Simply delicious beef and pepper dish reminiscent of pepper steak and orange beef, but a lot tastier! Three methods of preparation given.

This meal takes pepper steak to the next level!

It was originally a pressure cooker recipe that I adapted from a book I had gotten with an old Cook’s Essentials pressure cooker.  It works just fine in a pressure cooker if that’s the way you want to go with this.

Since most pressure cooker meals can be adapted to slow cookers with simple liquid and time adjustments, that’s how I went with it this time and I also wanted to test my brand-new Ninja 4-in-1 cooker!

Ninja 4-in-1 in green

One thing I have been told and observed for myself is that the Ninja cooks hotter and faster than a conventional slow cooker.  So if you want to try one of these appliances out, I suggest you keep an eye on whatever you want to slow cook because it’ll probably be done in 2/3 of the time.  My “muse” Shirley W will cook most things which call for LOW/8 hours about 5 hours in her Ninja.

This particular recipe was done (meaning the meat) in 2 hours on HI instead of the usual 3-4 on the same setting on a conventional cooker.

And since this is so adaptable, you can do it stovetop if you don’t want the wait–and it’s ready in less than 30 minutes–because it’s essentially a stir fry.  Only thing with stovetop is you need to have a much better cut of meat than one you’d use in a slow cooker or pressure cooker.  I recommend sirloin steak, because it’s tender, flavorful and often on sale!

If you want, you can add a fourth pepper color–orange.  I chose not to here because I was going to garnish with orange slices–which I forgot LOL, but it’s still gorgeous with the three varieties and you can even take that down to two if you want to economize.  Just use the red and green.  My store had all the colors on sale for the same price this week, which is why I got all extravagant and mixed it up nicely.

Super delicious and colorful too

This would probably be SUPER with pork as well, so feel free to substitute that for the beef if you want.

I prefer this less saucy, so I use 1/2 the sauce ingredients when I make this in any of the methods listed.

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Slow Cooker Orange Beef & Fire Peppers

Simply delicious beef and pepper dish reminiscent of pepper steak and orange beef, but a lot tastier! Three methods of preparation given.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time8 hours hrs

Total Time8 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course: beef, skillet dinners, Slow Cooker

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef recipe, slow cooker beef

Servings: 4

Calories: 724kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 2 lbs beef round shoulder or sirloin*, cut in 1/2-inch slices
• 2 tbsp minced garlic
• 2 tbsp oil for frying

SAUCE

• 2 cups orange juice
• 1 1/2 tbsp orange zest
• 6 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark sesame oil
• 2 beef stock cubes
• 1/4 cup sugar

VEGGIE COMBO

• 1 medium green bell pepper cut in strips
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper cut in strips
• 1 medium red bell pepper cut in strips
• 1 medium onion sliced
• 8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced

SEASONED FLOUR

• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper

TO THICKEN

• 2-3 tbsp cornstarch
• 4-5 tbsp water

Instructions

• *Use sirloin or any tender cut of beef for stovetop method
• Mix seasoned flour ingredients and coat the meat with it.
• Mix the orange juice, soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, stock cubes and orange zest in a small bowl. You can use one-half of each of these ingredients if you don’t want it overly saucy–I only use 1/2 the amount. Set aside.
• Slow Cooker/Ninja Method:
• Set Ninja to “Stovetop High” and let it heat for a few minutes. If using slow cooker, heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil.
• Brown meat well. Add garlic. Add the orange juice mixture. If browning in the skillet, scrap up all the brownie bits at the bottom of the skillet (deglazing) and add entire contents to slow cooker.
• Cover Ninja or slow cooker. Set to HI/Slow Cooker on the Ninja or HI on a regular slow cooker. Cook for about 3-4 hours in the regular slow cooker, about 3 in the Ninja (Ninja cooks a little hotter than a conventional slow cooker).
• For the Slow Cooker add the mushrooms, onions and peppers. Cover and cook for 15-30 minutes, depending on how crisp you like your bell peppers.
• For the Ninja, set it back to Stovetop/High and add the mushrooms, onion and peppers. Stir frequently until peppers are to desired crispness. I cooked about 5 minutes because I like my peppers pretty crisp.
• I did not have to thicken the sauce in the Ninja, but if you desire a thicker sauce, then add the cornstarch/water mixture–just enough to make it as thick as you want. Heat through and cook for 1 additional minute
• For Pressure Cooker:
• Brown meat in skillet as directed in the slow cooker method, unless your pressure cooker has a browning function, then proceed as for Ninja method.
• Add the orange juice mixture, seal and cook on HIGH/MEAT/15psi for 8 minutes. Let pressure drop naturally.
• Add the veggies, seal and cook on MEDIUM/VEGGIES/10 psi for 4 minutes. Release the pressure valve (electric model) or for stovetop pressure cookers, IMMEDIATELY place under running cold water to release the pressure.
• If thickening the sauce is desired, then add only as much cornstarch/water mixture (while stirring) to make the desired consistency.
• Stovetop Method:
• Brown meat as for regular slow cooker method.
• Add the veggies and stir fry until they are desired crispness.
• Add the orange juice mixture, bring to boil–add the cornstarch/water mixture, stirring constantly until mixture bubbles.

