Christmas Recipes

For Christmas Eve dinner we had chuck roast that I was supposed to do in the crock pot but didn’t do it in time. I put it in the pressure cooker (it was 2.5 or 3 lbs) for 60 minutes then did natural release. I skipped the carrots. I made the recipe for gravy.  

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/perfect-pot-roast-and-gravy/

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/buttery-pull-apart-bundt-bread/

We also made fruit salad but didn’t like the recipe. Next time I may try just vanilla yogurt and whipped cream with blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries. Or just plain berries. 

We had a green salad, instant mashed potatoes, Bundt pan rolls, and hot chocolate for dessert. It was a great meal. 

Christmas breakfast was a winner. I didn’t have to force my kids to eat it. I made the casserole and the Bundt rolls the night before so I didn’t do anything except powder sugar and slice oranges and cook the casserole and Bundt rolls. We had this with egg nog. My favorite is almond nog right now. Still get flavor but don’t feel sick after. 

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/make-ahead-overnight-tater-tot-breakfast-casserole/

We ate it with ketchup, salsa, and green onions 

I through the pecans in the blendTech for a sec so they would be more like halves. All the butter and brown sugar was really good on the bottom of the rolls but there wasn’t much on the top. It would be good to add a mix butter and brown before the rolls are added. I didn’t cook them for 30 minutes. I did more like 20 I think. They did need to be covered with foil the last little while too. 

For lunch, we had cheese and crackers. 

For dinner we had leftover turkey soup with leftover fruit salad, green salad, and leftover Bundt rolls from the night before. For dinner we had a premade Oreo pie crust with York peppermint patty pudding that refrigerates for 30 minutes. Then I topped each serving with whipped cream and shaved Andes mints. 

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/the-best-leftover-turkey-soup/

I felt like every meal was simple and easy. It was a success! 

Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

I was worried about cooking this because I have never done a turkey breast before.  It was really good. Mine was only a 3 lb breast so the cooking time was more like 4-4 1/2 hours on low and it was done.  https://www.recipetineats.com/juicy-slow-cooker-turkey-breast/
 Mine came with a gravy packet so I didn't make the gravy.  I just did the seasoning on top of garlic and onions and then slow cooked and broiled.

Juicy Slow Cooker Turkey Breast

RECIPE VIDEO above. I've tried a handful of other methods over the years. This has produced the juiciest turkey breast by far, without brining the breast in advance. Plus slow cooking is very forgiving so you don't need to be spot on with the cooking time. SCALE RECIPE by moving slider on Servings to adjust for different turkey weights. Complete your feast - browse the new Thanksgiving Recipe Index! 

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time8 hrs

Total Time8 hrs 15 mins

Course: Poultry, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: Christmas, Festive

Keyword: Slow Cooker Turkey Breast, Turkey Breast

Servings: 8 - 10 people

Calories: 323kcal

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats

Ingredients

• 2 kg / 4 lb turkey breast, skin on, bone in or boneless (if using frozen, thaw it) (Note 1)
• 1 head of garlic, cut in half horizontally
• 1 onion (brown, yellow or white), unpeeled, cut in half
• 5 sprigs of thyme (or 2 tsp dried thyme leaves)

Rub

• 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 grinds of black pepper
• 1 1/2 - 2 tbsp olive oil

Gravy

• Chicken stock/broth (or water), for topping up liquid (see Gravy step 1)
• 4 tbsp / 50g butter
• 1/4 cup / 35g flour
• Salt and pepper

Instructions

• Place Rub ingredients in a bowl and mix to combine, it should be a wet paste.
• Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels. Slather with the Rub, using most for the side and top.
• Place the garlic, onion and thyme face down in the slow cooker. Place the turkey breast on top so it is elevated.
• Slow Cook on LOW for 6 hours (do not use high) or until internal temperature reads 165F/75C when thermometer is inserted into the middle. Check internal temperature at 5 hours if you can. (To roast, follow this recipe). 
• Remove turkey from the slow cooker (do not leave in slow cooker on Warm setting) and let it rest for 20 minutes before crisping the skin.

