Heavenly Homemakers

Encouraging women in homemaking, healthy eating and parenting

  • Home
    • About
    • FAQs
  • Recipes
    • Bread and Breakfast
    • Condiments
    • Dairy
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes and Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Gluten Free
    • Instant Pot
    • Crock Pot
    • Heavenly Homemaker’s Weekly Menus
  • Homemaking
    • Real Food Sources
  • Store
  • Contact
    • Advertise
    • Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy
  • Simple Meals
  • Club Members!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

August 22, 2021 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in your Instant Pot? This is one of my favorite time savers!

Instant pot Whole Chicken Recipe

Instant Pot Whole Chicken

by Bethany Lotulelei

Once upon a time, I was afraid of the whole chickens at the store. I wasn’t sure how to cook them properly, so I avoided buying them. Then one day, I got my courage up, and I purchased one. I stuck it in the oven, following a recipe I’d found online, and cooked it until I was sure it was done. The result? A sad, dry chicken that would have greatly benefited from some gravy.

I didn’t buy another whole chicken for quite some time, until I read a recipe that promised a moist, delicious rotisserie-style chicken with crispy skin. All from cooking it in the Instant Pot.

Could it be true? Would the Instant Pot deliver me a beautiful roast chicken in less than an hour? My curiosity was piqued, and I gave it a go.

This recipe has changed my life.

We routinely eat roast chicken, thanks to the ease of making it in the Instant Pot! It is seasoned, delicious, and (thanks to a secret which I will share with you in this post) the skin is nice and crispy! Win-win-win!

If you, too, are avoiding whole chickens, because of less-than stellar experiences in the past, might I encourage you to give this recipe a go?

A few tips:

  • Only buy a chicken that will fit in your Instant Pot. If you have a smaller Instant Pot then you’ll need to purchase a smaller bird as well! I was gifted some beautiful, free-range chickens that were double the size of the grocery store version, and none of them fit in my Instant Pot! Sob! I use Laura’s method to cook them, rotisserie-style, in the oven instead!
  • Stuff your chicken with something delicious–lemon slices, sprigs of herbs, onions, garlic, all of the above!
  • Season your chicken liberally. Add your favorite herbs + salt, and don’t sprinkle it lightly! You want a well-seasoned bird!
  • Save the chicken broth in the bottom of the Instant Pot, and mix it into your Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes or make a delicious gravy out of it!

How to Give it Crispy SkinYum

Are you ready to hear the secret of how you are going to ensure your chicken has beautiful, delicious, crispy skin? Step in closer. I’m about to reveal all…

I LOVED cooking the whole chicken in the Instant Pot: it was easy, it was fast, it was incredibly moist. But what I didn’t love? The skin. I missed the crispy skin the oven would give a whole chicken.

Then I discovered this tip: after you have finished cooking your chicken in the Instant Pot, pull it out, set it on a cookie sheet in the oven, and broil it.

Broiling it after it has already baked will give you an amazing, delicious, crispy skin paired with the moist, flavorful meat from the Instant Pot.

So good, and so easy!

Instant Pot Whole Chicken
 
Save Print
Prep time
10 mins
Total time
10 mins
 
Delicious, moist whole chicken cooked in the Instant Pot!
Author: Laura
Recipe type: Main Dish
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 whole chicken with the innards removed
  • 2-3 T of melted butter
  • 1 lemon cut in half
  • 4 cloves of garlic
  • 1 onion, quartered
  • Seasoning of choice
Instructions
  1. Place trivet in the Instant Pot
  2. Pour 1 cup water into the bottom of the Instant Pot
  3. Rub melted butter over chicken.
  4. Stuff chicken with lemon, garlic, and onion.
  5. Season the outside of the chicken liberally with your seasoning of choice.
  6. Place chicken in the Instant Pot, and close the lid.
  7. Set on high pressure for 7 minutes per lb.
  8. Once cooking time is finished, allow pressure to release naturally for 15-20 minutes.
  9. Remove chicken from the Instant Pot, place it on a cookie sheet, and broil it for a few minutes until brown.
  10. Enjoy!
3.5.3251

 

Seasoning Ideas:

  • Italian Seasoning
  • Onion Soup Mix Seasoning
  • Ranch Dressing Seasoning
  • Rotisserie Chicken Seasoning

What’s your favorite Instant Pot recipe? Share below!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

10 Favorite Back-to-School Instant Pot Meal Ideas

August 11, 2021 by Bethany Lotulelei Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Looking for a way to shorten your dinner prep? Try these 10 back-to-school Instant Pot ideas!

