Tag: Food

Birria Queso Tacos Y Consommé in the Instant Pot!

Birria Tacos on Taco Tuesday! I think I timed this post perfectly. Except it’s the week of Thanksgiving. And while I do want you to make these tacos (like for real, they slap as those several people say) they are work and I wouldn’t suggest you make them this week. But definitely next week! So let’s make Birria Tacos!!!

Ingredients:

  • 1 medium size beef Chuck roast and 2 beef shanks. Make sure you at least get the beef shanks with the bone. That helps with flavor. This was about 3 lbs of meat total.
  • 6-8 dried chilies (I used Ancho and Guajillo, I couldn’t find Pasillo but I would use that as well.
  • 1-2 Chipotle chilies in adobo sauce
  • 1 clove crushed
  • 3 tbsp of Mexican Oregano
  • 3-4 bay leaves
  • 1 pinch of ground cinnamon
  • 1-2 tsp of onion and garlic powder
  • 2 tsp of seasoning salt (I used Tony’s)
  • 2 tsp of all purpose seasoning
  • 1-2 tsp of black pepper
  • 3-4 tbsp of beef bouillon (powder form)
  • 2-3 cups of beef broth
  • 1-2 cups of water
  • 1 large carrot, cleaned and chopped in quarters
  • 1 block of mozzarella cheese, shredded (don’t use the pre shredded stuff)
  • 2 medium size white onions chopped
  • 6-7 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 bunch of cilantro chopped
  • 1-2 limes cut in wedges (optional)
  • 1-2 tbsp of vegetable or olive oil
  • Corn tortillas

Directions:

Start by seasoning your roast and beef shanks with seasoning salt, garlic and onion powder, beef bouillon & all purpose seasoning. Set aside. Next cut open your chilies and remove seeds and stems. Place in a pot with enough water to cover and boil. After boiling for about 5 mins, turn off heat and let chilies steep in water for about 20 mins. While chilies are steeping set your pressure cooker on the sauté function. Add oil and sear your beef. Make sure to wear one at a time, you want brown not for the meat to steam. After searing turn off and return all the meat to the pressure cooker.

Remove chilies from water and add to a blender. Add 1-2 Chipotle chilies and 1 cup of water. Blend until it forms a paste/liquid. Strain over meat in pressure cooker with a mesh strainer so none of the skins that may have not blended well get added. To pressure cooker also add minced garlic, 1 onion chopped, more beef bouillon (I used about a tablespoon), carrots, oregano, pepper, bay leaves, clove, cinnamon, beef broth and enough water to cover the meat. Set pressure cooker on high pressure for 35 minutes. Once done let it naturally release which will take about another hour. Once all pressure has released, open the lid and you should have tender meat. Remove meat and shred in a boil. Taste your beef and broth and add additional seasoning if necessary. Skim fat from broth and add to a separate bowl.

To make the tacos dip the corn tortilla in the skimmed fat and add to a skillet on medium heat. Fry the tortilla for about 1-2 mins in the pan. Then add meat, cheese, onions and cilantro to one side of the tortilla and fold over. Once cheese is melted, flip taco and add more skimmed fat, these should be wet tacos. Add to a plate and then repeat with other tortillas. You can add more onions and cilantro if you like. Pour broth in a bowl and add onions and cilantro. Dip taco in broth and enjoy!

Because there were so many steps I made a video to accompany this post on Instagram. Make sure you are following me @severalpeoplesmama to watch the video on IGTV! If you make this please tag me, I love to see how you make it!

Love Ricki

Instapot Bacon Cheeseburger Soup

I’ve been trying to make this soup for weeks and I’m so glad I finally did! Instapot Bacon Cheeseburger Soup is easy, doesn’t require a lot of work (use real bacon bits instead of cooking some and save yourself even more work) and was delicious and filling. Perfect for a cold fall or winter day. Let’s cook!

