Category Archives: kitchen equipment

April 20, 2021 · 12:31 pm

Pot Pie in an Air Fryer Oven

I hate to waste food, don’t you? That’s why my freezer has little bags of cooked leftovers, just waiting to be used in a stew, casserole, or pot pie.

Today I wanted to make a pot pie from turkey breast leftovers but without heating the oven in my Florida kitchen. So I experimented with my NuWave Bravo air fryer oven. No recipe is required for a pot pie. Mix vegetables in a gravy, cook, and top with dough. Seriously. It’s that easy.

All I need to create a turkey pot pie.

There are a few supermarket helpers you can keep on hand to simplify pot pie, such as pie crust dough, condensed cream of mushroom or chicken soups, and frozen mixed vegetables. You can vary the ingredients and approach, yet it’s basically meat, vegetables, gravy/sauce, and a crust.*

Steam vegetables and add gravy to create filling.

As for today’s experiment, I preheated the air fryer oven for about three minutes at 375°F. After I assembled my turkey pot pie, I placed it in the air fryer oven for 8 minutes (ovens vary—when you smell the aroma, it’s done).

Place dough atop filling.

*Don’t have a crust or time to make one? Top the filling with mashed potatoes for a cottage or shepherds pie.

Next time you need to do a refrigerator crisper drawer (or freezer leftovers) clean-out, think pot pie.

Air fryer oven pot pie

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October 22, 2019 · 1:20 pm

Another Pressure Cooker?

Yes, today I got the latest Instant Pot, the Duo Evo Plus. If you’re rolling your eyes and wondering why, read on.

If you own an Instant Pot, there’s no reason to upgrade, so relax. But if you’re in the market for a new one, check out this model because the Instant Pot company listened to all the feedback on what they could improve on their multi cookers and implemented suggestions into this model. Here’s what’s new and what I like:

  • Progress bar. No more guessing when the pot will pressurize.
  • Handles on the inner pot. No more awkward extractions with silicone mitts.
  • More cooking programs, although I still have flexibility to manually set time and pressure.
  • Spare gasket. I had to order spares for my other multi cookers.
  • Better venting. Reduces burn risk from steam during quick depressurization.
  • Flat bottom inner pot. If I want, I can transfer my inner pot to or from my stove.
  • It sterilizes. The sterilize function takes away the guesswork.
  • Everything but the outer housing is dishwasher safe. Everything.

I probably missed some improvement but give me time. It’s still new to me.

UPDATE: America’s Test Kitchen just rated this model as the best multi-cooker for 2020!

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Filed under Healthful Eating, kitchen equipment, pressure cooking, Instant Pot

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June 1, 2018 · 12:52 am

Healthier Taco Bowls

I had fun using several of my kitchen gadgets to make my healthier version of taco bowls. First, I “fried” the taco shells in my new Power Air Fryer oven. I cooked my chicken breast in my Instant Pot Duo Mini 3-quart, shredded it using my Cuisinart, and heated my cheese sauce in my microwave oven. The payoff was a delicious and filling meal that counts only 3 Weight Watchers SmartPoints.

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RECIPE

HASTY TASTY TACO BOWLS

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • OLE tortillas
  • ½ pound chicken breasts (Fresh or frozen)
  • 1 can Ro*Tel (you pick heat level)
  • 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
  • 1 can corn kernels, rinsed and drained
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 1 jar Tostitos Queso con Salsa (or similar brand)
  • Fresh cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  1. Form each tortilla into a bowl using a mold or oven-proof bowl.
  2. Air-fry at 370°F for 12 minutes.
  3. Place chicken breasts and contents of a can of Ro*Tel into the pot of a pressure cooker. Cook under pressure 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to drop on its own.
  4. While chicken cooks, prep beans, corn, onions, and cilantro and combine.
  5. Carefully open pressure cooker and remove the chicken (replace lid to trap in the heat). Shred chicken and return to cooker.
  6. Stir in beans, corn, onions, and cilantro mixture with the shredded chicken. Cover and allow residual heat to warm the beans and corn.
  7. Pour Queso con Salsa into a heatproof measuring pitcher and heat 2-3 minutes in the microwave oven, stirring occasionally.
  8. Place taco bowl shell on a plate, fill with 1/4 of the mixture, and then drizzle with 2 Tbsp. of the queso con salsa. Serve immediately.

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Filed under beans, chicken, Healthful Eating, kitchen equipment, Mexican, Recipes, salsa

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April 30, 2018 · 6:34 pm

Air Fryer Bagels

I love bagels but not the kind in grocery stores. Our time living in New Jersey spoiled me for fresh, NY style bagels. I’m not returning to the northeast anytime soon, so I’m making my own. I won’t heat my Florida kitchen using the oven, either, so here’s my take on air fryer bagels using a recipe I found in the Weight Watchers’ Facebook group.

 

RECIPE

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  • 1/4 cup nonfat Greek yogurt
  • coarse salt for coating

Directions:

  1. Combine flour and yogurt and mix well. Allow dough to rest 30 minutes and then knead 4-5 times.
  2. Bring 1 quart water to boil in a large saucepan.
  3. Separate dough into 4 spheres. Shape bagels by punching the middle of each sphere and spinning the dough until desired shape. 
  4. Drop each bagel into the boiling water, turning after 2 minutes.
  5. After boiling bagels for a total of 4 minutes, remove to drain on paper towels.
  6. Sprinkle tops with coarse salt.
  7. Place bagels in air fryer and set for 390° for 7 minutes.
  8. Remove and enjoy with your favorite cream cheese or jam!


Do these bagels taste as good as NY bagels? Not even close. However, they’re good enough, and these bagels are only 2 SmartPoints® on the Weight Watchers® program! 

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Filed under Bagels, breakfast, Healthful Eating, kitchen equipment, pastries