In case you’ve missed my posts from the last two days, I’m in love with my new T-Fal 6 quart electric pressure cooker!
Most nights my husband makes a brief stop at home after work before heading to the gym, then back home to spend some quality time on his stationary bike while I’m holding down the fort and figuring out/preparing (or ordering) what we’ll be eating for dinner. That didn’t leave me a lot of time (if any) to get my early evening workout in and I felt more like a short order cook than a valued member of my household. Realizing how much time & effort the pressure cooker saves me has changed my attitude and freed me up to get back to my post-work workouts too!
Tonight’s dinner did take some extra time because it involved cooking two separate dishes in the slow cooker, but the short time needed for the risotto to cook allowed me to prep the main dish for it’s turn in the pot! Next time I will prepare the rice/grain/potato side earlier in the day and reheat so dinner can still be prepped in one step.
Pineapple Risotto
- Preheat the pressure cooker to the brown setting.
- Pour contents of 20 ounce can of crushed pineapple (in juice not syrup) in to a 4 cup measuring cup. Add water to equal 4 cups + an additional cup and set aside.
- Add 1 TBLS Olive Oil to the pressure cooker then 2 cups Arborio Rice and lightly toast it. The rice will turn from solid white to translucent as it absorbs the oil, then back to white. When a couple of grains look golden your rice is toasted!
- Add about 2 TBLS of sweet wine (like Moscato) and stir the rice until the wine has fully evaporated.
- Pour the contents of the measuring cup and the additional water to the pressure cooker, mix, close and lock the lid. Set to cook on high for 6 minutes.
When timer sounds, release the pressure and open the cooker. Remove the inner pot from the cooker immediately to keep the rice from over-cooking. The rice may still be slightly liquid. Stir, and the rice will absorb the extra liquid in about 30 seconds. If the rice is still very wet, put the open pressure cooker back in the base unit set to brown, and finish cooking it this way. It’s ok if it’s a little sticky for this recipe.
Hawaiian BBQ Chicken
- 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 2″ chunks
- 2 Cups Fresh Pineapple Chunks (or 1 – 20 oz can chunks in juice)
- 1/2 Cup Water (if using fresh or frozen pineapple chunks)
- 1 Cup Light Coconut Milk (in the can)
- 1 Cup Spicy-Sweet BBQ Sauce (I use Guy Fieri Kansas City Smoky & Sweet)
- Dried Crushed Red Peppers to taste
- Diced Scallion (about 1/4 Cup) green and white parts
- Shredded Coconut (if desired)
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the coconut milk, BBQ sauce and crushed red peppers. If you are using canned pineapples, drain 1/2 of the juice into the BBQ sauce mixture.
- Add the chicken pieces to the measuring and stir to coat.
- Layer the pineapple on the bottom of the pressure cooker pan. If using fresh or frozen pineapple chunks add 1/2 cup water.
- Pile the chicken on top of the pineapple but do not mix together.
- Pour the remaining sauce over the top of everything and close/lock the lid.
- Cook on medium for 9 minutes then push button to release steam/pressure and unlock lid.
- Remove the chicken & pineapple from the pressure cooker with tongs and turn unit to the brown setting.
- Add 1 1/2 TBLS Cornstarch to 1/4 cup or so cold water then pour into sauce and whisk for about 1 minute to thicken.
- Pour thickened sauce over the removed chicken and pineapple.
Pile a good amount of the pineapple risotto on the plate and cover it with some of the chicken, pineapple and sauce. Sprinkle a bit of coconut and green onions on top and enjoy!
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