Cooking Under Pressure?????

A year and a half ago, my friend and I found a kitchen essential the day after Thanksgiving - a pressure cooker! We had been told that a pressure cooker was a kitchen "must have" and of course when there was an amazing deal on one we were up at 3:00 a.m. and ready to make the purchase. We were so excited that not only did we get up at 3:00 a.m. to get the great deal but we then proceeded to wait a year and a half before even using it! That is slightly embarrassing to admit to - waiting a year and a half to use something that was a "must have."

Well, I first must tell you that I was a little on the scared side to use it - what if it blew up and exploded all over me and my kitchen?????? So my friend Christine and I (yes, she is the other happy shopper who bought one!) decided that while our husbands were away we would get together and finally try out this pressure cooker thing - you know - find out if it was a "must have." A cookbook called "Cooking Under Pressure" had been recommended to me (you can get a great deal on it at Amazon). And yes, I had gotten the cookbook a year and a half ago as well! We set out to choose a recipe. Coq Au Vin it was! We didn't even know how to pronounce it until after dinner last night.

So we began prepping the meal. Not only was it fun to cook together but it was nice to split the cost (we didn't choose the cheapest recipe in the book) and I also figured at least if it blew up we would be in this thing together! It was so much easier than we could have imagined! Browned the bacon, browned the chicken, sauteed the veggies and then made the meal all in one pot - - amazing! What was more amazing was that it was cooked in 10 minutes! The best part - nothing blew up! The meal turned out perfectly and we can't wait to make it for our husbands! So we had Coq Au Vin, mashed potatoes and steamed asparagus. Quite a meal!

So will I be using my pressure cooker again - YES!!!!!!!!! It really is a kitchen must have!!!!!!! I give credit to Cecile D. She is a kitchen genius and has had a huge impact on my planning and cooking! Often times I feel like I am cooking "under pressure" with not much time - working and wanting to maximize time with my family. The pressure cooker has changed my cooking life! The thought of making a pot roast in 40 minutes is exciting to me! Now I know how the Iron Chefs get those meals done in one hour! Last year my discovery of great crockpot meals made a huge difference in my cooking - this year - the Pressure Cooker! All of you who don't have one - it is a MUST - trust me! And now I have to admit - we did almost turn and run when we did the "Quick Pressure Release" and it made a scary sound - - - but I will be doing it again - VERY soon!