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30 Delicious Instant Pot Dessert Recipes to Try

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Did you know that the Instant Pot makes some amazing desserts? Have you been searching for these dessert recipes? I got you covered with this Ultimate List of Instant Pot Dessert Recipes from some amazing food bloggers.

Instant Pot Dessert Cheesecakes

Instant Pot Dessert Recipes collage cheesecake 1. oreo cheesecake, carrot cake cheesecake, banana cheesecake, regular cheesecake
Photo Credits: Recipes from a Pantry, My Forking Life, This Old Gal

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Instant Pot Dessert Recipes cheesecake collage 2, various cakes
Photo Credits: Spice Cravings, Beauty and the Foodie, Life Made Simple Bakes, More or Less Cooking

Instant Pot Dessert Pies and Cakes

Instant Pot Dessert Recipes pies and cake collage, various cakes
Photo Credit: Delicious Obessions, This Old Gal, Margin Making Mom, The Spicy Apron

Instant Pot Fruit Desserts

Instant Pot Dessert Recipes Fruit Desserts collage, various pies
Photo Credits: Aileen Cooks, Paint the Kitchen Red, My Crazy Good Life

Instant Pot Dessert Puddings

Instant Pot Dessert Pudding Recipes collage , various bread puddings
Photo Credits: My Forking Life, Two Sleevers, This Old Gal, Easy Cooking with Molly

Instant Pot Dessert Drinks, Flan, and Brownies

Instant Pot Dessert Drinks Recipes collage, various drinks and pie
Photo Credit: Recipes From a Pantry, Stay Snatched, One Happy Housewife

Pin Instant Pot Dessert Recipes for Later

Instant Pot Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze

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This Instant Pot Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze is perfect to make in your Instant Pot. The bread pudding stays moist and delicious and is topped with a sweet and nutty pecan caramel glaze.

caramel glaze being poured over instant pot bread pudding

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

Is bread pudding a breakfast or dessert, that is the question! Well I say both! This recipe came about because I really wanted to make dessert in my Instant Pot. I had already made this New York Cheesecake, my Carrot Cake Cheesecake, and now I wanted to try pecan pie in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. 

So one night, I went to experimenting….and after I made the batter for my pecan pie and put it in the Instant Pot, I fell asleep. First, let me say that I do not recommend falling asleep while doing any form of cooking.

Secondly, let me say that I am so glad that I was baking in my Instant Pot rather than any other device. I woke up and found that my Instant Pot had been natural releasing for 7 hours...but my home and my family were ok. I dumped that pie out and decided to try for another day.

A few days later, I noticed I still had a ton of pecans in the pantry but I now was craving bread pudding. So it dawned on me, combine both desserts and live my best life. So I did, it was amazing, and I am sharing the recipe.

How to Make Bread Pudding in an Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

This bread pudding has about 3 seperate layers, the bread pudding, a pecan pie glaze, and a caramel pecan glaze on top.

First, you whisk together milk, heavy cream, lightly beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and melted butter in a medium bowl. Set aside.

liquid ingredients mixed together in bowl for instant pot bread pudding

Then grab a larger bowl and break a loaf of challah bread into 2 inch pieces. If you can’t find Challah, Brioche or even Texas Toast would be a fine substitute.

Pour the milk mixture over the pieces of bread and softly toss, ensuring that all of the pieces of the bread are covered. Set aside and allow the bread to soak up all of the milk mixture for at least 1 hour. Some people soak bread pudding over night, an hour is good enough for this recipe.

challah bread soaked with milk mixture for instant pot bread pudding

When there is about 10 minutes left of soaking, whisk together dark corn syrup, lightly beaten eggs, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla extract in a bowl.  Toss in chopped pecans into this mixture.

pecan glaze mixture in a bowl

When ready, grab a 7 inch pan (I used the bottom of this Instant Pot Steamer Insert) and grease all sides with butter. Add a layer of soaked bread on the bottom, then add about ½ cup of the pecan glaze mixture, then more bread, and continue until the top layer is a layer of pecan glaze. Lightly cover pan with foil and place in Instant Pot.

instant pot bread pudding in pan before being baked

My steamer basket comes with an insert that makes it easy to place the pan into the Instant Pot and easy to take it out. If you don’t have a pan, you could always create a foil sling to place the pan in the pot. Or you could use this oxo bakeware sling.

instant pot bread pudding covered with foil inside instant pot

Cover and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, with a natural release of 15 minutes, and then manually release the remaining pressure.

Once done, open Instant Pot and remove bread pudding and foil. It should look like this.

instant pot bread pudding before caramel glaze

Meanwhile, create your top layer, pecan caramel glaze, by placing a heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk together butter, corn syrup, sugar, heavy cream, and a pinch of salt. Allow mixture to come to boil and reduce heat to medium. Allow mixture to cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test your glaze to see if it coats the back of a spoon. If it does, it’s done and you can remove from the heat. Stir in chopped pecans.

back of spoon after dipping in caramel glaze

Pour Glaze over bread pudding and Enjoy 🙂

Hope you enjoy this bread pudding as much as we do. Until next time 🙂

Looking for more Instant Pot Dessert Recipes? Try my  Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake or these Instant Pot Chocolate Cake Bites.

PIN/SAVE INSTANT POT BREAD PUDDING WITH PECAN GLAZE FOR LATER

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Print Recipe
4.89 from 17 votes

Instant Pot bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze

This Instant Pot Bread Pudding with Pecan Caramel Glaze is perfect to make in your Instant Pot. The bread pudding stays moist and delicious and is topped with a sweet and nutty pecan glaze. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Additional Time1 hour 25 minutes
Total Time2 hours 5 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: instant pot bread pudding
Servings: 8 people
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

Bread Pudding Base

  • 1 loaf challah bread cut into large 1 inch pieces
  • 1 ¼ cup milk
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • ¾ cup granulated sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pecan Glaze

  • ¾ cup dark corn syrup
  • 2 eggs lightly beaten
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

Caramel Pecan Glaze

  • 4 Tablespoon butter
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup dark corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • ⅓ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup chopped pecans

Instructions

Prepare bread pudding base

  • Place challah bread in a large bowl, set aside. Whisk milk, heavy cream, eggs, granulated sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract in a medium sized bowl. Pour milk mixture over challah bread and lightly toss to ensure bread pieces are fully covered. Set aside and allow to sit for 1 hour.

Prepare Pecan Glaze

  • Whisk together brown sugar, corn syrup, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and pecans. Set aside.
  • Grease a 7 inch bake pan (or springform pan) with butter. Add a layer of your bread pudding base, then a layer of pecan glaze, and so on until the bake pan is full, finishing with a layer of pecan glaze on top.
  • Pour 1 cup of water in bottom of Instant Pot. 
  • Place bread pudding in Instant Pot with bakeware sling or foil sling on top of trivet. Cover and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes. Allow pressure to natural release for 15 minutes, then manually release any remaining pressure.
  • Remove bread pudding from the Instant Pot and set aside.

Prepare caramel glaze

  • Place a heavy bottom saucepan over medium high heat. Whisk together butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, heavy cream, vanilla extract, and salt. Allow mixture to come to boil and reduce heat to medium and allow mixture to cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Test your glaze to see if it coats the back of a spoon. If it does, remove pan from the heat. Stir in chopped pecans.
  • Pour caramel glaze over finished bread pudding. 

Video

 

Notes

  • Your bread pudding is done when a knife that’s entered into the pudding comes out clean (or mostly clean). To be 100% sure, grab a Quick Read Thermometer and check to make sure the center is 160 degrees.
  • If you can’t find challah, brioche bread works fine. Brioche bread is a tad bit sweeter so you may need to adjust the sugar when substituting.
  • You can serve this recipe with or without the last caramel glaze. I love it with it and think the extra effort in the stove is totally worth it.

Suggested Tools for Instant Pot Bread Pudding

 

Roasted Cauliflower Dip

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This easy and delicious Roasted Cauliflower Dip is the perfect hot dip that is full of flavor. Grab your crackers, chips, or veggies and dip until your heart desires with this delicious appetizer. 

finished photo of roasted cauliflower dip

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 

FULL RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST. YOU CAN FIND IMPORTANT TIPS/TRICKS IN THE BLOG POST.

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Instant Pot Carrot Cake Cheesecake

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This Instant Pot Cake recipe combines moist Carrot Cake and Creamy Delicious Cheesecake all in one dish. Now you can have the best of both worlds with this cake recipe.

slice of instant pot cake on a plate

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 

FULL RECIPE AND INSTRUCTIONS ARE AVAILABLE IN THE RECIPE CARD AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POST. YOU CAN FIND IMPORTANT TIPS/TRICKS IN THE BLOG POST. 

Happy Birthday to Me! I usually celebrate my birthday by going out to The Cheesecake Factory and having a wonderful dinner followed by a delicious slice of cheesecake. If you’ve ever been to the Cheesecake Factory, then you know that they have tons of cheesecakes on their menu.

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Ninja Foodi Fish and Grits

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Create creamy grits and delicious crisp fish all in the Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker with Air Crisp. 

ninja foodi fish and grits on a plate

The Ninja Foodi cooking system is truly living up to all the hype. I've made a lot in my little cooking system but this recipe is a true refelction on how you can make a delicious one pot meal all in the Foodi. 

ninja foodi device

First, I made creamy grits all in the pressure cooker. No more constant stirring. 

Then, I finished it off by air frying the fish while my grits were still in the pot. 

I did all this while recording this handy dandy video. 

finished ninja foodi fish and grits

As always, hope you enjoy this Ninja Foodi recipe. 

YouTube Video Here

If you love this recipe, try my shrimp and grits on the stovetop recipe.

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Ninja Foodi Fish and Grits

Creamy grits covered with crispy fish all made in the Nija Foodi. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time28 minutes
Total Time38 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: ninja foodi fish and grits
Servings: 2 people
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 3 cups chicken broth
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup stone ground grits
  • 2 Tablespoon butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 pieces tilapia fish
  • 2 teaspoon blackened or cajun seasoning
  • vegetable oil in a spray bottle

Instructions

  • Place chicken broth, heavy cream, grits, salt and butter in Ninja Foodi pressure cooker insert. Stir. Cover with pressure cooker cover. Make sure valve is set to "Seal."
  • Cook on High Pressure for 8 minutes. Once 8 minutes is up, allow the Ninja Foodi to natural release for 10 minutes. Press cancel and release the remaining pressure by turning the valve to "Vent."
  • Meanwhile, season fish with blackened or cajun seasoning by first spraying the fish, then rubbing the seasoning into both sides of the fish.
  • Once all pressure is released, open foodi and stir grits. Place a piece of heavy duty foil on top of the grits to cover. Lay the seasoned fish on top of the foil. Spray again with oil. 
  • Close the Air Crisp lid on the ninja foodi. Cook at 400 degrees Farenheit for 10 minutes or until fish can be easily flaked with a fork. 
  • Serve fish over grits and Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Notes for Ninja Foodi Fish and Grits

  • You can sub other fish if you like. 
  • I used low sodium chicken broth and unsalted butter in this recipe so I can control the amount of salt I add to suit my taste. 

Instant Pot Buttered Cabbage

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This Buttered Instant Pot Cabbage is the easiest way to make delicious cabbage in your Instant Pot. Only 5 ingredients in this delicious side dish.

instant pot cabbage on a spoon

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

It’s so simple. Yes, this Buttered Instant Pot Cabbage is so simple that I almost didn’t make it a blog post. But I promised I’d post more recipes that weren’t too complicated yet still were great on flavor. So here’s to delicious cabbage made right in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

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Top 7 Gift Ideas for Someone Who Likes to Cook

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We all know that one person (or few people) in our life who likes to cook. If you’re looking for Holiday gift ideas, here are a few perfect choices.

1. A Masterclass Membership

gordon ramsey and text that says gordon ramsay teaches cooking : restuarant recipes at homeIIMy husband gifted me Masterclass (well us) last Christmas. Masterclasses are classes taught by masters in the field. There are all types of classes on the platform taught by some pretty talented people. You can learn how to play basketball from Steph Curry, learn how to act from Samuel L. Jackson Teaches Acting, how to write from Shonda Rhimes and how to sing from Christina Aguilera.

But what about cooking? They have some classes from the masters. Current chefs are

You can purchase individual classes for the year or pay more for access to all the classes. My husband purchased an all access pass and I'm so glad he did. I've learned something new in each class from each of the different chefs.

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Instant Pot Jamaican Jerk Chicken Soup {Video}

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This Jerk Chicken Soup is a delicious spin on traditional chicken soup. Made with an authentic jerk seasoning, sweet potato, beans, and corn. Have a taste of the Caribbean with this amazing and flavorful soup.

finished jer chicken soup in a bowl
Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the
recipe card at the bottom of the post.
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post. 

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 

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Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

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These Sweet and Spicy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts are perfectly cooked in your Air Fryer. Toss them in a Korean Gochujang sauce for the perfect vegetable side dish.

air fryer brussels sprouts roasted in the air fryer basket
Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the recipe card
at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips/tricks
in the blog post.  

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

I’m a sucker for a good roasted veggie, especially brussels sprouts. My mother in law always prepares a pan of roasted brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving and I’m always the first in line to grab a bunch. Inspired by her recipe, I decided to make my brussels sprouts in the air fryer and add my own little Korean inspired sauce to them.

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Ninja Foodi Shrimp Boil Recipe {Video}

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This Shrimp Boil recipe made in the Ninja Foodi is delicious and easy. Now you can have that Cajun style boil in less time and less effort. ninja foodi seafood

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 

I've been having a ton of fun with my Ninja Foodi. I've been making recipes from the cookbook that came with the machine and I've also ventured out on my own with these crispy pork carnitas and these chicken wings from frozen. 

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Instant Pot Sausage Gravy (Biscuits and Gravy) + Video

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This Instant Pot Sausage Gravy recipe is easy and delicious. Serve it over homemade or canned biscuits for the ultimate breakfast.

white sausage gravy on a spoon over instant pot

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I love using my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker to make breakfast in the mornings. I keep oatmeal, cornmeal poridge, Instant Pot egg bites, grits, and this breaksfast sausage on regular rotation.

I used to make my sausage gravy on my stove top but it’s so much easier to make in the Instant Pot, so why not. The great thing is after it’s done cooking, the Instant Pot will keep it warm for you. This makes it the perfect breakfast idea for those weekend morning breakfast.

You can serve this Instant Pot Sausage Gravy with homemade biscuits or canned biscuits. I won’t lie...depending on my mood, I will sometimes just throw some Pilsburys in the oven. If you can do homemade though...do it.

gravy being poured over biscuit

How to Make Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

First, you will want to set your Instant Pot on sauté and brown your pork sausage. I use plain pork sausage but you could experiment with the different flavors if you like.

Once your meat is brown, you will add your butter and stir until the butter has melted in. Added fat is good for this recipe. 

Then you’ll sprinkle your flour over the meat and stir for about 1 minute. Then add in your maple syrup, milk, salt, and black pepper,  and stir, ensuring that there are no brown bits stuck to the bottom.

