The Best Broccoli Cheddar Instant Pot Soup

Start to finish cook time: 40 minutes (5 prep + 15 pressure + 15 high pressure + 5 sauté)
Effort Level: Low
Servings: 8

Today was the perfect windy and cold Sunday to create a new soup recipe. I venture to say this was the best broccoli cheddar soup I've ever had and this was on our first attempt!! I like this better than Panera hands down, it's so good and so easy. I literally cleaned the house, while my IP did the work.

I consulted with Chef for a major overhaul on seasonings, to give this just the right amount of flavor but without being overpowering. My mom is coming to town, so I didn't make this spicy and honestly it turned out so good as is that I'm not sure I would make it spicy (something I so rarely say). I included options though to make it spicy, if you so choose.

The original recipe base I was using called for no cornstarch, saying the cream cheese was the only needed thickener. Chef quickly debunked this as invalid, apparently you have to use a LOT more cream cheese to have that work out.  So to my dismay, we decided it needed a good amount of cornstarch. I questioned if it was too much cornstarch, I hate when things have that too thick texture, however the texture came out perfectly you would never know cornstarch was even in it (not sure why I question him lol).

One thing I would never have thought to garnish with is a dash of oil, he suggested it and I looked at him like "you're a weirdo". But of course it was amazing. It gives a little extra body and looks so pretty for presentation (although honestly not at all necessary if you are cutting calories).

If you want to jump straight to the recipe, no need to keep scrolling it's right below. If you want step-by-step pictures though, I've included those below the recipe. And as my Chef husband says, "Food is love". Enjoy!

Source: Inspired by www.adventuresofanurse.com.

Ingredients
Soup Ingredients 

• 8 oz block cheddar cheese, shredded (don't buy pre-shredded, the chemicals it's coated with alter the melting capabilities and frankly you should never buy due to chemicals)
• 8 oz block light cream cheese
• 2 cups 1% milk
• 3 heads broccoli, chopped into small chunks (roughly 4-5 cups)
• 1 1/2 cup matchstix carrots
• 1 small yellow onion
• 3 tsp chicken better than bouillon or 3 chicken bouillon cubes
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 4 tbsp cornstarch 
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp Creole Seasoning or 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (optional, do only if you like spicy)

Optional Garnish Ingredients

• Pinch of extra shredded cheese
• Dash of olive oil or nub of butter

Instructions

• Chop broccoli into florets and remove the stems. Rough chop broccoli heads. I like a mix of small broccoli chunks and almost shredded florets, I personally wouldn't go as far pureeing them because I like body but you certainly could (Chef likes it that way).  Add to IP.
• Chop your onion into small squares and add to pot.
• Add bouillon, water, carrots, cream cheese, and all seasoning EXCEPT cornstarch. DO NOT ADD MILK OR SHREDDED CHEESE YET EITHER.
• Seal and set to high pressure for 15 minutes. Be sure to make sure the steam vent is sealed. It will take 15 minutes to pressurize, in addition to the 15 minute actual cook time. 
• Once it beeps that it's done, quick release steam.
• Set to saute for 10 minutes and leave lid off, stirring frequently using a wooden spoon you want to let it come to a boil (if you don't stir frequently cheese will stick to bottom of pot and wooden spoon is more gently to scrape bottom).
• In a separate bowl or measuring cup add 4 tablespoons to cornstarch with 2 cups milk and whisk (you can use a fork if you don't have a whisk). You want to make sure it's fully mixed and not clumpy.
• Once it starts almost boiling, add shredded cheese. Add your milk cornstarch mixture stirring as you add. It's important you do this when the soup is hot, otherwise it will chunk. 
• Once fully mixed, turn pot off and serve.
• If desired, garnish with a bit of extra shredded cheese and dash of olive oil.

Shred block of cheese.

Chop broccoli into very small bits, also removing stems. 

Chop onions.

Add broccoli, onions, carrots, cream cheese, bouillon cubes,
water, and all seasoning EXCEPT cornstarch. Do
NOT add milk yet.

