Main Dish

Instant Pot Plum Chili Chicken

Leah Short — Sun, 28 Jul 2019 22:12:52 +0000

We all own an Instant Pot by now right? I’ve had mine about 3 years and I still love it. I’m always on the lookout for new recipes (other than risotto, which by the way I need to blog that recipe!) and I found this Plum Chili Chicken in The Essential Instant Pot Cookbook. The downside to an Instant Pot is that a lot of recipes are soups and stews, or heartier foods that I’m not in the mood for during the heat of the summer. I was thrilled with this Plum Chili Chicken because it had a ton of flavor and is served with rice and broccoli. Perfect for summer when you don’t want to be stuck over a hot stove!

The recipe could not be easier. Mix together the sauce ingredients, place sauce and chicken in Instant Pot, let IP do it’s thing.

It’s plum jam, water, soy sauce, sambal oelek, ginger, green onions, and garlic. If you can’t find plum jam, apricot jam would work nicely here, too.

I sliced the chicken into bite-sized pieces and poured the sauce over it, so it would really be coated and flavorful. Serve over rice with broccoli or try it with some spiralized veggies! The recipe isn’t very spicy as is, so feel free to add more sambal oelek, sriracha, or hot sauce to the finished dish if you like it spicy!

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Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese

Leah Short — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 14:41:43 +0000

What’s comfort food for you? A hearty stew? A brothy soup? For me, it’s macaroni and cheese and I had no idea how good it could be until I stumbled on this recipe for Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese! Yeah, it sounds a little weird, but trust me. Roasted butternut squash adds such a depth of flavor, slightly sweet, but complements the Parmesan and sharp Cheddar beautifully. Once blended, it makes this mac and cheese some of the creamiest mac and cheese on the planet.

Cube your butternut squash and roast in the oven. I can’t say enough about roasted veggies. It really brings out the best of their flavor and those crispy bits…

Blend it! Here’s where the magic happens. Greek yogurt and nonfat milk help keep the calories low, but the creamy texture high.

It may be a tinge healthy, but we’re not leaving out the cheese! Salty Parmesan and sharp Cheddar, yes please and thank you!

If it’s cold where you are (and if it isn’t, where are you? can I come? ), a big bowl of this is all you need to get through winter. Cold weather dinner luxury. You won’t be able to get over the creamy, cheesiness of the sauce. I never want to have regular mac and cheese again!

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The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich

Leah Short — Fri, 18 Jan 2019 16:08:48 +0000

Y’all. This sandwich. The Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich. I don’t know where to begin other than telling you to read the recipe, go to the grocery store, and make the garlic butter tomato sauce so you have all the ingredients for the best breakfast of your life tomorrow morning. I’m not exaggerating. I chose this for our breakfast on Christmas day and it did not disappoint. It’s decadent, over the top, and you will have to practice the most self-control to not make it every day after. It’s THAT good!

On Christmas day I wanted something different than the popular cinnamon rolls, and I really wanted something savory. After reading through tons of savory casseroles that weren’t quite what I was looking for, I remembered this sandwich I had pinned over a year ago. I’m so mad that it took me this long to make it, but thankfully Pinterest did its job and when I was scrolling through, I knew this would be THE breakfast. Shout out to Pinch of Yum for the recipe!

First, you’ll want to make the garlic butter tomato sauce. It takes the longest and stores in the fridge, so make that the night before and have it ready. One thing to note, the full recipe calls for two tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and we found that to be too strong. I recommend using only one tablespoon.

The next morning, you’re ready to cook the eggs and assemble. Start with toasted, buttery croissants and add a slice of pepperjack cheese while the croissants are still warm, so it starts to melt. On the other half of the croissant, add smashed avocado. Guacamole would work well here, too. On top of the cheese side, schmear a good helping of the garlic butter tomato sauce. It’s better if it’s dripping everywhere. On top of that, you’ll want to add scrambled eggs. If you want a truly messy, sop-worthy sandwich, runny eggs would be amazing here. On top of the eggs, add your super crispy bacon. Put the other slice with avocado on top and BAM! Best. Breakfast. Ever.

For the full Ultimate Breakfast Sandwich recipe, visit Pinch of Yum. Please come back and let me know if you made the sandwich in the comments. We can gush over the best breakfast together.

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Black-Eyed Peas & Greens

Leah Short — Sat, 05 Jan 2019 04:43:01 +0000

Happy New Year! I hope 2019 has been treating you well so far. Did you make resolutions? Have you broken any? I made a few including baking more, especially bread! On January 1, I made Black-Eyed Peas & Greens in my instant pot for good luck. I usually eat boring peas and greens on the first every year, but I’ve had this particular recipe bookmarked since early last year. It is full of flavor, but the peas and greens still shine. If you didn’t get your good luck food in this year, save this recipe for next year. I did that last year with the good luck piglet. It’s never too late for a little good luck!

