[deeharperlewis-deactivated20240]

I like to travel - and my characters will too.

I have an insatiable wanderlust, as do the characters I create. Traveling is an escape from my ordered and sometimes constraining life, allowing me to immerse myself in the unexpected. It's the thrill of witnessing the lives of others and stepping out of my comfort zone.

When I travel, I seek out good food, good wine, and the joy of discovering new destinations. Navigating through unfamiliar territories, I embrace local festivals, find local guides, and sleep in unusual places like a desert under the stars, a village hut, or the deck of a boat. I believe in sharing meals and breaking free from the isolation of anonymous cities, knowing that the rest of the world is not like that.

Traveling means turning my back on my comfort zone and embracing change, novelty, fears, and the beauty that exists in both man-made and natural aspects of life. It's about finding art everywhere and returning home to books and brunches with friends. I let the wind guide me, constantly seeking challenges that make me feel brave. People-watching becomes a source of inspiration, yet finding the most peaceful places on the planet brings me a profound sense of tranquility.

Even when the unexpected happens, like a friend breaking their arm on vacation, we patch it up and continue our quest for the perfect beach. Travel evokes a mix of emotions - nostalgia for the past and excitement for the future. It's a journey of progress, where disappointment in famous landmarks can be balanced by the excitement of overlooked gems.

And in the end, after all the wanderlust, there's a special feeling of coming home, cherishing the familiar and reflecting on the memories created.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Chocolate Fudge

One of the easiest things to make in the Instant Pot is this yummy, chocolate treat. The better the chocolate, the better the fudge. It’s all about the chocolate! 

Any type of chocolate can be used for fudge: Bittersweet dark chocolate, which simply has the most cocao in it; Semisweet chocolate, which has more sugar in it; White chocolate, which does not contain chocolate solids and is best used for vanilla or other flavored fudge. 

Making fudge uses the pot-in-pot method of cooking, so you will need a shatterproof bowl to insert into the inner pot. 

I use an insert that is made for the instant pot. This is a worthwhile accessory for cooking anything that should not be diluted by the water the Instant Pot needs to come to pressure. I like this pot because it comes with a lid and saves you from having to cover the pot with foil.

The secret to great fudge and this recipe is that it doesn’t use high heat, which would burn the chocolate.

Ingredients

1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate

1/2 stick of butter

1 13oz can of sweetened condensed milk

pecan chips (optional)

1 cup of water

Directions

Add the chocolate, condensed milk and butter to the small bowl and cover it tightly with foil if you do not have a lid. Do not stir.

Place a trivet and 1 cup of water to the inner pot. Place the small bowl on the trivet. You want to keep the covered bowl out of the water. 

Pressure Cook: 10 minutes

Natural release.

Carefully stir the mixture until it is smooth and creamy. 

Pour into a parchment lined pan, let cool, and refrigerate to set the mixture. 

Variations on a fudge theme:  There are many things you can add to spice up your fudge. 

Break up pieces of peanut brittle to add to the mix before it sets

Sprinkle pieces of peppermint candy on top

Swirl some caramel throughout the fudge before it sets

Lace it with shredded coconut

Tiny marshmallow bits would add a burst of sweetness

Throw in a handful of Rice Crispies to add some crunch 

Here, I simply added a sprinkling of nuts to top it off. 

[instantfeast]

Poached Eggs in an Instant Pot

Poaching eggs is a really easy task when prepared in an Instant Pot. And you can prepare as many as will fit in your pot. All you will need is some sort of cup to hold the eggs, one that is large enough to hold an egg without any overflow. I find that the silicone molds made for egg bites in the Instant Pot are, unfortunately, not large to hold any but the smallest egg. Be careful of using glass ramekins, as they can shatter under pressure. I used an Egg Poacher Rack purchased on Amazon and the non-stick surface allows the cooked egg to slip out and maintain its shape. 

If you use silicone or metal, be sure to lightly butter the cup or the egg will stick. For this breakfast is had a little leftover grated cheddar cheese that I sprinkled on top of the egg before cooking.

Ingredients

Eggs

1 cup of water

Optional: grated cheese, leftover sautéed onion or and leftover veggies, finely chopped.

Preparation

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot. If you are adding onions, peppers or any vegetable, place a small portion of that into the bottom of each cup. Crack your eggs into your egg cups. If adding cheese, it can be sprinkled on the top of each egg. Place the trivet in the pot and the egg cups on the trivet. The cups should not be in the water at all.

Function: Pressure cook 

Time: 0 Minutes

Natural release for 2 minutes for a solid egg white and soft cooked yolk, 1 minute for an uncooked yolk.

