Pressure Cooker Outlet

Popcorn Toppings and Mixings

2012-03-05T05:46:00.000-08:00

Popcorn is a great snack by itself, but sometimes you just want to add a little something extra to it. This can make for the ideal snack, whether you want something spicy, sweet, or even a little more salty food with your popcorn, it is a highly versatile snack and can go with all of these flavors and more. So break out your popcorn popper and let's get popping!

Toppings:
Cinnamon Sugar Mix
Apple Pie Spice
Chocolate (Cocoa or Chocolate Syrup)
Cajun Seasoning
Chili Seasoning
Powdered Cheddar Cheese
Powder Parmesan

Mix Ins:
Pizza Seasoning & Sliced Pepperoni
Teriyaki Sauce, Wasabi Peas, & Rice Crackers
Chipotle Chili Powder, Corn Chips, & Lime Juice
Fresh Herbs, Melted Butter, & Parmesan Cheese
Curry Powder, Dried Fruit (mixture), & Yogurt Covered Raisins
Carmel Sauce & Cheddar Cheese
Pretzels, Peanuts (or nut of choice), & M&Ms
Honey Graham Cereal, Marshmallows, & Cocoa
Cherry Twizzler Bits, Red Cinnamon Candies, & Pink Sugar
Banana Chips, Shaved Dark Chocolate, & Toasted Coconut

As you can see from above, popcorn mix-ins and toppings really only stop where your imagination does. You can also top with any kind of seasoning that your heart desires, maybe try some Italian seasoning on your popcorn. The ideas are limitless.

Have fun and let us know if you try a fun combination that turned out great!

Using Your Electric Skillet

2012-02-27T05:08:00.000-08:00

Electric skillets are great little appliances to have around the kitchen. The electric skillet is great for cooking foods that need to be heated evenly in a relatively short amount of time. The Presto Skillets are high quality, and there are many who have had them for years and they are still in use. We received some photos from a woman in our neighborhood who purchased hers either in the late 70s or early 80s and still uses it to this day:

Her electric skillet is photographed above. The new Presto Electric Skillets have changed a little over the years but not much:

What are some reasons that people love electric skillets?

They heat evenly.
You can cook a lot at one time. (most pans that would cook the same amount of food will definitely not be heated evenly on a stovetop)
Uses less electricity. Using an electric skillet does not use as much electricity as heating up your entire stovetop.

So what can you use electric skillets for?
You can use them for nearly any food that needs to be fried, they are great for fixing breakfast, especially pancakes. You can use them for stir frys, barbeques, soups and stews, casseroles, and believe it or not, but you can even bake with your electric skillet. For a few recipe ideas to get you started visit: http://www.gopresto.com/recipes/skillet/index.php

For a kitchen tool that can do it all keep the Presto Skillet in mind.

12 Uses for a Stand Mixer

2012-02-17T05:41:00.000-08:00

Most people purchase a stand mixer to use it in making breads and cakes (which are awesome) but there are a few other uses for the stand mixer that you may want to know about:

Meringues
Sauces
Salad Dressings
Whipped Cream
Mashed Potatoes
Icing
Some Baby Foods
Pizza Dough
Dips
Pancakes
Cookies
Pasta Fillings

There are more uses for this wonderful little machine, and we would love to hear about your experiences with your stand mixer!

Sunbeam Stand Mixer

101 Slow Cooker Recipe Links

2012-02-09T05:59:00.000-08:00

Slow cookers are great time saving appliances. But sometimes it is hard to find just the right recipe. So we have scoured the internet to find some recipes that sound tasty. We haven't tried them all so use your best judgement as to which ones to try:

