Cabin fever, snow days, weekends, organizing the basement.  What to do when it's cold and snowy outside. 

But Mom, why are you putting pepperoni in the Instant Pot?
Mom, What are those big noodles?
Mom, Do I really have to fold the towels?
Mom, Do we have a two-hour delay tomorrow?




I love the brown feature on the Instant Pot!  I added 2 pounds of ground pork and one pound of ground beef, 2 cloves garlic chopped, and half onion chopped, and turned on the brown function.  This way, I am only using one pot for this entire meal! Drain meat, and return to pot.



I added 16 oz of uncooked rigatoni pasta on top of the meat mixture.  The rigatoni pasta was new for us, definitely stepping outside of our comfort zone to the husbands favorite, penne pasta.



It is important to make sure the pasta is covered with sauce and water completely.  Believe me, I have plenty of trail and errors with the Instant Pot.  That is why I encourage you to get the Christmas present out of the box, and give it a try! It's too easy! Some evenings you need a break from regular cooking! Add Spaghetti Sauce (or pizza sauce if you have on hand), tomato paste, sugar, spices, and water. 



I put the pepperoni on top, because I wondering myself like the kids, why am I putting pepperoni in the Instant Pot? Will it be ok to cook that long ? YES. Could it be stacked above the meat? YES 


Lock lid, make sure vent is closed. Set to Cook/Manual for 15 minutes.  Let it natural release for 10 minutes if preferred.  Or quick release.  I think I was just distracted! 



Add your favorite shredded cheese on top, it doesn't take long for it to melt on the pasta.



INSTANT POT PEPPERONI PIZZA RIGATONI
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Ingredients for Instant Pot Pepperoni Pizza Rigatoni

• 2 pounds ground sausage
• 1 pound ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic chopped
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 4 oz tomato paste
• 14 oz. Prego Traditional Sauce
• 24 oz. Hunts Traditional Sauce
• 16 oz Rigatoni
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 cups water
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

How To Make Instant Pot Pepperoni Pizza Rigatoni

1. Brown ground sausage and ground beef with onions and garlic. Drain.
2. Add meat mixture back to Instant Pot, season.
3. Add uncooked rigatoni.
4. Add Prego sauce, Hunts sauce, tomato paste, sugar and water.
5. Lock lid and close seal to vent.
6. Set Manual/Cook 15 minutes.
7. Slow release and open lid.
8. Add favorite shredded cheese.

Pressure Cooker BBQ Wings are easy to make and kid-approved! They are perfect for a New Year's celebration or game day! 


Kids favorite meal or appetizer is BBQ wings.  Where ever we go, this is what they want to order for their meal. They don't care how messy they get. I am over being embarrassed in pubic while the kids eat wings. I just embrace it, and send them off to wash their face and hands when they are done.

We didn't have big plans on New Year's Eve. The boys went duck hunting, so I knew they would be tired when they got home to plan anything for that evening.  I did have big plans to make lots of food to ring in the new year's, knowing most of the family wouldn't make it to midnight.

The boys came back tired and exhausted from hunting.  The weather was cool that day, and windy. They came back with red-cheeks, and lots of ducks.  Ryan was also excited about shooting his first mallard.  It was a beautiful duck.  Dave said he is proud the way Ryan is learning how to call  the ducks into the blind. Once in awhile his dad will let him shoot his gun. I think this was his 4th duck this season. 


I didn't have the best of luck finding the wings in the store.  I bought the drumettes that always come with the wings when you get an order.  Perfect bite size, and I think there is more meat on drumettes. 


I kept the wings frozen until they were ready to go into the pressure cooker.

Wilbur's Sweet & Spicy Wing-It Marinade and Dipping Sauce can be found in Rensselaer.  If you have ever craved wing night at the Pub, this is the sauce!!



I coated the frozen wings with the sauce. I used about 1.5 cups.



