NOTE [02/17/26]: According the the STELO Event for eating pig’s feet, there was almost no rise in blood sugar. But that doesn’t mean that these high fat items are healthy. [end NOTE]

Pig’s Feet (Instant Pot Mini Version)

Tender but still holds shape (good for eating as pieces)

High Pressure: 55–60 minutes
Natural Release: 20 minutes (minimum)

Very soft / fall-apart (best for soups, beans, or stewed greens — probably what you’ll like)

High Pressure: 75–90 minutes
Natural Release: full natural release (don’t quick release)

Basic Method

1. Clean and rinse feet well
   (Optional but recommended: pour boiling water over them for 2–3 minutes and rinse — removes funkiness)
2. Put in pot:

• 2–3 pig’s feet (Mini capacity)
• 1 to 1½ cups water (minimum liquid requirement)
• 1 tsp salt
• onion (you like onion 🙂)
• garlic
• splash vinegar (helps break down collagen)

3. Cook using times above.

What you’ll notice

After about 80 minutes, they become:

• silky
• sticky lips texture
• skin almost gelatin
• tendons edible

That’s the sweet spot for adding to:

• black-eyed peas
• turnip greens
• collards
• cabbage stews

I tried adding black eyed peas to the Instant Pot after cooking the Pig’s Feet about 40 minutes. The peas were not quite tender enough, but that wasn’t the real problem. The pig’s feet did not flavor the beans well enough to justify using them as seasoning meat. I cooked the beans another 15 minutes or so and they came out tender but the meaty flavor just wasn’t there. DON’T use pig’s feet for seasoning black eyed peas. You can eat pig’s feet with a seasoned side of black eyed peas, and maybe some green beans & red potatoes.

And my Groundhog Day humor:

Barney the Squirrel found a couple of frozen nuts on the ground after the Groundhog Day Celebration. Yes, it was THAT cold!

That’s what is so funny. It’s so innocent until it’s not, and then it’s hilarious.

THE STATUE OF LIBERTY TAKING A BREAK
FROM HER WELCOMING DUTIES.

“Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,

I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

Funny. I just remembered what we had forgotten.

I wanted to be sure you could read this because I am committed to this idea.

You can tattoo that on your heart. Your arm is optional.

🍝 Instant Pot Mini Rao’s Boosted Meat Sauce (2 Servings)

Ingredients

• ½ jar Rao’s Marinara (about 12 oz)
• 4–5 oz ground beef (lean if you have it)
• ¼ cup onion, finely diced
• ¼ cup yellow bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 tsp olive oil (optional, if beef is very lean)
• ½ tsp garlic powder (or 1 small clove, minced)
• ¼ tsp dried oregano
• ¼ tsp dried basil (optional)
• Pinch red pepper flakes (optional)
• Black pepper, to taste
• Salt (only if needed — Rao’s is seasoned)

Optional (nice touches):

• 1 tbsp water or broth (prevents scorching)
• Pinch of sugar substitute or Kerry’s syrup (⅛ tsp) if you want extra balance

🔥 Instructions (Instant Pot Mini – 3 Qt)

1) Sauté the Beef & Veg

1. Press SAUTÉ → Normal
2. Add olive oil (if using)
3. Add ground beef, onion, and bell pepper
4. Cook 4–5 minutes, breaking up beef
   • Until beef is mostly browned
   • Veg is softened

Drain excess fat if needed.

2) Season

Add:

• Garlic
• Oregano
• Basil
• Black pepper
• Red pepper flakes (if using)

Stir 30 seconds to bloom spices.

3) Add Sauce

1. Pour in ½ jar Rao’s
2. Add 1 tbsp water/broth (optional but smart)
3. Stir well
4. Scrape bottom (important → no burn warning)

4) Pressure Cook

• Cancel Sauté
• Close lid
• Pressure: HIGH
• Time: 5 minutes
• Natural Release: 10 minutes
• Then quick release remaining pressure

5) Finish

Open lid and stir.

If too thin:

• Press SAUTÉ → Low
• Simmer 3–5 min

Taste and adjust:

• Salt?
• Pepper?
• Tiny sweetness?

🍽️ Serve With

• About 2 servings cooked spaghetti (≈3 oz dry each)
• Sprinkle Parmesan if you like
• Side of veggies if you’re watching carbs

🩺 Diabetic-Friendly Angle (Your Wheelhouse)

This works well for you because:
✅ Rao’s = low sugar
✅ Bell pepper adds sweetness without sugar spike
✅ Protein slows carb absorption

If you pair with:

• Half pasta / half zucchini noodles
  or
• Smaller pasta portion + greens

…it’s even better for blood sugar.

Do you recall the Twilight Zone episode, “Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?” Barney Phillips played the alien from Venus that had the third eye in the middle of his forehead and John Hoyt played the Martian with the extra arm.

But do you recall the twist in this show? The Martian was so sure of himself and that his buddies were on their way with an invasion force to take over Earth. But, the Venusian showed his third eye and said something to the effect, “Well that’s a good plan, and we thought of it months ago and are already here.”

All that to say that with all the changes in our society and the world in the first year of Donald Trumps’ second term in Office, maybe the Project 2025 Mandate crew who have been planning their coup since the 1970s are a little too smug and that the Russians who have been planning the downfall of the United States (and how united are we at the present time?) for far longer are actually in the better position of pulling the coup off. — And please don’t tell me this is totally impossible.

A useless Congress that does nothing, and that’s during the times between Government Shutdowns. A Congress that is as divided by party lines as the rest of America. Would Republicans come to the aid of their American Democrat brothers, if we were attacked by some other Super Power? A Supreme Court that is “bent.” A weaponized Department of Justice, that is breaking the law every day, by not releasing ALL Epstein Files. More like the Department of Injustice who “goes after” the President’s supposed enemies. And oh my, a President that insults and threatens our NATO allies over a slab of ice that we already have a treaty to put any number of bases and troops on… and Congress fails to apologize profusely to those allies.

If you don’t see how far America has fallen from defending Freedom, Democracy and NATO, then watch that next step, we’re already over the edge as of January 21, 2026.

Nothing is real.