Pressure Cooker Risotto

Ingredients

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

2 Tbsp. Butter

1 C. Finely chopped onion

2 Cloves Garlic, minced (I use the jarred garlic)

4 C. Arborio Rice

Juice of 1 Lemon (~1/4 c.) & enough Water to make 1 c. of liquid total

1 tsp. Kosher Salt (less if you're using table salt)

8 C. Chicken Broth

1/2 - 2 c. Water (may be needed for after cooking, but usually I don't have to use this)

Romano Cheese

Cooking Instructions

1. Heat Oil & Butter

2. Saute Onion (2-3 min) until translucent

3. Add the Rice and Saute for another 3-5 minutes - until opaque (I usually saute for 5 full minutes with that amount of rice)

4. Add salt and lemon juice/water mixture.

5. Stir & cook until liquid is absorbed

6. Add 8 c. chicken broth & stir

7. Set Pressure Cooker on High Pressure for 6 minutes.

8. Quick Release method

9. Set Pressure Cooker to Simmer

10. Stir rice and simmer until liquid is absorbed

11. If you want to add more liquid do it now and start with 1/2c. and simmer til absorbed. Keep adding liquid until you get the consistency you desire. (I typically do not have to do this step.)

11. Serve with Romano Cheese

We set out mix-ins. Ours are lemon wedges, cooked cubed chicken, sugar plum tomato halves and romano cheese. Broccoli, asparagus, carrots and peas would all be great mix-ins as well.

Serves 8 as small main course.

Baked Ziti

From Tobreth Hansen

Takes about 40 minutes start to finish and only one pot!!

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes (I use 1/2 teaspoon but the recipe officially calls for less)

6 cloves garlic, pressed or sliced (your preference I have done both but used pressed today)

2 14.5-oz cans stewed tomatoes, pureed in a blender (I have used plain and Italian seasoned and both work okay)

3 cups water

12 oz. tube noodles - I use penne rigate because I like it best

1/2 cup cream

1 oz parmesan (about 1/2 cup if you do not have a scale)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

4 ounces of shredded mozzarella (about 1 cup if you do not have a scale)

Preheat oven to 475.

Heat oil in deep frying pan. When shimmering add garlic. Saute about 30 seconds then add the red chili flakes and saute a few more seconds. Add pureed tomatoes to the pan and reduce to a simmer. Heat for 10-12 minutes. Next, add noodles and 3 cups of water to the pan - set a timer for how long the noodles need. Cover. Turn heat to high until full boil and then turn down to a simmer for remaining time the noodles need. My noodles need about 11 minutes. Remove from heat. Add cream and parmesan and fresh basil. Stir to combine. Top with cheese and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden. I have found Raley's brand cheese burns quickly so needs less time. Costco brand cheese takes about 12 minutes.

Now the cheaty note - if you do not have fresh basil on hand (it is better with fresh but what I made today was not with fresh basil) add a couple teaspoons to the tomatoes when they go in (I never measure this part). Then omit the basil at the very end.

Weight Watchers - 61 points for whole pan. Eat 1/8 for 8 points.

Pizza Dough

a single batch serves 2

I've played around with different sizes and thicknesses for the pizza, and here's what I've learned.

Thick Crust
Single batch = one 9-in. round
Double batch = one 9 x 13 or two 9-in. rounds
Triple batch = one jelly roll pan or 12 x 16 cookie sheet with sides or three 9-in. rounds

Thin Crust
Single batch = two 9-in. rounds
Double batch = two 9 x 13 or four 9-in. rounds
Triple batch = two 12 x16 cookie sheets with sides

Note- If you have a pie or cake pan that is 7-in or 8-in round that's just fine too - the crust will just be a little thicker.
(By the way, you should use metal pans, I don't think glass will cook it right.)

Recipe

1/2 tsp. rapid-rise yeast
1/3 c. + 2 Tbsp. warm milk
1 tsp. sugar

*In a measuring cup warm the milk in the microwave, then add the yeast & sugar. Stir. Proof the yeast for 10 - 15 minutes

1 c. all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt

*Mix together and then knead for 3 to 4 minutes - until smooth

Add 2 tsp. olive oil

*Knead for 5 minutes more - until oil is incorporated into the dough

*Brush your pan with 1 tsp. oil

*Roll dough out to a size that is slightly larger than the pan you are using, because it springs back.
*Lay your dough into the pan. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 - 1 1/2 hours. (We put ours in our car if the day has been warm/hot and can get it to rise in an hour or less.)

(Alternate method is to heat oven to 150 degrees, turn it off and then while you're making the dough let the oven cool a bit - hopefully it will be the right temperature to put the dough into for rising. Check to make sure it isn't too hot because you don't want to melt your plastic wrap. I can usually get my dough risen in 45 minutes that way. But you HAVE to remember to take your pizza out of the oven while you preheat for the baking.)

*Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
*Bake for 5 - 7 minutes.
*Top with your sauce and toppings.
*Return to oven for 7 - 10 minutes more - until cheese is melted.


Note - If you use regular yeast you'll have to raise the dough twice. (make a dough ball, let rise, then punch down and roll out) And that makes the pizza dough take twice as long to make.

Braised Short Ribs:

Ingredients:
4 pounds beef short ribs (or the canned beef in gravy from Costco - 2)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
5 Roma tomatoes, cut into eighths (or one can of tomatoes with the juice)
1 cup red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon (or cooking red wine)
3 tablespoons Dijon mustard (or just ground mustard)
2 cups low-sodium beef broth (if you use the canned beef in the gravy, no need for the beef broth)
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Directions:
Place an oven rack in the lower 1/3 of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Season the ribs with salt and pepper. In a large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven or ovenproof stock pot, heat the oil over medium-high heat. In batches, add the ribs and brown on all sides, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the ribs and set aside. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, wine and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil and scrape up the brown bits that cling to the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Return the ribs to the pan. Add the beef broth, cover the pan and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours until the meat is fork-tender and falls easily from the bone.

Remove the ribs from the cooking liquid. Using a large spoon, remove any excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Using a ladle, transfer the cooking liquid in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the mixture is smooth. Pour the sauce into a saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Remove the meat from the bones. Discard the bones. Using 2 forks, shred the meat into small pieces. Stir the shredded meat into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

*I have used short ribs before, but for times sake, I use the canned beef in gravy from Costco.
*I used canned tomatoes instead of fresh
*I use cooking red wine
*If you use the canned beef, you don’t need to actually braise it and no need to take out the beef, I just add everything together and then cook for about an hour, just so the beef can soak up the liquid.

Email me for questions: britneyericksen@gmail.com
 

Italian Polenta

Ingredients:
2 Tab olive oil
3/4 Cup red onion (most times I use a white onion)
2 cloves garlic
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup polenta
3 Tab butter
1 1/2 tea salt (I use the coarse salt)
1/4 tea pepper
2 oz. parmesan cheese
Parsley

Directions:
*Pre-heat oven to 350
*On high heat, place a big skillet on the stove, add olive oil
*Add onions and salt
*Reduce heat and add garlic – sauté
*Turn heat back on high – add broth until boiling
*Gradually ad the polenta and stir

*Place into oven with a lid on
*Every 10 minutes, stir polenta
*Keep stirring every 10 minutes for 40 minutes
*After 40 minutes, take out and add butter, pepper, parmesan cheese and parsley

Side notes:
*Most of the ingredients I add to taste. For instance, I add more garlic and butter and cheese...
*Also, after the polenta has cooked for 40 minutes, it may still be runny. Let sit for a while before serving and it should set up to a more dense consistency.