The Best Chili (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and Stove Friendly!)

June 25, 2019 Amanda Plott

I was thinking about this just the other day, about how always in summer here in Texas we end up with a few ‘chilly’ days. Okay, by chilly I mean that it’s not even 70 degrees here today. Which, if you know anything about Texas summers, you know that it’s full of 100+ degree days and a plethora of issues that go along with that.

Today though? We had a storm roll through and as I sit here, it’s a ripe old 69 degrees and thundering outside. You better believe that I’m content with that and with allowing my air conditioner the much needed rest. Even so. I’m going to make use of the weather and enjoy some chili!…

Instant Pot Chickpea Curry

April 17, 2019 Amanda Plott

Meatless Monday is continuing to grow in popularity. To be very honest, there’s more than one meatless night in my house every week. As I’ve sad before, it would be really really easy for me to turn into a vegetarian. This Instant Pot Chickpea Curry really takes the cake though. Not only is it vegetarian, it’s vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free and only takes about 10 minutes to make. And that includes prep AND cook time. Don’t worry, you can thank me later.

This curry is started off with yellow onion and then loaded up spices. The trick to any good curry, is to let the curry powder and seasonings cook for a couple of minutes BEFORE adding in the other components. Warming the spices here gives you more depth of flavor and really wakes the seasoning up!…

Beef & Barley Stew

February 19, 2019 Amanda Plott

It is cold, raining, and yucky here today. So, naturally… that calls for a hearty meal. Stew sounds about right to me! And with St. Patrick’s Day coming up soon, you know I’ve got to be sure there’s some Irish stew going on.

This beef stew is one of my new favorite dinners for cold weather. Which let me just say, isn’t a label that comes lightly. I haven’t worked with barley a whole lot before, so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. But, it was a wonderful addition to stew! There’s big chunks of beef, mushroom, vegetables, and of course that barley in there to help thicken it all up…

'One Pot' Tortellini & Sausage Soup

December 5, 2018 Amanda Plott

Soup, soup, soup! It’s all about the soup right now.

Winter is upon us, and while our winter here in Texas is mild for the most part so far… it’s still a little chili outside. And nothing warms the body, mind, and soul quite as well as a hearty bowl of homemade soup!

Since I’ve had tortellini on the mind lately, I thought I’d try to make an Italian inspired tortellini soup today. It starts off with some turkey Italian sausage and a broth tomato base that we add more veggies too. Like onion, garlic, and spinach too!…

Instant Pot Chicken Caldo

December 1, 2018 Amanda Plott

Well, it’s still barely winter here in Texas. Though it is about as winter as it’s likely to get here outside of a couple more cold fronts and a freeze or two. Even so! We’re in the throes of soup season and I wanted to make some more soup, DANG IT.

Caldo is one of the most simple soups out there. It’s a Mexican style soup that’s very brothy and full of several different kinds of vegetables. You will probably find it on any good Mexican restaurant’s menu, whether it’s beef or chicken. The way that I know that? My little brother used to order it all the time when we were younger. It was always one of his MOST favorite things…

Egg Roll Soup

November 19, 2018 Amanda Plott

If you like egg rolls, and you like soup, then this is the soup for you! Remember a while back when I made that Egg Roll Bowl? Well, this is sort of a winter-ized take on that. It’s an egg roll that’s been turned into a soup!

Yes, all the flavors and components of a good egg roll are here in this soup; including onions, cabbage, carrots, and meat. Even though I made my last egg roll recipe with chicken, I decided to go with turkey this time around. This was for no other reason than texture. It’s low-carb, gluten-free, and ridiculously easy to make all in one pot…