Nutrition

Serving: 1person | Calories: 724kcal | Carbohydrates: 67g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 141mg | Sodium: 2708mg | Potassium: 1540mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 1349IU | Vitamin C: 187mg | Calcium: 97mg | Iron: 8mg

Slow Cooker Orange Beef & Fire Peppers

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Corned Beef and Cabbage

St. Patrick’s Day.  Corned beef and cabbage.  No more need be said.

Well, what can I say?  This is traditional at St. Patrick’s Day.

At St. Paddy’s Tradition

I just happen to cook mine in a pressure cooker.  It’s faster and I find the meat doesn’t fall apart unlike other methods.  It only takes 90 minutes, regardless of the size of the brisket.

My model is an electronic pressure cooker.  For the meat, you need a high setting–that’s either “Meat,” or “Beef,” or 15 psi.

Tender in 90 minutes and doesn’t fall apart

For the vegetables, you’d use the “vegetable” setting or 7-10 psi.

Perfectly cooked veggies

It couldn’t be simpler!  And don’t be scared of pressure cooking!!!  Especially in an electronic one.  It won’t explode on you like the old stove-top models (and those have been improved too).  You can set and forget an electronic, something you can’t do with a stovetop one–that must be supervised.

This stunning platter is part of the Temp-Tations Carved Old World Pack and Go set.  Available by clicking the link below this paragraph.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to all!  Kiss me, I’m Irish…yes, I really AM!!!

Corned Beef & Cabbage

• 1 piece (any size) point or flat cut corned beef brisket
• 1 medium cabbage, cut into wedges
• 1 lb carrots, peeled
• 2 lbs red potatoes, peeled
• 2-3 cups water for the pressure cooker

Rinse brisket well under cold running water.


Add meat in the pressure cooker.  Set to 15 psi or “meat” setting and cook for 90 minutes.  Release pressure and remove meat to an oven-proof serving dish.  Cover with foil and place in 200 degree F oven to keep warm. Do not remove liquid from cooker as you cook the veggies in the same water which will flavor the veggies.


Place vegetables in reserved water in cooker.  Cover, seal, and set to 10 psi or “vegetable” setting and set timer for 10 minutes.  Release pressure.


Slice meat and serve with vegetables.

Corned Beef and Cabbage

Copyright © Judith Hannemann aka The Midnight Baker 2014. All Rights Reserved. No part of this website may be reproduced without The Midnight Baker’s express consent.

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Perfect holiday appetizer. Don’t have a rice cooker to make these?  Enter to win one!

I simply love my rice cooker.  It’s the one appliance that I wouldn’t ever part with because it does so much!  It doesn’t only cook rice.  In fact, rice is one of the last things I use this for!

Rice cookers cook by reduction which is why it is excellent for preparing anything with a sauce.  Reducing stocks and wine sauces intensifies the flavor.  Of course you can do this stovetop, but it’s automatic in a rice cooker–you set it and forget it!

Most cookers come with a steaming basket, so there, you have a steamer too!  It’s also a low-pressure pressure cooker of sorts since it has a gasketed lid.  However, unlike old-time real deal pressure cookers, a rice cooker will never explode on you.

One of the most valuable features to me is that it cooks pasta PERFECTLY.  I won’t go into that here, but check my blog post on Cooking Pasta In A Rice Cooker for a complete run down.

You can easily substitute frozen ready-made meatballs in this recipe.  However, I do give my standard meatball recipe in the directions.  The times are only a guide! If you are a neophyte at rice cooker cookery, you’ll have to pay attention to the cooking process because it varies by cooker.  Once you get the hang of how YOUR machine works, cooking will become a breeze!

It’s for an Aroma (or comparable brand) 8 cup rice cooker. This is pretty much the standard size.  It will cook 4 cups of rice (that’s UNCOOKED rice) resulting in 8 COOKED cups–that’s how you get the size–by the cooked cups of rice. 

Merlot Meatballs

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Merlot Beef Meatballs (Rice Cooker Recipe)

Beef meatballs simmered in red wine sauce. The perfect holiday appetizer or easy dinner.

Prep Time20 minutes mins

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Total Time50 minutes mins

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: American

Keyword: beef meatballs, merlot sauce, red wine, rice cooker recipe

Servings: 4

Calories: 387kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1/2 cup sliced onion
• 1 cup merlot wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 10 tbsp heavy cream 1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp
• 1 tbsp butter

For the Meatballs *

• 8 oz 90 percent lean ground beef
• 2 tbsp finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup dry unseasoned bread crumbs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp brown gravy mix
• 1 egg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a rack on a shallow baking sheet.
• Mix all meatball ingredients in a medium bowl. Shape into 1-inch balls and place on rack on prepared baking sheet.
• Bake for 15-20 min or until lightly brown. Remove from oven; set aside.
• Set rice cooker to COOK (or rice cycle). Add butter and let melt. Add the 1/2 cup onions and mushrooms. Saute in rice cooker until onion is beginning to get soft.
• Add the meatballs to the pot. Add the merlot, brown sugar, water and the 2 tbs of cream. Close lid, set on COOK. Check in about 20 minutes--what you are looking for is the original liquid to be reduced about 50%--this GENERALLY happens when the cooker switches to warm, however, that's in my cooker and cookers vary. When you have the 50% reduction, open cooker and add the 1/2 cup of cream (you may have to add about 1/4 cup water) and stir well. Switch cooker back to COOK (or RICE) and cook until sauce is heated through and is your desired consistency.

