Beans in the Instant Pot

Beans in the Instant Pot

Beans in the Instant Pot

I couldn’t help myself.  Everyone I knew had one of these new Instant Pots, and everyone was going on about how wonderful they were.  Even my therapist had one!  So, I looked up to see exactly what it was, and when I realized it was in fact an enhanced pressure cooker, I got kind of scared.

What’s for Dinner, Mom?

Beans in the Instant PotMy mother was getting the cheese out of the refrigerator while the pressure cooker was happily bubbling on the stove.  I walked in to ask my mother if I could have a glass of whatever (probably milk), when suddenly, there was a loud explosion, a red flash, and as we looked up, there was red spaghetti all over the kitchen walls.  If my mother had been by the pot, she probably would have been seriously injured if not killed. I swear we picked spaghetti off that kitchen wall for days.  It was kind of fun… but, that’s how you get a phobia about pressure cookers.

Times, They Are a Changin’

Despite being deathly afraid of the contraptions, I realized that technology must have made them safer.  After all, if we could send a man to the moon in nothing more than a glorified tin can, then why couldn’t we have beans in an instant pot, and not perish.  I got a little mini pot just so I could play around and get used to it.  The 6 quart, I was thinking about getting is large, but it’s only two of us, and this little guy, just over a quart, makes more than enough for us.

Because I don’t have to heat up a lot of other pots or dirty a lot of dishes, I really appreciate this little pot. Just put this one on sauté, add the vegetables, sauté them, then add the beans, liquid, cover, and I’m good to go.  Everything everyone said about how great these pressure cookers are was right.  They are wonderful.  But, we’re here to talk about Beans in the Instant Pot, so let’s do that.

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Same-Day Fried Rice

Can you use freshly cooked rice on the same day to make fried rice? No, you can’t. But, if you use this same-day fried rice method, you can cure your craving any day. You will be surprised at how easy this is.

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Hasselback Potatoes in the Microwave

Hasselback Potatoes in the Microwave

Hasselback Potatoes in the Microwave

So I was hunting around Big Oven one night, getting hungry and trying to find something interesting to make with our dinner. It had to be visually appealing, and it had to go in the microwave, because a) I didn’t want to heat up the house, b) I was hungry! When I saw a picture of these, I was intrigued, and even though all recipes said to use the oven, I figured the microwave would work just fine. I was right, it did.

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Potato and Leek Casserole

Potato and Leek CasseroleRecipes in this Post

When I went to the local farmer’s market, they had some lovely leeks and beets available. I bought both. I made pickled beets with the beets, and then struggled with what to do with the leeks. Usually, I make a Quiche, but I really didn’t like the idea of turning my oven on twice, once to pre-bake the shell, and then to bake the Quiche itself. Now that I have my mandoline, I have had so much fun, and I thought to combine potatoes and leeks together in a casserole.

I also had a lovely pork loin in my refrigerator, and leeks and pork go together so nicely. A bottle of white wine was waiting to make it a perfect meal.

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Microwave Artichoke or Instant Pot with Herb Sauce

artichokes
Microwave artichoke or Instant Pot – Both easy and fast!

One of the reasons artichokes are not that popular is they take a long time to cook on the stovetop.  Well, there are easier ways.  In this recipe, I offer two ways to have artichokes on the table quickly, either microwave artichokes or if you have one use the Instant Pot.

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Fried Green Tomatoes With Bacon

Fried Green Tomatoes with Bacon
Fried Green Tomatoes with Bacon

This is not something for every day. Green tomatoes are wonderful in the spring before the beautiful red tomatoes are ripe – that is if you can keep from eating them!

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Jalapeno Stuffed Peppers for 2

Jalapeno Stuffed Pepper Served
Jalapeno Stuffed Pepper Served

What’s on Your Plate

Jalapeno Stuffed Peppers are a practical leftover recipe that uses already cooked rice and pickled jalapeños from a pizza order to make a quick vegetarian dinner. The peppers cook gently in a covered roaster, the filling stays creamy and balanced, and the dish adapts easily to what you already have.

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