canning shelves 2014_opt_opt
Posts Archives
All posts in Main Dishes category.
In , , on December 10, 2016 with No Comments

Pressure Cooker Cubed Swiss Steak

I was hungry for Swiss steak, so I went to the grocery store looking for some beef. While I know that Swiss steak is traditionally made using minute steaks, I knew I would be serving this over mashed potatoes, so I decided to look for a cheap cut of beef that I could cube. Since I would be using my Instant Pot, I knew whatever cut of beef I used would turn out tender. But what cut is “charcoal steak”? That’s what I ended up buying because it was cheap. I have no idea whether it was arm roast, chuck roast, or whatever, but the package had enough beef, so I went with it. It turned out extremely tender, so have no fear when you see packages labeled this way.




Mom always made her Swiss steak with tomatoes, celery, and carrots. I decided to use the “trinity”—green bell pepper, onion, and carrots—in mine, and I really liked it this way. I actually cooked everything in the Instant Pot this time, even sautéing the beef in the cooking pot. Usually I break out my cast iron skillet and sear the meat in that first, but the Instant Pot really is a one-stop cooking appliance, which made cooking and cleanup easy peasy. You could serve this cubed Swiss steak over rice or cooked egg noodles, but I was hungry for mashed potatoes, so that’s what I did. This made a delicious and quick meal that had no leftovers.

 

Pressure Cooker Cubed Swiss Steak

2 pounds beef roast, cut into bite-sized pieces

2 tablespoons good olive oil

1 onion, largely diced

1 green bell pepper, largely diced

1 cup diced carrots

2 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced

Splash of red wine

1 can diced tomatoes (I used tomatoes seasoned with basil and garlic)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt (or to taste), plus more for seasoning beef

1/2 teaspoon black pepper, plus more for seasoning beef

1 bay leaf

Add the olive oil to the pressure cooker pot, and select the sauté function. When the oil is hot, add the cubed beef, and sauté until the beef is lightly browned. Remove beef cubes with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

Add the onion, green pepper, and carrots to the cooking pot, and sauté for a few minutes until the veggies are slightly softened. Add the diced garlic, and cook for another minute or so until it starts to soften. Add a splash of red wine to deglaze the pot, stirring to loosen any browned bits at the bottom.

Add the diced tomatoes and the tomato paste. Add the Worcestershire sauce, paprika, thyme, salt, and pepper. Add the browned beef back to the pot, and stir to combine everything. Add the bay leaf to the cooking pot.

Lock the lid in place, and select the manual setting. Cook on high pressure for 20 minutes. When the pressure cooker beeps, turn off the cooker, and let the cooker naturally release the pressure. While you’re waiting for the pressure to reduce, mash your cooked potatoes or make some rice or egg noodles to serve with the Swiss steak.

When your potatoes, rice, or noodles are ready, release any remaining pressure (if any). Remove the lid, and serve.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In on December 8, 2016 with No Comments

Sweet and Sour Pork

After making a huge pork roast the other night, we had plenty of leftover pork, and I wanted to come up with something simple to use it in. My youngest son had been hollering for Chinese food, so I decided to make a sweet and sour pork with some of the leftover pork roast. Since the pork had already been cooked, throwing everything else together was quick and easy.




While I love sweet and sour anything, I don’t love the store-bought sweet and sour sauces you can buy. They are just too sweet for me, so I made a quick and easy sauce from scratch. My youngest said I now have to make this anytime he makes egg rolls. Guess that’s one for the win column for me 🙂

If you’re using raw pork, sauté it in a little sesame oil first. Once it’s browned, remove the pork from the skillet, and then sauté your vegetables and continue with the recipe. You can use whatever veggies you like—asparagus would be good, as would fresh mushrooms and carrots. I was hungry for peppers, so that’s what I went with.

 

 

Sweet and Sour Pork

Leftover pork roast (or about 1 pound of pork loin cut into 1-inch pieces)

Sesame oil for sautéing

One green bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

One red bell pepper, cut into bite-sized pieces

Half an onion, cut into bite-sized pieces

One package broccoli florets

8 ounces pineapple tidbits

Sweet and Sour Sauce (recipe below)

Rice or noodles for serving

 

In a large skillet, heat sesame oil. If using fresh pork loin, sauté the pieces until browned and cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon, and set aside.

