Instant Pot Grown Up Mac & Cheese 2 Ways: Sriracha or Lobster

Here are a couple grown up versions of mac & cheese. 

The method of cooking is the same for both recipes, the ingredients are the variable. 

Use your imagination,  add cooked broccoli, asparagus. 

 You may have some leftover in your fridge.

Adult beverage, pomegranate cosmopolitan recipe included. 

Enjoy while your dinner is cooking, you deserve it! 

IP Accessories & their uses can be found on my previous blog post:

https://kitchentoysmakecookingfun.blogspot.com/2017/10/

Kicked up Sriracha Mac & Cheese 

(serves 2)

2 cups - Barilla elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp. salt

Add water, macaroni & salt to inner pot.

Set vent to seal

Press Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model)

Set to 3 minutes (4 min. if you like really soft macaroni, realize that as the macaroni sets it will cook more)

Quick release in pulses so you won't get a lot of spray and spatter. 

Open lid when pin goes down.

Add & stir in this order:

3 Tbsp. room temperature butter

1 cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk, heavy cream, half and half, or evaporated (not condensed) milk - the more fat content in your dairy the better.

1 tsp. ground mustard

1 Tbsp. Sriracha 

Residual heat will cook the pasta a bit more as it sits, and it will also thicken a bit more.  If you want it to thicken right away, set it on saute as you add your ingredients to the cooked pasta. 

"Lobsta" Mac & Cheese

(serves 2)

2 cups - Barilla elbow macaroni

1 1/2 cups water

2 tsp. salt

Add water, macaroni & salt to inner pot.

Set vent to seal

Press Manual or Pressure Cook (depending on your model)

Set to 3 minutes (4 min. if you like really soft macaroni, realize that as the macaroni sets it will cook more)

Quick release in pulses so you won't get a lot of spray and spatter. 

Open lid when pin goes down.

Add & stir in this order:

3 Tbsp. room temperature butter*

1 cup shredded sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup milk, heavy cream, half and half, or evaporated (not condensed) milk - the more fat content in your dairy the better.

1 tsp. ground mustard

Chopped meat from one cooked 1 1/2 lb. lobster 

*Option: Melt the butter, add the lobster let it sit until your macaroni is cooked then 

add.

Residual heat will cook the pasta a bit more as it sits, and it will also thicken a bit more.  If you want it to thicken right away, set it on saute as you add your ingredients to the cooked pasta. 

Pomegranate Cosmopolitan:

2 oz. Vodka

1 oz. Stonewall Kitchen Pomegranate Cosmo Mixer

1/2 oz. "splash" Cointreau or Grand Gala 

Mix all ingredients over ice in a shaker. Depending on how icy cold you like it,(I like a skating rink on top of mine!) shake and pour in a chilled martini glass. Option: garnish with a lemon twist. 

July 17, 2019 Huge Price Drop/Glitch Alert: $49.99 for the 6 quart Duo! Instant Pot Accessories & Their Uses

July 7, 2019  Glitch Alert $49.99 for the 6 Quart Duo - Less than the cost of the 3 quart! Run! Time to get  your second pot!  https://amzn.to/2JMJmAY


With all the new Instant Pot owners asking about accessories, I've put together a list of items that seem to be the most asked for and most used.



Happy Instant Pot cooking!

You may have some oven safe items,  custard cups, glass lid, already in your kitchen. Some can be found at thrift stores.  For Pot in Pot cooking you can use a stainless steel mixing bowl, or any oven safe cooking casserole/bowl.

Here is a list of some of the things that I use and what I use them for.