Turn off your Instant Pot and then set it to low pressure, cook time of 2 minutes. Cover and walk away.

Once timer goes off, do a quick release and open. Your gravy will look watery but stir and it will thicken up. If you want it even thicker, select medium sauté and cook and stir until desire thickness is reached.

How to Serve Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

Serve this sausage gravy over fluffy oven baked biscuits that have been broken in half. Or eat it by the spoonful...which is what I do from time to time.

If you are looking for biscuit tips, you can check out my post on what I learned making Bojangles biscuits.  The tips and tricks are great.

I like to keep my gravy warm by turning on the slow cooker function in my IP rather than the keep warm function. I set it to slow cook on medium and cover it with my Instant Pot glass lid. That way my family can go for seconds and thirds without worrying that the gravy is cold.

instant pot covered with glass lid near window

I hope you enjoy this Instant Pot Gravy as much as we do. Looking for more Instant Pot recipes for breakfast? Try these out:

Pin Instant Pot Sausage Gravy for Later

instant pot sausage gravy on a spoon
Print Recipe
4.75 from 8 votes

Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

Delicious Instant Pot Sausage Gravy to serve over your favorite fluffy bizcuits. 
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
Rise to pressure10 minutes
Total Time17 minutes
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 383kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pork sausage
  • 3 Tablespoon butter unsalted
  • ¼ cup All-purpose flour
  • 3 cups milk
  • 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  • Set Instant Pot to Sauté and select “More” setting. Once Instant Pot displays “HOT” add your sausage. Stir and brown sausage until it is no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
  • Add butter and stir until butter is melted. Sprinkle flour over meat and stir. Cook for about one minute while stirring.
  • Add milk, maple syrup, salt and black pepper. Stir, ensuring that there are no brown bits stuck to the bottom.
  • Press cancel on Instant Pot. Select “Pressure Cook" and adjust machine to low pressure and a time of 2 minutes. Cover the Instant Pot with the pressure cooking lid, ensuring that the valve is set to "Seal."
  • Once timer goes off, do a quick release by turning the Valve to “Venting.” Once all the pressure is released, open the lid and stir the gravy.
  • The gravy will thicken upon stirring. If you would like the gravy thicker, select Sauté and put it on the normal setting. Cook, while stirring, until desired thickness is reached.

Notes

Notes on Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

  • This recipe was made in a 6 Qt Instant Pot DUO.
  • The Instant Pot Lux does not have a low pressure cooker function. In order to cook without the low pressure function, continue to cook with the sauté function (after browining the meat and adding the other ingredients)
    for about 10-15 minutes or until gravy has thickened to desired consistency.
  • This is great to keep warm in the Instant Pot while having breakfast.

Nutrition

Calories: 383kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 29g | Saturated Fat: 12g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 1359mg | Potassium: 356mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 430IU | Vitamin C: 0.5mg | Calcium: 150mg | Iron: 1.2mg


Step by Step Photos of Instant Pot Sausage Gravy

ground pork in instant pot insert
Brown ground pork in the Instant Pot on the Sauté function. Add butter and stir until melted. 
ground pork with flour sprinkled on top
Sprinkle all purpose flour over the mixture and stir while cooking for about one minute. 
ground pork and milk inside instant pot insert
Pour milk into Instant Pot. Turn off Sauté function and cook on low pressure for 2 minutes. 
thickened milk gravy mixture in instant pot
Sauce will thicken once done. You could also select sauté and cook until it has thickened a bit. 
finished gravy covering biscuits
Pour Instant Pot gravy over fresh or canned biscuits.

Ninja Foodi Recipe: Crispy Pork Carnitas

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These crispy delicious pork carnitas are made in the Ninja Foodi in less than 1 hour. Pressure cook them to tender and crisp them up all in one device.

pork carnitas in ninja foodi insert

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I recently became the owner of a Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker with Air Crisper. What’s that you ask? It’s a magical device that Ninja has bestowed upon us. It’s a pressure cooker. It’s an air fryer. It’s a pressure cooker and an air fryer all combined in one device.

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Top 9 Accessories for your Instant Pot

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I love using my Instant Pot to make unique recipes. I use my normal insert a ton but will also use my Instant Pot Accessories to get the most out of my Instant Pot. Here's a list of the 9 best accessories to have for your Instant Pot.

main image of post with egg bite accessory on top, text that says "top 8 accessories for your instant pot" and steel accessory at bottom

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

1. The Egg Bite Mold

egg bite molds with lid

  1. I use this mold to make my soft and creamy Copycat Sous Vide Egg Bites in the Instant Pot.  I like this one because I never spray them and my egg bites slide right on out when I finish making them. 

2. Double Stacking Steamer Insert

I use this double stacking insert for heating up leftovers or cooking foods that I don't want to overlap (I use it a lot to make double batches of baby food). I also use it to make grits, polenta, and oatmeal when I don't want to risk the bottom of my pot getting scortched. The cooktime takes a little longer with the inserts but I don't mind, especially if it can save me time on the dishes. I make my creamy pressure cooker pumpkin pie oatmeal in one of these stackable inserts. 

3. 6 Pack Instant Pot Accessories Steamer Set

accessory kit

I found that buying an accessory kit is useful because you get more products for less money. This set comes with a Steamer Basket, Steamer Base Egg Steamer, Springform Pan for making cake, Rack Silicone Oven for resting hot pots/pans, mitts Plate Dish Clip for taking hot stuff or extremely cold stuff out the pot. 

4. Silicone Steamer

green silicone steamer

I love using silicone products in my Instant Pot now, rather than the traditional metal steamers. Primarily because food does not stick to them. I use silicone to steam vegetables as well as fish/chicken. My Pressure Cooker Salmon with Garlic Herb Cream Sauce is the perfect dish for this steamer. 

5. A Pressure Cooker Bakeware Sling

red bakeware sling

Cheesecakes, Oatmeal, and any pot in pot recipe could benefit from a sling. I know many times it's suggested to make a foil sling to lower your cake pans into the Instant Pot. This is 100 times more easier and is great for using in the Instant Pot.

6. Steam Release Diverter

top of instant pot with red steamer valve on top

A big concern with any Instant Pot owner is that steam that shoots out the top during a quick release. It could possibly damage your cabinets over time. This allows the steam to shoot sideways, rather than upwards. Be careful where you point that steam though. 

7. Instant Pot Tempered Glass Lid

glass lid that says instant pot on it

This lid is to be used only if you are using the Instant Pot slow cooking function or after the cook process is over, not during pressure cooking. I love using it to cover foods after they have cooked, especially chili, like my Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili, my Pressure Cooker Lentil and Sausage Soup, and my Instant Pot Breakfast Sausage Gravy. Just keep the soup on the keep warm function and cover with the glass lid.

8. Extra Sealing Rings

red and blue circular sealing rings

Having an extra set of sealing rings for the Instant Pot comes in handy. The sealing ring can take on the smells of your food, especially garlic. It can also start to feel loose over extending use. I use these extra rings when making desserts or breakfast in my Instant Pot and keep the standard ring for when I am cooking dinner. 

9. A Pressure Cooker Cookbook

pressure cooker cookbook that says this old gal's with a picture of sandwich on front

A good pressure cooker cookbook is always helpful. This Old Gal's Cookbook is great for those new or established Instant Pot users. You can read my full book review here.

These are my favorite Instant Pot Accessories. I use these in my 6 qt Instant Pot. what are your favorite accessories? Please leave them in the comments below 🙂

Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops (Japanese Tonkatsu)

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These Air Fryer Boneless Pork Chops are nice and crispy with tons of Asian flavor. Have fun with the seasonings to create your own flavor combo or just follow the recipe as stated below.

air fryer boneless pork on a plate
Full Recipe/Instructions are available in the recipe card
at the bottom of the post. You can find important tips/tricks
in the blog post.  

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 

Our Air Fryer is our go to when we are craving fried foods. Traditional frying has become a thing of the past (except when making things with loose batter). The internet has let me know that you all love your Air Fryers too which is awesome. I’ll keep the Air Fryer recipes coming 🙂

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Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage {Video}

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This Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage Recipe is a delicious and hearty soup with tons of flavor. It’s a quick and easy dinner option when made in your electric pressure cooker.

final shot of pressure cooker lentil soup in a bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

This Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage was inspired by one of our favorite soups from one of my favorite Italian restaurants, Carrabba's. Hubby had been bugging me for months to make a copycat version at home.

For months I blew him off until I finally gave in. I regret not giving in earlier because this soup is amazing and one of my favorites to make in my Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker.


pressure cooker lentil soup on a spoon

What exactly are lentils?

Lentils can be found in your dry bean aisle of the grocery store. They are known as “pulses” which are the edible seeds of legumes. I love to use them in cooking because they are cheap and nutritious. You can find more information about lentils here.

How long should lentils cook in a pressure cooker?

The Instant Pot Pressure Cooker option is a great way to cook dry beans without soaking and lentils comes as no exception. How long you cook lentils in the pressure cooker will depend on the type of lentils you’re cooking with and the dish you are making.

For this soup recipe, I only use brown or green lentils and cook at high pressure for 15 minutes. If I’m making lentils to use in a dish other than soup, for example tacos, then I cut the cook time down to 12 minutes.

Red lentils are a bit different as they have much faster cooktime. 12 or 15 minutes in the pressure cooker will turn red lentils into mush so I do not sub them in this recipe. 

final photo shot of pressure cooker lentil soup with sour cream on top

How to prepare lentils for pressure cooking?

The great thing about lentils is that you do not have to soak them before adding them to the pressure cooker. However, you should rinse them and inspect them to make sure there isn’t any dirt or debris in your lentils. No one wants dirty gritty soup.

How to Make Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage

This soup is made by first sautéing your italian sausage, then adding the vegetables and giving it a quick sauté with the meat. You will then add your lentils and chicken broth and layer the diced tomatoes on top without stirring.

Anytime I make a dish in my Pressure Cooker with tomatoes, like this pressure cooker turkey chili, I layer the tomatoes on top to avoid the Instant Pot becoming scorched on the bottom. Thick sauces, like diced tomatoes, can cause the Instant Pot to scortch and possibly burn. It's better just to lay them on the top and stir once the cooking process is complete.

Can this Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup be frozen?

Yes, yes, and yes! I like to freeze this soup in quart sized freezer bags and save it for those really busy days. When I'm ready to reheat, i just remove it from my freezer and add it to my Instant Pot still frozen. I set it on 10 minutes high pressure and walk away.

frozen bag of pressure cooker lentil soup

Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Try these out:

pressure cooker lentil soup in a bowl
Print Recipe
5 from 3 votes

Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage {Video}

This Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage Recipe is a delicious and hearty soup with tons of flavor. It’s a quick and easy dinner option when made in your electric pressure cooker.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
other20 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pressure cooker lentil soup
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 276kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Select sauté on your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Once it says “HOT,” add your italian sausage to the pot and cook until brown, breaking up the meat in the process.
  • Add the onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, and garlic cloves and stir until vegetables soften a little, about 3 minutes.
  • Press “Cancel” to turn of the Instant Pot. Add the chicken broth, lentils, dried basil, and oregano to the pot and stir.
  • Pour diced tomatoes on top of the mixture. Cover Instant Pot and Pressure Cook on High Pressure for 15 minutes.
  • When timer is up, allow to natural release for 10 minutes, then release remaining pressure.
  • Add fresh parsley and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.
  • Top with sour cream or parmesan cheese.

Notes

Notes on Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup

  • You can substitute dried parsley for the fresh. Sub it by using 2 tablespoon rather than ¼ cup and add it when you add the other dried herbs. I just find that fresh parsley adds so much more flavor. 
  • This soup is great for leftovers. 

Suggested Tools for Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup

Nutrition

Calories: 276kcal | Fat: 1g

Step by step photos of Pressure Cooker Lentil Soup with Sausage

browned italian sausage for pressure cooker lentil soup
Select sauté on Instant Pot and brown sausage.
pressure cooker lentil soup with vegetables in instant pot
Add onion, celery, carrot, zucchini, and garlic to instant pot. Stir for about 3 minutes until vegetables soften a little.
pressure cooker lentil soup in instant pot with tomatoes layered on top.
Add chicken broth, dried herbs, lentils. Layer diced tomatoes on top. Do not stir in diced tomatoes. Cover Instant Pot, making sure valve is set to "sealing" and cook on high pressure for 15 minutes.
finished pressure cooker lentil soup
Once timer goes off, allow Instant Pot to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release remaining pressure by moving the valve over to "venting." Once all the pressure is released, open the Instant Pot and add fresh parsley. Give it a stir and serve. Salt and pepper to taste and top with sour cream for the wow factor.

Air Fryer Sweet and Spicy Bacon Wrapped Chicken Bites

by 15 Comments

This Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken is covered in a sweet and spicy rub for a quick and easy appetizer. With only 5 ingredients, this recipe is easy, delicious, and a perfect delicious appetizer.

This Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Chicken on white plate

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

I love making appetizers in my Air Fryer. Sometimes I’ll throw some already made frozen ones in there but most of the time I opt for homemade. Some of my favorite appetizer are my Crispy Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings and my Air Fried Copycat Cheesecake Factory Avocado Rolls.

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Creamy Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

by 20 Comments

This Creamy Pressure Cooker Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal is a delicious spin on traditional oatmeal. Make this quick and easy pressure cooker oatmeal in your Electric Pressure Cooker any day of the week.

oatmeal in instert with spoon sticking out

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here

I’ll be the first to admit that Breakfast in the morning is not always easy. But using the Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker for oatmeal saves the day most mornings. I can make all kinds of breakfast without standing in front of a stove stirring, tossing, and flipping anything. 

Keep reading for a super top secret way to get the pot to come to pressure quickly in this recipe.

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White Cheddar Pressure Cooker Pasta

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This White Cheddar Pressure Cooker Pasta is creamy, delicious, and so easy to make in your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker. Now you can have this elegant take on macaroni and cheese can be made in less than 20 minutes in one pot.

white cheddar pressure cooker pasta on a plate

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I’ve always been a huge macaroni and cheese lover. Baked macaroni, stove top macaroni, slow cooker macaroni...you name it, I’ll eat it. I raved and raved all about my favorite Creamy Baked Macaroni and Cheese Recipe. And although I love this baked macaroni and cheese, I also love a good creamy stovetop pasta shell recipe.

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Healthier Recipe for Cheesecake Factory's Avocado Egg Rolls (Air Fryer Method)

by 14 Comments

If you love avocado egg rolls, then you will love this healthier recipe for Cheesecake Factory's Avocado Egg Rolls. Now you can enjoy your favorite appetizer at home without all the added fat.

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here.

air fried egg roll being dipped in sauce

I’m a sucker for stuffing things in an egg roll and calling it an appetizer. So when I found out that Cheesecake Factory had an appetizer where they stuffed an avocado in an egg roll with a dipping sauce, I was on board.