In the same skillet, sauté the peppers and the onions until crisp-tender. Add in the broccoli, cooked pork, and pineapple, stirring to combine. Add enough sweet and sour sauce to completely coat everything in the skillet, and cook for a few minutes until everything is nice and hot.

Serve over rice or hot cooked noodles.

 

Sweet and Sour Sauce

1 cup pineapple juice

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons white vinegar

1 tablespoon coconut aminos or soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

3 tablespoons cornstarch

3 tablespoons ketchup

Add all ingredients to a medium-sized saucepan, and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency. It took me about 5 minutes to thicken it.

 

 

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , on December 8, 2016 with No Comments

Pressure Cooker Balsamic Maple Pork Roast

One of the first things I wanted to try in my new Instant Pot was a roast. We eat a lot of roast, both beef and pork, and I usually drag out my trusty Crock-Pot for these. It frees up my stove and oven, and I can put a roast on in the morning and go about my business without having to do anything else. I love my slow cooker so much that I have two of them, and I’ve often had two different recipes going at the same time simply because of the convenience they afford for meal prep.

With that said, my new favorite kitchen appliance is my Instant Pot. I cooked a huge pork roast the other night (7 pounds), and it was the best-tasting, most tender pork roast I’d ever made. My husband even commented (several times!) during dinner that it was the best pork roast he’d had. While I still love my Crock-Pot, it’s being moved to my basement shelving (sniff, sniff) to make room for the Instant Pot in my kitchen cupboards. Now I can’t wait to try a beef roast. I’m sure I’ll have the same wonderful results.




This pork roast marinade was simply an idea I had by looking in the cupboards to see what ingredients I had on hand. I knew I didn’t want barbecue or pulled pork (we have that a lot at our house), so I came up with this marinade. I pressure cooked my huge roast for 60 minutes, and it was tender and juicy, but if you have a “normal-sized” roast (3 to 4 pounds) you can bump back the cooking time to 50 minutes.

 

Pressure Cooker Balsamic Maple Pork Roast

7-pound pork butt (cut into pieces that fit in the pressure cooker pot)

3/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons stone-ground mustard

2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce

Place the pork butt in a large plastic bag. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining ingredients, and stir to thoroughly combine. Pour the sauce into the plastic bag with the pork butt, and seal. Turn the bag over a couple times to completely coat the roast, and marinate the roast in the refrigerator for an hour or two.

Place the marinated pork butt in the pressure cooker pot, and add the marinating liquid to the pot as well. Lock on the pressure cooker lid, and select the manual setting. Pressure cook the roast on high for 60 minutes. When the pressure cooker beeps, let it go to the keep warm setting, and let the pressure naturally release. When the pressure is reduced, remove the lid, and slice up the roast. Serve.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , , , on December 6, 2016 with No Comments

Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

I absolutely love jambalaya and any other Cajun-inspired dish. My family traveled to New Orleans after my senior year of high school, and I fell in love with the cuisine, so I’ve tried to recreate those flavors in my recipes.

My youngest son requested that I make jambalaya, so since I’d recently bought an Instant Pot, I decided it was high time I made this for dinner. The pressure cooker makes it super easy to pull this recipe together quickly, and in no time I had a delicious meal on the table.




You can certainly brown the meats in the pressure cooker using the sauté function, but I prefer to use my large cast iron skillet to brown the meat. I then added the meat to the recipe after the rice had finished pressure cooking.

jambalya-3

jambalya-2

Pressure Cooker Jambalaya

1 pound chicken breast tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces

12 ounces Andouille sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces

8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, divided

1 teaspoon chipotle powder, divided

2 teaspoons dried thyme, divided

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 green bell pepper, diced

3 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 small onion, diced

2 cups diced tomatoes, drained (I used 1 quart of home-canned tomatoes)

2 cups Jasmine rice

2 cups chicken stock

Fresh parsley

 

In a cast iron skillet, heat 3 tablespoons olive oil, and brown the chicken and sausage pieces. Sprinkle the meat with half of the Cajun and chipotle seasonings and half the dried thyme. When just about browned, add the raw shrimp, and cook until the shrimp just turns pink. Set aside.

