Pressure Cooker Goulash

When I started this blog, I posted a recipe every Tuesday.  As I mentioned at one point, Facebook is full of recipes.  Some are Paleo, some are Gluten Free, some couldn't be any more fattening and some have no calories at all.  I got to a point where so many recipes were just overwhelming.  I do search my own blog sometimes for a favorite recipe because it is easier than searching my recipe box, but I haven't added many lately.
 
Tonight I needed to get another meal on the table.  At times, nothing sounds good, and it is just something that needs to get done in a short period of time.   I came up with a good meal in less than ten minutes.  I am posting this so I don't forget how to do it myself.

Most of you know by now that I love my digital pressure cooker. http://www.thecabincountess.com/2013/01/my-favorite-small-appliance.html

I always have browned ground beef frozen in the freezer.  http://www.thecabincountess.com/2014/10/different-technique-for-browning-ground.html

I also have jars of pasta sauce.  I recently found a gluten free Butternut Squash pasta sauce at Aldi's.  I had tried it before and liked it.  I think it's a seasonal purchase so last week I bought 6 jars.  Another thing I always have on hand is pasta.

So here are the ingredients.  Browned ground beef from the freezer, macaroni, pasta sauce, salt and pepper.

Pressure Cooker Goulash

1 pound thawed browned ground beef
(I already put an onion and some garlic when I brown the meat)
2 cups of dry pasta..I used elbow macaroni
2 cups water
1 (24 oz) jar pasta sauce
Salt and pepper or any spice you like

Stir all the ingredients together in the pressure cooker pot.  Set the cooker on high pressure for six minutes.  When it beeps, release the pressure.  Stir it up and serve.  It was actually quite tasty.

Simple goulash sprinkled with a little shredded cheddar cheese.

The pressure cooker is the only way I make rice, but I had not made pasta in it.  I thought it would get too starchy.  In this case, it turned out perfect.

The recipe could be doctored up a little.  You could use spaghetti sauce and add some chili powder and even some corn for a Tex-Mex taste.  I would think a cheesy sauce would make mac and cheese.  For some reason we don't eat mac and cheese, but I think it would work. The possibilities are endless and if your imagination fails you, there is always Facebook and Google. 

Ewan the Blacksmith

I haven't written about my youngest grandson Ewan for a while.  He is the most interesting six year old kid.  I think he will grow up to be Grizzly Adams.  He would live outdoors, if he could.  He inspects every little rock and collects critters from ants to snakes.  He plays and uses his imagination all the time.  You almost always see him with a walking stick.

 

He found a snake in the woods.

 
The older kids can't live without their electronics, but not Ewan.  He prefers exploring and making things.  I have written about him wanting to be a fireman.  That lasted a long time.   He wanted to be a doctor and a secret agent.  He was also going to be a pilot or astronaut and then a cowboy.  Actually he wanted to be a Native American but settled on cowboy not realizing it was a conflict of interest.   These days he wants to be a blacksmith.  Fortunately so does his dad.  They have a blacksmith shop set up.  They have coal for a hot fire, anvils and all the necessary equipment .  They heat metal and pound it into objects.  When they aren't actually blacksmithing, they watch the latest blacksmith televison shows together. 

Carefully they heat the metal.

Then pound it into shape.

Even brother Dylan got in on the act.

Ewan and his dad are a good blacksmithing team.

It's a dirty job but that's what bathtubs are for.

I love that Ewan has so many interests and so does his dad.  They are always busy with something.  If they don't know how to do something, they research and study until they learn.  Right now Ewan's dad is busy rebuilding a 1951 pickup truck.  The last time I saw this truck it was torn apart down to the axle.  I can't wait to see what it looks like when it's finished. 

I have no doubt Ewan will be successful in whatever he ends up doing and for sure, he will never be bored.