Long Grain Brown Basmati Rice in pressure cooker

In my pressure cooker, it didn't have directions for Brown Basmati Rice, so I followed the brown rice instructions. It suggested 2 cups rice and 6.5 cups liquid. 10 minutes on High pressure with 10 minutes natural pressure release and then quick pressure release. The rice was done, but there was still quite a bit of moisture...maybe I will decrease the liquid by half a cup next time. Also, I would add 2 tsp. chicken stock flavoring if using water, or use broth.

Grilled Salmon

I placed salmon filet (cut in two portions with scissors) on aluminum foil-lined cookie sheet. Mixed the below ingredients and poured it over salmon 1 hour before cooking and grilled instead of baked.

1/2 cup Olive Oil
2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp salt
3/4 tsp black pepper
2 TBSP Lemon Juice+
2 tsp chopped parsley (opt)

about 2 lbs of salmon filet

this recipe was for baking in oven and adapted from here

I liked the simple tips below from this website. and I'll highlight in red below from this other website what helped make our dinner close to perfection tonight!



Fresh salmon has a high fat content which helps it cook up nicely on the grill (since it won’t dry out easily) and it couldn’t be simpler to do! Here are step-by-step directions along with a few tips and recipes to get you started.

Cedar Planks Add A Smoky Flavor

To prep: Rinse salmon with cold water and pat dry with paper towel. Season with your favorite rub or keep it simple with salt, pepper and lemon juice. Another easy recipe is to brush the steaks with olive oil on both sides and sprinkle paprika lightly on both sides. For more ideas, see the list at the bottom of this page.
How to tell when it’s cooked: Use a knife to pierce the fish at the thickest part and check the flesh, it should be barely opaque and slightly pink in the center. If you press with a fork, the flesh should begin to flake easily. Internal temperature reading from the thickest part should be at least 145°F (though this is debatable, I’ve seen references as low as 120°F and as high as 165°F, it depends on how well done you want it to be…I prefer it heated to 135°F. The USDA recommends an internal temperature of at least 145°F for fish.). (katie kept this picture( below) in her mind and compared it to the first picture (above)to gauge when it was done. And Judd reminded me that it will cook just a bit more after I remove it)

Directions

*Cooking times are for 1″ thick steaks, adjust time as needed if using a different thickness (rule of thumb is about 10 minutes per inch).

• Spray racks with non-stick cooking spray or brush with olive or vegetable oil. Preheat on high heat for about 10 minutes (cover closed). (katie just poured marinade over the filets on cookie sheets and then transferred them skin-side-up onto the grill-diagonal to the bars for grill marks)
• Reduce heat to medium-high, place fish directly on the rack, close cover and cook for about 4 minutes until nicely charred then turn and cook another 5 to 6 minutes or until done.

That’s it, easy peasy!

Tips

• For added flavor, try brushing fish with a favorite marinade, thinned orange or lemon marmalade or barbecue sauce before flipping.
• Smoky Cedar Plank Cooking: Soak plank in water for at least 60 minutes (as long as overnight), pat dry then place directly on rack and preheat for about 3 minutes. Turn over, place the fish on it and cook for about 20 minutes with the cover closed. This will provide a tasty, smoky flavor. Use untreated cedar planks that are made for cooking and do not leave unattended (the plank can start on fire if it hasn’t been soaked enough), keep a spray bottle filled with water nearby.
• If cooking with the skin on, start cooking the fillets with the flesh side down (5 minutes) then flip and cook for another 5 minutes (with lid closed) or until done.

One Pan Salmon and Zucchini

Tried this last night and it was quick and yummy!  We did half cod and half salmon and both were great.  We ate it like a rice bowl mixed with pieces of fish, zucchini, and rice. Even my kids ate it. I used fresh thyme and rosemary.  I will definitely make again. http://damndelicious.net/2015/06/19/one-pan-lemon-herb-salmon-and-zucchini/

 

One Pan Lemon Herb Salmon and Zucchini

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes

Total Time 35 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Quick, easy, and all made on a single pan. And the salmon is packed with so much flavor. It doesn't get any easier!

Ingredients

• 4 zucchini, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the salmon
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 (5-ounce) salmon fillets
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a small bowl, whisk together brown sugar, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, dill, oregano, thyme and rosemary; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.
• Place zucchini in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add salmon in a single layer and brush each salmon filet with herb mixture.
• Place into oven and cook until the fish flakes easily with a fork, about 16-18 minutes.*
• Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired.

Notes

*Cooking time will vary depending on the size and thickness of the salmon filets.

chow or lo mein stir fry thingy

http://damndelicious.net/2014/11/28/beef-noodle-stir-fry/

This was a good sauce that could be used on any oriental dish. I had a couple of bags of vegetables i wanted to use up and some leftover pork. It's so versatile!

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/

Pressure Cooker BBQ Chicken Drumsticks

https://www.foodlion.com/recipes/pressure-cooker-bbq-chicken-drumsticks/

I made these a while back and remember them being pretty easy and decent.  I am not a big fan of drumsticks though just for the record.

PREP:

15 minutes

COOK:

10 minutes

SERVES:

4

A fast flavorful supper.

INGREDIENTS

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 onion, finely choppedd
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1/2 cup water
3 pounds chicken drumsticks
Salt and pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat the vegetable oil in the pressure cooker over medium high heat until shimmering. Season chicken with salt and pepper then working in batches sear the chicken drumstick until brown. Remove from pan them add the onion and garlic, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan.
2. Add water and BBQ sauce to the pan, then place drumstick in pan along with any juices that have collected. Place the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on high for 9 minutes. Allow pressure to reduce then carefully remove lid. Serve chicken with sauce for drizzling.

Matt's famous Tuna Fish

Matt's famous Tuna Fish:

Salt
Pepper
Mustard
Mayo
Garlic powder
Pickles
Pickle juice
*has to be albacore tuna (we used Costco)