10 Favorite Back to School Instant Pot Dinner Ideas

10 Favorite Back-to-School Instant Pot Meal Ideas

by Bethany Lotulelei

It is so hard to get dinner on the table in super busy seasons!

I find, that if I don’t have a plan in place, then I resort all too often to frozen pizzas or fast food. Everybody in my family needs to eat, multiple times a day (you too?!), and when we throw in extra activities, new schedules and our calendar gets full then it is even trickier to make several nourishing meals per day.

Enter: the Instant Pot!

Laura purchased her own Instant Pot a few years back (here’s her review!), and since then, she has provided so many wonderful recipes!

Why I Love the Instant Pot

I received an Instant Pot as a wedding present, and I am sad to say that it sat in our closet for years. It was a little intimidating: I’d heard that pressure cookers could be dangerous! My husband started using it to cook rice, and seeing it on my counter pushed me to finally figure it out for myself.

Once I realized how easy, and safe it was to use–I was kicking myself for not trying it sooner! I really thought it couldn’t take the place of my beloved crock pot, but I soon realized that there are some recipes that work so much better in the Instant Pot! It speeds everything up, and helps me get supper on the table on nights in which I would not have had time to throw together a full meal otherwise.

Did you know you can cook a whole chicken in the Instant Pot in a little over an hour? Amazing! Magical! Stupendous! I could go on and on.

There are still a few recipes I only make in my crock pot, but I’ve found that my Instant Pot has become a heavy lifter when it comes to my meal planning. I’ve even considered buying a second one.

My absolute favorite ways to use my Instant Pot, and cut back on dinner prep include: making ground beef ahead of time in bulk (it’s SO nice to have cooked meat ready to go for the week!), cooking a whole chicken in less than an hour, and making mashed potatoes (the Instant Pot makes mashed potatoes SO easily!).

Here are a few additional recipes that I have grown to love, and use often!

10 Favorite Back-to-School Instant Pot Meal Ideas

  • Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  • Bacon Chicken Pasta
  • Simple 10-Minute Mac and Cheese
  • Simple One Dish Chicken Florentine
  • Beef Roast
  • Simple Creamy Pasta
  • Chili Mac
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole
  • Taco Pasta
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole

A few extras:

  • How to Cook 5 lbs of Frozen Hamburger Meat in 30 minutes
  • Bone Broth
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Stick-of-Butter Rice

What are your favorite Instant Pot recipes? I’d love to know! Share in the comments below.

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Instant Pot Bacon Chicken Pasta

July 21, 2021 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Want to know what my husband said when eating Instant Pot Bacon Chicken Pasta for the first time?

“People pay big bucks for food like this at a restaurant!”

What went through my mind all at the same time when he said that is:

  • Aww, shucks.
  • But this didn’t cost big bucks to make.
  • Why eat out when we can make this at home in 30 minutes, start to finish? 
  • Instead of paying $15/plate, this cost less than $15 for all of us!
  • I pretty much threw this together last minute.
  • My husband likes me more than Olive Garden.

But out loud, I simply said…

Ok, I totally said almost all of that out loud in one sentence without taking a breath and with additional thoughts and twenty to forty more words.

What can I say? I’m home with a bunch of small children all day, which means that for around 10 hours every day my conversations consist of saying things like, “Come over here so I can change your diaper” and “Please don’t let Sissy put that in her mouth.” By the end of the day, I HAVE A LOT OF WORDS LEFT and I love it when they have more to do with grown-up subjects instead of choo-choo trains and wet wipes.

