6 Tips for Pressure Cooker Beginners- Plus An Easy First Recipe To Try!

So, you are lucky owner of an electric pressure cooker! NOW WHAT?

If you’re like me you were a little like a deer in the headlights when I saw all those buttons. This is for all of us pressure cooker beginners! Whether you own an Instant Pot, Fagor Lux, Power Pressure Cooker XL, or another electric pressure cooker, it can be a little daunting to know how to proceed from knowing nothing, to getting some delicious food on the table!

I’m here to share some tips for the pressure cooker newbie, and you’ll be making some scrumptious meals in minutes in no time!

*Before you do anything – read the manual and learn how your cooker works. Double check that you have all of the pieces!

1. Start with a water test! This will help you learn how your pressure cooker works and how long it takes to come to pressure.

This is super simple- making sure the inner pot is in the cooker, add 2-3 cups of water and lock the lid in place. Make sure your valve is in the sealed position, NOT the steam release position (check your manual to see how this works for YOUR pressure cooker) and you’re ready to set the time. Using either the manual mode or choosing a button with a short cooking time (rice or fish work well) set the time for around 5 minutes. Now sit back and watch your pressure cooker do it’s thing! You’ll first see your cooker working to heat the water and build pressure. The timer won’t start counting down until pressure is reached – then you’ll see the time counting down. Once the timer is done, it’s best to leave the valve in the sealed position for about 10 minutes to relieve pressure naturally. In recipes, this is called a natural pressure release. In the next tip I’ll talk a bit more about the different ways to release pressure in your cooker.

The water test is a great way to catch any problems right away – you want to be sure the seal is tight and that the pressure releases properly. It’s a safe and easy way to get started learning the ins and outs of your cooker.

2. Learn the difference between natural pressure release and a quick pressure release.

This confused me at first – what was the difference and when should I use what? Okay, so a natural release is basically when you just leave the valve in the sealed position and just do nothing for about 10-30 minutes after your timer is done. This allows pressure to release naturally and more slowly. Usually your electric pressure cooker will automatically switch to the “keep warm” setting during a natural release.

You will want to use a natural release in a few different circumstances – if you are making anything that has quite a bit of liquid (for example, soup) you can avoid liquid splattering through the valve with a natural release. Also, if you are cooking anything that produces a lot of foam, like pasta or oats etc. Another instance where you would use a natural release would be if you’re cooking meat that would need to rest before you slice into it.

If you don’t want to wait for the pressure to completely release naturally, you can simply wait for 10 minutes, then move the valve to the venting/steam release setting to release whatever steam is left. It works well!

A quick release is when you move the vale to the venting/steam release setting immediately after the timer is done, quickly releasing the pressure. You would use this method whenever you are cooking anything that you wouldn’t want to overcook – vegetables, rice, anything like that.

3. Don’t change the valve with your bare hands

For safety reasons, it’s best to always use a utensil or your hand in an oven mitt to change the valve to release the pressure. You can avoid steam burns this way!

4.  Don’t get confused by the settings

Most pressure cookers all cook the same way – you simply choose the length of time. The preset buttons are simply just different programmed time settings. It is helpful to click on the different buttons to see which times each one is set for, so when you find a recipe you want to try and it calls for you to cook for a certain number of minutes, you know which button comes closest to that time, then use the manual button to adjust. I hope that makes sense!

The number of minutes will be how long the cooker will cook once pressure is reached – so if it takes your pressure cooker 3 minutes to reach pressure, and you’ve selected a cook time of 7 minutes, and you need to use a natural pressure release  – you are looking at a total time of closer to 20 minutes rather than the 7 minutes the recipe mentions. Always keep in mind the few minutes it takes for your cooker to reach pressure as well as the pressure release time when figuring out how long it will be for your food to be on the table.

5. No Liquid = No Pressure!

It’s important to follow recipes very closely to ensure you have enough liquid in your cooker to do the job. Pressure cookers cook with the power of steam so liquid matters!

6. Don’t overfill!

It’s important to never fill past the maximum fill lines in your pressure cooker. And if you are cooking liquids, don’t fill past 1/2! What happens when you overfill? Well, it’s like when your pasta water overflows except it’s shot out of the pressure valve and everywhere into your kitchen. Yeah, messy business that you want to avoid. Follow your directions for your pressure cooker!