You’ll also need ground beef and half and half
Seasonings I used

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 pounds of ground beef
  • 1/2 cup of chopped onions (I buy frozen from Kroger)
  • 1/2 to 1 cup half and half
  • 6 slices of uncooked bacon chopped (or use bacon bits)
  • Seasonings (you will season to taste)
  • Velveeta (I used a 1/4 of a 16 oz block)
  • 1 cup Colby Jack cheese shredded
  • 2 cups chicken broth or beef broth
  • 1-2 cups of water
  • 1 package of frozen southern style hash browns (cubes, or you can use the potatoes ‘o brien)
  • Your favorite cheeseburger toppings such as tomatoes and pickles

Directions:

Set instapot on the sauté function and spray or oil pot. Add uncooked bacon and fry til crispy. Remove bacon and bacon fat. Add grown beef and cook til almost brown. Add onions to cook with beef until completely brown. Drain fat and add seasonings. Don’t overseason as you can add more later to taste. Turn off sauté function. Add velveeta cheese, bacon (reserve a little to top your soup later) frozen hash browns and then add broth and water (if needed) making sure it’s enough to cover the ingredients. Place lid on the Instapot and set on high pressure for 10 minutes. Make sure valve is set to seal. Once done go ahead and turn valve to vent for a quick release. Once pressure is released remove lid and mash potatoes. Add more cheese and then half and half. Stir and taste to see if more seasoning is needed. Serve with cheeseburger toppings.

I made a short reel on Instagram to show exactly how I made this soup so make sure you are following me @severalpeoplesmama to watch! Also tag me there if you decide to make this recipe! I definitely think you should!

Love Ricki

Cajun Chicken Pasta with Homemade Cajun Spice + Cook with Me (Virtually)

Hi y’all! I am back with a blog post announcing our very first virtual cooking class! My original intention was to host the class on IG live this Sunday but I am going to move it to next Sunday, September 20, 2020 because I want to make sure everyone has time to review the recipe and purchase the ingredients, etc. I really would like this to be an interactive class and everyone actually cooks along with me! For this class we will be making my version of Cajun Chicken Pasta. This recipe is super easy but does require a little prep. I felt this was a great recipe for the class because we could learn how to make our own Cajun Spice (so easy!) and how to chop veggies and make a sauce! These are all skills you can carry over into other dishes you want to learn to make. I really truly hope that I see everyone online in class while we make an awesome Sunday dinner!!! The ingredients need are below. I will be explaining the directions we should follow in class and update this post with that information after the class is over. No worries if you miss it, it will be recorded and able to review on my IGTV barring their isn’t any technical issues.

We will be making our own Cajun spice. This is so simple and most of the ingredients you may already have on hand. If not you can purchase them at your local grocery or dollar store and what I loved most is the spices used are not expensive (I didn’t pay over $2 for any of them) and they are staples you can use to season other recipes.

Ingredients for Cajun Spice:

  • Onion powder
  • Garlic powder
  • Salt ( I used table salt but sea salt or Kosher would be better)
  • Black pepper
  • Cayenne pepper
  • Paprika ( I used plain but smoky would be great as well)
  • Oregano
  • Thyme

To make mix: Use 2 tbsp of Paprika, Salt and garlic powder and 1 tbsp of Onion Powder, Oregano, Thyme, Black Pepper, and Cayenne Pepper. Mix thoroughly and store in air right container (use and old seasoning jar) or a ziplock bag. This is enough mix for about 2 recipes. It is a tad on the spicy side so if you would like less heat use 1/2 tbsp of Cayenne.

It is not difficult at all to make your own spice mix AND you know exactly what’s in it and can tweak it to your family’s taste.

Ingredients for Cajun Chicken Pasta:

  • 2-3 Chicken breasts cut into about 1 inch cubes (a trick is to not let your chicken fully thaw. Cutting while slightly frozen is easier)
  • Peppers- I used a half of a yellow, red, orange, & green. I would suggest at least using 2 different peppers (1 being a green pepper, they are an important part of Cajun cooking) like red and green or orange and green. However the more color you use the better the presentation will be. Remember we eat with our eyes!
  • 1/2 a medium Red Onion – I would strongly suggest a red onion because the flavor it imparts is outstanding
  • 1 can of diced tomatoes ( this is my shortcut. I use the can that says garlic and basil already added for the additional flavor. You can also use fire roasted or cut up 2 fresh Roma tomatoes
  • Cajun Spice Mix
  • Penne pasta or your favorite pasta
  • 1-2 cups of half and half or heavy whipping cream
  • 2-3 cups of chicken broth
  • 2-3 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1-2 stick of butter
  • 4-5 cloves of freshly minced garlic

