DIY Fire Bowl/Indoor Fire Pit for Ambiance, Rituals, Warmth, and Witchery ~ For Around $20 or Less

As always, if you just want the instructions, without the story behind it, click here.

I’ve been working on creating a “back yard oasis” since moving into my current home. Part of that includes a sheltered, outdoor “living room” — a seating space that combines being outside and enjoying nature with the comfort, convenience, and ambience of a traditional living room and some-time cigar lounge. This seating area is on the patio, under a gazebo (which also houses the sheltered dining area), and I was originally planning to have one of those propane “fire pit” tables in the middle of it, but it turns out they are not safe in a soft-top gazebo unless the roof is much higher than mine.

So I looked up “indoor fire pits” — and laughed out loud (after I picked my jaw back up off my desk). Apparently, ambience is worth its weight in gold these days. “Absolutely NOT, mass consumerism machine — I’m not feeding you today!”

The most plain and basic ones started at $30.00, and ones anywhere close to the look I was going for were more like $99.00 and up. Considering they are all, literally, simply an inner receptacle for alcohol or similar fuel, with varying outer containers, filler, and rocks or fire glass or whatever, I knew I could make something better, safer, and far cheaper that still looked like it belonged in my backyard oasis for ambience, s’mores, heat, ritual, or all of the above.

By the time it was assembled, all four elements were already right there in the bowl — earth in the sand, water in the shimmer of the glass (which is, technically, liquid), fire at the centre, and air rising with the incense smoke when I stuck some sticks into the sand. Balance in a bowl.

For around twenty dollars or less, and maybe as many minutes of your time, you can build your own, personal, indoor/outdoor hearth — portable, beautiful, and endlessly adaptable. Whether it’s the centrepiece for a ritual, a quiet evening by yourself, or a way to keep the vibe alive when the weather turns, this little fire bowl proves that warmth and witchery don’t have to come with a luxury price tag.

Mine cost closer to the twenty than the “or less,” because I already had a very specific vision in mind, so I paid about $10 (plus tax) just for the bowl — but if I’d been willing to go for even a slightly different look, I could have got everything for about that amount. It’s also good to remember that often, Walmart has the same things for cheaper than the dollar store, so always check if you have both nearby. Also, there are thrift stores, Buy Nothing, and Freecycle type groups, where you can find all kinds of treasures, not to mention give new homes to things you want out of your space, but not in the landfills!

Make Your Own Fire Bowl/Indoor Fire Pit

Supplies:

• Bowl ($9.98)
The main structure of the fire bowl. I used a ceramic planter, but it can be literally any type, shape, or size container, as long as it’s made of some kind of fire-proof material. Dollar store finds can work; Walmart was cheaper for me on the day.

• Sand ($4.97 for a 44-lb bag)
Insulates to keep fire and heat contained and outer surfaces cool, weights the bottom so it won’t tip, and acts as the base for stones and the fuel canister.

• Tuna (or similar) tin with smooth-edge lid (free)
Fuel canister. Holds alcohol/gel/oil fuel. Lid extinguishes flame and slows evaporation.

• Side-cut / “safe-cut” can opener (assumed on hand)
Needed to create that smooth reusable lid.

• Slightly larger tin (I used a dolmas tin) (free)
Holds back sand/stones and anchors the inner fuel canister.

• Decorative stones/glass ($2.94)
Optional but pretty. I used Gold, Gold Matte Metal, and Ruby Red glass gems. Any fireproof stones, glass, marbles, tiles, pea gravel, crystals, etc. will do.

• 20–22-gauge wire (under $1 of a $4.97 roll)
For a simple “D” handle on the lid.

• HVAC tape (under $1 of a $5.78 roll)
To affix the handle to the lid — heat-resistant and nearly invisible on metal.

• Coaster ($2.00 or less)
Optional cover to hide the fitted lid when not in use; also a resting place for the hot lid. Stone/ceramic/metal all fine; tiles or found lids work too.

• 70% isopropyl alcohol ($2.98/qt)
Fuel. 70% gives visible orange/yellow flames; 90% burns hotter and bluer. Alternatives: hand sanitiser, Sterno/gel fuel, torch oil, buddy burner, paper/twigs (more smoke).

Instructions:

• Fill base container with sand to ~1″ from top. Pack down lightly.

• Press the larger tin down to make a well; pack surrounding sand firmly and level to the bowl’s edge.

• Place tins nested together in the well. Arrange stones/gravel around them.

• Make a “D”-shaped wire handle for the lid; affix with HVAC tape (I covered the lid for a uniform look).

• Fill the inner can with alcohol and light. If it doesn’t catch right away, hold the flame longer; cold fuel takes longer to ignite.

 

Safety & Fuel Notes

A few things to keep your fire bowl happy, healthy, and not accidentally explosive.

Fuel choices:
70% isopropyl alcohol burns the cleanest and gives you those lovely, visible orange-yellow flames that feel like actual fire, rather than the eerie blue lab-burner look of 90%. You can also use hand sanitiser, Sterno, or other gel fuels, torch oil, cooking oil, or even a buddy burner if you fancy making your own. Twigs and paper work too, though they’ll smoke a bit more.

