Homemade Tartar Sauce

1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 small dill pickle, chopped very small (3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon capers, chopped, optional
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill or 1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard, optional
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

Combine the mayonnaise, pickles, lemon juice, capers, dill, Worcestershire sauce, and mustard in a small bowl and stir until well blended and creamy.

Season with a pinch of salt and pepper. Taste then adjust with additional lemon juice, salt, and pepper. For the best flavor, cover and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for up to one week.

recipe from:

https://www.inspiredtaste.net/38503/tartar-sauce-recipe/

Hunan Fish Fillets

 yield  4 servings

3 Tbsp soy sauce

1 Tbsp finely chopped green onion

2 tsp dark sesame oil

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tsp minced fresh ginger

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb red snapper, scrod, or cod fillets

1.  Preheat air fryer to 390 degrees.  Line basket with parchment paper or foil; spray lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

2.  Combine soy sauce, green onion, oil, garlic, ginger, and red pepper flakes in a small bowl; stir to blend.  Brush fish with soy sauce mixture.

3.  Cook in batches for 8-10 minutes or until fish begins to flak when tested with a fork.

This was awesome!  I used mahi mahi, as that's what we had on hand.  I served this with a homemade tartar sauce, which I will share the recipe for that one in a separate post.

Sweet and Savory Ribs

 crock pot

yields 8 servings

prep time  10 minutes

cook time  8 hours

1 large onion, chopped

4 lbs boneless country-style pork ribs

1 bottle (18oz) honey barbecue sauce

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup spicy brown mustard

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Place onion in crock pot.  Top with ribs.  In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; pour over ribs.  Cook, covered, on low 8-9 hours or until meat is tender.

This one had a very onion-y flavor to it.  The meat was very tender.  We probably only had half the amount of ribs called for in the recipe, but it was plenty for the 4 of us.  Had Steven and Max still been here, we would have been in trouble!

Crispy Smashed Herbed Potatoes

yields  4 servings

prep time  25 minutes

bake time  20 minutes

12 small red potatoes (about 1.5 lbs)

3 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 cup butter, melted

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

3 Tbsp minced fresh chives

1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Place the potatoes in a large saucepan; add water to cover.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; cook, uncovered, 15-20 minutes or until tender.  Drain.

2.  Drizzle oil over the bottom of a 15x10x1 baking pan; arrange potatoes over oil.  Using a potato masher, flatten potatoes to 1/2" thickness.  Brush potatoes with butter; sprinkle with salt and pepper.

3.  Roast 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Sprinkle with chives and parsley.

These were scrumptious!  I used aluminum foil on the pan before drizzling the oil so we'd have an easier cleanup.

Creamy Tomato Tortellini with Sausage

yield  6 servings

 start to finish   25 minutes

1 pkg (19oz) frozen cheese tortellini

2 fully cooked Italian chicken sausage links (3oz each), sliced

1 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes with garlic and onion, undrained

1 pkg (6oz) fresh baby spinach

4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese

1.  Cook tortellini according to package directions.  Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook and stir the sausage over a medium-high heat 4-5 minutes or until browned.  Add tomatoes and spinach; cook and stir just until the spinach is wilted.  Stir in cream cheese until melted.

2.  Drain tortellini; add to sausage mixture.  Toss to combine.

We used all the sausages that came in the pack (it was either 3 or 4 links), and this was plenty to feed 3 of us and enough for me to have lunch at work the following day.  I also used a 10oz pkg of baby spinach, as the store did not have a smaller pkg size.  

Very yummy!

Pozole

 Instant Pot

yield 4 servings

prep time  25 minutes

cook time  1 hour

2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1.5 lbs boneless pork shoulder, trimmed and cut into 3" pieces

1.5 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

4 large cloves garlic, smashed

1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded if desired, and quartered

1 large white onion, chopped

1 lb tomatillos, husks removed and halved

4 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 bottle (12oz) pale lager beer (such as Corona)

1 bunch fresh Cilantro (including stems), divided

1 can (28oz) hominy, drained and rinsed

1/4 cup fresh lime juice

for serving:

sliced radishes

diced avocado

lime wedges

1.  Turn the instant pot on to [Sauté].  Heat the olive oil.  Season the pork with the oregano, salt, and pepper, and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.  Transfer to a plate.

2.  Add the garlic, jalapeno, and all but 2 Tbsp of the onion, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes.

3.  Add the tomatillos, chicken broth, beer, and one-third of the cilantro.  Return the pork to the pot, nesting it in the vegetable mixture.  Press [Cancel].

