Bacon and Gruyere Popovers

Bacon and Gruyere Popovers 

My husband LOVES popovers.  After seeing some featured in an Austin restaurant on a food television show, we made reservations and tried theirs.  They were delicious, and he ordered a popover pan for me.  It only makes 6 at a time, so it isn't an easy quick breakfast or side dish for the masses.  My mom gave me a popover recipe around the same time, and I have modified it over the years.  This is the result....

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs, room temperature or warmed in a bowl of warm water
• 2 T. melted butter
• 1 1/4 C milk, warmed
• 1 C flour OR 1 C gluten free flour & 1/4 t. xanthan gum
• 1/2 t. salt
• Gruyere, cut into small chunks. (Shredded cheese doesn't create the cheesy pockets in the popovers.)  I use about a teaspoon of cubes in each popover, but use as much or as little as you like.
• Thick-cut Bacon, cooked and crumbled into chunks
• Ground pepper as desired

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400.
2. Grease popover pan
3. Whisk butter, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, and *xanthan gum (if using)
4. Gradually sift and whisk flour into the batter until smooth.
5. Place chunks of Gruyere in the bottom of each popover tin.
6. Pour batter into each popover tin until 2/3-3/4 full.
7. Add bacon to the top of each tin.
8. Bake for 25 minutes at 400.
9. Reduce heat to 350, and continue to bake for 15 minutes until deep brown.
10. Remove from oven.
11. If you don't want your beautiful popovers to collapse, simply use a sharp paring knife and pierce the bottom of the hot popovers to allow steam to escape and place them on a cooling rack. Do not let them cool in the pan, they'll lose their shape.
12. Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage Browned Butter Sauce

 Printable Recipe

Ingredients: 

For the Gnocchi: 

• ~2 lbs. sweet potatoes 
• 1 1/2 t ground cinnamon 
• 2/3 C whole milk ricotta cheese, well drained 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t black pepper 
• 1 1/2 C all-purpose flour, plus 1/3 C for the work surface 

For the Maple Cinnamon Sage Brown Butter: 

• 1/2 C unsalted butter (1 stick) 
• 20 fresh sage leaves 
• 1 t ground cinnamon 
• 2 T maple syrup 
• 1 t salt 
• 1/2 t ground black pepper 

Directions: 

For the Gnocchi: 

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. 
2. Pierce the sweet potato to allow steam to escape. (You'll notice the repeated notes about moisture for making gnocchi.) 
3. Bake the sweet potatoes until tender & fully cooked, between 40 to 55 minutes depending on size. 
   
4. Cool slightly. Cut in half & scoop the flesh into a large bowl. 
5. Mash (or puree) the sweet potatoes & transfer to a large measuring cup to make sure the sweet potatoes measure about 2 cups.  If they are "wet", drain off any liquids.  Extra moisture can make the gnocchi require too much flour. 
   
6. Transfer the mashed sweet potatoes back to the large bowl. 
7. Add the ricotta cheese (drain any liquid, don't stir it back in) , salt, cinnamon, & pepper & blend until well mixed. 
   
   
   
8. Taste mixture to determine seasonings. 
9. Add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until a soft dough forms. Additional flour may be required if the dough is still really sticky.
   
10. Lightly flour a work surface & place the dough in a ball on the work surface. 
11. Divide dough into 6 equal balls. 
12. (***Test a couple of gnocchi before you roll ALL of the dough out. Shape & cook a few dumplings in a small pan of simmering salted water to make sure they're right before rolling & cutting the whole batch. If the gnocchi fall apart, work the dough a bit longer & add a little more flour.)
13. Roll out each ball into a 1-inch wide rope. 
    
14. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces. 
    
15. Roll the gnocchi over the tines of a fork. 
    
16. Transfer the formed gnocchi to a large parchment-lined baking sheet. 
    

    

     Brittyn has been making them with me for years.  (2018 pictured.)
17. Continue with the remaining gnocchi. 
18. Can be frozen in single layers at this point and then transferred to a Ziploc for storing until ready. (Do not defrost before cooking.)
19. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat. Once the water is at a rolling boil, add the gnocchi in 3 batches & cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, when they float to top, remove them. If you overcook them, they get really gummy. 
20. Drain the gnocchi using a slotted spoon onto another lined baking sheet. Tent with foil to keep warm & continue with the remaining gnocchi. 