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10 Air Fryer Tips Every Air Fryer Owner Should Know

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The Air Fryer device can be an amazing tool if you use it right and see it's true potential. Here are 10 Air Fryer Tips that will help you get amazing results with your Air Fryer.  

image of different foods in air fryer

This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here. 

Air Fryers are becoming more and more popular these days. There are plenty of brands you can choose from that vary in price range. Some can be found as low as $70 and some can be as high as $600. Whichever brand you choose to buy, there are great air fryer tips that every air fryer owner should know and become familiar with. I've made a list of the top 10 Air Fryer Tips every air fryer owner should know.

10 Air Fryer Tips

#1. Preheat your Air Fryer...well, most of the time

It's common practice that any cooking element should be preheated. Most brands of air fryers specify that the air fryer should be preheated to ensure even cooking. I do it sometimes, other times I don't and my food still turns out delicious. If your air fryer does not have a preheat setting, simply turn it to the desired temperature and allow it to run for around 3 minutes before placing your food in.

#2. Use oil on your foods for the air fryer...well, most of the time

I like to use oil on certain foods to help them crisp but certain foods don't necessarily need it. If your food already has some fat on it (dark meat chicken, ground beef, fatty cuts of meat, etc.) then you probably don't need the oil. I use oil on vegetables (like my Breakfast Air Fried Potatoes) and any battered seafood, !like my Crispy Air Fryer Fish).

#3. Grease your Air Fryer Basket

Even if your food does not require oil, always take a moment to at least grease your air fryer basket. I grease mine by rubbing, or spraying, a little bit of oil on the bottom grates. This will ensure that your food won't stick.

#4. Never use aerosol spray cans in your air fryer

Aerosol spray cans (like Pam and similar brands) are known to cause chipping in many Air Fryer baskets. The aerosol cans have harsh agents that just don't mesh with the coating on most baskets. It's best to invest in a good quality oil mister or bottle.  I use the Evo Spray Bottle.

#5. Don't overcrowd the basket

If you want your fried foods to turn out crispy, you'll want to make sure you don't overcrowd the basket. Placing too much food in the basket will prevent your food from crisping and browning. To ensure this doesn't happen, cook your food in batches or invest in a bigger air fryer. My first air fryer was the Farberware brand which was big enough for four servings of wings and fries.

#6. Shake the basket during cooking for fries, wings, etc.

When air frying smaller items, like chicken wings, french fries, and similar items, you'll want to shake the basket every few minutes to ensure even cooking. Sometimes I use a pair of silicone kitchen tongs to flip larger items over rather than shaking. Once you open the basket to shake, the air fryer will temporarily pause but will resume cooking your food at the same temperature once you return the basket.

#7. Spray halfway through cooking

I found that spraying with oil halfway through cooking gets the best crisp on most foods. I tend to wait and spray halfway through cooking unless it's an item that doesn't need spraying, like fatty meats. Coated food items should be sprayed. Also, spray any dry flour spots that still appear halfway through air frying.

#8. Water/Bread in the bottom stops white smoke

If you're cooking greasy food in your air fryer, don't be surprised if you see some white smoke shooting out the unit. To solve it, just pour a little (around 2Tbsp) of water in the bottom of the basket. It will stop the smoke and your food will continue to cook.

Some people place a slice of bread in the bottom of the unit to soak up any grease when preparing items that may sputter a lot of grease, like bacon. 

#9. Be careful of small light items in the air fryer

Each Air fryer unit comes with a powerful fan on top of the unit. This causes some lighter weighed items to get swept up in the fan which can be dangerous. I once tried to make fried egg roll wrappers and it almost became a disaster. I am hopeful to try it again once I figure out how to stop the flying around.

#10. Adjust the Temperature for Certain Foods

It can sometimes be tempting to crank the heat for the Air Fryer to the highest temp to let it run but be careful as some foods can dry out quickly. A good rule of thumb is to modify the temperature and time from how long you would typically make it in the oven. I like to go 30 degrees below and cut the time by about 20%. For example, if you cooked brownies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes in the oven, cut the degrees on the Air Fryer to 320 degrees and cook for about 16 minutes.

#11 Invest in a Good Quick Read Thermometer

Having a good quality quick read thermometer is of upmost importance when it comes to cooking certain meats in your Air Fryer, like steak, chicken, and pork. I recently invested in a Thermapen One and I must say it's worth every penny.

Those are my Top 11 Air fryer tips for successful cooking. If you haven't made the jump on purchasing an Air Fryer yet, check out Air Fryer Reviewed for reviews of different Air Fryer brands.

Do you have any Air Fryer tips? Leave them in the comments below. Happy Cooking 🙂

steak on metal pan with butter

PERFECT AIR FRYER STEAK WITH GARLIC HERB BUTTER
cooked french fries in air fryer basketKFC COPYCAT AIR FRYER POTATO WEDGES

 

general tso's chicken on plate

AIR FRIED GENERAL TSO'S CHICKEN

korean air fried chicken on white background

KOREAN AIR FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

air fryer jamaican jerk pork recipe on a cutting board

AIR FRIED JAMAICAN JERK PORK

picture of Air Fryer Fish

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (NY Street Cart)

by 62 Comments

Enjoy the flavors of the popular New York street cart chicken (Halal Guys Copycat) right in your pressure cooker with this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Dish. This quick and easy delicious dinner can be ready in less than 30 minutes.

instant pot chicken and rice on a plate

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.



I love New York City, especially the food. In law school, I took a trip to New York for a conference. Ask me if I remember what the actual conference was about...I don't. What I do remember is traveling with some wonderful law school colleagues, seeing Swizz Beatz on the street and asking for a pic (he was so cool about it too), partying at the 40/40 club, and standing in a long line at 3am waiting for some chicken that was sold in a cart. Yes, you read that right, I like to eat chicken at 3am. That literally was the best street food I had in my life and I knew for sure it was something that I had to recreate in my own kitchen.

MAKE NY STREET CHICKEN IN YOUR INSTANT POT

I found that my Instant Pot Pressure Cooker was the perfect vessel to recreate this dish. I’m always making one-pot meals in my Instant Pot, like my ever so popular Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella. In fact, I use my pressure cooker so often I’ve made a whole recipe category just for you all in the recipe section of the site. 

completed instant pot chicken and rice in the pot

I adapted this street chicken and rice recipe from the Serious Eats website and perfected it for my Instant Pot. The recipe as written on their site is pretty delicious but I truly didn’t feel like marinating the meat when it came to this dish. Making this dish in the pressure cooker is perfect for a weeknight meal. 

HOW TO MAKE CHICKEN AND RICE IN THE INSTANT POT 

  • Create your white sauce

First, you'll want to make the famous white sauce for this chicken and rice dish. This sauce has a tangy yet slightly sweet taste that pairs well with the rice and chicken. Prepare this first and set it aside.

  • Brown your chicken for flavor

Then it's time for the pot. You’ll want to brown your chicken in the pot to build flavor, especially since we are skipping the traditional step of marinating the chicken. I like to set my sautè function on high to get a good caramelization. Just make sure you don’t overcrowd the pot when browning as you won’t get a nice sear. Cook your chicken thighs in batches for the best results.

  • Deglaze your pot

Next, you will have nice brown bits (they may even look a little burnt). This is fine, don’t freak out, it’s flavor! Take a bit of chicken broth and deglaze the bottom by pouring the broth into the bottom of the pot. Take a wooden spoon and scrape the bottom bits up. Make sure it’s a wooden spoon as you don’t want to scrape the bottom of your pot with metal utensils.

  • Add your onions and garlic

Next, add your onions and garlic and sauté them until the onions have softened. Make sure onions are softened a bit before adding the garlic. You don't want the garlic to burn or it will give your dish a horrid taste.

  • Add your rice...but rinse it first

Then add your rinsed rice. Rinsing your rice will allow the rice to remain fluffy and not stick to the bottom. Rinsing your rice is key for any rice dish in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.   

  • Add the rest of your ingredients

Add your remaining seasonings, broth, and your chicken back to the pot. Push chicken into the broth to ensure it gets fully cooked.

Set the pressure cooker for 10 minutes. Once time is up, allow it to naturally release for 10 minutes, dinner is served.

instant pot chicken and rice on a plate

Do you really have to brown the chicken in the Instant Pot first...that is the question?

Yes, yes, and yes. I get it, you may not want to but the purpose is to build flavor since you aren't marinating the meat.

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do...and don't forget the sauce.

I've included step by step photos below for those who prefer those over video. Enjoy 🙂

For more photos of the operation of the Instant Pot, check out my Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella recipe.

Other Instant Pot Recipes

instant pot chicken and rice on a plate
Print Recipe
4.86 from 27 votes

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (NY Street Cart Style)

Enjoy the flavors of the popular New York street cart chicken (Halal Guys Copycat) right in your pressure cooker with this Instant Pot Chicken and Rice Dish. This quick and easy delicious dinner can be ready in less than 30 minutes. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Keyword: instant pot
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 575kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

White Sauce

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • ½ cup Greek yogurt
  • 1 Tablespoon sugar
  • 2 Tablespoon white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • ¼ cup fresh parsley chopped
  • Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper

Instructions

  • Instructions:
  • Make the white sauce by whisking all white sauce ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
  • Combine chicken, lemon juice, 2 tablespoon olive oil, oregano, garlic powder, and ground coriander.
  • Set the Instant Pot to saute function. Once Instant Pot says “Hot,” add 2 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. Add 2 or 3 chicken pieces to the pot and allow to cook until browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes each side. Remove and set aside.
  • Add about ¼ cup chicken broth to the pot and use a wooden spoon to deglaze pot by stirring up brown bits. Then add onions and garlic and cook until onions have softened. Next, add turmeric powder, cumin, and rice and stir to coat rice. Add remaining chicken broth and place chicken thighs on top of rice, ensuring they are covered by the broth.
  • Turn the Instant Pot off by pressing “Cancel.” Press “Pressure cook (make sure it’s set to high pressure), set timer to 10 minutes. Place cover on Instant Pot and make sure valve is set to sealing.
  • Once the timer is up, allow Instant Pot to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release. Open the cover and add the desired amount of salt and pepper.
  • Top chicken and rice with white sauce. Serve alongside with shredded lettuce and chopped tomatoes. Enjoy 🙂

Video

 

Notes

Suggested Tools for Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

Notes on Instant Pot Chicken and Rice

  • This recipe was prepared in a 6qt Instant Pot. Please adjust accordingly for 3qt and 8qt models. 

Nutrition

Calories: 575kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 33g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 119mg | Sodium: 503mg | Potassium: 410mg | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 310IU | Vitamin C: 11.8mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1.8mg

Step by Step Photos of Instant Pot Chicken and Rice NY Street Cart Style

  • Instant pot chicken and rice white sauce in bowl
  • Raw chicken for instant pot chicken and rice covered in seasoning
  • chicken in the instant pot that has been browned
  • chicken broth over instant pot
  • onion and garlic in pot
  • rice and wodden spoon in instant pot
  • chicken in chicken broth
  • Instant Pot chicken and rice in instant pot

Pin Instant Pot Chicken and Rice for Later

pin for instant pot chicken and rice

Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World

by 149 Comments

This by far is the best banana bread recipe in the world. No lie, it truly is.

The best banana bread recipe in the world bread on a grate.

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.



Let me explain. For years, I had been on the search for the best banana bread recipe in the world. I'd search the internet, find a recipe, try it out, and leave with the feeling of "meh." Some were too crumbly. Others were too moist (Is that a thing?). A few had an off taste. While others had too many other ingredients other than banana. So for a while, I gave up my search for the perfect banana bread recipe and just settled on buying banana bread from Starbucks, which has some pretty good banana bread.

best banana bread recipe in the world sliced

Fact is, banana bread is just one of those recipes that should get made often, especially if you buy a bunch of bananas. In our house, we never eat all the bananas on the bunch when I buy them. On grocery day, I'll eat one, my daughter will eat one, and the rest in the bunch will sit lonely on the kitchen counter, turning brown, and sometimes even black. Oh the shame.

So one day, I decided enough is enough and I will tackle the search again for the best banana bread recipe in the world...and I found it.

I came across this recipe in Simply Recipes and decided to give it a go. It had almost 1,000 positive reviews. So although I love the recipe, I threw in a few changes.

Why this is the Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World

Not just because I say it is, but it is in fact delicious and it gets requested a ton by my family and extended family. There is enough banana taste yet the perfect amount of sweetness to this recipe.

It also has the perfect amount of moistness. Banana bread shouldn't be too moist to the point of gummyness but it also shouldn't be dry. There is a perfect balance and this recipe provides just that.

best banana bread recipe in the world sliced from above

It does create one single 4x8 inch loaf pan that is perfect for eating immediatley or giving away to a loved one. Baking banana bread in a 4x8 loaf pan is a must in my opinion. It leads to the perfect portion size. Also, banana bread already takes near an hour to bake...Baking in a larger loaf pan would just take longer and won't result in the perfect result.

In addition to having an amazing taste, it's also super easy to make. I make everything in one bowl! No seperation on ingredients necessary in this banana bread recipe.

How to Make the Best Banana Bread Recipe in the WORLD

It's simple. First you melt the butter in a large microwavable bowl. Add your other ingredients, and bake in a preheated 350F degree oven for about 1 hour.

Here's to this delicious easy banana bread recipe. Hope you Enjoy 🙂

Looking for another way to use those leftover bananas? Try these Banana Fritters or these Banana Pancakes.

I finally found The Best Banana Recipe in the World! This Banana Bread is moist, delicious, and can be made in one bowl. #easyrecipe #bananabread #baking #onebowl #onebowlrecipes #bakingbread
Print Recipe
4.62 from 95 votes

The Best Banana Bread recipe in the World

This is the Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World. No seriously, it is.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
5 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Breakfast, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: banana bread
Servings: 6
Calories: 411kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • ⅓ cup unsalted butter
  • 3 ripe bananas peeled
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • Pinch of salt
  • ¾ cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 ½ cup All Purpose Flour
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a 4x8 inch loaf pan. Set aside.
  • Place butter in a large microwavable dish and place in microwave to melt. Use 30 second increments until butter is fully melted.
  • Add in ripe bananas and mash with a fork, ensure that butter coats the bananas.
  • Add baking soda, salt, brown sugar, sour cream, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and large egg to bowl. Stir to combine. Stir in the flour.
  • Pour batter into greased loaf pan. Bake in preheated oven on center rack for 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until a toothpick entered in the center comes out clean.
  • Remove from oven and allow bread to cool in pan for about 5 minutes. Then place on cooling rack to allow to cool completely. Enjoy 🙂

Video

Notes

Suggested Tools for The Best Banana Bread Recipe

4x8 inch loaf pan
Large Microwave safe mixing bowl

Nutrition

Calories: 411kcal | Carbohydrates: 65g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 64mg | Sodium: 334mg | Potassium: 318mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 510IU | Vitamin C: 5.3mg | Calcium: 61mg | Iron: 2mg

Adapted from Simply Recipes.

