{Instant Pot} Pressure Cooker Chicken Taco Soup [Revised]

Ingredients

• 4 c. (32oz) chicken broth
• 1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts;
• diced, cut into strips or left whole to be shredded later. Skip step 3 if pre-cutting the chicken
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 (15oz) can corn with diced peppers
• [Baja, Southwest, Fiesta, Jalapeño, Chipotle, & Fire roasted corn blends or (1 (7oz) can of chilis + 1 (15oz can of corn) are examples of what is meant by this ingredient
• 1 (15oz) can black beans w/o chili sauce, drained & rinsed
• 1 (14.5oz) can petite diced tomatoes
• Toppings:  

o    Tortilla Strips 

o    Sour Cream

o    Shredded Cheese

o    Avocado

Instructions

1.    Combine all ingredients in pressure cooker, in order, except topping ingredients.  Do not stir!

2.    Close lid and make sure pressure release valve is set to sealing. Set pressure cooker to high pressure using either "Pressure cook" or "Manual" button, and set for 15 minutes. When time is up carefully quick release the pressure cooker. 

3.    Remove chicken and shred with two forks. Place back in pressure cooker and stir. 

4.    Divide into soup bowls and top with any toppings of your preference. 

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Up To Pressure Time: 10 minutes, approximately. 

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes ~

Servings: 6

Author: Julie Evink, revised by Heidi Evans for clarity and burn warning elimination

PYREX vs pyrex confusion clarity

"PYREX" is safe. It is made from borcilica glass. The manufacturer still uses borcilica heat treated glass in France and so indicates what the bowls are made of by the lettering. All capitals indicates safe to use.

"pyrex" is NOT safe. It is made of soda glass and cannot withstand the thermal shock of being used in the oven or the IP. The soda glass has also been known to explode in the microwave; A fact that most people are unaware of.

Soda glass bowls are manufactured in the USA. Borcilica are old bowls, or have been imported from France. The company changed their product after the company was sold and they began cutting corners, because soda glass costs less to manufacture than the heat treated glass...

** My husband is passionate about glass and is a glass blowing hobbiest. Yes, I know, I'm too helpful.


https://icedteapitcher.myshopify.com/pages/borosilicate-pyrex-vs-soda-lime-pyrex

Proud Mommy moment: I told Grandma and Grandpa that I'd use the pressure cooker to make ham & bean soup for them from yesterday's leftovers.

But, I have begun to feel sick (stomach bug going around lately)... So my 3 & 5 year olds just made it for them. 

I read the recipe out loud to them and one thing after a time they did all the measuring of seasonings, water,  ham cutting, and pouring of the beans. ☝👍💪😇😎 This is one major proud Mommy.

**  I cut the veggies & pushed buttons... I had to do something or someone (5 year old) might think he could replace me in the kitchen... Lol!!!

** 5 year old was going to fry a hamburger for himself while I was watching but I couldn't take it... So I "distracted" him with cooking bean soup for Grandma.

Heidi's version of cream cheese danish

Ingredients:
2 cans of crescent rolls
1 8oz package of cream cheese at room temp
2 Tbsp granulated sugar
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon extract
¾ tsp vanilla
1 tsp sour cream

Optional: assorted jams, preserves or pie filling (raspberry, cherry, strawberry, apricot, blueberry, lemon, etc), lemon zest/extract, orange zest/extract in the filling and/or glaze.

Glaze:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 tbsp softened butter

Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a cookie sheet.  Unroll the crescent rolls and separate into triangles of dough. 

Filling: mix the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla, lemon, sour cream together.

Using a teaspoon, place filling on the wide part of the triangle, with the narrow portion pointing away from you. Fold the right & left corners over the filling, and roll up the dough around the filling. Place on the cookie sheet leaving enough room for the dough to raise slightly while it bakes.  Repeat until all triangles are filled leaving them enough room to expand.

Bake for 12-16 minutes at 350°F. Allow to cool while you mix up the glaze.

After the danish have cooled to the point you can easily handle them, drizzle the glaze over them and enjoy.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 15 minutes
Total time: 25-30 minutes

Instant Pot Tips & Tricks

1) Always put thin liquid (water, chicken broth, apple juice) in the bottom of the liner.

2) Layer foods. Do not stir. Ever.

3) Always add creams, milks and tomato products last.

4) Take the amount of time the recipe says it will take, and double it. Just to give yourself enough time to get food on the table and avoid a hungry mob of family members out for your head since food is late.

5) Thick foods like oatmeal require natural release to avoid splatter effects and burn risk.

6) All meats, (no matter if it's ground burger, a little/big roast, a whole chicken or whatever) requires at least 10 minutes natural release time.

7) Be aware of where your seasonings are in the layering. Seasonings can burn just as well as normal food ... So I almost always add those last or next to last so they will add to the flavors but won't be near the burner.

8 ) Cut yourself some slack. This is as learning process. It's ok to not produce perfection straight out of the gate!