4.  Lock the lid and ensure the vent is closed.  Press [Manual] and cook on high pressure for 45 minutes.  Use the "Quick Release" method to vent the steam, then open the lid.

5.  Remove and discard the cilantro from the pot, and transfer the pork to a plate.  Add all but 1/2 of the remaining cilantro, and using a handheld immersion blender (or a regular blender), puree the soup.

6.  Using 2 forks, break the pork into smaller pieces.  Add the pork and hominy to the pot.  Turn the pot on to [Sauté] and cook until the hominy is tender, about 3 minutes.  Stir in the lime juice.

7.  Divide among bowls.  Top with radishes, avocado, the reserved onion, and the reserved 1/2 cilantro (thick stems discarded).  Serve with lime wedges for squeezing.

I did not realize going into making this, that this was a soup.  Clydie had picked this recipe because it just sounded good, and it was.  We were just not expecting soup.  lol

The pork comes out very tender and shreds into smaller pieces very easily.  You definitely want it in the 3" pieces or it will take you forever to pick it out so that you can blend the broth and veggies.  

We didn't have the radishes or avocado for this, so it was served as a soup with tortilla chips.  I also didn't have any fresh cilantro, so I used a couple shakes of ground coriander instead.  

Chicken Marabella

 Instant Pot

yield  4 servings

prep time  15 minutes

cook time  25 minutes

8 bone-in, skin-on, chicken thighs (about 3 lbs)

1 tsp dried oregano

3/4 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more if needed

3 Tbsp red wine vinegar

2 Tbsp packed light brown sugar

2 Tbsp capers, plus 1 Tbsp brine

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio

3/4 cup pitted prunes, halved

1/2 cup pitted green olives

chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, for serving

1.  Turn the instant pot on to [Sauté].  Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with the oregano, salt, and pepper.

2.  Heat the olive oil.  Add half the chicken, skin side down, and cook until the skin is golden brown and crisp, 8-10 minutes.  Flip and cook for 1 minute more.  Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining chicken (adding more olive oil to the pot if needed).

3.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, brown sugar, and caper brine.

4.  Add the garlic to the pot and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds.  Add the wine and cook, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, for 1 minute.  Add the vinegar mixture along with the prunes, olives, and capers.  Press [Cancel].

5.  Nestle the chicken in the olive mixture.  Lock the lid and ensure vent is closed.  Press [Manual] and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes.  Use the "Quick Release" method to vent the steam, then open the lid.

6.  Serve the chicken with the olives, prunes, and a bit of the juices, then sprinkle with parsley.

Prunes!  I had never eaten any in my life (unless when I was too young to remember), and these weren't bad.  They were very sweet and added a nice flavor to the chicken.  If you don't want to eat them, fine, I'd still recommend using them in the recipe for the flavor.

I used sliced black olives instead of the green pitted olives, as when I was purchasing the ingredients for this, I just couldn't find pitted green olives that didn't have pimiento stuffed into them.

I served this with the multi-colored orzo, and we all loved it. Brian refused to eat the prunes, but said the flavor of the chicken was very tasty.

Asian Roasted Broccoli

 Air Fryer

yields 2 servings

prep time  4 minutes

cook time  12 minutes

1 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp of chili garlic sauce

1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp brown sugar

1 tsp rice vinegar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

8 oz broccoli florets

squeeze of fresh lemon juice

2 Tbsp chopped roasted peanuts

1.  In a large bowl, combine the soy sauce, chili garlic sauce, olive oil, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and sesame oil.  Toss the broccoli in the mixture so that it is fully coated.

2.  Transfer the broccoli to the Air Fryer rack and cook at 370 degrees until golden brown and firm-tender, 10-12 minutes.

3.  Transfer to a serving bowl, squeeze the lemon juice over broccoli, and sprinkle with the peanuts to serve.

I used frozen broccoli, thawing in some warm water then patting it dry before tossing into the oil mixture.

Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

 Air Fryer

2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp sesame seeds

1 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp kosher salt

1 can (15oz/420g) chickpeas, drained, rinsed, and patted dry

1.  In a medium bowl, combine the olive oil, cumin, sesame seeds, chili powder, thyme, garlic powder, and salt.  Toss with the chickpeas to coat.  Discard any skins that come off.

2.  Transfer the chickpeas to the Air Fryer rack and cook at 370 degrees, shaking the basket every 5 minutes, until crispy.  18-20 minutes

yields 1.5 cups

prep time  10 minutes

cook time  20 minutes

I cooked these a little longer to get them a littler crispier.  Be sure to watch them to ensure they do not burn.