Pressure cook for 15 minutes, once done quick
 release. Saute until boiling, add a premixed
 cornstarch and milk mixture stirring until mixed.

Instant Pot Fiesta Chicken Tortilla Soup

Start to finish cook time: 65 minutes (5 prep + 20 pressurize + 30 high pressure + 10 depressurize)
Effort Level: Low
Servings: 6-7

I just got back from a trip and needed to whip up a quick work lunch, so naturally soup is my go to! Soups are my favorite thing to cook in the Instant Pot, because there is so little work involved.  This soup is effortless, on the light side, a bit spicy, and tasty. It's loaded with veggies and protein, with out heavy creams or lots of a bunch of cheese.

If you want to jump straight to the recipe, no need to keep scrolling it's right below. If you want step-by-step pictures though, I've included those below the recipe. And as my Chef husband says, "Food is love". Enjoy!

Source: Inspired by www.skinnytaste.com.

Ingredients

Soup Ingredients

• 1-2 small frozen chicken breasts, or 1 medium chicken breast, mildly defrosted
• 2 (10oz) Cans Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chilis®, Original Flavor, don't drain juices
• 8oz can Hunts Tomato Sauce
• 4oz can fire roasted and diced green chiles, drain just a bit
• 2 cups black beans (if using dry black beans, be sure to cook prior to adding, or use canned)
• 12 oz bag of frozen corn 
• 1 green bell pepper, diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp garlic salt
• 1 taco seasoning packet
• 1 tsp Tony Chachere's® Original Creole Seasoning 
• 1 tsp olive oil

Topping Ingredients

• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Crushed tortilla chips
• Sliced green onions (optional)

Instructions

1. Chop onions and bell peppers into small squares, be sure to remove all seeds from bell peppers.
2. Add oil to your Instant Pot and set to the high sauté feature. Add chopped onions and bell peppers, cook until onions are translucent. Then turn off saute.
3. Add 1 cup of water and mix with a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom to reduce any areas that may set of the burn sensor.
4. Take your frozen chicken and run under sink under hot water for 1-2 minutes, you just want to get it a bit defrosted but can still be mostly frozen. Season both sides with 1/3 of your taco seasoning packet. Add to your Instant Pot.
5. Add in this order (on top of previously added ingredients): frozen corn, black beans, Rotel, salt, garlic salt, remaining taco seasoning, creole seasoning, tomato sauce, and 2 1/2 cups more of water. DO NOT MIX, red sauces tend to set of burn sensor so you are best leaving it as a top layer than mixing.
6. Seal and set to high pressure for 30 minutes, allow for 20 minutes to reach pressure. Make sure your steam vent is set on the sealed position.
7. Once it beeps it's done, give it 10 minutes to depressurize before releasing remaining steam.
8. Remove chicken breast/s and place on plate, shred with two forks. Add shredded chicken back to Instant Pot and stir.
9. Serve in a bowl, garnish with shredded cheese or tortilla chips (sliced onions could be tasty too).

Chop onions and bell peppers into squares, be sure to remove bell pepper seeds.

Add oil, bell peppers, and onions to your IP. Saute on high
until onions are translucent. Turn off saute.

Add 1 cup water and mix, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon.
Season both sides of chicken breast/s with 1/3 of taco seasoning, adding next
into pot. 

Add corn, beans, and then Rotel.

Add remaining taco seasoning, creole, garlic salt, and regular salt.

Add tomato sauce and 2 1/2 cups water. Do NOT stir.

Seal and cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, allow 20 minutes
to pressurize. Once cooked, give 10 minutes of natural
depressure before releasing remaining pressure.

Remove chicken breast/s and shred with fork. Add back to soup.

Stir soup, allowing the shredded chicken to mix back in.

Garnish with shredded cheese, crushed tortilla chips, and or
diced green onions.