It’s as simple as that. Serve immediately and Bon Appetit!

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Pork Chops with mushrooms and peppers

This really simple and very delicious pork chop recipe is guaranteed to become a favorite. It uses a combination loin/center pork chop, about a half inch thick which does not take long to cook and is fall-off-the-bone tender and juicy.

For this recipe the chops are lightly browned and onions  sautéed. If this step is done in the Instant Pot on the Saute function, make sure to deglaze the bottom of the pot before pressure cooking. It is preferable to marinate the pork in 1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing at least one hour in advance. Ingredients

2 lb pork loin combination loin/center cut (about 5 chops)

1/4 cup zesty Italian salad dressing 

8 oz mushroom sliced

1 lb mixed peppers

1 onion, sliced and sautéed 

1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1/8 tsp garlic powder

3/4 cup pineapple juice (8 Oz)

1/4 cup water

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

2 tbsp sherry

2 tbsp flour

Preparation

Brown the marinated pork either on the stovetop or using the Instant Pot’s saute function. Brown the sliced onion immediately after.

Add pineapple juice and water to the pot. Use this to deglaze if you have sauteed the pork and onion in the pot. 

Add the mushrooms, powdered ginger, garlic powder, salt, pepper, soy sauce, powdered vegetable bouillon, and sherry to the pot.

Place a trivet into the pot and add the mushrooms, then the browned pork chops. 

Function : Pressure Cook 

Time: 10 minutes

Natural Pressure Release.

After the pot is depressurized, remove the pork chops and trivet. Place the chops onto a serving dish and cover. In a cup or bowl, mix the flour with some of the hot liquid from the pot until you have a smooth paste. Add the onion, peppers and flour mixture to the pot and sauté on high until the gravy reduces to the desired thickness. Pour the gravy over the chops and serve with noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese

Macaroni and Cheese is one of the easiest side dishes to make in the Instant Pot. We don’t really know who invented this lovely dish that has become a staple of American cuisine. It is thought to come from Northern Europe, but we know it was commercialized by the Kraft company in the1930’s and has been a staple ever since.  

I overheard a conversation not long ago where two people were discussing the wonderful macaroni and cheese a relative had made and they marveled that it was made from scratch! They praised the dish and remarked that it was so much better than what they make. I realized that so many people are accustomed to frozen and boxed macaroni and cheese and people don’t know just how easy it is to make this classic American dish. Once you make it, you will never go back to instant versions. 

There are so many different styles of Mac Cheese. Some people like it creamy, some like it sharp and cheesy. Some recipes call for a dash of nutmeg, some use cream of mushroom soup, and people have been trying different cheeses with it from the start. Restaurants have put it back on the menu and fancied it up with lobster or truffles. 

My Mac Cheese has always been simple and heavy on the cream. With the stovetop method, I poured off the water and added milk or cream for maximum richness. I always use cream cheese to help bind everything together and give it a silky smoothness. I prefer cheddar cheese, extra sharp, and between 8-12 oz gives enough cheddar without being overpowering. With this Instant Pot version, I got down to basics, leaving out the cream and it was just as delicious.

  It will be tempting to buy pre-shredded cheese to save time, but be aware that this will give you a different texture. Cellulose is used to coat shredded cheese to keep out moisture and keep it from clumping together. The result for your Mac Cheese will be that it separates. Adding cream cheese does help regain the creaminess that we all love, and it will still be tasty, but if you have the time it is worthwhile to buy a block of cheese and shred it yourself.  

When cooking pasta in the Instant Pot, I always set the time to zero minutes and control the release to give me the desired texture. I prefer slightly al dente pasta and this is usually 2 minutes of controlled release. 

This is a fail proof recipe. The entire dish took less than 30 minutes and it serves 6-8 and was prepared in a 6 qt Instant Pot. 

Ingredients

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

2 cups elbow macaroni

8 oz sharp cheddar cheese

4 oz cream cheese

2 cups water

1 tbsp soft butter

1 tbsp flour

Preparation

Pour macaroni and water into the Instant Pot. The water should just cover the macaroni. Add salt, pepper, vegetable bouillon and stir.

Function : Pressure Cook 

Time: 0 minutes

As the pot is coming to pressure, shred the cheddar cheese and chop the cream cheese into chunks. Blend the butter and flour into a paste.

After the 0 minute cook time, start a quick release for about 2 minutes. There will be a little water left in the bottom of the pot. Change the Instant Pot function to saute with low heat and add the flour butter mixture and stir. This will help the mixture thicken as you stir in the cheese. 

