Tristi's Instant Pot Mac N Cheese

 

Ingredients

• I Box (16 oz) Elbow Macaroni 
• 1 C Heavy Whipping Cream OR 1 can of evaporated milk (12 ounce) 
  
• 3 Tb of butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
• 4 cups of water
• 
  
• Inside the instant pot, place the macaroni, water, salt and butter. Set instant pot on 4 minutes manual, manual release pressure(quick release). After that is done, take lid off and set pot on saute and add cream, and stir. Then slowly add cheese as it melts! enjoy!

Snow Ice Cream

Ingredients 

• 1 can evaporated milk (12 ounces) or 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Bowl of Snow (about 1/2 gallon)

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix the milk, sugar, and vanilla together until well combined.
2. In a large bowl, add about 8-10 cups of snow. Pour the milk mixture over the top and stir well to combine. The texture will be close to that of homemade ice cream (thinner than store-bought ice cream but still have some structure when scooped).
3. Serve right away, adding sprinkles if you'd like.

Amish Peanut Butter Spread

 

Ingredients

• 1 cup light corn syrup (or honey)

• ½ cup peanut butter, smooth

• ¼ cup marshmallow creme

  
  

  In a bowl, mix corn syrup, peanut butter and marshmallow creme until thoroughly combined. Store in an air-tight container.

  Notes: This is good, but the Amish peanut butter that we got from the actual Amish when we were out East was way better. I substituted honey for the corn syrup and it was closer to theirs but still not perfect. It’s good though. 

  
  

Kason’s Candied Sweet Potatoes

 

• Ingredients 

• 4 cups mashed sweet potatoes (about 4 medium sweet potatoes or two 29-ounce cans, drained and rinsed)

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoonsgranulated sugar

• 6 tablespoons butter (no margarine), softened or melted

• 2 eggs, beaten

• 1/2 of a 14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk (about 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons)

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• Topping 

• If you’re feeling naughty you can double this part…

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 1/2 cups sweetened coconut flakes

• 6 tablespoons melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Add sweet potatoes, sugar, butter, eggs, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla to a bowl and mix with an electric mixer until creamy. Spread in a 9×13 pan.

1. Mix topping ingredients together until everything is incorporated and sprinkle over sweet potatoes.

1. Bake for 40-50 minutes until topping is golden brown.

---

NOTES

• You can make these a day ahead of time and then bake when ready!
• I like to cook the sweet potatoes in the instant pot

Karla’s Salsa

 

Lots of Tomatoes (I buy a mix of Roma/ hot house if I don’t have fresh)

1 Yellow Onion

1 Bunch of Cilantro 

1 Can Stewed Tomatoes 

Jarred Jalapeños to taste

Chop tomatoes, onions and cilantro. I use my julienne chopper to make the chopping go faster. Then in the blender I blend the can of stewed tomatoes and jalapeños. I don’t do too many for me, and lots for Todd. Add it to the tomato, onion, cilantro mix. Add salt and pepper and let the flavors meld in the fridge overnight. Karla’s is always way too hot for me. This is a nice substitute, but I know hers is way better! 

Notes from Karla:

I cut up tomatoes, onions and cilantro. Then I blend up stewed tomatoes with pickled jalapeños.

With the jalapeños just add as many as you want depending on the spiciness you want. Then add salt and pepper to taste.

2023 Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 C Butter (cold and cubed)

1 C Brown Sugar

1/2 C Granulated Sugar

2 Large Eggs (room temp)

1 Tbsp Vanilla Extract

1-2 Tbsp Light Corn Syrup

4 C Cake Flour or 

3 2/3 C AP Flour

2 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Salt

2 C Chocolate Chips (add ins)

In a medium size bowl sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. In stand mixer add the cold butter and sugars, beat until light and fluffy. Add corn syrup, and vanilla. Add eggs one at a time and be sure the are all well incorporated. Gradually add dry ingredients to butter sugar mixture, mix until completely combined. Fold in chocolate chips (or add ins). 

Scoop dough into balls, and then refrigerate balls for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350. Place balls approx 2 inches apart on a cookie sheet. Bake for approximately 10-13 minutes. 

Todd's Shepherds Pie

 2 lbs Ground Beef

1 small Onion (diced)

1 C Ketchup 

2 Cans Cream of Chicken Soup

1/4 C BBQ sauce

1-2 TBsp Mustard

Thinly sliced carrots

Mixed Vegetables (I use frozen) 

Mashed Potatoes to cover the top

Shredded cheese

Prepare mashed potatoes however you want them. Set aside. (I make them in the instant pot, quick and easy) 

Brown ground beef with diced onion, drain. Add ketchup, soup, bbq sauce, mustard, carrots, and veggies. Spread ground beef mixture along the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish, then ‘ice’ with mashed potatoes. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top. Cover with tinfoil and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, then take foil off and bake for another 15-20 minutes until cheese is bubbly and golden. If you can, let it ‘set’ for 5 minutes. 