Ultimately though, when Matt said, “People pay big bucks for food like this at a restaurant!” I knew I’d found a winner. It’s so, so true. This meal is restaurant quality for a sweet at-home price. It’s perfect for company and completely easy to make.

If you have an Instant Pot.

Don’t have one yet? Here’s what I have and love and use all the time!

And now, it’s time to get out the simple ingredients that you likely already have on hand and make this awesome “restaurant food.”

Instant Pot Bacon Chicken PastaYum

Instant Pot Bacon Chicken Pasta
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 Tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 pound boneless skinless chicken thighs or breasts
  • 3 Tablespoons homemade dry Ranch Dressing mix
  • 16-ounces pasta, any shape, uncooked
  • 4 cups (32-ounces) chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (Colby jack is our favorite)
  • 8 ounces softened cream cheese
  • 3-4 handfuls of baby fresh spinach
  • 8 slices cooked bacon, made into bacon bits
Instructions
  1. Use kitchen shears to cut chicken directly into your Instant Pot.
  2. Saute chicken in olive oil for a few minutes until chicken is no longer pink.
  3. Add ranch dressing, pasta, and chicken broth. Do not stir.
  4. Put lid on Instant pot and seal.
  5. Cook on Manual, High Pressure for four minutes.
  6. Quick release the pressure (I usually hold a towel a few inches above the valve to keep steam from spraying all over my kitchen.)
  7. Open the lid and add cream cheese, shredded cheese, spinach leaves, and bacon bits.
  8. Stir until creamy.
  9. Serve!
3.5.3251

You are going to love how flavorful and easy this is!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. Is it Good??

October 21, 2020 by Laura 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I’ve heard about making Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. But I had to wonder: Is it good? As good as the Homemade Vanilla Extract I usually brew for 6 months? I decided to give it a try!

Yum

I’ve been making my own vanilla extract since 2009. It’s super easy to make, but it does take 4-6 months to finish extracting so that we end up with good strong vanilla.

Recently I saw on the internet that you can make vanilla extract in the Instant Pot – in 40 minutes!!! Fun fact: 40 minutes is a lot less time to wait on homemade vanilla compared to waiting for 6 months. I figured it wouldn’t cost much to try it out and compare it to my super special 6-month homemade vanilla. So I gave it a try!

First, let’s look at how this works:

When I long-brew my vanilla extract, I cut my beans and put them into a big jar filled with vodka for 4-6 months. It’s as simple as can be and turns out THE MOST AMAZING vanilla extract!

The Instant Pot method for making vanilla extract takes fewer beans and way less time. I cut a total of 6 beans – first the long way, then in half so they fit into pint-sized jars.

I then fill the jars with vodka and put them on the trivet in my Instant Pot. Carefully set lids on the jars, but do not screw on tightly. Add water to the Instant Pot, seal, and set the timer to 40 minutes at high pressure.

Allow the vanilla extract to pressure cook for 40 minutes, then carefully quick release the pressure so that you can open your Instant Pot lid. The result?

Beautiful vanilla extract in just 40 minutes!!!

How to make Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot

Vanilla Extract in the Instant Pot. Is it Good??
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 32 ounces
Ingredients
  • 6 vanilla beans (use the code HOME for a 20% discount!)
  • 1 quart of vodka
  • 2 pint jars with lids
Instructions
  1. Cut vanilla beans along down the middle of the bean, then cut them in half and place them into 2 pint-sized jar. (3 beans per jar)
  2. Pour vodka over the beans.
  3. Place a trivet into your Instant Pot.
  4. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the pot.
  5. Set the prepared jars of vodka/vanilla beans onto the trivet.
  6. Loosely place the lids on the jars, not sealing tightly.
  7. Lock on the Instant Pot lid and seal the pressure valve.
  8. Cook on manual setting for 40 minutes at high pressure.
  9. Quick release the pressure valve (watch out for the steam!)
  10. Carefully remove the jar and allow the vanilla to cool.
3.5.3251

How does it compare?

