What's For Dinner?

Are you the primary cook in your family?  If so, you'll definitely want to continue reading this post!

I'm saying goodbye to my crock pot and hello to my electric pressure cooker by Instant Pot.  There just isn't enough room in our RV for both.  The Instant Pot does so much more and the results are great excellent phenomenal!

I bet I know what some of you are thinking:
  Pressure Cookers-don't they explode?!
  I could never survive without my crock pot!
  I hate cooking inside the RV!

To be totally honest I have a very small recollection of my mom using a stove top pressure cooker.  Once.  I wonder why she didn't use it more often.  No, she didn't start the house on fire.  I do remember it was big and bulky though.

I used to love my crock pot.  I even wrote a post about making freezer meals to cook in it.  Don't worry, you can still prepare and freeze the meals, they'll just cook quicker in the Instant Pot (IP for short).

You can use your IP outdoors if you like.  But to be honest, it really doesn't generate very much heat, as far as I've noticed anyway.

I first heard about this amazing kitchen appliance last year around Thanksgiving from someone's post on FaceBook.  They mentioned the IP and how they had the best dinner ever.  I had to know more.  I found a FaceBook group full of pot heads - Instant Pot Community.  At the time I joined there were less than 18K members.  Now it over 57K members!  These members are worldwide and quite supportive of each other.  Recipes are shared, help is given to newbies, and there isn't a bunch of drama. 

I ordered my Instant Pot when Amazon had their Black Friday special.  I'm so glad I did.  And so are the boys.  Yes, Rufus is even a beneficiary of the deliciousness that comes from it!

The IP has many functions including Saute, Slow Cooker, Bean/Chili, Porridge, Steam, Rice and even Yogurt.  I can set a delay start if needed.  It also has an automatic 'Keep Warm' function that keeps food warm for up to 10 hours after cooking is complete.

Since I opened the box and started cooking with it I have made many oodles of dishes (mostly dinner items).  And I also make our own yogurt now.  No more hunting for my favorite one that costs a fortune in the grocery store.

I think I've used the stove top less than 6 times in the past five months to make a meal.  I use the oven on rare occasions too.  A girls gotta have take & bake at home pizza on occasion, don't 'cha know :-)  I haven't made one yet, but cheesecake is a very popular dessert that can be made in the IP.   

Words can only convey a part of what I'm talking about.  Here's some photos of the phenomenal dinners I've made so far:     

           Bacon
  
         Wrapped

         Meatloaf

            with

            BBQ

           Sauce

just a few minutes under the broiler to glaze the sauce

now that's a meat lovers meatloaf!

  

chicken marsala

yes, it's a pressure cooked lasagna!

orange pork tenderloin with steamed broccoli

 

 

Rufus knows he'll be eating something yummy whenever Mom is cooking.  He gets a spoonful of homemade yogurt added to his kibble.  On occasion he'll get some carrots which previously seasoned the chicken broth cooked in the IP.

five jars of homemade yogurt

Are you still with me?  Or did you skip on over to Amazon and buy your own Instant Pot?  At the very least, I'm sure you're hungry!!