Ventilation:
If you’re using alcohol as your fuel, it’s perfectly fine to use your fire bowl in an enclosed space — as long as it’s not too small or sealed tighter than a submarine. A bit of airflow is all that’s needed. Isopropyl burns cleanly, producing mostly carbon dioxide and water vapour, with minimal carbon monoxide. So yes, gazebos, sunrooms, and lounges are all fair game. Just avoid lighting it in a broom closet… or anything smaller than you are.

General sense & self-preservation:

• Never pour more fuel into a still-warm can. Let it cool first — it’s patient, you can be too.
• Keep it on a stable, heat-resistant surface.
• Extinguish with the fitted lid, not your breath. (The latter works, but tends to singe eyebrows.)
• And for the love of common sense, keep sleeves, scarves, and wandering pets clear of the flame.

That’s it. Fire is a living thing — respect it a little, and it’ll serve you faithfully for years.

 

A properly stocked kitchen is the first step to a well stocked larder (every day preps)

 The title of the post really says it all. 

I've been told so many times, by so many people, when talking about being prepared for whatever comes along, "I wouldn't even know where to begin!", and so I finally decided to tackle that question with a post.

So, I started to write a post about how to build a well stocked larder.

It wasn't long before I realised that I had gotten way ahead of myself. 

You can't well use the contents of even the most generously stocked larder if it is not supported by a good foundation of the essential basics.

It turns out I was coming from the starting point of presupposing that "everybody" has certain things on hand in their kitchen or pantry. 
That just isn't true anymore, and most people who are saying, "Where do I even start?", are not coming from that place.

Let's face it. Most people in modern times are not coming from that place!

More and more these days, people don't cook. Folks order takeout,  go out to eat, or eat fast food and pre-packaged meals. 
Even when most people say they "cook", what they really mean is that they take a box or a can from the shelf, or a package from the freezer, and heat it up, maybe even in the oven or on the stove. 
Or, if they are feeling really ambitious, the packaging will have different components that need to be prepared, packets added, water, or some milk and butter stirred in, or they use meal kits, that come with exact amounts of everything they need to make a single meal. 
Articles that offer dinner recipes ready in an hour or less are almost completely out of fashion, because who has time to spend more than 20 minutes, TOPS on dinner!? If you can't get it done faster than delivery can get it done, why bother?

When COVID hit, lots of folks realised just how much we, as a society, have come to rely on and take for granted being able to just stop and grab dinner on the way home every day, or otherwise have immediate and pretty much round the clock access to whatever we want, when we want it. 
When I initially started this post, a month or more into some level or another of "lockdown" for most of the Western world, and just starting to gradually ease out of such restrictions in some places, many people were tired of living on ramen and other instant foods, or maybe they just couldn't get them, because the stores were still out of them. 

Either way, more people than ever in the last couple decades or more began cooking all or most of their meals at home, and, for more than a few, it was a frightening foray deep into the unknown. 

I actually remember a time before there were microwaves - and, therefore, microwave meals, food delivery other than pizza or Chinese (and then only in  more populated areas, usually near a big city), 24-hour grocery stores, meal kits, and tons of the other things that are simply commonplace today, and most people ate dinner at home, that was cooked from scratch at home, the majority of the time, but that is "ancient history" to a lot of you. Yes, brontosaurus burgers were very tasty. Thank you for asking!

So! for the most basic, bare bones things you need to have on hand in your kitchen/pantry in order to make a meal from just about anything - or even just from those things, in times of desperation, check out this post. 

Once you've got that down, then come back here and learn how to take it from bare bones to properly stocked. 

So, you have the absolute essentials. You're not going to starve if the shit hits the fan, and you've experimented with what you happen to have on hand or what was on sale, or a few things you got for the recipes you found and made. Now what?

Now, it’s time to build out that foundation into something you can actually live with - not just survive on. This is the level where your kitchen stops being a room full of random ingredients and starts being your most powerful tool for independence.

The good news is that “properly stocked” doesn’t have to mean crammed full or expensive. It means balanced, flexible, and ready - you’ve got the essentials to make real food, most days, without needing to run to the store every time you want to cook something that didn’t come in a box.

First Step: The Universal Pantry Core

Every cuisine in the world is built on some combination of fat, acid, salt, and flavour base. You’ve already got fat and salt covered - so let’s expand that toolkit.
 

Flavour Builders

These are your everyday magic-makers. They show up in nearly every cuisine and will keep you from falling into the “beans and rice again?” blues.

