Instant Pot Refried Beans

 This has become a "go to" recipe. These beans are great on a tostada or wrapped in a burrito. This makes a big batch and we usually freeze half of it. The other half makes a quick lunch when spread on a tostada with shredded cheese, lettuce and tomato.

INGREDIENTS

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 onion, chopped

4 large cloves of garlic, minced

1 jalepeno or serrano pepper, minced

1 pound dried pinto beans

7 cups vegetable broth, chicken broth or water

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar

1 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. oregano

1 tsp. salt plus additional to taste

Black pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

Measure olive oil into instant pot. Set to Saute function. When oil is hot, add onions, garlic and pepper. Cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 2 minutes.

Add beans, broth, spices and applie cider vinegar. Seal lid and cook on High pressure for 50 minutes.

When timer is done, allow to release naturally for 20 minutes. Then, release vent. Open lid and use a ladle to remove as much cooking liquid as possible. Save liquid in bowl.

Use an immersion blender to puree the beans until smooth and creamy. Add cooking liquid back to achieve desired consistency.  Adjust seasoning as needed.

Hearty Instant Pot Beef Chili

 You won't believe how quickly you can make a pot of chili! Thank you, Instant Pot!

INGREDIENTS

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1 pound lean ground beef

1 large green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

6 stalks of celery, chopped

1 package McCormick's Chili Seasoning

1 cup water

1 15 ounce can Ranch Style Beans

1 15 ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 15 ounce can RoTel Original tomatoes

1 15 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1 15 ounce can tomato sauce

Salt and Pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

Set Instant Pot to sauté. Add oil and garlic. Once the oil is hot, add ground beef. Break it up as it browns. Once browned, add onion, green pepper and celery to the beef. 

Cook until the onion is translucent. Then, add the seasoning mix. Stir to combine.

Turn the Instant Pot off of sauté. Add 1 cup of water and stir to combine all ingredients, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot.

Add ranch beans and kidney beans. Stir to combine.

Add Ro Tel, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce on top. Do NOT stir.

Put lid on Instant Pot, set valve to seal and set for 10 minutes.

Once time is up, allow to naturally release or if  not completely released after 30 minutes, release the steam.

Open Instant Pot, stir and enjoy!

Add topping of your choice such as sour cream, grated cheese, etc.

Instant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken

 So easy! So quick! So delicious!

This recipe from Family Fresh Meals takes almost no effort and is bursting with flavor.

Ingredients:

3 or 4 boneless chicken breasts

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup honey

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/3 cup diced onion

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

4 minced garlic cloves

3 teaspoons cornstarch dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Sesame seeds and sliced green onions for garnish

Rice for serving

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in bottom of the instant pot. Season well with salt and pepper.

In small bowl, combine honey, soy sauce, onion, ketchup, oil and garlic. Pour the mixture over the chicken and put the instant pot lid on. Set to seal.

Cook for 15 minutes and then do a quick release. Remove the chicken from the pot, leaving the sauce in the pot.

Dissolve 3 tsp. cornstarch in 1/4 cup water. Pour into instant pot. Stir to combine. Turn instant pot on to saute mode. Cook sauce about 5 minutes or until thickened.

Cut the chicken into bite size pieces. Return to the pot and toss to coat with the sauce.

Serve over rice (brown or white) and sprinkle sesame seeds and green onions on top.

Instant Pot Ham and Bean Soup

The best part about ham is the leftover bone. It can be used to make delicious soup. Ham and white bean soup is a favorite, but the process of soaking and softening the beans is long. Enter the Instant Pot!  Just throw everything in the pot and set it for an hour.  The beans are perfect and the soup is delicious. Just the thing for a long winter's night.
Enjoy!

INGREDIENTS

1 Ham bone (or ham hocks)
1 pound dried white navy beans
6 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 medium onion, diced
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp cumin
1 1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
3 bay leaves
Additional chopped ham pieces may be added as an option.

INSTRUCTIONS

Combine all the ingredients into the pressure cooker. Stir to combine.
Secure the lid and ensure the valve is set to the off position.
Set the Instant Pot for 60 minutes. Let the pressure natually release when finished cooking for 30 minutes, then release the valve for the remaining pressure until the lid can be opened.

Remove the ham bone and shred any meat. Return it to the pot. Discard any bones, cartilage and the bay leaves.

Instant Pot White Chicken Chili

Like all Instant Pot recipes, making this soup is fast with little clean up. Loaded with shredded chicken and cannellini beans, this recipe from Simply Recipes is a keeper.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large green pepper, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped (leave the seeds in if you want more spicy flavor)
3 celery stalks, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (omit if you don't want a spicy chili)
2 teaspoons salt
2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 pounds chicken breast or chicken tenders
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

Toppings of your choice: shredded cheese, chopped tomato, chopped avocado, tortilla strips

Instructions:

Select the saute setting on the Instant Pot. Heat olive oil. Add bell pepper, jalapenos, onion, celery and garlic. Saute for about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Add spices and saute for one minute more.
Pour the beans over the vegetables.
Layer the chicken on top of the beans. Pour chicken broth on top. Do not stir.

Secure the lid on the Instant Pot. Turn off the saute function and assure that the pressure vent is sealed. Select the pressure cooking function and set the time for 15 minutes at high pressure.
When complete, do a quick pressure release by moving the moving the vent to release or allow for pressure to release naturally.

Open the Instant Pot when pressure has fully released. Remove the chicken  with a tongs to a cutting board and shred with two forks. Add the shredded chicken back to the pot along with cilantro and sour cream. Stir to combine and taste for any needed adjustment to seasoning.

Ladle chili into bowls.

Instant Pot Jambalaya

Most of the work is in chopping the vegetables; the rest is done in less than 30 minutes.

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons vegetable oil
14 ounces Andouille sausage, sliced
1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
3 celery stalks, sliced
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning, divided
3/4 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup long grain rice
1 (14.5 ounce) fired roasted diced tomatoes
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tsp Tabasco sauce
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 sliced green onions
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Instructions

Turn Instant Pot to saute and add oil. Add sausage and cook, stirring, until browned, for about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.
Add chicken and cook, stirring, until browned, for about 5 minutes.
Remove and set aside with sausage.
Add onion, celery and peppers. Cook until onion is soft, about 5 minutes.
Add garlic and cook one minute more.
Stir in 2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, thyme, salt, tomatoes, rice, Worcestershire sauce, broth, bay leaves and Tabasco. Stir in sausage and chicken.
Turn Instant Pot to Pressure Cook/High for 7 minutes.
Do a quick release and open the Instant Pot Do not open until the pin drops. Stir in shrimp, parsley and green onions. Cover the Instant Pot and turn it off. Let the residual heat cook the shrimp for about 10 minutes.