Birria Tacos in the Instant Pot

 So yummy! Sorry, I don't have a picture of the tacos yet!

Ingredients:

A splash of olive oil

3 pounds chuck roast, cut into big cubes, salted

6 guajillo chiles

2 ancho chiles

3 chiles de arbol

1 large white onion

1/2 cup crushed tomatoes

6-8 cloves of garlic

1 can of beef broth

2 cups water

1/4 cup apple cider vinegar

2 bay leaves

1 tsp dried oregano

Salt and pepper, to taste

You will also need taco ingredients of your choice, such as corn tortillas, Mexican cheese, lettuce, sour cream, pico de gallo, etc.

Directions: 

1. Add olive oil to the Instant Pot and set to sauté. When hot, add the roast and brown, about 5 minutes.
2. Press cancel on Instant pot and all the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Select Slow Cook and adjust so that it is on High. Cook on high until tender, about 4 hours.
4. Check the meat. If not tender, you can pressure cook for 10-15 minutes and then check again.
5. Remove and throw away the bay leaves and any fat pieces.
6. Remove the meat and set aside. 
7. Ladle all of the veggies and half of the liquid into a blender and blend until smooth.
8. Return the blended ingredients to the instant pot.
9. Shred the beef and return to the pot as well.

To prepare the tacos:

1. Grease a griddle of frying pan.
2. Dip the corn tortillas into the sauce so that it is coated before frying on the griddle. Add cheese of choice to tortillas when you have flipped it once. 
3. When cheese is melted, remove the tortilla to a plate and add shredded beef from the sauce.
4. Add any other taco toppings you desire, and dip in more consume from the pot if desired.

Chinese Take out

Ingredients

• 800 g boneless chicken thighs, (or beef or pork) cut into bite-sized pieces

• 2 tbsp apple juice

• 1/2 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 cup cornstarch

• Oil, for frying

• 1/2 yellow onion, sliced in large pieces

• 1 large bell pepper, sliced in large pieces

• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

• Sauce

• 2/3 cup water

• • 1/2 tsp dried ginger

• 4 tbsp brown sugar

• 5 tbsp soy sauce

• 2 tsp cornstarch

• dusting of chicken bouillon 

• • 3 tbsp minced garlic

Directions

• In a large bowl, combine the chicken pieces with juice, baking soda, and cornstarch. Mix until all the chicken pieces are well-coated.
• Heat your frying oil in a large skillet or wok over medium heat. Shallow fry the coated chicken in batches for about 6-8 minutes, or until fully-cooked through. Set aside.
• Drain your skillet or wok, reserving about 1 tbsp of the cooking oil. Add in the onion and peppers. Saute for about 3 minutes or until tender.
• Pour in the prepared sauce and let simmer for 1-2 minutes minutes until thickened.
• Once thickened, add in the cooked chicken pieces and drizzle on sesame oil. Toss to combine until the chicken is fully coated in the sauce.
• Serve with a bowl of rice or a side of veggies. 
• Original base recipe: https://iankewks.com/mongolian-chicken/#wpzoom-premium-recipe-card

Instant Pot Porcupine Meatballs

Not the prettiest meal, but boy do they taste good! Everyone in our family enjoys these meatballs. This instant pot recipe makes it an easy 1 pot meal and they turn out perfectly every time.

Ingredients:

2 lbs ground beef
1/2 cup uncooked white rice
1 slightly beaten egg
1/2 Tb dried parsley
1 tsp onion powder or 4 Tbsp finely chopped onions
1/2 teaspoon salt
a dash of pepper
2 (10 1/2 ounce) cans tomato soup
1 cup water
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
2 tsp Italian seasoning

Directions:
1. Combine first 7 ingredients in a bowl and mix well with your hands. Shape into about 20 balls.
2. Spray Instant Pot bowl with Pam.
3. Turn Instant Pot to sautee and add the remaining 4 ingredients.
4. Stir well until it comes to a boil.
5. Press cancel and carefully add the meatballs to the sauce.
6. Lock the lid on the Instant Pot and make sure vent is set on Sealing.
7. Select Manual for 12 minutes.
8. When the timer goes off, let it sit for 1 minute and then quick release the steam.

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
Salt and pepper
Garlic powder
Onion powder
24 oz can of spaghetti sauce
2 1/2 cups water, divided
12 oz hearty spaghetti noodles

Directions
1. Spray Instant Pot with cooking spray and set to sauté and brown the beef.
2. Add seasonings. Turn off Sauté.
3. Add 1/2 cup water and spaghetti sauce. Stir.
4. Break noodles in half and lay on top of sauce, pressing down into sauce as much as you can.
5. Add remaining 2 cups of water. Don't stir.
6. Put lid on, make sure the switch is set to Sealing.
7. Select Manual for 8 minutes.
8. Let sit for 5 min when finished cooking, then quick release.
9. Stir and serve!