Sweet & Sour Pork Chops from All Recipes
Breakfast Casserole from Slow and Simple
Jambalaya from Food Network
Sante Fe Meatloaf from Moms Who Think
Soy Ginger Chicken from Martha Stewart
Turkey Chili from My Recipes
Enchilada Casserole from My Recipes
Cherry Cobbler from About.com
Black Bean Stuffed Peppers from Crock-Pot.com
Vegetable Pork Stew from Ready, Set, Eat
Cheese Dip from Taste of Home
Poached Salmon from Epicurious
Italian Beef Sandwiches from A year of Slow Cooking Blog
Green Beans, Tomatoes, and Bacon from Kraft Recipes
Southwestern Pinto Bean Soup from Diabetic Living Online
Chicken and Sweet Potato Stew from Eating Well
Chocolate Cake from All Recipes
Chickpea Curry from Savvy Vegetarian
Creamy Chicken Noodle Soup from Better Homes and Gardens
Stuffed Mushrooms from Family.Go.com
Shrimp Stir Fry from Family Circle
Italian Pot Roast from Southern Living
BBQ Beef Brisket from McCormick
Sesame Turkey from Heart Healthy Living
Cranberry Chicken from Shine - Yahoo
Eggplant and Chickpea Stew from Eating Well
Lasagna from Kitchen Daily
Bread and Butter Pudding from A Crock Cook
Orange and Honey Tilapia from iVillage
Chicken Cacciatore from Prevention
Bratwurst with Sauerkraut and Apples from All You
Sticky Bun Bread from AARP
Corn Chowder from cdKitchen
Latin Style Beef from Good Housekeeping
Savory Bean and Spinach Soup from Fitness Magazine
Warm Brownie Sundaes from Mr. Food
Vegetable Crock Pot Pie from Veg Web
Eight Hour Coq au Vin from Delish
Irish Lamb Stew from Huffington Post
Cheesy Risotto from Laaloosh
Cheesy Potato Soup from Midwest Living
Texas Hash from Food.com
Moroccan Vegetable Stew from Sunset
Curried Chicken with Ginger and Yogurt from Real Simple
Indian Spiced Chickpea Quinoa Stew from Healthy Slow Cooking
White Beans with Tasso from Bonappetit
Taco Casserole from Recipe Lion
North Woods Wild Rice Soup from Pillsbury
Whole Chicken from The Little Kitchen
Pear and Pecan Stuffing from PBS
Cashew Chicken Teriyaki from Southern Plate
Lime Cilantro Chicken from WebMD
Asian Pepper Steak from Rachel Ray Show
Ratatouille from Food.com
Apple Butter Pork Tenderloin from SparkRecipes
Make Fruit Butter in your Slow Cooker from The Kitchn
BBQ Pork Sandwiches from Health.com
Baked Beans from Man Tested Recipes
Baked Lemon Sponge from Slow and Simple
Vegetarian Chow Mein from PETA
16 Bean Soup from Cooks.com
Apple Oatmeal from Alan's Kitchen
Macaroni from Group Recipes
Latin Style Slow Cooker Recipes from Scoop
Crock Pot Pho from Punch Fork
Filipino Chicken Adobe from The Perfect Pantry
Slow Cooker Ham and Swiss Fritatta from 365 Days of Slow Cooking
Boeuf Bourguigon from Stuff I Make My Husband
Bison Bolognese Chili from Savoring the Thyme
Tomato Parmesan Soup from Every Little Thing
Jamaican Red Bean Stew from Savvy Vegetarian
Basil Chicken from My Appetite for Life
Sticky Chicken from Everyday Tastes
Spinach Dip from Fabulessly Frugal
Parmesan Honey Pork Roast from Crazy Jaime's Blog
Asian Meatballs from Teaspoon of Spice Blog
Beef Stroganoff from All Recipes
Luscious Lemon Cheesecake from About.com Southern Food
Triple Chocolate Brownies from Martha Stewart
Cajun Spiced Pecans from Slow & Simple
Pinto Beans from Food Network
Chicken Merlot with Mushrooms from Taste of Home
Chicken and Sausage Gumbo from Moms Who Think
Autumn Squash Casserole from Crock Pot
Supreme Pizza Fondue from Better Homes and Gardens
Rosemary Chicken Noodle Soup from My Recipes
Greek Chicken & Vegetable Ragout from Eating Well
Mediterranean Bulgur and Lentils from Betty Crocker
Meatball Sub Simmer from Kraft
Lemon Garlic Chicken from Laaloosh
Chicken Tagine from Delish
Chalupa Dinner Bowl Nachos from My Recipes
African Sweet Potato Peanut Stew from Good Housekeeping
Ravioli Casserole from CDkitchen
Great Northern Beans from Veg Web
Tuscan Beef Stew from McCormick
Red Beans over Spanish Rice from Fitness Magazine
Pot Pie Style Slow Simmered Turkey from Good Housekeeping
Fish Au Gratin from cdKitchen
Southwestern Tempeh and Bean Stew from Veg Web
Creamy Broccoli Chicken from About.com Southern Food