Sinful Instant Pot Jalapeño Cheddar Bagels with Chive Creem Cheese

Start to finish cook time: roughly 1 hour 35 minutes (8 dough rising + 30 Yogurt Function + 10 rest + 5 kneading + 3 boiling + 4 brushing + 25 bake)
Effort Level: Medium  
Servings: 6 bagels      

I love bagels. If I could eat one thing every morning and not gain weight, it would be bagels. Chef actually did't like bagels when we met, 9 years later I've tricked him into liking certain kinds of bagels. He actually was responsible for getting me off plain bagels, moving to onion and everything, and eventually settling on cheddar jalapeño bagels. So when I saw IP bagel recipes for asiago, I thought to myself why not jalapeño cheddar. And if you think chive cream cheese is weird combo with jalapeño bagels, you haven't lived- this is my favorite!

Because you are adding foreign ingredients to the dough (cheese and jalapeño), knead as much as possible. I've made these several times and despite the best attempts to make smooth, it just didn't happen. These taste awesome, but they look fugly. That is my full disclosure, what is on the inside is what counts right? Frankly these were good enough I decided I'm totally fine with fugly bagels.

Tips:
1. Bagels stay good about 3 days, after that point they get a bit stale so be sure to eat semi fresh.
2.You are more than welcome to try to cook boil the water in the IP, but you really need to get water to a roaring boil and the stove achieves this faster/better.
3. Coat the crap out of your baking sheet, they are prone to stick.
4. If you are struggling to get out of the dough stage and need extra time, you can over with tin foil to keep cooking without burning.
5. If you have a grated rack, this is even better than a baking sheet.
6. Knead as much as possible, to try to reduce fugliness.

Do note, you will need a DUO model with the Yogurt Function. If you want to jump straight to the recipe, no need to keep scrolling it's right below. If you want step-by-step pictures though, I've included those below the recipe. And as my Chef husband says, "Food is love". Enjoy!

Source: Inspired by cookingwithkarli.com, adapted to a different flavor bagel.

Ingredients

Bagel Ingredients

• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups warm water (1/2 cup for starter and 1/2-3/4 cup for mix)
• 1/2 tsp instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tbsp sugar divided (1/2 tbsp for starter and 1 tbsp for mix)
• 5 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt (plus a bit for sprinkling)
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 3 jalapeños, cored and diced small (seeds removed and dabbed with paper towel to remove excess moisture)
• 1 cup cheddar cheese (add half to dough and save half to sprinkle over bagels later)