Step by Step Photos of The Best Banana Bread Recipe in the World

  • melted butter in glass bowl
  • mashed banana in bowl with fork
  • baking soda in teaspoon over bowl
  • brown sugar in cup over bowl
  • sour cream in cup over bowl
  • egg in batter with wooden spoon
  • flour in cup over batter
  • batter in glass bowl
  • batter in baking pan
  • finished banana bread on cooling rack

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pinterest image for banana bread

Crispy Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings

by 104 Comments

This Crispy Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings recipe is delicious, sweet, sticky, and a little bit spicy. The Air Fryer provides the perfect crunch to these wings without all the added fat from frying.

air fried chicken wings with green onions

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

So here’s a fun fact about me...I am not the biggest fan of traditional fried chicken. Only a few close friends know this fact because I live in the South and in the South, everyone loves fried chicken. However, fried chicken should be doused in a delicious sauce after it’s fried to perfection. This must be why I love Korean fried chicken so much.

*Update: My thoughts changed on traditional fried chicken after I made it in the air fryer. Air Fryer Fried Chicken is the truth!

What is Korean Fried Chicken

Korean Fried Chicken is fried chicken that has a super crunchy exterior, yet juicy interior. Therefore, the chicken is usually double fried in oil and then covered in a delicious spicy, sweet and sour type sauce. Any part of the chicken can be used to make Korean Fried Chicken.

Korean fried chicken is popular for the spicy sauce that it is covered in. The main ingredient to this sauce is a spicy Korean paste known as gochujang. The good thing about this paste is there are different heat levels. I used the mild for this recipe so I could enjoy the flavors more but the paste can be extremely spicy if you are not careful.

Why make these chicken wings in an Air Fryer?

Most Korean fried chicken is double fried in oil. Part of me wanted to find a healthier alternative but another part of me didn't want to do all that work. Blame it on the baby, work, life...but if I can simplify a delicious recipe then that's what I'm going to do.

Coating these chicken wings in cornstarch and frying them for 30 minutes in the air fryer was easy, fast, and healthy.

air fried chicken wings with green onion

How to Make Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings?

Creating Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings is easy. You don't even need to preheat the air fryer. Just set the temperature to 390 degrees, season the chicken wings, cover them in a corn starch, and cook in air fryer for 30-35 minutes.

Make sure when coating the chicken wings with cornstarch, that you shake off the cornstarch from each piece really well. You want the chicken wings to be completely covered but you don’t want too much excess corn starch. Pick up each chicken piece with a pair of tongs, tap it against the side of your bowl before placing it in the air fryer basket.

As with any air fryer recipe, make sure the bottom of your air fryer basket is properly seasoned with oil so your chicken does not stick.

Never use aresole can sprays in your air fryer. Invest in a good quality spray oil bottle. I use this brand.

close up of an air fried chicken wing

As always, enjoy.

If you like this recipe, check out my general Air Fryer Chicken Wings from Fresh or Frozen post or my Honey Mustard Chicken Wings recipe.

Notes on Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings

  • The sauce provided in this recipe is enough to lightly coat 2 lbs of chicken wings. If you desire more sauce, feel free to double the sauce ingredients.  
  • I’d suggest serving Korean Air Fried Chicken with a nice quick pickled carrot.
air fried chicken wing with green onion
Print Recipe
4.84 from 43 votes

Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings

These Korean Chicken Wings are made in an air fryer with no oil. Just as tasty as the deep fried version but much healthier. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 451kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

Korean Air Fried Chicken Sauce

  • 2 Tablespoon gochujang Korean chilli paste
  • 3 Tablespoon honey
  • 2 Tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Rinse and dry chicken wings with a paper towel. Place in a large bowl and season with garlic powder, onion powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
  • Cover chicken with corn starch and use kitchen tongs to stir, ensuring all chicken pieces are coated. Tap each piece of chicken on the side of the bowl (to remove excess starch) and place it in the air fryer basket.
  • Close the basket and cook chicken wings at 390 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes, turning and rotating chicken about every 10 minutes.
  • While the chicken is cooking, make the sauce.

Korean Air Fried Chicken Sauce

  • Add the sauce ingredients into a small saucepan over medium heat and whisk until combined. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce the heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
  • Once chicken is done cooking, add sauce to the wings and toss to cover all wings. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

*Oil may be used to spray and coat the chicken pieces if cornstarch still appears on chicken after frying. It can be done without oil as the chicken will produce it's own oil once cooking.

Suggested Tools for Korean Air Fried Chicken

Air Fryer
Kitchen Tongs
Large Bowl

Nutrition

Calories: 451kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 929mg | Potassium: 241mg | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 195IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1.5mg

Step by Step Photos of Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings

  • chicken wings covered in cornstarch
  • tongs picking up chicken shaking off excess cornstarch
  • chicken wings in air fryer basket
  • sauce cooking in saucepan
  • cooked chicken wings in air fryer basket
  • chicken wings covered in sauce

Pin Korean Air Fried Chicken Wings for Later

Looking for more Air Fryer recipes? Try my Perfect Air Fryer Steak or Healthier General Tso's Chicken in the Air Fryer.

pinterest image of crispy air fried chicken wings

Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe

by 22 Comments

This Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe is a refreshing yet sweet treat. One of my favorite drinks when growing up in Jamaica.

jamaican style carrot juice recipe in a glass

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

Growing up, carrots were one of my favorite vegetables to eat—not the cooked carrots, but a regular raw carrot right out of the bag. I'd grab one, sit in front of the TV, watch my cartoons, and chew on the carrot. I wanted to be Bugs Bunny.

A little birdie also told me that carrots were really good for eyesight so as a kid, I made sure I ate at least 2 a day. I still don't need glassess...I'll give props to the carrots and that little birdie.

Growing up, while I wasn't eating all the carrots in the house, I would also get to enjoy this Jamaican Style Carrot Juice. It wasn't made too often in the house, but when it was made, it was a true treat.

Now, this isn't your typical carrot juice recipe. It's a bit thicker and sweetened with condensed milk and other spices. So, in other words, it ain't the healthiest drink on the block. But seriously, who cares? It's delicious, and it does have a vegetable in it.

Ingredients for Carrot Juice

  • Carrots - rinsed and cleaned. It's up to you whether to peel them. If they aren't organic, I tend to peel them.
  • Water - this will help when blending the carrots to make the juice.
  • Condensed milk, nutmeg, and vanilla extract - this adds sweetness and flavor to the carrot juice.
jamaican style carrot juice recipe photo from up top

How to make Jamaican Style Carrot Juice with step by step Photos

Peel and chop carrots, then add them to to blender with water and blend until smooth. Strain the liquid into a jar.

carrots in water.
Place carrots in blender and cover with water. blend for about 2 minutes
carrots in strainer.
Place strainer over pitcher and pour carrot mixture in strainer. Allow to completely stain.

Add condensed milk, vanilla extract, and nutmeg to the jar and serve. Pour into a pitcher and refrigerate or serve over ice. Enjoy 🙂

condensed milk being poured.
Sweeten carrot juice with condensed milk

This Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe is a breeze to make. All you need is a blender, a strainer , a bag of carrots, a can of condensed milk, vanilla extract, and nutmeg. Serve it over ice for a nice refreshing drink. Ya mon.

Want more Jamaican Recipes?? Check out my Jamaican Sorrel Drink,  Instantpot Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge , Corned Beef and Cabbage - Jamaican Style and these Jamaican Banana Fritters. 

Notes on Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe

  • You will need a pretty good blender for this recipe. I love love love my Red Vitamix Blender that my hubby got me for Christmas.
  • This drink is pretty sweet, depending on how much of the sweetened condensed milk you add. However, the other spices give it a spice-filled taste.
  • Feel free to add a good splash of rum to this recipe. Yes, I like to add rum to certain drinks, rum added to this one is really good.
jamaican style carrot juice recipe
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4.84 from 12 votes

Jamaican Style Carrot Juice Recipe

Prep Time10 minutes
Total Time10 minutes
Course: Drinks
Cuisine: Caribbean
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 49kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 2 lbs carrots
  • 5 cups water
  • 1 14oz can condensed milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon nutmeg
  • rum optional

Instructions

  • Peel and chop carrots into 2-inch pieces. Add to blender with 5 cups of water and blend for about 2 minutes. 
  • Place strainer over pitcher and pour mixture into strainer, allowing juice to fall into pitcher and carrot puree to remain in strainer. Discard (or save for another use) carrot puree in a strainer. 
  • Add condensed milk, vanilla extract, and nutmeg to pitcher and serve. Refrigerate or serve over ice. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

  • This drink is pretty sweet, depending on how much of the sweetened condensed milk you add. However, the other spices give it a spice-filled taste.
  • Feel free to add a good splash of rum to this recipe. Yes, I like to add rum to certain drinks, rum added to this one is delicious.

Nutrition

Calories: 49kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 0.3g | Saturated Fat: 0.1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.02g | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 364mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 18944IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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Best Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

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This Roasted Tomato Basil Soup Recipe is the best ever! Not only is it creamy and delicious, but it can be made in less than an hour with all fresh ingredients. With vegetables that are roasted in the air fryer, this flavorful soup can be on your table in less than 1 hour.

roasted tomato soup in bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

I love a good and delicious tomato soup. As a matter of fact, I have two rules when it comes to tomato soup.  

  1. The soup must be homemade and use fresh tomatoes, none from a can;  and
  2. My tomatoes and vegetables must be roasted

Why the rules? Because following that method has lead to some of the best tomato soup I've ever had. I used to roast my vegetables in the oven when I wanted to make tomato soup from scratch but found that it took longer than I wanted to roast the vegetables. Now that I have my air fryer, I can roast vegetables in half the amount of time it takes to roast in the oven.

How to make the best Tomato Soup from fresh tomatoes?

All you need is about 1 lb of any kind of fresh tomato. I tend to stick with roma or tomatoes on the vine for this recipe, whichever I have on hand. Both tomatoes roast beautifully in the air fryer.

Roast the tomatoes, along with onion, carrot, garlic cloves, and red bell pepper in the air fryer for about 25 minutes at 360 degrees. Roasting your vegetables will allow your tomatoes to roast, not burn, releasing the natural sweetness of the tomatoes and other vegetables.

Once your vegetables are roasted, you will add your stock and warm a bit for added flavor. Then blend, add your chopped basil, cream, and splash of balsamic vinegar.

tomato soup in bowl with basil on top

To Peel or Not to peel the tomatoes for the Best Tomato Basil Soup Recipe? That is the Question…

Once my tomatoes and vegetables are roasted, I sometimes peel the skin off of the tomatoes and red pepper. This results in a smoother finish to my soup once it's blended. It really depends on the day on whether I do this or not. The soup is still delicious either way but for the smoothest soup possible, you must do the following: peel, blend in a blender, and pour through a fine mesh strainer.

What Goes with the Best Tomato Basil Soup?

I like to serve our tomato basil soup topped with parmesan cheese. Serve along side a delicious grilled cheese sandwich if you want a full meal.

I hope you enjoy this roasted tomato basil soup as much as we do. During these summer months, enjoy those tomatoes and fresh basil as much as you can. 🙂

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make this tomato basil soup from start to finish.

roasted tomato soup in bowl
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5 from 3 votes

The Best Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

Roast these tomatoes in the air fryer for The Best Tomato and Basil Soup. This soup can be on your table in less than 1 hour with robust flavor from the roasted vegetables.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time35 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Soup
Cuisine: American
Keyword: best tomato and basil soup
Servings: 4
Calories: 160kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • Oil for spraying
  • 1 lb red tomatoes cut in half
  • 1 medium red bell pepper quartered
  • 1 large yellow onion quartered
  • 1 medium carrot chopped into large pieces
  • 4 garlic cloves peeled
  • 1.5 cups chicken broth
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 4 fresh basil leaves finely chopped
  • Splash of balsamic vinegar
  • Grated Parmesan Cheese optional

Instructions

  • Spray the bottom of the air fryer basket with a little oil to prevent sticking. Add the tomatoes, red bell pepper, onion, carrot, garlic cloves to the air fryer and set for 360 degrees Fahrenheit and 25 minutes to roast.
  • Check the air fryer basket about halfway through and shake to ensure even roasting. Shake again when there is about 5 minutes left on the timer.
  • Once air fryer timer goes off, transfer vegetables to a medium stock pan and add chicken broth to stock pan. Allow mixture to come to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes. Once done, blend soup with immersion blender or allow to cool and use a traditional blender to blend the soup.
  • Add basil, heavy cream, splash of balsamic vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Top with parmesan cheese.

Notes

*NEVER add liquid to an air fryer. 
*You can peel the tomatoes and red bell pepper after removing from the basket if you choose to. Just make sure they cool a bit before you do so.
*Always allow the liquids to cool before adding to a traditional blender to avoid burns.

Suggested Tools

 
Air Fryer
Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle
Immersion Hand Blender

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal

Notes on The Best Tomato Basil Soup

  • First and foremost, never ever put liquids in the Air Fryer. The Air fryer is used to roast the Vegetables. I use it in place of the oven because it roast my vegetables in half of the amount of time it would take to roast in the oven.
  • For a smoother soup consistency, pour soup into a fine mesh strainer once blended. I like my tomato soup a tiny bit chunky.
  • Never use over the counter aerosole spray cans in your air fryer. It's best to purchase a good spray bottle and use vegetable or olive oils to spray. I use the Evo Oil Sprayer Bottle
    .

Step by Step Photos of the Best Tomato Basil Soup Recipe

vegetables in air fryer basket
Add vegetables to air fryer basket.
spray bottle over basket
Spray vegetables with oil.
vegetables in basket after air frying
Roast at 360 degrees Farenheit for 25 minutes.
peeling tomatoes for soup
Allow vegetables to cool and peel tomatoes and red bell pepper if you wish.
vegeatables in pot with chicken broth
Add vegetbales and chicken broth to pot. Bring to boil, reduce heat, and allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.
vegetables blended with immersion blender
Blend with immersion blender.
heavy cream added to the best tomato basil soup
Add heavy cream and basil
the best tomato basil soup recipe on ladel
All done. Blend for longer or pour through mesh strainer for smoother consistency.

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pinterest image for the best tomato basil soup recipe

Looking for more Air Fryer Recipes to enjoy with this dish? Try my Perfect Air Fryer Steak or Air Fryer Potatoes.

Cheerwine Float

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Cheerwine Floats made with vanilla bean ice cream and amazing cherry flavored Cola are a delicious treat for the summer. This spin on a traditional float is an easy treat for those hot summer months.

cheerwine float in milkshake glass

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

What the heck is a Cheerwine Float? I'm sure plenty of you have that question...unless you've been to North Carolina and tried a cute, yet chain, fast food restaurant known as CookOut. Well that was my first time ever trying Cheerwine and I had it in the form of a float. The float was delicious. I am obsessed. The end.

Just kidding. Cheerwine is just too amazing not to give you just a tad bit of information about it.

What is Cheerwine?

Cheerwine is a cherry flavored soda that was created in Salisbury, NC in 1917. The company is owned by the Peeler family (still, how cool is that) and can be found in many Southern grocery stores. 