• Onions, garlic, and celery – The holy trinity of almost everything. Buy fresh when you can, but dried or frozen works fine too.
• Broth or bouillon – Vegetable, chicken, beef. Great for soups, stews, grains, and flavouring beans. And you can make your own bone broth  or vegetable broth for free!
• Tomato paste or canned tomatoes – Adds umami depth and tang.
• Vinegar – White vinegar for cleaning and basic cooking, plus one or more additional types of vinegar (apple cider, wine, rice, etc.) for dressings, sauces, and more complex recipes. You can always buy just one additional kind per month, until you have all the types you want on hand, depending on the kinds of recipes you'll be making. More on that in the next food stocking post. 
• Soy sauce and/or Worcestershire - Salt plus savoury/umami punch.
• Mustard - Yellow for classic comfort food, Dijon for a touch of sophistication. More types as you go for branching out. 
• Hot sauce and/or chili flakes - Pick one or two you like and use it with abandon. (Your ten-plus collection belongs in the "Well Stocked Larder" section, later.)
• Honey, molasses, and/or maple syrup - Sweeten, glaze, and balance acidic or spicy dishes.
• Lemon juice or bottled citrus - Brightens almost anything.

• A handful of versatile dried herbs and spices:

• Black pepper
• Paprika (sweet or smoked)
• Oregano or Italian blend
• Basil or thyme
• Cumin
• Cinnamon

If you’ve got those, you can create just about any flavour profile with a few tweaks.

Proteins That Stretch

Protein keeps you full and powers all the repair work your body does, but it doesn’t have to mean expensive cuts of meat. Mix shelf-stable and fresh options for balance:

• Eggs – Fresh, or powdered for backup.
• Fresh or frozen cuts on sale or in bulk – Especially stuff marked down for quick sale! Remember, you can freeze portions that you won't use right away. This is where a vacuum sealer really comes in handy. 
• Canned tuna, chicken, or salmon – Quick proteins with long shelf life.
• Lentils – They cook fast, keep forever, and can go from soup to curry.
• Beans (dry or canned) – You’ve already got these, but variety helps.
• Nut butters – Energy, fat, and protein in one spoonful.
• Cured or shelf-stable meats – Bacon bits, spam, corned beef, pepperoni.

Grains & Starches

Flour, oats, and rice are the backbone; now let’s give them some friends.

• Pasta – In all its glorious forms.
• Cornmeal or polenta – Fried mush, cornbread, grits - all comfort.
• Breadcrumbs or panko – Stretch meat, coat fried foods, thicken stews.
• Potatoes – Fresh, powdered, or dehydrated flakes.
• Tortillas, crackers, or shelf-stable wraps – Fast carb delivery systems.
• Dry cereals (hot and cold ones) - But rather than buying the pre-made "9 grain hot cereal" and similar mixes, make your own, on the cheap, by adding other grains and seeds to your oats. Recipes coming soon(ish), and will be linked here. 

Vegetables & Fruit

Variety is both nutrition and morale. Keep a mix of fresh, frozen, and shelf-stable on hand.

• Frozen mixed veggies – Don’t knock them. Perfect for soups, pot pies, and stir-fries.
• Canned goods – Tomatoes, corn, peas, carrots, green beans, fruit.
• Dried veg mix – Great for soups and emergencies.
• Root vegetables – Onions, carrots, garlic, potatoes - they last ages if stored right.
• Dried fruit or fruit cups – Sweet snacks and baking boosters.

Dairy & Alternatives

You don’t need a dairy aisle in your fridge, just the key players.

• Fresh, powdered and/or evaporated milk – For sauces, baking, and tea (or coffee, in a pinch, if you don't have half and half, or are a savage, heathen.. err, I mean, not a coffee snob).
• Cheeses – Whatever variety(ies) you will be using most, in blocks and/or shredded. Both freeze well. I recommend buying in bulk and separating into 1/2 lb to 1 lb blocks/bags. Vacuum seal the smaller blocks, and store the shredded in quart freezer bags with all the air squeezed out. Don't forget to label things clearly!
• Butter and/or ghee – Adds flavour and stability.
• Plant milks (if applicable) – Almond, soy, oat, whatever fits your diet.

Tools & Kitchen Consumables

Your food is only as useful as your ability to cook it. If you’re missing a few basics, pick them up second-hand or one at a time.

• Baking sheet & casserole dish
• Frying pans, saucepans, and at least one really large (5 qt or more) pot or Dutch Oven - Cast iron is extremely versatile, can be used directly in/on open flame, and will last multiple generations with a little TLC. 
• Mixing bowls
• Measuring cups/spoons
• Wooden spoon 
• Cooking spatula (AKA pancake turner) 
• Rubber spatula
• Whisk
• Strainer/colander
• Foil
• Parchment paper
• Plastic wrap
• Storage containers or reusable freezer bags

Next Step: Add Your Own Flavour

Once your basics are set, then you can start flavour-branching. These are small, high-impact tweaks that steer your kitchen toward your favourite cuisines without cluttering your shelves. 

Start with one region or comfort zone and expand naturally. If your spice shelf starts to look like it’s holding a UN summit, congratulations - you’re doing something right!

Here are some examples...

Italian / Mediterranean

• Olive oil
• Balsamic vinegar
• Oregano
• Garlic
• Pasta
• Canned tomatoes

Mexican / Latin

• Cumin
• Chili powder
• Beans
• Rice
• Tortillas
• Salsa

Asian

• Soy sauce
• Sesame oil
• Lime juice 
• Rice vinegar
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Rice noodles
• Sriracha sauce 

American Comfort Foods

• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Gravy mixes
• BBQ sauce
• Bouillon

Remember - Build It Slowly

The biggest mistake people make is trying to “complete” a kitchen in one shopping trip. 