Using a Food Dehydrator

2012-02-01T05:12:00.000-08:00

Food dehydrators are great to use for preserving foods. They work by removing the moisture from the food, which allows it to last longer before it goes bad.

You can find many ideas online about foods that can be dehydrated. And some of those instructions will tell you to dry fruits until they are leathery, so what does that mean exactly?

To fruit until it is leathery means that your fruit should not be sticky to the touch. It should peel up from the plastic and maintain its shape. If it can do this, then it is dry.

When you are slicing your food to dry it, keep in mind that thinner slices dry more quickly. So be sure to keep your slices for drying as uniform as possible.

When you are done with your food drying for the season, you might just want to leave your dehydrator out, as it can also be used for proofing breads, making yogurt, cheeses, drying seeds, curing nuts, decrystalizing honey, and drying crafts.

Fondue Pots and Cheese Mixes

2012-01-24T05:45:00.000-08:00

So you are wanting to try some cheese in your fondue pot. What can be served with cheese? And which cheeses can be melted together?

Which cheeses can be mixed together?
It is best to keep the cheeses in the same family when mixing:

Emmentaler, Gruyere
Cheddar, Colby, Longhorn, Monterey Jack
Camembert, Brie, Brick, Muenster, Bel Paese, Port du Salut, Limburger
Edam, Gouda
Blue Cheese, Roquefort
Cream, Neufchatel, Cottage, Ricotta
Provolone, Mozzarella, Scamorze
Parmesan, Romano

Sounds great, now what foods go best with cheese fondues?

Cubes of crusty bread
Lightly steamed vegetables
Sauteed or roasted mushrooms
Steamed baby potatoes
Cherry tomatoes
Cured Meats

What is your favorite fondue mixture?

Find other small kitchen appliances at pressurecooker-outlet.com

Old Mirro Pressure Cooker Parts

2012-01-11T06:00:00.000-08:00

We had a question from one of our customers regarding an old Mirro Pressure Cooker and parts for their model.

New 6 qt. Mirro Pressure Cooker

I have an older Mirro presser cooker, its a 4 qt. All it has on the bottom of the pot is:
M-0294 4 qt and nothing else. It is a heavier aluminum pot.
It needs a new gasket and a new little valve to release steam, It has the pressure regulator that reads 5# 10# and 15#.
Do you still make gaskets and a valve for this older model?
Please let me know.
Thank you for your time

Vicki S.

In case you are having the same problem in finding parts for a Mirro M-0294, we want to share with you the answer that we gave:

We do still have parts available for your model (M-0294). I have supplied you with a link below to help you find the parts available.

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/M-0294-50.htm
Thank you,
Customer Service

So if you need Mirro M-0294 Parts visit the above link.

All American Pressure Canner Instructions

2012-01-10T06:52:00.000-08:00

We received a question from a customer regarding her All American Canner:

I have an All American Pressure Canner/cooker Model No. 920, but I don't have the instruction booklet. How could I obtain one?

Thank you,
Marilyn T.

We answered Marilyn's question, but just in case you also have the same problem, we would like to help you as well.

With All American the instructions are made differently. One instruction booklet goes with all models. Here are a few different links to help you with your search:

http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/aaparts.htm
http://www.allamericancanner.com/allamericanpressurecannerparts.htm
http://www.allamericancooker.com/allamericanpressurecookerparts.htm

So if you need an All American Instruction Manual, just visit any of the links above to find it. It will be called All American Pressure Canner 74 Instruction/Recipe Book and should be about halfway down the page of All American Parts.