What does Cheerwine Taste Like?

Sorry folks but it does not taste like wine. Just imagine your favorite cola with a delicous cherry flavor. It does not taste like artificial cherry either, but taste like somone manually squeezed cherry juice into some Cola. If this is in fact true, I'd love to meet that person. It's in fact hard to describe how incredible Cheerwine is but trust me when I say it's delicious.

How to Make a Cheerwine Float?

A Cheerwine float is pretty easy to make. Just grab your favorite glass, fill it with vanilla bean ice cream, and add your soda until it fizzes at the top. Stick a straw in it and enjoy.

ice cream in glass with cola being poured into it

You can add the maraschino cherries if you like but they aren’t necessary, they just make it pretty.

cheerwine float. Vanilla bean ice cream covered in cherry flavored soda. #cheerwine #cheerwineicecream
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Cheerwine Float

Delicious Cheerwine Float Recipe includes vanilla bean ice cream covered in amazing Cherry flavored soda. 
Prep Time2 minutes
Total Time2 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheerwine float
Servings: 1
Calories: 217kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 2 scoops vanilla bean ice cream
  • 8 oz Cheerwine soda

Instructions

  • Place ice cream in tall glass. 
  • Pour soda over ice cream and watch the magic happen. 
  • Add a straw and cherry on top. Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Suggested Items
Cheerwine Cherry Soda

Nutrition

Calories: 217kcal

I hope you enjoyed my history (although brief) history of Cheerwine. What's your favorite float reicipe?

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Love a good milkshake recipe? Try my Oreo Cookie Milkshake.

Pan Seared Scallops with Purple Carrot Chutney

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This elegant Pan Seared Scallops Recipe is served over an amazing purple carrot and ginger chutney and potato and leek soup. This post is #sponsored by A Table is Set: A four city tour served with a Coke. All opnions are my own. 

Pan Seared Scallops Recipe. Served with a purple carrot chutney. #sponsored #recipe #souldfoodsessions

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

I live for amazing food and recipes. I watch cooking shows, try different restaurants, and read cookbooks for fun. Call me a foodie nerd. So imagine how thrilled this foodie nerd was to hear about the Soul Food Sessions Tour, The Table is Set: A four city-tour served with a Coke.

scallops with chutney with soda bottle in back

So what is Soul Food Sessions? It's a series of nonprofit dinners in Charlotte, NC that was created to help increase diverity in the culinary industry. The movement acknowledges and supports people of color in the culinary, hospitality, and beverage industry. I have to say that I am excited about this movement. The need for diversity in the food blog world was one of the reasons I started My Forking Life. I am honored they asked me to help spread the word about their upcoming tour.

scallops with chutney over potato leek

Soul Food Sessions has partnered with Coca-Cola Consolidated to take their dinners on a four city tour. The tour starts in Charlotte, NC (their home market) on June 19th, 2018. Next stops will be Washington DC, Baltimore MD, and Charleston SC.

Now what does any of this have to do with these scallops? Everything!!!! I was blessed with the opportunity to create this pan seared scallops recipe that will be served at the dinner in Charlotte, NC. It was my first time making scallops. It was my first time making chutney. But the results? AMAZING!!! I truly hope they can bless your palet with this dish in all 4 stops because it is delicious!

scallops over potato leek soup with soda in back

I wish I could say that I created this recipe but all credit goes to Chef Greg Williams, one of the founders of Soul Food Sessions and co-owner of What the Fries Food Truck. Let's just say the man is a culinary genius. The flavor of that chutney had me dancing around my kitchen in joy. It has now been deemed a staple recipe for our home kitchen.

I had a blast recreating this dish and I learned a ton about picking scallops and cooking chutney. Check out my step by step photos below to learn what I learned.

That's one great thing I can say about this tour, it will awaken your inner foodie and encourage you to try foods you wouldn't typically eat at home.

It's recommended that you pair this pan seared scallop recipe with Coca-Cola Zero Sugar. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar brings to the forefront the richness of scallops combined with the boastful flavors of ginger and garlic in the chutney.

Information about the Charlotte Event:

Date: June 19, 2018

Location: Free Range Brewin

How to purchase tickets: Purchase Your Ticket Here

Pan Seared Scallops Recipe. Served with a purple carrot chutney. #sponsored #recipe #souldfoodsessions
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5 from 9 votes

Pan Seared Scallops Recipe Paired with Coca Cola

Pan Seared Scallops with Purple Carrot Chutney Paired with Coca Cola. Coca-Cola Zero Sugar brings to the forefront the richness of scallops combined with the boastful flavors of ginger and garlic in chutney.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Keyword: recipe, scallops
Servings: 2
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

PURPLE CARROT CHUTNEY

  • 2 purple carrots finely grated
  • 1 red onion thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 cup grated ginger
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 ¾ cups balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

SEARED SCALLOPS

  • 6 U10 scallops
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil

POTATO LEEK SOUP

  • 2 cups potato leek soup

GARNISH

  • chives
  • balsamic vinaigrette

BEVERAGE PAIRING

  • Coca-Cola Zero Sugar

Instructions

PREPARE THE PURPLE CARROT CHUTNEY.

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium sauté pan over medium heat. Add carrots, onion, garlic, ginger and sugar. Let brown and caramelize for 5 minutes. Add balsamic vinegar to deglaze pan. Cook for 30 minutes. Set aside.

MAKE THE SCALLOPS.

  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in medium sauté pan over medium heat. Dry scallops with paper towel and salt and pepper to taste. Add to pan, being careful not to overcrowd scallops. Sear until golden-brown; flip and repeat.

PLATE THE DISH.

  • Spoon potato leek soup into base of bowl. Top with chutney and scallops. Finish with chives and balsamic vinaigrette.
  • Serve and enjoy with a Coca-Cola Zero Sugar.

Notes

Find this recipe and others at The Table is Set..
Make sure to use dry packed scallops for this dish.

Step by Step Photos of Pan Seared Scallops with Purple Carrot Chutney

  • ingredients for recipe in cups
  • chutney ingredients in skillet before vinegar
  • chutney ingredients in skillet after vinegar added
  • raw scallps on paper towel
  • hand removing scallop foot
  • scallop cooking in skillet
  • seared scallops in skillet
  • finished recipe on top of potato leek soup

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

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This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe is a delicious spin on traditional macaroni salad. The creamy tangy and sweet sauce combined with pasta and bright vegetables make this the perfect pasta salad. 

Hawaiian macaroni in glass bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

Summer is made for cookouts, spiked lemonade, and macaroni salad. Ok, summer is so much more than that but if you know me, you know I love me some summer. Speaking of summer, one of my best summer memories is from a summer when I was 17 and I traveled to Hawaii to stay for an entire month! Best summer ever!!! Although the summer I got married on June 21st, the first day of summer, may just have that one beat. Either way, I had a blast in Hawaii visiting family, volunteering at the local hospital, hiking, attending luau's, and straight chilling.

I love this recipe for Hawaiian Macaroni Salad because everytime I make it it brings back memories of my time on the island (I only stayed on Oahu). This recipe is so simple yet delicious that it's a must try for any macaroni salad lover.

What is Hawaiian Macaroni Salad?

It's a creamy sweet and tangy salad that can be found all over Hawaii. There are many additions that can be added, but base recipes generally include elbow macaroni that has been slightly over cooked and lots of good quality mayonnaise.

sauce being poured on vegetables

What makes Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Different?

The Sauce!! It's sweet, tangy, and oh so delicious. The mayonniase, milk, and apple cider vinegar are keys to the sauce. Most Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipes require at least 2 cups of mayonaise...this one does not. I'm not that into mayonnaise and the movie Undercover Brother makes me feel bad for even liking it. Just kidding. But I feel that my version just didn't need 2 cups.

Traditional Hawaiian Macaroni Salad also tends to have super soft overcooked noodles to absorb all the creamy sauce. I like my noodles cooked to al dente so I don't overcook it. My obsession with the dish is with the sauce.

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad with or without Tuna, That is the Question!

The beauty of this dish is that it is amazing with or without tuna. I make it both ways often, my daughter doesn't like the tuna (hence why my photos are missing tuna). On the other hand, everyone else loves it with tuna. Your choice, both are amazing.

I really hope you enjoy this Hawaiian Macaroni Salad recipe. It's perfect for bbq's, cookouts, and for meal preps throughout the week.

Tips for Hawaiian Macaroni Salad Recipe

  • Allow your macaroni to cool for about 10 -15 minutes before adding the sauce. That will help keep your sauce creamy.
  • Use high quality mayonnaise only for this recipe. Any high quality brand will do.
  • Have fun with the additions to the recipe. Sub veggies for other veggies, protein for other proteins, etc. It's the sauce that really makes this dish pop.
  • This macaroni salad is best after refrigeration. 2 hours is usually enough for the flavors to mend together.
This Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is a sweet and tangy macaroni salad that is a twist on traditional macaroni salad. Covered in a delicious creamy sauce with bright vegetables, it's perfect for summer. #easy #hawaiian #sidedish #cookoutsides #mealprep #pastasalad #picnicsalad #summersalad #hawaiianmacaronisalad #myforkinglife
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4.91 from 11 votes

Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

This sweet and tangy Hawaiian Macaroni Salad is the perfect macaroni salad for any cookout or bbq. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Refrigeration2 hours
Total Time2 hours 20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 10 people
Calories: 431kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 1 lb uncooked macaroni pasta
  • 1.25 cup good quality mayonnaise
  • 2 Tablespoon milk
  • 2 Tablespoon sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard
  • 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 cup red bell pepper chopped
  • ½ cup red onion chopped
  • 1 cup seedless cucumber chopped
  • 1 cup carrots shredded
  • 2 5 oz cans chunk light tuna (optional add in)

Instructions

  • Prepare elbow macaroni as indicated on the box, drain, and set aside to cool.
  • Combine mayonnaise, sugar, dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, milk, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
  • Place pasta, red onion, red bell pepper, cucumber, carrots, and tuna (if you are using tuna) in a separate bowl. Pour sauce over top and stir to combine.
  • Refrigerate for 2 hours and Enjoy.

Nutrition

Calories: 431kcal

Step by Step Photos of Hawaiian Macaroni Salad

  • pasta in colander
  • Tsauce for salad in glass bowl with wooden spoon
  • pasta and vegetables in glass bowl
  • finished bowl of hawaiian salad

Loving this summer pasta salad recipe? Try my Cold Seafood Salad Recipe.

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Have you tried this recipe? Lease us a comment below and let us know how you liked it 🙂

Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob Seasoning

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This Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob seasoning is a delicious twist on traditional corn on the cob. Serve it along side your favorite cookout meal for a fun and tasty side dish.

cheddar corn stacked on top of each other

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

There is something magical about grabbing an ear of corn with both hands and chowing down. Heck, you could use one hand for all I care but corn eaten off the cob is just simply amazing. There’s a relaxation that comes along with it that I just can’t explain. In our house, we eat a ton of corn on the cob. It was one of my cravings during my pregnancy and if I ate it, we all ate it.

Traditionally, we would season our corn with loads of butter and some salt. Of course, as foodies, we had to start to think outside the box and then this corn on the cob seasoning became a favorite in our household. The credit for this beauty goes to hubby who loves cheddar and sour cream potato chips.The corn on the cob seasoning in this recipe is pretty simple and involves minmum ingredients, cheesy puffs, sour cream, and our top secret ingredient...Jerk Seasoning. I guess it’s not so top secret anymore. Actually, it’s not really top secret...my hubby puts jerk seasoning on just about everything and he was the brain child behind this recipe creation. If you don’t have jerk seasoning than salt is just as fine as a substiute. But seriously, use the jerk if you can.

corn on the cob on white plate

You can prepare the corn anyway you like when it comes to this recipe, as long as it’s cooked. I like to use my Instant Pot as it’s quick, easy, and gets my corn cooked just the way we like, cooked with a nice little crunch that leaves juices flying everywhere. With only a 2 minute pressure cooktime, this method just can’t be beat.

Now that I’ve let you all know about this corn on the cob seasoning, I’d love to hear from you about your favorite corn on the cob seasoning in the comments below. Until the next recipe, Enjoy 🙂


Try this Easy Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob Seasoning. A delicous side dish for any summer bbq. #cornonthecobseasoning #sidedish #corn #summermeals #easymeals #summervegetables #myforkinglife #instantpot #instantpotsides
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5 from 1 vote

Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob Seasoning

Not your typical corn on the cob recipe. Have fun eating this corn on the cob, especially if you love cheddar and sour cream.  
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time2 minutes
rise to pressure10 minutes
Total Time7 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 171kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 5-6 ears of corn silk and husk removed
  • ½ cup sour cream
  • 4 cups Cheeto Puff Chips
  • 1 teaspoon Jerk Seasoning*

Instructions

Instant Pot Instructions

  • Place 1 cup of water in instant Pot. Add trivet and place corn on top of trivet. Cover and pressure cook on Manual for 2 minutes. Once timer goes off, quick release.

Oven Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Wrap corn in foil and place on cookie sheet. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until done.

Grill Instructions

  • Wrap corn in heavy duty foil. Cook over coals/grill gate turning occasionally for about 15 minutes until corn is done.
  • While corn is cooking, add Cheeto Puffs to food processor along with jerk seasoning. Process until cheetos look like light breadcrumbs. (See photo below). Spread Processed cheetos on a flat surface.
  • Once corn is done and cool enough to handle, spread sour cream over corn with brush. Then roll corn into cheetos. Serve and Enjoy 🙂

Notes

*Salt can be substituted if you don’t have jerk seasoning.
I use Island Spice Jerk Seasoning.
Suggested Tools:
I use a 6 Qt Instant Pot to prepare corn quickly.

Nutrition

Calories: 171kcal

Looking for more Instant Pot Recipes? Try my Pressure Cooker Slamon with Creamy Herb Parmesan or my Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella.

Step by Step Photos Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob Seasoning

  • water being poured into instant pot insert
  • corn in the instant pot
  • steam coming out of the instant pot with corn
  • cheese chips and seasoning over food processor
  • crushed chips in food processor
  • cream being spread on corn
  • corn being rolled in crushed chips
  • corn in the cib stacked up

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Video

Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce

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This Pressure Cooker Salmon is the perfect quick and elegant meal. Top it with a creamy herb parmesan sauce for a quick and fancy meal.

salmon being covered with sauce

I would have never imagined that I, Tanya, would be cooking salmon in an electric pressure cooker. Not too sure why I am surprised since I use my Instant Pot for just about everything. I’ve made sous vide egg bites and cornmeal porridge for breakfast and this beautiful shrimp paella for dinner and meal prep lunches. But fish, in the pot? Yes, it can be done and it’s so awesome.

