I am America's worst cook. If not the worst cook, I'm up in the top percentage of them. My husband and children can confirm this. I wasn't taught to cook as a teen. Though I tried my best when my children were growing up, unless I made a few pasta dishes I was good at (which I now cannot eat after learning I'm allergic to wheat) I'm a disaster in the kitchen. Even simple things like gravy and sauces are out unless I have a packet of dry ingredients and instructions. I once accidentally blew up boiled eggs. Bits of shell and egg white were stuck to the ceiling for weeks.
Consequently, my husband cooks lunch (our main meal of the day.) The rest of the time, we eat soups, sandwiches, or frozen entrees. As a pastor's wife, this is kind of a big deal. I am, after all, expected at times to feed visitors and members of our congregation.
I was tired of processed food and shamed over my lack of ability. Having read numerous posts written by friends who gushed over their multi-functioned Instant Pot, I started researching what I thought was a new gimmick.
My initial research suggested one could simply throw all ingredients in this modern marvel and a delicious meal would come out. Could it be that simple?
The short answer is yes and no.
While there is a learning curve, time spent reading the instructions and warnings are well worth the effort. That's the extent of the "No, it isn't that simple," aspect of the Instant Pot. When it comes to cooking, oh my, this terrible cook is terribly impressed with this thingamajig!
There was some prep work--dicing a few things and gathering ingredients, but once that was complete, the hard work was basically finished (for the dishes I chose, at least.) After that, I just had to saute a few things (which I did not know how to do, but the Instant Pot comes with a very helpful saute function) then, following the easy instructions on the easy recipes I chose, I tossed all the ingredients in the pot, closed the lid, set the vent to seal, pressed a few buttons, and a short time later, a meal popped out.
So far, we've made chicken and potatoes, red beans and rice, and chili, which I was craving.
See that, y'all? I MADE RED BEANS AND RICE AND CHILI! And it tasted good! This is akin to a miracle.
Not only can I make meals for me and my husband, I can cook meals for fellowships, whether at church or at home.
If you're a bad cook and are thinking of trying the Instant Pot, I recommend it. Just make sure you read all instructions and warnings and proceed with caution. It is a pressure cooker and special care must be taken.
But it's worth it.