Add the cream cheese and cheddar cheese and mix until blended. Transfer the creamy macaroni to a pan and broil for 5 minutes for a golden crust on top.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Ham, Vegetable and Wild Rice Soup

Soup is one of the easiest and fastest dishes to cook in an Instant Pot and is usually just dump-and-go. For most soups, it’s as simple as adding all ingredients into the pot, setting the time, and walking away. This Ham, Vegetable and Wild Rice Soup is an improvised recipe that uses dried vegetables, which is perfect for pressure cooking, and is a wonderful pantry item to have around for quick, dump-and-go soups and stews. The recipe uses a vegetable stock as its base, but any stock can be used. 

For frequent Instant Pot cooking, saving and freezing scraps of meat, chicken carcasses, ham bones and broth is very useful. Here, I put to use some ham scraps that had been lingering in the freezer but any leftover scraps of meat can be used, cooked or uncooked. 

For a vegetarian/vegan option simply omit the ham. This makes a very easy and healthy meal.

The recipe serves 4 was prepared in a 6 qt Instant Pot. 

Ham, Vegetable and Wild Rice Soup: Dump-and-Go

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried onion (or 2 fresh onions, chopped and sautéed)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

1 tbsp Italian herbs

1 cup wild rice

Ham scraps

1 cup dried vegetables

6 cups water

Preparation Pour water into the Instant Pot. Add onion salt, pepper, vegetable bouillon, Italian herbs, wild rice, Ham scraps, dried vegetables. Stir to ensure all of the rice is covered. Function : Pressure Cook 

Time: 4 minutes

After the 4 minute cook time, allow a full natural release and it is ready to serve.

[instantfeast]

Dump-and Go Instant Pot Beef Stroganoff

Sometimes people refer to the Instant Pot as the Magic Pot and it truly is. There is nothing ‘instant’ about it. But it is such a time saver in many ways. For one thing, you can set it and forget it and go on to do other things. And, it is a great tool for trying traditional recipes intended for long cook periods in a dutch oven. Many, many recipes can be adapted for pressure cooking. This is another traditional recipe that is perfect for the Instant Pot, and has been altered to make a quick dump-and-go meal. The use of dried onion and garlic is a great time-saving technique, and though the recipe uses a vegetable stock as its base, any beef stock can be used, as well. Any cheap cut of beef, such as bottom round, is perfect for this recipe as long as it is well-marbled with fat. It is not necessary to brown the meat. Beef Stroganoff is wonderful served over noodles and pared with green vegetables. The recipe serves 4 was prepared in a 6 qt Instant Pot.

Beef Stroganoff: Dump-and-Go

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried onion (or 2 fresh onions, chopped and sautéed)

1/2 tsp garlic powder1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

1 tbsp Italian herbs

3 tsp French mustard 

1 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp black pepper

8 oz button mushrooms thickly sliced 

2 tbsp of tomato paste

2 lb beef stew meat

1/2 pt sour cream 

1-2 tbsp flour (optional)

Preparation

Pour water into the Instant Pot. Add mushrooms, dried onion, garlic powder, dried bouillon, Italian herbs, French mustard, salt, pepper, tomato paste. Lastly, add the beef stew meat to the pot and do not stir.

Function : Pressure Cook 

Time: 25 minutes

After the 25 minute cook time, allow a full natural release, which will be about 20 minutes, then put the pot in Saute Mode. The liquid will be thin and to thicken it into a nice sauce, combine some of the hot liquid with 1-2 tbsp of flour in a small cup. Stir until the paste is smooth and the flour completely absorbs the liquid. Add the slurry to the pot and stir the sauce in saute mode until the desired thickness is reached. 

Turn off the pot and stir in 1/2 cup of sour cream until fully blended. Serve with noodles.

[instantfeast]

Quick Instant Pot Shrimp Creole

This is a very mild version of a classic Shrimp Creole dish using a number of shortcuts. A variety of dried ingredients make this a quick dump-and-go Instant Pot dish. 

The use of dried onion, peppers and garlic add a wonderful depth and flavor to the dish while keeping it light. 

The addition of fresh chopped green and read peppers would make this a more colorful and flavorful dish to serve guests but, as is, the dish is simple and healthy and can be served with rice and any vegetable.

The recipe serves 4-6 and was prepared in a 6 qt Instant Pot.

