Internet Friendships, Foot Nurse, Cooking,

You know the internet is marvellous, we can talk to all our friends, send them virtual hugs and get them back without any of the health risks which would be involved in f2f contact. I think of previous pandemics where people must have felt so alone and shut in without all the facilities we have today. Not only that, of course, but we can talk to people over vast differences and become close friends with people we may never meet. Or closer with friends we have met, for instance,  ladydog I met through the internet, cookery would you believe. I have been lucky enough to meet face to face with a number of the people I met through the internet and we have always greeted each other like long lost friends. But, I have a number of friends in Australia and other countries whom, unless fortune really favours me, I will never get to see but that doesn't lessen our very close friendships which have been developed over the years. In my case, mostly through cooking.

I got in touch with the young woman who is going to be our new Foot Nurse but she isn't working right now because of the virus. That could be a problem, especially as Matt's toe nails grow rapidly. Mine don't thank goodness, in fact one toe nail doesn't grow at all any more. Part of my Peripheral Arterial Disease I believe.

This afternoon, I finally got up of my lazy rear end and made some tomato soup which I have been meaning to do since we drank the last a few weeks ago. It is, as usual, delicious. I then started chopping and measuring to make the following recipe for supper. It says serve it over rice? It has potatoes in it, why would you want rice as well? I suppose Cubans, being a somewhat poorer nation,  need filling up, and we don't in this part of the world. I have a feeling I am going to be doing a lot of cooking over the next week or two. We ate this for supper, without the rice and it was much better than I expected, in fact it was delicious. I roughly halved the recipe for my 3 qt. Pot and that was fine for two meals. Tina of Boulder Locavore was asking her subscribers if there was anything she could do for us in current times and I said thanks but nothing. I then commented I was hugging my Instant Pot and she sent me her file of IP recipes. I was delighted and will probably make more. Jacky+Amy are another great source for IP recipes. Thanks Ivy for changing my life.

Cuban Instant Pot Beef Stew (Carne Con Papas)

Carne con papas or Cuban Beef Stew is a soul-warming dish with rich spices (thought it's not spicy-

hot), chunks of tender meat and potatoes in a savory broth.

2 Tbs Olive Oil
2 lbs Beef Stew Meat (my butcher uses Top Sirloin)
4 medium Garlic Cloves , peeled and diced
1 medium White Spanish Onion , peeled and chopped
1 medium Green Bell Pepper , cored and chopped
2 medium Potatoes (approximately 1 pound), peeled and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 cup Low Sodium Beef Broth
½ cup Dry Sherry or Madeira (note: if you prefer not to use any liquor, substitute ½ cup more beef broth)
1 8-ounce can can Tomato Sauce
1 14.5-ounce can can Diced Tomatoes , undrained
1 ½ Tbs Paprika
1 Tbs Distilled White Vinegar
1 tsp Oregano
½ tsp ground Cumin

1. Plugin the power cord of the Instant Pot and when the LED display reads ‘OFF’ (in standby mode), press the SAUTE button (with the lid off).

2. Add the olive oil and the stew meat. Brown the stew meat, allowing it to sit between stirring to develop a sear on each side (note: it can be done in two batches.). Remove and place the meat on a plate or mixing bowl.

3. Add the garlic, onion and green pepper to the Instant Pot and sauté for 3 minutes.

4. Add the beef (with any accumulated juices) and all the remaining ingredients to the Instant Pot. Seal and select MEAT/STEW (which is preset for High Pressure for 35 minutes).

5. When cooking is complete, wait 10 minutes then do a Quick Release. Serve over rice.

Yield: 8 cups stew

Source: Boulder Locavore

Have a great day