Crisp the Skin

• Preheat gril/broiler to high.
• Place an oven shelf 30cm / 1 foot from the heat source.
• Remove turkey breast from the slow cooker into a heatproof serving dish.
• Place on the oven shelf and broil for 3 to 5 minutes until the skin is crispy. Keep an eye on it - it browns very quickly!
• Serve immediately with gravy on the side.

Gravy

• Strain the liquid into a measuring jug, squishing the garlic etc to extract all the flavour. If you are short of 2 cups, top up with chicken broth (I usually get 2 cups of liquid from a 4 lb / 2 kg turkey breast).
• Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and mix to combine. Pour about 1/2 cup of liquid into the flour mixture and mix until it forms a paste. Slowly add remaining liquid, stirring as your go. Use a whisk if required to make the gravy smooth. Simmer until thickened - take it off before it is as thick as you want because it will continue to thicken.
• Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with turkey.

Notes

1. Turkey breast can come in all sorts of sizes and cuts. A single boneless breast can be as small as 1 kg / 2 lb. A double bone in breast (also known as turkey "buffe" or "crown") can be as large as 6 kg / 12 lb. In Australia, turkey breast can also come with the leg still attached, which is what I have used in the past so you may see some photos floating around on my site with a drumstick attached to the breast. :) This can be made with any cut of turkey breast - but it needs to have skin if you want the nice colour you see in the photos. BRINED TURKEY: If you buy a frozen turkey breast from the supermarket that comes in a box, check to see if the the breast is already brined (i.e. marinated in salty water to make it more moist once cooked). Check the label / ask the butcher - if the ingredients include salt, your turkey is brined. Here in Australia, generally anything that is sold in boxes / vac packed in the frozen section of supermarkets (e.g. Steggles), it is brined. If it has been brined, no problems, just cut the salt in half. But if it's been preseason with another sort of rub, I'd suggest either scraping the rub off before adding my rub. 2. Making ahead: Because turkey is so lean, it is far better made as close as possible to serving time. But if you need to make ahead, slow cook the turkey but do not brown the skin. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature. Cover with cling wrap and microwave for 3 minutes on LOW (if high, you run the risk of drying out the edges of the turkey), then grill/broil per instructions to brown and crisp the skin. The gravy can also be made ahead then reheated in a saucepan or in the microwave. 3. COOK TIMES: Ready when the internal temp is 165F/75C. Slow cookers are very forgiving so don't stress too much about cooking time, an hour or 2 over and it will still be moist. The worst that might happen is that the meat falls apart a bit when you lift it out of the slow cooker, but still juicy! DO NOT try to save time by using HIGH!  Bone in skin on turkey breast (I used this), start checking internal temp at the short cook time provided:1 kg / 2 lb: 4 - 5 hours on low2 - 3 kg / 4 - 6 lb: 5 - 6 hours on low4  kg / 8 lb: 6 - 7 hours on low (see 8 June '17 report from reader Tony)5 kg / 10 lb: 8 - 9 hours on low 4. No water is required for this, the turkey steams in its own juices. It won't dry out or burn but it is important to elevate the breast off the bottom with the onion and garlic! 5. My SLOW COOKER: Some people have questioned the slow cooker I am using, saying it looks like a press cooker. I am using a slow cooker called a "Breville Slow Fast Cooker" which is a slow cooker AND pressure cooker in one. This recipe is cooked using the slow cooker function. This recipe is not suited to a pressure cooker.  

Instant Pot Potato Cheese Soup

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/cheesy-potato-soup-instant-pot/
Mi thought this was really good and pretty easy. I skipped the bacon.

Instant Pot Ziti

this was a good easy one from Mel’s. I sautéd ground beef in the first step. 

Easy Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup

 I used a few different recipes and my own instructions to create this.
 Ingredients
 1 tablespoon olive oil
 1 onion diced
 3 carrots peeled and diced
 4 stocks of celery diced
 1 teaspoon of thyme dried  or three sprigs fresh thyme
( optional other pinches of spices of garlic, lemon, rosemary and bay leaves or can leave it out altogether)
 1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast( about two or three breasts)
1 teaspoon of salt
 1 teaspoon of pepper
 6 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
 12 ounces farfalle pasta
1 cup frozen corn kernels

