Blog

Gluhwein is warm mulled wine (red wine infused with citrus juice, cinnamon and seasonal pumpkin spices.  You can use the gluhwein as a poaching liquid for pears and make a delicious tasty dessert or use the poached pears to accent a main meal salad.

To prepare:  Use a 3 quart Instant Pot or a large stovetop skillet.

Ingredients:

2                   pears, peeled, cored, cut in half lengthwise (rub cut side of 1/2 orange on cut pear halves to avoid oxidizing the pears).

Mulled Red wine ingredients – gluhwein

2 cups         red Zinfandel wine

1/3 cup        sugar

1 orange     zest and juice from 1/2 – 1 orange

1 tsp            cinnamon

1 tsp            pumpkin spice

Sauce

1 1/2 tsp     cornstarch

1 1/2 tsp     water

Garnish

4 tsp           mascarpone cheese

4 sprigs      mint

 

Directions

1. To prepare the poached pears on the stovetop:  Combine the mulled red wine ingredients in a large skillet over MEDIUM heat.  Stir until sugar dissolves and spices blend with the wine.  Add the cut pears.  Saute’ 5 – 10 minutes on each side, until the pears are fork tender.   Using a large spoon, remove poached pears to a plate.  Combine cornstarch and water in a small cup, add to the mulled red wine, stir over medium/low heat to thicken, then simmer on low for 5 minutes to allow the cornstarch taste to disappear from the sauce.  Pour sauce in a serving bowl.
2. To prepare the poached pears in an Instant Pot (IP):  Add mulled wine ingredients to the IP stainless steel liner.  Set IP on saute’ and stir until ingredients are combined.  Add pears cut side down.  Close the IP lid and steam vent.  Turn IP off then back on to MANUAL 3 minutes high pressure.  Use quick release after cooking.  Remove poached pears with a large spoon and place on a plate.  Add cornstarch and water together in a small cup, add to the wine in the IP, stir until thick and cornstarch taste disappears.  Pour sauce in a serving bowl.
3. To plate the pears:  Add a tablespoon of the wine sauce to each small plate.  Top with a pear (cut side up).  Add a teaspoon of mascarpone to the center of the cored pear and garnish with a sprig of mint.

NOTE:  If you prefer not to make and add the wine sauce, skip the thickening directions and enjoy the hot mulled wine in a mug…

 

 

 

 

 

Take some of the stress out of preparing a Thanksgiving feast!

Plan your menu in advance:

1. Consider food allergies and preferences of you, your family and the people joining you for the meal.
2. Create the menu to include beverages, appetizers, salad, main entrée, side dishes and dessert.
3. Limit recipes that will be time consuming to 2 recipes.  Make the other dishes simple or semi-homemade or items you prepare or delegate.
4. Set aside a cook date a week or more prior to Thanksgiving.  Allow yourself  3 – 5 hours to prepare dishes that are able to be made in advance and frozen until the day before Thanksgiving.
5. Use zip top freezer bags for each item, burp the air from the bag, label the bag with a permanent marker and the contents in each bag), then place each bag flat in the freezer.
6. Delegate some of the items on the menu to family and guests if possible.  Ask them to bring their dish or beverage with them to the feast.
7. Let the guests and family know how many servings of the item will be needed and what time to arrive at your home.
8. Ask each person how much refrigerator space they will need.
9. Also check if they will need to bake or reheat using your oven or stovetop and the time they will need and any serving utensils, pots or pans, plates or cups they will need for their also.
10. Ask those that do not cook if they can volunteer to assist in other ways and enlist their help with:  serving, clearing plate or dish duty!

 

Delegating some of the meal preparations will help you enjoy the holiday and feast and enjoy and recognize their contributions to the meal.

Tis the season…  Small Sugar Pumpkins are ideal for making pumpkin pies and other freshly baked breads or custards.

This microwave pumpkin mug cake can be made with fresh or unsweetened canned pumpkin puree.  It is easy to prepare and ready to enjoy in just a matter of minutes.

Ingredients

4 tbsp. flour

2 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tbsp. dried cranberries

1 tbsp. canned pumpkin puree

1 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 tbsp  water

baking spray

Directions

1.  Lightly coat a microwave safe mug with baking spray.
2.  Add flour, sugar, pumpkin spice, dried cranberries and salt to the mug, stir to combine.
3. Add pumpkin puree, vanilla, coconut oil and 1 tbsp water to the mug.
4. Stir ingredients to combine.
5. Float 1 tbsp of water on top of the batter.
6. Microwave the mug cake on HIGH for 90 seconds.

 

NOTE:  I used gluten free flour.

Here is alight tasty sauce I came up with that compliments a grilled or sautéed steak.  You can prepare this easily while on a camping adventure and it is a good choice for entertaining at home as well.   –  Chef MJ

Want more recipes like this?  Check out my NEW cookbook on this blog site!

Ingredients

16 oz          baby bella mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup     onion, diced

4 cloves    garlic, minced

6 tbsp.      butter

3 oz           tomato paste

20 oz        unsalted beef broth

1 tsp          dried spice herbs de Provence or thyme

2 tsp          cornstarch

2 tsp          water

1/4 cup     red wine

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Rinse mushrooms briefly, pat dry and slice in 1/4″ wide slices.
2.  Cut onion, medium diced.  Chop garlic, fine minced.
3.  Heat a large skillet with butter on the stove top over MEDIUM heat, add diced onions.
4.  Saute’ onions for 2-3 minutes then add the minced garlic, set heat to LOW for 1 minute.
5.  Add tomato paste, saute’ on LOW for 1 minute.
6.  Add broth, herbs de Provence or thyme and wine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
7.  Combine cornstarch and water in a small bowl and add to the sauce.  Turn heat to MEDIUM.
8.  Stir until sauce thickens and lightly coats the back of a spoon.
9.  Serve over grilled steak and/or mashed potatoes, or as pictured here over cooked noodles.