The inspiration for this recipe comes from a high school friend Katharine who informed me of a salmon recipe she created in her Instant Pot. Her method was simple yet genius. Salmon in pot with stock, herbs, and lemon juice; pressure cook, remove and add cornstarch and let cook until it thickened. Amazing sauce and fish. I was intrigued and I decided to give it a go myself.

salmon with herb on top

But there was a problem. Every single time I wanted to try the recipe, I didn’t feel like making a store run to get fresh non frozen salmon. And the week I finally bought salmon, I bought it frozen and forgot to defrost it the day I wanted to make it. Yes, fish defrost quite quickly under running water but even that felt like such a hassle. So it dawned on me, why not cook it from frozen, just like I did with the shrimp in the shrimp paella.

frozen salmom

I set it to the same cook time for 5 minutes, closed the lid, and said a prayer. Well prayer works because my salmon came out perfect! With just a 5 minute cook time, my salmon was done from frozen. My  fish was flakey and perfectly cooked, and I was able to make an amazing sauce in the same pot once done. Dinner was complete in less than 20 minutes!

The beauty with this salmon in the pressure cooker is the ability to use fresh or frozen fish. Non frozen fish will cook with a pressure cook time of about 3 minutes. Use your judgment when setting cook times for fresh or frozen fish. The thicker and bigger the filet, the longer the cook time.

salmon with fork sticking out of it

You can have fun with the herbs used in this dish as well. I've used various combos of basil, parsley, chives, and dill and it's always been delicious.

Some may have some questions about this dish and I’ve made a nice notes section for this pressure cooker salmon along with step by step photos. Of course, if you come up with new questions or love this dish, feel free to leave me a comment below. As always, enjoy 🙂

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4.50 from 2 votes

Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce

This Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce is the perfect quick weeknight and elegant meal. Top it with a creamy herb parmesan sauce for a quick and fancy meal.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 655.7kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 4 frozen salmon filets
  • ½ cup water
  • 1.5 teaspoon minced garlic
  • ½ cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup parmesan cheese grated
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh chives
  • 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh dill
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Place water and garlic in insert with trivet on top. Place salmon on top of trivet.
  • Close pressure cooker and set on Manual for 4-5 minutes.*
  • Once timer goes off, quick release the pressure. Remove salmon and trivet from the pot.
  • Turn off pressure cooker and set to Saute and adjust to Normal.
  • Once water begins to boil, whisk in the heavy cream and bring to a boil again. Allow to boil for about 2-3 minutes. The mixture should be able to stick to the back of a spoon.
  • Turn off pressure cooker and remove insert from heat. Whisk in chives, parsley, dill, parmesan cheese, and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.

Notes

*Adjust time based on thickness of filet. 
Suggested Tools
Instant Pot
Trivet for Instant Pot

Nutrition

Calories: 655.7kcal

Notes on Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce

  • The time listed is for 4-5 minutes under high pressure for frozen salmon. Thicker bigger filets will likely need a 5 minute cook time while thinner ones will need less of a cook time. Use your judgment when setting cook times to avoid overcooked and dry fish.
  • Dry herbs can be substituted for the fresh in this recipe, just cut herb amount in half. Also, add herbs before pressure cooking if using dry herbs. Fresh herbs should be added as instructed in the recipe.
  • Broth can be used in place of water for recipe.
  • It takes about 10 minutes to reach pressure in the pressure cooker. Make sure quick release is done as soon as pressure cooker timer goes off to avoid overcooked salmon.
  • These directions are for a 6 quart Instant Pot. Please modify accordingly for bigger or smaller models.
  • Serve over pasta or rice with a side of vegetables to complete your meal.

Step by Step Photos of Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce

  • frozen filets in instant pot
  • instant pot display with number 5
  • top of instant pot, the valve
  • front of instant pot
  • instant pot valve switched to venting
  • cooked salmon in instant pot
  • front of instant pot with 30 displayed
  • sauce in instant pot
  • spoon with sauce on back
  • herbs in sauce in pot
  • lemon squeezed over pot
  • salmon with sauce on top

Pin Pressure Cooker Salmon with Creamy Herb Parmesan Sauce

14 Great Recipes for Air Fryers

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Everyone needs a list of great recipes for air fryers. This list has you covered for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Here's a list of recipes to get you started. This post may contain affiliate links, please read my full disclosure here. 
 
photo of air fryer recipes and text that says 14 air fryer recipes
So you’re trying to decide if you should buy an air fryer. Believe me, I was there. I have a small kitchen and another kitchen appliance terrified me. Where would I put it? Would I actually use it? Do I really need something just to fry food without oil?
 

[Read more...]

Healthier General Tso's Chicken Recipe in the Air Fryer

by 21 Comments

This Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe is still fried but "fried" in the air fryer and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Top it with the amazing general tso's sauce for an easy and quick weeknight dinner.

General Tso chicken on plate

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.


I have a few rules when it comes to General Tso's chicken. It must have crunch, it must have a little spice, and it must be saucy! At least that was my experience the first time I tried this dish.

It was almost 10 years ago when I first had it at a restaurant in Durham, NC during law school. I first tried this dish during a study break with friends and I fell in love.

It was also during this study break that I bit into one of the hot peppers that comes in the dish and I couldn't breathe for a good minute. The peppers are not to be eaten, the peppers are not to be eaten. I wish I knew that before I took a bite.

Despite the incident with the pepper, the dish was delicious. The chicken had the perfect crunch and the sauce was a perfect combination of sweet and salty. The depth of flavor was amazing. It's a dish that I came to love and recreate in my kitchen quite often.

Initially, my general process when creating general Tso's chicken was to batter and fry the chicken pieces until crunchy and then coat them in my sauce.

Although delicious, it became a bit cumbersome for weeknight dinners. My deep fryer broke which was a bummer and the time it took to heat oil on the stovetop just didn't fit into my tight schedule for weeknights.

So one night when my daughter requested this for dinner, a light bulb clicked in my head and I found that my Air Fryer would be the perfect fix. It became a win win because the air fryer cut the time it took to prepare the general tso chicken recipe but it also became my new healthy general tso chicken recipe since I needed no oil to fry it.

I initially purchased my air fryer to deal with a pregnancy craving I had for french fries. Well to be fair, I always crave french fries so I shouldn't blame that on pregnancy. Either way, I use my air fryer for much more than french fries and I am excited to share with you all the recipes I create in this amazing appliance.

General tso chicken in bowl with red pepper

What is an Air Fryer?

So what's an air fryer you may ask? In general, it's an appliance that recreates fried foods without actually frying the food in tons of oil. It also roasts and bakes food but its main claim to fame is the fact that it can give the same texture as fried foods without using a ton of oil.

It's a healthier option for home cooks who desire the delicious crunch that comes with fried foods but not the delicious calories and fat. It also tends to have a quicker cook time than many foods that are typically baked in the oven.

With help of my air fryer, I create this dish in less than 30 minutes. That's right, I use the air fryer to prep my chicken and I create my sauce while that's going.

There are a few tips and tricks to make this recipe a success. For one, you will want to coat your chicken pieces in potato starch. It's a tip I picked up from This Old Gal. It provides the perfect crunch for the chicken pieces without changing the taste profile.

You will also want to make sure that your air fryer basket is properly oiled. I just put a little olive oil on a paper towel and rub it all over the bottom of my basket. That way the chicken pieces won't stick when frying. This is the only oil you will need for frying the chicken pieces in this recipe. How awesome is that?!?

The last tip is to shake the air fryer basket about every 5 minutes when cooking. This will ensure that your chicken pieces are evenly cooked and crisp.

The beauty of this dish is that while your chicken pieces are cooking in the air fryer, you can work on creating your sauce on the stovetop. Dump the chicken pieces into the sauce when they are done cooking for the perfect weeknight dinner.

I like to serve our healthy general tso chicken recipe with a side of white rice I make in my Instant Pot. For veggies, I serve with steamed or air fried broccoli.

I hope you enjoy this healthy General Tso Chicken recipe in the air fryer as much as we do.

Looking for other Healthy Air Fryer Recipes? Try these out...

This healthy general tso's chicken recipe is made in the air fryer for a healthier take on the dish. Have dinner ready in 30 minutes or less. #weeknightdinner #asiandinner #healthydinner #healthy #airfryerrecipes #airfryer #airfryerchicken #quickdinner #dinnerforbusypeople healthy general tso chicken recipe.
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5 from 7 votes

Healthier General Tso's Chicken Recipe

This healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe is still fried but "fried" in the air fryer and can be made in less than 30 minutes. Top it with the amazing general tso sauce for an easy and quick weeknight dinner.
Prep Time5 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Servings: 4
Calories: 430kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 1.5-2 lbs chicken thighs, boneless and skinless cut into bite sized pieces
  • ⅓ cup potato starch
  • 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 6 dried red chillies
  • 3 green onions chopped
  • 2 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger minced
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • ½ cup chicken broth
  • ½ cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 pinch of salt
  • 2 teaspoon corn starch
  • ¼ cup water

Instructions

  • Set Air Fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat chicken thighs with potato starch making sure all pieces are fully covered. Use tongs to place chicken pieces in Air Fryer basket. Cook chicken pieces for 20-25 minutes until crispy, shaking basket every 5 minutes. 
  • Meanwhile, prepare sauce by heating vegetable oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add green onions, dried chilies, garlic, and ginger and stir fry for about 1 minute, until chillies brighten in color and onions have softened. 
  • Add brown sugar, chicken broth, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and pinch of salt to the skillet and stir. Bring to a boil and cook for about 3 minutes. 
  • Once chicken in air fryer is finished, add to sauce and stir in. 
  • Create a thickener by whisking 2 teaspoons of corn starch in ¼ cup cold water. Stir into boiling sauce and allow to cook for about 1 minute, until sauce has thickened. 
  • Serve with rice and vegetable and Enjoy 🙂

Notes

Note for Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe

Break a few of the chills peppers in half before adding to skillet for a spicier dish.

Suggested Tools for Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe

I have this Air Fryer
You will want to coat chicken with Silicone Kitchen Tongs so coating stays on chicken when mixing and transferring to air fryer.
A skillet for making the sauce on the stove top.

Some Ingredients You Will Need

Dried Red Chillies
Potato Starch

Nutrition

Calories: 430kcal
 

Step by Step Photos of Healthy General Tso Chicken Recipe

chicken pieces covered in cornstarch
chicken pieces in air fryer basket
peppers and onions cooking in non stick skillet
sauce being made in non stick skillet
finished fried chicken pieces in air fryer basket
chicken pieces in sauce
finished chicken and sauce in skillet

Want more Chinese recipes? Try my Zucchini Mushroom Chicken Recipe.

Pin Healthy General Tso's Chicken Recipe for Later

an image of the finished dish with text that says air fryer general tso's chicken

Copycat Rice a Roni

by 173 Comments

This Copycat Rice a Roni recipe is even better than the boxed version. Make it in the Instant Pot for a hands off quick, easy, and healthier side dish.

copycat rice a roni on plate with fork next to it

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

You ever have a random craving for a meal from your childhood? Happens to me quite often. I'll be thinking of what to create in my kitchen and I'll get a sudden urge for a dish I hadn't had in years. That's how it was when it came to this Rice a Roni.

Even as an adult, I used to buy the flavored rice and pastas from the dried goods section of the supermarket. Once I realized that these things were full of sodium and other no no ingredients, I stopped buying them.

As a matter of fact, I discovered that it was much easier and cheaper to make flavored rice out of ingredients I already had in my pantry.

Hence this homemade copycat rice a roni was born. I recall the first time I made it to go along with a delicious steak dinner I made for hubby and myself. Apparently he used to eat rice a roni as a kid too and loved it. So I made this copycat rice a roni, plated it beside a delicious steak and asparagus dinner, and waited for the verdict.

Initially, he thought it came from the box and he claimed I doctored it up somehow because it tasted so delicious. He was in shock when I told him it wasn't from a box. As a matter of fact, he didn't believe me, still doesn't believe, and always looks in the trash for a rice a roni box as evidence when I make it.

I tend to make all my rice in my Instant Pot now and this copycat rice a roni is no different. Reason being is that with the right ratio, rice cooked in the pressure cooker always comes out perfect. I tend to walk away and forget to lower the stove when it comes to stove top rice. The pressure cooker allows me to place my ingredients in the pot, set my timer, and go on to the rest of my meal. Perfection and no more burned rice bottom.

rice in instant pot insert with wooden spoon in it

The great thing about this rice a roni is that you can prep the majority of the ingredients ahead of time. No need for a rice a roni seasoning packet when all the dry herbs and spices are in your cupboard. The only herb in this recipe that isn't dried is the parsley. Dry parsley can be substituted but fresh parsley is so much better.

I hope you enjoy this homemade copycat rice a roni as much as we do. I hope your family believes you when you tell them it's not from the box. As always, Enjoy 🙂

Looking for more Instant Pot recipes with rice? Try these out:

Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella  

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (Halal Cart Copycat)

Instant Pot Brown Rice

Instant Pot Dirty Rice

Instant Pot Mushroom Risotto

Instant Pot Brown Rice

Instant Pot Kale Rice

Instant Pot Rice and Beans (Jamaican Style)

Or Find All of My Pressure Cooker Recipes Here.

This Copycat Rice a Roni recipe is even better than the boxed version. Make it in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker for a hands off quick, easy, and healthy side dish. #dinner #quickdinnerrecipes #copycatrice #pressurecookerrice #myforkinglife #ricepilaf #instantpot #pressurecookersides #copycatrecipes #homemade
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4.73 from 76 votes

CopyCat Rice a Roni in the Instant Pot

Copycat Rice a Roni is the perfect side dish for your dinner table. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
natural release10 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4
Calories: 160kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoon butter
  • 2 oz thin spaghetti noodles broken into small pieces
  • 1 cup long grain white rice
  • 1 ¼ cup chicken broth
  • ½ teaspoon dry thyme
  • ½ teaspoon minced dry onion
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 Tablespoon fresh parsley* chopped

Instructions

  • Combine dry thyme, minced dry onion, garlic powder, salt, and turmeric. Set aside. 
  • Set pressure cooker to sauté. Once Hot, add butter and let melt. Once melted, add thin spaghetti noodles and stir until toasted, about 2 minutes. 
  • Add rice and stir for about 30 seconds, until slightly toasted. 
  • Add spice mixture and chicken broth and stir, ensuring that there are no pieces stuck to the bottom. Turn off sauté mode on pressure cooker and set pressure cooker on Manual mode for 8 minutes. Cover pressure cooker, making sure valve is set to sealed.  
  • Once pressure cooking time is done, allow to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release any remaining pressure by moving valve to "venting"
  • Open lid and add chopped parsley. Fluff with fork and Enjoy!

Video

Notes

Make sure there are no dry bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. This could result in that annoying "burn" signal some pressure cookers give off. Once you add your broth, stir with a wooden spoon to ensure there is no food stuck to the bottom. 
Basmati rice can be substituted for the long grain. 
I always rinse my rice under cold water before cooking. I started doing it out of habit because mama taught me that way. It yields a much fluffier non sticky rice. 
*If subbing dry for fresh parsley, reduce amount to 1 tsp. 