* Nordic Ware 6 cup bundt pan for meatloaf, cakes, egg loafs, http://amzn.to/2v63wxY, 

*Anchor Hocking covered custard cups - good for puddings, custards, lava cakes!  http://amzn.to/2yp5wEH I like these custard cups with lids. I make the lava cake recipe and cook two and save two in the fridge.
*ramekins (takes a bit longer to cook in these because the glass is thick) for puddings, flan, lava cakes http://amzn.to/2urCMpK, 

*Fat Daddio push pan for cheesecake, meatloaf, taco pie, lasagna http://amzn.to/2wsbQaE, 

*strainers for steaming veggies or removing larger quantities of hard cooked eggs, cooking potatoes:  http://amzn.to/2huE2qL, 

*3 section basket insert - can be used to steam 3 veggies at the same time. http://amzn.to/2xAaeNw

*3 quart, deep,  mesh basket with handles (they have to be removed to fit in the pot) http://amzn.to/2wKLViq

*Tall trivets to do Pot in pot cooking http://amzn.to/2w40Ym9

* Extra Instant Pot brand Sealing Rings (imitations can void warranty) http://amzn.to/2y607m0

* ekovana  *Stackable Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker Steamer Insert Pans with lid, also for pot in pot cooking. http://amzn.to/2vcFg0D

* Here is Amazons list of other Instant Pot accessories: http://amzn.to/2w3Zs3e 

Today only the Instant Pot Duo60 Amazon $69!!

Update: Best Buy has them for the same price. https://www.facebook.com/groups/InstantPotCommunity/permalink/1634687333291915/

I hope this makes it to your email in time to take advantage of this one day Amazon deal!

It's priced lower than on Prime Day!
 Today Amazon dropped the price if the Duo60 to $69!! If you need a second pot or getting one as a gift this is the lowest price I've seen since Prime Day. http://amzn.to/2ySaPeg . Amazon prices change daily so don't hesitate.

It was featured today on Dr. OZ (#3)

Today, we rank the very best deli meats so you know the healthiest kind to buy.

WATCH THE PREVIEW »

FROM TODAY’S SHOW

1. 1
   
   The Best Foods in the Supermarket
2. 2
   
   Chocolate Pumpkin Mousse
3. 3
   
   Instant Pot Chinese Chicken and Rice

SEE MORE »

Amazon's Alexa & Instant Pot Salted Potatoes

If you love cooking and baking and have ever found yourself looking for measurement conversions or recipes, Alexa can help! 

I've had my Amazon Echo for a few years now. Having to have the newest gadget, I pre-ordered mine.  Since then Alexa has been my right hand gal. I take her with me when we go on our two week vacation. She gets packed along with my bread machine and my Instant Pot. It might sound silly, but that's really what I do!

The Echo is a great resource and tool for questions you may want to look up but aren't near a computer, or your hands are already occupied. 

Her newest skill is to be able to call friends and family who also have an Echo or Echo Dot! At $49 for the Dot, it would make a great gift for family and friends!  

 You will find product comparisons at the very bottom of this Amazon page.

For recipes, you can ask her to look up a recipe for say, banana bread. She will rattle it off, you can say "Alexa pause" if she's going too fast.

If you don't have all the ingredients, you can ask her to put "bananas" on your shopping list. 

If you need a measurement conversion, just ask Alexa. 

If you are looking for a specific item, for example a 6 inch springform pan, you can ask "Alexa how much is a six inch pan on Amazon?" 

She will list them, and then ask "Would you like to buy it? 

The longer I have it, the more uses I find for it. Almost every day, I get an email from Amazon stating new skills she is capable of doing. She can even read you books you have purchased from Amazon. She is very user friendly.

Alexa can reorder items that you have in your past Amazon orders. Sometimes Amazon will offer a $10 incentive when you use Alexa to reorder.

On the lighter side, she will tell you jokes, wish you good night, sing you a song. 

I highly recommend you give her a try, I think you'll love her as much as I do!

Just ask, "Alexa, good morning."

THINGS TO TRY "Alexa, what's the news?" Your daily Flash Briefing provides you with the news you want to hear. Learn more. "Alexa, who will win an Emmy?" "Alexa, tell me how to remove a stain." "Alexa, open eHarmony." Now Alexa can help you find love. Ask about new matches, hear messages, learn who viewed your profile, and more. "Alexa, tell me about the movie American Assassin." "Alexa, who inspires you?" "Alexa, what's the average SAT score at the University of Oregon?" "Alexa, which came first: the chicken or the egg?" "Alexa, where was the war of 1812 fought?" "Alexa, play the Weekly One." Discover a new artist recommended by Amazon Music every week. "Alexa, play the album Butterfly by Mariah Carey." "Alexa, will I need an umbrella today?" "Alexa, when is fall?" "Alexa, how old are you?"

