Rhubarb Chipotle BBQ Sauce

 

Rhubarb to me is the ultimate symbol of summer in the prairies. As far back as I can remember rhubarb has been a part of my life.  As a child I would pluck it out of my mom's garden and dunk it enthusiastically into a bowl of sugar.  The tart flavour of the rhubarb complimented by the generous dusting of sugar was heaven. These days I find myself enjoying rhubarb in ways I never could have imagined as child.  It's not just crisps or crumbles.  It's not just jams and pies.  It's more, much more.

I love to come up with recipes I can read a hundred of them and not one of them is exactly what I want so I find myself constructing my own creations.  This recipe is one of those creations.

Rhubarb Chipotle BQQ Sauce

8 Cups Chopped Rhubarb 

1 Medium Onion

2tbsps Minced Garlic (I used Rig Hand Vodka infused)

1/2 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

3 1/2 Cups Raw Sugar

1/2 Cup Molasses

2 tsps Chipotle 

1 tsp Ginger

1 tsp Cinnamon 

1 tbsp. Garlic Salt

This recipe is simple but so tasty!  Assemble everything in a large pot stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer 30.  Prepare cans and lids for processing which will take approximately 15 minutes more.  With a handheld food processor purée the mixture in the pot.  Ladle Sauce into sterilized jars leaving 1/8" head space.  Process, I use my power pressure cooker XL to do this for 10 minutes.

This thick and sticky Sauce is amazing on chicken and ribs!

Rhubarb Mojitos & Homemade Simple Syrup

For me nothing says summer like fresh crisp red stalks of rhubarb.  It grows abundantly in the prairies where I live and I have a million different ways I like to prepare it.  One of my favourite ways to enjoy rhubarb is in cocktails and my cocktail of choice this summer is Rhubarb Mojitos!
 I love Mojitos and the marriage between Mint and rhubarb is the perfect coupling for the ultimate summer refreshment.

To make this tastebud tingler you will first need to make a Rhubarb Simple Syrup.  I made a double batch as this Syrup is diverse and can be used in cocktails, teas and juices. (OK the truth is I like the mojitos big time & need a ton of Syrup!)

RHUBARB SIMPLY SYRUP

4 Cups Chopped Rhubarb 

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Water

Combine the rhubarb, sugar, and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook gently, stirring occasionally, until the fruit is soft and the liquid has thickened slightly, about 20 minutes.

Pour the rhubarb through a strainer until most of the liquid is in a bowl. Press the solids a little with the back of a spoon to extract more syrup.  Keep the stewed rhubarb for any dessert that requires it.  I made a Rhubarb bar with a shortbread base.

Carefully pour the syrup into clean sterilized jars and process for 10 minutes to seal.  You can also store Syrup in a decorative bottle for immediate use be sure to refrigerate it.  It should keep for quite some time in the fridge several weeks up to a month.

Now the fun begins COCKTAILS!! Mojitos are traditionally made with rum, mint, lime and soda.  This combination is tasty and refreshing but now you add Rhubarb and it jumps to a whole nother level!

RHUBARB MOJITOS 

1Stalk of a Rhubarb chopped

1 bunch of Mint

limes

White Rum

Soda or water

Rhubarb Simple Syrup 

Muddler & Ice

In a Collins glass add 2Tbsp of Rhubarb, 1-2 sprigs of Mint.  Squeeze in the juice of half of a lime and proceed to muddle.  Once the mixture has been muddled add 1-2oz of rum.  Fill glass with ice add 1-1 1/2oz of Rhubarb Simple Syrup and top up with soda or water.  (I prefer water as I am not a huge carbonation fame) You can service with a rhubarb stalk garnish and a bubble tea straw for easier drinking. (I find the bubble straw doesn't get clogged like a regular straw with all the Mint and rhubarb)

Once you make this Mojitos you are going to be happy that you canned that extra syrup.  I must add that this cocktail is best when serviced on a hot day to a deck full of friends!  Cheers here's to a perfect summer!

Power Pressure Cooker Roast Beef For Beginners

Anyone that knows me knows that I love my power pressure cooker XL.  I will talk people's ears off about how great it is to cook with.  I will brag about how I can take frozen meat or poultry and cook a delicious meal in next to no time.  I will rave about how the power pressure cooker infuses your food with flavor. I will elaborate on how multifunctional this machine is from searing or browning your meat, cooking your rice or beans, making your soup, baking a pudding or sealing your jam!  And last but not least I gush about how easy it is to use.  Basically I am a walking talking preaching gushing power pressure cooker infomercial! 

I have noticed a common reaction I get to my excitement of the pressure cooker and it is FEAR!  People are seriously afraid of pressure cookers. If you've ever googled PRESSURE COOKER ACCIDENTS (DON'T DO IT!) or if you've seen the horrific pictures that circulate around social media you would be understandably afraid too.  You might notice that all of those pictures shown people are using the stove top pressure cookers.  I can report from experience I have used both pressure cookers and the power pressure cooker is way less intimidating.  It has several safety features and I feel very safe using it.