Nutrition

Calories: 160kcal

Step by Step Photos of Copycat Rice a Roni in Pressure Cooker

  • dry spices for recipe in glass bowl
  • instant pot display with finger pressing saute and display says on
  • instant pot display with the word HOT on the screen
  • butter melting in instant pot insert
  • spaghetti in instant pot insert
  • rice and spaghetti in instant pot insert
  • rice, spaghetti, and chicken broth and seasonings in insert
  • finished copycat rice a roni in instant pot insert
  • parsley in hand
  • finished rice in instant pot insert

Pin Copycat Rice a Roni for later

This Copycat Rice a Roni recipe is even better than the boxed version. Make it in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker for a hands off quick, easy, and healthy side dish. #dinner #quickdinnerrecipes #copycatrice #pressurecookerrice #myforkinglife #ricepilaf #instantpot #pressurecookersides #copycatrecipes #homemade

Zucchini Mushroom Chicken

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This zucchini mushroom chicken is a chinese restuarant dish that can be on your dinner table in a hurry with minimum ingredients. Coated in an amazing sauce with tender chicken pieces makes this meal a winner.

zuchinni mushroom chicken in bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

There was a point in my life that I ordered chinese food about once a week. I mean, how convenient is to sit at home, order dinner over the phone, and have it delivered piping hot at your door? Pretty convenient I'd say. And I would continue to do this until I realized that sometimes that food wasn't piping hot when it reached my door. Or sometimes I'd shell out 40 bucks for a meal that I could make for a fraction of the cost. Or sometimes the meals I ordered were very high in sodium which can cause a host of health issues.

So cooking Chinese dishes at home became a thing for me and it should become a thing for you too. So about this Zucchini Mushroom Chicken...omg delicious!!! Not only are the flavors of this dish amazing, but if you follow my technique for this recipe, you will end up with the most tender pieces of chicken breast you ever had in your meal.

zucchini mushroom chicken in skillet

Chicken breast is one of the most trickiest parts of the chicken to cook with as it's not as forgiving if you overcook it. Most chinese restaurants have mastered the chicken breast by providing succulent velvet textured chicken. How do they it you may ask? Well they...velvet the chicken.

If you do a google search about velveting chicken you will find various techniques on how to do it. Some say you should parboil the chicken first, others have it coated in cornstarch and then parboiled. Either way, most ways were too complicated and discouraging. This way is by far the easiest and brings amazing results. I find that velveting the chicken is an important step in this zucchini mushroom recipe and I hope you don't skip it. If you do, no worries, your dish will still be amazing but seriously consider giving it a try.

When it comes to stir fry at home, I usually use my large nonstick pan rather than my wok. Since I cook on an electric stovetop, there isn't enough heat to properly heat up all sides of a wok. A non-stick skillet works best for home cooks, especially those with electric burners.

I hope you enjoy this zucchini mushroom chicken recipe as much as we do. Don't forget to scroll down and check out the step by step photos for this meal.

Looking for more Zucchini Recipes? Try these Zucchini Fritters made in an Air Fryer.

Looking for more Stir fry recipes? try this one out:

Chicken and Green Bean Stir Fry

Mongolian Beef

Looking for another dish with mushrooms? Try my Baked Italian Chicken with Mushrooms.

zucchini mushroom chicken on a white plate
Print Recipe
4.93 from 14 votes

Zucchini Mushroom Chicken

This zucchini mushroom chicken is a chinese restuarant dish that can be on your dinner table in a hurry with minimum ingredients. Coated in an amazing sauce with tender chicken pieces makes this meal a winner.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Chinese
Keyword: zucchini mushroom chicken
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 265kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 1 lb chicken breast sliced thinly into bite sized pieces
  • 2-3 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 Tablespoon vegetable oil divided
  • 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
  • 2 teaspoon white sugar
  • 2 teaspoon garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon ginger grated
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
  • 8 oz white mushrooms sliced
  • ½ medium onion sliced
  • 1 medium zucchini cut in half lengthwise, then sliced
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Sprinkle baking soda over chicken breast, making sure it is fully coated. Set aside for 20 minutes. 
  • Combine soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes if using. Set aside. 
  • Rince baking soda off of chicken and dry with good quality paper towels. 
  • Add 1 tablespoon vegetable oil and sesame oil in pan over medium-high heat. Once oil is hot, add chicken and cook until both sides are browned, around 4 minutes. 
  • Remove chicken from pan. Add remaining vegetable oil to pan and add zucchini, mushrooms, and onion. Cook while stirring until vegetables have softened, about 3 minutes. 
  • Add chicken and sauce to pan, stirring until vegetable and chicken is fully coated with sauce. Cook for about 1 minute more. 
    Serve with white or brown rice. 

Video

Notes

Recommended Tools
T-fal Nonstick skillet
 

Nutrition

Calories: 265kcal | Carbohydrates: 8g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Cholesterol: 73mg | Sodium: 1583mg | Potassium: 779mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 205IU | Vitamin C: 12.8mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 1.2mg

Step by Step Photos of Zucchini Chicken and Mushrooms

raw chicken with baking soda in bowl
Place baking soda over thinly sliced chicken breast. Set aside for 20 minutes.
chopped zucchini, mushrooms, and onions on cutting board
Slice onion, zucchini, and mushrooms. Set aside.
sauce in measuring cup
Prepare sauce. Set aside.
wet chicken in paper towels in bowl
Rinse chicken and pat chicken pieces dry.
cooked chicken in skillet
Cook chicke over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Remove from pan.
zucchini and mushrooms in skillet
Cook zucchini, onion, and mushrooms in pan until softened.
finished dish in skillet
Add chicken and sauce to the pan. Cook for about 1 minute more.

Notes on Zucchini Mushroom Chicken

  • The chicken breast will feel a tad bit slimy after baking soda is rinsed off. Do not fear, it will cook just fine. Make sure you use good quality paper towels when drying the chicken so they don't stick to it.
  • Make sure all the baking soda is rinsed off chicken. You don't want the chicken to taste like baking soda in the final dish.
  • Chop vegetables and prepare sauce while chicken is marinating in the baking soda. That's the beauty that makes this dish a 30 minute dinner.
  • Add red pepper flakes if you want a bit of spice in the dish.

Pin Zucchini Mushroom Chicken for Later

Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

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This Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is a delicious citrus flavored cake with the perfect amount of poppy seed crunch. Enjoy it for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or an after dinner dessert.

orange poppyseed bundt cake on cake pan with cake slice at bottom

March has arrived and I'm super hype about it. I'm only a few months closer to my all time favorite season, summer. But in the meantime, I'll just enjoy the fact that it's not freezing cold here in Carolina. Speaking of warmer weather, the change in temperature has made me want to get in the kitchen and bake more. Oddly enough, the warmer it is outside, the more I crave desserts like cakes and oven baked pies. So let me start by sharing this Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake Recipe with you.

I'm a huge fan of citrus desserts. Lemon meringue pie is a favorite around here and so is this Grapefruit Cake Recipe. But lemon is always the star of the desserts, so I figure why not give it a go with an orange. This Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake takes the cake...haha, get it?

slice of cake

I love this cake because it is so easy to put together and toss in your oven. I love the addition of vegetable oil rather than butter as it keeps the cake moist. I also love the addition of buttermilk for the texture and taste.

Speaking of buttermilk, I tend to run out of it quite frequently, especially when I want to use it in a baked good. I've found a good subsitution is to use 1 cup milk and 1 teaspoon of white vingear. Just combine the two in a measuring cup and allow it to sit for about 5 minutes. Like magic, your milk curdles a little and makes a wonderful buttermilk subsitute.

top of orange poppyseed bundt cake with glaze

I like to enjoy this cake with a nice hot cup of coffee and staring out my living room window. I tend to do this a lot while I listen to a great playlist. For this, Isacc Hayes Walk on By is what I enjoy listening to. I hope you enjoy this Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake as much as we do. Until the next baking adventure, enjoy 🙂

Looking for more dessert recipes? Try these out:

Southern Peach Cobbler

Red Velvet Cupcakes with Creamcheese Frosting

Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is a delicous citrus cake with the right amount of poppy seed crunch. #cake #spring #bakedgoods #recipes #bakedgoodrecipes
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Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time1 hour
Resting Time15 minutes
Total Time1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 16
Calories: 341kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 3 cups flour
  • 1.5 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 4 large eggs
  • ½ cup orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 Tablespoon poppy seeds

Glaze

  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 1-2 Tablespoon orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a bundt cake pan and set aside. 
    Combine flour, baking powder, salt in a bowl. Whisk and set aside. 
    Beat sugar and oil in a large bowl. Add eggs in one at a time until combined. Add orange juice, vanilla extract, orange zest until combined. 
    Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk to large bowl, alternating between adding the flour and buttermilk until combined. Stir in poppyseeds. 
    Pour batter into bundt cake pan and place into preheated oven. 
    Bake for 50 min to 1 hour or until toothick entered into cake comes out clean. 
    Remove from oven and cool in bundt cake pan for 15 minutes. Remove and allow to cool completey. Pour glaze over top of cake. 

For Glaze

  • Combine powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest and whisk to combine. Pour over cooled bundt cake. 
    Enjoy!

Notes

Notes on Orange Bundt Cake Recipe

  • Add more orange zest for a more dominant orange taste in the cake or glaze.
  • Cake is best served with a cup of coffee.

Suggested Tools & Ingredients for Orange Bundt Cake Recipe

Recipe adapted from Tide & Thyme.
 
 

Nutrition

Calories: 341kcal

Step by Step Photos of Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake

dry goods for recipe in bowl
Preheat oven to 350. Grease bundt pan, set aside. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda in a bowl. Set aside.
wet ingredients in mixing bowl
Combine vegetable oil and sugar. Add eggs one at a time and combine.
wet ingredients in mixibg bowl with mixing attachment
Add orange juice, vanilla extract, and orange zest.
batter in mixing bowl
Add buttermilk and flour, alternating between adding both until combined. Stor in poppy seeds.
batter in bundt cake pan
Pour in bundt pan and bake in preheated oven for about 50 minutes to 1 hour, or until toothpick comes out clean.
baked cake
Remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes in pan. Then remove. Allow cake to cool completely.
glaze in glass bowl
Make glaze by combining powdered sugar, orange juice, and zest.
finished cake
Pour glaze over cake and enjoy!

Pin Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake for Later

Orange Poppy Seed Bundt Cake is a delicous citrus cake with the right amount of poppy seed crunch. #cake #spring #bakedgoods #recipes #bakedgoodrecipes

Pressure Cooker (Instant Pot) Egg Bites Recipe

by 151 Comments

Here's an easy and delicious way to prepare the Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot.  A creamy and delicate egg all in two bites...or one if you want to gobble it up.

egg bites on white plate

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Hello World! I feel like I've been flooding my most recent blog post with a ton of Instant Pot recipes. Let me apologize and start by saying that I won't be posting only Instant Pot recipes. But Gosh darn it, that Instant Pot is amazing.

I'm used to making soups, stews, and one pot meals in it but I was intrigued when I discovered that I could make eggs in the Instant Pot. No, not boiled eggs (which I hear is a great way to make a ton of boiled eggs) but creamy delicious egg bites.

Are these similar to sous vide egg bites?

Yep, but I don't use a Sous Vide machine. The first I heard of these is when Starbucks added it to their menu and called it "Sous Vide Egg Bites." They apparently use the sous vide machine but the Instant Pot gets the same velvety, creamy texture.

Let's be real, everyone and their mama got the Instant Pot for Christmas. How awesome is it that we can make this wonderful breakfast at home and save some coins when we head to our favorite coffee shop. These are the kind of a breakfast snack that can be made ahead of time. The whole family will love this grab and go breakfast.

egg bites on white plate

This egg bites recipe comes together quickly and requires only a 9 minute steam time and 10 minute natural release time in the Instant Pot. There are a couple of suggested tools when making these babies...a blender, a a silicone baby food mold , and a Steamer Rack Trivet(this should have come with your instant pot).

As you can see, the texture of these eggs are creamy. This recipe isn't for you if you like your eggs hard or fried. But if you like creamy eggs and don't have the patience to make Gordon Ramsey's creamy scrambled eggs in a skillet (my favorite way to make them), then this Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe is for you.

The best thing about these egg bites, other than the fact that they are creamy and delicious is the fact that you can hide veggies in them. I keep it simple with just adding spinach to mine. I also add bacon. Can I call bacon a veggie?

I hope you all enjoy these "Sous Vide" egg bites as much as we do. Until the next recipe.

Watch this video tutorial and see how I make these egg bites from start to finish. 

Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot. Creamy and delicate eggs steamed to perfection. Perfect for a make ahead breakfast.
Print Recipe
4.74 from 60 votes

Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot

Here's an easy and delicious way to prepare the Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot.  A creamy and delicate egg all in two bites...or one if you want to gobble it up.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time19 minutes
Total Time29 minutes
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sous vide egg bites instant pot
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 366.6kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 4 pieces bacon cooked and crumbled
  • 1 ½ cup sharp cheddar cheese shredded
  • ½ cup cottage cheese
  • ¼ cup heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon hot sauce
  • ¼ cup spinach chopped
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Spray the egg bite molds.
  • Add bacon pieces to bottom of silicone baby food maker in the molds. Set aside. 
  • Add eggs, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, heavy cream, hot sauce, and salt & pepper to a blender. Blend until smooth consistency. Stir in chopped spinach. 
  • Pour egg mixture into baby silicone baby food maker, covering bacon. Cover baby silicone food maker with foil paper. 
  • Add 1 cup of water to bottom of Instant Pot and place trivet inside. Place baby food maker on top of trivet in Instant Pot. *See note about creating a foil sling or use tongs for easy removal. 
  • Cover Instant Pot, making sure valve is set to "sealing." Select "Steam" and set timer to 9 minutes. Once the time timer goes off, allow it to natural release for 10 minutes. Then switch your valve to "venting" to do your quick release to remove any remaining pressure. 
  • Open your Instant Pot and remove silicone baby maker. Allow to stand for a few minutes and turn eggs over onto a dish. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for up to 4 days. 

Video

Notes

Suggested Tools for Sous Vide Egg Bites Instant Pot

Nutrition

Calories: 366.6kcal

Notes on Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot

  • You can create a foil sling for easy removal of the baby silicone mold in the Instant Pot. To create the sling, take a 20 inch long piece of foil paper and fold it into thirds. Place this in the Instant Pot, on the trivet and place the baby silicone mold on top of that. When ready to remove from the Instant Pot, grab the foil sling. Or in the alternative, you can use tongs to grab the side of the silicone mode for removal.
  • Have fun with the add ins and use whatever cheese you may like.
  • Allow the egg bites to sit after removing from Instant Pot to have them firm up a bit.
  • With the egg mold linked here, I don't spray the silicone mold and my eggs slide right on out. I highly reccomend this silicone mold.  However, I have used other molds with this recipe and they have stuck. So I suggest always spraying the mold.
  • These can be reheated easily in the microwave. If refrigerated, try 30-45 seconds in the microwave. if frozen, try 60 -90 seconds. Re-heat time will depend on the wattage of your microwave.