Stroganoff

1 lb ground beef, browned
Add:
1/2 onion, diced
2 garlic cloves
1/2 package sliced mushrooms
Cook for 2 minutes

Add:
3/4 can chicken broth (reserve difference)
1 Tbsp Worchestershire
2 Tbsp apple juice
Simmer for 5 minutes.

Add:
1/3 cup flour mixed in with broth reserve.
Add to the beef mixture and bring to a boil.
Stir in 1/2 cup sour cream and 1/2 cup milk, and 1/2 cup water.
Add more milk if needed to achieve correct consistency.

Add salt and pepper to taste.
Heat through. No need to boil.
Serve over egg noodles.

Brisket/Burnt Ends

Burnt ends are my favorite type of BBQ.  They take a long time but are worth the wait!

Buy a full packer brisket 11-14 pounds.  Typically you can find them at Walmart but you can ask  most any butcher if they have any before they carve them up.  A full packer brisket will have a fat cap, flat and point.

Trim all the accessible hard fat from the brisket.  This is found on the side of the brisket and runs between the flat and the point.  Trim the soft fat (fat cap) to no more than 1/4 inch thick.  I usually cut most of it away so the dry rub will hit the meat.  Apply the Beef Dry Rub to the brisket.  No need to apply it to the fat cap if you leave 1/4 inch as it won't penetrate to the meat.

Heat the smoker to 225 Fahrenheit.  I recommend a charcoal/wood smoker. I use oak because I have a lot around the house (Stick with fruit and nut bearing trees and you'll be fine).  Make sure the oxygen is limited so the wood doesn't catch on fire; you only want it to smolder.  Any smoker will cook the meat but I like the rich, robust smoke flavor from a combustible heat source, but of course to each their own!

Smoke the brisket until the flat reaches an internal temperature of 165-170 Fahrenheit.  Remove the brisket from the smoker and separate the flat from the point.  There is a thin fat vein that separates the two pieces.  It will separate easily with a knife and no real cutting is necessary.
Let the flat sit for 20 minutes so you can handle it.  Cut it against the grain in pencil thick slices and serve.

Take the point and apply the Beef Dry Rub (see previous post)to the freshly separated side.  Return the point to the smoker.  This will be your burnt ends.  I wrap it in foil so it stays moist.  Smoke the point until it reaches an internal temperature of 195-200 Fahrenheit.  Let it sit for 20 minutes so it will be cool enough to work with it.  Cut in cubes and serve.  Save the aus jus in the foil and spoon it on top of the burnt ends.  Enjoy!

Anatomy of a packer brisket, compliments of http://www.thepickledpig.com/

Aus Jus

This is my favorite thing to do with leftover Beef Roast. A good bread makes a big difference. We have used sour dough, french bread, rhodes rolls, or sub rolls. All were good options.
This particular time I thawed 12 rhodes dinner rolls, smashed 4 of them together to make one big dough ball, then rolled them out into 3 long rolls. We cooked them a little longer than it says on the package and they came out looking like French bread. It was scrumptious! We also love to add fresh tomatoes and a good white cheese.
Ingredients:
Left over roast, sliced
1 Tomato, sliced
Mozzerella or other white cheese, shredded
Buns
Package of Aus Jus seasoning

Directions:
1. Make Aus Jus according to directions on envelope.
2. Slice buns and sprinkle with cheese. Place under broiler to melt cheese.
3. Top with meat and tomatoes and more cheese. Broil again if desired.
4. Serve with aus jus for dipping.

Pasta E Fagioli Soup

This soup was pretty tasty. It's supposedly a copy-cat recipe from the Olive Garden. It tasted like a beefy minestrone to me. I got it from Recipezaar, but have modified it a little.

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 small onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 (28 ounce) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (16 ounce) can red kidney beans, drained
2 (10 ounce) cans beef stock
1 can water
3 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons pepper
5 teaspoons parsley
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce (optional)
1 (20 ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
8 ounces pasta
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Brown beef in skillet, drain grease.
2. Add beef and all remaining ingredients, except pasta and spaghetti sauce, to large sauce pan. Cook over medium high heat until vegetables are tender. About 15 min.
3. Add spaghetti sauce, bring back to a boil.
4. Add pasta, cook according to package
5. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

http://www.recipezaar.com/Olive-Garden-Pasta-E-Fagioli-Soup-in-a-Crock-Pot-Copycat-31717

Oven Chimichangas

These are also really good! We like to top them with enchilada sauce and cheese, or you can top it with sour cream and guac. I love to serve it with rice and corn on the side.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1-2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup Pace Picante Sauce (or spicy enchilada sauce)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 flour tortillas (7 to 8 inches)
1/4 cup melted butter

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
2. Brown meat with onion and garlic.
3. Drain grease.
4. Stir in picante sauce, cumin, oregano and salt.
5. Simmer 5 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Spoon heaping 1/3 cup of meat mixture into center of tortilla.
7. Fold tortilla over mixture and place seam side down in a well greased 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish.
8. Brush butter over the tops of all the folded tortillas.
9. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Dont cover.
10. Enjoy!

original recipe: http://www.recipezaar.com/Streamlined-Chimichangas-16371

Crockpot Beef Stroganoff

This picture doesn't look as appetizing as it really is. That's because I have it all mixed together and no side dish. But don't be scared. It's easy and yummy, especially if you're a stroganoff lover.
Ingredients:

2 lbs round steak (we used stew meat, it was already cut up!)