The old fashioned me wants to say, “Oh, the long brew method of making vanilla extract is so much better!!” But the truth is that I actually can’t tell much difference.

Therefore, the simple-cook me gets to say, “Hey, want to save A LOT of time and effort making vanilla extract? Try making it in your Instant Pot!!”

So in summary, we’ve got a win-win here! If you decide to stick with the regular, long brew method you’ll turn out wonderful vanilla extract! And if you have an Instant Pot and decide to make a fast batch, you will still turn out wonderful (tho not quite as strong) vanilla extract!

Make this for Christmas gifts!

If you do have an Instant Pot, you can order your beans and make a bunch of vanilla for gifts – it’s not too late!! People love receiving homemade vanilla as a gift – teachers, family members, neighbors, co-workers!

Where to buy vanilla beans:

I always buy my vanilla beans from Olive Nation. I’ve tried other sources to “save money” but instead ended up wasting money because the quality of the beans from cheap sources was terrible!

Olive Nation beans are so, so good. I’ve used their beans for years. They love working with us here at Heavenly Homemakers so they offer us 20% off when we use the coupon code: home. Plus we get free shipping on orders over $50!

Cost Breakdown to Make Vanilla in the Instant Pot:

I ordered the 25-bean package on this page and used the lovely discount code, home. This landed me 15% off plus free shipping, so total cost for 25 beans was $50.14. With these beans, I can make 4 quarts of vanilla!! (I’ve just made 1 quart so far.)

Cost for one quart of vanilla in my Instant Pot:

  • 6 beans = 12.00
  • 1 quart of vodka = $5.50
  • TOTAL = $17.50

With this, I can put together four 8-ounce bottles of vanilla for gifts!! This makes each 8-ounce bottle cost just $4.38! That is an incredible price!!

(Cost at the store for high-quality vanilla? Most of what I find has water added, and it’s still $8.97 for just TWO OUNCES. Homemade cost for two ounces is just $1.10!!!)

Extra resources:

  • Read this post to learn how to finish and strain your vanilla after 4-6 months if you choose to do the long-brew method.
  • You can purchase dark amber bottles here.
  • Order personalized vanilla stickers for bottles and gifts here.
  • Get your beans here, and use the code HOME to get 20% off!

I’m super excited about this option for making vanilla extract! Have you tried it before?!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

How to Make Stick-of-Butter Rice in the Instant Pot

May 27, 2020 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

If you have an Instant Pot, this method for cooking Stick-of-Butter Rice cuts the cook time in half!

Yum

Once I learned to make Stick-of-Butter-Rice, I’ve never gone back to making it the “regular” way again. This recipe is TOO DELICIOUS. My entire family likes this – even the ones who never really cared about rice before. It’s the butter, of course. Also the onion. And the broth. The mixture makes incredibly tasty rice!

If you bake this recipe in an oven, it takes a solid hour. This is fine if you have an hour. If you don’t, and you have an Instant Pot, try it this way instead! It can be done in just a half hour!

I love making batches of rice ahead of time. Typically I’ll make this and use what we need for a meal, then use the rest to stir into recipes like:

  • Beef and Cheese Burritos
  • Chicken Burritos
  • Cheesy Beef and Rice
  • Spanish Rice

Then I can get two meals out of one!

Here’s how we often eat our freshly made rice, served with:

  • Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef

But truly, this rice is so flavorful that it’s perfect as a side dish all by itself. I think you’ll be like me once you try this and never go back to regular rice again!

How to Make Stick-of-Butter Rice in the Instant Pot

How to Make Stick-of-Butter Rice in the Instant Pot
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 2 cups brown rice (uncooked)
  • 2 cups beef or chicken broth
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 Tablespoons dry minced onions
  • 1 stick of butter, cut into 6 chunks (1/2 cup)
Instructions
  1. Place ingredients in your Instant Pot and stir.
  2. Seal pot and cook on the manual setting at high pressure for 22 minutes.
  3. Allow the pot to release naturally after cooking.
  4. Stir and enjoy!
3.5.3229

 

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Is it Worth the Money to Buy an Instant Pot?

