Pressure Cooker Timing

Here is a quick reference on how long it takes to cook meat, poultry, veggies, beans/lentils/chickpeas, rice/grains, seafood/fish and fruit in a pressure cooker.

Click here

Chicken Marsala with carrots

I made this last night and while the chicken was good there wasn't a lot of flavor.  Probably needs the cheese that it calls for in the original recipe... so add something extra to give extra flavor.

3-4 lb chicken (whole) or 4-6 chicken breasts or chicken thighs
1 cup water
1 can cream of mushroom
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 Tbs minced garlic
1 Tbs dried basil
1 Tbs dried oregano
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

Prepare the chicken by salt and peppering it.  I score the top and bottom to help flavors seep in.

In the pressure cooker set to saute and add the onions, garlic, carrot, and mushrooms for 5 minutes or until the onion is becoming translucent.  Then add the basil and oregano.  Stir and turn off.

Now pour in the water and cream of mushroom soup (I mix them together first and then add).  Put the chicken in and lock the lid.  Make sure to check that your valve is closed.

Program the cooker on high pressure for 25 minutes if the chicken is completely thawed and 30 minutes if it is slightly frozen and 15 minutes if you are using 4-6 chicken breasts or chicken thighs.  Then push start.

When cooking meat it is said to be a good idea to do a slow release with it so the meat absorbs all the flavors.  You can even leave it all day if you are good enough to prepare it in the morning.

Before serving boil your noodles and serve hot.

Original recipe click here.  It has more cheeses in it and Marsala dry wine.

Meat Loaf with Potatoes and Carrots

Meat Loaf
2 eggs
1 1/2 lbs ground meat (can use beef, veal, or pork)
1 cup finely chopped onion
3/4 cup quick oats
1/2 catsup or chili sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp garlic
pepper to taste

Mix all the ingredients for the meat loaf.  Form it into a circle smaller than the size of pressure cooker insert, and set on a large piece of tin foil and wrap it up.

Putting it all together - Cover the bottom of pressure cooker with potatoes.  Maybe 3-5 red potatoes depending on the size.  Then lay the meat loaf on top.  In another sheet of tin foil cut up some veggies like carrots or whatever you want and wrap them.  Set on top of the meat loaf.

Set on HIGH pressure for 10 minutes.  When it is done release the quick release valve and remove food.  The meat loaf looks really ugly so turn on your broiler and stick it in for 3-5 minutes.  Serve.  This is so yummy!

Original recipe has parsley in it but I don't usually have parsley on hand so I omitted it.  LaDene M. Denniston gave this recipe to me when taking a class from Kitchen Kneads.

Olive Garden Zuppa Toscana Soup (my style)

Nick really likes sausage and this is a great soup that doesn't have too many ingredients.  The only thing I had to buy is the Kale.  The finished product was really good!  I really liked it to and I am not a sausage fan.  Hope you enjoy :)

Ingredients:
1 lb OR 1 cup cooked sausage (spicy if you prefer more heat)
5-7 slices of bacon OR 1/4 cup crumbed bacon
5 medium russet potatoes (with skin)
1 1/2 cup chopped carrot
2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup heavy whipping cream OR 1/3 cup sour cream with 1/3 cup water
1 qt water
2 cans of chicken broth
1/2 large onion OR 1 onion, chopped
2 - 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper

Instructions:
1. Cook sausage and bacon then set aside.

2. Slice potatoes between 1/8" and 1/4".  Try to make the slices about the same so they will cook evenly.  Dice up the onion and mince the garlic.  Throw the potatoes, onion, garlic, chicken broth, and water into a large pot on medium heat until the potatoes are cooked through.

3. Add the sausage, bacon, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.  Simmer for another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4.  Prepare the kale by chopping into bite sized pieces.  Kale is wonderful for soups because it holds up to the heat so well.  It's also delicious!

5. During this time the potatoes will start breaking apart into smaller bite sized pieces because they are so tender.  Turn the heat to low and add in the kale and heavy cream.  Let soup heat through and serve.  You can serve this with some grated Parmesan cheese on top.

For things that I changed I marked in the purple color.  The directions are a little different in the original but I think it makes more sense this way.  And I cooked the whole thing in the pressure cooker on the saute setting.  One dish to clean up!  That is the best part!

For the original recipe click here.

Steph's Baked Chicken & Vegetable Pasta Bake

½ lb. pasta (I use whatever kind I have)

1 tsp salt

1 TB olive oil

1 chopped onion

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 green pepper

1 cup chopped cabbage

½ cup dried tomatoes

1 Cup chopped rotisserie chicken

A bunch of pepperoni (Nick thought that would be yummy)

2 big handfuls of spinach

½ spaghetti sauce

2 cups cheese

Preheat the oven to 350.  Set a large pot of water to boil.  Once it comes to a rolling boil, salt it and cook the pasta until al dente (which I think means still a little tough).  Drain.

I use the pressure cooker and set it to sauté and add the olive oil.  Throw in onion, garlic, green pepper, and cabbage.  Sauté for 10 minutes, add chicken.  Stir in chicken and pepperoni then stir for 3 minutes.  Add spinach (as much as you want) and spaghetti sauce then put the lid on for 5 minutes.  When it’s done put in a casserole dish.  Cover with cheese and bake for 25 minutes (I did only 20).  It’s so tasty too!

(I got this recipe from here and changed it to what I wanted)

Classic Beef Stew (Pressure Cooker)

3 pounds beef chuck roast, cut into 1 1/2 to 2-inch pieces
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
3 cups chopped potatoes
3 medium carrots, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups beef stock
2 tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon crushed bay leaves
2/3 cup brown gravy mix (this is used to thicken soup, but you could use a rue as well)
1 cup peas

Season beef chucks with salt and pepper.  Cut all vegetables and set aside (use water for the potatoes to avoid browning).

Turn electric pressure cooker onto "browning".  Add oil and lightly brown the outside of beef chunks, do a single layer at a time - DON'T over crowd the pieces of meat.  When done set aside in a bowl for later.

Now select saute and add onions.  Cook 2 minutes or until translucent.  Stir in Potatoes, Carrots, and Celery.  Saute for 3 minutes  and add garlic.

Once vegetables are soft, stir in 1 cup of beef stock scraping the bottom to loosen it all up.  Cook until 1/2 stock is gone (I didn't wait that long) and stir in ketchup.

Add the beef back in, along with bay leaves and the rest of the broth.  Set on High Pressure for 10 minutes.  When the beep sounds use Quick Pressure Release.  When pressure has escaped remove lid.

Whisk the brown gravy mix in 2 cups of water and add directly.  The pressure cooker will heat it and thicken it all up.  I thought it was too thick and added another two cups of water.  I stirred and served!  Yummy!

Chicken and Rice (pressure cooker)

1 1/2 cup rice
1 1/2 cup water
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 pkg of onion soup mix
1/2 chopped onion

Put all of it in the pressure cooker and cook on high pressure for 3 minutes.  When it is done, set the timer for 7 more minutes and keep it on warm.  When it's done move the release valve to relieve pressure.  Let sit for a little while and then enjoy!  Done in 15 minutes!