Helping Families Cook and Enjoy Great Meals Together

You are here: Home / Archives for Kitchen Tools

How Many Eggs Can You Make in the Instant Pot?

by 20 Comments

Last updated on April 19th, 2019 at 08:48 am

Who among us has never asked this timeless question?

You know, you’re getting ready to make another batch of Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs in your Instant Pot, and you look at your dozen eggs neatly arranged on the trivet at the bottom.

Then you notice ALL that extra space, just sitting there, going to waste.

And you ponder…”I wonder…exactly just how many eggs I can do at one time???”


So we decided to find an answer. You know, for posterity.

Here’s what we found out: …

How Many Eggs Can You Make in the Instant Pot?Read More

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant Pot

by 10 Comments

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:36 pm

What is the perfect recipe for hard boiled eggs in an Instant Pot? Many friends have become mortal enemies debating this issue, so we’re going to clear it up for you right now.

I’m going to give you…The Perfect…recipe for hard boiled eggs. Are you ready? Do you have something to write this down?

Here it is: …

Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs in the Instant PotRead More

Instant Pot Texas Chili

by 11 Comments

Last updated on January 1st, 2019 at 11:18 pm

This is the second best chili recipe I’ve ever made.

The best pot of chili I’ve ever made was 20 years ago. Read to the end if you want to see a really sweet story about that special pot of chili.

Note: There’s lots of debate about different types of chili. The conventional wisdom is that Texas Chili has no beans. But we really like the beans in ours. And we’re from Texas. So it’s still Texas Chili. 🤠

On a more practical note, adding beans makes it about $3 cheaper per batch (depending on ground beef prices in your area.) That amount adds up over a few meals. …

Instant Pot Texas ChiliRead More

The Cooking Family Kids in the Kitchen Gift Guide

by Leave a Comment

Last updated on January 11th, 2019 at 08:50 am

Tonight, as I was sitting down after getting the kids (finally) to bed, I realized, with a surge of panic, that Christmas is almost here and I haven’t finished shopping yet! I love this time of year, and we’ve been busy making Christmas goodies and it felt like we had a couple of weeks left.

But we only have a few days, so I figured I’d better get serious about choosing some gifts. Fortunately, with Amazon Prime, I still have a couple of days to order and still receive them in time!

I know I can’t be the only one in this predicament, so I offer this guide to help you pick some great (non-electronic) gifts for your kids. We definitely don’t need any more things in our house that bleep, blurp, or glow!

…

The Cooking Family Kids in the Kitchen Gift GuideRead More

Which Instant Pot is Right For My Family? (Updated with Max)

by 38 Comments

Last updated on December 26th, 2018 at 12:56 pm

The Instant Pot is more than a “craze” now. Everywhere you turn, you see talk-show hosts and news anchors doing segments on this “new device” that’s “sweeping the nation!” And with good reason.

People are just now starting to hear about the benefits of pressure-cooking as a way to cook delicious and healthy meals without having to stand over a stove. You’ve probably heard from more than one friend about how much they love their “Instapot.”

But the truth is, the Instant Pot has been around a few years, and pressure cooking for ages. But this ain’t your grandma’s pressure cooker! The Instant Pot is a safe, easy cooking method, and the company is constantly refining and improving the technology and releasing new models.

But that’s creating confusion for new customers shopping for an Instant Pot, and probably why you’re here to read this article!

There are several sizes and lots of variations in features among the different models, and even non-pressure cooker products now. So the question I see most often right now is, “I have a family of ____, which Instant Pot should I get?”

The answer really comes down to two simple questions.
…

Which Instant Pot is Right For My Family? (Updated with Max)Read More

Homemade Chicken Bone Broth in the Instant Pot

by 1 Comment

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:43 pm

Prep Time: 5 Minutes
Under Pressure: 120 Minutes
Quick Release or Natural Pressure Release, your call!

 

If you’ve got 5 minutes, old chicken bones, leftover veggies, and an Instant Pot, you can have homemade bone broth all the time! Sometimes called Chicken Stock, this commonly used ingredient is the basis for so many recipes! We use it for soups, casseroles, sauces, and gravies. We even sometimes use it for making rice and pasta, instead of water. Here are a few of our recipes that use this delicious broth as a base ingredient:

 

 

 

Using store-bought chicken broth is easy, but it isn’t necessarily cheap, and the truth is, you don’t actually know what’s in that can or box or jar.

