Pressure Cooker: Egg Bites

I have wanted to make egg bites for a while. Got out my Beaba silicone multiportions container. You can also use ramekins, stainless steel bowls, etc. Did not really measure things out. Tons of variations for this. Add sausage, veggies, etc, etc..

Egg Bites
Ingredients:
3 eggs
some milk
some cheese
bacon bits
salt (to taste)

Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, crack the eggs with some milk (maybe 1/8 cup). Sprinkle sea salt. Mix in some cheese. Scramble it together. Place some bacon bits at the bottom of the Beaba multiportions; pour the rest of the mixture in. I filled mine about 2/3 of the way since I did not want to overfill them. (4 eggs would fit also)

Pour 1 cup water in the inner pot. Place the Beaba multiportions (or other silicone mold) in. Close lid (make sure it is in 'seal' position). Set to Manual for 3 min HP. QR.

That's it! Enjoy!!

Note: I spray nonstick oil since I hate cleaning/scrubbing.

Other pictured items are:
Cinnamon Raisin French Toast made in a pan on the stove.
Mashed potatoes made in the pressure cooker leftover from the night before.

Below is another idea for the silicone mold:
I put chicken broth made from pressure cooked chicken thighs. Poured it into the mold to freeze.
When I want chicken broth for another recipe, all I have to do is pop the amount I want in.

Gobble!! Gobble!! (Pressure Cook: Turkey Breast)

It was Canadian Thanksgiving a couple days ago. Seeing posts of Thankgiving recipes made me want to make turkey. Thought I'd give it a shot after some research.

Bought a bone-in half turkey breast which just fit in my 6 quart IP (Instant Pot).

Bone In Half Turkey Breast 
Ingredients: 
Bone in half turkey breast
1 cup broth
celery stalk
onion (chopped)
Some butter (Optional if you are browning your breast)

Directions:
Season your half turkey breast. I sprinkled sea salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, thyme, rosemary. Brown first to get some color. Press 'Saute' set to medium. Place butter in the pot (I used 3 Tbsp since it was leftover from a stick). Place turkey in breast side down. I did not touch it for 6 minutes. Then press "Cancel". Remove the turkey.

Add 1 cup broth (or water) to deglaze (make sure nothing is stuck at the bottom of the pot). Throw in chopped celery and onion. Put the turkey back breast side up.

Close the lid. Set your Pressure Cooker on Manual 20 min HP. Time will depend on how many pounds your bone in turkey breast is. Mine was 2.5 lbs, so I set it for 20 min. If yours is bigger, set it for more time. Natural pressure release after it is done.

To make the gravy, mix 3 Tbsp flour (or cornstarch) and 3 Tbsp water together. Whisk it into the IP which already has broth, celery, onions. Add more flour as needed to desired thickness.

Enjoy!!

Notes: 
Photo also includes carrot-potato mash (made it as an experiment but regular mashed potatoes taste so much better!)

Pressure Cook: Steel Cut Oatmeal

This is the first time I have done a breakfast recipe in my Instant Pot (pressure cooker)!!

Read through different variations. Some recipes say to cook it for 3 min, 5 min, 10 min but all of them recommend NPR (natural pressure release) so that the contents don't spew out.

Steel Cut Oatmeal
Ingredients:
1 cup steel cut oatmeal
3 cups water (I used 2 cups water, 1 cup cold whole milk)

Directions: 
Pour everything in the pot. Pressure cook for 10 min. NPR.

So how long did it actually take? From getting out my IP to pouring the ingredients to building pressure, it was about 10 minutes. Another 10 minutes for pressure cooking, followed by 15 min NPR (QR after 15 minutes only because I knew there was very little pressure left). Total time was 35 min but you do other things during that time.

The texture was PERFECT.

Sweeten and top as you like it!!

Enjoy!!

Variation:
Apple Steel Cut Oatmeal
Put 1 steel cut oats, 2 cup water, 1 cup whole milk, diced apples (1 small gala apple) into the IP. Pressure cook for 10 minutes (manual HP). After NPR, stir in 1/2 tsp cinnamon with sweetener of choice. Delicious!!

You can't see the apple after it is cooked unless you look very closely but oh the flavor...