Waffle Maker Uses

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

So, there's only one use for a waffle maker right? And of course that use is to make waffles. Well, this is where you might be surprised that you are wrong. Waffle makers can be used for making several different food items. Don't believe me? Read below:

Make grilled cheese sandwiches. Okay, so the sandwiches might be shaped like a waffle, but it is simple, just put together your cheese and bread and put into the waffle maker. It heats it up to gooey perfection very quickly!
Hashbrowns. Grated Yukon gold potatoes into a double-thickness paper towel and squeeze out the extra moisture. I use a spray olive oil or Pam on the waffle iron and cook your hash-browns up. It might take some experimenting with you particular model of waffle maker to determine which heat setting will work best to cook your hashbrowns through.
Cook bacon. There's even a video on serious eats to show you how: http://www.seriouseats.com/2009/11/video-alton-browns-perfect-breakfast-tips-makes-bacon-in-a-waffle-iron.html
Make 90 second cookies. We've seen recipes using oatmeal cookies, but would love to hear if there are people using other types of cookie dough!
Create waffle Cupcakes. The Waffleizer has a blog post about their cupcake waffle experiment.

Uses for Your Blender

2011-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Many of us have a blender that is gathering dust, or we've thought about getting a blender, but haven't made the investment yet, because we are worried that it will not get enough use to warrant the expense. There are many, many uses for a blender, some you may not have thought of, so let's examine these uses, then you can make the decision of whether your blender can be a kitchen staple, instead of a once in a blue moon appliance.

Blender Uses:

Puree foods (soft or cooked foods work best)
Cream soup (putting soups in a blender give them a velvety cream texture)
Make milk shakes (2 simple ingredients, ice cream and milk)
Smooth gravy (great way to avoid lumps in your gravy)
Blend eggs to scramble or make an omelet (blending eggs adds air to the eggs which makes them fluffy)
Mix salad dressings (this ensures all the spices, etc. are evenly mixed for the best flavor)
Make eggnog (a lower powered blender is recommended for eggnog so that it doesn't heat and start to cook the egg)
Make homemade baby food (most of these foods should be cooked previously, do a little research on making your own baby food for recipes and tips)
Blend cream pie fillings and custards
Puree fruit for use in dishes or just as a nice snack
Blend frozen concentrated juices
Create other blended beverages
Grate Cheese (slice into small blocks and blend)
Blend pancake or waffle batter
Blend instant puddings
Chop nuts
Make Salsa (great if you prefer a finer salsa vs. chunky)
Use it to create bread, cracker or cookie crumbs if needed as ingredients in recipes.

We have several different blender models to choose from at pressurecooker-outlet.com.

How to Use a Toaster Oven

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Many people think of toaster ovens as just being used to reheat foods that do not reheat well in the microwave. But a toaster oven can be used foe much more than just that, and especially during a time of the year when there are dinner parties and get togethers, the toaster oven can be a great help when your regular oven is being overworked, or just doesn't have any more room in it.

So what are some extra uses for your toaster oven?

Reheat dishes of food that have cooled off while waiting on guests to arrive.
Toast nuts.
Make small batches of cookies, cupcakes, or small cakes.
Cook side dishes while your main dish is heating up in your oven.
Fix a quick snack.
Melt cheese or marshmallows on top of dishes.
Keep a plate of food warm for a late guest.
And of course, make toast.

What are some of your favorite uses for the toaster oven that save you time?

Christmas with Pressure Cooker Outlet

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

A few days ago we posted our 2011 Kitchen Holiday Gift Guide. In our guide we talked about:

Ball Home Preserving Guide

But, we forgot a very important item on our list. The item we forgot is great for people who love fresh tasting french fries, chicken tenders, onion rings, etc. This item is the Presto Granpappy Deep Fryer.

This little deep fryer can make fixing fried foods a super easy task. Much simpler than the pan frying method. Purchase it as a gift or get one for yourself to try it out!

