Anita's Creamy Tuscan Chicken (Instant Pot)

This is my mom's delicious recipe! It was fun to make it on Mother's Day in Virginia Beach and feel like she was involved in the festivities from nearly 5,000 miles away in Hawai'i! Serves about five.

Ingredients:

8-10 chicken thighs, skinless & boneless
4 garlic cloves, minced
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Oregano
Marjoram
Herbes de Provence
2 tbsp. soy sauce (or liquid aminos to make it GF!)
3/4 cup chicken stock
Sun-dried tomatoes, to taste
Spinach, to taste
1/2 to 1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
A bit of cornstarch to thicken the sauce

Directions:

1) Salt and pepper chicken thighs. Put Instant Pot on "Saute" mode; once it is hot, coat bottom with olive oil and add chicken thighs to brown. After 3.5 minutes, flip to brown the other sides for 2 minutes. Do this in batches, so as not to crowd the pan.

2) Add minced garlic. Saute for 30 seconds, then add sliced mushrooms to saute for another minute or so. Add oregano, marjoram, herbes de Provence, and any other desired spices.

3) Deglaze bottom of pot with soy sauce and chicken stock, scraping browned bits off bottom of pot. Mix.

4) Add browned chicken, along with any accumulated juices. Pressure cook on high for 5 minutes, then allow 10 minutes of natural release. Release remaining pressure.

5) Set chicken aside. Bring liquid back to a boil by switching to "Saute" mode. Add spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. Mix. Add cream and parmesan cheese.

6) Mix cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add mixture to pot in increments until sauce is thickened to desired consistency.

7) Add chicken back to pot. Serve over pasta.

Breakfast Danish

This recipe has been a classic birthday breakfast treat in the Sitterding house for as long as I can remember. Its name on the index card recipe is "Crescent Roll - Cheese Snacks," but we always just called it "danish." (I've edited it here to reflect some of the changes it's undergone through the years.)

Ingredients:
- 2 eight-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
- 2 packages of crescent rolls (use baking sheets!)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla
- 1 egg, separated
- cinnamon sugar
- sliced almonds

Unroll one of the crescent rolls in the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Beat together the cream cheese, egg yolk, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. Spread this mixture evenly over the crescent roll. Unroll the second crescent roll on top of the cream cheese mixture.

Optional: Beat the egg white until thick and no longer bubbly, but not stiff. Spread over the top layer of crescent roll.

Sprinkle cinnamon sugar and almonds on top of the crescent roll, as much as you'd like.

Bake in the oven on 375 for about 30 min. Let cool for a bit so that the filling has time to set and doesn't scald your mouth. We usually serve it by cutting it into wedges, taking care that the "edges" and "middles" are evenly distributed.

This treat is also delicious cold and leftover, so don't feel any pressure to eat it all at once, nor even to reheat it! It's super rich.

Baby Teddy's Pancakes

Auntie Elsh found this recipe for Teddy one morning after a sleepover! This recipe serves Teddy plus the rest of the family, but the original recipe was a quarter of this and I generally half it unless I'm cooking a bunch and want to save them. I have found that measurements are flexible and you can definitely experiment; for example, if you're using flax seed you can cut out an egg and add a little water, or if you prefer a more "bready" texture, you can add a few more oats. I have also not noticed a difference between using fresh or frozen banana.

Ingredients:
- 8 eggs
- 2 bananas
- 1 cup oats
Optional Additions:
- flax seeds
- nuts (almonds or walnuts)
- spinach

Directions:
Blend together in the blender. Fry up in some coconut oil. Teddy likes his best with blueberries and almond butter. Enjoy! :)

Gluten-Free Cranberry Cookies

1 1/2 C. GF flour blend

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 C. butter, softened

1 C. sugar (I use less)

1 C. brown sugar (I use less)

1 egg

3 Tbsp. hot water

1 tsp. vanilla

3 C. GF rolled oats

2 C. chopped walnuts

2 C. dried sweetened cranberries (Craisins)

1 C. coconut (I use more)

1) Sift together first three ingredients and set aside.

2) Blend next six ingredients together in stand mixer.

3) Add blended dry ingredients and oats alternately to the blended wet ingredients in the stand mixer, incorporating well after each addition.

4) Blend in nuts, cranberries, and coocnut, in that order, incorporating well after each addition.

5) Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto a metal cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

6) Bake at 375 degrees for 10-11 minutes.

7) Let rest 2-3 minutes before carefully transfering to wire racks for cooling. (Otherwise they will fall apart! If you're in a hurry, just tranfer the whole parchment paper to the racks. And yes, you can re-use the parchment paper for baking all the batches.)

This makes 4 dozen small cookies. (I haven't tried making larger cookies. I'm not sure they'd stay together well without crumbling.)

Jeanne's London Broil Marinade

This recipe is from my old friend Jeannie and is so delicious!

Marinate London broil in mixture of:

ginger

garlic

scallions

white wine

sesame oil

salt pepper

Grill 3-5 minutes each side for medium-rare.

Mexican Cabbage Chicken Skillet

This recipe is a favorite of our Olivia, first made for her by our friend Laurie. It is fresh, easy, and delicious.

2 lb. ground chicken
1 onion, chopped
4 C. salsa (I use Kirkland's organic, 1 whole jar)
1 large head cabbage, shredded (or two bags shredded cabbage or coleslaw blend)
6 Tbsp. olive oil
1 pkg. taco seasoning (I like Trader Joe's)
Mexican cheese blend

1) Brown chicken and onion.
2) Stir in taco seasoning and salsa.
3) Saute cabbage in olive oil over medium heat for 3 minutes in large skillet or wok.
4) Combine with meat mixture. Place in two 9x13 pans or one large lasagna pan.
5) Sprinkle cheese over top and bake about 10 mins.

Spicy Sesame Chicken

This recipe was originally served to Olivia by Cindy B. at her house. She came home insisting we get the recipe and learn to make it. Olivia originally just called it "Chinese Food."

1/2 C.+ sesame seeds

1 1/2 C. chicken broth
1/4 C. cornstarch
1/4 C. sugar
1/4 C.  soy sauce
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
1 tsp. ground ginger

2 Tbsp. sesame oil
4 green onions, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 pounds boneless, skinless breasts, cut into 1-inch squares

1) Toast and set aside sesame seeds.

2) Combine (whisk together) next 6 ingredients and set aside.

3) In a wok, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Add green onions, garlic, pepper flakes and cook for 2 minutes.

4) Add chicken and cook till it's done.

5) Add whisked together sauce and simmer until sauce is thick.

6) Sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.

Serve over cooked white rice and with sauteed vegetables (in oil and SPG) on the side or mixed in.

Aunt Kim's Tuna Salad

This recipe was given to my sister by her personal trainer as a good lunch choice. In her words, "I'm addicted." Sorry for the lack of quantities. She just adds the ingredients according to her preferences.

canned tuna
mayonnaise
Clausen dill pickles, chopped
walnuts, chopped
Craisins
black pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients. She says it gets better the next day—a rarity for tuna!

Prizewinning Mexican Chicken Chili

This was the prizewinning entry in USAA's MARA chili contest this year:

 

2-3 frozen chicken breasts

1 package dry ranch dressing mix

2 cans black beans

1 can corn, drained

1 can diced tomatoes

1 block cream cheese

1 C. salsa

Additional seasonings to personal taste

 

Dump all in a crock pot and cook on high 3-4 hours or on low 6-8 hours.

 

Use forks to shred the chicken before serving.

 

Serve with rice, cheese, sour cream, and tortilla strips.

 

Cheri's Cheesy Broccoli Soup

1 tablespoon melted butter

1⁄2 medium chopped onion

1⁄4 cup melted butter

1⁄4 cup flour

2 cups half-and-half cream or partial milk

2 cups chicken stock (I used veg base for the stock)

1⁄2 lb fresh broccoli (I left some broccoli huge to puree and some bite size)

1 cup carrot, julienned

2 stalks celery optional (chopped or left big for the blender)

1⁄4 teaspoon nutmeg

½ ts dry mustard optional

8 ounces grated cheese (I use half sharp cheddar and half a milder cheese)

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Sauté onion in butter. Set aside.

Add the stock. 

Add the broccoli, carrots and onions. Cook over low heat 20-25 minutes.

Purée about 1/2 in a blender. Return to heat. 

Cook melted butter and flour in a separate pan using a whisk over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. Stir constantly and add the half & half.  Add cheese and salt and pepper to taste.

Stir in nutmeg.

Serve with crusty bread and Enjoy :).