Crockpot Beef Stew

 This was a great recipe for a cold Saturday night.

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 2 pounds stew meat, cut into 1 inch square cubes

- Kosher salt and pepper to taste

- 1 pound baby red potatoes, quartered

- 4 carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2 inch thick slices

- 1 small onion, diced

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 3 cups beef broth

- 2 table spoons tomato paste

- 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

- 1 teaspoon dried thyme

- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary

- 1 teaspoon paprika

- 2 bay leaves

- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Directions:

1.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2.  Season the beef with salt and pepper to taste.  Add the beef to the skillet and cook until evenly browned, about 3-4 minutes.

3.  Place the beef, potatoes, carrots, onion and garlic into a slow cooker.  Stir in beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, thyme, rosemary, paprika, and bay leaves until well combined.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Cover and cook on low heat for 7-8 hours, or high heat for 3-4 hours.

5.  About 30 minutes before cooking is done, in a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of the stew broth.  Stir in the flour mixture into the slow cooker.  Cover and cook on high heat for an additional 30 minutes, or until the stew has thickened.

6.  Remove the bay leaves and serve.

Cook's Notes:

This was an incredibly easy recipe to make.  I served it with a fresh baguette and a bottle of Zinfandel wine from California.  The next time I make this dish, I will add more paprika.

Instant Pot Chicken Adobo

This is an easy to make version of Filipino comfort food, Chicken Adobo.  The chicken comes out of the Instant Pot tender and flavorful.

Ingredients:

- 2 to 2 1/2 pounds of chicken thighs or breast, cut into bit-size pieces

- 1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce

- 1/3 cup white vinegar

- 1 small white onion, sliced

- 3 bay leaves

- 5 cloves garlic. minced

- 2 tablespoons olive oil

- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

- Salt and pepper to taste

- 2 scallions, sliced

Directions:

1.  Sear the chicken.  Select saute mode on your Instant Pot.  Season the chicken to taste with salt and pepper.  When the display reads HOT, add the olive oil to coat the bottom of the pot.  Add the chicken and sear the meat for 3-4 minutes.  Remove the chicken from the pot.

2.  Pressure cook.  Add the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic and cayenne to the pot, stirring well.  Deglaze any bits stuck to the bottom of the bot.  Place the sliced onions in the pot, and then add the chicken in a single layer.  Top the chicken with the bay leaves.  Secure and seal the lid.  Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.  When the cooking time is done, do a quick pressure release.

3.  Thicken the sauce.  Uncover the Instant Pot and select saute mode.  Keeping the chicken in the pot, boil the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes.  Remove the bay leaves and serve the chicken and sauce over rice.  Sprinkle the sliced scallions over the chicken and enjoy.

Cook's Notes:

It is important to use low sodium soy sauce, otherwise the sauce will likely be too salty.  I did not season the chicken with salt and pepper as I thought that the soy sauce and cayenne would provide enough flavor, and I was right.  The onions literally disintegrated in the pressure cooking process.  I served this over white rice, but it can be served over just about any rice or noodle.