I've Joined the Instant Pot Fan Club

My kids and several friends have been touting the Instant Pot pressure cookers to me. I, however, was reticent remember the scary pressure cooker my mom had. It blew lentil soup all over our kitchen, and the green geyser was something that I still haven't forgotten 40 years later. We found lentils for years in the kitchen, and the ceiling required repainting after the steamy explosion.

So you can understand my reticence to revisit the pressure cooker. But after assurances that the new models had plenty of safety features to prevent geysers, I broke down and got one.

Ten-Bean Soup

After thoroughly reading my instructions, I decided to try a bean soup. These always take forever with traditional cooking methods. I got the 10-bean soup from the Denver's Women's Bean Project. This is a great soup and a great non-profit. If you've never heard of them, I encourage you to check out their products and their mission.

Women's Bean Project 10-Bean Soup

I did pre-soak the beans, although that wasn't necessary with the pressure cooker. I like my beans soft, so I took the time to get them ready. I followed the recipe for the soup and the cooking recommendations. The normal 2.5 hour cook time was reduced to 40 minutes. I didn't saute anything, just put it all in the pot. I will say releasing the pressure the first time is a little startling, but the geyser of steam was clean and safe.

Then the end result was delicious, so I decided to try a second dish (maybe the first was a fluke). This time I used the Mealthy App for the iPhone. It has healthy recipes for Instant Pots and other cooking methods. The best part is that it links to your Instacart to purchase everything you need for your recipe. So it makes it almost as convenient as the meal delivery services. I don't have the proprietary Mealthy Instant Pot, but you don't have to use it to take advantage of the app.

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Next, I tried the Mealthy recipe for teriyaki chicken wings. The person who developed this recipe must have previous Asian cooking experience because the wings were amazing. I think they may be the best teriyaki wings that I've ever tasted. They were fast, easy and actually had sufficient sauce (a common complaint about restaurant or frozen wings). 

Teriyaki Chicken Wings

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

Finally, I followed another Mealthy recipe, sauteeing my vegetables, and then I combined the remaining ingredients. The one-pot potential for Instant Pot recipes is a major selling point. This soup is not a low-fat meal since it has cream cheese and half-and-half in it, but at least the rest of it is good for you. I wound up doubling the cooking time to 10 minutes since the rice seemed a bit al dente for my tastes. The end result was fast and wonderful. I was beginning to appreciate the rave reviews for Instant Pot cooking.

Chicken Wild Rice Soup

I will continue to explore the new pressure cooking. I like the improved technology and the available apps. I certainly enjoy the shortened cooking time, and so far I've been pleased with the end results. 

So, if you are a more seasoned cook and remember the old pressure cookers with their spinning knobs, the new pressure cookers have little similarity. If you haven't tried one, they seem to be worth the investment if you like to cook, but have little time for cooking and cleanup. And so far, I've had no green geysers!

Best Cooking Tip - Ever

I wish I had know this tip years ago. It solves a long-term cooking problem I've had that becomes even worse each Easter. The problem is how to peel an egg without tearing it to shreds? The answer? Stay tuned.

You see, I've tried numerous "tricks." Older eggs peel better than very fresh eggs, so I would buy eggs a couple of weeks in advance of when I would need them to ensure some "aging." But even this doesn't guarantee a smooth peel.

Salting the cooking water is another recommendation. But I never had any luck with that tip.

Running the eggs under water while you peel them brings moderate success if you can break the thin membrane under the shell and get water under it. Still, not a foolproof method.

So what is the answer? A pinch of baking soda in the cooking water.

Adding just a pinch of baking soda to the water as you cook the eggs makes the boiled eggs peel easily. I and others I know have tried this several times now and it works like a charm. No more ragged eggs. They peel smoothly and perfectly.

Oh, if I had only known sooner...

A Healthier Meatloaf

Mom’s Tofu Meatloaf

A few years ago, I discovered the health benefits of tofu. The bad thing is, it is a hard sell when trying to feed it to your husband and kids. I found out, though, if you hide it they will eat it. Ground beef is the best disguise for tofu. It is virtually undetectable when soft tofu is mixed in thoroughly. It provide a much softer texture to meatloaf and hides well in spaghetti sauces and other hamburger-based dishes. Even Hamburger Helper ramps up the protein and decreases the fat with a little tofu. Here is one of my favorite disguises for tofu.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground beef (leaner is better)

¾ block of soft tofu

1 egg beaten

¼ c. ketchup

1 small onion chopped

1 c. uncooked oatmeal

2 T. Barbecue Sauce

Directions:
Combine tofu into ground beef until it is thoroughly combined. Add remaining ingredients. If mixture is too moist, add additional oatmeal until desired consistency is obtained. Coat loaf pan with cooking spray. Pat hamburger mixture into pan to form loaf. Cook 350 for 45-60 minutes. During the last 10 minutes, spread additional ketchup over the top of the meatloaf and finish cooking time.  Serves 6.

Chicken Velvet Soup

We have a local restaurant, La Fiesta Patio Cafe, that serves amazing soups. One of my favorites is their Chicken Velvet Soup. One of my friends tried the recipe I found which was a close approximation, but still not quite as good. Here is the recipe she used:

Chicken Velvet Soup

6 T. Butter
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream
3. c. chicken broth
1-1/2 c. finely chopped, cooked chicken

Melt butter in saucepan. Blend in flour; add milk, cream and broth. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat. Stir in chicken and a dash of pepper. Heat again to just boiling. Serve immediately. Serves 4.

I added a dash of Melting Pot's Garlic and Wine seasoning to it, which was not like the original, but very flavorful. If anyone has a better or different Chicken Velvet Soup that may be closer to Patio Cafe's soup, please feel free to post your recipe. Enjoy!