I thought I would try to ease your mind by helping any beginners out with a real basic roast beef how to tutorial.  So here we go: This is a very cheap cut of beef from Costco and it is frozen solid!

Start your pressure cooker by pressing the meat button.  We use this setting to sear or brown our meat.

Generously oil the bottom of the pot and once hot add your meat.

season your meat as you sear each side, next add a chopped onion and some garlic cloves and sauté you may need more olive oil while the final side of your beef is searing added some carrots.

Now I add some celery, fresh thyme, cooking sherry, maggi, pepper and more garlic!!  (You can add whatever spices and vegetables you like). 

You need to produce steam to cook so now you add beef broth add at least 1-1 1/2cups.

I used about half of this.

As you can see there is approximately an inch of liquid in the bottom of the pot.

You want to restart the machine now by pressing cancel and restarting it on the meat setting and selecting the desired degree of done.  I use well done because the meat is frozen (and we like our meat on the medium well side) making this selection will start the machine for 1 hour.  Secure the lid and make sure the valve is closed.  The unit will not pressure up if it is not locked and the valve is not closed.

After you have done that you will see the following.

This indicates that the machine is in the process of pressuring up.  After it reaches the right pressure it will start the timer to countdown the cooking time.

When the timer is done you will want to release the steam.  To do this use tongs or a towel to turn the valve to the open steam position.  I put a towel over the release valve so that the steam is contained.  The lid will not open until all the pressure is release.

Let the meat rest a few minutes before cutting to retain moister.  While you are waiting remove veggies and put them through a mill to purée and return to broth.  Press cancel on your machine and then restart by pressing the meat button.  As the broth comes to a boil slowly add a thickening agent of your choice to the consistency you prefer your gravy.  When you have reached that consistency press cancel.  Carve your meat and dinner is ready!

I hope this has been helpful.  Just a side note I love this machine so much that I have a 6qt and a 10qt.  While my meat was cooking I used my 6qt to make potatoes and broccoli.

If you have any questions or you have a recipe you'd like me to try just leave a comment below.  Happy cooking everyone!

Chocolate Chipotle Mini Bundt Cakes

I recently hosted a Mexican fiesta party at my house and when trying to figure out what to make for dessert I could only really think about chocolate.  I've traveled enough times to Mexico to know I needed a mix of spicy and sweet for my chocolate.  I started looking through my pantry and spice drawer and came up with this delicious recipe.

Chocolate Chipotle Mini Bundt Cakes

Start with 1 box of devil chocolate cake (you could make the cake from scratch but I was in a hurry)

Start to prepare the cake as per the instructions on the box BUT DO NOT ADD THE OIL.

Instead add 1/4c applesauce & 1/4c Greek yogurt mix as directed on the box.

Add 1 3/4tsp Cinnamon & 1/2-3/4tsp of Chipotle (I use epicure) the amount you add is dependant on how spicy you want your cakes. Mix into cake batter now add 1c milk chocolate chips and stir in.

To prepare your Bundt cake pan melt some coconut oil and brush on to pan then dust with cocoa powder.  If you have a nonstick pan just brush with coconut oil no need for the cocoa dusting.  Proceed to fill each Bundt cake approximate 2/3 full.  Bake at 350 for 13-15 minutes

Remove the cakes from the pan and cool.  To finish the cakes dust display or individual plates with cocoa powder and cinnamon and sugar. Place cakes on plate and drizzle with melted milk chocolate you could add more chipotle to the melted chocolate if you really love spice.

These cakes were a huge hit and I will definitely be making them again as they were fast, easy and tasty as hell! 

Chicken Gyoza PPCXL Style

I was craving Gyoza and knew I had some from Costco in my freezer. I've been putting off making them because I just don't like cooking them in a frying pan.  

Then I had a brilliant thought, why not cook them in my power pressure cooker.  I used my 10qt PPCXL I inserted the bottom rack.  I then poured in enough water to cover the bottom just touching the rack approximately 1 1/2-2 Cups of water. I placed the frozen Gyoza on the rack and sprinkled them with a little sesame oil.

I then inserted the steaming rack and placed the frozen sauce packets on it.  

I placed the lid on making sure my valve was closed and selected the Fish/Vegatable Steam button and time adjusted it to 4 minutes. When the timer finished I waited about a minute and did a quick release.  The result were amazing the sauce packets were thawed and the Gyoza were cooked to perfection.

At this point you could very easily fry these but I didn't because I love them steam.  I am so ecstatic that I now have a new way to cook my Gyoza that is fast & easy.   

Spicy Italian Sausage Tortiglioni PPCXL Style

Supper tonight needed to be fast & spicy.  Why you may ask?  Well I have been feeling under the weather, congested and coughing like crazy.  I decided that supper tonight needed a little kick to it but it had to be super easy to make and here's what I can up with.

