Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker Review

Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker
I got little giddy when I saw the Williams Sonoma bag under the tree with my pressure cooker resting inside. I’m a total kitchen geek and love new kitchen tools and appliances, both big and small.  I love my new pressure cooker as much as I love my new apple corer.   For a little over a month, I’ve been enjoying my new Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker.  I’m trying to learn some new recipes so I can maximize using it.  I’m not one to encourage having extra stuff in your kitchen, but if you make a commitment to use it, I say bring it on!
Most of my friends are not familiar with pressure cookers since they were really from my grandmother’s era.  Oh, how things change.  Just like cloth diapers, this is not your grandmother’s pressure cooker.  The Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker feels like a slow cooker, it just works in reverse.  Very hot, very fast instead of low and slow. The best features of this pressure cooker is the ability to brown, saute or simmer all in the same pot, instead of doing one thing on the stove, and then transferring to a slow cooker or another pot.  Clearly, I’m looking for the same features the next time I get the opportunity to upgrade my current slow-cooker.
Saute risotto right in the pressure cooker.
In my challenge to continue to cook more food from scratch, this is helping me achieve that goal.  Plus it is a cost saver too.  Here is a couple of great ways I am using my pressure cooker.
  1. I can cook a whole chicken in about 25 minutes, plus I got some amazing broth from it. At $1.99/lb at Whole Foods on sale, this is a great cost saver.
  2. Beans.  They are cheap, healthy, frugal and cook super fast in the pressure cooker.  No soaking necessary.  Not a bean fan, this works fast for rice too. 10 minutes for brown rice.
  3. I can make Risotto during the week with kids hanging off my leg.  Amazing.
  4. Baby Food and Transitional Toddler food.  Sweet Potatoes cook in 6 minutes. They are the perfect consistency for either mashing into baby food or keep them cubed for the little guy learning to feed himself.
  5. Beef Stew under an hour.  Now who doesn’t like quick comfort food? This will be even better when we have a winter with snow 😉

The Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker is well designed since it allows for easy clean-up, a keep-warm function for when you let something finish cooking with the Natural Pressure Release option (this can take up to 15 minutes so factor that into your timing), and the digital format is super easy to use.  There is no need to wonder if you have the right pressure as you do with the stove top options available.  I like the ability to set a timer and walk away.  If you have little kids, you totally understand the dinner challenge. While I LOVE to cook, I don’t love to do it when I feel like I’m not giving the kids the attention they are craving at the end of the day.

Parmesan Shrimp Risotto
I hope this enlightens you on the latest kitchen technology available that can help save you time (and money) in the kitchen. In the coming month, I’ll be sharing some of the recipes I test out using the pressure cooker.
  I would love to hear if any of you have experience with using pressure cookers.

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Disclosure: I received the pressure cooke
r from my Mom so I was in no way influenced by her generosity. 
This post is shared with The Greenbacks Gal, I Thought I Knew Mama.

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3 replies
  1. FortuitousHousewife says:

    The Handsome Husband bought me a stove-top pressure cooker many years ago, and I'm still infatuated. Gotta love anything that makes risotto a quick & tasty option for a mid-week dinner! Or puts yummy stew on the table in under an hour!

    I must admit I'm having a touch of cooker envy though, after reading all the cool techno features your fancy new electric model is sportin'…I might have to put it on my Valentine's, Mother's Day or Birthday list.

    BTW, I have a couple of good pressure cooker cookbooks, let me know if you'd like to borrow 'em.

  2. Anonymous says:

    Looking forward to the recipes. I also got the same PC for Christmas! Need more ideas to justify having it!

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