In the cooking pot of the pressure cooker, add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Select the sauté function, and sauté the garlic, onion, and green pepper with the remaining Cajun and chipotle seasonings and half the dried thyme just until tender. Add the tomatoes, rice, and chicken stock, and stir to combine.

Lock the pressure cooker lid in place, and cook at high pressure for 8 minutes.

Use the quick-release setting to release the pressure. Remove the lid, and add in the cooked meats and the parsley to taste (I used about 3 tablespoons). Replace the lid, and let the jambalaya sit for 6 minutes on the warm function. Serve.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , , , on December 5, 2016 with No Comments

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

I love quick and easy recipes given my busy work schedule. Even though I work from home, it seems like I have less time to cook a delicious meal than I did when I worked outside the house, so I’m always looking for ways to speed up the process. I’d been looking at different pressure cookers for some time but never could decide on a stovetop version or an electric cooker, but when Amazon had a deal on CyberMonday on Instant Pot pressure cookers, I decided to take the plunge and get one.

I’m so hooked on this Instant Pot, and I can’t believe it took me this long to actually get one. It really does deliver a taste that you think took all day to achieve but in the fraction of the time. The first recipe I tried was a traditional beef stew. I had a cheaper cut of beefsteak plus some leftover prime rib to use in my stew, and to be honest, you really couldn’t tell the difference between the two in the finished product as far as tenderness, although you could still tell which type of beef it was based on texture. This Instant Pot is going to be a great way to buy more inexpensive cuts of meat and still end up with a tender bite in the end, and I can’t wait to try a beef roast in this.




I looked at various recipes on Pinterest for pressure cooker beef stew, mostly to get an idea of the times each stage of cooking would take. Some recipes called for adding all ingredients at the same time to the pressure cooker, but I decided to pressure cook the beef first and add the rest of the vegetables at a later stage. If you have an Instant Pot, it has a sauté feature where you can brown your meat in the pot itself, but I like to brown meat in my cast iron skillet. I then added the browned meat to the Instant Pot and continued as the recipe says. It turned out fantastic.

beef-stew-in-pot

 

beef-stew-bowl

Pressure Cooker Beef Stew

2 pounds beef roast, cubed into 1-inch pieces

About 2 tablespoons flour

3 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and black pepper

8 ounces beef stock

8 ounces dry red wine (I used a Merlot)

1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces

1 large onion, diced into medium-sized pieces

2 cups of medium-diced potatoes (about 4 to 5 potatoes)

1 teaspoon garlic powder (or to taste)

1-1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or to taste)

 

Select the sauté function on the Instant Pot, and add the olive oil. Dredge beef cubes in the flour, and sauté beef in the olive oil until browned on all sides. Salt and pepper the beef to taste as it browns. Add the beef stock and wine, and place the lid on the pot, making sure the lever is set to the pressurize setting. Using the manual button, cook on high pressure for 15 minutes. Using the quick-release valve, release the built-up pressure, and remove the lid. Add the remaining ingredients to the pot. Replace the lid. Again using the manual setting, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Either let the pressure naturally release, or you can use the quick-release function again to release the pressure. Remove the lid and serve the stew.
Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , , on September 9, 2016 with No Comments

Paleo Meatloaf

I love meatloaf, and so does my family, so this is one of the first recipes I tweaked when I decided to follow a Paleo diet. Before I would use bread crumbs, which now, of course, is off limits. I also used brown sugar in the topping, which is another no-no. Other than that, I really didn’t have to make a lot of changes to my normal meatloaf recipe, and when the family tried it, they said they actually liked this recipe better. I paired the meatloaf with some grilled onions and a nice tossed salad – quick and easy dinner menu.

paleo-meatloaf-and-onions

 