Working on Choc cookies

 

Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter - softened
• 1 cup light brown sugar - packed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon light corn syrup - (I used Karo)
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (2.5 not enough flour) (3C too much)
• 1 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Toppings

• 1 cup sweetened condensed milk
• 1/4 cup caramel
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup heath toffee bits

Baggie Ice Cream, Ice Cream in a Bag

• 1 C 

  half-and-half

• 2 Tbsp. 

  sugar

• 1/2 tsp 

  vanilla 

• 
  

• 3 C 

  ice

• 1/3 C 

  kosher salt

In a small ziplock bag, combine half-and-half, sugar, and vanilla. Push out excess air and zip up.

Into a large resealable plastic bag, combine ice and salt. Place small bag inside the bigger bag and shake vigorously, 7 to 10 minutes, until ice cream has hardened. The kids usually jump on the tramp to mix it! 

Remove from bag and enjoy with your favorite ice cream toppings. 

Chocolate Milk Powder -Nesquik Knockoff-

Ingredients:

This is a ratio, so for every

1/2 C Sugar

1/4 C Cocoa Powder

pinch of salt

Method:

I mixed all of these in my Vitamix, to be sure the sugar granules mixed really well with the cocoa powder, but you can just whisk the ingredients together, too. 

 For every Cup of Milk, add 2 Tbsp of the Chocolate Milk Mix. Mix really well, let sit, then mix again. It can have little pockets of mix in the milk, but I find if I let it sit for a few minutes (just like you do with protein powders) then it dissolves in. 

This stuff is BOMB! We really like it! I don't know if it is all that more healthy or cheaper, but it really tastes good! 

 

Steve's Lemon Ginger Immune Booster

Ratio

5 Parts Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice

5 Parts Water

1 Part Ginger (I don't do even close to this)

4 Parts Honey

I have made this a few times, here are some of my notes:

-real fresh ginger is much more potent than 'crappy' ginger. I have gotten ginger at Winco and it was nice and fresh, so I needed much less of it in the drink to really taste the ginger taste. When I get my ginger at Walmart, it's crap. Not flavorful, and not potent. 

-I have used a lemon squeeze for the lemons and another time just blended everything in my Vitamix. The ginger was much more potent in the Vitamix

-I usually do my 'parts' as 'cups' except for the ginger, I usually use a knot or two... not a full cup ever! 

- Once made, I will half it with water in my daily drink. I actually really like this, even though I am not a huge fan of ginger 

-I also like this with a bit of coconut or pinacolada syrup, ha ha! 

 

End of Vol 1

 The pina coladas and the Rice Krispie treats and anything after this post weren't in the recipe book. JUST in case I decide to make a vol. 2 ~pic is so I can easily get here~ 

Salted Caramel Rice Krispie Squares

 Holy Cow Batman are these A.MAZ.ING! That said I am a huge fan of Rice Krispie treats! 

What You'll Need:

6 cups Rice Krispies

1 stick unsalted butter

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon light corn syrup

1 teaspoon kosher salt or flaked sea salt, plus more for sprinkling on top

1 10-ounce bag of mini marshmallows, plus about 1 cup of additional mini marshmallows

Method:

In a large bowl, toss together the Rice Krispies and 1 cup of mini marshmallows. Set aside.

Spray an 9x13 baking pan 

In a large, heavy pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. When it’s melted, reduce the heat to medium and add the brown sugar, whipping cream, and corn syrup and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring frequently to keep the caramel from scorching. When the caramel is thick and syrupy, add in the salt and stir to combine, then remove from heat and add the 10 ounces of marshmallows. Stir until the marshmallows are dissolved, then quickly pour over the Rice Krispies and stir quickly to coat completely. Press into the prepared baking pan and sprinkle with sea salt. Allow to cool completely (I allow mine to cool in the freezer so I am then allowed to eat them more quickly) and then cut into squares.

Pina Colodas- Almost as good as Hawaii... almost!

At the Luau Todd and I went to in Hawaii they brought us endless pina coladas... they were amazing! When we got home we searched and searched for the recipe, no luck. So I 'made' this one... it's really close.  

1 Can of Coconut Cream (we have only used Coco Lopez 15 oz can, not sure how other brands would do)

150 g FRESH Pinapple Juice 

100 g Cream

2 C Ice (approx)

Put it all in the Vita and mix away! These are good! Not quite 100% like the ones we had in Hawaii, my guess is their coconut cream is fresh, rather than canned, but these will definitely not disappoint!