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Saturday Morning, This One Anyway

Mikiesboy

Entry posted by Mikiesboy

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Some of you may know of my recent passion. Well Michael, writing, poetry- those are given, but this is about food and my latest and possibly most favourite gadget. Not sure if that is a fair name for this machine because it's amazed me from day one. Frankly it's a pressure cooker, a good one, and very safe one, invented or maybe reinvented by a Canadian. I like that, so i put it in here.  I am talking about the Instant Pot. 

 

No I'm not a food blogger (okay, i am today) and I bought and paid for my Instant Pot with my own credit card. But I love the darned thing. It has helped me in the kitchen more than most other things i've tried. Rice is a miracle in there. Seriously. Unbelievable. Pasta al dente in 3 to 4 minutes. Lemon chicken thighs with potatoes in 15 minutes. I'd swoon if it wasn't so unmanly. :)

 

Right now i am cooking beans, simple red kidney beans. I love them and I know dry beans are less expensive and healthier than canned. I have prepped them the usual way on other occasions. That means, soaking and then cooking on the stove, but I've never gotten them to be how i like them. My preference is buttery soft beans. Crunchy and under done is not my cup of tea.

 

Other bean issues are the bloating and gas they can cause. But they are so good for you. You can de-gas them. Why not do that when they are cheap, healthy, fill your belly, help with cholesterol and are full of good things? 

 

Why am i writing this? Well, i wanted to make chili. The recipe i found said you can just throw the beans in dry. When I related this information to a fellow food loving friend, he said, "Hmmm. Well let me know how that works for you." I could tell he was chuckling. 

 

Beans don't really affect me in that way, but my sleeping partner, well that's another story. I said to my friend, "Well, if I'm sleeping on the sofa, you'll know why."  He replied, "Yes. Yes I will." He has his own husband, and they enjoy beans, too.

 

This chat led me to do some research.  There are lots of opinions out there, such as, yes, it's fine to put them in dry. Others said, soak and then pressure cook first. Other said, when you cook beans from dry don't cook them in acidic things - um, tomatoes are kinda acidic (sarcasm isn't attractive, i know).

 

I thought, I have to rethink this. I don't want Mike taking chili for lunch and killing the rest of the squad an hour later. So I soaked the beans overnight. This morning, I put them in my Instant Pot with a clove of garlic and some bay leaves, covered them with water and cooked them for the recommended time, on high pressure, for 25 minutes. 

 

They are done now and I am letting the Pot cool and release pressure naturally. There is a quick release option which vents the steam. It looks like something out of a video game!! But the slower method is still part of the cooking process and in this case slower is good. I'm going to pause writing here. And wait until the beans have cooled, so i can tell you what they are like!!  Can't wait. See you soon!!

 

Back .. well the beans are buttery soft and delicious.  I think I may reduce the cooking time by 5 minutes next time but I am very happy.

Time to go and put the chili together and then let The Pot do its thing.  

 

I never really thought about pressure cooking but it is terrific. Now, the Instant Pot isn't a one trick pony. It has multiple settings including Soup, Meat/Stew, Rice, Beans/Chili, Yogurt (on my list to try), Mulitgrain, Porridge, Poultry and it is a Slow Cooker and Steamer, too.  So, some bang for your buck. We bought one for our nephew when he moved and he tried it here before he moved .. he likes it but I fell in love. 

Thanks for reading and happy Potting!!  

 

AFTER CHILI UPDATE:  Okay, i like this. I've eaten two bowls .. well one must try it right?  This is not the chili from the chili mix package. It is not super thick and gloopy.  It is fresh tasting, mildly spicy and not full of that chili mix/spice flavour i'm not so fond of.  But it is moreish and I really have to NOT go back to the kitchen to get more of it. However some will be coming with me tomorrow when I start work. 

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Defiance19

Convenient, quick and doesn't sacrifice healthy options.. Nice tim. I'm sure the chilli will be great too. You've talked about the Pot from the minute you got it and now I'm thinking that more than one of us will be claiming ownership of our own soon.. 

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Kitt
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3 minutes ago, Defiance19 said:

Convenient, quick and doesn't sacrifice healthy options.. Nice tim. I'm sure the chilli will be great too. You've talked about the Pot from the minute you got it and now I'm thinking that more than one of us will be claiming ownership of our own soon.. 

