All posts by Teresa

Perfect Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients

  • 2 slices of your favorite sandwich bread
  • 2 tablespoons butter, room temperature
  • 2 – 3 ounces of your favorite medium cheddar cheese

Instructions

  1. Generously slather one side of each piece of bread with your room-temperature butter. The buttered sides will be on the outside of the sandwich, so if your bread is a crazy shape like mine was and you want the pieces of bread to match up when the sandwich is closed, plan accordingly.
  2. Turn the bread over, unbuttered side up. To one piece of the bread, add a single layer of cheddar sliced 1/8-inch to 1/4-inch thick. Cover every last little bit of the bread, overlapping here and there if necessary.
  3. Top the sandwich with the second piece of bread, buttered side up.
  4. If you’re using an electric griddle, set the temperature to about 275 degrees. Or use a roomy saute pan over medium-low heat. Place the sandwich on the preheated cooking surface and let it cook for about 5 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure it’s not burning (it probably won’t at such low heat, but cooking surfaces vary from kitchen to kitchen). It’s tempting, but don’t press down on the sandwich! Unless you like your grilled cheese extra flat, in that case, go for it.
  5. After the first five minutes, carefully flip the sandwich with a spatula and cook the other side for 5 minutes.
  6. Flip and cook each side for a couple more minutes each. The bread should start to get golden brown and the cheese nice and melty.
  7. After about 15 minutes of cooking over medium-low heat, increase the heat to medium and, turning every so often, watch the sandwich carefully until the bread is perfectly toasted a golden brown.
  8. Remove the sandwich from the heat, carefully cut in half if you would like, and enjoy your perfect grilled cheese sandwich.

Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 2 cups butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
  • 2 cups chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  2. Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
  4. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield

24 muffins (2 12-muffin tins)

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, melted
  • 2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 6)
  • 3 large eggs
  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup mini chocolate chips (6 ounces)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°
  2. Spray muffin pan with Pam (this recipe fills 2 – 12 muffin tins)
  3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, melted butter, bananas and eggs; mix thoroughly.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until the batter is evenly moistened. Stir in the chocolate chips.
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for about 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out with a few moist crumbs attached. Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a rack to cool completely.

Instant Pot Sweet Tea

Ingredients

  • 2 Family-sized tea bags
  • 12 cups water
  • 1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)

Instructions

  1. Pour 12 cups of water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot
  2. Place tea bags in the pot so that the tea bags are submerged but the strings hang over the edge of the pot. Secure the lid, holding the bags in place. Close the vent.
  3. Set the pot to Manual, High Pressure, 4 minutes
  4. Once cycle is complete and pot beeps, let the pot naturally release pressure for 15 minutes. Once 15 minutes has passed, release pressure manually if needed.
  5. Open the pot and remove the tea bags. I use tongs or the ladle that comes with the pot for this.
  6. Whisk in the sugar.
  7. Serve over ice, of course 🙂 Store in the fridge.

Instant Pot Yogurt

Ingredients

  • 1 gallon of milk. I use lowfat, but can use any kind.
  • 1-2 Tbsp yogurt starter
    • This can be yogurt saved and frozen from a previous batch or I’ve used Yoplait Oui Vanilla yogurt as well, which tasted great
  • 1/2 Cup Sugar
  • You will need a thermometer for this recipe

Instructions

  1. Pour milk into inner pot of the Instant Pot. Seal lid on and close vent.
  2. Hit “Yogurt” button a couple of times until “Boil” shows on the display. Wait a few seconds and the Instant Pot should beep indicating it has turned on. It takes about 30-60 minutes for the milk to come to a boil. At this point, the pot will beep and the milk should be at about 170-180°.
  3. Using mitts, place inner pot on stovetop (or granite countertop). Cool the milk to 105-115°. Whisk in starter yogurt and sugar.
  4. Place inner pot back into Instant Pot. Seal lid, close vent and hit Yogurt button until 12:00 appears on the display. After a few seconds, the pot will beep indicating it is on, and the display will count UP from 0:00 to 8 hours.
  5. At the 12 hour mark, the pot will beep indicating the cycle is done.
  6. Strain and cool your yogurt! Pour the yogurt into a Greek yogurt strainer (or can use cheesecloth over a bowl). Place in fridge for 24 hours.
  7. Once complete, I separate the yogurt into individual-size containers, and place 2 Tbsp in a container in the freezer as my starter yogurt for next time. The whey can be saved for protein in smoothies, if desired. Otherwise, can dispose of it.