 Directions
 Put the Instant pot on sauté setting. Add olive oil, onion, carrots,  and celery, and thyme.  Cook stirring occasionally, for 2 to 3 minutes.
 Cook pasta on stove.
Season the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
 Add chicken, chicken broth, and water To instant pot.
Set instant pot on high for 10 minutes  then quick release.
Remove chicken and shred using blendtec.
 Add frozen corn to instant pot. Select high sauté setting on instant pot. Bring to a boil then turn off.
Stir in pasta, chicken, and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

This is the second recipe I tried of mac and cheese.  I loved it much better than the first. It was easy too. I used evaporated milk at the end even though she recommended not. https://thesaltymarshmallow.com/instant-pot-mac-and-cheese/

Ingredients

• 16 Ounces Uncooked Elbow Macaroni
• 4 Cups Chicken Broth
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 1 Teaspoon Hot Pepper Sauce
• 1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
• 1/2 Teaspoon Pepper
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 1/2 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese
• 1/2 -1 Cup Milk

Instructions

1. Add the uncooked macaroni, chicken broth, butter, hot sauce, garlic powder, pepper, and salt to the Instant Pot. 
2. Place the lid on the pot and set to sealing.  Cook on manual function, high pressure for 5 minutes.  Then, do a quick release.
3. Stir in the cheeses and milk until smooth.  Season as necessary to taste.

Recipe Notes

NOTE:  The cheeses listed in the recipe have produced the best flavor that I have found.  Feel free to use your family's favorite cheese combination.

NOTE:  For the milk, start with 1/2 cup and add up to one cup if you find it needs to be thinned out a little bit more.

Quinoa in the Pressure Cooker

Rinse Quinoa to get rid of extra bitternes. Put in cooker 1 c of quinoa and 1 1/2 c of broth.  Cook 1 minute.  Quick release after 10 min.  Fluff with a fork.  Makes about 3 c. cooked.

Salmon and Veggies in Instant Pot

http://www.wholesomelicious.com/instant-pot-lemon-pepper-salmon/

Instant Pot Lemon Pepper Salmon

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes

Total Time 15 minutes

Servings 3 -4

Author Amy

Ingredients

• ¾ cup water
• A few sprigs of parsley dill, tarragon, basil or a combo
• 1 pound salmon filet skin on
• 3 teaspoons ghee or other healthy fat divided
• ¼ teaspoon salt or to taste
• ½ teaspoon pepper or to taste
• 1/2 lemon thinly sliced
• 1 zucchini julienned
• 1 red bell pepper julienned
• 1 carrot julienned

This salmon recipe turned out done and moist. It saved me the headache of not knowing how long to cook. I also loved that it made veggies for me at the end.  I also made dill lemon rice in the rice cooker so the second night with leftovers we made a rice bowl out of the salmon, rice, and veggies.  The kids thought it was a whole new meal and liked it much better. :) 

Instructions

1. Put water and herbs in the Instant Pot and then put in the steamer rack making sure the handles are extended up.
2. Place salmon, skin down on rack.
3. Drizzle salmon with ghee/fat, season with salt and pepper, and cover with lemon slices.
4. Close the Instant Pot and make sure vent is turned to “Sealing”. Plug it in, press “Steam” and press the + or – buttons to set it to 3 minutes.
5. While salmon cooks, julienne your veggies.
6. When the Instant Pot beeps that it’s done, quick release the pressure, being careful to stay out of the way of the steam that will shoot up. Press the “Warm/Cancel” button. Remove lid, and using hot pads, carefully remove rack with salmon and set on a plate.
7. Remove herbs and discard. Add veggies and put the lid back on. Press “Sauté” and let the veggies cook for just 1 or 2 minutes.
8. Serve veggies with salmon and add remaining teaspoon of fat to the pot and pour a little of the sauce over them if desired.

Recipe Notes

The cooking time will vary, depending on the thickness of your salmon. 3 minutes is perfect for a filet that’s about 1 inch at its thickest part. Ask your seafood person for a center cut piece, or heat end. The tail end is much thinner.
If you don’t want to julienne the veggies, you cut them up bite sized and cook them longer, or steam them in a separate pot while the salmon cookshttp://www.wholesomelicious.com/instant-pot-lemon-pepper-salmon/

Pressure cooker spaghetti

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/instant-pot-spaghetti/
This was good and easy. It seems like i didn’t have enough Marinara sauce so I also added a can of diced tomatoes. It turned out a little runny so I just put it on sauté for a few minutes and start and it was great.

