LOL - I always get obsessed with a new toy. After a while, I’ll get used to it & be looking around for another one! But I think this pot will be a regular part of my cooking from now on, especially for the bean dishes.
@mom60
I made this the other day, and it was excellent! http://myheartbeets.com/instant-pot-butter-chicken/
I was aiming for something a little lighter, so stirred some Greek yogurt in at the end, rather than coconut milk. I was also very careful to scrape the bottom of the pot well to make sure no spices had stuck, before I added the tomato and put the lid on.
It came out quite saucy, but that’s somewhat unavoidable with chicken, because it releases so much liquid.
I’ll admit to being a refried bean lover. A bowl of nice beans, topped with some shredded cheese or queso fresco, hot sauce, sour cream and some cilantro…a feast!!!
The chicken above looks interesting - don’t know if H and D2 (who are home) would go for it though!
This looks awesome:
http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-30-minute-cacciatore-chicken-228718
Both those dishes look good. I will definitely bookmark the butter chicken. I don’t have any ginger in the house and I should be stealing clear of tomato products right now due to a health issue. I will make this when my H and D are home and I’m feeling okay to eat tomatoes again.
I love refried beans and they are a staple in our pantry. Rosarita Vegetarian refried beans are on the list of buy by the case from Costco. It is pretty easy to open a can. I’m not sure I will make them.
And this looks yummy:
http://www.food.com/recipe/chicken-piccata-for-pressure-cooker-316028
(Do you see a pattern in my googling? I too have a bunch of chicken to cook for dinner. Niece wants ribs. B-) She might have to settle for the beans…)
Just found a Blue Apron box on my driveway. My youngest forgot to cancel on time and is out of town so redirected her shipment to us. I’ve never tried it. I guess the pressure cooker will once again have to wait.
Did our first meal in the IP. Used the ribs recipe and they turned out great. DH loved them. Ready to try something else now.
I’m already pretty sold on my overnight bread that I bake in the oven (easy peasy) but thought this was interesting for the InstaPot - anyone ever try bread? I would miss a crunchy outer crust…
http://www.hippressurecooking.com/pressure-cooker-bread-less-energy-less-time-real-bread/?utm_campaign=shareaholic&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=socialnetwork
It is really hot here in my neck of the woods, so I took the pot outside to pre-cook the ribs. No hot messes in the house!
And I ordered another ss insert for the pot (so I do not have to wash it in between making different courses) as well as another gasket.
I kept my pot very busy this weekend. I made yogurt overnight, then made steel-cut oats for breakfast (a big batch to last all week); hard-boiled some eggs & made a big batch of brown rice, again to last the week. I’m now making bread for dinner in the breadmaker, using some of the whey from straining the yogurt. It’s all so hands off - I love it!
This batch of ribs was a success! Cooked in VIP per @allyphoe 's instructions - on the deck, then finished on the grill. I lined the grill grates with foil to keep the mess down. In the end, we have a clean grill, minimal mess in the kitchen, and well-fed family. 
Wow, the liquid whey made such a difference in the bread. It rose about an inch higher than normal, was super dense & chewy & the crust was just delicious. The recipe called for 1 cup (16 Tbsp) water - I removed 2 Tbsp water & substituted 2 Tbsp whey, so it was only a small amount. OK, no more throwing out the whey - it’s magic!
Made a pot of rice pilaf in the VIP! Browned a bunch of cubed beef (1.5 lb of tri tip) in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, threw in some chopped onion and garlic, then added shredded carrots (from TJ), some cumin seeds, black peppercorns, salt, and a packet of pilaf spice I brought home from my trip to visit kiddo. Then stirred that, sprinkled 3 Asian cups of Nikko rice (used the measuring cup that came with the Instapot) over the meat mix, added 3 Asian cups of water, closed the lid and vent and used the “beans” function/15 min/quick release. The crowd was pleased with the result. Next time, I will add dry barberries to it.
^^^Look at you guys! What successes!
Hoping to try something new this week!
Hauling the tasty leftovers to work to eat for lunch! 
I followed the recommendations for cooking pilaf from here:
http://omnivorescookbook.com/instant-pot-rice-pilaf
Basically, do not use the rice function if you are making rice bowls or pilafs; instead, use high pressure (“beans” button) to infuse the rice with the flavors extracted out of the added meats and veggies, just cut down the time.
I am intrigued by this!
https://www.amazon.com/Euro-Cuisine-GY50-Greek-Yogurt/dp/B0091XNL0I
Yogurt makers: does buying a starter and milk and making your own save money?
Bunsen - I just bought that strainer! So far, my impression is that a coffee filter in a fine mesh strainer works as well or possibly better. I made a batch of yogurt last night, so I’ll do a head to head comparison of the two straining methods this weekend.
Yes, making your own yogurt saves money. I used a half-gallon of milk (about $1.20 worth) and after straining it will give me about 6 cups of Greek yogurt, which would cost about $9 if we’re talking FAGE 2%. So $8 in savings a week = $400 per year on just that one item. Plus, if you’re me, you get a strange satisfaction out of making it yourself - Bonus!
Thanks, Gertrude! What kind of yogurt starter do you use?
I bought a small cup of FAGE for the first batch, now I hope to be able to use my own previous batch going forward.