Chasing Saturdays

Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Instant Pot Macaroni & Cheese

Posted by Crystal Kellner Tuesday, November 28, 2017

Instant Pot Macaroni and cheese, Chasing Saturdays

Macaroni and cheese is the best comfort food, ever! I wanted to try it in the Instant Pot. The IP continues to amaze me. It hasn't left my counter yet!

Harvest is still going on in Indiana. I would say we are at 99.9% done, with a few customers left to haul in. The Instant Pot has really helped me out this fall, getting food prepared faster.

I would also like to share with you some amazing views we have had lately at home.

Indiana has not disappointed in sunrises or sunsets! I took this earlier this summer, from our back yard, what a view!

A beautiful October sunset from our front yard!

This is my view during harvest, this November sunset was a bonus!

I have selected the cheese my family and I prefer, make sure to use your families favorite cheese to keep everyone in the family happy!

INSTANT POT MACARONI AND CHEESE

PRINT RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 lb elbow macaroni

4 tbsp butter

1 tsp yellow mustard

1 tsp hot pepper flakes

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp onion powder

2 tsp salt

4 cups water

1 12-oz. Can evaporated milk

16 oz cheddar cheese

6 oz parmesan cheese

1 cup bread crumbs

DIRECTIONS

Add macaroni, butter, yellow mustard, hot pepper flakes, onion powder, pepper, salt and water into Instant Pot.
Select Manual, cook on high for 6 minutes.
Quick release valve, open lid and make sure macaroni is cooked.
Add evaporated milk, and all the cheeses.
Stir until creamy.
Add salt & pepper to taste.

Crystal Kellner

4 Comments

Tuesday, November 21, 2017

Apple Cake caramel food Ice Cream

Apple Cake

Posted by Crystal Kellner Tuesday, November 21, 2017

This Apple Cake is a moist, delicious cake that is perfect dressed up with caramel and ice cream, or eaten alone. Perfectly normal for breakfast, as well.

This cake is great to take to gatherings and potlucks. Everyone will love the flavor in this cake! You can also say that you made this recipe from scratch, and it is so easy to prepare! So easy, my husband made this cake!

If you have a favorite nut you would like to add to the cake, go for it. Nuts are optional, and in my family, we just opt out for nuts.

The apples in this cake bake down so well in this recipe. Everything in this cake is moist and flavorful! The colors are beautiful, and so easy to make!

This cake is even better when paired with vanilla ice cream!

APPLE CAKE

PRINT RECIPE INGREDIENTS

1 cup oil

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

2 tsps vanilla

3 cups of flour

½ tsp salt

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp cinnamon

3 cups chopped and peeled apples

½ cups nuts (optional)

DIRECTIONS

Mix together the oil, sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Add flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon.
Add 3 cups chopped and peeled apples.
Add nuts (optional)
Spread in a greased 9x13 pan.
Bake 325 degrees, 25 minutes.

Crystal Kellner

3 Comments

Monday, November 13, 2017

Beans beef Corn crock pot food Hamburger Mexican rice slow cooker taco

Crock Pot Taco Rice Casserole

Posted by Crystal Kellner Monday, November 13, 2017

My favorite crock pot is the casserole crock pot. It's blue and it is perfect for converting your favorite casserole meals to crock pot meals! The Crock Pot Taco Rice Casserole was perfect match for the Casserole Crock Pot.

I like to make things simple when it comes to crock pot cooking! I prepared the hamburger in the Pampered Chef Micro Cooker in the microwave. You can cook the hamburger on the stove top, but it only took 5 minutes in the microwave. Drain the fat, and add the rest of the onions, drained black beans, corn, the can of diced tomatoes with green chiles and 1/4 cup of Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix. I like to use Old El Paso Seasonings if you don't make your own taco seasoning.

Spray the crock pot with Pam Cooking Spray. Place the cooked rice in the crock pot, sprinkle garlic salt over the rice. Spread the mixture over the rice.

Spread Kraft Mexican Taco Shredded Cheese on top. Cook on high for 2-3 hours. Add more cheese if you want, so you might want to buy 2 bags! This was delicious, and I know my son will love to eat this in a tortilla. Add more cheese, onions, tomatoes, avocado, lettuce to your liking!

CROCK POT TACO RICE CASSEROLE PRINT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 pound hamburger

1 onion, chopped

2 cups cooked rice

2 cups frozen sweet corn (or use canned corn)

1 can black beans, drained

1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles

½ tsp garlic salt

¼ cup Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix

16 oz of Kraft Mexican Taco Shredded Cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

Brown hamburger in Pampered Chef Mico Cooker with half chopped onion, and salt and pepper.
Prepare 2 cups cooked rice.
Mix hamburger, chopped onion, corn, diced tomatoes, black beans, Old El Paso Taco Seasoning Mix
Spray Casserole Crock Pot with cooking spray.
Spread rice in bottom of crock pot.
Sprinkle garlic salt over the rice.
Add the hamburger over the mixture.
Add 8 ounces of Kraft Mexican Taco Shredded Cheese
Cook on high 2-3 hours.
Add more toppings if desired. Lettuce, tomatoes, onions, avacado, cheese, hot sauce, lettuce.

