Recipe Roundup: Easy Crock-Pot & Instant Pot Dinners

few ingredients, simple steps, full bellies

Something very strange has happened to me over the last year. I’ve become (gasp) somewhat comfortable in the kitchen. Now, don’t get me wrong — this means I feel good about my skills and have learned to trust my gut when it comes to certain things. This does not mean I enjoy recipes with:

1. too many ingredients

2. anything that requires cooking meat in a pan (a bad case of salmonella as a child scarred me for life)

3. recipes that require extensive clean-up. No thanks.

Here’s what I do enjoy about being in the kitchen as of late:

• Having Alexa play the Bridgerton soundtrack while I cook. It’s full of classical-ish instrumental versions of current hit songs. Very calming.

• Using my vegetable chopper. Why? I don’t know. There is something satisfying about slamming the top of the gadget down and ending up with perfectly uniform pieces.

• Sautéing onions and things. There’s something nervous-system soothing about standing over diced veggies glistening with oil, watching them warm up.

• Feeing my people. Sitting with them around the table. Knowing what I made brought them some comfort.

Without further ado, I wanted to share some of my go-to recipes for any day that ends in y busy weeknights. These are stupid-easy (my favorite way to describe the types of recipes I enjoy) and family-approved.