Don’t.

Add one or two new things each week - maybe a spice, a different type of beans, a bag of another rice variety.
Tape a “use-and-replenish” list inside a cupboard door. If you use the last of something, or, better yet, if it's getting low, it goes on that list immediately.

The goal is to cook regularly from what you store and store what you actually cook. That’s how your kitchen stays both thrifty and reliable - no more mystery cans from the apocalypse of 2008!

Next Stop: The Larder

At this point, you’ve moved from bare survival to functional, flexible living. You can make a real variety of meals, feed others, and handle a few weeks of disruption without stress.

In the next post of this mini-series, we’ll move on to the well stocked larder - where things start getting deep, literally and figuratively. That’s where we talk about bulk buying, rotation systems, long-term storage, and yes - the luxury of ten mustards, twelve vinegars, and a hot sauce for every mood. That next post will be linked here as soon as it goes live. 

Because preparedness isn’t about hoarding; it’s about Freedom! 

Recipe ~ Instant Pot Borscht ~ Comfort, Colour, and a Bowlful of History

As always, if you just want the recipe without the story behind it, click here,.

There’s a reason borscht has survived centuries and borders: it’s not just a soup — it’s a ritual in red. Earthy beets lend their jewel-toned magic, beef bones infuse the broth with richness, and the tang of lemon ties it all together in a single, steaming spoonful that feels like home, no matter where you’re from.

The rest of the bone broth waiting to go in the pot

This version honours that old-world heart while embracing the speed of modern life. The Instant Pot turns what once demanded an entire afternoon of simmering into a meal that comes together in just about an hour and forty minutes, start to finish - tender beef, sweet-savoury vegetables, and that unmistakable crimson glow that makes the kitchen smell like nostalgia itself.

I first tasted borscht at a large camping event back in the early 2000s, and it was so delicious that I just had to have the recipe. So I did what any food-obsessed camper would do — I begged very prettily, full on, shameless, big, brown puppy eyes engaged, until the chef caved.

What I got was a 300-serving recipe, complete with measurements in grams and litres, written in that mysterious shorthand of professional cooks who assume everyone owns a compact car sized cauldron and a crew. From there, the challenge was scaling it down to a non-insane, household version and translating everything into regular, USA-style kitchen logic.

This involved more math than any meal deserves, but I wanted that, exact borscht - not a simplified version, not a “close enough.” So I sat down and did the math (with lots of help from Google and conversion calculators!), scaling everything down precisely before buying a single ingredient. The first time I made it, it was exactly as I remembered it from the event.

For years after, I made it the traditional way: slow, aromatic, and all-consuming — the kind of recipe that fogs up all the windows, and makes the house smell like comfort itself. I made a few tweaks to the recipe over the years, to make it more to my exact tastes, budget, and to make it a little healthier (and even more delicious, IMO!) too. It was worth it every time, but let’s be honest - a meal that takes all day to coax into perfection isn’t exactly weeknight-friendly.

Enter the Instant Pot. With a few order of operations and timing adjustments, I finally managed to capture that same deep, ruby richness without sacrificing an entire afternoon to the stove gods. It’s the same flavour I fell in love with, just with modern magic doing the heavy lifting, and allowing just enough time to shape, rise, bake, and cool a nice loaf of crusty, slow fermented, no knead bread to serve alongside every bowl. (That recipe will be coming soon!)

So here it is: the evolution of my borscht. Same flavour, less waiting — because life’s too short to stand watch over a pot all day… unless you want to.

Serve it the traditional way, with a dollop of sour cream or thick Greek yogurt and a scatter of fresh dill, and you’ll swear it’s been cooking since sunrise.
(But your Instant Pot and I will know the truth.)

Instant Pot Borscht

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 1 Hour, 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 Hour, 40 minutes
(Cook time includes IP coming to pressure and release time)
Yield: 6-10servings
Method: Instant Pot

Equipment

• Instant Pot or other pressure cooker.

Ingredients

• ~3 lbs Bone in beef shank (can sub bone in beef chuck, beef short ribs, or oxtail)
• 2-3 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
• 1-2 Med-Lg onions, chopped or sliced
• salt & pepper for meat 
• 1 tsp paprika
• 5 Cups beef stock or bone broth
• 0.5 lb carrots, chopped or sliced
• 3-4 stalks celery, chopped
• 1/2 Med head red cabbage, chopped or shredded
• 1 lb beets (about 4 cups), chopped or sliced
• 2 15oz cans diced tomatoes
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 3 tsp white sugar
• 2-4 large potatoes, sliced or large diced (optional)
• Sour cream or Greek yogurt for garnish/to mix in
• fresh dill for garnish (optional)

Directions

1. Salt and pepper both sides of meat well.
2. Brown meat & onion with paprika in oil on sauté. 
3. Remove meat from pot.
4. Add broth & deglaze pot w/wooden spoon.
5. Return meat + remaining beef stock to pot.
6. Set for 30 minutes on high pressure, and allow 15 mins natural release. 
7. Remove meat again, add remaining ingredients except lemon juice to broth & set for 5 minutes w/quick release.
8. While veg is cooking, cut/shred beef into bite sized chunks.
9. Return beef to pot along with lemon juice and stir well.
10. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or Greek yogurt in each bowl.
11. Yum yum!!