February 27, 2020 by Laura 5 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

What do you think? Is it worth the money to buy an Instant Pot? Here’s what I think…

Is it worth the money to buy an Instant Pot?

I stubbornly refused to get an Instant Pot for several years after they became popular (silly me), and now I am one of the biggest advocates for them! This gem saves so much time and keeps us eating healthy too!

I love that it makes wholesome, rich beef or chicken broth with so little effort on my part. I LOVE that I can cook 7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in it in just 30 minutes!! And I love the many meals and side dishes I can make in it within just a few minutes.

So in my opinion, yes, it is worth the money to buy an Instant Pot. Not only has mine saved me time, it truly saves me money! So your investment in this appliance can be paid back and earning money for you in no time!

How? Well, think of all the convenience foods or fast food options one might fall back on when time is limited at mealtime! This money-saving perk alone makes the Instant Pot worth it.

In addition, the Instant Pot allows you to make wonderful, rich broth for soups that offer super nourishment and costs very, very little!

If you can swing it, get yourself an Instant Pot. I have the 8-quart variety for my large family. Here’s the 6-quart Instant Pot if that fits your needs more!

Recipes you’ll need for your Instant Pot:

Here are our favorites so far!

  • Bone Broth
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  • Simple 10-Minute Mac and Cheese
  • Simple One Dish Chicken Florentine
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Beef Roast
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole
  • How to Cook 5 lbs of Frozen Hamburger Meat in 30 minutes
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole

Psst: I highly recommend that you bookmark our Instant Pot Recipes page for easy access as we continue to update it!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Instant Pot Taco Pasta (Stovetop or Crock Pot Options)

January 8, 2020 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I’ve already shared my Taco Pasta recipe in both Crock Pot and Stovetop varieties. Recently I created an Instant Pot Taco Pasta variety that is a must-have!

If you don’t have an Instant Pot, I do highly recommend them for the time and energy you’ll save in the kitchen! I love mine!! I have this one…do consider investing!

As you know, I love having hamburger meat cooked ahead of time to pull out and use as needed for super quick meals. You can read here about how I cook 5-7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in 30-minutes in my Instant Pot.

So, if I have hamburger meat already prepped ahead, it is super easy to throw this Taco Pasta into my Instant Pot and have our meal ready in 10-15 minutes! I usually serve it with a salad (that everyone makes themselves directly from the container of mixed greens).

Fun fact: one of our babies wants to eat everything we eat, so naturally, he recently also wanted bites of salad we were eating. Matt gave him little bites (plain) and he gobbled it up and kept asking for more. This, with 7 teeth. Not sure how long this will last, but as long as the child eats greens, we shall feed him greens!

But back to this simple recipe:

Instant Pot Taco PastaYum

Instant Pot Taco Pasta (Stovetop or Crock Pot Options)
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 6-8
Ingredients
  • 1 pound ground taco meat (cooked)
  • 16-ounces whole grain pasta (uncooked)
  • 32-ounces salsa
  • 2 cups water
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cups shredded cheese
Instructions
  1. Stir cooked taco meat, uncooked pasta, salsa, water, and salt into an Instant Pot.
  2. Seal and cook on manual, hi pressure for 4 minutes.
  3. Quick release the pressure.
  4. Stir mixture.
  5. Stir in cheese and serve.
3.5.3229

 

Don’t have an Instant Pot? No problem! Here are other options for you!

  • Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Crock Pot Taco Pasta

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Want more Simple Real Food Recipes? We’ve got a beautiful cookbook full of them!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

Simple Cheeseburger Mac in the Instant Pot

August 27, 2019 by Laura 6 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

Once upon a time, I had a genius idea to add seasoned hamburger meat to our Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese. This magically and beautifully turned into Simple Cheeseburger Mac in the Instant Pot. And once again, dinner is saved!