Garnish Ingredients

• 8 oz whipped cream cheese
• 4 green onions, diced

Instructions

1. In a bowl add 1/2 cup of warm water (SAVE the remaining 3/4 cup is for later), 1/2 tsp yeast, and 1/2 tbsp sugar (SAVE the remaining tbsp is for later).  Mixing briefly. Let it sit for 8 minutes, when you check back it will look like little floating algae in the bowl.
2. While your base is sitting, in a small separate bowl combine additional seasonings: 1 tbsp sugar, 5 tsp baking powder, 1 1/4 tsp salt, and 1 tsp garlic salt. Set aside.
3. Measure out 3 cups flower and set aside.
4. Once your 8 minutes are up, add in your measured flower and your mixed seasonings. It may make hissing bubbling noises.
5. Add 1/2 cup of the water first and mix.
6. If it's super dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup of water. If it's formed dough and is not sticky, then don't add that last 1/4 of water. You are shooting for a solid dough without a lot of stick or too much moisture.
7. Spray the inside of your Instant Pot with non-stick spray. Set IP to yogurt function, but reduce the time on the clock to 30 minutes. Place the dough inside your pot and cover with a pot top or glass top (I didn't have glass top for IP so I used a stew pot).
8. While it's sitting in pot, shred cheese. Dice jalapeños by cutting around the core (see picture). Be sure to remove all seeds and chop jalapenos into small squares. Squeeze jalapeños with paper towel, removing excess moisture. Set aside.
9. Once 30 minutes are up, remove dough from pot and let it rest on a counter or chopping board for 10 minutes.
10. Preheat your oven to 425°. Prepare either baking rack or a tinfoil covered baking sheet with non-stick spray. It's important to really cover that sheet with non-stick, don't put sparingly, since it's going to stick. If you have a grated baking sheet, that is going to be the best since it will brown more evenly.
11. Add about 14 cups of water to a large pot on the stove and set to high (if you cover it, it will boil faster). Bring it to a boil.
12. Once the dough has finished it's 10-minute-rest and your water is bringing to a boil, divide dough into 4. Kneed for 30 seconds. Then toss in jalapeños and cheese, kneed it in. It's important you really kneed in these ingredients as much as possible to make one cohesive unit.
13. Then separate the dough into 6 balls, to make size bagels. It's very important to smooth these as much as possible, if you don't do this, you will end up with fugly looking bagels. They will still taste good, but if the surface is really rough or not fully mixed, it will show in the final product.
14. Place your thumb in middle of each ball, creating a hole.  This hole should be about an inch wide. 15. Shape around the whole to look like a bagel. Again, smooth surfaces as much as possible.
16. Once the water on the stove is boiling, and I mean a raging bowl, add 1/2 tsp baking soda and a a bit of sea salt. Drop each bagel in.  Cook bagels for 3 minutes, flipping frequently with a wooden spoon gently (make sure none stick to bottom of pot). Some of the cheese will melt off, do not worry this is okay.
17. Remove bagels and move to sprayed sheet or baking rack. If any bagel holes appear to have shrunk, use back end of wooden spoon to make sure you have at least a 1 inch hole (if you don't do this, it will close up baking).
18. Sprinkle a bit of sea salt on bagels.
19. In a small bowl, crack your egg and scramble with fork (this will be your egg wash). Brush egg wash onto bagel, this will give it that sheen and finish you see at bagel shops. Cover the sheet with bagels with tinfoil.
20. Place in preheated oven and cook for for 10 minutes (covered in tin foil).
21. While your bagels are baking, dice green onions and add to your whipped cream cheese.  Blend together. Set aside.
22. Remove bagels from oven, flip upside-down and cook 10 more minutes (uncovered).
23. Remove again, sprinkle with cheddar cheese and cook 5 minutes uncovered.
24. Remove bagels and let rest 5 minutes. Slice bagel using a bread knife.
25. Spread cream cheese and enjoy!

Starter bubbling and seasoning ready to add. See above instructions.

Once you have mixed dough, set ball into IP.
Set yogurt function to 30 mins.

Cover using a pot top or IP glass top.

Shred Cheddar Cheese.

Core jalapeños, slicing around the core. Chop into small squares.
Toss core, be sure to get rid of all seeds.

Jalapeños on the left. Chopped green onions on the right.

Combine the green onions with whipped cream cheese.

After 30 minutes in IP, let dough rest for 10 minutes.

Kneed in jalapeños and cheese. Be sure to really mix to be cohesive.

Separate into 6 balls. Really mix and smooth (smoother than pictured)
otherwise it will result in lumpy fugly bagels.

Make hole in the middle, bagel shape. Again really smooth
more than pictured. Sprinkle with sea salt, cover with egg wash.

Add bagels to ROARING pot of boiling water.

Cook for 3 minutes, flipping bagels frequently
with a wooden spoon.

This is what they will look like when ready to come out.

Remove and put on a tin foiled lined baking sheet, be sure to
spray a lot of nonstick on sheet before putting bagels on it.
Sprinkle with sea salt, then brush with egg wash.

Bake for 10 minutes in 425 degree oven. Flip bagels
upside down, cook 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle
with cheese, cook 5 minutes. Let cool and cover with chive
cream cheese. 

