There is a book that is titled “Great Food Fast,” a collection of Bob Warden’s Ultimate Pressure cooker Recipes, and I got this book because I am the owner of an Instantpot pressure cooker.
The introduction for Moo Shu Pork states, “This version of the Chinese take-out classic packs most of the traditional flavors in a lot less time than it would take to wait for the delivery guy.”
Also from “Great Food Fast,” is a recipe for Boston Baked Beans, “baked from Scratch, without any baking!” Bob Warden says, “This, my favorite recipe for Boston “Baked” Beans, is actually an amalgamation of the traditional version (with a heavy molasses flavor) and the more modern versions (with ketchup) that it has evolved over the years.
Bob Warden says his recipe for BBQ Beef Tips in his book “Great Food Fast,” is about as simple as barbecue gets! With such tender cuts of beef in a homemade sauce, you’d never believe it was cooked in only 15 minutes. Best served over rice (but mashed potatoes are good, too).
Our friends in Georgia share Sybil Carter’s Grits and Egg Casserole in their wonderful publication, Plains Pot Pourri.
Emily Meggett, from Gullah Geechee Home Cooking, Recipes from the Matriarch of Edisto Island, says, “Apple Brown Betty was one of many desserts I learned how to make at the Dodge House. Layers of sugary crunch are in each and every bite, and the sweet and woody cinnamon flavor shines throughout the dish. The flavors of this dish represent fall and winter to me, so I bake this dish when I want a little spoon of comfort during the cooler months. Serve this dish with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream for a real treat.
Green Tomato Pie comes from Treasures and Pleasures. This is a recipe from Betty Land, a dear lady and great friend of ours who is “gone, but not forgotten.”
MOO SHU PORK
Chinese Pork and Cabbage Wraps
Recipe from
Great Food Fast by Bob Warden
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 pound boneless pork loin chops, cut into strips
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 (16-ounce bag) shredded
coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup beef stock or broth
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium
soy sauce
1/3 cup hoisin sauce
4 scallions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch,
mixed into 2 tablespoons water
Flour tortillas
Tip: Hoisin, a sweet and smoky Chinese plum sauce, can be found in jars in the Asian foods section of your local grocery store.
1) With the cooker’s lid off, heat oil on HIGH or “brown,” until sizzling. 2) Place the pork and onion in the cooker, and cook until pork is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 3) Add the coleslaw mix, garlic, beef broth, and soy sauce. Securely lock the pressure cooker’s lid, and set for 3 minutes on HIGH. 4) Perform a quick release to release the cooker’s pressure. Remove lid and set cooker to HIGH or “brown.” 5) Stir in hoisin sauce, scallions, and cornstarch mixture. Let simmer 2 minutes. 6) Serve wrapped in tortillas, spread with additional hoisin sauce, if desired.
BOSTON BAKED BEANS
Baked from Scratch
Without any Baking
Recipe from
Great Food Fast by Bob Warden
2 cups small navy (white)
beans (dry)
6 strips thick-cut bacon, diced
1 large yellow onion, diced
3 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup molasses
1/3 light brown sugar
3 tablespoons yellow mustard
1) Soak navy beans for 30 minutes as you prep the remaining ingredients. Drain and rinse the soaked beans. 2) With the cooker’s lid off, heat bacon and onion on HIGH or “brown,” until bacon is nearly crisp, about 5 minutes. 3) Add the soaked beans, water, olive oil, dry mustard, ground cloves, and pepper, and securely lock the pressure cooker’s lid. Set for 20 minutes on HIGH. 4) Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before performing a quick release for any remaining pressure. 5) Set the cooker to HIGH or “brown,” and stir in remaining ingredients. Let simmer 5 minutes, adding water if the sauce is too thick to stir.
Tip: You can make this without presoaking the beans for 30 minutes simply by adding 5 minutes to the cooking time in step 3.
BBQ BEEF TIPS
Moist and Tender BBQ in Minutes
Recipe from
Great Food Fast by Bob Warden
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound sirloin steak, cubed
1 yellow onion, diced
1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon yellow mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1) With the cooker’s lid off, heat oil on HIGH or “Brown,” until sizzling. 2) Place the steak and onion in the cooker, and cook until steak is lightly browned, about 5 minutes. 3) Add remaining ingredients and stir until combined. 4) Securely lock the pressure cooker’s lid and set for 15 minutes on HIGH. 5) Let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes before performing a quick release for any remaining pressure. 6) Add any additional salt and pepper to taste before serving.
Make it Easier: This can also be made with 1-1/4 cups of your favorite prepared BBQ sauce and 1/4 cup water in place of all of the ingredients added in step 3.
SYBIL CARTER’S
GRITS AND EGG CASSEROLE
Recipe from Food Favorites of Plains, Georgia, Plains Pot Pourri
1 cup grits
4 cups water
2 egg yolks
2 egg whites, stiffly beaten
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup sharp cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook grits with dash of salt and let cool slightly. Add all remaining ingredients, blend well with grits and turn into baking dish. Bake 45 minutes at 325 degrees.
EMILY MEGGETT’S
APPLE BROWN BETTY
Recipe from Gullah Geechee Home Cooking by Emily Meggett
6 slices white or whole-wheat bread
7 apples (2-1/2 pounds)
preferably Granny Smith
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup unsalted butter,
cut into pieces
1/3 to 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, plus more to taste
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
(from 1 orange)
1) Preheat your oven’s broiler to 500 degrees Fahrenheit, or its highest setting. On your oven’s highest rack, broil the bread on both sides, about 7 minutes total. Remove the bread from the oven and let it dry out until crunchy. 2) Cut the bread into squares, and place one half of the bread squares in the bottom of a greased 9- by 13-inch baking dish. 3) Set the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 4) Wash, peel, core, and slice the apples. 5) In a large mixing bowl, combine the cinnamon, raisins, butter, brown sugar, and cornstarch. Add the apple slices and toss to coat. Spread half of the apple mixture over the bread in the baking dish and repeat the layering until the dish is full. Sprinkle the orange juice over the entire dish. Cover with foil and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the apples are cooked. Remove the foil and bake, uncovered, for 10 minutes until brown.
BETTY LAND’S
GREEN TOMATO PIE
Recipe from First Presbyterian Church of Apopka,
Treasures and Pleasures
4 medium size green tomatoes,
unpeeled and diced
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon plain flour
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup sugar (I use brown)
Grated rind of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon butter
Pastry for 2-crust pie
Mix flour, cinnamon and brown sugar. Stir into tomatoes along with vinegar, lemon rind and diced butter. Spoon into unbaked pastry shell. Make slits in top pastry and roll onto pie filling. Seal edges. Brush lightly with cream and sprinkle with sugar. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 40 minutes longer. Lay foil under dish while baking; sometimes it will run over. Makes 9-inch pie.