Okay, you’ve learned the basics – you’ve tried the water test, and you’re ready to make something you can eat!

We are going to make something that will blow your minds – hard boiled eggs!

In my family, we have an entire dozen eggs always boiled and in the fridge to pack in lunches, have as a snack, or whip up some deviled eggs in a hurry! But boiling eggs has always been a finicky business – timing it right, over or undercooking, and the peeling…..OH THE PEELING!

When I heard you could make a LOT of boiled eggs in the pressure cooker – and that they peeled like a dream – I was skeptical. I’ve heard all the tips for getting easy to peel hard boiled eggs and, honestly, they came up short over and over again. You guys – this is the real deal! Okay, I’m going to show you how it’s done.

Pressure Cooker Hard Boiled Eggs

1. Grab your pressure cooker and some eggs. Make sure the inner pot is in the cooker and put in a rack. Add in all of your eggs – you can do 2, a dozen, or more all at once. They ALL cook the same and are amazing.     

2. Set your cooker for 6 minutes. You can use the manual button, or choose a food that is close and manually adjust. I have the Power Pressure Cooker XL and when I selected the “Fish” setting, it was exactly 6 minutes.

3. Pour in 1.5 Cups of water

4. Close the lid, and make sure the valve is moved to the sealed position. Watch your beautiful cooker do it’s thing!
5. Do a quick release when the timer goes off (move the valve to the steam/vent position) and when the pressure is released open the lid. Most electric pressure cookers will not open until the pressure is released – talk about super safe!
6. Put those little eggies in an ice bath for about a minute, or until cool enough to handle.

Now is the magic moment – peeling time! I could not believe how easy the peels came off – I couldn’t get them off fast enough! I called my husband over to show him and had my daughters peeling with glee! Seriously, the best, perfectly cooked, easy to peel hard boiled eggs ever!

These eggs are perfection – every time. You’ll never boil eggs the old fashioned way again. Now we can make all the deviled eggs we want in mere minutes – and not waste any on eggs that won’t peel!

*To make these easy deviled eggs, simply cut the boiled eggs in half lengthwise, mash together the egg yolks with some miracle whip (I prefer this to mayonnaise, but it’s really what flavor you prefer), a small amount of yellow prepared mustard, and salt & pepper to taste. Fill the hollow egg whites with the yolk mixture and sprinkle with a touch of paprika. Yummy! Adjust amounts to the taste and texture you prefer.

For some easy recipes you can try with your electric pressure cooker today – check these out:

Instant Pot Easy & Creamy Macaroni & Cheese

How to Make Instant Pot Mashed Potatoes

10 Easy Recipes for Your New Instant Pot Pressure Cooker

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21 Awesome Tips To Get Your Home Ready To Sell

Whether you’re moving for a job or just ready to upgrade or downsize, selling a house can be a huge undertaking. But you can’t take down a giant submarine sandwich in one bite; similarly, it’s impossible to get a house ready to sell in a day. It takes lots of small steps to get your home ready to put on the market. Use these helpful tips to get your casa in tip-top shape so that you can get top dollar when it sells.

21 Awesome Tips To Get Your Home Ready To Sell

Before the Showing

1. Refresh your curb appeal.

The front of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see. Put your best foot forward and make a good impression by refreshing a few areas. Trim overgrown trees or shrubs; plant flowers in the flower beds or a porch planter. Repaint the front door, trim, or shutters for a fresh look. Here are some ideas you might like:

15 Beautiful Front and Back Porch Styling Ideas

Home Updates on a Budget

2. Have the exterior of your home repainted.

You’d be amazed at how a new coat of paint can completely transform the look of your home. Consider it an investment. Last year, the average amount it cost to paint the exterior of a house was between $3,000 to $4,000. That’s a small cost that can add big value onto your home.

3. Make a room-by-room checklist of everything that needs to be fixed.

The amount of to-dos in getting your home ready to sell can overwhelm you quickly if you don’t have a plan. Take the time to walk through your house, room by room, keeping a list of things that need repaired in that room. Working on one room at a time can ensure a thorough job.