Enjoy your bagels :)

Saint Pats Corned Beef & Cabbage Instant Pot Family Dinner

Start to finish cook time: 2 hours 12 mins (10 pressure + 1 h 40 mins high pressure + 5 mins depressurize + 10 pressurize + 7 high pressure + QR)
Effort Level: Low 
Servings: 5

It's that time of year and we are gearing up for our annual boat trip to see the Chicago River dye! As proud Irish Americans, we have been doing Saint Patrick's Day dinner for as long as I can remember. We look forward to this dinner every year, to be served on my grandmother's plates and with a good Guinness. Strangely though, I never realized there were 2 different kinds of corned beef cuts until this year. I stood paralyzed in Adli's going, "flat cut or point cut"?! My husband wasn't reachable and I guessed point cut because Google said it was more fatty and usually fatty tastes better. To my disappointment though, Chef confirmed that is not the case though and flat cut is the way to go. Flat cut is easier to cut, not gummy with fat, and apparently far superior... It will go down as the strangest item I've ever returned/exchanged.

If you look at a lot of the recipes out there, they are faster ones that cook all together. So why on earth would I want to cook them separately? Have you ever cooked corned beef and cabbage dinner in a Crockpot before, where potatoes and cabbage get super soggy? Bingo. By cooking in a steamer basket, you are going to avoid a lot of the sogginess. Roast needs to rest anyway, according to Chef that is how the juices get locked in, but you are going to trade a bit of time in total and heat from your roast to have vegetables cooked to perfection. My veggies had all the flavor of the roast, the potatoes were soft but not gushy. To me, it's a worthwhile trade.

Do note, you will need a steamer basket for this recipe. If you want to jump straight to the recipe, no need to keep scrolling it's right below. If you want step-by-step pictures though, I've included those below the recipe. And as my Chef husband says, "Food is love". Enjoy!

Ingredients 

• 2.5 lb Flat Cut Corned Beef Brisket (with seasoning packet, not point cut)
• 2 3/4 cup water
• 3 beef bouillon cubes
• 3/4 head cabbage, cored and quartered
• 1/2 bag baby carrots
• 5 small or 4 medium red potatoes, quartered

Instructions

1. Pour 2 3/4 cups water and add 3 beef bouillon cubes in your IP.
2. Open your brisket packet, rinse brisket under water, then place in your Instant Pot. Be sure to put the fatty side facing down if you are using flat cut.
3. Sprinkle seasoning packet on top. Set to 1 hour 40 minutes on high pressure. Make sure your steam valve is on the sealed position. Allow for roughly 10 minutes pressurizing. 
4. While your corned beef is cooking, you can prepare your veggies. Quarter your potatoes. Cut cabbage in half, cut out the core, and then quarter. 
5. Add in this order to your steamer basket: potatoes, carrots, and then cabbage. Set aside.
6. Once your IP beeps, let it natural release for 5 minutes and then release any remaining steam. Using tongs, remove corned beef. Set roast in glass Tupperware dish, pour 3-4 spoonfuls liquid, and cover with tin foil to keep heat in. Let rest. 
7. Without removing liquid from your Instant Pot, add steamer basket full of veggies into your pot. Seal and set to high pressure for 7 minutes, allow for 10 minutes to pressurize. Make sure your steam valve is in the sealed position. 
8. After your roast has rested for a few minutes, turn it on it's side and slice off the bottom layer of fat you left earlier. Return back off it's side and carve into slices, being sure to cut with the grain.
9. Once pot sounds it's done, quick release steam and remove the steamer basket of veggies. Gently remove and serve. Cheers!

Make sure to buy a flat cut corned beef brisket.

Add 2 3/4 cup water, 3 beef bouillon, and brisket to IP.
Seal and set to 1 hour 40 minute, allow for 10 minutes pressurizing and
also 5 minutes depressurizing. 

While meat is cooking, quarter carrots and cabbage.

In a steamer basket add potatoes, carrots, and then cabbage. 

Meat is cooked! Remove from pot. Set it in a glass Tupperware
with a bit of the liquid and cover with tin foil.

Leaving liquid, add steamer basket. Set to 7 minutes high pressure,
allow for 10 minute pressurizing. Instant release once done.

Turn roast on it's side and slice off that layer of fat off to discard.

You are ready to plate and serve.