Bulgogi Rice

I've been searching and searching for different dishes to serve for dinner. When you cook daily, it's easy to have the same things over and over again.

This is the easiest and tastiest recipe I've found in a long time!!! Bulgogi Rice is bulgogi meat using ground beef instead.

Bulgogi Rice

Prep Time: 2 minutes      Cook Time: 5 (?) minutes minus making rice

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

3 cloves garlic (minced)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup brown sugar

a little ginger chopped finely

1 Tbsp sesame oil

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 cup rice

green onions (optional)

sesame seeds (optional)

Directions: 

Cook your rice separately. I put one cup jasmine rice with water in my pressure cooker (Instant Pot) for 3 min (then NPR 10 min).

In a pan, cook ground beef and garlic. Add black pepper. Cook until browned.

In a separate medium sized bowl, mix soy sauce, brown sugar, ginger, sesame oil. Pour this mixture into the pan. Mix. THAT'S IT!!! 

Get a bowl of rice, put the bulgogi ground beef over it. Top it with green onions and sesame seeds, if desire.

DELICIOUS, EASY, FAST!! What more could you ask for??
Well, I will double the recipe next time since we gobbled it up. 

ENJOY!!

Note: I usually stir fry some kind of veggies on the side to create balanced meals (mushrooms, green beans, zucchini)

Pressure Cooker: Rice Pudding

This is the first dessert I made in the pressure cooker. Basically, you make rice. Then stir the other ingredients using the "Saute" mode. Easy peasy.

Rice Pudding
Prep Time: 5 minutes      Pressure Cook Time: 4 minutes
                                        Additional Cooking: 3 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup Arborio rice
1.5 cups water
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

Directions: 
Cook the rice by putting the Arborio rice, water, salt in the inner pot. Pressure cook on Manual mode high pressure for 4 minutes.

QR (quick release pressure). Stir in milk, cinnamon, sugar.

Using "Saute" button, stir in beaten eggs with vanilla extract. Keep stirring until everything is incorporated. Press cancel. Mix in raisins.

Rice pudding is served warm or cold. Your choice!!

Enjoy!!

Pressure Cooker: Chicken Congee (Porridge)

This is a keeper. It's easy and tasty. Great for when you want a soupy rice. Perfect for when you want comfort when you are sick, etc. Love this!!

Chicken Congee
Prep Time:  5 min      Pressure Cook Time: 30 min
* Note: It will take a while to get to pressure since there is more liquid in the pot.

Ingredients: 
1 cup jasmine rice
7 cups water
1 tbsp sliced ginger
2 cloves garlic
2 lb chicken (preferably bone-in but not necessary)

salt (to taste)
sesame oil (to taste)
green onions

Directions:
Rinse rice. Put rice in the inner pot with ginger, garlic, and water. Place chicken on top. Close the lid and make sure your pot is on "seal". Set manual high pressure for 30 minutes. NPR.

Shred chicken and add salt/sesame oil to taste (about 1/2 tbsp). Top with green onions, etc. If you want, you can put chicken congee in bowl, then salt/sesame oil to taste.

Enjoy!!

Pressure Cooker: Unstuffed Cabbage (with Meat)

I had cabbage, ground beef, ground pork. Browsing the web to see what I should make, I came across Unstuffed Cabbage as the perfect recipe for the ingredients.

Unstuffed Cabbage w/Meat

Prep Time: 10 min      Cook Time: 5 min

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 lb ground pork

1 large onion (sliced)

4 cloves garlic

26 oz diced canned tomatoes (you can use fresh also)

2 Tbsp brown sugar

1 Tbsp paprika

1 Tbsp dijon mustard

3 Tbsp vinegar

1 cabbage (chopped)

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

Directions: 

Push the 'Saute' button and cook the ground beef and ground pork. Add the onion to cook with the meat. Add the rest of the ingredients (add the cabbage last).

On 'Manual' mode, set to cook on high pressure for 5 minutes. You can quick release or wait about a half hour for natural pressure release. I wasn't in a hurry so this time I used natural release.

Open lid. Stir to mix everything well. Taste to see if you need to add any more salt/pepper.

Serve with rice.

Enjoy!! 

