Instant pot Cold Start Yogurt

Ok, this is QUICK and I don't even have any play by play pictures, BUT, I did a quick video so... here's the low down,

you have an Instant Pot pressure cooker, a bunch of little jars, ultra filtered milk (insert Fairlife) and you have some active yogurt culture, like from a previous batch or you grabbed a little .75 tub of Fage greek yogurt.  You're set.  Unless you want it sweet, then add between half and a full can of sweetened condensed milk.  NOW you're set.

Combine the ingredients, divide them in the jars, add about a cup of water to the inner liner and put a trivet in if you feel like it, then play real life tetris and stack those jars!  Put some lid on, either the pressure cooker lid or a plate or whatever you have.  NO pressure, just keeps the dust off.

Set timer for 11 hours on yogurt setting and go to bed.
MORNING! put lids on the jars, put them in the fridge, go to work or go have your day
AFTERNOON! eat the yogurt. :)

/enjoy

Here is the link to the video of the process and my charming chit chat,  and be nice, I'm just making some yogurt.

https://youtu.be/sEd5DL0BgxQ

/thanks, tracy

Chicken and potatoes in the pressure cooker

TRACY'S CHICKEN THIGHS AND POTATOES 

IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

This is my goto for chicken thighs, it's easy, quick and absolutely delicious.  Thighs are cheaper, tastier and way more tender and juicy than chicken breasts and this method will convince even the die hard thigh-hater.  Seriously, it's yummy!!

RECIPE (and method)

6 chicken thighs, boneless, skinless
dredge (flour, salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika, any other spices you like)
plain oil and/or bacon fat
1 large onion
1 small bag mini potatoes
2 garlic cloves
water
cream to finish

Dredge the chicken thighs and saute on high in the pressure cooker.  Fry them in batches until beautifully brown. 

Remove chicken and fry cut up onion for a few moments, then add the potatoes and garlic. Shush around a little bit.  Add about a cup of water and deglaze the pan.  Return the chicken to the pan, just set it on top of the potatoes/onion.

Lock and load, high pressure for 15 minutes.  Open either quick or natural, your choice.  This super easy dish can wait for you happily!

Remove chicken and veggies to a platter.  Turn pot on high and boil the sauce a little, add a little cream to enrich it if you're feeling the love.

Drape a little sauce on the chicken, serve with sauce on the side and in my case, with a little blob of aioli . (video recipe link below)

I didn't to play by play pics but here's the link to the video, it's real time so grab a glass of wine.

I hope you enjoy,

my CHICKEN AND POTATOES IN THE PRESSURE COOKER

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0leTcBL8y-4&t=9s

my AIOLI

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dY3JkHM0ZKM&t=105s



/tracy

Beef and broccoli in the Instant pot Pressure cooker, you're going to love this

Alright, here it is... I did beef and broccoli in the pressure cooker (the Instant-pot) and it's tender and rich and tasty and amazing, it's pretty quick and super easy. 

The cheap, tough, cuts of meat are the wheelhouse for pressure cookers.  IF you don't have one, get one, if you have one, use it for this sort of cut of meat. 

Here's the link to the video and recipe, enjoy!  Let me know what you think and when you make it. 

Oh and full disclosure, it's absolutely easy to double, you are going to want to

https://youtu.be/nGoOoMRbYbk

/enjoy

Pancakes, in the pressure cooker, in little molds, so sort of like pancake muffins, they're yummy and super easy and totally hands off!

Ok, there's a ton of things you can do with a pressure cooker, and there's a ton of things you should NOT cook in it... just because you can doesn't ever mean you should.  That being said, pancake muffins... yeah man and you use a mix because, if you're going to junk food it, do it all the way.  No, not bisquick, sorry, but no.  get the cheapie all in one pancake mix, the one where you just add water, that's the level of hack we're doing here.  Trust me, when I go rogue, I go all the way and yeah, they're delicious, weird, sure, but yummy.  

