Three reasons to pull out that pressure cooker (or slow cooker).
Are you one of the millions of people who have bought an Instant Pot® or other electric pressure cooker? A far cry from your grandmother’s pressure cooker, this tool has grown in popularity as a simple, quick way to get dinner on the table for busy families. While dinner isn’t exactly “instant,” it’s generally hands-off and much faster than using a slow cooker or roasting a meat for your main dish.
Kahlua Pork
Contributed by Michele Reneau – “I adapted this from Michelle Tam’s Nom Nom Paleo®. My family thinks it’s the best and easiest pork dish! We eat it as a taco, burrito, or plain with a couple of veggies.”
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
4-5 slices raw bacon, chopped
1 onion, sliced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
4 to 5 lbs pork shoulder, cut into 4 large pieces
1 Tablespoon fine sea salt
½ cup water or broth
Directions
Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Add bacon and cook until browned. Add sliced onions and minced garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle salt on the pork pieces and place into pot. Add water or broth. Cook on high pressure for 90 minutes. When finished, allow pressure to release naturally. Remove lid and shred pork. (Pictured with sliced jalapeño, diced red onions, diced tomatoes, tortillas, and fresh limes.)
Kitchen Tips
To adapt for the slow cooker, brown bacon in a small skillet, then add onions and minced garlic and sauté for 3-5 minutes. Transfer to slow cooker, then add salted pork pieces on top. No need to add water or broth. Cook for 8-10 hours on low.
Cheesy Chili Mac
Contributed by Mary Haymaker – “I had no idea that you could cook pasta with sauce in your pressure cooker. This is quick, easy, and delicious. All the hands-on work is done in 15 minutes.”
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeño, finely diced
2 Tablespoons chili powder
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
1 lb ground beef
2 cups water
14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes
2 cups elbow macaroni
1 cup frozen corn
2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
salt and pepper, to taste
4 ounces cheddar or Monterey jack cheese, shredded
sour cream and avocado, for garnish
Directions
Turn Instant Pot to sauté setting. Heat the oil until shimmering. Sauté the onion and red pepper until softened, then add the garlic and jalapeño and sauté until fragrant. Add the meat, chili powder, and cayenne and cook until browned, breaking it up with a wooden spoon while cooking. Add the water, tomatoes, and pasta. Adjust setting to Bean/Chili and set time for five minutes. When the cooking time has ended, turn off the Instant Pot and quick release the pressure. Remove lid and stir in the corn and the cilantro. The residual heat from the pot should thaw the corn. Salt and pepper to taste, and then stir in the cheese. Serve immediately, topped with sour cream, avocado, and fresh cilantro.
Kitchen Tips
For the slow cooker, sauté onion, red pepper, garlic, jalapeno, spices, and ground beef on the stovetop until meat is browned. Add meat mixture, 1 cup water, and tomatoes to the slow cooker. Cook for 4-6 hours on low. Cook pasta separately. When ready, add pasta, corn, cilantro, and cheese to the meat mixture.
Chicken Mole (pronounced mo-lay)
Contributed by Jen Sharp-Knott – “This is the perfect comfort food, and so easy in the Instant Pot. The leftovers are great. Just shred the chicken and use in tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls.”
Makes 4-6 servings
Ingredients
1 Tablespoon olive oil
8 ounces mole paste*
1 triangle of a Nestle Abuelita original hot chocolate drink tablet*
3 lbs chicken breast, cut into large chunks
Smoked salt to taste
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
Cooked brown rice
1 bag steamable veggies of your choice
*These items may be found in the Hispanic section of your grocery store.
Directions
Turn Instant Pot to sauté and pour olive oil in pot. When it’s hot, add the mole paste and stir until it breaks up and softens. Add the hot chocolate and the broth. Stir for a couple minutes until all is combined and smooth. Salt the chicken to taste, then add to the Pot. Turn the sauté function off, put the lid on and set to non-venting, then press the poultry button (or cook on high pressure for 10-15 minutes, depending on how big your chicken pieces are). Allow pressure to release naturally after it finishes cooking. Remove the lid and steam your vegetables. To serve, add rice and vegetables in a soup bowl, then spoon the chicken over the top with lots of sauce. (Pictured with sliced jalapeño and sliced avocado.)
Kitchen Tips
To adapt for the slow cooker, heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add mole paste until it softens, then add hot chocolate and broth. Pour into slow cooker. Add salted chicken pieces. Cook for about 4 hours on low, until chicken is cooked through. You may want to leave the chicken pieces whole to prevent dry chicken.
Pantry list
Kahlua Pork
broth, garlic, onion, salt
Cheesy Chili Mac
cayenne pepper, cheese, chili powder, diced tomatoes, frozen corn, garlic, oil, onion, pepper, salt
Chicken Mole
brown rice, chicken or vegetable broth, olive oil, vegetables for steaming
Shopping List
Kahlua Pork
bacon, pork shoulder (also called Boston butt)
Cheesy Chili Mac
cilantro, ground beef, jalapeno, red bell pepper
Chicken Mole
chicken breast, mole paste, Nestle Abuelita original hot chocolate drink, smoked salt
This article originally appeared in HomeLife Magazine. HomeLife is looking for family-friendly, budget-conscious, original recipes from readers like you. Simply email us your recipe, name and contact info to homelife@lifeway.com. We will pay $25 for each recipe that is printed. We regret that mailed submissions cannot be accepted. Recipes become the property of HomeLife and may be edited prior to publication. Share your recipe with HomeLife!
