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Remember the days when your mother would use a pressure cooker on the stovetop and you were told to stay away from it? It made that crazy hissing sound and the pressure valve would move in all different directions occasionally spitting steam out. But before you knew it, in about 45 minutes or less, a full dinner was cooked to perfection. What an amazing tool!

Well, everything old is new again. Over the past year or so, the electric pressure cooker has become very popular as indicated on multiple social media platforms.

There are varying sizes of pressure cookers typically 3, 6 or 8 quart capacities. I find the 6 quart sufficient enough for about 3-4 people depending on the meal.

They are relatively inexpensive starting at about $50 for a multifunction unit and running for about the $80 range for a larger one. However, you can spend as much as $250 for a unit that has many functions including Bluetooth capabilities.

I have made steel cut oats, yogurt, mussels, pulled pork, dried beans, beef stew, beets and even cheesecake in my unit.

Electric pressure cookers are very safe. For a list of the safety features, see the following website http://instantpot.us/benefits/safety-features/.

Pressure cookers can cook most items in 1/3rd the time of traditional cooking. One of the best features of a pressure cooker is the ability to brown the ingredients in the pot for a one pot meal. I find it very convenient and a time saver when I’m running short on time.

If interested, I would suggest doing some research between different brands and capacity to see what works best for you and your family.

Visit Dorothy’s website at http://ddimarzo2002.wix.