Bachelor on the Cheap

A very bachelor friendly appliance

By Mike Thayer

Out of all the countertop kitchen appliances out there, the last thing I thought I would ever own was a pressure cooker. 

I didn't see the need.  "I'll never use it enough to justify having one," I said.  "They can be dangerous to use," I claimed (a myth for modern day pressure cookers by the way).  But I was wrong to dismiss the pressure cooker, dismissing it because I didn't take the time to know what a pressure cooker can really do.

Courtesy of Cindy C, I now have a Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker.  This woman is doing a stellar job of making sure I have a properly equipped kitchen!

A pressure cooker reduces cooking time by at least 1/3 to 1/2 of traditional cooking times and you will use less liquid too.  Using a pressure cooker also means more nutrients are preserved during cooking time because they can't evaporate away, something I hadn't considered.  And talk about "set it and forget it, walk away one pot meals..."  This is a Bachelor's dream in creating an easy peasy, delicious meal.  More flavor?  More nutrients?  What's not to like?

Here's the promo piece from the Cuisinart website:  It’s easy to make entire meals or side dishes fast with the 6-Quart Pressure Cooker! Just toss ingredients into the pot, close the lid, and let the pressure cooker do the work. Brown, simmer or sauté food right in the pot before cooking, and keep it warm when done! Food retains more vitamins and minerals than with traditional cooking methods, it stays moist and flavors stay true. 

The first meal I made in my pressure cooker was a chicken dish with onions and peppers.  It was delicious, the chicken was juicy and the veggies were tender crisp and it was done in half the time it would have taken me to do in a traditional stove top preparation.  I was able to brown the chicken in the cooker before adding the veggies and putting the pressure lid on.

This thing can do a decent sized brisket!

The cooker is quite versatile too, the recipes provided by Cuisinart range from appetizers and salads to soups, side dishes, entrees and desserts...  Can  you say, "Lemon Cheesecake done in a pressure cooker?"  Yes, yes you can.  Are you a fan of hummus?  This machine can make it in about 40 minutes.  You can't do that in a traditional stove top method.

Retailing for about $120, the Cuisinart Electric Pressure Cooker is available at Walmart, Home Depot, Bed Bath & Beyond, Amazon and other retailers.  This cooker is versatile, reduces cooking time, food is healthier prepared this way and the one-pot meal ability is a HUGE bonus.  I'm giving the cooker 5 out of 5 Bachelor on the Cheap stars.  Thank you Cindy C!  This appliance deserves some space on your countertop.