Notes

• Using homemade bone broth instead of instant significantly improves the depth and richness of flavour!!
• This goes very well with slabs of rustic, crusty, buttered bread!

• This can be made vegan or vegetarian by omitting the meat and sour cream, and just using vegetable broth. 

Click here for more great recipes!

Recipe ~ Cinnabombastic Cinnamon Rolls ~ A Cinnabon Copy, But Better (Bread Machine)

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

Cinnabons are delicious! This is one of the great Truths of the Universe, and anyone who has had one of these food court confections knows it! 

 

That said, they are also expensive, you have to brave the mall to get one, and, lets face it, as delicious as they are, some of their flavour gets drowned out by the sugar content, which is a dang shame, because the rolls really should be the star of their own show. 

With that in mind, I set out to turn near perfection into doughy pillowy, yeasty rolls of completely perfect, cinnamony sweet, celestial proportion. 

 

First, I went searching for Cinnabon clone recipes, found the very best reviewed ones out there and followed directions, exactly. Next, I did some tweaks to combine elements of those, until I had as close to an exact replica of the real deal as possible. Then, it was time to get to the improvements. 

Now, if you happen to think the level of sugar and cinnamon in the OG Cinnabons are perfect, all you have to do is increase the sugar by about 1/3 in both the frosting and the rolls, and decrease the cinnamon by almost half in this recipe, and they will come out tasting like you went to the mall, but without the smell of desperation clinging to your soul like the holiday music they are already piping to in when it's barely October. But if the idea of a Cinnabon, only with less sweet and more cinnamon hits your sweet spot, then follow along exactly! 

Either way, now is a perfect time to make up a batch of 'em, because it's October, and that means it is finally cool enough to start using the oven again, without risking anyone dying of heat stroke.

Cinnabombastic Cinnamon Rolls

Equipment:

•  9"x13" or larger baking sheet

• Mixer 

• Bread machine 

Ingredients: 

DOUGH

• 1 Cup warm milk (About 100°F)
• 2 eggs (room temperature)
• 1/3 Cup butter (melted)
• 4 1/2 Cups  flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 Cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tsp bread machine/rapid rise yeast

DOUGH FILLING MIXTURE:

• 1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
• 2-3 Tbs ground cinnamon
• 1/3 Cup butter (softened)

FROSTING (Makes a LOT. I use about half this much for one batch rolls, but it's nice to have on hand for people who want to dip or drizzle more)

• 1/2 Cup cream cheese (softened)
• 1/4 Cup butter (softened)
• 2/3 Cups powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/8 tsp salt

Directions: 

• Place ingredients in the bread machine pan in order recommended by manufacturer, select dough cycle and press start.
• Once dough has doubled in size in the bread machine, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface, cover with a towel, and let rest for about 10 minutes. 
• Meanwhile, mix filling ingredients thoroughly in a small bowl, and set aside.
• Roll dough into a 16x21(ish) inch rectangle (or oval if you're lazy..err.. I mean, time saving!). 
• Spread dough filling mixture over the whole thing. 
• Starting with long edge, roll up dough and cut into rolls, at least 1", up to 2" thick. 
• Arrange rolls, not quite touching, on a 9"x13" or larger, lightly greased or parchment lined baking sheet/pan. 
• Cover with a towel and let rise until nearly doubled - about 30 minutes.
• While rolls are rising, preheat oven to 400°F. 
• Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown - about 15 minutes.
• While rolls are baking, use mixer to beat together cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt. Spread frosting on warm rolls before serving.

Notes: 

• Filling and icing can be refrigerated for a few weeks, frozen in the regular freezer for 3-6 months in an airtight container, or in the deep freezer (a 0°F or less) indefinitely. 

• Give refrigerated filling about 20 seconds in the microwave or thaw on counter for a couple hours. 

• If using icing right out of the refrigerator, put dollops on rolls as soon as they come out of the oven and spread when soft enough 

• You can also serve rolls with condiment cups of microwaved frosting, for dipping or drizzling. 

Recipe ~ Ram Copycat Beer Cheese Soup (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Stovetop)

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

 

October "officially" kicks off soup season, especially thick and hearty soups to ward off the fall chills, and since I've already posted my Oktoberfest Ale Potato Cheese Soup, which I've already made twice in the last couple weeks, I figured I'd post the one that was actually the impetuous for that one - My Ram Copycat Beer Cheese Soup. 

 

 This is a seasonal soup they serve, and it has changed somewhat over the years, from what I can glean on archived versions of their website, but this is the one that was my personal favourite, from sometime in the 2010s, that used their Buttface Amber Ale, and was chock full of rich, creamy cheeses, bacon, ham, celery, and carrots. 