Conventional Directions

• Follow steps above, up to browning the meatballs in the oven.
• In a large skillet or saute pan, melt the butter and add the onions and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat until onion is tender. Add the merlot, water, brown sugar and 2 tbsp cream. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Remove cover from pan. Turn up heat to reduce sauce by half. Stir in remaining cream.
• Serve over noodles.
• Makes 4 servings.

Notes

*Prepared frozen meatballs may be substituted for homemade meatballs

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 387kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 15g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 13g | Cholesterol: 137mg | Sodium: 738mg | Potassium: 391mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 698IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 2mg

Merlot Meatballs

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Sausage and Quinoa Risotto

This is OH SO GOOD!!  And easy too. One-pot meal.

I have to admit.  This was one of those suppers I threw together because it was one of those days I’d forgotten to defrost something.

Sausage defrosts quickly and cooks SO nicely in a rice cooker or pressure cooker.  I cooked this entire meal in my 5 cup rice cooker.  Of course, it was a single portion, so if you’re cooking it for a family, use a larger model!!

Quinoa cooks exactly like rice, so perfect to be made in a rice cooker.  I also sauteed the onion, peppers and mushrooms in the rice cooker–set to COOK, which is the high heat.  If you are using a pressure cooker, then HI or BROWN (on electric models) will do fine.

A rice cooker will switch to WARM once the liquid is evaporated, so when the cooker switches to OFF or WARM, the dish is done.

If you are going to do this in a pressure cooker, then set it to HIGH or MEAT and cook for 15-20 minutes.

I was so surprised at how tasty and succulent the sausage was cooked this way.  I’m so used to baking them, and thought they were good then, but I think I will use my rice cooker in future to do this.  This was oh-so good and definitely a keeper.

And to think, this was one of those “toss what you have on hand in” kinda meals. What a pleasant surprise!  I used sweet Italian sausage in here, but hot would be good, or any variety sausage!

This can be cooked by conventional methods on the stovetop. Use a covered skillet or everyday pan.  After you add the quinoa & water, bring the water to a boil, cover, reduce heat and cook until all water is absorbed.

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Sausage and Quinoa Risotto

This Sausage and Quinoa Risotto is OH SO GOOD!!  And easy too. One-pot meal.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time15 minutes mins

Total Time25 minutes mins

Course: Pork

Cuisine: American

Keyword: italian sausage, pork,, quinoa, risotto recipe

Servings: 2

Calories: 1547kcal

Author: Judith Hannemann

Ingredients

• 6 Italian sausage links
• 1/4 cup diced green or red bell pepper or a combo of the 2
• 2 tbsp chopped onion
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 pkg G. Washingtons Brown Seasoning mix or 1 beef or chicken stock cube
• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Instructions

• Set rice cooker (or pressure cooker) to HIGH. Add oil and heat. Add the peppers, onions and mushrooms. Saute until onion is translucent.
• Add water, quinoa, seasoning mix (or stock cube) and sausages. Stir.
• Leave rice cooker on HIGH. If using pressure cooker, seal and set on HIGH or MEAT for 15 minutes.
• When rice cooker switches to OFF/WARM dish is done. With pressure cooker, let pressure drop naturally for 5 minutes, then release pressure.
• Serves 2 (larger servings) or 3 smaller servings.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 1547kcal | Carbohydrates: 59g | Protein: 61g | Fat: 118g | Saturated Fat: 39g | Cholesterol: 255mg | Sodium: 2594mg | Potassium: 1405mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 108mg | Iron: 8mg

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Mushrooms sliced for sauce and mozzarella diced for meat mixture.  Feel free to play with the amount of cheese.  I tend to go heavier on it because I like it’s addition, but you can reduce it or eliminate it entirely if you desire.  Special thanks here to Christine (Mancuso) DiVuolo for telling me she adds cheese to hers.  It makes this dish WONDERFUL!!!

Here’s the meat mixture ready for filling.  I always tend to smell the mixture.  If it smells good, it will taste good.

Peppers ready for cooking.

• 2 large bell peppers 
• Meat Filling 
• 1 lb ground chicken or turkey*
• 1/2 cup finely diced mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup Breading/Coating Mix** (more or less)
• 1 egg
• 1 tbs dehydrated onion or 2 tbs finely chopped fresh onion 
• 2 tbs grated parmesan or romano cheese (optional)
• Sauce
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1/2 soup can water
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 2 chicken stock cubes
• Alternate Tomato Sauce
• 1 can tomato soup
• 2 tbs fresh basil, chiffonade***
• 1/2 soup can water
• -or-
• 1 jar prepared pasta/spaghetti sauce
• -or-
• 1 – 15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

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