Pressure Cooker: One Pot Pasta

I sift through many, many recipes before trying any of them. Finally tried One-Pot Pasta. It was a hit. I see why people do lasagna pie in the pressure cooker. Still need to buy a pan for that to keep it together.

One Pot Pasta
Prep Time: 10 min      Cook Time: 6 min (Long time to get to pressure)
Ingredients: 
1 lb ground beef (or other meat, even veggies like mushrooms/tomatoes)
1 onion (diced or chopped)
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 box pasta
1 jar pasta sauce
1 jar water

Directions: 
Turn on your electric pressure cooker. Hit 'Saute' button to brown the ground beef. Add the onions. Then the garlic (for a min). Press 'Cancel'

Pour in dry pasta (any kind); I used a bigger macaroni. Pour in jar of pasta sauce. Fill the same jar with water to add. This eliminates washing a measuring cup!

Stir to mix ingredients. Close/Lock the lid. Make sure your knob is on 'Seal'. Then I was set.

When you are ready (I waited for my husband to get home), hit 'Manual' (high pressure) for half the time it takes to cook pasta. Mine said 10-12 min. I set it for 6 minutes.

It did take 20+ minutes to make it to high pressure because of the amount of liquid. After 6 minutes of high pressure, hit 'keep warm/cancel' so that you don't keep cooking it. When I turned the knob to 'vent', there was no pressure since I had it on keep warm.

Enjoy!!

Pressure Cooker: BBQ Baby Back Ribs

I made baby back ribs in my Instant Pot pressure cooker. It wasn't as fast as I thought it would be since it was BBQ Baby Back Ribs that needed NPR (Natural Pressure Release).

This is how much time it took:
13 min - to get IP to reach high pressure
25 min - IP manual high pressure
25 min - NPR
15 min - oven to finish

The result was good but not nearly as tasty as my usual oven low and slow 3 hr version.

Pressure Cooker BBQ Baby Back Ribs (3 lbs) 
Generously sprinkle rub (or just season with salt/pepper). Pour one cup cold water into the pot. Place the trivet in. Ribs go in. Make sure IP valve is on "sealing". Close and set it on Manual High Pressure for 25 minutes.

Natural pressure release as I have read that you don't want to do a quick release with meat. This takes about 25 minutes. Then take the ribs out to transfer to a baking dish. Brush ribs with BBQ sauce. Finish in the oven at 450F for 15 min. (*Note: Butcher cut it the wrong way..duh. That is why the pieces are small.)

1.5 hr versus 3 hr. I think I would still do "slow and low" in the oven. Will have to try different recipes that don't to finish in the oven. Or maybe 10 min NPR is okay too? Going to experiment again..

Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot: Mashed Potatoes

No need for a steamer basket. I don't consider this to be a "recipe" since it is just a little side dish so this will not be recipe #3. I had a cup of chicken broth left from the previous recipe (Pot Roast) and many potatoes. (But I have seen people mess it up in the Instant Pot Community page. Don't know how you do that.)

Mashed Potatoes
Prep Time 5 min     Cook Time: 8 min

Ingredients:
Organic Russet Potatoes (2-3 lb)
4 Tbsp butter
1 cup chicken broth
salt and pepper to taste (optional)
parsley flakes (optional)

Directions: 
Wash/scrub potatoes. Quarter them. Mine were skin on but you can peel them if you like also.
Place the quartered potatoes in the Instant Pot. Pour chicken broth and throw in the butter.

Close the lid. Manual Setting for 8 minutes.

Open lid (after quick or natural pressure release). Mash the potatoes. Add salt (and pepper) to taste. Remember that there is salt in chicken broth already. Add any herbs you would like (example parsley).

Enjoy!!

EDIT:
2nd Time:
I used water instead of chicken broth. When it was done, I added salt (1 tsp) and milk (1/2 cup), butter (4 Tbsp) while mashing. I actually mash with a fork since it is so soft.

Pressure Cooker / Instant Pot Recipe #2: Pot Roast w/Carrots and Potatoes

When I bought Instant Pot, I thought that I could cook anything in very little time. Well, Pot Roast took much longer. You will need 1.5 hours.