Then I added the wings to the pressure cooker. My Pressure cooker is similar to this http://amzn.to/2j8Hbw9.  I added about a cup of water.  I know first time recipes you get a little nervous! Ok, I get a little nervous, and I can't see the meat cooking, like you can with a crock pot.  Just have a little faith in your pressure cooker.  Busy moms have other things to do than spend a bunch of time in the kitchen! Embrace it! Put the lid on, set it for 15 minutes.  



Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.  Add more BBQ if you want.  Put under broiler.

1. Coat 2 pounds of frozen wings with Wilbur’s Sweet & Spicy Sauce (or your favorite BBQ sauce)
2. Place in pressure cooker, add one cup of water.
3. Set pressure cooker for 15 minutes.
4. Remove wings from pressure cooker, and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Add more sauce to the wings. Find a similar pressure cooker here: http://amzn.to/2j8Hbw9
5. Place wings under broiler for 3-4 minutes.  Turn the cookie sheet around under the broiler and broil for another 3-4 minutes.
6. Remove from cookie sheet and serve

This was delicious.  Kids loved them. Ate them so fast!  And they are asking for more.



This recipe is linked to: Watcha Crockin Week #24, Weekend Potluck #256, and Meal Plan Monday #45.

I keep mentioning that harvest is close to being over. Well, I think we are finally done!



 One meal that is easy to make in the Pressure Cooker, or  Instant Pot, is Spaghetti.  I felt like I was really going out of my comfort zone, but this is so much more convenient. 






















This picture was taken on one of the last evenings I worked late at the elevator.  Beautiful colors in the sky, and it was transferred right over to the camera. 

We are still looking for simple dinners. Sports is keeping us busy in the evenings. I don't know if I want to admit it, or I am proud to admit it, but we love spaghetti.  We can eat spaghetti once a week! It's a simple dinner to throw together.  There are so many options with the different types of pasta available, but the angel hair pasta is our favorite.




Brown one pound of hamburger and one pound of ground pork with a chopped onion  You can do two pounds of hamburger if you want to. There is a brown option on the pressure cooker, but I did this step on the stove. Add one box of angel hair pasta over the hamburger. 


Add jar of spaghetti sauce, one can of traditional spaghetti sauce, one small can of tomato paste, and one cup of water.  Lock on the lid, set pressure cooker for 15 minutes. 



When 15 minute timer is up, push on valve and release. Watch for steam.  Remove lid, and this is what it looks like. 



Immediately stir spaghetti and serve! 







We could easily have this once a week, and leftovers are delicious! 



I linked up to:
Whatcha Crockin Wednesday - Week 17
Weekend Potluck #249
Meal Plan Monday #38

Harvest is just about over.  It has been a beautiful fall.  I woke up Sunday and the trees in the woods are turning beautiful colors.  I wish I took the time to go out and take some pictures. I definitely need to do that soon.  


Overall, crops looked really good this fall.  Yields were great, farmers seemed very pleased with them.  Yields is what the farmer gauges on the overall progress of their farm.  More yield equals more bushels, and in turns means more crop to sell.  Bins on the farm are full, and the run over bushels are brought to the elevator.  Ground piles at the elevator are full and tarped in this area.  Now farmers will wait for higher prices to sell their grain.




I would like to thank my husband for this recipe.  He was home earlier one evening before me and he had this dinner ready in 1 hour.  He is a big fan of the pressure cooker.  







Since my husband started this dinner, I only have pictures of the final product. It was delicious and so easy.  He cut the pork ribs into smaller sections so they fit into the pressure cooker.  Added a bottle of Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ and beef broth.  You can add water in place of beef broth, but he is a strong believer that broth add so much more flavor to the meal.




The kids loved this recipe.  The best part is it didn't take all day to cook, and the meat still fell off the bone! 



Pressure Cooker BBQ Pork Ribs
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I have linked up to:
Watcha Crockin Wednesday Week 15
The County Cook Weekend Potluck #247
Meal Plan Monday 51