Stick with me here, now, the short version:

My chocolate chip Pancake bites.
*In the 7cup “egg bites” silicone mold. They look weird but they're light and fluffy (for steamed puddings) and taste like pancakes, big shock, but also like muffins, also big shock! hahaha

Spray mold with non stick
Put 1 cup water and trivet in pot

Combine well:
1 cup “complete” pancake mix
3/4 cup water
Handful of chocolate chips
Full the mold, use it all.

High pressure 5 minutes
Npr rest for 5 minutes
Remove from pot and let rest 10 minutes.

Pop them out of the mold.
Eat with whatever dipping sauce floats your boat.
I’d say they save or freeze but it’s 7, they all go.

I'm doing a video but wanted to get the quick and dirty details out... enjoy, go make them!!!

Hot Smoked Salmon, inside, using the pressure cooker, this time an instant pot, seriously good, seriously easy

 

I have a smoker and regularly make hot smoked salmon.  I love my smoker and I wished my mom could have the same thing, she doesn't have a smoker.  She does, however, have an instant pot pressure cooker and I decided I would try to find a way she could make the salmon I make here but there, without a smoker.  I think I've done it.

TRACY'S HOT SMOKED SALMON, 

INDOORS, IN A PRESSURE COOKER

Ingredients: 

Salmon, with skin, in 1 inch pieces
salt, sugar, pinch of cinnamon
Pecan or hickory chips
water

Method: 

Cut the salmon into 1 inch pieces

Sprinkle fish with equal amounts of sugar and salt and sprinkle a little cinnamon, leave to dry at room temperature.

Make foil packet, open, with dry wood chips

 

Set pressure cooker to saute, put open foil packet with chips in it on the bottom of the liner pot, let heat and cycle through hot/on for the 30 mins setting. close lid

When cycle finishes, open lid, pour one generous tablespoon of water on the hot chips.
Put trivet and plate with salmon in the pot, close lid.

 

Time for 11 minutes.

  

  

Open, remove salmon, shut off pot.

EAT!

I've done this a number of times and it's delicious and I am thrilled that I can cook for my mom in another country, even though she doesn't have a smoker but we both have pressure cookers :)

x

/tracy

enjoy

MY steamed Pork Buns, another use for my pressure cooker, as a steamer! bamboo baskets fit perfectly and tonight, it's leftover bbq pork steamed buns

Here's the video link to youtube:;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nx4UYMvvqZA 

I made some 'chinese' bbq pork the other day and had a little left.  I chopped it into tiny pieces, threw it in a pan with some of the ingredients i used to make the pork, boiled it and set it aside.  i made some dough, pretty easy, and then married them... may i present my cheap eats, leftover bbq pork steamed buns... ala me

   

TRACY'S BAO(ish) bbq pork steamed buns

DOUGH:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
3/4 cup room temperature water

DUMP it all iin a kitchen aid with dough hook, knead till smooth. OR do it by hand if you have that kind of time and energy

LET it rest, covered, till double, about 45 mins.

Divide into 12 

Roll into balls, let rest

WHILE THE DOUGH IS RESTING, make the filling: 

FILLING:
.

You need about 2 cups of chopped (tiny) meat filling (I made charsiu yesterday, recipe coming)
1 TB light soy
1 TB oyster sauce
1 TB hoisin
1 TB sugar
1/2 cup water
1 TB cornstarch

THROW it all in a saucepan, boil till it's thick, put aside.

Roll balls flat, there's a technique, i'll show you in the video tomorrow. put filling in each, seal and put on parchment squares and put in the steamer to rest about 10 mins.

Put steamer over boiling water, steam 15 mins, remove steamer, covered, and let it rest 5 mins.

Open, eat. 

