Pressure Cook Old Favorites

potato_salad

potato_saladFamily favorites are hard to put by the way side even when trying new styles of cooking. These old favorites taste just as great when cooked in a pressure cooker and it takes a fraction of the time.

Country Potatoes

Ingredients:
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1/4 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced, stems trimmed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 cup chicken stock or water
• 4 cups potatoes in 1/2” slices
• 2 tbsp. minced parsley

Preparation:

In the pressure cooker, heat the oil and sauté the mushrooms and onions until the onions are wilted. Mix in all the remaining ingredients. Lock the lid and bring to pressure. Lower the heat and cook for 3 minutes at 15psi. Allow pressure to drop by quick release or auto release method and remove lid.

Serves 4

Potato Salad

Ingredients:
• 4 slices of bacon
• 4 tsp. sugar
• 3 tbsp. vinegar
• 1 tsp. mustard
• 4 med.-large potatoes, cut in 1/4” slices
• 1 med. Onion thinly sliced
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 tsp. celery seed

Preparation:

Fry bacon in the pressure cooker until crisp, then remove and drain on paper towel and crumble. Reserve 1 tbsp. of the drippings and wipe out the pressure cooker. In a small bowl, combine the sugar, vinegar, mustard and bacon drippings. Pour 1-3/4 cups water into the pressure cooker. Layer the potatoes, onions, all of the seasonings above, the sugar and vinegar mixture, and the crumbled bacon in the pressure cooker basket. Lower the basket into the pressure cooker. Lock the lid into place and cook for 2 minutes at 15psi. Release pressure using the natural release method or the auto release method, remove the lid and serve.

Serves 4

Sesame Broccoli

Ingredients:
• 2 tbsp. sesame oil
• 1 large garlic clove peeled and crushed
• 1 slice of fresh ginger, quarter size and peeled
• 1 bunch of broccoli, cut into flowerets
• 6 tbsp. chicken or vegetable stock or water
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

In the pressure cooker, heat the oil until very hot. Stir fry the garlic and ginger until the garlic is golden. Add the broccoli and stir fry until it’s bright green. Sprinkle with salt and transfer the broccoli to the pressure cooker steamer basket. Pour the stock and soy sauce into the bottom of the pressure cooker and lower the basket into it. Lock the lid in place, bring to pressure, then lower the heat and cook for 2 minutes. Release pressure using the quick release method or the auto release method and remove lid. Remove the basket and serve using some of the soy sauce liquid.

Serves 4

Other vegetables such as green beans, asparagus and bell peppers can be used in place of or added to the broccoli.

Tropical Sesame Chicken

pineapplechicken

pineapplechickenWhat You Need:

4 chicken breast halves
1 1/2 C dry cooking sherry
8 dehydrated pineapple rings
1 T soy sauce
1 T of garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger root, minced
1 T of sesame seeds
2 T of cornstarch
1/4 C of water

How to Make It:

Place the chicken into the pressure cooker and cover with the sherry.
Lay the pineapple rings over the top of the chicken.
Add in the soy sauce, garlic and ginger.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds over the top.
Bring the pressure to high and cook 10 minutes.
Release the pressure quickly by running cold water over the top of the cooker.
Remove the chicken and pineapple from the cooker.
In a small bowl whisk together the cornstarch and water until smooth.
Pour the mixture into the cooker and heat stirring almost constantly until thick.
Before serving pour the sauce over the top of the chicken and pineapple.

This tropical dish can be served over a bed of rice or noodles. The convenience of cooking with a pressure cooker is being able to walk away. There is no need to stir, turn or even watch your meal once the desired pressure is reached.
Just release the pressure once the timer goes off and you have a great meal in a matter of no time.

Makes 4 servings

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Ham Split Pea and Carrot Soup

peasoup

peasoupWhat You Need:

1 T of garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 lb smoked ham, chopped
3 1/2 C of chicken broth
2 T cilantro, chopped
1 carrot, chopped fine
1/4 lb. split peas
1/4 t fresh ginger, minced

How to Make It:

Generously spray the pressure cooker with a non stick cooking spray.
Place the garlic, onion and ham in the cooker.
Over medium heat cook the mixture for 8 minutes or until the ham is browned.
Carefully pour in the chicken broth.
Stir in the cilantro, carrots, peas and the ginger until well combined.
Bring to high pressure and cook 9 minutes.
Take cooker from heat and let the pressure fall on its own.

This is a perfect cold day soup. Soups made in a pressure cooker are delicious. In a matter of minutes the hot broth, meat, vegetables and seasonings mingle together of give this soup a slow cooked taste.

Makes 6 servings

Pecan Apple Buttermilk Pancakes

pancakestacksyrup

pancakestacksyrupIngredients:

2 C of flour
1 C of sugar
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t ground cloves
2 eggs
1 3/4 C of buttermilk
3 T of vegetable oil
1 3/4 C of apples, peeled and shredded
1/2 C of pecans, chopped

How to Cook It:

In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
Stir in the salt, ginger, mace and cloves until combined.
Whisk together in a separate bowl the egg, buttermilk and oil until well blended.
Pour the egg mixture into the flour mixture and stirred until just blended.
Fold in the apples and pecans well.
With a non stick cooking spray generously spray a skillet.
Heat the skillet slightly over medium low heat.
Into the hot skillet pour 1/4 C of the batter.
Cook 2 minutes or until it starts to bubble on top.
Flip the pancake and continue cooking 2 minutes or until lightly browned.
Cook the remaining batter in the same way until all has been used.

These pancakes are sweet and filled with spices. They make breakfast a special event. Serve them with apple jelly instead of syrup for a little morning surprise. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 2 months.

Makes 1 1/2 dozen flapjacks

Preparation Time: approximately 15 minutes
Cook Time: approximately 8 minutes per batch
Total Time: approximately 23 minutes

Fresh Gingered Pear Ice Cream

pears

pearsWhat You Need:

2 ripe pears, peeled and chopped
3 T + 1 1/4 C of sugar, divided
4 C of whole milk
1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
10 egg yolks, beaten lightly

How to Make It:

Put the pears in a bowl and evenly sprinkle them with 3 T of sugar.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the pears for 8 hours.
Place the milk into a saucepan.
Stir the ginger into the milk.
Place the pan over medium heat and stirring constantly heat the mixture until bubbles appear.
Take the pan off the heat and set aside to cool slightly.
Put the remaining sugar into a mixing bowl.
Add the egg yolks and stir until blended together well and the sugar has dissolved.
Stir in the slightly cooled milk mixture.
Transfer the mixture to the saucepan and place back over medium heat.
Cook the mixture for 3 minutes or until the custard coats the back of a metal spoon.
If the mixture looks as if it has curdled whisk it until it becomes smooth again.
Submerge the pan into an ice water bath for 2 minutes or until completely cooled.
Be careful and don’t allow any water to get into the ice cream mixture.
Once cooled cover the pan and chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Strain the milk mixture though a fine sieve removing and discarding the ginger.
Transfer to the ice cream maker and freeze according the directions for your ice cream maker.
When done fold in the chilled pears and ripen in the freezer for 4 hours.

Makes 14 servings

The best way to eat this ice cream is in a waffle cone. Dip the cone in white chocolate and top with colored sugar. When set fill the cone with this delicious ice cream and enjoy.