Caramelized Mushrooms

I love mushrooms just about any way possible.  But this recipe has become my new favorite.  These mushrooms are great beside chicken or beef and served with almost any type of vegetable.

1 lb Portabella mushrooms (sliced into 1/4" thick slices)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp dried Rosemary (chopped)
1 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar

Clean and slice your mushrooms and set aside.
Add butter, oil and chopped Rosemary to a pan and heat over medium heat.  Allow pan to get hot.  Add the mushrooms and let cook for 4 minutes undisturbed.
Turn the mushrooms and cook for another 4 minutes. 
Stir in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant. 
Add soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and brown sugar.
Stir and continue cooking until well coated.

Glazed Carrots

Do you ever have trouble getting your kids to eat vegetables?  Well, here is a veggie they are guaranteed to like. 

2 lbs carrots (peeled and sliced 1/2" thick)
1 cup chicken stock
4 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp parsley (stemmed and chopped)


Combine the carrots, broth, butter, brown sugar, honey and salt in a medium saute pan.
Bring to a low boil and simmer until the liquid has been reduced to a glaze and carrots are cooked through (5 - 10 minutes).
Remove from heat and stir in parsley.

The Best Darn Green Beans Ever

I love experimenting in the kitchen and amping up my favorite recipes.  Well, tonight I tried a new twist with green beans.  I recently bought a Power Cooker Plus and I love it.  While I'm still trying to learn all of its features, I've had a few successful dishes.  Tonight's green beans were probably the best green beans I've ever had.  Truth be told, this will probably replace Green Bean Casserole for Thanksgiving moving forward. 

2 lbs green beans (cut into 1" pieces)
8 slices bacon, sliced into 1/2" pieces
1 small onion, chopped
1/2 cup chicken broth
3/4 tsp salt


Using the "Saute" function on the Power Cooker Plus, I selected high.
Slice the bacon into 1/2" pieces
Cook in the inner pot until crispy
Remove onto paper towel lined plate and set aside

Reduce heat on Power Cooker Plus to medium
Add chopped onion and sprinkle with salt
Stir and saute until soft (about 2 mins)

Add chicken stock to pot
Add green beans
Pressure cook on "Steam Veggie" setting for 2 minutes
Relieve steam quickly
Remove beans and onions from pot and put them in a bowl
Top with bacon

These were totally awesome!  If you have a Power Cooker or other brand, give them  a try.