Revisit the Instant Pot?!
Why yes, let’s revisit the Instant Pot!
I’ve learned to appreciate it so much! Well, for a few things anyway! Apparently there is a vast world of Instant Pot recipes, and for that reason, I’ll continue using it!
Let’s talk about my favorite food item in the Instant Pot! Or at least the ones I have tried!
POTATOES!
I absolutely LOVE potatoes! But honestly, the prospect of making mashed potatoes on the stove top is daunting! Especially with my heat intensity issues on the current stove!
So the first thing I love is how easy it is to set up! Seriously!
Peel. Cut. Drop in Pot. Cover with Water. Go.
Ok, so let’s go a bit more step by step!
Cut potatoes in equal sized rounds and toss them in the pot! There is no specific amount, I just cut enough to cover the bottom, but not overlap too much!
Cover with water and add Salt and Pepper to Taste!
Set your lid, close the vent and cook on manual pressure for 8 minutes! I always turn the Keep Warm button off!
Once the timer goes off, do a quick release !
Drain your potatoes! Add in whatever you normally use in your mashed potatoes! I use butter, milk and S&P! Or add in sour cream!
Then just mash away!
Delicious! Every time! And I don’t have to worry about a pot boiling over on the stove! Obviously a very important thing, since I mentioned it earlier!
Making mashed potatoes in the instant pot significantly cuts down on the mess I have to clean up afterward with boil overs! This will be a continued theme throughout this post! Obviously boil overs drive me nuts!
Baked Potatoes…😋
I love me some baked potatoes! But honestly, it’s not something I think of immediately, usually not until it is entirely too late to go baking them in the oven! And since we don’t have a microwave, there wasn’t another option!
Before NOW!
I love how simple it is!
First ~ Put the steamer basket in the pot!
Second ~ Put a few washed and poked potatoes on the basket. I use about 4 or 5, depending on size. I always go for uniform size so that they cook evenly! Uniform(ish) 😆 No 2 potatoes are the same!
Anyway, 4-5 potatoes, kinda close in size. Don’t forget to poke some holes in the potatoes.
Last ~ Lid on. Vent closed. Pressure cook on high as follows:
Small ~ 5 oz ~ 12 minutes
Medium ~ 6-7 oz ~ 14 minutes
Large ~ 8 oz ~ 16 minutes
Extra Large ~ 10-14 oz ~ 18-20 minutes
At the end of the cooking time, allow the Instant Pot to do a natural release. Open the lid and pop those babies out with some tongs!
Then, of course, top with your favorites!
Clearly faster than the oven!
I have made Hard Boiled Eggs as well!
Again, not much different in the timing as compared with stove top, but definitely worth not having to watch for pot boil over 😆
Besides, they are super easy to peel! I love that aspect! I hate when I have to pick at an egg 🙄 Mostly because I have very little patience in the kitchen 😐 work in progress, obviously 😑
Perfect Egg 😍
Yolk just the way I like it!
Eggs, Eggs, Eggs….
First, put the steamer basket in the Pot. Second, Place the eggs on top. I made 6 eggs because that’s how many fit in without being crowded!
I have a 6 qt Instant Pot and the minimum amount of water is 1.5 Cups, so that’s how much I put in.
Finally ~ Set your lid, close the vent, and Manual Cook on low for (3 minutes for soft boiled, 4 minutes for medium boiled, 5 minutes for hard boiled). Turn Keep Warm Off!
Allow to do a Natural Release.
That’s it! Once the pressure is released, pop open the lid and have some delicious eggs!
Obviously an easy alternative to the stove! In fact, it’s the only way I will cook them now!
And White Rice was a definite try!
Again, super easy. Same rules apply here as with stove top. Two cups of water to one cup of rice. I’m sure you can adjust the water ratio to your liking, we like our rice a little sticky and this ratio works perfectly! So adjust accordingly 🙂 Clearly sticking to your instant pots minimum amount!
High Pressure Cook for 4 minutes, and do a Natural Release!
Will I continue to Revisit the Instant Pot?
Heck yes!
I’ve really just done these few things successfully! Tried other things, such as frozen chicken when we forgot to take something out for dinner that morning, but it was meh 😐!
Of course, I wish I had gotten one a long time ago! At this point, it has made my starch making so much easier, and best of all, cleaner!
Next thing for me to try is proteins ! Let’s see what kind of recipes I can find for that! Soon!
Time to experiment! Along with my Personal Taste Tester, Zach 😁