Notes

  • Yogurt is good for about 2 weeks in the fridge.

Easy Overnight Vanilla Oats with Fruit

Ingredients

  • 1 cup old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup greek yogurt (vanilla)
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 Tbsp chia seeds
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a large mason jar or other container with a secure lid, combine the oats, yogurt, milk, chia seeds, and vanilla. Mix well.
  2. Cover with an airtight lid and store in refrigerator for at least 4 hours, or overnight.
  3. Add toppings directly to the jar or divide into bowls first.

Notes

Topping suggestions:

  • Bananas, berries, pomegranate, etc.
  • Slivered almonds, cashews, pistachios
  • Grain or seed blends
  • Dried cranberries, dried apricots, raisins

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup no-salt ketchup
  • 1/2 tsp dried oregano
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tbsp olive oil
  • 4 to 6 bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
  • salt and fresh-ground pepper, to taste

Instructions

  1. In a small mixing bowl, combine honey, garlic, soy sauce, ketchup, oregano, and parsley. Mix well until combined and set aside.
  2. Heat the Instant Pot in saute mode.
  3. Add olive oil to the pot.
  4. Season chicken thighs with salt and pepper. Arrange in the Instant Pot and cook for 2-3 minutes per side.
  5. Add the prepared honey garlic sauce to the pot. Cover and lock the lid.
  6. Cook in Poultry Mode for 20 minutes.
  7. Turn off the Instant Pot and allow it to release the pressure, about 5 minutes.
  8. Transfer chicken to a serving plate and spoon the sauce over the chicken.

Slow Cooker Chicken Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients

  • 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 (28 oz) cans crushed tomatoes
  • 1 onion, diced
  • 1 Tbsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried oregano
  • 1 tsp dried parsley
  • 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
  • 1 pound penne
  • 1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
  • 2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley leaves

Instructions

  1. Season chicken with salt and pepper, to taste. Place chicken into 6-quart slow cooker.
  2. In a large bowl, combine crushed tomatoes, onion, basil, oregano, parsley, and red pepper flakes. Stir into the slow cooker and gently toss to combine. Cover and cook in low heat for 4 hours.
  3. Remove chicken from slow cooker and shred, using two forks.
  4. In a large pot of boiling, salted water, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
  5. Stir pasta and chicken into the slow cooker; top with cheeses. Cover and cook on low heat for 10-20 minutes or until cheeses have melted.
  6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley if desired.

Chop Suey

Ingredients

  • 1 stick butter
  • Bunch of celery, chopped
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1-1/2 lbs stew meat or round steak cut into small pieces
  • 2 large cans chop suey vegetables
  • 2 small cans bean sprouts
  • 2 cans bamboo shoots
  • 2 cans sliced water chestnuts
  • 1/3 bottle soy sauce
  • 2-3 cans of chicken broth (2 if using crockpot, otherwise 3 cans)

Instructions

  1. Melt butter in medium saucepan
  2. Saute celery and onion. When softened, put into large pot or crock pot.
  3. Lightly brown 1-1/2 lbs stew meat or round steak, then add to pot with celery and onion
  4. Add chop suey vegetables, bean sprouts, bamboo shoots, water chestnuts, soy sauce, and chicken broth.
  5. Cook for one hour in pot, or all day if using crock pot.

Notes

  • From Linda via email
  • Cook temp in crock pot isn’t listed.
  • If cutting down recipe, use one can of each vegetable, but keep meat, celery, and onion amounts the same.

SunButter Blossom Cookies

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 1/2 cup SunButter, creamy or crunchy
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 tsp baking soda*
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder*
  • Additional sugar for rolling
  • 36 plain Hershey’s Kisses, unwrapped

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375.
  2. In large bowl, cream butter and SunButter together until smooth.
  3. Add sugars and cream for 2-3 minutes.
  4. Add egg, beating until combined.
  5. Stir in flour, baking soda, and baking powder until dough forms.
  6. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in additional sugar.
  7. Place balls about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  8. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until edges are light golden brown. Immediately press 1 Kiss candy in the center of each cookie.
  9. Remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack

Notes

  • Sometimes, the natural chorophyll contained in sunflower seeds reacts with baking soda and baking powder in the recipe, cuasing a green color in the cookies after they cool. This is harmless. Depending on the recipe, you can reduce the baking soda/powder by about one-third or add a splash of lemon juice to help prevent any “greening”.