4. Tackle those paint touch-ups.

Most homes really take a beating over the years, especially when it comes to paint getting chipped off the walls. Paint touch ups are something that every homeowner must do, but how do you match your existing color up precisely?

Use a razor blade to shave a small 1-inch portion of paint off the surface of your sheetrock. Place it in a bag labeled with the room you took the sample from and take it into a paint associate at your local hardware store. When you get home, apply the paint with a brush or roller and wait for the paint to dry entirely to determine if it was an accurate match.

5. Repair any and all door knobs or handles.

A lot of times, they just need a few screws tightened or a little WD-40, but make sure those door knobs and handles are all working properly.

6. Deep cleaning: take it one room at a time.

Selling a house is probably the best opportunity to declutter. Again, tackling the job one room at a time is probably the easiest. Have three containers ready with you: one for trash, one for donating, and one for items you’ll take with you to the new house but don’t immediately need. This way, half of the packing will already be done before you even sell your home.

7. Update kitchen and bathroom hardware.

Another inexpensive update that can make a huge difference is changing out the existing hardware on your kitchen and bathroom cabinets and drawers with new ones. 

8. Wax all wood floors or consider refinishing them.

Over time, your once smooth and shiny hardwood floors become scratched and dull. Give them a little TLC by waxing them or even refinishing them. Before hiring a professional to refinish your hardwood floors, check out this tutorial on how to refinish wood floors. It will save you money and isn’t as hard as most people think.

9. Re-calk the kitchen and bathroom.

After years and years of use, the calk in your kitchen and bathrooms can start to look cracked and dirty. Re-calking is a very simple task and can refresh your kitchen or bathroom counters.

10. Spruce up tile grout.

Similarly, tile grout gets dingy due to natural wear and tear on your home. There are several ways to clean your grout, but it might require a bit of grunt-work. For natural cleaners, vinegar works wonders! Lemon juice is also a good cleaner. You can check out the best ways to clean grout on Pinterest.

11.  If you have any crazy-colored walls, repaint them.

You may like purple or pink or bright green on the walls of your home, but that doesn’t mean potential buyers do. In fact, odd-colored paint can turn a homebuyer off real quick. If you’ve got something like that, take an afternoon to repaint it a more neutral tone.

12. Clean the baseboards.

Baseboards are the one finish that ties your whole home together and gives it that polished look. Wipe the dust off them, use a Magic Eraser to clean up any scuffs, and give them a good over-all clean. One fun trick is to use dryer sheets to wipe them down. This keeps the dust from sticking!

13. Revive the lighting in your home.

Dust all light fixtures top to bottom, replace light bulbs, and consider replacing outdated light fixtures with newer ones. We love this DIY barn light that’s easy and cheap to make.

14. Clean windows and pressure wash the exterior.

If it hasn’t been done for a while (or ever) get your windows professionally washed and pressure wash the exterior of your home to give it a shiny new makeover.

15. Have the carpets cleaned.

Carpets hide and harbor a lot of dirt and junk and having them cleaned will make your home look cleaner and more impressive.

{Image courtesy of Unsplash.com}

Ready for Home Showings

16. Un-personalize your home.

Homebuyers don’t want to see your family photos on the wall; they want to envision their own there. Before your home shows, take down all photos and personal decor, including personalized names, etc.

17. Put all toiletries in a convenient box.

People who come through your home will definitely be opening your drawers and cupboards to get an idea of how much storage space your home has. They don’t want to find your personal toiletry items. Go ahead and pack up things you don’t use or need immediately, then store items like toothbrushes, makeup, and feminine products in a convenient box that you can either take with you when your home shows or store in an out-of-the-way place.

18. Clean and organize closets and remove any personal items.

The less you have in your closets when it’s time for home showings, the better.

19. Remove all signs of clutter.

Too much clutter—and that means over-decorating—can make your house look messy and smaller. Try to turn your home into more of a blank canvas by removing clutter and employing a few good home staging tips.

20. Shape up your pantry.

Deep clean your pantry and organize it so that it doesn’t look like the kids just ravaged through it for a snack. The kitchen is the #1 seeing point for a lot home buyers.

