Shepherd's Pie (Beef) -- Crispy Cast Iron Version
Ingredients
Filling
- 1 lb ground beef
- 1 small onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup peas & carrots
- 2–3 tbsp ketchup
- 1–2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 cup beef broth
- 1 tbsp flour
- 1–1.5 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp thyme (optional)
Mashed Potatoes
- 2–3 potatoes
- 4 tbsp butter
- ¼–½ cup milk
- 1–1.5 tsp salt
- ¼ cup cheddar (optional)
Instructions
- Boil potatoes until tender. Mash with butter, milk, and salt.
- Brown ground beef. Drain fat.
- Add onion and cook 3–4 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
- Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and flour. Cook 1 minute.
- Add beef broth. Simmer until thickened.
- Stir in peas & carrots.
- Season to taste — filling should be slightly bold.
- Top with mashed potatoes and texture the surface with a fork.
- Bake at 400°F for 20–25 minutes, then broil 2–3 minutes until golden and crispy.
By Jamison Bryant
read morePressure Cooker Pork Steaks and Mashed Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 large pork sirloin steaks
- 8 medium potatoes
- 1 packet onion soup mix
- 1½ cups water
- 1 bouillon cube (chicken or beef)
- ½ onion, sliced thin
- 1 cup mushrooms, sliced thin (optional)
- 1 tsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and dice potatoes into roughly equal cubes. Slice onion and mushrooms thin.
- Place potatoes in a pot of heavily salted water (enough to cover) and bring to a boil. Cook until fork-tender, then drain and mash.
- Sear the pork steaks 2–3 minutes per side in the pressure cooker on sauté mode, including the edges if they’re thick. Pull out and set aside to rest.
- Dissolve the bouillon cube in ½–1 cup hot water and pour into the pot to deglaze, scraping up the fond from the bottom.
- Mix cornstarch with ½ cup cold water to make a slurry and stir into the liquid to form a gravy.
- Add onions and mushrooms, then nestle the pork steaks back in. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over everything and stir to combine.
- Seal and cook on high pressure for 12 minutes. With warmup and cooldown the total cook time is about 18 minutes.
- Meat should be fork-shreddable when done. Shred or serve whole over mashed potatoes or alongside steamed broccoli.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreQueso Chicken Enchiladas
Ingredients
- 6 burrito size flour tortillas
- 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
- 1 packet taco seasoning
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1½ cups shredded cheddar
- 1 (4 oz) can green chilies
- 1 (10 oz) can Rotel
- 16 oz Velveeta queso blanco
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, taco seasoning, sour cream, cheddar, and chilies.
- Place a few spoonfuls of the chicken mixture down the middle of each tortilla and roll up.
- Lay them in a prepared 9×13 baking dish.
- Cut the Velveeta into chunks and place into a skillet.
- Melt the Velveeta with the Rotel tomatoes over medium-low heat until smooth.
- Pour over the enchiladas and bake at 375°F for 25–30 minutes until bubbling.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreInstant Pot Honey Garlic Chicken
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs chicken breasts
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
- 1/3 cup onion, chopped
- 1/4 cup soy sauce
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/4 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1/4 cup water
- Sesame seeds
- Green onions
Instructions
- Cube your chicken then place in the Instant Pot and season generously with salt and ground black pepper.
- Cut up a third cup of onion.
- Add a quarter cup of honey, a quarter cup of ketchup, and two tablespoons of canola oil.
- Add in your chopped onions and four cloves of minced garlic.
- Pour the sauce over the chicken until covered.
- Cook the chicken on high pressure for 15 minutes.
- Remove the chicken from the sauce and place in a separate bowl.
- To thicken the sauce, use three teaspoons of cornstarch dissolved in a quarter cup of water.
- Add the mixture to the Instant Pot to saute for five minutes until sauce is thickened.
- Generously coat the chicken with the thickened sauce then remove from the pot.
- If you have any veggies, add them in and coat them with any mixture that’s left over.