I am sure that my version is not exactly the same as theirs. Their recipe is proprietary, and, unlike many restaurant recipes, theirs seem to remain pretty solidly locked down. That doesn't stop dedicated cooks who super-tasters/smellers from coming up with the closest thing possible, though, and what I came up with, after lots of research on the ingredients that I COULD confirm being in their recipe (one ingredient search at a time, and a very tedious process, but worth it!), was pretty damn close! Definitely close enough to skip the trip to the restaurant and have it at home most of the time. 

 

Whether you've had the pleasure of enjoying the Ram's beer cheese soup or not, I guarantee this is a delight for the taste-buds! The only problem is being too full when you still want to eat more of it. 

Ram Copycat Beer Cheese Soup

 

(Times based on Instant Pot Method. Other methods take longer)
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6-8 servings

 

Ingredients: 

•     1/2 lb bacon, diced (ends and pieces or thick sliced is best)
•     1/2 lb ham, cubed, bite sized (can sub additional 1/2 lb bacon)
•     2 large white or yellow onions, chopped or sliced
•     2 Tbs minced garlic
•     1 Cup carrots, finely chopped
•     1 Cup celery, finely chopped
•     8 Tbs butter (1 stick)
•     1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
•     1/4 tsp cayenne
•     1/2 tsp+ fresh ground pepper medley, (or black pepper) - to taste
•     1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
•     1/2 Cup all-purpose flour
•     1 tsp dry mustard powder
•     12-24 oz Ram's Buttface Amber Ale, or another, similar amber ale (Like Alaskan)
•     2 Cups half-and-half
•     2 Tbs Worcestershire sauce
•     ~4-6 Cups chicken broth (bone broth is best, and you can make it for almost free!)
•     1 Tbs Dijon mustard
•     16 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
•     8 oz Colby & Monterey jack cheese, shredded (can sub jack, mozzarella, Havarti, muenster, or white American)
•     4 oz cream cheese, cubed or sliced for even incorporation
•     8 oz sour cream or plain, Greek yogurt

Directions: 

• Heat a large pot or Dutch oven (Or skillet, for Slow Cooker) over med-high heat, or set the Instant Pot to "Sauté", add bacon, and cook until almost crisp. 
•     Add the butter to the pot.
•     When butter has mostly melted, add the ham, onion, carrots, and celery, and sauté for 5–7 minutes, or until the vegetables are softened.
•     Add the minced garlic, dry mustard, cayenne pepper, salt, pepper, and nutmeg and cook for 1 more minute until fragrant. 
•     Sprinkle the flour over the cooked vegetables, and stir constantly for 1–2 minutes to create a light roux. 
•     Slowly whisk in the ale, making sure to scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
• If USING SLOW COOKER: Transfer contents of skillet to slow cooker, stir in all remaining ingredients except cheeses and sour cream/yogurt, and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours, stirring in cheeses and sour cream/yogurt in the last 20 minutes of cooking, and serve when it's all mixed in smoothly. Otherwise...
•  Stir in broth and Worcestershire sauce.   
• IF USING INSTANT POT: lock & seal lid, and cook on "Manual" or "Pressure Cook" for 4–5 minutes, with a natural release, and skip to the last step. Otherwise...
• Reduce heat to med-low and gradually stir in half & half, then simmer 10–15 minutes, until thickened slightly.
• Reduce the heat to low, add Dijon, and gradually stir in cheeses, stirring continuously until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth.         
•  IF USING INSTANT POT: After quick release, open lid, add half & half, Dijon, and gradually stir in cheeses and sour cream/yogurt, stirring continuously until the cheese is completely melted and the soup is smooth.

• Garnish With:
  

  •     Crispy bacon bits
  •     Shredded cheese(s)
  •     Chopped green onions (scallions) 
  •     Parsley
  •     Popped popcorn (apparently, that is a thing)
  •     Whatever else sounds good! 

Notes: 

• Do not let the soup boil after adding the cheese! It will separate and the texture will be grainy/curdled.

Recipe ~ Cheater Instant Pot Spaghetti

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

My regular, Instant Pot Spaghetti recipe is definitely WAY better than this, but we all know that sometimes, we just need something really fast and easy, and this spaghetti hits all the comfort food buttons in short order along with the quick and easy ones. 

 I, again, borrowed from the bare bones IP spaghetti recipe I found online elsewhere for this, but it is still more involved than that one. 

You can just omit the  majority of the ingredients, other than the pasta, sauce, and water, and it will basically be that other recipe, and will be a passable quick meal, but so would just having a pack of ramen with a few spare condiment packs stirred in. 

 

The added ingredients only add an extra 5-10 minutes, and make SUCH a difference in the final product, that I feel like it's worth it every time. 

 

Also, like most on this site, this recipe is for a BIG batch, that either feeds a lot of people with 6-8 LARGE servings (as in, there aren't side dishes in the meal - it IS the meal), or has leftovers to eat later, whether that means you're having it for every meal until it's gone, or portioning, packaging, and freezing for next time you need something even MORE quick and easy, like a freezer meal. 

