Category Archives: Recipes

March 31, 2017 · 6:46 am

Pasta in Sauce?

pastaIf you’re a purist and want your pasta cooked separately, you can skip this post. The Hasty Tasty Meals Kitchen is about shortcuts, and cooking pasta in the sauce is a time-saver if done correctly. But it can be tricky.

I cook pasta in the sauce in skillet meals, casseroles, and in the pressure cooker. The safety instructions for pressure cookers warn against cooking foods that foam, like pasta or grains, but don’t let that stop you. You just need to exercise caution. I do oatmeal in its own bowl on a trivet above the water, for example, with no problem. I’ve seen countless posts on Instagram and Facebook of beautiful lasagnas made in an Instant Pot or other brand multi-cooker under pressure in a springform pan. It can be done.

When making pasta dishes in my pressure cooker, I prefer Mueller’s Pot-Sized dried pasta. It’s smaller length makes it a perfect fit without breaking. 

Here are the rules when cooking pasta, whether by itself or with other food.

  1. Add a teaspoon of oil.
  2. Don’t allow pasta to touch the bottom of the pot.
  3. Spread dried pasta in a single layer as much as possible and don’t stir.
  4. Use sufficient liquid to cover the pasta.
  5. Cook for only half the recommended time.
  6. Allow pressure to drop on its own for a minute then release in short spurts.
  7. Stir.
  8. Add cheese or other dairy products.

If you follow these steps, you’ll have satisfactory results. Why go to the trouble to cook a spaghetti dinner in a pressure cooker? Clean up! I have one pot to clean. One. That makes me a happy cook.

RECIPE

Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

(Serves 4)

Ingredients:

  • one pound ground turkey (or beef–you choose)
  • 1 teaspoon oil
  • one 8 ounce can mushrooms (do not drain)
  • 8 ounces dried spaghetti
  • 1 15½ ounce can tomato sauce + 1 empty can water or broth
  • 3-4 cloves minced garlic
  • 1 Tbsp. Italian seasoning
  • ½ cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Heat the pot of the pressure cooker and brown the ground turkey in the cooking oil. If using an electric pressure cooker, you can just choose any setting that allows you to saute with the lid off. Salt and pepper as desired.
  2. Remove pot from heat (or hit Cancel on an electric model). Layer pasta over the meat spread as thinly as possible to prevent clumping.
  3. Add the can of mushrooms, the tomato sauce, and the water or broth over the pasta. Do not stir.
  4. Sprinkle garlic and seasonings over sauce.
  5. Seal the cooker and bring to pressure. Cook 5 minutes.
  6. Allow pressure to drop on its own 1-2 minutes, then carefully vent the cooker to release pressure.
  7. Open the cooker and stir (use a long handled utensil because contents are hot!).
  8. Sprinkle with a mixture of mozzarella and parmesan cheeses. Residual heat will melt the cheese.
  9. Enjoy!

Note: You may use this method with other shapes and sizes of dried pasta. Just cook under pressure for half the time recommended on the pasta’s box.

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March 11, 2017 · 5:42 pm

In Defense of Canned Soup…

I try to cook with fresh ingredients. Usually. But sometimes–you know those times when you’ve been working and suddenly you’re faced with a hungry family without a dinner plan–you’re tempted to order pizza. Again. Been there, my friend. So without apology, I present the emergency one-dish meal using (gasp!) canned condensed cream of whatever soup. 

All you need in addition to the soup is pasta or rice, some leftover (or canned) meat and/or vegetables, and cheese. There are endless combinations, and any combo produces a reasonably healthy meal in a short time. If you make it in one pot, cleanup isn’t overwhelming, either. One-pot meals are a great use-up of leftovers, too, like that one serving of green beans or that half cup of corn kernels you just couldn’t bear to put down the disposal.

I use a pressure cooker, but I’ve also made this dish in an electric skillet. Whatever works best for you. 

Here’s an example, but feel free to substitute ingredients you have available.

RECIPE

Chicken and Mushroom Pasta

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups cooked chicken
  • 1 10½ oz. can condensed cream of chicken soup
  • 10 oz. chicken broth or water
  • 1 cup dried cavatappi or similar size pasta
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • ½ cup fresh asparagus, sliced in 2″ pieces
  • ½ cup mushrooms
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
  • ½ cup parmesan cheese, shredded
  • (optional) fresh basil, chopped

Directions:

  1. Layer the cooked chicken in the bottom of the pot of a pressure cooker. Spread pasta on top the chicken.
  2. Pour the soup and broth or water over so that all pasta is submerged in liquid. Scatter the minced garlic on top.
  3. Close lid, bring to pressure, and cook 4 minutes. Immediately remove from heat (or hit Cancel on electric models) and release pressure. Carefully open lid and stir in the vegetables.
  4. Cover and let the vegetables cook in the residual heat. There’s no need to return to heat.
  5. After about 10 minutes, open and sprinkle cheeses over the top. Cover for another 3-5 minutes or until cheeses have melted.
  6. Serve garnished with optional fresh basil.

