Looking To Save Time Cooking In The Kitchen?

Because most people are quite busy, they often don’t have much time to spend cooking. Of course, it goes without saying that meals prepared at home are usually much better for you than pre-prepared food or fast food.

One way to make it easier to cook at home is to look for time savers in the kitchen. It’s interesting to note that two of the best time savers in the kitchen use cooking methods at opposite ends of the speed spectrum. One cooks foods fast, while the other cooks foods slow.

#1 Way To Save Time Cooking – The Slow Cooker

Slow cookers are electrical countertop appliances that come in varying sizes. Although the term slow cooker and Crock-Pot are often used interchangeably, Crock-Pot is actually a trademark name for a specific brand of slow cooker.

A slow cooker, as the name implies, cooks foods slowly. However, it is still a great time saver. Put the ingredients for your main dish or an entire meal in the slow cooker in the morning before you start your other work for the day, and that evening you’ll have a meal ready and waiting.

To save even more time the next morning, prepare the ingredients the evening before, so they’ll be ready to put in the slow cooker.

#2 Way To Save Time Cooking – The Pressure Cooker

Pressure cookers are back in style, and they have many more features than the old models of the 80’s. Today’s pressure cookers are much much safer and easier to use.

Even though a pressure cooker may look like other kitchen pots, the lid makes all the difference. The contents of the pot build up steam because the lid completely seals the pot. The cooking time is much shorter because the steam is under pressure and at higher temperatures. It’s really very simple to use, even if it sounds somewhat complicated.

Sturdy metal that conducts heat well make the best pressure cookers. Models like the Presto Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker have a bi-metal clad base that provides great conduction for cooking, plus a great looking and durable finish. There are various sizes for pressure cookers, from 4 to 8 quart sizes. A popular choice for a family, the 6 quart size may be the best pressure cooker for you, too.

The pressure cooker can help you cook something in a short time, sometimes even faster than a microwave, if meal time rolls around and you haven’t anything prepared. It has the added advantage of keeping the vitamins and other nutrients intact, while sealing in juices and flavors.

Give Yourself A Break And Save Time In YOUR Kitchen

Make preparing food easier. You might want to consider buying these time savers if you don’t already have them. Start saving time cooking by choosing the best pressure cooker and slow cooker you can find for your needs.

It doesn’t take a genius to learn how to use a pressure cooker safely. If you buy one like the Presto 6 Quart Stainless Steel Pressure Cooker, it comes with several safety features built-in, making it easier and safer to use.

Just to help you remember how to use a pressure cooker safely, however, I offer . . .

1. Thou shalt read thy manual. This is especially important if you’ve never used a pressure cooker before. The best safety feature is an informed Presto Pressure Cooker Operator.
2. Thou shalt check the cooker’s safety equipment before use. Hold the cover up and look through the vent to see if it’s clear. Make sure the air vent/cover lock moves freely.
3. Thou shalt not cook those foods that clog up the safety vent with froth and foam, such as cranberries, cereals and beans. The manual that comes with the Presto Pressure Cooker will have a list of what foods work well in the cooker, and which should be avoided.
4. Thou shalt not overfill the cooker. Most of the time, fill it 2/3rds the way full. For foods that expand a lot, such as grains, it should only be filled 1/2 the way. For a more extensive list on the right amounts of foods to put in a Presto Pressure Cooker, consult the manual.
5. Thou shalt make sure the pressure cooker is properly closed before beginning to cook.
6. Thou shalt not use the Presto Pressure cooker in an oven, on an outdoor LP gas burner, or on a gas range over 12,000 BTU’s.
7. Thou shalt not attempt to open the cooker until the inside pressure is completely reduced – no steam coming out of the vent and the handle is easy to open.
8. Thou shalt keep thy pressure cooker well maintained, replacing the gasket and overpressure plug every two years, or any time such becomes worn, cracked, hard or deformed.
9. Thou shalt not allow children to use the pressure cooker.
10. Thou shalt now touch hot surfaces, attempt to pressure cook oil, or otherwise do anything stupid prefaced by a “Hey, watch this!”

This wonderful cookware is a great addition to your kitchen, so don’t let any safety concerns keep you from buying one.  With the built in safety features on a Presto Pressure Cooker and a little common sense, there shouldn’t be any problems with using a Presto Pressure Cooker safely.

Sometimes when you’re in a hurry to get a meal on the table, you’re really under pressure to prepare a meal fast! It’s tempting to resort to fast food meals or use prepared foods with lots of chemicals in them. Instead, try cheap healthy cooking by using a nice pressure cooker.

Save Time

A pressure cooker makes meal preparation easy and will save lots of time in the kitchen. A meal can be ready three to ten times faster in a pressure cooker, sometimes even quicker than cooking the same food in a microwave!

How Does It Work?

A pressure cooker uses pressure to make the boiling point of water higher. For instance, at sea level, water can only heat up to 212 degrees F (100 degrees C) before it boils and turns into steam. But if the water is put under pressure and cannot escape, the temperature needed to make it boil increases. A pressure cooker allows water to become hotter, which allows food to cook faster.

Is It Safe?

Pressure cookers have come a long way baby! It’s not the hissing beastie of yesteryear, but has an updated design making it safe cookware. Early models didn’t have safety valves, and today there’s at least one, if not two or three, safety features on every cooker. Any cooking method can be dangerous – you’re more or less playing with fire after all! (Okay, some form of HEAT.) But if you read the manual and use simple safety precautions, you shouldn’t have a bit of trouble with a pressure cooker in the healthy kitchen.

A Pressure Cooker Will Work For YOU!

There are lots of good reasons to have a nice pressure cooker in the healthy kitchen. Besides saving time and the fact it’s quite safe, here are a few more:

• Saves Energy: Food doesn’t need to cook as long, so you use less of whatever the heat source is. Good for the environment AND your budget!
• Saves Money: A pressure cooker will also allow you to use some cheaper cuts of meat, because the higher heat will tenderize the meat while keeping the juices intact, making it more palatable.
• Saves Nutrients: Instead of vitamins boiling away in the pot, a pressure cooker preserves the flavor, colors and nutrients because it cooks fast in an airtight cooker.

On top of all that, it’s also easy! You can put everything in the post for a complete meal if you want to.

One Last Note – Don’t Fall For The High Altitude Myth

There’s a misconception that pressure cookers can’t be used at high altitudes. Don’t you believe it! Just about every manual that comes with a nice pressure cooker will have instructions on using the pressure cooker at higher altitudes. THIS INCLUDES USING A PRESSURE COOKER FOR CANNING! It’s merely a matter of changing the number of pounds of pressure according to your altitude.

For instance, when canning, the USDA states, “If using a dial gauge at high altitudes, the pressure in the canner must be increased by 1 pound of pressure for each 2,000 feet above sea level. If using a weighted gauge, the 15 pound weight must be used at all altitudes above 1,000 feet. You do not need to add additional processing time if the pressure of the canner is adequately adjusted.”

Just check your manual for specific instructions for your pressure cooker!

Work Better Under Pressure!

A nice pressure cooker is safe cookware to make cheap healthy cooking easier. Cause sometimes pressure is a good thing, and cooking under pressure is tops!