I'm doing the play by plays and editing a video of the method and it'll be up tomorrow, for now here's the recipe 

BY WAY OF A TEASE; here's the pork

  

Another version of the mini crustless quiche egg bites in the Instant Pot pressure cooker

So, I did a new video to update these little mini crustless quiches, also known as Egg Bites and copycat starbucks sous vide egg bites, but they're just crustless quiches :) so easy, so delicious, so fast and eggs and pressure cookers are just best friends! this is more a method than a recipe. For the babyfood silicone mold, I fill each about 1/3 full of whatever makes me happy. Today it's bacon, green onion, fried onion. sometimes I add potatoes or whatever roasted veggies I have left over, the list of possibilities is ENDLESS.



I use 4 eggs, 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and 1/3? cup heavy cream in my blender and whip till smooth.
Fill the mold and steam, over about a cup of water, on steam setting for 7 minutes, leave to rest about 10 and then leave on the counter a few more so they set up. Easy.

Faster than traditional? no way but the texture is different and tender and I prefer them this way to baked. You can add other cheese, cottage cheese, cream cheese, again the list is endless. Play with what makes you happy.

Go make these. I like to hoard a little of the veggies and/or meats from the week and on the weekend make a mountain of these, in the little molds and in the jars and in whatever else you have and then you have a week of snacks.

I do like to take these, when they're cold, and slice and put them in sandwiches...too yummy!

Here's the link to my youtube video with the details and some chatting


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jg6qeWEVsIU&t=252s


/enjoy

Cold start Yogurt in the Instant Pot Pressure Cooker, Duo 6qt

This is less a recipe than a method:

    

YOGURT in the PRESSURE COOKER

It's easy,
52 oz Fairlife Milk, 2% or whole 1 generous tablespoon unflavored, greek style, yogurt

Combine in a cold cooker, put a lid on top and set YOGURT button to 8 hours When it's done, transfer liner, covered, to the fridge and leave to chill completely (I do overnight) Transfer the yogurt to containers or strain it. Save the whey to use in cooking in place of any liquid in a savory dish. It will stay in the fridge for a couple of weeks, then make more!

I did a video of all the steps:


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQP0x-v5u6Y

/enjoy

Pinto Beans in my Instant Pot pressure cooker, easy, no soaking... OH and they're yummy!

I make pinto beans in my pressure cooker, today in the instant pot.  I never plan ahead well enough to soak and boil and season and cook... I'm a dump and run kind of gal and this recipe is the perfect side for those us who plan badly.

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER PINTO BEANS

RECIPE

1 LB bag of pinto beans
1 onion (plus garlic if you're so inclined)
1 can tomato with chili, I use Hatch but Rotel is the name brand
fat of some sort
water
salt pepper

***you can add whatever you like!  chilies, green roasted or red, garlic, celery (? some people do) you can add peppers, roasted or not, the list of possibilities is endless!

Drop fat in hot pressure cooker.  Fry the onion till it's tender and a little coloured.  Add the can of chili and tomato and water to come to 2 cups measure.  Add the beans and dpressure cook on high for 48 minutes.  Natural or quick (gentle) release and you're done!

METHOD and PLAY by PLAY pics

turn pressure cooker to saute and when it's hot, add some fat and the chopped onion

   

Add water to just shy of the 2 cup mark, add the can of tomato with chili, the liquid should come to the 2 cup mark.  Add the picked beans

   

Stir it all up, set the pressure to high and time 48 minutes.  It won't take too long to come to pressure because the pot was hot.  You can either quick release or just leave it, I tend to forget about it and just leave it,  open and look how beautifully cooked they are!  perfect, not mushy but cooked through, yeah, they are yummy.  THIS is when you salt and pepper and serve up.

   

  

Try these beans, they're easy, delicious and you don't have to plan ahead.  

I hope you made these and enjoy them. 

/enjoy

InstantPot Fried Rice, yeah, you sure can fry rice in a pressure cooker without having any old rice ready to go...

So, I'm back on a pressure cooker kick and after my week of nothing but pad thai noodles I thought, hey, I've never shared my fried rice in the electric pressure cooker.