Methods of cooking:

PIP: (Pot-in-pot) means you use the trivet, with water underneath & and oven safe dish or bowl to contain your food... It produces a burn free way to cook thick foods or to make smaller portions in your pot.

Steaming using the trivets or steam baskets

"

feel free to private message me as needed concerning IP/pressure cooking. Sometimes it takes a faster response than a post on Facebook will get you. Anyway...
I have only used one other brand outside of Instant Pot, so I can not promise it always carries over, BUT it seems to. This other brand wasn't "bad", just not used friendly and lacked the same buttons & obvious "in your face" pressure pin on top to KNOW if the position is was at pressure. Much like the Lux. I think the IP-Lux pin design is retarded, because you can't see it easily without sucking your face over the top of the lid.

I have an 8qt duo (x2), and my boss has a 6qt Lux, and a long time elderly friend has some problems going on & her husband decided an off brand pressure cooker was the answer. It was not. So when I got my IP last January she talked to me to come over to see if I could help get the hang of the off brand. I ended up suggesting that she buy an IP duo and she was able to get the hang of IP when she couldn't get the hang of the off brand (something or other "xl")

Does that help you at all?

1) Accessories are your friends. Stainless steel bowls for things that are "saucy", cake pans for meat like fish and chicken, sauce containers for mini cakes or eggs, stainless steel colanders for steaming veggies, egg racks to allow you to stack all those things mentioned... Or, accessory kits that have a bunch of those things already just in silicone or stackable pan form.

2) Seasonings will become diluted in the pressure cooker because it is a wet environment. Pressure cooking requires more seasoning than conventional cooking at times. I have found that some recipes are just "lacking" and I have to double or even triple some seasonings. And some things hold up to the way the IP cooks than others. Granulated and dried seasonings, depending on what they are, do better than fresh. Then others the rule is opposite...

3) Thin liquid ALWAYS goes in the liner first. Always. Thin liquids include: water, broth, apple juice, beer etc.

4) Don't be afraid to use the trivet that should have come with your unit. No matter the brand, a trivet should have come with your PC. That trivet is there to help you not burn things, or to keep things up or if the water that you don't want to boil.

5) Layers are key. Don't stir, always layer, and always put things like tomatoes & dairy in last because they are "burn risk". There are a lot of bad recipes out there. People who are either good at cooking but bad at communication and can't explain proper methods to cook, or are using different machines and assuming it's the same. Some off brands don't have the same "burn warning" sensitivities so those people can stir up the layers, but I keep a hard and fast rule to never stir up the food till after it's cooked.

6) "Thick" food (like oatmeal/porridge) requires a period of resting after being cooked. Air bubbles are formed during the cooking process. When you don't allow for a rest period (npr) then those bubbles, wanting to escape, can come bubbling to the surface and create a "splatter" effect. Not allowing for that rest time is when folks get burned by exploding food.

(NPR: natural pressure release; just leave the poly alone for a designated time then quick release everything remaining after that time has passed)

I was given a good stove top cookbook last year, which isn't an approved cookbook so I can't share it publicly here, but in it, there is a huge section on how to use pressure cookers safely, the history of the pressure cooker etc. It's very very interesting and I learned loads from it. All the recipes in the cookbook apply to the IP, just require more time once in awhile because stove top cookers (the IP Ultra not withstanding) cook at 15psi. Electric pressure cooker like the IP, cook at 9-10psi (low pressure) and 11-12psi (high pressure). Just means food takes just a teeny but longer sometimes is all. The Ultra, cooks at 15, and can be canned in because of it.

Instant Pot Garlic & Herb Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

These were so good that my dad could NOT leave them alone as we were beginning to put food on the table to serve. He just kept going back for more snitches! My BROTHER (who is very picky and wasn't sure he was thrilled about something new) took one bite and went "oh. my... these are incredible" and he went back for 4th, 5th & 6th helpings!

Ingredients

·         2lbs potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks (about 8 mediums)

·         3 tbsp minced refrigerated garlic (or)  6 cloves, peeled & smashed

·         1 1/3 cup chicken stock, bone broth or water

·         5-6 tbsp butter

·         1/4-1/2 tsp dried sage, rosemary, thyme, garlic, oregano, basil, parsley & salt season to taste

·         1/4 cup parmesan cheese (fresh)

·         1/4 cup parmesan/romano/asiago cheese blend

·         1/2 cup sour cream

·         1 cup cream cheese (one brick @ 8oz = 1 cup)

·         Optional: Butter & chives for topping

Instructions

1.       In the liner of the Instant Pot, layer the potatoes, broth, garlic & butter.  Lock the lid in place, close the vent to sealing and cook on high pressure for approximately 8-9 minutes with a controlled quick release.  Total time will be approximately 18-20 minutes.

2.       Unless you plan to drain the liquid off, you can mash the potatoes, with all of the remaining ingredients (seasonings, cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese), directly in the IP liner by using a handheld potato masher, or an electric handheld mixer.  Be sure to mash as soon as you can.

