The Swifties descended on New Orleans this week, with signs, posters, and specials popping up all over town. It greatly complicates my niece's arrival at the airport tonight, but the business sure is good for the city.

For the first two recipes this week, I turned to a cookbook I'd forgotten I had (believe it or not, among the 500 or so, that's unusual): Milk Street Fast and Slow: Instant Pot cooking at the speed you need. It includes a wide range of recipes, each with detailed instructions on how to prepare the dishes quickly using the pressure cooker option, or more leisurely using the slow cooker method, depending on what your schedule is for the day. 

The first one is for a meat lover's chile con carne, starting with a chuck roast. Next, some Asian-inspired baby back ribs, using widely available ingredients. And finally, a garlicky shrimp alfredo pasta bake. Decadent!

Enjoy the recipes, stay safe and healthy, and, as always, let me know what's on your mind.

Best regards,

Susan Ford, Publisher and Editorial Director
Louisiana Kitchen & Culture

P.S. Just a reminder, my new cookbook will be out in time for the holidays and we will be taking pre-orders in just a few weeks.

Previous week's recipes:

 • Shrimp Bisque • Drunken Pork Chops • Chicken and Rice

Instant Pot Chile con Carne

This is a meat-lover's chile. It starts with a whole chuck roast and there's not a bean anywhere to be found. It does call for tomatoes, which will bother some chile purists; interesting note is that it's thickened up with crushed tortilla chips. Remember that they'll add salt, so season accordingly.

Hoisin-Glazed Baby Back Ribs

This delicious recipe has a few ingredients that might not be pantry staples for you, but they're all readily available at a well-stocked grocery store these days, and they'll really tingle your taste buds. Whether you opt for fast or slow, the ribs are finished off to sticky perfection under the broiler.

Garlicky Shrimp Alfredo Bake

Some seafood purists believe you should never combine it with cheese; I am not one of those. This is an easy, cheesey weeknight dinner option that comes together in not much more time than it takes to cook a pot of penne.