For the Brown Butter sauce: 

1. While the gnocchi are cooking, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. 
2. When butter has melted, add sage leaves. Continue to cook, swirling butter occasionally, until the foam subsides & the milk solids begin to brown. 
3. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in cinnamon, maple syrup, salt, & pepper. Careful, mixture will bubble up. 
4. Gently stir. When bubbles subside, toss cooked gnocchi in brown butter. 
5. Transfer gnocchi to a serving dish & serve immediately.

 

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup & Tomato Basil Bisque

Printable Recipe

Our local warehouse store had 2 lb. clamshells of Campari tomatoes, and while I usually use San Marzano tomatoes for soup or bisque, these worked beautifully!

Cut 4 lbs of tomatoes in half.

Clean and slice a red bell pepper.

Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and 8 garlic cloves to a rimmed baking sheet (the tomatoes will render a lot of liquid) or cake pan.

Drizzle with olive oil & generously season with salt and pepper.  Roast the tomatoes, pepper, and garlic at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

Slice 1 yellow onion and place in a pan on the stove top with 2 T butter.  Caramelize over low heat while tomatoes are roasting. 

Transfer tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and onion to blender or large pot to blend with an immersion blender. 

Add 1-2 Cups of broth to reach the consistency you want if you are keeping it as a soup and not a bisque.  If you are making a bisque, add 1 C of broth.

Add 1/2 Cup of packed fresh basil, and blend.

Add 1 Tablespoon of Oregano, and Salt & Pepper to taste.  I also added 1 clove of Black Garlic.  It's a sweet and savory addition to the soup.

This is what it looks like when you remove the husk. Blend it into the soup.

If you have a a Parmesan rind, toss it in as the soup simmers for some added flavor.  

Allow the soup to simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes.

You can remove the Parmesan rind and serve the Tomato Basil Soup with a basil garnish, fresh cracked black pepper, and grated Parmesan.  (If you're like me, you're probably also going to serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich.)

If you wish to make it a bisque, stir in 1 Cup of heavy whipping cream before serving.

Homemade Tomato Basil Soup or Bisque

Ingredients:

• 4 lbs. tomatoes

• 1 red bell pepper

• 8 cloves of garlic

• 2 T butter

• 1 whole onion

• 1-2 Cups of broth (vegetable or chicken)

• 1/2 C packed fresh basil

• 1 t dried oregano

• Salt & Pepper

• 1 clove Black Garlic (optional)

• Parmesan Rind (optional)

Directions:

1. Cut 4 lbs of tomatoes in half.

2. Clean and slice a red bell pepper.

3. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, and 8 garlic cloves to a rimmed baking sheet (the tomatoes will render a lot of liquid) or cake pan.

4. Drizzle with olive oil & generously season with salt and pepper.  Roast the tomatoes, pepper, and garlic at 400 degrees for 45 minutes.

5. Slice 1 yellow onion and place in a pan on the stove top with 2 T butter.  Caramelize over low heat while tomatoes are roasting. 

6. Transfer tomatoes, pepper, garlic, and onion to blender or large pot to blend with an immersion blender. 

7. Add 1-2 Cups of broth to reach the consistency you want if you are keeping it as a soup and not a bisque.  If you are making a bisque, add 1 C of broth.

8. Add 1/2 Cup of packed fresh basil, and blend.

9. Add 1 Tablespoon of Oregano, and Salt & Pepper to taste. 

10.  Add 1 clove of Black Garlic and blend.

11. If you have a a Parmesan rind, toss it in as the soup simmers for some added flavor.  

12. Allow the soup to simmer over low heat for at least 10 minutes.

13. You can remove the Parmesan rind and serve the Tomato Basil Soup with a basil garnish, fresh cracked black pepper, and grated Parmesan.  (If you're like me, you're probably also going to serve it with a grilled cheese sandwich.)

14. If you wish to make it a bisque, stir in 1 Cup of heavy whipping cream before serving.

Easy Pickled Peppers that are good on (almost) EVERYTHING!

You can use this recipe for ANY pepper!

Y'all!  A few months ago, I needed some pickled peppers for a recipe, and I realized we were out of jarred/canned pickled peppers.  <*Gasp* The horror!>  I sliced up and pickled a few fresh jalapeños we had on hand, and I LOVED THEM. Like, I never intend to buy pickled peppers again. 