Mind you, this recipe is made even easier if I have “worked” ahead and have hamburger meat already pre-cooked and in the fridge ready to pull out as needed. And by “worked” I mean that I open several packs of hamburger meat (usually frozen) and plop it into my Instant Pot where it cooks all by itself for a few minutes, providing our family with several meals worth of pre-cooked meat to use easily in recipes as needed.

If you get an Instant Pot for no other reason, get it so that it will cook your hamburger meat for you. I usually cook 7-pounds at once, and it is such a time and energy saver!

Simple Cheeseburger Mac in the Instant PotYum

5.0 from 1 reviews
Simple Cheeseburger Mac in the Instant Pot
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 1 pound cooked hamburger meat
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 16-ounces whole grain pasta (any shape)
  • 4 cups water
  • 4 Tablespoons butter
  • 2 teaspoons sea salt
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 3 cups shredded cheese (we love Colby jack)
Instructions
  1. Cook hamburger meat and season with garlic powder and chili powder.
  2. Stir meat, uncooked pasta, water, butter, and salt in your instant pot.
  3. Seal and cook on manual, high pressure for 4 minutes.
  4. Quick release the pressure.
  5. Open the pot and stir in the cream and cheese until melted and creamy.
3.5.3229

This recipe is incredibly easy to make, and it is a huge hit with the family! Any time I can make pasta without actually boiling pasta is a win in my book. Fewer dirty dishes, less time in the kitchen, and a delicious meal too!

Want More Simple Recipes?

We’ve got a huge list, and it keeps growing!

  • Simple Baked Salmon and Asparagus
  • Simple Crock Pot Chicken Soup with a Kick
  • Simple Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Last-Minute Lentil Chili
  • Simple Sweet and Sour Baked Chicken Legs
  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Simple Cheesy Baked Chicken
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Stew in the Crock Pot
  • Simple Italian Beef and Broccoli Skillet
  • Simple Bacon Ranch Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple Taco Rice Dinner
  • Simple Last Minute Nacho Plate
  • Simple Chicken Cheeseballs with a Kick
  • Simple Beanie Weanies
  • Simple Crock Pot BBQ Spareribs
  • Simple Pizza Chicken Bake
  • Simple Italian Chicken and Green Bean Bake
  • Last Minute Creamy Bacon Spaghetti
  • Simple Hamburger Soup
  • Simple Parmesan Broiled Fish
  • Simple Overnight Saucy Crock Pot Chicken
  • Simple 15-Minute Meal
  • Simple Overnight Melt-in-Your-Mouth Beef Roast
  • Simple 3-Cheese Crock Pot Pasta
  • Simple Oven Fried Chicken
  • Simple Honey Mustard Chicken Legs
  • The Easiest Mashed Potatoes in the World
  • Simple Garlic Butter Shrimp
  • Simple Crunchy Ranch Chicken Strips
  • Simple Crock Pot Shredded Ranch Chicken (for salad or tacos)
  • Simple Crock Pot Pizza Casserole
  • Simple Barbecue Beef Roast
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Simple Roasted Rotiserie Chicken
  • Simple Green Chile Chicken
  • Simple Tex-Mex Creamy Chicken
  • Simple Waffle Omelets
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Simple Grilled Chicken
  • Simple Hawaiian Beef Roast
  • Simple Crock Pot Creamy Stew Meat
  • Simple Cheese Stuffed Burgers
  • Simple Hashbrown Casserole (For Instant Pot, Crock Pot or Oven!)
  • Simple Lasagna Casserole (For Instant Pot or Crock Pot)
  • Simple Chili Mac
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Casserole
  • From Burrito Bar to Casserole (a 5-Minute Meal!)
  • Simple Bacon Cheeseburger Roll
  • Simple Garlic Parmesan Chicken Legs
  • Super Simple Lasagna
  • The Simplest White Chicken Chili
  • Simple Lentil Nachos
  • Simple Tuna Patties
  • Simple Banana Pancakes
  • Simple Crock Pot Applesauce BBQ Chicken
  • Simple Hashbrown and Egg Nests
  • Simple Cornbread Waffles with Chili
  • Simple Veggie Fritters
  • Simple Lemon Garlic Chicken Legs
  • Simple Noodle Soup
  • Simple Three Cheese Spaghetti
  • Simple Crock Pot Salsa Shredded Beef
  • Cheeseburger Hashbrown Cups or Casserole
  • Easiest Beef Roast in the Instant Pot
  • Simple One-Dish Chicken Florentine
  • Simple Creamy Layered Enchiladas
  • Simple Ham and Hashbrown Casserole
  • 5-Minute Cheesy Hamburger and Potatoes
  • Simple 10-Minute Instant Pot Mac and Cheese
  • Simple Creamy Chicken Soup
  • Simple Broccoli Bacon Chicken
  • Simple Cheesy Salsa Chicken
  • Simple (Mostly Real Food) Tator Tot Casserole
  • Simple Cheeseburger Noodle Crock Pot Dinner
  • Simple 5-Minute Shredded Chicken
  • Simple Popcorn Chicken
  • Simple Popcorn Chicken Tacos
  • Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Meatballs
  • Simple Saucy Parmesan Meatballs
  • Simple Make-Ahead Parmesan Burgers
  • Simple Creamy Pasta in the Instant Pot