This class will be detailed and we will be prepping and cooking everything together from start to finish so I would a lot about an hour and a half to join me live. I am soooo excited and I can’t wait to see y’all next Sunday! In the meantime look for more recipes and follow all my other shenanigans on IG @severapeoplesmama

Love Ricki

Stuffed Mushrooms

Browsing thru the aisles of Aldi Saturday I found some beautiful looking Portabella mushrooms and I knew exactly what I wanted to do with them…stuffed mushrooms! This was a recipe I use to make early in my keto/low carb journey and I figured I would share it with y’all because it’s easy & delicious! I used shrimp for my protein but you can use anything. I’ve even used breakfast sausage before (just prepare it separately and add to stuffing mixture). Let’s cook!

Ingredients:

  • 4 Portabella mushroom caps, medium to large in size. Remove stems but don’t throw away, they will be used in our filling!
  • Half a block of cream cheese
  • Half a bag of fresh spinach
  • Shrimp or protein of choice
  • 2-3 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1/2 cup each of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese plus additional for sprinkling over our mushrooms
  • 1-2 tbsp of butter
  • 1-2 cloves of garlic minced
  • Seasonings- I used garlic salt, Italian seasoning, ranch and garlic and onion powder

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Add softened cream cheese to bowl and set aside. Heat saucepan on medium and add 1-2 tbsp of olive oil. Add spinach and sauté. Chop stems from mushrooms and add to pan sautéing til cooked. Push spinach and mushrooms to cooler side of pan and add 1 tbsp of butter. Add shrimp. If using any other protein I would suggest you cook ahead and add to pan to warm, shrimp takes minutes to cook so that’s why I did it this way. Once shrimp is cooked add garlic and seasoning and mix all together. Added that mixture to the cream cheese. Add cheeses and mix thoroughly. Taste mixture and see if more seasoning is needed. Place Portabella caps in a baking dish. You don’t want to use a sheet pan because the mushrooms will release liquid while cooking and you will have a mess! Place mushrooms in dish gill side up and sprinkle with olive oil and garlic salt. Add filling and top with more shredded cheese. Place in oven and cook for 20-25 minutes. You will have liquid in your baking dish after baking, you can take an extra step to transfer the mushrooms onto a sheet pan and place under a broiler for 3 minutes but it’s optional. We don’t mind, they still turn out yummy!

You know it’s good if the kids ask you to make this! And don’t limit yourself, this is a recipe where you can get creative and add more veggies such as peppers or different cheeses or proteins! I plan on making this more often on my keto/low carb journey!

As always if you make this tag me on Instagram @severalpeoplesmama I enjoy looking at what y’all cook!

Love Ricki

Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken with Garlic Lemon Orzo

Recently I asked my Instagram peeps what recipes they need to make their lives easier in the kitchen as we return back to our regular routines. Summer is over (insert sad face here) and although it wasn’t the summer we could have hoped for hopefully we still got some fun in. Now it’s back to school and work for some. It’s different because usually this time of year is the start of a lot of extracurricular activities and fall fun but with this virus we don’t have those options. I pray though that everyone is healthy, well and happy in spite of. Food & cooking is always something that brings me joy so maybe I can spread some by sharing delicious & easy recipes. The consensus from my question was easy recipes that are not time consuming. Those include crockpot, instant pot (pressure cooker), sheet pan, one pot and casserole recipes. I plan to bring one or two to the blog every week with corresponding videos on instagram (follow me @severalpeoplesmama) and a few additional recipes I’ll be writing up for volume 2 of Cook Yo Meals which will be out in a few months!

Today I am sharing my version a crockpot meal that I’ve been wanting to try for awhile along with an easy tasty side dish. Slow Cooker Tuscan Chicken is soooo good and even tho it requires a little more work than the normal dump and go crockpot recipes we’re used to, it is worth the extra effort! Let’s cook!

