Pressure Cooker Love

When the White family came to visit us recently, they came bearing gifts, which included two huge bags of home-grown pinto beans -- the most delicious in the world, in my completely unbiased opinion. That, combined with my growing pile of Bed Bath & Beyond coupons, served as the impetus for my purchase of a digital pressure cooker. If you know me at all, you're aware of how ridiculously analytical I am. So, after reading through dozens and dozens of product reviews, I finally settled on a Cuisinart. I've been pleased with the other Cuisinart products we own (coffee maker, coffee grinder, toaster, juicer, food processor, stick blender, etc.), so I wasn't surprised by the pressure cooker's strong reviews.

I've already prepared several dishes in the pressure cooker and have become infatuated with this cooking appliance. Not only does it cook pinto beans like a dream, but it can also soften potatoes in mere minutes. When it was snowing the other day, I used it to make this:

I wouldn't dare show you these pictures without sharing my recipe. So, here you are:

Cheesy Potato Soup

4 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cubed

3 onions, chopped

1.5 c. water

3 c. milk

2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 c. mild cheddar cheese, grated

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

parsley or green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Put potatoes, onions, water, and salt in pressure cooker. Set on high pressure for 3 minutes. Allow slow cooker to release pressure naturally. Transfer contents to a stock pot. (If you like your soup chunky, you may want to set aside a few chunks of potato to add back into the soup later.) Use a stick blender to puree the potato, then stir in the milk and pepper. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in cheese until melted. Stir in most of the bacon, reserving a small amount for topping. Transfer to bowls (or bread bowls*, in my case!) and top with reserved bacon and parsley or green onion garnish. Enjoy!

*I just used a small knife to hollow out small, store-bought, round loaves of sheepherders' bread.