I was considering the idea.  I am really hesitant due to an incident when I was in my early 20's. My then boyfriend's mom was making chicken in an old fashioned pressure cooker when it decided to pop its top and splater an entire chicken across the kitchen through the steam vent. Fortunately we were all in the next room at the time and no one got hurt, but we spent the next several hours scraping and scrubbing chicken from the ceiling and everywhere else.  Who would have thunk a whole chicken could escape through an hole smaller than my wedding ring? The only thing left in the pot were the bones! 

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mollyhousemouse
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tim.....

First of love the way you write!  It's so smooth, I can hear your voice!

This line: " I'd swoon if it wasn't so unmanly. :)"   I giggled such that the dog lifted his head to look at me like I had lost what was left of my sanity!

I'll be looking for an update on whether or not the Pot method cut down on the gas issue (good luck with that :) )

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Headstall
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I think you should be a food blogger, tim. Your passion comes through along with a hearty side of humor. And all the information served up is sublimely palatable :) . I anxiously await the possible couch drama. Good chili is worth a little distance... it's supposed to make the heart (or is that fart? ) grow stronger. Cheers. I raise my glass to our own Mr. Childs :P

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Mikiesboy
2 hours ago, Defiance19 said:

Convenient, quick and doesn't sacrifice healthy options.. Nice tim. I'm sure the chilli will be great too. You've talked about the Pot from the minute you got it and now I'm thinking that more than one of us will be claiming ownership of our own soon.. 

Yep the chili is great .. fresh tasting, full of great things and i have enjoyed the two bowls I've eaten.. :)   

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Mikiesboy
2 hours ago, Kitt said:

I was considering the idea.  I am really hesitant due to an incident when I was in my early 20's. My then boyfriend's mom was making chicken in an old fashioned pressure cooker when it decided to pop its top and splater an entire chicken across the kitchen through the steam vent. Fortunately we were all in the next room at the time and no one got hurt, but we spent the next several hours scraping and scrubbing chicken from the ceiling and everywhere else.  Who would have thunk a whole chicken could escape through an hole smaller than my wedding ring? The only thing left in the pot were the bones! 

Yeah that happened often with the older models of Pressure Cookers. The Instant Pot has 10 built-in safety features. You can read about them here: http://instantpot.com/benefits/safety-features/

Pressure like that is powerful thing. I can only imagine the mess!!

Thanks for reading, and your comments Kitt.  

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Mikiesboy

Mikiesboy 134,377

Posted (edited)

2 hours ago, mollyhousemouse said:

tim.....

First of love the way you write!  It's so smooth, I can hear your voice!

This line: " I'd swoon if it wasn't so unmanly. :)"   I giggled such that the dog lifted his head to look at me like I had lost what was left of my sanity!

I'll be looking for an update on whether or not the Pot method cut down on the gas issue (good luck with that :) )

Aw thanks Molly. I am a bit on the sarcastic side and i'm just slightly enthused about the Instant Pot.  Got home the other night and Michael was peeling potatoes. I said you putting them in the Pot? He said he hadn't planned to but we can. (He's a bit unsure in the kitchen, that's about the only place however!)  Yes we will since we'll have buttery taters in 15 minutes or less!

 

I will let you know where i end up sleeping!!  :unsure:

Edited by Mikiesboy
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Mikiesboy
1 hour ago, Headstall said:

I think you should be a food blogger, tim. Your passion comes through along with a hearty side of humor. And all the information served up is sublimely palatable :) . I anxiously await the possible couch drama. Good chili is worth a little distance... it's supposed to make the heart (or is that fart? ) grow stronger. Cheers. I raise my glass to our own Mr. Childs :P

K, Gary ... that was pretty darned good and funny!   Since you enjoyed it, I may do a food blog now and again. I'll have to add pics. that would be fun!! 

Thanks for the excellent comments.. cheers!!

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Headstall

You're welcome. From the beginning of time, food has brought people together. A lot of the world's problems have been solved over 'breaking bread' and communicating. I never underestimate the power of food... or humor... your blog has both :)

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dughlas

Why do I imagine a Farris and James adventure when you mention you and Mike in the kitchen?

You bring as much skill and "tim-ness" to your blog as your other works.

Curious to hear about the effectiveness of you degassing. I rely on adding bay leaf and ginger while soaking and during the cooking.