We normally grow jalapeño, Serrano, and scotch bonnet peppers in our garden, but they have cross-pollenated the last few years making every pepper a "surprise Scoville mystery pepper."  This year, my husband picked up a Cowhorn Pepper plant that we have kept away from our gardens in its own container.  I had never had a Cowhorn.  

They are long skinny curved peppers that are green until they reach full maturity, but I love how pretty they are when I mix the red and green! 

Everything I've read puts them on par with an "average" jalapeño with regards to Scoville heat, but personally, we feel like they are hotter than most jalapeños - more like somewhere between a jalapeño and Serrano. 

They have great flavor, and when you pickled them with Rice Vinegar, Sugar, and Salt, they are so good on most ANYTHING! 

You can use this recipe to pickle any peppers that fit your personal heat preference. 

EASY PICKLED PEPPERS 

Ingredients:

Peppers, washed and sliced

6 T Rice Vinegar 

2 T White Sugar

1/2 t kosher salt 

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a sealable container, seal, and refrigerate.

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Instant Pot Beef Tips

Ingredients:

• 1/4 C olive oil
• 3 lbs. Beef tips or beef stew meat, cubed
• 1/4 C flour (or GF flour)
• 1 T garlic powder
• 1 Medium onion, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 C beef broth
• 1/2 C red wine
• 1 T soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Cornstarch & cold water
• Parsley to garnish
• Serve over mashed potatoes or rice

Directions:

1. Set Instant Pot to saute and add olive oil.  Once hot, add cubed beef (tossed in flour), onions, minced garlic, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.
2. Stir to brown.
3. Add beef broth, red wine, soy sauce, and bay leaves.
4. Set IP to manual high pressure for 30 minutes, and use natural release to maintain moisture and tenderness.
5. Add the cornstarch and cold water mixture and add to pot to thicken sauce.

It smelled so good, that it disappeared before I even took a picture of it plated!

Wicked Easy Thai Chicken and Long Kow Vermicelli Noodle Soup

I needed a REALLY fast meal tonight.  I had zero time.  Truly.  I know my pantry may contain some items that not everyone keeps on hand, but if you DO...this is an incredibly easy meal that comes together in no time.  (I told you I had NO TIME!😉)  It's similar to a Thai Tom Ka soup.

Wicked Easy Thai Chicken and Long Kow Vermicelli Noodle Soup 

3 Long Kow Vermicelli noodle bundles (126 grams)
4 C chicken stock
2 cans coconut milk
1/4 C Thai Red Curry Paste
2 T Ginger paste from tube or 1 T of freshly grated ginger (adjust to taste)
1 t kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1/4 C low sodium soy sauce (GF if preferred)
3 T brown sugar
Meat from 1 rotisserie chicken, cubed
1 C carrot sticks (hand-cut or pre-cut)
1 can bamboo shoots, drained and sliced into sticks
Fresh basil
Fresh cilantro
Sriracha

Place Vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with cold water.
Place next 7 ingredients in a pot on the stove and heat over medium heat for 5 minutes.
Add chicken.
Drain noodles and add to pot.  Heat through for 3 more minutes.
Place in bowls and garnish with remaining ingredients.

Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes over Brown Rice

 Y'all, I try; I really do.  Let's be honest here though, I don't use recipes when I'm cooking, so even though I try to get a picture of all of the ingredients at the beginning,  I AM MAKING IT UP AS I GO!  I frequently have to add ingredients later.  Forgive me?

Here we go! Last night I came home after 3 days of camping with our Girl Scout troop,  and I was beat!  I didn't want to cook.  After rifling through my fridge and freezers, this is what I came up with, and I loved it! It was a bit more work than I had planned, but I'll definitely be making it again.

I started by putting short grain brown rice, salt, butter, and water in my rice cooker while I used my IP for the rest.

For our family of five, I used 8 chicken thighs that provided a few leftovers, but this recipe could easily be divided for fewer portions.  Remove the skin and fat from the thighs and season them with salt and pepper.  Set your pressure cooker to saute, and add 2 tablespoons of butter.  Sear the chicken in the butter, and dice 1/2 an onion (I love this Global knife for cutting onions) and press the garlic while the chicken is browning.  Remove the chicken to a plate.