 

Cheater Instant Pot Spaghetti

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 15-25 minutes (including time to come to pressure & natural release time)
Yield: 6-8 servings

Equipment:

•  Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker

Ingredients: 

    • 2 lbs Ground Beef, Meatballs, Italian sausage, or other meat (can reduce for cost or health)
    • 1-2 Tbs minced garlic (OR 2 tsp garlic powder for faster & easier)
    • 2 med onions, chopped, diced, or sliced, as preferred (OR 2 tsp onion powder for faster & easier) 
    • 1 Tbs Italian Seasoning (to taste)
    • 2 Pound Spaghetti Noodles
    • 2 (48 Ounce) Jars Spaghetti Sauce
    • 1.5 Jars Water 
    • 2 (29 Ounce) Cans Diced Tomatoes or tomato sauce

Directions: 

    • Set IP to sauté and add ground beef.   
    • Add garlic, onion and Italian seasoning.   
    • Cook, breaking meat up until browned & onions (if using) are tender.  
    • Break spaghetti in half and place on top of meat.   
    • Pour in spaghetti sauce, tomato, and water, ensuring pasta is completely covered in liquid. 
    • Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes w/natural release 
    • Stir well & serve

Notes:

Recipe ~ Instant Pot Spaghetti

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

This is basically just my regular spaghetti sauce recipe, but with instructions for including the pasta right in the pot instead of cooking it separately in a different pot. The only differences are the pasta in the pot and the addition of extra water.

 I had previously found a recipe elsewhere for Instant Pot spaghetti, but I only really was going for the information I needed for time and additional liquid, cause the recipe itself was just straight up jarred sauce and pasta, which, IMO, doesn't really qualify as a recipe at all, but rather, a method. Anyway, I took into account the fact that the sauce would already be hot, and adjusted the cook time and liquid addition accordingly, and that's it. But I figured I'd post it anyway, since it's Spaghetti September and all. (Yes, I'm still going with that. I won't stop. I will make it a thing.)

 

So, without further ado, I present to you... 

Instant Pot Spaghetti

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes
Total Time: 30-40 minutes (including time to come to pressure & natural release time)

Equipment:

•  Instant Pot or other electric pressure cooker

 Ingredients: 

• 2 lbs Ground Beef, Meatballs, Italian sausage, or other meat (can reduce for cost or health)
• 1-3 Tbs Olive Oil
• 2 Lg Yellow Onions, Diced
• 2 green bell peppers, seeded & diced
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 lb or so carrots, chopped (or minced, it you want to hide them)
• 3-4 Lg stalks celery, roughly chopped
• about 8oz sliced mushrooms of desired type (fresh or canned-drained) 
• 1 Cup white wine (can sub red/merlot) 
• 2 cans (28oz) diced or stewed tomatoes (or 4 14oz)
• 1 can (14oz) crushed/pureed tomatoes
• 1 can (4oz) tomato paste
• 16-24oz good store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
• 1 Tbs Italian seasoning
• 2-4 plums, figs, or dates (fresh or dried), chopped, diced, or pureed (Or sub 2 Tbs sugar)
• 2 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1/4 Cup finely minced fresh parsley (or 3 Tbs parsley flakes), more to taste
• 1 whole rind from one wedge parmesan (optional)
• 1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)    
• 4 Cups water or broth
• 1 lb spaghetti pasta, broken in half 

 

Directions: 

• Set to sauté, add meat to pot and start to brown, breaking up into smaller pieces if ground.
• Add garlic onion, peppers, and seasonings, and continue sautéing, stirring regularly, until onion starts to turn translucent, adding olive oil if needed to prevent sticking (not usually needed with leaner meats).
• Add additional veggies and cook for another 3-5 minutes.     
• Deglaze pot with wine allowing it to boil and reduce for about 1 minute.
• Add tomatoes, paste, sauce, plums/figs/dates/sugar, parsley, Parmesan grated + rind and crushed red pepper (if using), and stir well.
• Seal and cook on high pressure for 20-30 minutes w/natural release, or 30-35 minutes w/quick release.
• Remove lid, add broth/water, stirring down to bottom of pot as well as able.
• Add pasta to pot in a criss-cross pattern, ensuring it is completely covered in liquid by pushing down with spoon or ladle. 
• Seal and cook on high pressure for 6 minutes w/natural release 
• Stir well & serve

Recipe ~ Extra Veggie & Meat Spaghetti Sauce (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, or Stovetop)

 

As always, if you just want the recipe, without the story behind it, click here.

It seems like almost every search these days for a recipe for any meat dish, but with lots of vegetables ends up being a vegetarian or vegan recipe. Now, I'm not knocking those, and I'm not one to insist on meat with every meal, or even every day, but I AM a confirmed omnivore, and I want it all! 

