I love my pressure cooker!

 Having gotten a pressure cooker a year ago for Christmas, I've been trying to get acquainted with this kind of cooking, adjusting recipes for high altitude, and trying to make this part of my thinking in the kitchen.

And so far, it's wonderful!  I did overcook a head of cauliflower to mush once (which was redeemable mashed with butter on it).  It does a stellar job with veggies.  Three minutes to do whole brussel sprouts, twelve to do artichokes to perfection, etc.  I don't have scorching problems anymore cooking whole grain cereals--you cook it in a metal bowl inside the cooker--in just ten minutes.

I'm still learning how to do meats.  I have to adjust times due to high altitude, but it's easy to overcook them and get the meat tough.  But I think I've been undercooking so I'll work more on that.

I love the meal-in-one simplicity!  A favorite here layers browned hamburger, tomato paste, pasta, veggies, and seasoning...and it done perfectly in ten minutes!  (Have I use the word 'perfect' before??) 

But my new favorite is soup broth!  I half fill the cooker with water, throw in browned beef bones, lamb bones, or chicken parts like backs, wings, etc., some celery, onion, bay leaf, and a couple of peppercorns.  Half an hour later I have this rich, delicious broth.  The pressure cooker drives out the good gelatin from the marrow and joints, which is fabulously healthy for you.

I might note that I no longer tremble in fear that the whole shebang is going to blow up all over me and the kitchen.  I now confidently whip things in and out of it, cavalierly ignore the hissing and sputtering, and laugh triumphantly when I lift the lid and see another success!

So if you have a beautiful pressure cooker that was a wedding gift still sitting in it's box...give it a go!  I think you'll love it.  Just think of all the other fun things you can do with all the time you'll save...