Look at all those browned bits in the bottom of the pot!  I used 1 cup of white wine to deglaze the pot and scrape up the browned bits.  Add the diced onion, pressed garlic, and 1 to 1.5 cups of chicken stock to the pot.  Return the chicken to the pot and set it to high pressure for 10 minutes.

 While the chicken is cooking, heat 2 packages of frozen chopped spinach and then press to strain the liquid.  Slice 1 block of cream cheese (low-fat if you wish) into smaller blocks.  Grate 1/2 Cup of Parmesan.  Strain 1 - 2 cans of artichokes (depending on how much you like them) and rough chop them into bite-sized pieces.

When the chicken is finished cooking, turn the pot off and let it naturally release pressure for at least 15 minutes.  You can do a Quick Pressure Release if necessary at that point, but it is better to let it release naturally when time permits.  Natural release helps maintain the moisture in the chicken.

Remove the chicken to a plate or foil-covered pan while you finish the creamy sauce.

Turn the pot to keep warm if it's still fairly hot or saute if you allowed full natural pressure release.  Stir in the cream cheese until melted, add the spinach and stir to combine.  Add the Parmesan and artichokes.  If the sauce is too thick, you can add 1/4 cup of milk at a time to reach the right consistency for your preference. 

Add brown rice to the bowl and top with a chicken thigh, creamy spinach & artichoke sauce, and some crushed red pepper.  Yum!

Click here for a printable version of my Instant Pot Creamy Garlic Chicken with Spinach and Artichokes over Brown Rice.

Instant Pot Cabbage Rolls

My husband loves cabbage rolls.  He came into the kitchen, and he said, "Ooooh!  Cabbage rolls! You know who makes the BEST cabbage rolls?"  Me: *side eye* "You better watch it."  He responded, "Andy's mom's cabbage rolls were the BEST!  I ought to give her $50 to make a big batch for us.  They're SOOO GOOOOOOD!"  Fast forward to after dinner...He ate those words, quite literally, because THESE were the best cabbage rolls...even according to my hubs.  Now, I can't say I've ever seen a "beautiful" cabbage roll, but they do TASTE amazing.  Next time, maybe before digging in, I should stage my food.... Nom. Nom.

Instant Pot Cabbage Rolls - by Dawn in an 8 qt. Instant Pot
1 lb ground turkey (or pork)
1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 70/30, but not super lean)
2 lg egg
1 C uncooked white rice
Garlic, minced
2 T butter (or oil)
2 C shredded carrots (food processor or wet chop in blender...if you've not seen this, just wait!)
1 large onion, minced (or wet chopped)
1 C chicken stock
2 large onions, sliced
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 C sour cream
Salt & Pepper
2 heads of cabbage
Sour Cream for garnish
Dill


Cabbage:
The cabbage needs to be "softened" one way or another.  There are several ways to do this.  I have found that if you cut the core out of the head(s) of cabbage and put it in the freezer for 24 hours, and then allowing it to defrost, it creates soft leaves that aren't mushy and completely disintegrating.  Then, you also need to cut the hard center "vein" out of each leaf as you take the cabbage apart leaf by leaf.

I've *heard* that you can cut the core out and place the head of cabbage in your Instant Pot with 1 cup of water for 3 minutes on manual high pressure.  I tried this...once..., but my outer leaves were literally falling apart and the inside leaves weren't steamed/cooked.  So while I lurve my IP, I didn't love it for softening the cabbage.  You can also soften them old-school style by putting the cabbage head(s) in boiling water.  You'll still need to cut that hard "vein" from the center of each leaf so that you can roll your cabbage rolls. 

Wet chop?  Well...confession here...I do not own a food processor.  I had one, and it broke the first time I used it, and I have never replaced it.  I've got crazy cool attachments for my KitchenAid Stand Mixer and this awesome blender that has the Ice AutoPulse function, and I've got old school kitchen tools that get me through just fine.  I *have* found that while my KitchenAid attachments work great for grating cheese, they do NOT work as well with carrots.  
(That's quite the carrot cake story - that involved plastic shreds from my attachment to be dumped into my cake batter and noticed *just* before I put them in the oven.  I could have died!  My sweet husband (knowing how frustrated I was) offered to run to the store to just pick up some shredded carrots along with a few other items on our list.  He returned WITHOUT the carrots, so he proceeded to hand-grate all of the carrots I needed for the cake, because quite frankly, I was OVER the cake.)