So, as per my usual, I set out to make it so, and, in honour of Spaghetti September (What do you mean that isn't a thing? It is so! I totally didn't just invent it on the spot!    OK.. I might have.    Fine! I made it up, but it's a good idea!), and on the heels of my homemade marinara recipes, which are great in this spaghetti sauce, decided it was a good time to post it! 

 

My mom's spaghetti sauce always had celery in it, but only a little, and there wasn't minced garlic either - just a little garlic powder, but I prefer the real thing so I knew I wanted to add both of those. Nor did it have much of anything else. It was a very standard sauce, made by adding browned ground beef or Italian sausage, onions, celery, Italian seasoning, and maybe some mushrooms to a can of Ragu. And it was good! I always looked forward to Spaghetti and spinach night (cause, for whatever reason, fresh or frozen spinach, pan "fried" in butter with salt and pepper was ALWAYS the side dish with spaghetti), and always wanted seconds if I could fit it in. But, once my kids were older and the husband was history, I started doing a lot more experimenting with elevating my culinary cred, and had TIME to devote to creating and testing more recipes, I was no longer willing to settle for just "good". 

 

I wanted something that brought together the old nostalgia with some of the sauces I'd had at authentic, Italian restaurants, and was healthier, and had enough vegetables in it that it not only packed in more delicious flavour, but also provided a full serving of veggies with every serving, so certain people who would eat the main dish, but eschew the the veg sides would at least get some extra nutrition. 

So, I looked up a bunch of "the best" recipes, went down several rabbit holes researching what was authentically "traditional, and why, exactly what various ingredients do for the end result in a tomato based meat sauce, discovering that some things actually have chemical reactions aside from the taste of the ingredient, that works with the other ingredients to create whole additional layers of flavour and/or texture (Yay Science!!). I learned a lot, made and ate a lot more spaghetti (I know.. Torture me! LOL), and eventually, perfected (IMO) my final recipe!

 

 There are a few "secret ingredients" in this recipe that really make it shine, from the celery, with its fresh, herbaceous notes, and carrots, giving it the warm, mellow, almost nutty tones, to the addition of pre-prepared marinara to add that extra, robust punch. The red wine brings richness, depth, and complexity, balancing the tomato's acidity with earthy, fruity notes, as well as dissolving fats and triggering flavour molecules from other ingredients, making the overall sauce richer and heartier. 

But it is the plums, figs, or dates, in place of sugar that really push this sauce to another level, with a subtle, but very effective extra dimension and flavour nuance. 

The ingredients list allows for just using sugar, but honestly, it is worth it to use the fruit even if you don't have a crazy huge plum tree in your yard!

 

Extra Veggie & Meat Spaghetti Sauce

 Ingredients: 

    • 2 lbs Ground Beef, Meatballs, Italian sausage, or other meat (can reduce for cost or health)
    • 1-3 Tbs Olive Oil
    • 2 Lg Yellow Onions, Diced
    • 2 green bell peppers, seeded & diced
    • 6 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/4 lb or so carrots, chopped (or minced, it you want to hide them)
    • 3-4 Lg stalks celery, roughly chopped
    • about 8oz sliced mushrooms of desired type (fresh or canned-drained) 
    • 1 Cup white wine (can sub red/merlot) 
    • 2 cans (28oz) diced or stewed tomatoes (or 4 14oz)
    • 1 can (14oz) crushed/pureed tomatoes
    • 1 can (4oz) tomato paste
    • 16-24oz good store-bought or homemade marinara sauce
    • 1 Tbs Italian seasoning
    • 2-4 plums, figs, or dates (fresh or dried), chopped, diced, or pureed (Or sub 2 Tbs sugar)
    • 2 tsp sea salt
    • 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
    • 1/4 Cup finely minced fresh parsley (or 3 Tbs parsley flakes), more to taste
    • 1 whole rind from one wedge parmesan (optional)
    • 1/2 Cup grated parmesan cheese (optional)
    

Directions: 

    • Put pot (or skillet, if using slow cooker method) on med-high heat or IP to sauté, add meat to pot and start to brown, breaking up into smaller pieces if ground.
    • Add garlic onion, peppers, and seasonings, and continue sautéing, stirring regularly, until onion starts to turn translucent, adding olive oil if needed to prevent sticking (not usually needed with leaner meats).
    • Add additional veggies and cook for another 3-5 minutes.     
    • Deglaze pot with wine allowing it to boil and reduce for about 1 minute.
        • If using SLOW COOKER, transfer contents of pan to slow cooker. 
    • Add tomatoes, paste, sauce, plums/figs/dates/sugar, and crushed red pepper (if using), and stir well.
        • If using INSTANT POT, stir in minced parsley, and Parmesan grated + rind.
    • Cook:  
        • Instant Pot: Seal lid and cook on high pressure for 20-30 minutes w/natural release, or 30-35 minutes w/quick release.
        • Slow Cooker: Cook on high 4-6 hours, or low 8-16 hours.
            • During the last hour of cooking, stir in minced parsley, and Parmesan grated + rind.
        • Stovetop: Reduce heat to low and gently simmer for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. 
        • During the last 20 minutes of cooking, stir in minced parsley, and Parmesan grated + rind.