Instant Pot Veggie Curry Rice

https://www.melskitchencafe.com/instant-pot-indian-vegetable-rice/
This was good, healthy, and easy. The rice tatted a bit crispy so it was either not done or I don't like the frying step. Next time I will probably try not frying it and see.

Instant Pot Garlic Ginger Drumsticks

http://livingsweetmoments.com/instant-pot-ginger-garlic-drumsticks/
This recipe was such a good and easy one. I took it to someone for dinner and I was proud. ☺️

Ingredients

• 6-8 chicken drumsticks skin on
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 garlic clove minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh ginger minced
• 1/2 onion chopped

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the sauce ingredients: water, soy, honey, brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, garlic, ginger, and onion until combined
2. Pour sauce in the instant pot
3. Add chicken drumsticks and push them down so they are submerged in the sauce (they don't have to be completely covered in the sauce)
4. Cook on high pressure for 10 minutes (MANUAL 10 MINUTES)
5. Let the drumsticks cool for 5 minutes before releasing the steam (Natural Pressure Release 5 min NPR)
6. Release the steam and hit the saute button so the sauce boils and starts reducing 
7. Remove the drumsticks and place them on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper
8. Broil the chicken drumsticks for 2 minutes on each side (or more if you'd like). Meanwhile, leave the sauce on the instant pot so it keeps reducing 
9. Remove from the oven and place the chicken drumsticks on a platter. Pour sauce over and serve.

How to Cook Frozen Chicken Breasts in the Pressure Cooker

I can't really remember now of course how I did it but this is what I think I did last time?

put in 4 frozen chicken breasts, 1 cup water, (I think I added a tsp chicken boullion too), and cook for 10 min then quick release.

Harvest Pasta Sauce

This was a great healthy pasta recipe. I added a little extra salt at the end and it made it tons better. I did mine in the pressure cooker and made her recipe for divine breadsticks as the side.  I used two cans diced tomotoes instead of crushed and whole milk instead of half and half.
http://www.melskitchencafe.com/harvest-pasta-sauce-trader-joes-copycat/

Harvest Pasta Sauce {Trader Joe’s Copycat}

Yield: Serves 6-8

Make sure the butternut squash is cut into small enough pieces so it doesn't take an extra long time to cook through - I go for about 1/2-inch pieces. The cooking times given for each method are not only to cook the squash but mostly to allow the flavors time to blend.

I've only ever made this in the pressure cooker (in the Instant Pot), but I have included slow cooker and stovetop methods since the simple recipe is easy to modify. Keep an eye on the sauce to make sure that it doesn't reduce too much using the stovetop (adding liquid as needed).

The leftovers of this sauce freeze great!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup chopped carrots (about 4 medium)
• 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 15-ounce can cooked pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
• 2 to 3 cups diced butternut squash (about 12 ounces)
• 1/2 cup chicken broth or stock
• 1 tablespoon granulated or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dried parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning (I used a Tuscan blend from Penzey's)
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Pinch cayenne pepper
• 1/2 cup half and half or cream (or try milk)
• Hot, cooked pasta for serving
• Parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Pressure cooker: Heat the butter using the saute function (in the InstantPot) or by heating the pressure cooker over medium heat on the stove (for stovetop pressure cookers). Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
2. Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Close the pressure cooker and bring to high pressure. Cook for 20 minutes. Let the pressure cooker naturally release for 10 minutes, then release the rest of the pressure.
3. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
4. For the slow cooker: Combine all the ingredients, except the half and half or cream, in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4-6 hours until the squash is tender and flavors have combined well. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.
5. For the stovetop: Heat the butter in a 4- or 5-quart pot (or similar size) over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and carrots, and saute for 2-3 minutes, until onions are translucent.
6. Add the tomatoes, pumpkin, squash, chicken broth, sugar, salt, parsley, pepper, Italian seasoning, and cayenne. Stir to combine. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer and cook, covered, for 50-60 minutes until the squash is tender, stirring every once in a while to make sure the sauce doesn't stick (reduce the heat as needed). If it looks like it's reducing while cooking, add another 1/2 cup of broth or so.
7. Use an immersion blender (or transfer the mixture in batches to a blender - taking care as hot liquids expand while blending) to blend until smooth. Stir in the half and half or cream. Thin with additional broth or cream/milk, if needed. Serve over hot, cooked pasta and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Chili Lime Chicken Tacos with Avocado Cream Sauce