So, fast-forward to now, and I'm a busy mom, and although I think you keep more of the onion and carrot flavor by doing them all by hand, I'm not going to lie and say I do it that way all of the time.  Throw the carrots and onions in the blender and cover with water.  Use the "Ice Auto-Pulse" function until they are sufficiently "grated."  Strain the water, and you have "grated" vegetables.  Seriously, SO easy!

  Add olive oil to the inner pot of your Instant Pot and saute your strained carrots and onions.  I recommend cooking these until they are caramelized to really add some tremendous flavor.

Add your crushed/diced tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper, and dill to the vegetables and heat through.  

Meanwhile, place your meats, eggs, uncooked rice, garlic, and salt & pepper in a bowl.

Add 2 cups of the veggie sauce to the meat and mix well to combine.  Set remainder of veggie sauce aside.

Pour 1 C Chicken Stock into the empty inner pot of the IP.  Place the "cores" or "veins" from the leaves along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching the bottoms of the rolls.

Place  ~1/3 Cup of meat/rice/veggie mixture into a softened cabbage leaf and roll tucking the ends in as you do to create a little package.  Place the rolls on top of the cabbage in the pot.  Once the bottom is filled, pour 1/2 of the remaining veggie mixture over the cabbage rolls.  Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves, followed by the veggie mixture. Top it all off with sliced onions.

Be sure the valve is set to seal, and turn your Instant Pot on to Manual High Pressure for 15 minutes and do a natural release when it is finished.  (Alternatively, you can do 18 minutes and quick release with very similar results.) 

Instant Pot Cabbage Rolls - by Dawn in an 8 qt. Instant Pot
(Click for printable recipe)

1 lb ground turkey (or pork)
1 lb ground beef (80/20 or 70/30, but not super lean)
2 lg egg
1 C uncooked white rice
Garlic, minced
2 T butter (or oil)
2 C shredded carrots (food processor or wet chop in blender...if you've not seen this, just wait!)
1 large onion, minced (or wet chopped)
1 C chicken stock
2 large onions, sliced
1 can crushed tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 C sour cream
Salt & Pepper
2 heads of cabbage
Sour Cream for garnish
Dill


Remove core and soften cabbage (Instant Pot, freeze & defrost, or boil.)

Grate carrots & onions (wet chop or use food processor.)

Add olive oil to the inner pot of your Instant Pot and saute strained carrots and onions.  Cook until caramelized.

Meanwhile, remove center "vein" from each leaf. 

Add crushed/diced tomatoes, sour cream, salt, pepper, and dill to the vegetables and heat through.  

Meanwhile, place meats, eggs, uncooked rice, garlic, and salt & pepper in a bowl.

Add 2 cups of the veggie sauce to the meat and mix well to combine.  Set remainder of veggie sauce aside.

Pour 1 C Chicken Stock into the empty inner pot of the IP.  Place the "cores" or "veins" from the leaves along the bottom of the pot to prevent scorching the bottoms of the rolls.

Place  ~1/3 Cup of meat/rice/veggie mixture into a softened cabbage leaf and roll.  Place the rolls on top of the cabbage in the pot.  Once the bottom is filled, pour 1/2 of the remaining veggie mixture over the cabbage rolls.  

Repeat with remaining meat and cabbage leaves, followed by the veggie mixture. Top it all off with sliced onions.

Be sure the valve is set to seal, and turn your Instant Pot on to Manual High Pressure for 15 minutes and do a natural release when it is finished.  (Alternatively, you can do 18 minutes and quick release with very similar results.) 

Instant Pot Jacques Pepin style Potatoes and Pesto Chicken

If you've met my husband, then you'll know he's more of a meat and potatoes kind of guy.  If you've eaten with my husband, you'll also know that although I wouldn't call him a picky eater, he's fairly vocal about what he loves and will tell me if something's not his favorite.  (Respectfully of course - he just really loves food, and his food choices reflect that.)  I'm here to tell you that THESE POTATOES are his favorite.  They are SO easy.  They involve a little more work than some other potato recipes, but they're a heck of a lot easier than...oh...say...scalloped potatoes.  For that reason, I secretly love that he's deemed these his new favorite.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Wash up some small potatoes.  I've used Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes with success.  Throw the potatoes in your IP, pour in 2 cups of chicken stock, add 2 Tablespoons of butter, and salt & pepper.  You *can* add whole garlic cloves if you wish, and I highly recommend it.  I like to do 4 huge garlic cloves or 8 normal size.  Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.  