Thanks to my trusty Instant Pot, this recipe is really easy. The time consuming part comes from soaking the peas overnight. I know, I know, why are you soaking peas when, hello, you have an Instant Pot. I scratched my head on this one, too, but finally figured out it’s probably because cooking the dried peas in the Instant Pot AND doing the rest of the recipe would add 30+ minutes. Doable, but much easier to just soak your peas overnight and go ahead with the recipe the next day. I also chose to buy a bunch of collards instead of the bag of already chopped. To save time, you can certainly use the bag, but I’m anti collard stems, so I prefer to chop them myself.

I had never used a smoked turkey leg in my cooking before. It really does add a nice, smoky flavor and was pretty cheap at my grocery store (under 5 bucks). I didn’t like having to deal with removing the meat and shredding it, so next year I think I’ll skip that step and use ham instead. That means using a veggie or chicken broth, since the first part of the recipe is making a broth from the smoked turkey leg. Really good, but I really hate dealing with meat on the bones. I’m a weirdo, I know.

Definitely a keeper recipe that I’ll make every year. It’s slightly brothy, but not enough to where I’d call it a soup. Just super good comforting food to start your year off right!

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White Bean & Spinach Soup

Leah Short — Sat, 06 Oct 2018 18:34:02 +0000

Is it fall where you are? Not here in Nashville. We’ve had weather in the 80s and 90s STILL. I’m thinking if I keep making cold weather meals, I can will fall weather this way south. This is the second weekend in a row that I’ve made this incredibly easy and delicious White Bean & Spinach Soup. It’s so easy, you probably have most of the ingredients on hand. I used to be team fresh (garlic, lemons, onions, etc) and while I still appreciate that those items are better fresh, I find myself turning more and more to convenience items. And you know what? I’m not missing out on any flavor, but saving tons of time.

I say this recipe is super easy because I use frozen chopped onions (I always have a bag or two in the freezer), jarred minced garlic (I know, I know), Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base, and already cooked crumbled bacon. When I want a quick dinner, these items are life savers…and saves clean up time, too! You just have to be mindful of how you’re using them because sometimes the fresh versions are truly better. In this soup recipe, the shortcuts work great!

This soup is so colorful and full of flavor. It’s pretty good without the optional toppings, but ooo boy the bowl I had today was a game changer! A sprinkle of bacon, cheese, and chunks of avocado on top took this to another level. So, come on Nashville, where’s my cardigan weather?

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Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta

Leah Short — Sat, 25 Aug 2018 14:46:03 +0000

Are y’all in love with the Instant Pot as much as I am? When anyone asks me if they should buy one, my answer is always yes! And, if you use it for nothing else other than to make risotto, it’s worth the money. So, why am I talking about risotto? Well, this Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta reminds me of risotto so much. It’s creamy, decadent, and super fast and easy to make in the Instant Pot. The big difference is that instead of rice, it’s farro.

Farro is a grain that’s really hearty. I was introduced to it a few years ago back when I made this Cheesy Baked Farro (move over mac & cheese!) and one of my all-time favorite dishes on the blog is Farro with Brie and Squash. If you haven’t had farro, start with those recipes and you’ll love it! So, with the combination of hearty farro and basically being like a risotto, I couldn’t get enough of this!

The Old Bay seasoning mixed with just a bit of butter makes the sauce ever so decadent. And, it was my first time cooking and eating Swiss chard! If you haven’t had it, it’s a little more earthier than spinach, but not as delicate. It wilted down, but holds up a bit more. Finally, the saltiness from the Parmesan and feta put this over the top. If you saw me make this on my Instagram stories, you’ll hear me say how this dish could be something served in a restaurant. It’s THAT good!

Yield: 4 servings

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Farro and Shrimp with Parmesan and Feta

Ingredients:

14.5 oz. can chicken broth, reduced sodium
1 cup pearled farro, rinsed
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
1 lb. medium frozen shrimp, peeled and deveined, no tail
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tbsp. butter
8 oz. bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, leaves chopped
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup crumbled feta

Directions:

In your Instant Pot, combine the first five ingredients (through pepper). Stir. Lock lid in place. Set Instant Pot to cook for 12 minutes on high pressure. Use a quick release.
Carefully open lid. Stir in Old Bay and frozen shrimp. Stir. Lock lid in place. Set Instant Pot to cook for 1 minute on high pressure. Use a quick release.
Carefully open lid. Add Parmesan, butter, and Swiss chard. Stir until chard is wilted. Add lemon juice and feta. Stir and serve.

per serving: 364 calories, 8g fat (4g sat fat), 203 mg cholesterol, 1,351 mg sodium, 41g carbs, 6g fiber, 2g sugars, 35g protein

Better Homes & Gardens, Fast or Slow

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Salmon Burgers with Slaw

Leah Short — Thu, 15 Mar 2018 14:22:57 +0000

If you’re looking for a quick, but super tasty dinner, you’re going to love this recipe. I couldn’t wait to make these Salmon Burgers with Slaw. Super easy and super fast! Canned salmon and bagged slaw make this a cinch to put on the table in no time.