Join Simple Meals!

728x90

We love how Simple Meals has been saving family time for so many, and helping people put great food on the table each night! Join us for just $1/week! (It’s half price right now!!!!)

[wp_eStore_subscribe_fancy id=28]

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

One Simple Trick That Helps Get Dinner on the Table FAST

July 4, 2019 by Laura Leave a Comment

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

I’ve shared it before (more than a few times), but I find that I must share it again. Everyone should know about this one simple trick that helps get dinner on the table fast!

My Simple Trick that Helps Get Dinner on the Table Fast!

It’s simply this:

Brown several pounds of hamburger meat ahead of time. Store it in your fridge or freezer in meal-sized packages. This is a beautiful thing!

It doesn’t take very long to cook hamburger meat when prepping a meal, but still, if it’s already cooked and ready to use, then all we have to do at mealtime is add it to the dish we’re making. Somehow, having pre-cooked meat in my fridge takes away a lot of meal-making stress. How?

Well, I often have very little time for cooking. Mealtime comes up quickly (and many times each day, for our entire lives, oy!). But if I am able to pull out meat that’s already browned, that means I don’t have to worry about thawing meat or cooking meat. I simply add it to pasta or potatoes, or we make Tacos or Nachos, or…

33 Meals to make with Cooked Hamburger Meat

Here are a few more ideas. :)

  • 20-Minute Taco Soup
  • Beefy Enchilada Bake
  • Calico Beans
  • Calzones
  • Cheeseburger Macaroni
  • Cheeseburger Soup
  • Cheeseburger Zucchini Boats
  • Cheesy Beef and Rice
  • Cheesy Salsa Enchiladas
  • Chili
  • Chili Mac
  • Simple Crock Pot Taco Pasta
  • Crustless Pizza
  • Hamburger Cream Cheese Dip
  • Hamburger Sauerkraut Dip
  • Italian Pasta Bake
  • Lasagna Casserole
  • Meat and Cheese Burritos
  • Pizza 
  • Pizza Boats
  • Pizza Casserole
  • Pizza Pockets
  • Pizza Soup
  • Real Food “Velveeta” and Rotel Dip
  • Simple Spanish Rice Bowls
  • Skillet Taco Pasta
  • Sloppy Cornbread Muffins
  • Sloppy Joes
  • Spanish Rice
  • Taco Corn Fritters
  • Taco Potatoes
  • Taco Quesadillas
  • Taco Rice Dinner
  • Taco Salad
  • Simple Creamy Pasta in the Instant Pot

My current favorite is this Simple Creamy Pasta in the Instant Pot. Not only is it incredibly delicious and a huge hit with everyone I’ve fed it to, with pre-cooked meat, I can have dinner on the table in only 10 minutes!! That is 10 minutes from start to finish, truly. It is amazing! (While it’s cooking in my Instant Pot, we get out salad fixins, and our meal is complete!)