 

When I went gluten free and was forced to begin reading every label, I was shocked at the ingredient lists right in front of my face that I had been ignoring! Ingredients such as:

…

Homemade Chicken Bone Broth in the Instant PotRead More

Throw & Go Instant Pot Italian Sausage Lentil Soup

by 3 Comments

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:45 pm

It’s finally our favorite season around here. Even though it’s 90 degrees in Texas right now, when we start to see Pumpkin Spice everything, we know it’s SOUP SEASON!  We’ve always loved soup, that’s one of the reasons we love our Instant Pot so much. It speeds up the stewing time and gives the flavors a good pop!

Several years ago, we were at Carrabba’s and I had their Sausage Lentil Soup. It was so good! I’ve spent the last few years trying to re-create it, and I think we’ve finally got it really close! I love working up recipes because I get to eat the results. 😉

This is a hearty and nutritious dinner for the whole family. Lentils provide lots of protein, fiber, iron, and B vitamins!  And it’s delicious! Everyone in our family gobbles up the first bowl and wants seconds, including the toddler! In the Old Testament of the Bible, Esau sold his birthright for a bowl of Lentil stew—so you know it must be good!

…

Throw & Go Instant Pot Italian Sausage Lentil SoupRead More

Tom’s Super Potato Salad

by Leave a Comment

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:47 pm

TCF Tom's Salad FB

This is a special family recipe to me. That’s because it comes from a special man.

Tom.

IMG_1645-2

Tom is my dad, and I think he’s just about the best guy ever. I got my kitchen improvisational spirit from him, and this recipe is a perfect example. He spent years analyzing and tweaking the proportions to arrive at this delicious recipe. We’ve made it for years, arriving at parties and BBQ’s with a giant bowl and leaving with it licked clean. We hope you like it as much as …

Tom’s Super Potato SaladRead More

Instant Pot 6-Minute Chicken Tortilla Soup

by 6 Comments

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:51 pm

This is a family favorite that turns out delicious every time!  We use our favorite kitchen tool, the Instant Pot, to make a tasty Chicken Tortilla Soup.  The Instant Pot really does give second-day soup flavor in only a few minutes! One of the things I love about this recipe is that there is something for each of my children to do to help prepare it. Watch the video to see how everyone pitches in. The recipe and instructions we used are down below.

Tools we used:

6 Qt Instant Pot

Cut Glove I make sure the kids are always wearing one of these when using the knife. …

Instant Pot 6-Minute Chicken Tortilla SoupRead More

What’s So Great About the Instant Pot?

by 3 Comments

Last updated on September 21st, 2018 at 05:53 pm

What's so great about the Instant Pot?

For years, I was a slow-cooker fan. I remember the day when I got my big All-Clad model with the insert that you could put right on the stove to brown meat. I coveted and longed for that tool for months before buying it on sale.
And I still like to pull it out every now and then, if for no other reason than to justify keeping it, because it is beautiful. But ever since I got my Instant Pot, the poor slow-cooker has been more of no-cooker.

 

Poor, Lonely Slow Cooker
My Poor, Lonely Slow Cooker
Here at The Cooking Family, one of our foundational principles is that you only need a small set of the right tools to enjoy great meals together. You don’t always need the “next big thing,” and you especially don’t need uni-taskers.

 

But even though the Instant Pot is the current “latest gadget,” it is one I would say is a must-have tool. Seriously. If you told me I could only keep 2 things in my kitchen, I’d keep my Wüsthof knife and my Instant Pot. As a mom of 7, I oversee 189 meals per week! But the Instant Pot ensures I don’t spend all day in the kitchen (unless I want to 😉.)

Even though it seems everyone is talking about the Instant Pot, I know many people don’t understand the hype. And I get it. I didn’t understand at first. At least once a week, someone will ask me, “What’s so great about the Instant Pot? I’m afraid I’ll blow my kitchen up!”

You won’t. Today’s electric pressure cookers are so much different than the tank-like pots that graced our grandmothers’ stoves.  I’ve compiled a list of things I love about mine. This list is certain to grow, and I’ll update it as I discover new things. There are many features I haven’t even explored yet. (Like ribs or lasagna!) (Updated 7/11/18)

Here’s why you need an Instant Pot

…

What’s So Great About the Instant Pot?Read More