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Farro with Brie and Squash

Leah Short — Fri, 31 Mar 2017 19:13:44 +0000

Hey strangers! Whew, it has a been way too long since I last posted. (whispers :: last June). I meant to take a short hiatus, really I did. But you know that saying, “life happens when you’re planning?” It sure does.

Last June I was burned out of blogging. It’s a lot of work, and well, I just wanted to cook and bake and not have to worry about the perfect photo shoot. I wanted a hot meal for a change! Then life started happening. I got Invisalign, had surgery twice (one planned, one not so much), lots of work changes, Bama lost the national championship, this White House cluster, and the list goes on. I’ll admit I just got too comfortable not blogging.

The eating and cooking and baking did not stop though. I needed a break to just be in the kitchen. To remember why I started blogging in the first place. It’s because I love food. Food is comforting, food is social, food is delicious. And food should be shared. So here I am, dusting off the ol’ keyboard.

Speaking of comfort food, I thought I’d share this Farro with Brie and Squash recipe with you as my first recipe back. I’ve made this dish once before and I don’t know why I don’t keep it on regular rotation. It’s warm and comforting, and I love the bright colors from the squash, red onions, and parsley. Plus hello, roasted veggies are the best. The creamy brie adds decadence without going overboard and making the dish too rich. Chicken or pork would work well in this if you needed to add meat, but this is one of my all-time favorite vegetarian dishes.

I hope you enjoy it! Thanks for continuing to hang out in this space. It feels good to be back.

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 40 min

Farro with Brie and Squash

Ingredients:

2 red onions
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
8 oz. sliced cremini mushrooms
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/3 cups farro
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 lb. cubed peeled butternut squash (about 4 cups)
3 oz. brie cheese, rind removed and cubed, plus thin slices for topping*
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

*Note: I don't like eating the rind of brie and I'm too lazy to remove it, so I buy the little tubs of brie that come without it. Not as authentic, but much easier to work with if you don't like the rind.

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Mince 1/2 red onion; cut the remaining 1 1/2 onions into 1/2-inch-thick wedges and set aside. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the minced onion, mushrooms and 1 teaspoon thyme; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the farro to the pot and cook, stirring, until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook, stirring, until evaporated, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 5 cups water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to maintain a simmer and cook until the farro is tender and the liquid is mostly absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, combine the onion wedges, butternut squash and the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and 1 teaspoon thyme in a large bowl; season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and toss. Spread on a rimmed baking sheet. Roast until the vegetables are tender and browned, about 25 minutes.

4. Add the cubed brie to the farro; stir until creamy. Stir in the parsley. Top each serving of farro with the vegetables and a slice of brie.

per serving: 460 calories, 20g fat, 58g carbs, 8g fiber, 15g protein

Food Network

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Meals Using Spiralized Veggies

Leah Short — Thu, 17 Mar 2016 14:56:57 +0000

Raise your hand if you’ve jumped on the spiralizing veggies trend! I hate to even call it a trend because I think I’m almost the last person to really get on board with it and it looks like it’s here to stay. Fine by me! A few years ago I shared a recipe for Zucchini Noodles with Lemon Cream Sauce, but I hadn’t fully embraced it and I made that recipe by basically julienning the zucchini. In this post, I’ll share with you how I spiralize veggies and the meals I make using spiralized veggies.

Rewind to a few months ago when I listened to the Food Blogger Pro Podcast featuring Ali Maffucci. (Sidenote: I highly recommend this podcast. It’s a fantastic resource for any type of blogger, not just food!) Ali designed The Inspiralizer and I was hooked! It’s a little more expensive than some other spiralizers, but it’s much easier to store and clean. There’s also no fuss with switching out sharp blades. The compact design sold me and I got one as a gift in January. I’m happy to report I haven’t stopped using it! I thought I’d share a few meals I’ve made using spiralized veggies. I LOVE incorporating more veggies into my diet. The way I look at it is I can splurge a little more on the sauce since I’m not using pasta. Winner winner!

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Chili-Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice and Snap Peas

Leah Short — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 21:09:33 +0000

Meals that come together quickly, but bring so much flavor are winners in my book. This Chili-Garlic Shrimp with Coconut Rice and Snap Peas takes under 30 minutes to make! The bonus with this recipe is that you make more shrimp than you need and you can freeze the rest to make this dish again or use in other dishes. This shrimp recipe is one of the best I’ve ever made. It’s spicy from chile paste and sweet from a touch of brown sugar. I could just eat a big bowl of the shrimp by itself!

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