- Top with sesame seeds and green onions.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreSweet Tea Brined Turkey
Ingredients
- 1 whole turkey (10–14 lbs)
- 1 bottle (about 6 oz) dry brine seasoning (or ¾ cup kosher salt blend)
- 2 gallons sweet tea (or liquid of choice)
- Large brining bag or container
Instructions
- Place turkey in large container with brine bag. Add dry brine and sweet tea until turkey is submerged.
- Seal and refrigerate for 12–24 hours.
- Remove from brine, pat dry, and roast as desired.
By Jamison Bryant
read morePerfect Cinnamon Buns
Ingredients
- ¾ cup warm milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2¼ tsp active dry yeast
- ¼ cup melted butter
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp salt
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup softened butter (for filling)
- 1½ cups brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- ½ cup heavy cream (for topping, optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine milk, sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5 mins. Add melted butter, egg, salt, and flour. Mix and knead 5 minutes.
- Let rise 1–1.5 hrs. Roll dough into a rectangle.
- Spread with softened butter, sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon.
- Cut dough into 12 strips. Roll each into a bun. Place in greased baking dish.
- Let rise 30 minutes. Pour heavy cream over tops (optional).
- Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Cool slightly.
- Mix glaze ingredients and pour over warm buns.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreMississippi Meatballs (Crock Pot)
Ingredients
- 18 homemade or frozen meatballs (~2 oz each)
- 1 packet au jus gravy mix
- ½ packet ranch dressing mix
- 2 cups low sodium beef broth
- ¼ cup pepperoncini juice
- 6 pepperoncini peppers (optional)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch + 2 tbsp water (slurry)
- 2 tbsp heavy cream
Instructions
- Brown meatballs in a skillet for 5 minutes. Transfer to crock pot.
- Mix au jus, ranch, broth, and pepperoncini juice. Pour over meatballs. Add whole peppers if desired.
- Cook on high 2–3 hrs or low 3–4 hrs.
- Remove meatballs and peppers. Stir in slurry and heavy cream to thicken sauce.
- Return meatballs and stir to coat. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreLazy Alfredo Chicken & Sausage Pasta (Ninja Combi)
Ingredients
- 12 oz dry pasta (penne or rotini)
- 2 (15 oz) jars Alfredo sauce
- 1½ cups water
- 2 cups chopped mixed vegetables (e.g., broccoli, bell pepper)
- 2 chicken breasts
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 smoked sausage, sliced
Instructions
- Add pasta, Alfredo, water, and veggies to lower pan of Ninja Combi.
- Season chicken and place in upper tray. Start cooker for 15 minutes.
- Add sausage during last 5 minutes to crisp.
- Stir everything together and serve. Easy cleanup, dishwasher safe!
By Jamison Bryant
read moreGarlic Parmesan Steak Tortellini
Ingredients
- 1 lb strip steak, cubed
- 1 bag (about 20 oz) frozen cheese tortellini
- 2 cups mixed vegetables (e.g., bell peppers, onions, zucchini)
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
- ½ cup garlic parmesan sauce
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Preheat griddle to medium heat. Add veggies with olive oil and seasoning. Cook until soft.
- Add steak to the other side of griddle, season, and cook until browned and medium doneness.
- Add frozen tortellini and a few splashes of water. Cover to steam and soften for 4–5 minutes.
- Remove cover, drizzle garlic parmesan sauce, and toss to coat tortellini.
- Mix everything together and top with Parmesan cheese. Serve hot.
By Jamison Bryant
read moreCreamy Smoked Sausage Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb kielbasa or smoked sausage, sliced
- 12 oz penne or rigatoni pasta
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 (8 oz) cans tomato sauce
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp Italian seasoning
- ½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley (for garnish)
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Sauté sausage until browned, then remove from pan.
- Add butter and garlic to pan. Sauté 1 minute, then add cream, tomato sauce, paste, and seasonings.
- Simmer for 5 minutes until thickened. Stir in Parmesan.
- Return sausage and pasta to pan. Toss to coat and garnish with parsley. Serve hot.
By Jamison Bryant
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