 

 

No need to heat up your kitchen or RV with this quick, easy Instant Pot recipe… and this is so good. Serve the chile verde over rice or on its own with some baked zucchini chips.

If you have extra sauce, grab a small bag of baked tortilla chips or some raw vegetables and enjoy!

This recipe happens to be an exception to the IP 1 cup minimum liquid guideline as the tomatillos provide some of the liquid.

Instant Pot 6 quart Can be prepared in 3 quart or 8 quart IP also, just scale the recipe to stay below the maximum fill line.

Package leftover portions in freezer zip top bags. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months.

Serves 6

Ingredients
4- 6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp. cooking oil
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cumin
1 onion, peeled and cut in quarters
1 jalapeno pepper
2 Anaheim pepper or mild Hatch chile
2 poblano pepper
8 medium tomatillos, cut in half
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro leaves
salt and pepper to taste
Garnish
1/2 cup baked tortilla chips or homemade baked zucchini chips
1 cup sour cream
1 cup grated cheese
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 limes cut in wedges

 

Directions
Insert the stainless steel IP insert into the Instant Pot.
Rinse and dry chicken, peppers and onion, set aside.
Cut the onion and peppers into quarters, set aside.
Peel the wrappers off the tomatillos. Wash the tomatillos well under running water.
Cut the tomatillos in half, set aside.
Season chicken with spices, salt and pepper.
Place stainless steel liner in the IP. Turn IP to SAUTE.
Add chicken to the Instant Pot, top with tomatillos, onions and peppers.
Saute’ and stir ingredients for 5 minutes.
Close IP and the steam vent.
Select the MANUAL mode, high pressure for 25 minutes.
When pressure cooker time is complete, release steam with the quick release method.
Remove chicken from the IP and set aside on a plate.
Using an immersion blender, puree the vegetables and natural juices in the IP, then return the chicken to the pot.  Turn off heat.

NOTE:  Serve chile verde in soup bowls.  Top with sour cream, grated cheese and chopped cilantro.

These cinnamon rolls are delicious, gooey and delightful!  Use half of the ingredients for each batch…

Ingredients  (makes 2 batches of 8 rolls) 

16 oz            Pillsbury Hot Rolls Mix (dry mix in a box)

1                    egg

1 cup            hot water (120 – 130 degrees F)

Filling

1 cup             brown sugar

1 cup             butter

4 tsp              cinnamon

2 tsp              vanilla

baking spray

Glaze  ( for 2 batches of rolls)

Prepare Pillsbury Hot Roll mix dough according to package directions for sweet rolls on the side of the box.

After kneading the dough on a lightly flour cutting board, let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Divide dough in 2. Stretch 1 portion of dough to 3 1/2″ x 10″ long.

Combine the filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl and create a crumbly paste.

Add filling paste evenly on top of the dough then log roll the cinnamon rolls lengthwise, cut into 1″ slices.

Prepare a 7″ round disposable foil pan with baking spray. Place topping mixture in the foil pan (see pic).

Place roll slices over the topping. Cover the rolls lightly and let them rise for 20 minutes.

Pour 1 1/2 cups of water in the IP stainless steel pot liner and place in the IP.

Cut steam vent holes in a second 7″ round foil pan (see pic), place pan in the IP with the slit side of foil pan upwards, creating an elevated rack.

Prepare a foil sling that is 3 x the width of the stainless steel liner, fan fold foil lengthwise x4 to forming a sling, then center the sling in the Instant Pot.

After rolls have risen, uncover and place the 7″ foil pan of rolls in the foil sling. Place a paper towel over the rolls and cover (but do not seal the pan of rolls) lightly with the disposable lid provided with the 7″ pans, reflective side down.

Roll the foil sling ends down to the top of the covered pan of rolls (see pic). Close IP lid and steam vent. Set IP to MANUAL 23 minutes HIGH pressure. Let steam release naturally for 10 minutes then use the quick release.

Lift pan with rolls from the IP using the foil sling ends.

Place a dinner plate serving side down over the rolls and flip the pan over. The rolls will self glaze.

     

A quick, easy, delicious breakfast muffin or dessert you can microwave and enjoy as a single serving in a matter of minutes!

Serves 1

Ingredients – batter

4 tbsp        gluten free or other flour

1 tbsp.       brown sugar

1/2 tsp       cinnamon

1 tbsp.       coconut oil

3 tbsp.       water

pinch         sea salt

coconut oil baking spray

filling

1/2             apple, peeled, cut in small dice

1 tbsp.       brown sugar

1 tsp          ghee or softened butter

1/2 tsp       cinnamon

1/4 tsp       flour

1/2 tsp       vanilla

Directions

1. Lightly coat a medium sized microwave safe mug with coconut oil.
2. Add batter ingredients to the mug, stir to combine coconut oil and butter.
3. Thoroughly blend the oil and butter with the dry ingredients (no clumps remaining).
4. Microwave on HIGH for 20 seconds.
5. Combine filling in a small bowl and spoon on top to the batter.
6. Microwave on HIGH for 40 seconds then let the mug cake rest for 1 minute.
7.  Microwave on HIGH for 15 seconds, let rest for a minute then enjoy!