I original picked this Three-Bean Chili for Friday - the whole Lent-no-meat thing, only to find when I went to actually make it that it has ground beef in it. I simply left out the ground beef and added an extra can of beans - so I guess it should be four bean chili. I could have also added quinoa or farro, instead of extra beans. I didn't have chili powder so I mixed a couple of hubby's chili powders (he has his own stash for rubs and sauces) and, unfortunately, picked one that was far too hot. At least for me and most of the others around the table, hubby thought it was perfect. There was good seasoning, despite the heat (which luckily didn't linger.) I used leftovers the next night on sheet-pan nachos, with lots of cooling sour cream and avocado.
Thought I'd see how rice did by cooking Instant Pot Chicken Taco Bowls. Even before I started cooking, I knew three cups of rice was a lot. I cut it to two cups and it was still too rice-heavy for us; next time I'll do a cup and a half. I also forgot to rinse it, so it was overly sticky. Those things aside, it was a decent dish - maybe a tad under-seasoned, which could have been, in part, to the large amount of rice. I would make it again, but have extra toppings and I'd mess around with the seasoning.
One of the features I love about the Instant Pot is the sautéing, so this Instant Pot Pizza Pasta would have been a one pot meal if I'd had canned marinara and pizza sauce. I didn't, and don't because I make my own here and here - which I could can, but they are fast enough recipes to do on an as needed basis. I basically whipped them together while the sausage was browning. I would chop the pepperoni next time because the slices didn't mix in well. Also mixed in the cheese at serving. It was good, comforting, and cheesy. I do have to mention, I was surprised that the pasta didn't get overcooked - but it was perfect.
We were heavy on the Mexican food this week with this Instant Pot Shredded Mexican Chicken. I wanted to see how chicken breasts held up in the Instant Pot, as I usually substitute for thighs for such recipes. They were okay. Certainly not as dry as slow cooking can sometimes produce, but not the juiciness of pan-frying, grilling or oven baking; I'll continue with the substituting. We did crunchy and soft tacos, but would be great on sheet-pan nachos (and it was) or in a bowl.
I needed something different for dessert - we have been hosting my brother-in-law and his family, along with my in-laws, while they are all temporarily living together. These Blackberry and Cream Biscuits seemed like a quick solution, and different. They were really good - light with big bites of berries and a bit of sweet from the glaze. You can even talk yourself into thinking these have healthy qualities because of berries in them, but the amount of cream will wipe that out, unless you consider the amount of calcium in that and then you're good. The recipe calls for fresh, but you could probably get away with frozen; the fresh berries get a bit crushed in the "folding." I would also mix it all together, instead of mixing everything and then trying to fold in the fresh berries.
Happy Monday,
Lori
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