What To Cook In Your Slow Cooker or Instant Pot Right Now

Tieghan Gerard honed her cooking skills in the mountains of Colorado, the oldest daughter of seven children. In her blog, Half-Baked Harvest, she beautifully chronicles her culinary exploits—sharing the type of freshly-sourced, comfort food forward recipes we are all craving right now. Her newest cookbook, Half Baked Harvest Super Simple, distills her signature recipes into quicker, more manageable dishes—most focusing on easy pantry ingredients and a choice of cooking methods.

We love Tieghan’s casual, family-forward style and the easy adaptability of her recipes. Many dishes, like those following, can be cooked in either a slow cooker or a pressure cooker or on the stovetop—a handy choice we can definitely appreciate. Select your cooking method according to preference and what you have on hand and, of course, to the number
(and mood) of people waiting to eat!

Carne Asada Tostadas with Pickled Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa

Tieghan’s modern take on carne asada features spiced and citrus-marinated flank steak paired with a zesty fresh pineapple salsa. The slow- or pressure-cooked beef shreds easily and can be used in everything from tacos to burritos to rice bowls. No pineapple? A good store-bought tomato salsa makes a worthy stand-in for the fresh preparation.

SERVES: 6 TO 8
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: See specific device method

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 pounds flank steak
• 4 garlic cloves, minced or grated
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• Juice of 1 orange
• Juice of 2 limes
• ½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 16 tostada or hard taco shells, warmed

FOR SERVING

• Mashed avocado
• Pickled Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa (see below) or store-bought salsa
• Crumbled cotija cheese
• Shredded lettuce

SLOW COOKER COOK TIME: 4 to 6 hours

1. In the slow cooker pot, combine the olive oil, steak, garlic, onion,
paprika, chili powder, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper.
Massage the seasoning into the steak with your hands until evenly
distributed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange and lime juices.

2. Cover and cook until the meat is falling apart, about 6 hours on low,
or about 4 hours on high. Remove the steak from the slow cooker and
let it rest on a cutting board for 15 minutes. Using two forks, shred
the meat, return it to the slow cooker, add the cilantro, and toss to
combine.

3. To serve, spread each tostada shell with avocado and top with the
meat, salsa, cheese, and lettuce.

4. Store any leftovers refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

PRESSURE COOKER COOK TIME: 15 minutes, plus additional time
to come to pressure

1. In the pressure cooker pot, combine the olive oil, steak, garlic, onion, paprika, chili powder, and a large pinch each of salt and pepper.
Massage the seasoning into the steak with your hands until evenly
distributed, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the orange and lime juices.

2. Lock the lid in place and cook on high pressure for 10 minutes. Quick
or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides. Remove
the steak from the pressure cooker pot and let it rest on a cutting
board for 15 minutes. Using two forks, shred the meat, return it to the
pot, add the cilantro, and toss to combine.

3. Finish as directed for the slow cooker.

Pickled Jalapeño Pineapple Salsa

• 2 cups fresh pineapple chunks
• 2 tablespoons chopped pickled jalapeño peppers
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• Flaky sea salt

In a medium bowl, stir together the pineapple, jalapeño, lime juice, cilantro, and a pinch of salt. Store the salsa refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

French Onion Soup

We agree with Tieghan when she writes, “A cheesy bowl of French Onion Soup is one of life’s greatest pleasures.” In this recipe, she provides two methods for the comfort food staple— a slow cooker to gradually build flavor in the caramelized onions without having to stir them and a pressure cooker to sauté the onions and finish the soup within an hour.

SERVES: 6
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
COOK TIME: See specific device method

• 6 tablespoons salted butter
• 3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon honey or brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves, plus more for garnish
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon
• 2 quarts low-sodium beef or vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 6 slices French bread
• 1 cup shredded Gruyère cheese

SLOW COOKER COOK TIME: 6 to 11 hours

1. To the slow cooker pot, add the butter, onions, shallots, and honey and stir to combine. Cook on low until the onions are caramelized, stirring once or twice, 4 to 6 hours.

2. Add the thyme, sage, and flour and cook until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in the wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 4 to 5 hours more on low, or 2 to 3 hours more on high. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

3. Preheat the broiler.

4. Divide the soup among six oven-safe bowls. Add a slice of bread to each and top evenly with cheese. Place the bowls on a baking sheet and broil until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Top with thyme leaves.

PRESSURE COOKER COOK TIME: 35 minutes, plus additional time to come to pressure

1. In the pressure cooker pot, combine the butter, onions, shallots, and honey and stir to combine. Lock the lid in place and cook on manual for 20 minutes. Quick or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides.

2. Using the sauté function, stir in the thyme, sage, and flour and cook until golden brown, 5 minutes. Add the wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Lock the lid into place and cook on manual for 10 minutes more. Quick or natural release, then open when the pressure subsides. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed.

3. Finish as directed for the slow cooker.

STOVETOP COOK TIME: 1 hour 10 minutes

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onions, shallots, and honey and stir to combine. Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are softened, deep golden in color, and caramelized, 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in the thyme, sage, and flour and cook until the raw flour taste is eliminated, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the wine, broth, Worcestershire sauce, and bay leaves and season with salt and pepper. Increase the heat to medium-high and return the soup to a simmer. Cook until the flavors have melded, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and discard the bay leaves. Taste and add more salt and pepper as needed. Finish as directed for the slow cooker.

All recipes from Half Baked Harvest Super Simple
Copyright © 2019 by Tieghan Gerard