I like stuff with some spice in it! (Chili, salsa) Or something tangy (vinegar) or strongly flavored (capers, blue cheese).
I love mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber, and bell peppers. I also love beans and rice and sausage. And cabbage!
But first…
SAUCY MEAT TO EAT WITH RICE
White Rice – Instant Pot
It’s white rice. Don’t get too excited. But you don’t have to watch it on the stove, and it doesn’t spew frothy white mist like a rice cooker. We also got over cooked rice on the edges of our rice cooker sometimes.
There’s a lot of recipes if you google this. Most do not include a fat in the pot. In my opinion it helps the rice to stay moist and not stick. I use vegetable or olive oil, while Amy prefers butter.
This recipe is the reason we have two Instant Pots. White rice is the perfect accompaniment to Beef tips or Mississippi Pot Roast, or many delicious Cajun dishes. White rice with salt, pepper and butter is also pretty satisfying by itself when nothing is sounding good or if you just want to eat and don’t feel like cooking something else.
Ask me about my Rice Bear
Mississippi Pot Roast
Savory, tangy and beefy, there are a lot of recipes out there if you search the internet. The one we started using came from simplyhappyfoodie.com. Click here for their page.
Beef Tips – Instant Pot
You can use a wide variety of cuts in this recipe – steaks, roasts, whatever. The pressure cooker breaks it down and makes all the connective tissues tender. Big chunks of fat and gristle don’t magically turn into meat though, so trim those out.
Here’s where we got the recipe.
Andy’s Lazy Gumbo
The goal here is passably good gumbo with minimal work. If you leave out the sausage and poultry, this is a mix and dump recipe. It’s not the best gumbo, but it’s really good for the effort. Let’s be real; that’s what we go for a lot of the time.
SAUCY SAUCE TO EAT WITH PASTA
Pasta Palomino
The kids and I like this one. Amy likes it if she’s really hungry.
I think I saw this recipe on Facebook and I know the one we started using is from foreignfork.com. I know this because they use a weird pasta in their recipe. You can find it here.
Roasted Vegetable Pasta
This is a simple recipe that seems tastier than it deserves to be based on how basic the preparation is. Fresh vegetables are like that.
For another take on this recipe that includes eggplant, see the instructions at this website.
Pasta Puttanesca
We heard about this pasta in the children’s book A Series of Unfortunate Events, later an ok movie and then a hit tv show on Netflix. It sounded like it would be fun to make, and then I decided it was pretty good and fairly easy.
Also, recipe websites drone on and on about recent weather or somebody’s aunt, when all you want is the recipe already. This website is the first time I enjoyed reading the story that goes with the recipe.
NOT RICE OR PASTA – WHAT!?!
Bustin’ Biscuits Chicken Butt Pie
This is a savory solution for a warm full belly. Will get pics next time we make it
Basic Hummus
Resurrecting an old recipe, but worked out personal taste tweaks with Audrey with input from Amy and Abby. Variations below.
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
The red pepper adds a mild sweetness to the hummus. It can stand a little more seasoning with the extra volume from the peppers, and if you made basic hummus a bit more seasoned than you prefer, this can mellow it out some.
Avocado Hummus
Imagine half hummus/half guacamole – but with less spices. Add some cayenne pepper to kick it up a notch if less spice makes you sad. Don’t be sad.
Other hummus ideas on deck: adding peeled cucumber similarly to the red pepper hummus. May need to core the cucumber. Roasted jalapeño hummus. Sounds good! Cracked black pepper hummus… I think it could work. Curry hummus – tread lightly.
Not a favorite – just odd
Water Pie
I’ve wanted to try this recipe for over a year. Amy refused to make it but she did buy me a pie crust at the store. Made for the first time on 3/10/2024.
Andy’s Family Holiday Favorites
Aunt Exa’s Sweet Potato Soufflé
This one is a standout, top-of-the-list favorite. I did not remember the cornflakes, but knowing they’re in there, I remember the crunch.
Family Recipe Tree 