Air Fryer Egg Rolls

 6 egg roll wrappers

3 cups shredded cabbage

1.5 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp grated ginger

1/2 tsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1/2 tsp black pepper

2 green onions, sliced

1 tsp. olive oil

1.  Preheat frying pan over medium heat.  Add the sesame oil, ginger, cabbage, and shredded carrot.  Cook down for 2-3 minutes or until the cabbage has wilted.  Add the green onions, soy sauce, and black pepper.  Stir and remove from heat.

2.  Assemble egg rolls (2 Tbsp. filling each).  Brush olive oil over tops of egg rolls.

3.  Brush olive oil on air fryer basket.  Place egg rolls in basket, seam side down, without letting them touch each other.

4.  Bake @ 360 degrees for 7 minutes.  Flip and bake an additional 2 minutes.

I used olive oil spray rather than brushing oil on the rolls or the basket.  These tasted very much like the ones you get in a Chinese restaurant, without all the oil.

Shakshuka

Instant Pot Recipe

yield:  2 servings

prep time:  10 minutes

cook time:  15 minutes

2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, sliced

1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. paprika

12 can (14.5oz) diced tomatoes

1/2 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for serving

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper, plus more for serving

1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

4 large eggs

1 Tbsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1.  Turn the instant pot on to Sauté.  Heat the olive oil and add the onion and bell pepper.  Cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 3-4 minutes.  Add the garlic, cumin, and paprika; cook, stirring, for 1 additional minute.

2.  Add the tomatoes, salt, black pepper, and red pepper flakes.  Press [cancel].  Lock the lid, closing the steam release.  Press [Manual] and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.  Use the "Quick Release" method to vent the steam, then open the lid.

3.  Use a spoon to make a well in the sauce, then crack an egg into it.  Repeat with the remaining eggs.  Lock the lid, closing the steam release.  Press [Manual] and cook on high pressure for 1 minute (for soft yolks).  Use the "Quick Release" method to vent the steam, press [Cancel], then open the lid.

4.  Divide the eggs and sauce among plates and season with a little more salt and pepper if desired.  Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

Notes:  I used Italian diced tomatoes with this, and only a very tiny amount of red pepper flakes (seriously maybe 10-12 flakes total), as Clydie just cannot eat hot and spicy foods anymore.  We also did not salt or pepper after cooking, or add the parsley.  This dish was scrumptious!

Also - after the 1 minute cooking was done, I was busy working on other breakfast foods and it sat for about 2 minutes before I released the steam and put the eggs on plates.  The eggs ended up being cooked through, but were more like a soft to medium boiled egg, and were perfect for those who don't care for runny eggs.  Clydie and I definitely give this a thumbs up!  (Brian did not taste test this as he doesn't care for tomatoes and only likes hard scrambled eggs for breakfast, or as he says - he's a traditional breakfast guy)

This recipe is from Air Fryer Instant Pot Cookbook - 100 Recipes to Cook with Your Air Fryer & Instant Pot Pressure Cooker.

Ravioli Lasagna

prep 25 minutes 

bake 40 minutes 

makes 6-8 servings 

1 pound ground beef 

1 28oz jar spaghetti sauce 

1 25oz pkg frozen sausage or cheese ravioli 

1 1/2 cups (6oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese 

1. In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. In a greased 2.5qt baking dish, layer a third of the spaghetti sauce, half of the ravioloi and beef, and 1/2 cup cheese; repeat layers. Top with remaining sauce and cheese. 

 2. Cover and bake at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until heated through. 

Nutrition facts: 1.5 cups equals 438 calories, 18g fat (7g saturated fat), 77mg cholesterol, 1,178mg sodium, 42g carb, 5g fiber, 26g. protein. 

Notes - the above recipe cook time is assuming the ravioli is frozen. I boiled the ravioli for about 5 minutes per package directions, and cut my cook time to about 20 minutes, with an additional 5 minutes without the foil cover. I also used more cheese than called for (we LOVE cheese), and I just noticed the sodium content. Not good considering one of us is supposed to watch their salt intake. The salt comes from the ravioli, cheese, and sauce, as none was added to the recipe. I did add italian seasoning to the venison, but that was the only change. 

As for the # of servings listed - this was more than enough for Brian, Clydie, and me, with maybe 2 servings of leftovers.  Had Steven and Max been here I would have doubled the recipe.  

The recipe is from Taste of Home Volume 5 - 5 Ingredient Cookbook (which I've discovered some recipes have fewer than 5 ingredients, like this one, and some have a couple more than 5)