Ingredients for Tuscan Chicken:

  • 3-5 cloves of fresh garlic minced or 2-3 tablespoons of Jared minced garlic (y’all know how I feel about the jar of minced garlic, however since this cooks in the crockpot for a few hours this would be an exception to use it, I still didn’t but you can)
  • 1-2 tbsp of butter
  • 1-2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 bag of fresh spinach
  • 8-10 skinless bone in chicken thighs (you can use boneless but the bones add great flavor which is needed in a crockpot recipe)
  • 1-2 cups of chicken broth
  • 2-3 cups of half and half (can use a cup of heavy whipping cream with milk or chicken broth)
  • 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (and more if you like it cheesier but I wasn’t going for an Alfredo sauce, just a taste of Parmesan)
  • 1/4 cup of sun dried tomatoes chopped (I used the jar in oil)
  • Various seasonings, I used what was pictured
  • Fresh basil chopped (optional but makes a difference!
  • Juice from half a lemon (optional)

Directions:

Start by adding a tablespoon of butter and the olive oil to a non stick pan on medium high heat. Then season chicken thighs generously. Remember this will cook in a sauce and chicken broth in the slow cooker for a few hours so you still want to taste the seasoning. Add chicken thighs to pan and sear about 3-5 minutes each side. Side note: in most of the recipes I researched they did not sear the chicken. Not searing the chicken is not something I recommend but it’s not necessary. However searing the chicken adds a deep flavor that you would define miss if you didn’t. After chicken has seared, add to your sprayed slow cooker insert. After all chicken has seared it’s time to make the sauce. Turn heat to medium. Pour out all but a tablespoon of oil for the pan. Add another tablespoon of butter. Add garlic stirring quickly, we don’t want it to burn. Sauté for about 20 seconds and then add half and half. Stir until heated thru. Add seasonings to taste and then add sun dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese and lemon juice. Taste for any additional seasoning and let simmer for 23 minutes. Turn off heat and allow sauce to thicken as it cools. Once thicken led (should coat the back of a spoon easily) pour sauce over thighs in slow cooker. Add 2-3 cups of chicken broth to slow cooker and mix in. You want the sauce and chicken broth mixture to almost cover the thighs. Cook on low for 4-6 hours. Towards last 20 minutes turn slow cooker to high and add fresh spinach til wilted and also half and half if you’d like the sauce thicker. Make sure you taste to see if you’d like anymore seasoning but you should be good. Once spinach is wilted you are ready to serve over the orzo.

Ingredients for Garlic Lemon Orzo:

  • 1-1/2 cups of orzo
  • 2 cups chicken broth/water (I used 2 cups broth and the rest water)
  • 1-2 cloves of fresh minced garlic (no jar! Lol)
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tbsp of butter
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • Garlic salt and Italian seasoning, fresh basil can be added but it is optional
  • 1-2 tbsp of Parmesan cheese (optional)

Directions:

Heat heavy bottom pan or pot on medium high. Add butter and olive oil. Add fresh garlic and sauté for about 20 seconds. Add orzo and sauté for about 2-3 minutes. If you fear burning garlic (like me) add your garlic after your orzo. Add chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about 3-5 minutes and then turn I low until orzo is cooked thru. Add seasonings, lemon juice and Parmesan if using and stir.

Add your chicken with sauce over this lemony orzo pasta and you have a complete meal with so much flavor from cooking for hours. Also with the addition of spinach you already have a veggie built in!

The Tuscan Chicken is keto/low carb friendly and you can just add a salad, serve over zucchini noodles or roasted veggies instead of the orzo to keep it that way.

We enjoyed this meal so much and it is being placed on our dinner rotation as we speak. Because this dish requires a little extra prep time this would be perfect for Sunday dinner and then make extra for an easy Monday of leftovers. If you know me you know I don’t like cooking on Mondays so this is a trick I use often since most folks are off and have a little more time.

Let me know if you tried this recipe and as always tag me on Instagram. In the comments let me know what other recipes or ideas you’d like to see on the blog. I always appreciate and take y’all’s input into consideration!

Love Ricki