If you’re like me, once you decide to go Paleo, you have to change several ingredients that have been staples in your pantry. Flour is an obvious one, but you also have to look at things such as soy sauce, salad dressings, mayo, and other ingredients that contain hidden gluten. My small town of just over 3,000 people has a small, family-owned grocery store. To their credit, when they recently expanded, they did start stocking some gluten-free products – just the basics, however. I have to go to Iowa City (thank you Lucky’s Market and Hy-Vee) to find a lot of the ingredients that Paleo and gluten-free recipes call for. And they’re not cheap. Luckily, I’ve found a few places online where you can find affordable Paleo and gluten-free products. Each has it’s pros and cons. Some have fast shipping (Amazon). Some have a yearly fee but cheap prices compared to my local stores (Thrive Market), and some drop the price tag in your cart depending on how much you purchase (Jet.com). I really like Thrive. You get 30 days of free membership to see if you like the products, and I tried a bunch in those 30 days! If you’re interested, there are ways you can save even more by referring a friend to join with you. If they join, you receive$25 in Thrive cash to spend on the website however you wish: win-win!

Now for the recipe. Keep in mind that I’ve made this recipe for years, and I really don’t have exact measurements for the spices. I just go by dashes and shakes, so feel free to adjust seasonings to your family’s tastes.

 

paleo-meatloaf-plated

Paleo Meatloaf

1 1/2 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup gluten-free Panko bread crumbs (I used Ian’s gluten-free Panko)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Couple dashes of gluten-free soy sauce (I used San-J Organic Tamari)

Organic gluten-free ketchup (I used Cucina Antica – this is good and tastes better than Heinz!)

Prepared mustard

Real maple syrup

 

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl combine the ground beef, eggs, Panko, and seasonings. Add a couple dashes of soy sauce and a couple of squirts of the ketchup. You want enough ketchup just to make the ground beef really stick together. Combine everything until thoroughly mixed.

Place meatloaf in a medium-sized baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick cooking oil (use something Paleo friendly like olive oil or coconut oil). In the same bowl, add a couple squirts of ketchup, some mustard, and about a tablespoon of the maple syrup, and stir to combine. Taste to see if you need more of one or more ingredients. When you’re happy with the flavor, pour the sauce over the top of the meatloaf, evenly coating it.

Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for about 50 minutes, or until the meatloaf tests done.

 

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , , on September 9, 2016 with No Comments

Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna

My son and I went to Lucky’s Market in Iowa City and found some beautiful Ahi tuna steaks. Since seafood is on the Paleo diet, I decided to try my hand at cooking these, something I’ve never done but always wanted to try.

I surfed the Internet looking at a variety of different Paleo blogs and recipes, and there’s even one that Chris Kresser included in his Paleo literature, which called for Chinese 5-spice, which sounded good, but I wanted to try something simple for my first time cooking an actual tuna steak.




I found this recipe at Paleo Hacks, and it sounded perfect for what I wanted to do. Her recipe called for poppy seeds, which I’m sure would be a tasty addition, but I decided to omit those this time. I paired our tuna steaks with roasted baby carrots and some organic greens topped with a delicious balsamic lemon vinaigrette, and we finished off the meal with fresh berries and whipped coconut cream for dessert. Not a bad way to start out our new Paleo lifestyle 🙂

pan-seared-ahi-tuna

Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna

1 Ahi tuna steak

Generous dab of grass-fed ghee

Extra-virgin olive oil (optional)

Poppy seeds (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Take your tuna steak out of the refrigerator 30 minutes or so prior to cooking. Rub it with salt and pepper.

Melt the ghee in a cast iron skillet on fairly high heat. Drizzle in a little olive oil if using.

Sear the tuna steak for about 1 to 3 minutes on each side, depending how rare you want the steak to be. Remove steak from the pan, and let it sit for a minute or two before serving.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , , on September 8, 2016 with No Comments

Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Baked Salmon

It’s been a while since I’ve posted, but rest assured I’m still doing my Paleo diet! Work has kept me busy, and then there were all the garden veggies that needed to be canned or worked up (green beans, sweet corn, dill and sweet pickles, and tomatoes).