Check out these other Instant Pot Favorites

Creamy Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal

Instant Pot Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge Recipe

White Cheddar Pressure Cooker Pasta

Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella

Southern Style Pressure Cooker Collard Greens

Cheddar and Sour Cream Corn on the Cob

Instant Pot Chicken and Rice (Halal Cart Copycat)

Step by Step Photos of Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot

bacon on baking sheet
Prepare your bacon. I like to cook mine in a 425 degree oven for about 12 minutes until they are nice and crispy.
cooked bacon in paper towel
Remove bacon and drain on paper towel and break into smal pieces.
bacon pieces in silicone mold
Place bacon pieces in bottom of silicone mold.
ingredients in blender
Add eggs, cheddar cheese, cottage cheese, heavy cream, hot sauce, and salt and pepper to blender.
blended ingredients
Blend to a smooth consistency.
blended ingredients with spinach on top
Stir in chopped spinach.
ingredients in silicone mold before cooking
Pour into silicone mold and cover with foil paper.
rack inside instant pot
Place 1 cup of water and trivet inside of Instant Pot.
foil covering bites in instant pot
Place silicone mold on top of trivet.
finger pressing steam button in instant pot and the number 9 on display
Set Instant Pot to "Steam" for 9 minutes. Cover. Once Timer goes off, allow it to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release.
cooked egg bites
Remove silicone mold from Instant Pot and allow to rest for a few minutes, about 5. Turn eggs over onto dish.
egg bites on plate
Enjoy immediately or refrigerate for later. Enjoy!

Pin Sous Vide Egg Bites Recipe in the Instant Pot for Later

pin image for instant pot sous vide egg bites

Adapted from Foodie & Wine.

Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe

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This Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe is not only delicious but has only a 25 minute under pressure cook time. It's the perfect one pot dinner that can be made on any weekend or weeknight.

pressure cooker turkey chili in blue bowl

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

Oh how I love my Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker! Although I took a leave of absence from the blog, I've been getting great feedback on my Instant Pot recipes, like this Pressure Cooker Shrimp Paella or this Instant Pot Jamaican Cornmeal Porridge Recipe. So, of course, the first recipe I had to share on my return to blogging was this Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili Recipe.

One pot meals are a necessity in our meal rotations and our electric pressure cooker has been a life saver when it comes to creating these meals. Let's just say that for the last few months I've been super busy and extremely tired. Why may you ask? Well for starters, I starred in a feature-length film that is available on Amazon. It was a pretty big way to start the year and something brand new to me. But hey, YOLO (you only live once) and being an actress is now on my resume. The movie took a bit of time as I not only acted in it, but I helped with directing and editing as well. Feel free to check out the movie free on Amazon.

After the movie was made, you would think life would slow down but we chose to keep it moving. My husband and I always wanted to expand our family of 3 but were told that it would only be possible with In Vitro Fertilization(IVF). That itself was a little overwhelming. Dealing with taking shots every day, various medical procedures, and the fear that it just may not work will have you feeling overwhelmed. Regardless, it was totally worth it as we became pregnant on our first round. 8 months later, after a difficult pregnancy, our little precious daughter made her way into this world. Now our house is full of girls, sorry hubby.

It's meals like this Turkey Chili made in my Instant Pot that allowed my family to eat healthy while our lives went through so many exciting changes.

Chili in the Slow Cooker, Stove Top, or Instant Pot...that is the question?

Chili used to be a meal that I thought was only available on a long weekend when you had hours to sit over a stove and stir every once in a while. Truth is, it's been a long time since I've made chili on the stove top. I'm not the hugest fan on watching food on the stove for long periods of time. The slow cooker is my 2nd favorite method for cooking chili but it didn't provide me with the last minute dinner availability. So the Instant Pot Electric Pressure Cooker became the perfect vessel to make this delicious turkey chili dinner.

Although my Instant pot has a slow cooker function, I prefer to use the pressure cook and sauté function only on my machine. Rumor has it that the slow cooker function on the Instant Pot isn't as good as the original slow cooker.

Which is Healthier, Ground Beef or Ground Turkey?

Although the majority of the chili we make in our house is made with beef, I wanted to try something different for my hubby and oldest daughter. Chili happens to be one of her favorites but I wanted to limit the amount of red meat we were eating. The great thing about this turkey chili is you won't even notice that there isn't beef in the chili because...well, it taste like some darn good chili.

So which is healthier? It pretty much depends on which kind of ground turkey or ground beef you buy. Fit Found Me has a great article detailing the differences between both.

pressure cooker turkey chili ingredients in insert

Spices for Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili

So what's the secret to this delicious chili?? The spices! Of course, there is chili powder, cumin, and a dash of cinnamon. All that combined with the other ingredients gives you a dynamic chili taste.

spices for pressure cooker turkey chili

Spices

How Long to Cook Chili in a Pressure Cooker

You will get different opinions on how long you should cook anything in the pressure cooker. Some even say you can get that flavor within as little as 10 minutes cook time. I'm a firm believer that this chili deserves a good 25-minute pressure cooker time. The longer it's in there, the better the chance of getting that dynamic flavor.

What to serve with this chili?

Cornbread!!! or Tortilla chips. I like to top mine with sliced jalapeno, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.

It's super easy to make this chili, which makes it perfect for a weeknight or weekend meal. So spice it up and enjoy this pressure cooker turkey chili recipe. Also, it feels great to be back.

pressure cooker turkey chili
Print Recipe
4.62 from 13 votes

Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili

Quick, easy, and flavorful turkey chili in the Instant Pot. 
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time45 minutes
Total Time55 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: pressure cooker turkey chili
Servings: 6 people
Calories: 460kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • 2 Tablespoon vegatable oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 red bell pepper chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves chopped
  • 3 Tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 Tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1 lb ground turkey
  • 1 (15oz) can sweet kernel corn rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15oz) can light red kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 (15oz) can dark red kidney beans rinsed and drained
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 (28oz) can diced tomato
  • 2 Tablespoon very fine cornmeal (optional)

Instructions

  • Set your Pressure Cooker to sauté mode. Once it displays "HOT", add vegetable oil. Once oil heats, add onion and red bell pepper and stir until softened, about 3 minutes. Add garlic cloves and cook for about 1 minute more.
  • Add ground turkey and stir, cooking until meat is no longer pink. Add chili powder, cumin, oregano, cinnamon, paprika, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir and turn off Pressure Cooker. 
  • Add corn, kidney beans, and chicken broth and stir. Place can diced tomatoes on top but do not stir, just leave it on top. 
  • Set Pressure Cooker on Manual (Pressure Cook) for 25 minutes. Cover, making sure the valve is set to seal. 
  • Once time is up, allow pressure cooker to natural release for 10 minutes, then quick release by switching valve to vent. Once pressure is fully released, open and stir. 
  • If you find chili to watery, set pressure cooker to sauté until mixture starts to boil and stir until desired consistency, no longer than 5 minutes. Add 2 tablespoon of cornmeal to thicken. 

Video

Notes

Top with your favorite Chili toppings: Jalapeno, cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc.

Suggested tools for Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili

Nutrition

Calories: 460kcal

Notes on Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili

  • You can sub your favorite bean for one of the kidney beans. Feel free to try it with black beans or any bean you like with your chili.
  • Make sure the diced tomatoes remain on the top when pressure cooking. If mixed in prior to pressure cooking, you risk the tomatoes being scorched on the bottom.
  • The chili will be watery when you first open the pressure cooker. In order to thicken it, you can turn on the saute function and stir continuously allowing it to reduce down. I like to add very fine cornmeal and stir it in on saute for a few minutes. It changed the flavor profile ever so slightly but it's sooo good.

Step by Step Photos of Pressure Cooker Turkey Chili

onions and red pepper in instant pot
Sauté onion, red pepper, garlic in 2 tablespoon vegetable oil.
ground turkey cooking in pot
Add in turkey meat and cook until fully cooked.
ground turkey in pot with seasonings
Add spices and stir. Turn off pressure cooker.
beans added to ground turkey in pot
Add beans, corn, and chicken broth and stir,
pressure cooker turkey chili in the instant pot with tomatoes on top
Place diced tomatoes on top. Cover and pressure cook for 25 minutes
pressure cooker turkey chili in instant pot after pressure cooking
after pressure cooking, let natural release for 10 minutes and then quick release. Chili will appear watery. To thicken, set pressure cooker on sauté and stir to thicken.
cornmeal in measuring spoon
Add 2 tablespoon of very fine cornmeal.
pressure cooker turkey chili on a spoon
Perfect.

 Pin Pressure Cooker  Turkey Chili for Later

pressure cooker turkey chili. Make this recipe in your Instant Pot or any other pressure cooker for a quick meal. Tasty and healthy

Dame's Chicken and Waffles Cary, NC

by 1 Comment

I had the opportunity to dine and relax at Dame's Chicken and Waffles Cary, NC. This new location is perfect for those that are looking for delicious Dame's entrees in a new bigger location.

dame's chicken and waffles on white plate with sauce and butter on side
chicken and waffles

I usually don't venture outside of Charlotte when it comes to my restaurant escapades, but when a friend becomes co-owner of a restaurant, I have to go check it out. Dame's Chicken and Waffles is pretty much a household name around North Carolina with locations in Durham, Greensboro, and now Cary, NC. When I heard Dame's would open in Cary, NC, I immediately got jealous. I've been waiting for them to open in Charlotte for years. But I digress...folks in Cary are lucky to have this location.

Let me start from the beginning...

I had to travel to the Triangle for work and realized that it would be a great time to catch up with my law school study group who are more like close friends rather than just old study partners. Ironically, on the morning of our planned dinner, Facebook reminded me that 10 years earlier we took a photo during out first year of law school. The majority of these friends are in private practice, one is an assistant public defender (me), 2 are bloggers, and one became co-owner of Dame's Chicken and Waffles Cary, NC. Dame's became the obvious location for us to grab a bite and catch up.

I arrived at Dame's at 7pm on a Tuesday. This location is located in a shopping center which makes parking easy. I was out of my car and at the front doors of the restaurant in no time. Once I walked in, the atmosphere of Dame's was perfect for our law school reunion.  This place is much bigger than the Durham location. I immediately noticed this amazing artwork on the wall. It's painted by a local Durham artist, Artie Barksdale. Kuddos to Dame's for keeping it local. In the background, D.J. Pandora was spinning a nice jazz mix and I realized that this was a place I could relax, have great conversation, and eat.

photos of pictures on wall

We started our meal at Dame's in Cary with this twist on your traditional Shrimp and Grits. This version is made with a grit cake and it was my first time trying it. It's a spin on the classic grits as the outside is fried and the inside is filled with creamy grits. I loved this spin and the flavor was on point.

grit cake topped with onions and bacon on white plate

We next moved on to our entrees and almost everyone ordered chicken and waffles. Dame's doesn't serve your typical Chicken and Waffles. The menu offers great variety and combinations that it's hard to pick just one. Waffles range from  sweet potato, gingerbread, and vegan while there are a variety of drizzles and smears that come along with it. The menu at Dame's comes is filled with suggestions but feel free to change it up, I know I did. All food is made fresh and we got our orders delivered to our table in really good time.

dame's chicken and waffles cary menu

I ordered the gingerbread waffle with vanilla almond smear and sweet whiskey creme drizzle. It was amazing!!! The other cool thing is that my chicken breast was shaped like a heart. It's so good to be loved 🙂 I also ordered some of the calypso sauce to dip my chicken in which provided a nice spice to my meal. Each chicken and waffle entree comes with a side, which most restaurants don't offer in a chicken and waffles special. I ordered the spicy collards and they were absolutely amazing! I don't usually do collards but these were so good. So full of flavor and just the right touch of spice.

collard greens, fried yellow squash, and macaroni and cheese all in small plates

Overall, my experience at Dame's Chicken and Waffles in Cary, NC was great. The only sad face moment was that they didn't serve alcohol but a little birdie told me that is coming soon. If you've been to any Dame's, you know that the drinks are delicious. I'm sure the ones here will be as well.

So for you lucky folks in Cary, you have a wonderful gem in your city. As for me, I'll still dream of the day Dame's decides to open a location next door to my house. A girl can dream can't she.

Dame's Chicken and waffles on a white plate

Awesome Quinoa Dish

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This Awesome Quinoa Dish is a delicious spin on quinoa. Eat more quinoa with this recipe.

quinoa in blue bowl topped with fresh chopped cilantro

This post contains affiliate links, please read my full disclaimer here.

Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the 
recipe card at the bottom of the post. 
You can find important tips/tricks in the
blog post.

April is here! Did you play any April Fools Day pranks on anyone? I didn't. My husband tried to trick me all day...he never got me. I couldn't think of anything clever so unfortunately I didn't get anyone this year. I'll have to make sure to plan something amazing next year.

So about this Awesome Quinoa Dish...it was provided to me by my friend/co-worker Kate. Funny enough, while we chatted during court sessions, I told her how much I despised quinoa. First, I had no clue on how to pronounce it correctly. Thankfully, Kate was able to teach me the right pronunciation(Keen-wah). No more strange looks when I ask where the quinoa is located in the grocery store.

Second, I just didn't like the taste. She was shocked and informed me that quinoa could be...well delicious. I doubted her at first but Kate was nice enough to write the recipe out for me with the title of "Awesome Quinoa." It took me a while to get to trying the recipe and when I finally did, I had to admit it was pretty awesome. Even my daughter loved it...and she is the pickiest.

quinoa on a fork

I've been experimenting a ton with quinoa now but this quinoa dish is what really got me into it. This quinoa recipe is great as a side dish or a base for other dishes, like chicken burrito bowls or even vegetarian Buddha bowls. Feel free to sub the chicken broth with vegetable broth.

So why quinoa rather than good ol' fashion rice? Because there are a ton of health benefits associated with quinoa. I haven't given up on rice but it's a nice way to mix it up from time and time again. I hope you enjoy this quinoa recipe as much as we do. I've provided a video with this one. I've been practicing on my video creation and editing...I think I did a pretty decent job with this one. Well, until the next recipe and video.

Print Recipe
5 from 2 votes

Awesome Quinoa

Servings: 4
Calories: 194.8kcal
Author: Tanya

Ingredients

  • olive oil
  • 1 medium onion diced
  • 2 cloves garlic diced
  • 1 cup quinoa
  • 2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 pinch cocoa powder
  • ¼ cup white wine
  • 2 cups chicken broth
  • salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are softened. Add quinoa and stir until quinoa gets slightly puffed. Add chili powder, cumin, red pepper flakes, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and salt and pepper. Cook for 1 minute, stirring occasionally. 
    Add white whine and chicken broth. Stir. Reduce heat to medium low. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. 
    Remove lid and stir. Serve and Enjoy 🙂

Nutrition

Calories: 194.8kcal


Pin Awesome Quinoa Dish for Later

This Awesome Quinoa Recipe is a delicious healthy side dish. Gluten free. Full of flavor. This healthy quinoa dish is a family favorite.