2 tsp salt

1/4 - 1/2 tsp pepper

1/2 large onion

1/2 tsp garlic

1 Tbsp Worchestershire Sauce

1 1/2 cups beef broth

1 Tbsp ketchup

1/2 tsp chili powder

2 Tbsp white wine or apple juice or white grape juice

1/4 lb mushrooms (or 1 can)

1/4 cup flour

1/2 cup sour cream

rice or noodles

Directions:

1. Cut steak in 1/4" strips (it is easier if the meat is slightly frozen).
2. Salt and pepper the meat and put it in the bottom of the crockpot with the onion slices.
3. Mix garlic, Worcestershire sauce, broth, ketchup, and chili powder. Pour over meat.
4. Cook covered for 6 hours on low.
5. Add white wine and mushrooms. Dissolve flour in small amount of water and add to meat. Stir well.
6. Turn to high and cook for 15 minutes.
7. Stir in sour cream. Turn off heat.
8. Serve over rice or noodles.

The original recipe is from my aunt's blog: http://marcieadamson.blogspot.com/2009/07/july.html

Easy Tamale Pie

There are recipes for tamale pie where you put the cornbread batter on top of the meat mixture and let it all cook together. That is good too, if you like really soggy bread, which I don't particularly. I prefer to make it this way. I used left-over roast beef this time, I thought it turned out tasty!
Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 pound ground beef (depending how beefy you want it)
1/3 onion, chopped
1 can beans (kidney, pinto, or black), drained and rinsed
2 6 oz cans tomato sauce
1 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup salsa (more if you like it spicier)
A few dashes of garlic
A few dashes of chili powder
A few squirts of ketchup, if you like it a little sweet
Shredded cheddar cheese
1 package jiffy corn muffins, baked according to directions

Directions:
1. Brown beef and onion until beef is no longer pink. Remove grease.
2. Add next 6 ingredients and heat through until it reaches a low simmer.
3. Serve with cheddar cheese and corn muffin sprinkled on top.

Chicken Fried Steak

This is an older picture I found of one of our favorites! It takes a little while, but it is so worth it, it's even better than restaurant chicken fried steak. We use ground beef formed into patties, or cube steaks. Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef 
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 whole eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions

1. Divide meat into five patties (hamburger style).  Season each patty on both sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Place the flour into a pie pan and place the eggs into a separate pie pan. Dredge the meat on both sides in the flour, followed by the egg and finally in the flour again. Repeat with all the pieces of meat. Place the meat onto a plate and allow it to sit for 10 to 15 minutes before cooking.
3. Preheat oven to 250 degrees while meat is sitting.
4. Place enough of the vegetable oil to cover the bottom of a 12-inch skillet and set over medium-high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the meat in batches, being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Cook each piece on both sides until golden brown, approximately 4 minutes per side.
5. Remove the steaks to a wire rack set in a half sheet pan and place into the oven. Repeat until all of the meat is browned.
6. Add the remaining vegetable oil, or at least 1 tablespoon, to the pan. Whisk in 3 tablespoons of the flour left over from the dredging. Add the chicken broth and deglaze the pan. Whisk until the gravy comes to a boil and begins to thicken. Add the milk and thyme and whisk until the gravy coats the back of a spoon, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Season to taste, with more salt and pepper, if needed. Serve the gravy over the steaks.

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=3731168846118846

Porcupine Meatballs

These are super delicious meatballs with rice inside. Quite easy, serves about 5. Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup uncooked long grain rice
• 1 slightly beaten egg
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh parsley or 1/2 tablespoon dried parsley
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped onions
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• a few dashes pepper
• a few dashes of garlic powder
• a few dashes of oregano
  
• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can tomato soup
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

Directions

1. Combine first 9 ingredients.
2. Mix well.
3. Shape into about 20 small balls.
   
4. Mix soup, water, and worcestershire in a large skillet.
5. Bring to a boil.
6. Gently place meatballs in sauce.
   
7. Reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer 30 mintes or until meatballs are cooked and rice is soft. Turn meatballs over at least once after 20 minutes.
8. Serve with additional rice if desired.
   

http://www.recipezaar.com/Porcupine-Meatballs-57173