 

I do have a couple new Paleo recipes to share, though. I tried these both last night, and my family said they were hits and I could make them again. If you like salmon, this recipe is super easy to make, and it only takes a few minutes in the oven before dinner is ready. I paired this salmon dish with Turmeric Roasted Cauliflower and a nice green salad, and dinner was on the table in no-time flat.

lemon-garlic-salmon

 

Lemon, Garlic, and Herb Baked Salmon

8 salmon fillets

3 ounces grass-fed butter or ghee

1 teaspoon sea salt

Zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon fresh dill, chopped

1 garlic clove, finely minced

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray a 9 x 13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray (or use a little melted butter or ghee). Place salmon fillets skin side down in the baking dish.

Melt the butter or ghee in a small bowl in the microwave. Add the salt, herbs, and minced garlic to the butter, and stir to thoroughly combine.

Using a pastry brush, brush the melted butter mixture over each salmon fillet.

Bake fillets at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the salmon is cooked through and easily flakes with a fork.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , on June 8, 2016 with No Comments

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

If you’re like me, you’re always looking for recipes that are quick to throw together at the last minute and yet still be nutritious and delicious for your family. Well, this recipe is all of that. With just a few ingredients, you can have a one-dish meal that is ready in less than an hour. Easy peasy 🙂




 

Chicken Broccoli Alfredo

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or use chicken thighs if you prefer)

1 jar Alfredo sauce

1 package frozen broccoli florets

Salt

Black pepper

 

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Add a little of the Alfredo sauce to the bottom of the baking dish, spreading it around to evenly coat the bottom. Place the chicken breasts on top of the Alfredo sauce. Season with salt and black pepper.

 

Chicken broccoli alfredo - chicken breasts

 

Add the broccoli florets to the baking dish in and around the chicken pieces in an even layer. Pour the rest of the Alfredo sauce over the top of the broccoli layer.

 

chicken broccoli alfredo - chicken with broccoli

 

Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 to 45 minutes until bubbly and juices run clear, or until the internal temperature of the chicken breasts reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

 

chicken broccoli alfredo baked 2

 

chicken broccoli alfredo baked

 

chicken broccoli alfredo plated

 

Note: Cooking times will definitely depend on how much frozen broccoli you use. If you use a small package, start checking the internal temperature of the chicken breasts at about 30 to 35 minutes. I used a large package of frozen broccoli, and my chicken took a good 45 minutes to reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit internally.

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
In , on June 6, 2016 with No Comments

BBQ Meatloaf

Work has been crazy the last few weeks, so I haven’t had time to experiment with new recipes for a while. I had a few free minutes last night and decided to try my hand at making a barbecue-inspired meatloaf. When I make meatloaf, I generally go for an Italian theme with the spices I use, so I thought BBQ would be a nice change of pace.




This is one of those recipes where I don’t measure anything and just eyeball the spices, so the amounts below in the recipe really are just estimates. Feel free to modify them to your family’s tastes.

BBQ meatloaf

 

BBQ meatloaf 2

 

BBQ meatloaf slice

 

BBQ meatloaf slice 2

 

BBQ Meatloaf

1 pound ground beef (86% lean)

1/2 onion, finely diced

1 egg

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1-2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon seasoned salt

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons barbecue sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s)

 

For the topping:

6 tablespoons barbecue sauce

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons honey

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, Panko, egg, onion, basil, seasoned salt, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and 2 teaspoons barbecue sauce until well combined, but don’t overmix or the meat will be tough. Place meatloaf into a meatloaf pan (like a bread pan but has two sections so the grease drains away from the meatloaf) or a small glass baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

In a small bowl, combine the 6 tablespoons barbecue sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and 2 teaspoons honey until completely combined. Spread mixture over the top of the meatloaf.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 60 minutes, or until the top is browned, or the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees Fahrenheit.


Free Shipping On Wild Seafood & Organic Fare!

Visit Canning and Cooking Iowa Style’s profile on Pinterest.

Continue Reading
1 2 3 4 … 6 7