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Mikiesboy
1 minute ago, dughlas said:

Why do I imagine a Farris and James adventure when you mention you and Mike in the kitchen?

You bring as much skill and "tim-ness" to your blog as your other works.

Curious to hear about the effectiveness of you degassing. I rely on adding bay leaf and ginger while soaking and during the cooking.

That's fair.. Mike is dangerous with a knife in his hand. I duck often. LOL. Things like the veg peeler just kinda disappear in his hands... 

 

Thanks for reading dugh and you comments.  tim-ness ?  hmmm. LOL 

 

I'll tell you .. thanks again ox

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Former Member

Good morning tim,

considering I just woke up and prepare breakfast which normally means croissants, rolls and sweet marmalade, it tells worlds about your writing, that I now gain for some chilli at 9 a.m. 

I loved this entry.

Did you ever try a stew from green beans with lamb?

 

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Mikiesboy

Mikiesboy 134,377

Posted (edited)

Thanks Lyssa, you're very kind! Chili for breakfast why not!  Personally, your breakfast with coffee, sounds delicious.  

 

I have not tried that stew. Funny, I cooked lamb for dinner last night. I'd love the recipe, when you have the time! :)

Edited by Mikiesboy
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Mikiesboy

Nope, i slept in my own bed!!  And did not need my gas mask!  I am soaking chickpeas for later, which will then go into the curry!!  

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Former Member
4 hours ago, Mikiesboy said:

Thanks Lyssa, you're very kind! Chili for breakfast why not!  Personally, your breakfast with coffee, sounds delicious.  

 

I have not tried that stew. Funny, I cooked lamb for dinner last night. I'd love the recipe, when you have the time! :)

It is my mums recipe, she always cooks it for me, if I come home from fare away. I will ask her to write it down. She will love to share it. :)

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Ron

"This is not the chili from the chili mix package. It is not super thick and gloopy.  It is fresh tasting, mildly spicy and not full of that chili mix/spice flavour i'm not so fond of."

 

If you have an immersion hand mixer, or blender, and a can of chipotle in adobo sauce then you've got a real nice spice for chili. Blend all the contents together until smooth and add (to taste) to your chili mix. Save the leftover sauce in a jar with tight-fitting lid in your fridge for a long time. Sauce is good to mix with mayo for a smoky/spicy aioli, too.

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Hudson Bartholomew

My co-workers and I gush about the Instant Pot at work on a regular basis. I don't have one because my kitchen is too small, but my co-worker is thinking about getting a second one because one just isn't enough! There's an entire Facebook page devote to Instant Pot devotees!! Glad you're enjoying The Pot and the chili! nomnomnom

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Mikiesboy
10 hours ago, Hudson Bartholomew said:

My co-workers and I gush about the Instant Pot at work on a regular basis. I don't have one because my kitchen is too small, but my co-worker is thinking about getting a second one because one just isn't enough! There's an entire Facebook page devote to Instant Pot devotees!! Glad you're enjoying The Pot and the chili! nomnomnom

My nephew has one, his counter top is the size of his sink. He lives in a large bedroom sized room that has a counter, sink, stove and fridge. He bought an Ikea kitchen cart where he puts appliances and things. He loves The Pot because, well you know what it can do. Our kitchen isn't big either and i'm forever moving stuff out of the way. But i wouldn't live with out that Pot now. Thanks for your comment Hudson, greatly appreciated!!

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Bucket1

I think you are just a little bit in love :gikkle:

 

I am a bit like Kitt, I had a friend who didn't put the lid on properly and well the landlord was not impressed with the kitchen redecoration. You have me weakening enough to look up the website and check out the books at the Book Depositary.

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Mikiesboy
9 hours ago, Bucket1 said:

I think you are just a little bit in love :gikkle:

 

I am a bit like Kitt, I had a friend who didn't put the lid on properly and well the landlord was not impressed with the kitchen redecoration. You have me weakening enough to look up the website and check out the books at the Book Depositary.

Oh I am defo in love my IP.  I hate days when i dont use it!!! My next big thing is to make my most fav dessert which you can in it ... egg custard.. I cant wait to try that.. thanks B.. Honestly i have no worries about this machine. It's very very safe. 

Thanks for your comments !!

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LitLover

lol they should really hire you for their advertising.  You have me convinced that I want one... seriously 

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