Crystal Kellner

9 Comments

Tuesday, November 07, 2017

crock pot food hunting Pheasant slow cooker

Crock Pot Pheasant

Posted by Crystal Kellner Tuesday, November 07, 2017

Pheasant hunting in Indiana is a sport. Finding the pheasants is hard, especially when there is a lot of corn left in the fields, that is where they love to hide. Pheasants are beautiful birds, and their meat is white, comparable to chickens. After their pheasant hunt, we made Crock Pot Pheasant. This is a simple, two ingredient recipe.

Last weekend was a little father-daughter time. Ryan really felt like he missed out, but sometimes the other siblings have to take their turn.

Macie had the pheasant draw for the hunt at Knob View Gamebird habitat. Her dad was excited about the hunt, and also invited a friend to bring a couple of hunting dogs along for the hunt. Lots of walking is involved, over 60 acres and the dogs help flush the birds out of the tall grass.

Hunter orange clothing is required for all hunters to wear during hunts. Macie spent a day with her dad, enjoyed a decent November Saturday morning, outdoors. "She thinks we are just hunting"

Crock Pot Pheasant

PRINT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

Breast and Thigh Meat from 3 Pheasants

Chicken Stock to cover all meat

DIRECTIONS:

Place breast and thigh meat in the crock pot, season with salt and pepper.
Add enough chicken stock to cover all meat.
Cook on low for 4-6 hours, until meat is tender.

Crystal Kellner

4 Comments

Monday, October 30, 2017

Corn food peas soup stew Stewed Tomatoes Tomato juice tomatoes vegetables

Instant Pot Beef Vegetable Stew

Posted by Crystal Kellner Monday, October 30, 2017

Ever have that one meal you crave? It's comfort food at its finest, especially when cooler weather is here to stay. I challenged my husband one evening I could make Beef Vegetable Stew in the Instant Pot. He didn't say much, just raised an eyebrow. I took that as a challenge. Beef Vegetable Stew is best when cooked all day. Right? During harvest, I don't have all day to cook. I was going to put the Instant Pot to the test.

What is the difference between soup and stew? Stew is heartier, thicker. Soup has more liquid. Add more juice to this recipe if needed, I was using a 6-qt Instant Pot. The pot was full with all ingredients mixed in. It took awhile to set up the pressure, but the Stew/Soup option worked great on the Instant Pot.

We are fortunate to use the tomato juice and stewed tomatoes from our garden. The corn, peas and potatoes are from our garden as well. The beef we purchased is from a local farmer, and one of my grain customers. Using food we have grown in the garden, and supporting other local farmers is something we can show our kids how it's possible to grow healthy food for their family one day.

I was very pleased how this turned out. The cook time was faster with the Instant Pot, and the flavors were still there. I can't wait to try more soups and stews. Enjoy!

INSTANT POT BEEF VEGETABLE STEW

PRINT RECIPE

Ingredients:

2 pounds sirloin steak, or stew meat

1 onion diced

2 cloves garlic minced

6 oz can tomato paste

16 oz tomato juice

16 oz stewed tomatoes

2 tbsp worchershire sauce

3 cups of red potatoes, cube

½ pound mini carrots

16 oz green beans

4-5 stalks celery

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp dried parsley

1 bag frozen peas

3 cups frozen sweet corn

¼ cup flour

¼ cup water

Salt & Pepper to season

Instructions:

Place the stew meat in the bottom of the Instant Pot, add all ingredients besides frozen pea, corn, and flour/water mixture. Stir.
Lock lid and set seal to close.
Select the Stew/Soup option.
After cooking, quick release the pressure, open valve, and be careful with steam.
Stir in frozen corn, peas, and water/flour mixture. Stir until stew thickens and corn/peas are warmed.

Crystal Kellner

2 Comments

Friday, October 20, 2017

Chasing Saturday's Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti chicken crock pot food Mexican slow cooker Spaghetti

Crock Pot Spicy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti

Posted by Crystal Kellner Friday, October 20, 2017

There is a recipe I have always wanted to try, but add my own twist to it. I was craving cheesy chicken, and adding spaghetti at the end. This Crock Pot Spicy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti is a ramp-ed up version of Crock Pot Cheesy Chicken and Rice.

Crock Pot Spicy Cheesy Chicken Spaghetti, Chasing Saturdays

All the flavors of cheese, chicken, and spices together are perfect and this is going to feed lots of people! This may be my daughter's favorite new dish!

Chicken breast worked great for this recipe. Chicken thighs would be good and tender, too. I added more heat to this recipe by adding Frank's hot sauce.

Our house LOVES angel hair pasta. Once you use angel hair, it's hard to go back to regular spaghetti. Pick whatever your family loves! You may not have to use the entire box, add a little spaghetti at a time and stir it in.

CROCK POT SPICY CHEESY CHICKEN SPAGHETTI

PRINT RECIPE

1 bell pepper, diced

1 sweet onion, diced

1 small can diced green chiles

1 can mild Rotel diced tomatoes and green chiles

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp cumin

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 lbs chicken breast

2 cans Campbell Cream of Chicken soup

3/4 - 1 lb box angel hair spaghetti

2 bags Kraft Mexican cheese

DIRECTIONS

Place peppers, onion, chiles, diced tomatoes, garlic powder, cumin,chicken, 2 cans cream of chicken, and 1 cup of shredded cheese in crock pot. Stir ingredients together.
Cook on high for 3-4 hours. Remove chicken breast and shred.
Return chicken to crock pot. Add cooked spaghetti and a Kraft Mexican Cheese. Salt and pepper to taste. Mix well.
Add cheese on top.
Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes. Serve.