Ingredients

1 tbsp dried onion

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

1 8oz can diced tomatoes

2 stalks of celery, chopped

2 tbsp dried peppers

3 tbsp tomato paste

1/4 tsp black pepper 

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1 bay leaf

2 lb shelled frozen shrimp, thawed

1 cup water

Tabasco sauce (optional)

1 tbsp flour (optional)

Preparation

Pour water into the Instant Pot. Add diced tomato with its liquid, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, dried onion, garlic powder, vegetable bouillon, tomato paste, bay leaf, celery, dried pepper, salt, pepper and shrimp. Do not stir.

Function : Pressure Cook  Time: 0 minutes

Set the function to Pressure Cook and timer to 0 minutes. 

After the pot comes to pressure, begin a controlled release for 8 minutes then put the pot in Saute Mode. 

If you prefer a thicker sauce, combine some of the hot liquid with 1 tbsp of flour in a small cup. Stir until the paste is smooth and the flour completely absorbs the liquid. Add the slurry to the pot and stir sauce is thickened. 

For a spicier dish, add a couple of dashes of tabasco sauce. 

[instantfeast]

Dump-and-Go Instant Pot Hungarian Goulash

I love traditional recipes and cooking and rarely use instant ingredients or any ingredients laden with chemicals and artificial flavoring. But, like many, I don’t have time to labor over a meal, so many of my Instant Pot recipes are dump-and-go. Altering a traditional recipe to forego all of the tender loving care put into slow simmering and sautéing is a reasonable choice that yields a healthy home-cooked meal.

Reviving classic recipes for the Instant Pot and incorporating a few time-saving substitutions and techniques is a fun challenge. Most of my Instant Pot cooking uses dried onion and garlic, which adds a real depth and flavor to the dish. Many people complain that Instant Pot cooking is bland and they have to double amount of the spices used. This is not at all necessary if you begin with stock instead of water so I usually add 1 tbsp of powdered organic vegetable bouillon to every savory dish. I also love to use inexpensive cuts of meat. The cuts that usually require longer cook times, like beef stew meat, are perfect for the Instant Pot and particularly for dump-and-go recipes. This recipe is a variation of a traditional Hungarian Goulash. I used orange and yellow peppers instead of green peppers and, though sour cream is essential in traditional Hungarian Goulash, this recipe is delicious without it and perfect for people who are lactose sensitive. The recipe serves 4-6 and was prepared in a 6 qt Instant Pot. 

Hungarian Goulash: Dump-and-Go Ingredients

1/4 cup dried onion

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

1 tbsp Italian herbs

2 tbsp paprika 

1 cup water

Salt and Pepper to taste

2lb beef stew meat

2 peppers cut in slivers 

1 8oz can diced tomatoes

1 6oz can of tomato puree

Optional: 1/4 pt sour cream 

Preparation Pour water into the Instant Pot. Add dried onion, garlic powder, dried bouillon, Italian herbs, paprika. 

Add the beef stew meat to the pot. Do not stir.

Set the function to Pressure Cook and timer to 20 minutes.

Remove seeds and slice the bell peppers as the mixture is cooking. After the 20 minute cook time, allow a full natural release then put the pot in Saute Mode. 

Add the peppers, canned tomato and tomato puree and stir to mix well. Add salt and pepper to taste and let the mixture simmer until the peppers are cooked to your liking.

Optional: Stir in the sour cream and serve. Hungarian Goulash: Original Version

The only difference between the original recipe and the dump and go version is to brown the meat, and saute the peppers and onion, using 3 onions instead of the dried onion. The onion and pepper would be added to the Instant Pot after the meat is cooked. 

[instantfeast]

Quick Instant Pot Beef Curry

I prepared this recipe as a meal for two, using 1 lb of stew beef, dried onion and frozen vegetables. For the vegetable I decided on frozen pearl onions, string beans and peas. I also cut up a baked potato and added it at the last minute.

Ingredients

1 Tbsp dried onion

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ginger powder

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp cayenne or chipotle pepper

1-1/2 tbsp yellow curry powder

1 can unsweetened coconut milk

Preparation

Mix all dry ingredients with the coconut milk. Add the beef and marinate for at least 1 hour.

Drain beef reserving the liquid for your curry sauce.

Instant Pot

Add 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot.

Put drained Beef in a strainer basket to keep it out of the liquid.

Pressure cook for 20 minutes.

Quick release.

Add 1 cup frozen or fresh vegetables.

Pressure cook for 0 minutes.

Natural release at least 8 minutes.

Drain off half of the liquid and add the reserved curry sauce.

In Saute mode, allow mixture to boil for 5 minutes.

Serve over rice.