Pressure Cooker Outlet's 2011 Holiday Gift Guide

2011-11-26T06:00:00.000-08:00

The coffee lover on your gift list would appreciate a new coffee maker, a coffee grinder, or even some k-cups for their single serve coffee maker.

Someone in your family enjoy growing and preserving their own food? Help them out by getting them a gift that will keep on giving. Choose from many canning supplies on our website including the Presto Canning Kit, a Ball Home Preserving Guide, and our Stoneware Crocks.

Some people would really prefer a nice cup of tea instead of coffee. For the tea drinker on your list consider one of our fine Republic of Tea teas, a small teapot, or a tea ball.

Many people love to bake, especially during colder weather when the air is crisp and comfort foods are a must. For the baking fan in your life keep in mind our cupcake carousel, biscuit cutters, or cookie press.

We know the type, and most times we are the type. The person who has too much on their plate. Who does it all and achieves it. Help this superhero on your list out with a few things that can help make meal time a little less stressful for them Indoor Grills can help fix meats a little quicker, Slow Cookers will cook all day while they are out getting their errands done, and a pressure cooker can drastically cut down on cooking time.

How to Overcome the Holiday Kitchen Rush

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-08:00

The holidays tend to make even the most well equipped kitchen feel a little tight with all the cooking, family meals, holiday meals, treats, dinner parties you are taking a dish to, well, the list goes on from there. Many people love the holidays but wish for just a bit more time or a few devices to save a bit of time. So here's the rundown on a few items that we love to use during the holiday rush hours:

Pressure Cookers: Pressure cookers can cook up side dishes or even main courses in a snap. They cook foods up to 10 times faster than traditional cooking methods.

Roasting Pans: Roasting pans can make cooking turkeys and other dishes a little less time consuming, particularly if you get one that has a self basting cover.

Toaster Ovens: These can come in handy for smaller items that need to be baked or for reheating food when the oven is too full to hold another thing.

Electric Knives: Electric knives can make carving a turkey or slicing a ham quick and easy work.

What is your favorite method to save time in the kitchen throughout the holidays?

How to Convert Recipes to Pressure Cooker

2011-11-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

Pressure cookers are the microwaves of the past. But that doesn't mean we can't use them now to speed up our cooking process. If you are reading this chances are you own a Pressure Cooker, or are at least debating purchasing one.

So you've read the instructions, tried out the recipes that come with the cooker, found pressure cooker recipe lists, and are now itching to try something new or at least something you know you love, but haven't tried to make in a pressure cooker.

To convert your recipe to a pressure cooker recipe you will do best if you have a little experience with the method of pressure cooking. But to help you out here are a few basic rules that most people follow in their recipe testing:

Decrease the length of cooking time for a conventional recipe by 2/3.
Adjust the liquid as there is minimal evaporation of liquid from a pressure cooker. Typically, you will want to have about 1/2 cup more liquid in the pot that you desire in your finished food product.
There MUST ALWAYS be water or some other liquid in a pressure cooker for the steam that is necessary to cook.

Keep in mind that converting recipes is a trial and error method. Have fun in your food creations!

How to Make a Jingle Bell Jar

2011-11-09T07:08:00.000-08:00

We are featuring a craft from The Inspired Room today:

Photo by The Inspired Room

This beautiful craft is here just in time for the winter holiday season. What a wonderful addition to decor to make things feel nice crisp and a little country with the mason jar, jingle bells, and the beautiful reflection of light on the "snow" in the jar.

How to make the Jingle Bell Jar:

You will need:

Canning Jars (how ever many you want)
Epsom Salts
Enough candles so each jar has one.
Jute or ribbon
Jingle bells

To make:

Wrap or tie your jute or ribbon around the top of the jar, stringing on bells intermittently. (Use photo for a guide) add other decor items if you so choose. Fill jar a little less than halfway with epsom salts. Place candle in middle.

Now that doesn't sound so hard does it? Depending on how you decorate your jars they can be anything from quirky, to country, to elegant, or chic. Have fun with it! Just don't leave any candles burning unattended!