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February 5, 2017 · 4:53 pm

Hasty Tasty Potato Salad

NOTE: I recently revised my method after trying This Old Gal’s method. If you aren’t familiar with This Old Gal, check out her blog at https://thisoldgal.com. The author Jill Selkowitz calls herself an old gal, but she is younger than I, incidentally. 😉  Although my recipe differs, I’ve adopted her method of cooking potatoes and eggs simultaneously. It’s a real game changer in making potato salad. Thanks, Jill!

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My mother-in-law Rachel taught me how to make tasty potato salad. The only changes I’ve made is in using a pressure cooker for the potatoes and eggs.  Here are the step-by-step instructions for her recipe. Try it for your next potluck dinner or picnic.

RECIPE

Hasty Tasty Potato Salad

Ingredients:

  • 6 large potatoes
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 onion, chopped (sweet onion is best)
  • 4 ribs celery, chopped
  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. salt
  • 1 Tbsp. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
  • Pepper to taste
  • Paprika for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Cut potatoes into quarters or 2″ sections. No need to peel. Place in a steaming basket or trivet over 1 cup water in a pressure cooker. Place the 4 eggs on top the potatoes.
  2. Secure lid to pressure cooker and cook for 5 minutes stovetop or 6 minutes electric.* Allow pressure to drop on its own for 5 minutes before releasing.
  3. Meanwhile, prepare dressing in a large bowl by whisking together mayonnaise, mustard, salt, sugar, and apple cider vinegar.
  4. Dice the celery and onions.
  5. Carefully release remaining pressure and open pressure cooker.
  6. Remove eggs from pot and place in cold water.
  7. Carefully remove cooked potatoes from the pot and remove peels (they’ll slip off easily). Cube potatoes and add them to the dressing. Gently toss.
  8. Peel and chop or slice eggs. Gently toss with the potatoes, onions, and celery.
  9. Sprinkle with pepper and paprika, cover, and refrigerate. (Flavors are best if potato salad is made a day ahead)

*Electric pressure cookers do not reach the pressure levels of stovetop pressure cookers, so you need to adjust the time for many recipes.

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January 13, 2017 · 10:52 am

Converting Recipes for Pressure Cooking

Thousands of people received an electric programmable pressure cooker for gifts during the holidays, or purchased one during the black Friday sales. Dozens of social media groups offer recipe exchanges and tips. One frequent question that I see on a daily basis is “How do I convert my slow cooker recipe for the _________(insert brand name of electric pressure cooker)?”

As a veteran pressure cooker cook, I feel qualified to address this question. I hope my recommendations help you. Here’s an example: A favorite slow cooker recipe of ours is slow cooker chili, based on Hurst’s HamBeens brand Slow Cooker Chili. I substitute ground turkey for the beef and Rotel for the diced tomatoes. I also use 1 quart chicken broth and 3 pints water instead of using all water, but otherwise I follow the recipe on the package.
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First I turned on the pot and browned the onion and turkey. Then I added all other ingredients and sealed the pot. I cooked the recipe on high pressure for 40 minutes, followed by natural release. The beans were tender yet not too mushy, and the chili was delicious. However, the finished product was a little soupy for our preference.
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However, it’s always better to err on the side of caution (that is, too much liquid) when cooking dried beans. Also, reheating the leftover chili evaporated any excess moisture. Therefore, the only conversion I suggest is cooking time. Each pot differs in buttons and settings, so you’ll have to consult your own manufacturer’s manual or website to know how to set high pressure for 40 minutes.

Where did I get the 40 minutes? I consulted the cooking chart for dried beans (without soaking) and used that time. Since beans take the longest cooking time, that’s what you should choose. If you’re a Crockpot veteran, you already know there’s a range of cooking time when slow cooking. There’s also a range with pressure cooking, so if I tell you 40 minutes and someone else tells you an hour, cook for the minimum time. It’s easy to check for doneness and bring the pot back to pressure to add cooking time. The contents are already hot, which means your pot returns to pressure quickly. 
Note: If you’re using a stovetop pressure cooker, reduce cooking time to 35 minutes followed by natural release. The electric models take a tad longer to cook.
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Safety first. The new cookers are the safest yet, but you have to follow the rules. Don’t overfill (2/3 pot for most dishes, 1/2 pot for bean dishes) and always use liquid. Even the shortest cooking time requires a minimum amount of liquid to reach pressure. Read your manual. If instructions are missing, either visit the manufacturer’s site or contact them.

Final word of advice: Cook! Don’t leave your new cooker in a box in a closet. Use it. Experience is the best teacher. Also, join a group or two on Facebook and read through their posts. You’ll find answers to your questions, and you’ll learn there is no one way to cook a dish. 

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