21. Mow and maintain the lawn.

Finally, while your home is on the market, make sure to mow and maintain your lawn. That attention to detail is noticed and will serve as one small detail that can elevate your home above others in the area.

You might also like:

 

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Tips for Enjoying the Olympics with Kids

I love the Olympics! And every two years I celebrate with my family. We eat international foods. We run a torch around the living room. For a few months every two years we subscribe to cable and sit on the couch watching hours of footage of other people being physically active. Today I’ll give you a few tips for having a great time enjoying the Olympics with kids from the comfort of your own home.

My love for this event must have started when my hometown got the Olympics in 1988 and the entire City of Calgary went Olympics crazy. Every school assignment. Every community activity. All centered on the Olympics for the year leading up to the event. Then in my early 20s I was living and working in Utah during the Salt Lake City Olympics. I walked two blocks from my apartment to watch the torch relay pass by. I cried.

You may not be able to travel to South Korea this February, but you can still make those two weeks an epic experience.

Here are a few ideas for enjoying the Olympics with kids:

1. Learn About the Host Nation

How much do you know about South Korea? For every one thing you don’t know, the library and the internet know a thousand things. Check out some books and read about Korean history and culture. It will make all those b-roll shots on the NBC coverage more meaningful and turn a fun event into a learning experience.

2. Eat Like the Host Nation

You may not know how to make kimchi or bulkogi but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat it. Whip up some rice and pick up some Korean-style beef bulkogi at Trader Joe’s for an easy meal. Or stop by your local Korean restaurant or mall food court and bring home a feast. Talk to your kids about what you’re eating and what other foods are common in South Korea.

3. Decorate

The Christmas decorations are down and your walls may be looking a little bare. Why not fill them with some homemade art to commemorate the Olympics? We love this free printable for international flag bunting. Get creative and make it feel like a special occasion worth celebrating.

4. Gear Up

You don’t have to spend a billion dollars to dress up for the Olympics. I was at the mall yesterday and saw Olympic t-shirts and jackets for way more money than I was willing to pay. We made these for just a couple of dollars per shirt by picking up the white t-shirts and puff paint at the craft store. The kids were proud to make their own. You could also go with a Team USA theme or Team Whatever Country You Live In.

5. Host a Torch Relay

For the last Winter Olympics, we had friends over for mini Olympic games and a torch relay. It was (Seattle shocker!) cold and rainy so each of the kids just took a lap around the main floor of our house with the torch. We played Olympic theme music and cheered them all on. This torch was created by wrapping triangles of flame-colored tissue paper around a flashlight and then wrapping the handle in tinfoil. 2 minutes. Boom.

6. Have an Opening Ceremonies Scavenger Hunt

The opening ceremonies of the Olympics can be long and we usually do other activities while we watch. This year I’ve made a scavenger hunt printable to hold our interest longer. It’s a list of things the kids might see while they watch. Prizes will be won. Fun will be had.

7. Learn About the Athletes

The Team USA website has great bios about the athletes competing this year. Read amazing stories about the challenges these athletes have overcome. Everyone will be inspired and it will be so much more fun to watch them compete when you know more about their lives.

8. Try Out Some Events

Do you live somewhere snowy? Try out some of the events. My daughter tried “skeleton” on a sled down our snowy cul-de-sac hill. Stack everybody onto a toboggan for bobsled or go skiing if there’s a hill nearby. If you live somewhere warm you can always improvise your own faux-winter sports or go to a local ice skating rink. They keep it cold so the weather doesn’t have to.

9. Pick Favorites and Do a Medal Count

Choose a few of your favorite countries and post daily medal counts. We’ve done posters in the past but this year we’ve opted for a white board so we can just write the numbers and erase them, rather than counting up tally marks. This photo is for blog purposes only. I’m curious to see if any of our predictions are close.

There is something magical and reaffirming about the Olympics. We get a chance to watch people from all over the world come together and get over themselves a bit. People are kinder. Barriers break down. It’s a great time to focus on what we have in common, rather than our differences. How do you plan to enjoy the Olympics with kids (or grown-ups) this February?

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