Now let's get to the Instant Pot Salt Potatoes! 

With all the positive reviews on the salt potatoes on the Facebook Instant Pot Community Page, 

when I saw them for sale at Walmart (salt was included)I had to give them a try. 
They came out great! Very creamy, soft, mashed potato texture.
I couldn't wait, ate one right out of the pot. I don't recommend it. 

I tossed it around in my mouth, breathing in and out till it was cool. Don't ask me why I just didn't spit it out, but I didn't. 
I did this:
1. Pour 4 cups tepid water in your pot.
2. Dissolve 1 cup fine table salt in 2 cups very hot water, add to the instant pot.
3. No trivet needed. Add 5 pound bag salt potatoes from Walmart (they were a bit smaller than a tennis ball)
4. Set 3 minutes manual setting, 17 minutes natural release, then pulse the remaining pressure out. Drain and serve with melted butter.
Serve whole or cut in half and mash.

I used this Instant Pot. Amazon has sold over 20,000! It is the most popular model. If you have any questions or comments, or have tried this recipe, send me a comment.

• 
  

It's finally here! The instant Pot Mini

<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Instant-Pot-Multi-Use-Programmable-Stainless/dp/B06Y1YD5W7/ref=as_li_ss_il?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1500735925&sr=1-

Get your orders in, it will probably be a sell out!

I'm Jumping on the Instant Pot Bandwagon

Hello again!
It's been a while. An ongoing family health issue has kept me busy. I haven't had much time to do this fun thing; sharing my kitchen gadgets and recipes with you.
I'm hoping to get more time to continue sharing kitchen gadgets & recipes that may inspire you to have fun in the kitchen and get cooking!

Recently I found a group of wonderful folks online willing to share their trials and errors with this somewhat new gadget: the electric pressure cooker. I have a Cuisinart, but they inspired to to try the Instant Pot brand. These have been around for a while, but recently have caught on like wildfire.

Humorously, it has been called a cult, call it a group, call it a community. Whatever you call it, it is a gathering of like minded individuals with varying levels of IP skill that own this trending kitchen gadget: the Instant Pot, a/k/a IP.

I will be posting recipes (giving credit and providing links), reviews, and accessories for the Instant Pot. Many Instant Pot fans have begun using more than one, sometimes three! They use them to make multiple dishes for one meal (protein, veggie, dessert). Many have them have their IP's in their workplace, campers, or RV's. I've seen a video of a female truck driver who was using her Instant Pot on her truck (with an electrical converter/adapter). It's amazing how creative these cooks are!

This kitchen gadget has stolen the hearts of many a man and woman by making their cooking experiences fast, fun & delicious!

I'm looking forward to sharing some of my successes and failures with the Instant Pot in my upcoming blogs.  If you curious about learning more about what recipes and other Instant Pot tidbits, I recommend you hop on over to the Instant Pot Community group on Facebook. They are a great group of helpful, creative people willing to share their Instant Pot experiences with you. 

The Instant Pot comes in various sizes and models that boast different features. If you order once now, you'll have it in time to make a delicious corned beef and cabbage dinner for St. Patty's Day.
I haven't tried it yet, but here is one recipe: http://www.familyfreshmeals.com/2017/03/instant-pot-corned-beef-and-cabbage.html  If you make it, let me know in the "Comments" section. 

I have this one: 6 qt.

and this one: 6 qt.

If you scroll way down to the very bottom of either of the Amazon links, you will find the Instant Pot comparison chart.

An accessory that others have found helpful in making amazing cheesecake, lasagna, cakes, breads, tortilla pie, etc.
3/ x 2 inch Fat Daddio Round Aluminum Cheesecake pan with removable bottom (springform, some say, sometimes leak).