No, you don't have to wait to have old rice, just make this, it's quick, easy and absolutely delicious. It's infinitely customizable so add what you like!! it freezes beautifully, if you can get any to save, so make a ton... healthy and yummy! DO IT!

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER FRIED RICE

IN THE INSTANT POT

This is another one of those more of a method than a recipe, add what you like, remove what you don't, but try it, you're gonna love it RECIPE: 10 oz (weighed!) each of water and rice 1/2 lb ground or sliced meat, pork or chicken or whatever you like 1/2 cut up onion sliced up green onion (the white parts) garlic/ginger paste or fresh chopped some chopped up carrot, celery, cabbage, bean sprouts, peas, corn if you like, whatever you have that you like, chop about a handful of each and have it ready when you start 2 eggs oil light soy sauce oyster sauce sesame oil hot chili oil (optional) green onions
METHOD
Fry the veggies in some oil with whatever protein you like, I used 1/2 lb ground pork Add the rice and fry it for a few minutes add the soy, oyster sauce and water, stir to combine Lock and load, high pressure, 3 minutes, let rest for 10 Add peas and bean sprouts if you're using them. Stir well. Push rice to one side, set to saute and when it's hot, add a little oil and the eggs to one side of the pan, scramble and cook them then mix in with the rice. Add a little sesame oil and green onions and serve and eat eat eat

Here is the link to the video on YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPWmckwtiMw

I hope you like the rice, let me know how to shush it up for your family!?

/enjoy

So I made Pad Thai in my Instant Pot Pressure cooker and you need to do it too

I made Pad Thai, well my version of it, be nice, it's just dinner.  I made it in my pressure cooker because I can and because I wanted to see how the noodles would work without soaking at all.  Spoiler alert, they work beautifully.

Ok, here's the quickie, it's a method rather than recipe, there's a video link below to my youtube so you can see what I did.

TRACY'S PRESSURE COOKER INSTANT POT PAD THAI

RECIPE

some oil in bottom
ground pork or chicken or pieces of chicken or beef or whatever protein floats your boat
(in the video link below, I used .75/lb of ground pork, with chicken, I use a HUGE chicken breast and slice it thinly)
sliced onion
crushed garlic
garlic/ginger paste (optional)
pad thai paste
light soy
chili oil (optional)
thinly sliced veggies, anything works, carrots, cabbage
rice noodles
green onion
bean sprouts (I use canned and use half a can in this video)
water

METHOD

partially brown the meat in the oil,
add the veggies and garlic and onion and carrots and whatever other veggie you like
add pad thai sauce/paste, soy and chili oil if you like
add 1 1/2 cups water
lay half packet of rice noodles on top

lock and load, 3 minutes high pressure, release immediately
stir the noodled into the meat and veggies
stir, add bean sprouts, green onion, stir and close lid, tightly, and just leave it on warm for TEN minutes

stir, add peanuts, the greens of onions and eat!!  squirt with lime!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xkR_nxt614

It's quick, it's easy because it's in one pot, it's all good, it's absolutely one of my 'go to' recipes and I hope you like it as much as we do.  I also like that it's infinitely customizable, add what you like, make it vegetarian, use leftover veggies (put them in for the ten minute rest, not the pressure cook) use all the meats, add shrimp, add scrambled egg...  just do it :D

I hope you enjoy,

/tracy

PRESSURE COOKER molten chocolate lava cake

   

My Lava Cake recipe; 

Melt:

1 cup of semi sweet chips

1 stick of butter

Combine to smooth and set aside. 

In mixer: 

Whip 3 eggs until very thick and pale. 

Slowly add 

1 tsp salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup flour

Beat until very thick, add chocolate mixture and fold quickly.  Divide between buttered ramekins or small dishes.
PRESSURE COOK, on HIGH
over 2 cups of water and a trivet for TEN minutes, quick release

Increase the time if you're cooking from fridge or from frozen. 

Quick, simple, delicious.  Not too sweet yet desperately chocolatey.

Here's the how to:

/enjoy