A New Toy

 It was recently my birthday, and although I am now a proud carrier of a medicare card, I didn't really call much attention to it.  My father was upset with me because he wanted me to have a big party.  He even offered to pay for it, but not all of my children were available at the same time, and I felt funny throwing myself a party, so I just let it pass quietly.

I did buy myself a present, though!  I have been watching facebook marketplace and the local virtual garage sales for an Instant Pot.  I didn't know how much I would use it, so I didn't really want to spend a lot.  I knew I wanted to try and make quark in it, so I could make German Cheesecake, but other than that I didn't know what I would use it for.

A few weeks ago, one was available right in the neighborhood, half the price of a new one, and hardly used at all, so I jumped on it.  It didn't come with a manual, but the good folks at the Instant Pot Company sent me a new one, free of charge.  Great customer service.

I brought it home at looked at it for a few weeks, while I researched the "how tos" etc.  I hard boiled 4 eggs and made egg salad.  I must admit, they peeled very easily.  A week later I made 4 more hard boiled eggs.  This thing is too big to sit on the counter and only use it for hard boiled eggs!

I researched recipes.  I have an entire file of them now.....but they don't magically cook themselves.  So today I bit the bullet and made shells and cheese.  I should tell you that the oven in the kitchen doesn't work, we want to remodel the kitchen and get new appliances, but that hasn't yet begun.  The mac and cheese recipe that I like to make is made in the oven and needs to be stirred every 15 minutes while it bakes.  I have an oven in the basement but didn't want to run up and down the stairs a number of times, so I thought this might be the time to try out the Instant Pot.

Dad liked it.  I need to try it again with different cheese, but otherwise it came out great and saved my knees!