Pot Roast
Prep: 40 min      Cook Time: 45 (beef) + 4 (veggies) min   Other: 5 min (cut beef, make gravy)
** EDIT: Second time: Cut prep time by 10 min. IP reached high pressure after 5 min. **

Natural pressure release. Luckily, we had an appointment at that time. When we returned home, the Instant Pot had released all the pressure. Made the gravy by adding flour.

Ingredients:
2-3 lbs boneless chuck roast (it should be about 2 inches thick
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 large onion (sliced)
1 cup chicken broth
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 lb carrots (you can put more)
2 lb potatoes (you can put more)
1.5 Tbsp flour (for gravy at the end)

Directions:
My prep time was 40 min since I included searing the beef also.

First, you sear the beef. Pour olive oil. Hit the 'Saute' button on your Instant Pot. Sear all sides (8-10 min each side). Remove beef from heat to set aside. Press cancel.

Before:

After searing:

Hit the 'Saute' button again but set it on medium heat for onions/garlic. Cook onions for a minute or two, then garlic. For deglazing, splash some red wine in. I love to use frozen garlic cloves so that I can have it on hand.

Add chicken broth, soy sauce, rosemary, thyme in. Place your beef back in. Close the lid.
Pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. Natural release pressure for half an hour.

Beef after pressure cooking:

Remove beef to a set aside. Add potatoes, then carrots. Pressure cook for 4 minutes. Quick release pressure.

Now to make the gravy.. Add flour and stir. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cut your beef. Spoon some gravy on top. I placed veggies on the side.

Enjoy!!

FIRST TIME USING MY INSTANT POT (Honey Garlic Chicken)

For Black Friday 2016, I only had one thing I was eyeing to buy since I had been wanting for for months...an Instant Pot. It arrived a week later. Then the box sat in the closet through the holidays while we were away. My goal was to use it by the end of January. Well, mid-February rolled around, it was still in the box until today...

I had been afraid to use it. Woke up this morning and told myself that today was the day I was going to tackle my new appliance. The manual felt thick until I read it realizing that it was that way since it was translated into several different languages (otherwise it would have been thin).

Still unsure of what to make but knowing that it was going to be chicken for the first recipe. I defrosted chicken in the sink during the day (But you can cook frozen chicken in Instant Pot too). Kept reading that it would be done in 5 minutes. Ended up taking much longer than anticipated. Dinner was fairly late for us as a result. Chicken was flavorful and tender but not something I couldn't make in comparable time. Felt that I was extra cautious since it was my FIRST TIME with my Instant Pot.

Yes, it takes 5 minutes on high pressure to make chicken but I set it on 8 minutes since I had 8 chicken thighs that were thick. Used two functions for my dish: 1) Saute  2) Poultry.

Honey Garlic Chicken (Using Instant Pot)
Ingredients: 
2-3 lbs Chicken Thighs
salt and pepper to season OR dry rub
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup ketchup
5 cloves garlic, chopped/minced
1 tsp basil
olive oil (for saute)
1 lb carrots

Directions:
Sprinkle dry rub on both sides of the chicken thighs (or just use salt and pepper).

In a separate bowl, mix water, honey, soy sauce, ketchup, garlic, basil.

Plug in your Instant Pot. With the lid off, put some olive oil to brown the chicken. Push the 'Saute' button. Cook chicken for a minute each side. Place it on a plate when done (found that I could brown 2-3 chicken thighs at a time due to space).

Put browned chicken thighs back into Instant Pot. The carrots will go on top of the chicken. Pour liquids from the separate bowl. Place and lock Instant Pot lid. Make sure the top of your pot is set to 'Sealed' (not 'Vent').

Push the 'Poultry' button. I set it on 8 minutes (recipe called for 5 minutes) since my chicken pieces were thicker.

Done.

I stood there staring at it for 5 minutes afraid to change the 'Sealed' to 'Vent' for quick pressure release. Moved it a little at a time for slow pressure release (my first time!!). Ended up switching to 'Vent' by using a spoon instead since I didn't want to get too close.

The result was tender chicken. Started with a simple chicken dish to test the waters.

How was your FIRST TIME using your Instant Pot?? What recipe did you use?

Notes:
1) It didn't take just 8 minutes since it takes time to reach high pressure.
2) When you saute, you cook like you normally do in a pan.
3) Easy to use but I was still nervous since I had heard stories of people putting holes in their ceilings with pressure cookers.