[instantfeast]

Mushroom Barley Soup

* 5 cups of water

* 1 oxtail, Turkey wing or meat of choice (optional)

* 2 tbsp powdered vegetable bouillon

* 1 carrot, diced

* 1 celery rib, thinly sliced

* 1 small onion, chopped

* 1 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, sliced

* 1/2 cup barley

* 1 tbsp salt

* 1/2 tbsp pepper

* 1 bay leaf

Add all ingredients to the Instant Pot.

Pressure cook for 6 minutes.

Natural Release.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Cranberry Sauce

The Thanksgiving prep begins with the cranberry sauce.

Ingredients

1 12oz bag of cranberries, washed.

2 slices of lemon

2 cups of sugar

1 cup of water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

Instructions

Add water, berries and lemon to the Instant Pot.

Pressure cook for 4 minutes.

Natural release.

Remove the lid and put the Instant Pot in sauté mode.

Add sugar and stir.

Add some of the cranberry mixture to the cornstarch and mix well until there are no lumps.

Add cornstarch mixture to the pot and let reduce until your desired thickness.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot boiled eggs

Place on the trivet with one cup of water. Pressure cook 2 minutes then allow a full natural release. Refrigerate immediately.

These peel very easily.

I love this method because you don’t have to watch the pot and time everything, and there is no need for the ice water bath that other methods require.

[instantfeast]

Vegan Squash Soup

This is such a delicious soup for the fall and can be altered by trying a variety of herb blends.

Ingredients:

1 butternut squash (other squash works well)

1 cup water

1 tbsp vegetable bouillon

1 tbsp Italian herbs

1 tbsp dried onion

1/2 tbsp of a Tuscan herb blend (any other hot blend will do: chilli, curry, red pepper, etc)

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp salt

Add after cooking:

1/2 cup coconut milk

1/2 cup almond milk

Directions:

Cut squash into very large chunks to fit it into the pot (unpeeled). Add the squash to the Instant Pot with all other ingredients except the milks.

Pressure Cook 6 minutes. Natural Release.

Remove the squash and gently remove the skin. Return the squash to the pot and add the milks.

Blend with an immersion blender until creamy.

For a very creamy soup a whole cup of coconut milk can be used.

[instantfeast]

Second attempt at baked eggs. After 3 minutes the whites were still uncooked. Steamed for 2 more minutes and the yolk was no longer runny. Grrrr. Tasty breakfast, though.

Added cheese, green onion, and red pepper to the tomato, then carefully cracked the egg into a hollowed tomato.

[instantfeast]

Instant Fail - Baked Eggs

This Instant Pot is all about trial and error. This attempt at ‘baked eggs’ was not a huge success. 3 minutes was not long enough.

[instantfeast]

Instant Pot Teriyaki Beef

Level: Beginner

Teriaki sauce adds a lovely sweet flavor to any vegetable or protein dish. It can be added to beef, pork, chicken, seafood and any combination of vegetables. Beef stew meat is one of the easiest meats to cook in an Instant Pot and it is perfect for this dish. 

The recipe is prepared in 2 steps. The meat is cooked first for 20 minutes with a natural release, then the teriaki sauce and vegetables are added for an additional minute of cooking. If you like your sauce more savory than sweet, just reduce the brown sugar and increase the soy sauce until you find the right balance. 

This recipes calls for water chestnuts, bamboo shoots and snow peas to add color and crunch, and frozen pearl onion for a mildly peppery flavor.

Preparation Part 1 - the meat

1 cup  water

2 lb Chuck Beef stew meat

1⁄2 tsp ground ginger

1⁄4 tsp garlic powder

1 tbsp vegetable bouillon 

Add the beef and dry ingredients with 1 cup of water to the Instant Pot.

Pressure cook for 20 minutes and allow at least a 10 minute natural release. The meat will be infused with the flavors of the garlic, ginger and vegetable bouillon. There will be a lot of beef broth in the pot. Drain off some of the broth leaving about ½ cup in the pot. The beef broth will have a lovely ginger flavor and can be frozen for future use as a stock for ribs or an asian inspired soup.

Part 2 - the vegetables and sauce

1⁄4 cup soy sauce

5 tbsp packed brown sugar

1 tbsp tablespoon honey

6 oz Frozen pearl onions

1/2 lb of snow peas

1/2 red pepper

8 oz water chestnuts

5 oz can bamboo shoots

2 tbsp cornstarch

Add the vegetables, soy sauce, sugar and honey to the pot. Lightly sprinkle 2 tbsp of cornstarch over the vegetables and stir. Pressure cook for 1 minute and quick release. The vegetables will be perfectly al dente.

Stir in 2 spring onions, chopped, and enjoy this delicious, simple meal.