Spicy Italian Sausage Tortiglioni PPCXL Style

Start your PPCXL by pressing the meat button, spray the pot with oil. 

The ingredients in this recipe are very basic.

1 package of Mild Spicy Italian Sausage from Costco I remove the meat from the casing simply by squeezing it out right into the hot PPCXL.  Cook the sausage meat throughly.

Now added the canned tomatoes, and 2 jars of four cheese pasta sauce, rinse the jars with approximately 1/4 Cup of water in each and add to the PPCXL.

Next stir in approximately 400g or 2Cups Tortiglioni ( you could use fusilli or rigatoni whatever you like but it should be a bigger pasta) 

Made sure you stir the pasta into the sauce really well and that all the pasta is submerged in the sauce.  (If it is not add a little more water or sauce until it is)

Stop the PPCXL by pressing cancel button now you want to restart if using the rice/risotto button it should read 6 minutes.  Apply the lid and make sure the valve is closed.

I thought I'd make some garlic bread to go with the pasta and here's how I did that.

As you can see I use my baby pro chef to mince the garlic.  (There are 20 cloves of garlic there I use half on the bread and add half to the pasta when it's done). Cut your French loaf in half and butter or becel the entire surface making sure you go all the way to the edge.  Spread half of the minced garlic evenly on both sides, sprinkle with garlic powder, garlic salt & parsley.

Preheat your oven on broil place bread in the oven and cook until desire toasting has occurred.

You need to stay by the oven as this happens very fast.

By now the timer will be going off on the PPCXL do a quick release.  Remove the lid and stir the pasta, add the remaining garlic & 1/4 Cup of grated asiago cheese.  Stir thoroughly.

  I don't make it too spicy as my boys don't always like a lot of spice.  Serve this delicious pasta with hot sauce, red pepper flakes & more cheese I used Asiago, you could use whatever you like.

This dish is very easy to make and so good. I feel less congested already!!

Dill Pickle Potato Salad PPCXL Style

Spring has arrived and I have visions of flowers blooming, birds singing and me hosting my friends for an awesome BBQ.  I've been trying new things all the time in my power pressure cooker XL and today it's Dill Pickle Potato Salad.  I am not a fan of the long drawn out process of making potato salad but man I love to eat it.  I figure the PPCXL makes everything else faster why not my potato salad.

Here's how I decided to make it! (Just to let you know I am notorious for not measuring so I've taken several photos to give you a visual of everything.). I should probably note that I am using a 10qt PPCXL.

DILL PICKLE POTATO SALAD 

Peel & cut approximately 15 medium potatoes (I used yellow but you could use red or whatever you like)

Add 1 1/2cups of water and a sprinkle of salt (I like Pink Himalayan Salt again use what you like)

Add the steaming rack to the PPCXL and place at least 6 eggs for this recipe & more if you want to use them for something else

Press the fish/vegetable button it should read 6 minutes.  Apply the lid and make sure the valve is closed.

While the potatoes and eggs are cooking prepare an ice bath for your eggs to go in once they are done.  When the timer goes off do a quick release of the steam and put the eggs directly into the ice bath.  Doing this will insure they stop cooking and will be easy to peel.

Remove the potatoes from the PPCXL & set aside to cool.

Next you want to chop one medium Onion, 1Cup of Celery, 1 1/2Cups Dill Pickles in 2Tsp of Pickle Juice.  Here's where I get to use one of my other favorite kitchen gadgets the ProChef made by Tupperware.  If you don't have one of these I suggest you track down your nearest Tupperware lady and get one ASAP!  Honestly this thing makes chopping so darn easy and the clean up is so fast.

I started with the onion removed it from the chopper into a bowl, then I chopped the celery added that to the onion in the bowl.  Lastly I did the pickles in the juice & adding them to the bowl.

Next dice the potatoes to whatever size you prefer!! Or leave them bigger totally up to you.

Next peel the eggs.  I suggest that you crack the bottom of the egg and then roll it on its side on the counter.  My eggs basically peeled themselves when I did this my kids were so amazed.  Now you need to chop the eggs and guess what I have a gadget for that too!!  This egg slicer I bought at a garage sale but I bet you can find one in your Mother or Grammies kitchen.  It works perfect for chopping the eggs, lay the egg in slice, open the slicer turn the eggs and slice again right into the bowl. (Side note this slicer slices mushrooms & strawberries really nice too)

Next we want to mix everything together.  I like to use a very large bowl so I have room to stir without it ending up all over the counter.

Add 1 1/4Cups Mayo, 1 1/2Tsp Colman's Dry Mustard, 1 1/2Tbsp Paprika and mix well.  (Here's where you can add whatever spices you like or more mayo or pickle juice, maybe apple cider vinegar.) Tweak it to the yummy goodness you like.

The end result was amazing and it only took me a fraction of the time to make it.  This will definitely be on my BBQ entertaining menu this summer for sure.  If you have any questions or would like me to try a recipe please comment below.  Happy cooking my friends!