 As soon as it is finished, quick release the pressure.  (Otherwise your potatoes will explode and not be nearly as pretty.)  Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet (but leave the garlic in the liquid), and gently flatten them slightly.  They will each "pop" just a little.  (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)  Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder if you want.)  Slide them into a 425 degree oven or under a broiler (but pay attention) just to give them a little color, crisp, and depth of flavor.  Keep an eye on them, because if you cook them too long, they'll get rubbery and not be the creamy goodness they should be. 

 While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute and reduce the remaining chicken stock, "melted" garlic, and butter down until you have enough to toss the cute little 'taters in.  Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley & Parmesan, and serve!

 Seriously, these are so good and go with ANYTHING....Well, almost anything.

Dawn's Instant Pot Jacques Pepin-style Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs Small potatoes
• 2 C Chicken stock
• 2 T butter
• Salt
• Pepper
• 4-8 Garlic cloves or garlic powder *optional
• Parsley and Parmesan for garnish

Cooking Directions:

1. Wash small potatoes. (Baby Creamers, small red potatoes, and small golden potatoes)
2. Place potatoes in IP
3. Add 2 cups of chicken stock, 2 Tablespoons of butter, garlic cloves, and salt & pepper to the IP.
4. Seal the pot, make sure the valve is closed, set your IP manual High Pressure for 3 minutes.
5. Once complete, immediately quick release the pressure according to manufacturer's directions.
6. Remove the potatoes to a greased baking sheet, and gently flatten them slightly. (I use the flat side of a meat tenderizer, but you could just as easily use the bottom of a glass.)
7. Brush them with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper (and garlic powder *optional*)
8. Place into a 425 degree oven to slightly brown.
9. While your potatoes are in the oven, turn your Instant Pot to Saute, and reduce the remaining chicken stock, butter, and "melted" garlic down
10. Remove the sauce, pour over the potatoes, sprinkle with parsley and Parmesan, and serve!

I was really in an Instant Pot mood, and after I used it to make my potatoes, I also used it to make chicken thighs.  (Yeah, yeah, it's clear that I live near a Costco.  I'm not an affiliate for them.... I wonder if that's even a thing?  We tend to have a lot of Kirkland brand in our house.)

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Okay!  So, pesto chicken!  Again, this is super easy.  Like so easy that I had time to make a salad and butter some bread for sides while this magically cooked in my Instant Pot.
I used 8 chicken thighs (that's 2 packages from Costco, Ha!) and nestled them in my IP.  I mixed 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch, and some pepper and poured it over the top of the chicken.  I added 6 whole cloves of garlic and some fresh thyme from my herb garden.  (Read: pots on the back patio that I use to grow herbs.  It's too dang hot here to grow basil and mint in the sweltering sun.)  
Seal up the pot, make sure the vent is closed, set it for manual high pressure for 9 minutes. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.  Then quick release the remaining pressure.  Again, you can remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce.  I served the chicken with some of the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.

Instant Pot Pesto Chicken

Ingredients:

• 8 Chicken Thighs
• 1.25 C Chicken stock
• .75 C Prepared Pesto
• 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning
• 6 Garlic Cloves
• Fresh Thyme
• Parmesan, freshly grated

Cooking Directions:

1. Place 8 chicken thighs in Instant Pot
2. Mix 1 1/4 cups of chicken stock, 3/4 cup of prepared pesto, 1/8 C Ranch Seasoning, and ground pepper
3. Pour over chicken
4. Added 6 whole cloves of garlic and fresh thyme
5. Seal the IP, make sure the vent is closed, set for manual high pressure for 9 minutes.
6. When it is finished, turn the pot OFF and let it naturally release pressure for 6 minutes.
7. Quick release remaining pressure.
8. Remove thyme stems and discard.
9. Remove the chicken and use the saute function to cook down the sauce as desired.
10. Serve chicken with the pesto sauce and freshly grated Parmesan.