My Favorite Instant Pot Hamburger Tip

Speaking of the wonders of an Instant Pot, you should definitely click over to read this:

How to Cook 5 lbs of Frozen Hamburger Meat in 30 minutes

Amazingly, I cook 5-7 pounds of frozen hamburger meat in my Instant Pot, and it is browned and ready to use for meals for the next two weeks for my family – just like that! (And yes, we eat a lot of meat. We are a family of many, many athletic men and a beef-lovin’ mama.)

Don’t have an Instant Pot?

I have this one and I absolutely love how much time it saves in the kitchen. So do consider investing! This 10-Minute Mac and Cheese is another good reason to buy an Instant Pot!

But, if you don’t have one and don’t want to invest, you can still easily cook several pounds of hamburger meat in a large pot on the stove. You’ll just need to thaw it first. :)

How to Store Pre-Cooked Hamburger Meat

Once you’ve got several pounds of hamburger meat cooked and cooled, what should you do?

I usually separate mine into meal-sized portions (1-3 pounds) and put it into these bowls with lids. Or if needed, I’ll put portions into ziplock bags.

I store these containers of cooked meat in my fridge for up to two weeks, and then pull them out as needed to prep meals. You can also store it in the freezer, of course. Just remember to thaw ahead of time!

Do you cook meat ahead of time? What are your favorite kitchen time-savers?

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!

How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

February 19, 2019 by Laura 2 Comments

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission.

What is it with me and frozen meat? Can I not get my act together and actually thaw the meat before cooking it? No, I cannot. I’ve come to terms with it. My chicken has come to terms with it. Gratefully, my Instant Pot has agreed to my terms. And that, my friends, is why we can cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot in one hour or less! How incredible is it that we can take a frozen solid chicken from the freezer and have a great dinner an hour later!

I’ve been wanting to try this ever since I invested in an Instant Pot. A year and a half later, I finally gave it a go (no time like the present).

I love that my Instant Pot allows me to cook almost every variety of frozen meat! I cook several pounds of frozen hamburger meat in it (in just 30 minutes!). I cook frozen boneless chicken thighs in it. I even cook frozen beef roast in it. Now, introducing How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot!

How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot

How to Cook a Frozen Whole Chicken in the Instant Pot
 
Save Print
Author: Laura
Serves: 4-6
Ingredients
  • 3-5 pound whole chicken
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • Sea salt
  • Pepper
  • Parsley Flakes
  • Garlic Powder
Instructions
  1. Set trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  2. Pour 1 cup broth into the bottom.
  3. Set Chicken on the trivet.
  4. Sprinkle with your desired amount of herbs and spices.
  5. Seal and cook at hi pressure for 10-minutes PER POUND of chicken. (i.e. 3 pound chicken=30 minutes)
  6. Allow pressure to release naturally.
3.5.3229

This chicken pairs great with Stick of Butter Rice. And of course, you can steam or roast a veggie or two and get out the salad fixin’s. Talk about a super good, super nourishing meal!

Heavenly Homemaker's Club Members: Access your homepage and all your fantastic resources here! Not a member yet? Please join us!
Next Page »

Join Our Community!

 Facebook Twitter RSS E-mail Instagram Pinterest

Popular Posts

~ Will All of the Real Moms Please Stand Up?
~ Easy! Stir-and-Pour Whole Wheat Bread
~ How to Make Gatorade
~ 31 Real Food Breakfast Ideas
~ Dear Teenage Girls...
~ When Mom Takes a Step Back
~ The Inexpensive Health Insurance We Love!
~ Let's Talk Real Food Grocery Budgets

Check out our latest posts!

  • Inexpensive and Fun Valentine’s Day Treats
  • Easy Chocolate Waffles
  • 4 Meals You Can Make for $1/Person
  • Easy Chili Cheese Dip
  • How to Make 5 Meals with 1 Pork Roast
Home  ~  Simple Meals  ~  Club Membership  ~  Shop  ~  Privacy Policy  ~  Disclosure  ~ Contact

Copyright © 2023 · Beautiful Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in