut butter mousse to decorate. Note: you can do this without a tip if you simply have a ziplock bag.

8. Spread the remaining filling into the graham cracker crust evenly. Refrigerate again until needed.

chocolate ganache

1. Finely chop the dark chocolate and add to a small bowl.

2. In a microwave-safe bowl, microwave the cream for 10-15 seconds, or until hot but not boiling.

3. Pour cream over chocolate and let sit for 5 minutes. Then, gently stir together using a fork or spatula to combine.

4. Add melted better and stir in until ganache is smooth.

5. Pour the ganache over top of the pie and smooth over with a spoon, making sure to cover the whole top evenly up to the edges. 

garnishes

1. Pipe remaining mousse in rosettes, or smooth swirls if not using a tip, around the edges of the pie.

2. Roughly chop the honey-roasted peanuts and sprinkle across the top of the pie.

3. Just before serving, drizzle honey over pie & enjoy!

TomatenSalz (German Tomato Salts)

Delicious herbed salts that bring out the best in ripe tomatoes, or any salt-sprinkling applications you may have.

TomatenSalz (German Tomato Salts)

Ingredients:

4 Tbs salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1.5 tsp thyme

2 tsp basil

1 tsp oregano

1 tsp rosemary (optional)

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a coffee/herb grinder. Pulse a couple times to get an even consistency. Do NOT over grind, or you will end up with salt powder. If you do not have a suitable grinder, use a mortal & pestle to achieve the same effect or just break down the mixture with your fingers.

2. Store in an air tight container out of direct sunlight.

Chermoula Sauce

This is the Middle-Eastern version of Chimichurri sauce, major changes being half & half parsley/cilantro instead of just parsley as well as some additional Middle-Eastern spices. Also, the red wine vinegar is swapped for fresh lemon juice and zest.

This also differs from Chimichurri sauce in that it is run through the food processor. So, while the sauce should remain textured, it is more of a finishing sauce than a braising & finishing sauce.

Chermoula Sauce

adapted from The Mediterranean Dish

Ingredients:

1 bunch parsley (1 cup chopped)

1 bunch cilantro (1 cup chopped)

1 lemon, juice & zest

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. ground coriander 

1 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp. paprika 

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/4 tsp. saffron threads (optional)

3/4 cup olive oil 

Instructions:

1. Remove stems from parsley, and roughly chop using the food processor. Scrape out into a medium bowl and set aside.

2. Remove stems from the cilantro, and roughly chop using the food processor. Scrape lut into the medium bowl and leave aside. 

3. Add garlic cloves to the empty food processor bowl and mince using the pulse setting. 

4. Re-add herbs to the food processor bowl along lemon juice, lemon zest, and all spices. Do not add olive oil yet & pulse to combine.

5. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil slowly.

6. Serve overeat, tish, vegetables, pasta salad, etc. Enjoy!

Chimichurri Sauce

Absolutely incredible, authentic Chimichurri recipe from Uruguay. Use it to baste your steak while cooking, then drizzle over top to serve.

This sauce can  can be prepared earlier than needed, and refrigerated for 24 hours, if needed.

Chimichuri Sauce

from Santiago in Uruguay

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 cup parsley, finely chopped

6-8 cloves garlic, minced

4 small red chilies, deseeded and finely chopped  (~1 tablespoon chopped)

1.5 tsp. dried oregano

2 tsp. coarse salt

1 tsp. pepper

Instructions:

1. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release flavors into oil before using. Ideally, allow to rest for 2 hours if time allows.

Herbes de Provence herb blend

 

I love herbes de Provence and use it in place of Italian seasoning in some recipes. It is a chunkier herb blend, not a fine powder.

Note: this formulation does NOT contain lavender, which is something in North American blends and not in traditional French blends that I prefer. 

Herbes de Provence

from MasterClass

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. thyme

1 Tbs. basil

1 Tbs. rosemary, semi-crushed

1 Tbs. tarragon

1 Tbs. savory

1 tsp. marjoram

1 tsp. oregano

1 bay leaf, crushed

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients into a bowl and mix gently, using your fingers to crush the herbs together just a bit.

2. Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry place out of the sunlight.