3.       Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with your chives, extra butter etc.

** Cook's notes: 

·         The difference in cook time is determined by whether you plan to drain them after cooking.  If you plan to drain, cook for 8 minutes.  If you plan to blend the fluid into the potatoes, you can cook a little longer for ease of mashing.

·         I prefer the handheld mixer, & not draining the liquid.  It produces a smoother more creamy product, and is less back breaking when making additions like cream cheese.

·         Mashing as soon as you can ensures that the seasonings meld, the cream cheese softens and to prevent lumpy potatoes. 

This is a compilation recipe devised by Heidi. 

Original recipes came from: 

https://pinchofyum.com/instant-pot-mashed-potatoes 

https://myfoodstory.com/instant-pot-garlic-mashed-potatoes-recipe/#tasty-recipes-11514

Pressure Cooker Mexican Roast Beef w/ vegetables & roasted chipotle salsa sauce

Ole! Add some spicy flavor to an ordinary pot roast and go mexican style with this recipe using traditional south-of-the-border ingredients. This is an entire meal with roast, vegetables, and uniquely flavored gravy all from one pot and in record time, so your cleanup time will be greatly reduced.

The Roasted Salsa:

4 (1/4-1/2oz dried chipotle chiles, or 1 (7oz) can chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

1 small head of garlic

6 medium tomatillos, husked, rinsed & halved

1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro stems & leaves

If using dried chiles, heat a heavy (cast iron) skillet over medium heat. Cut open the chiles & remove the stems & seeds. Cut the larger ones into smaller pieces & place in the hot skillet to toast, pressing flat with a spatula until they darken slightly and release their aromas. Watch closely, this will only take about 60 seconds. Do not over toast the chiles or they will have a bitter taste. In a small bowl, cover the toasted chilies with boiling water and let them soak for 30 minutes. Drain and discard water. While the chiles are soaking, preheat the broiler. Cut off the tip of the garlic head, slicing through the top of the cloves. Place the head of the garlic on a plate, cut side up, and cover tightly with microwave safe plastic wrap. Microwave for about 5 minutes or until the cloves have softened. Remove the plastic wrap and let stand until cool enough to handle. Pull the cloves apart and squeeze out the garlic. Roast the tomatillos on a baking sheet 4" below the broiler until blackened on one side, about 5 minutes. Use long handled tongs to turn and roast the other side. Put the tomatillos and any juice, the chilis, garlic and cilantro into a food processor or blender and process to a fine textured puree.

The Roast:

3-4lb boneless beef round, chuck or rump roast

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1-2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 spanish onions, thickly sliced into rings

1 (12oz) bottle mexican beer

2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 tsp salt & freshly ground pepper

2 medium size pasilla, poblano or anaheim chilis, seeded & cut into strips

4 medium carrots, peeled & cut into 1/2" rounds

2 chayote squash, peeled, pitted & cut into 1" cubes

6 medium red potatoes, scrubbed & quartered

2 cups frozen whole kernel corn

1. Dry the meat with paper towels and dredge in the flour. Heat oil in the pressure cooker over medium-high heat (saute function set to "normal"). Add the meat, cook until well browned on all sides and set aside. Add the onions and cook, stirring until they are deeply browned and well caramelized (about 8 minutes). Deglaze the cooker with the beer, scraping up all the browned bits. Stir in the salsa mixture, cumin, salt and pepper. Return the roast to the cooker and lock the lid in place. Bring to 15 psi over high heat, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to stabilize and maintain that pressure, and cook for 35 minutes. (Push "meat", "manual" or "pressure cook" set to high pressure, for 35 minutes with a full natural release) Remove from the heat and use the natural release method to depressurize. Carefully open the lid after the pressure drops. Turn the meat over and add the chiles, carrots chayotes, potatoes & corn distributing them evenly. Lock the lid in place, bring to 15 psi over high heat, immediately reduce the heat to the lowest possible setting to stabilize and maintain that pressure and cook for 5 minutes more. (Push pressure cook, set to high pressure, for 5 minutes with a quick release) Remove from heat and use the quick release method to depressurize. Carefully open lid after pressure drops.
2. Transfer the roast to a serving platter and slice across the grain. Scoop out the vegetables with a slotted spoon, transfer to a large serving bowl. Skim off any excess fat from the surface of the sauce. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Pour the salsa sauce into a serving bowl to ladle over the meat and vegetables. 

Serves 6

Cooks note: Substitute a pork roast for the beef for an interesting variation to this recipe.

Heidi's notes: Instant pot high pressure is 10-12 pounds per square inch. A stove top cooker can go as high as 15psi. The cook times are almost always the same, or very close to the same when translating from stove to instant pot.

Taken from this book (written specifically for stove top pressure cooking, but can easily translate to electric IP once you have an idea of the basics:

https://smile.amazon.com/Miss-Vickies-Pressure-Cooker-Recipes/dp/0764597264/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1541881747&sr=8-3&keywords=miss+vickies+big+book+of+pressure+cooker+recipes