I tried this recipe from Mels tonight for the first time and really liked it.  I used my instant pot pressure cooker instead of marinading which made it so much easier.  My chicken wasn't quite thawed so I cooked it with the marinade sauce for 10.  I should have done 9 for a little less dry chicken I think. It was still good and I have tons of leftovers.  I love when I find good, easy, pressure cooker recipes. I didn't marinade it. I just threw it in the pressure cooker. I didn't bother with the salsa and didn't miss it. I love finding healthy recipes like this. Score!! 

Chili Lime Tacos with Mango Salsa {Grilled or Pressure Cooker}

Yield: Serves 6-8

This recipe is so dreamy because all of the components can be prepped ahead of time. The chicken can sit in the marinade for up to 8 hours (conversely, I've also been pressed for time/lazy before and forgot to marinade and thrown all the chicken/marinade ingredients in the pressure cooker without marinading beforehand). The mango salsa can be prepped a day or so in advance and refrigerated, and the avocado cream can be made a couple hours ahead of time, too (even a couple days ahead of time if you don't mind the color darkening a bit).

UPDATE: I forgot to mention in the recipe instructions below that if using the pressure cooker (stovetop or electric), you'll need to add a bit of extra liquid. Some people will tell you this isn't necessary but for safety reasons, a pressure cooker needs a certain amount of liquid to operate safely. I've updated the directions below.

Ingredients

Chili Lime Chicken:
• 2-3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts(Beth used 3)
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice (from about 2-3 limes) (beth used bottled)
Mango Salsa:
• 1-2 mangoes, peeled, pitted and diced (for about 1-2 cups chopped mango)(Beth only had one)
• 1/2 cup small diced red pepper
• 1/2 cup finely chopped red onion(beth only had a white onion)
• 1 jalapeno, seeds and membraned removed, finely diced
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
• Pinch of salt and pepper
Avocado Cream Sauce:
• 2 avocados (pitted and flesh scooped out)(Beth didn't have any avocados so she pulled out some frozen guacomole she had) 
• 1/2 cup sour cream (Beth used greek yogurt)
• 2 tablespoon fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Handful of fresh cilantro leaves (about 1/4 to 1/2 cup)
• Milk for consistency
Extras:
• Tortillas for serving OR turn it into a main dish salad with romaine in place of the tortillas

Directions

1. For the chicken, place the chicken in a ziploc bag or in a dish. Combine all the marinade ingredients (chili powder, cumin, paprika, oregano, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne and lime juice) and pour over the chicken. Refrigerate for a couple of hours (up to 8 hours). Grill the chicken until cooked through (about 6-7 minutes per side on a grill preheated to medium-high heat). Alternately, the chicken can be pressure cooked at high pressure for 8 minutes; on an InstantPot, add the chicken and marinade ingredients PLUS 1/2 CUP LOW-SODIUM CHICKEN BROTH OR WATER, secure the lid and press manual --> 7 minutes (let the pressure cooker naturally release pressure when finished cooking). Let the chicken rest for 5 or so minutes before slicing into strips or shredding.
2. For the mango salsa, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl and give it a good stir. Refrigerate until ready to serve; can be made a day or so in advance if you have the willpower not to eat it all before you serve it with the tacos.
3. For the avocado cream, combine all the ingredients except the milk in a blender and process until smooth. Add milk, a tablespoon at at time, until the sauce is at the right consistency for drizzling (not too thin!).
4. To serve, top each tortilla with chicken, mango salsa, and avocado cream. You can also transition this very easily into a main dish salad by swapping out the tortillas for romaine lettuce.

Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe (chili lime chicken from a recipe my sister has made for years – I just converted it to grilling/InstantPot, mango salsa just like I make it day after day during the summer, creamy avocado lime sauce similar to the version I instagrammed months ago – we eat it on everything) http://www.melskitchencafe.com/chili-lime-tacos-with-mango-salsa-grilled-or-pressure-cooker/