True story: I think my mom is a hoarder of……well, most things. But instead of keeping them for herself she gifts them. <insert the basis of this post> Last year during one of her visits she excitedly gifted us with this pressure cooker. Growing up, we never used a pressure cooker so I honestly had no idea what it was, how to use it, what it did, and why I needed it.
What is a pressure cooker?Ā Per Wikipedia (yes, I think Wikipedia is a source solid enough to be referenced):
Pressure cooking is the process of cooking food, using water or other cooking liquid, in a sealed vessel, known as a pressure cooker. Pressure cookers are used for cooking food more quickly than conventional cooking methods, which also saves energy.
Pressure is created initially by boiling a liquid such as water or broth inside the closed pressure cooker. The trapped steam increases the internal pressure and temperature. After use, the pressure is slowly released so that the vessel can be safely opened.
Pressure cooking can be used for quick simulation of the effects of long braising or simmering.
Almost any food which can be cooked in steam or water-based liquids can be cooked in a pressure cooker.
Based on the very definition of the pressure cooker you would think that I would jump on using this. This thing essentially cuts cooking time in half while retaining the levels of deliciousness! Amazing! But keeping it all the way honest, I looked at it when mom dropped it off, smiled, and tucked it away to be used when I had the time to figure things out.
Cut to the most recent trip she made to visit. Naturally she asked about the pressure cooker. Naturally I told the truth about it and then she somehow found an infomercial for a pressure cooker.Ā Oh the irony of the timing. I got sucked in to the amazingness that the television was showing me that I couldn’t not use the shiny appliance sitting sadly in my cabinet.
The very cool thing about my pressure cooker is that it’s not only JUST a pressure cooker, it is also a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer and I can even use it to brown my foods. AH-mazing! I love a kitchen gadget but even more than that is I love something that is multipurpose. With #bougiebaby, steaming is very important. To break in my pressure cooker, Ā I made some chicken parmigiana. Delicious is what the result was. Easy is how the prep was. Ā I’m forever a pressure cooker user now. As I begin to use it more, I’ll post more recipes but here is the chicken parm recipe:
I swear I’m not being biased when I tell you that this was so delicious. When the hubs walked through the door he was greeted with nothing but deliciousness trying to invade his nose–yes, it smelled THAT good!
Overall, I would say that it was an easy and fun experience using the pressure cooker portion. I like that it’s multi-functional. The top was a little hard to use but we managed.Ā Would I recommend this? Absolutely!
I hope you enjoy!
Have you used a pressure cooker before? Do you have some favorite recipes to share?