For more photos of this insanely beautiful craft visit: http://theinspiredroom.net/2010/11/19/how-to-make-a-jingle-bell-jar-and-other-mason-jar-crafts/

Why can't you use a All American on a glass top stove?

2011-10-27T07:57:00.000-07:00

A question that we get a lot from our awesome customers is about the All American Cooker/Canner. Why can't this canner be used on glass top stove?

Well, The All American Canners are a heavy duty and extremely durable canner. That means that they weigh quite a bit and they also have a diameter that can be larger than the burner on the stove. This weight can cause them to break glass/ceramic on stoves combined with the fact that the larger diameter can cause the heat from the burner to spread across the stove means that even if the glass or ceramic does not break it can still be damaged on the surface rendering the stove unusable.

So it is better to play it safe and not use an All American Canner on a glass top stove.

Happy Customer

2011-10-06T06:57:00.000-07:00

We love getting emails like this:

I want to thank-you for your prompt service. You are the best. We spend our summers in NYS and have a garden which is my husbands pride and joy. When I accidently turned on the wrong burner on our new electric stove and 'fried' the rubber ring or seal in our pressure canner it was greatly disturbing because we still needed it to can our beets and carrots.

I tried borrowing one and then my husband got on the computor and found you and we ordered. When the first one came and didn't fit I was dissapointed but followed your instructions to return the old "fried ring" with the one you sent with instructions to credit or replace if possible. I first saw the $1 credit show on or checking account and wondered and today when the correct fitting ring arrived I was thrilled and had it in place quickly. You saved me from driving to my sisters, 45 miles , to use her canner. We will have then canned tomorrow, so as to take with us back to AZ in 2 weeks. Again thank-you for your help and great service.

-EMH

We always try to do our best to help people find the correct part for pressure canners or pressure cookers that they own. We are thrilled when it works and makes our customers happy and makes their lives a little easier in the process.

Very Cherry Cookies

2011-09-29T10:28:00.000-07:00

We found a delightful sounding cookie recipe on a neat little craft and cooking site:

Cherry Cherry Cookies

You will need:
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- ¾ cup butter or margarine, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. milk
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking soda
- ½ cup maraschino cherries, well drained and chopped
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup flaked coconut

In a large mixing bowl, cream brown sugar, butter, egg, milk, and vanilla. Combine flour, salt, and baking soda. Gradually add to creamed mixture. Fold in cherries pecans and coconut. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto un-greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Breakfast is the Most Important Meal

2011-09-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

Many of us have heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I have been thinking about this since I am getting tired of the same old oatmeal every morning. And with these cooler fall mornings, I definitely want something more than cold cereal for breakfast, but sometimes fixing breakfast can be a chore. There are definitely some appliances out there to make fixing breakfast easier, but sometimes these very appliances can be a chore within themselves. They are hard to store, bulky, hard to clean, food sticks to them etc.

So inevitably, whenever I am feeling like something new for breakfast I tend to go to a restaurant, and that can run on the expensive side. But I love waffles. So a solution was brought to my attention:

I'm really looking forward to trying out the Presto FlipSide Belgian Waffle Maker. Here's the recipe I'm really excited to try:

Sweet Potato Pecan Waffles with Peaches

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 (15 ounce) can sweet potatoes or yams in light syrup, not drained
1/2 cup 2% milk
2 cups buttermilk waffle mix
2 large eggs, separated
2 (15 ounce) cans light sliced peaches, or sliced peaches in juice, not drained
1 tablespoon honey
Non-stick spray oil

Directions

Heat a medium skillet over medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tablespoons chopped pecans and brown sugar. Stir until sugar melts and coats the nuts; be careful that they do not burn; set aside.
Puree sweet potatoes with their liquid and milk in a blender until smooth; set aside.
Preheat a non-stick waffle iron. Mix waffle mix, sweet-potato mixture and egg yolks in a large bowl until well combined. Stir in the remaining, uncooked pecans; set aside.
Beat egg whites in a clean bowl with a whisk until they hold a shape, and fold into the waffle batter; set aside for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, strain juice from peaches into a large skillet then set peaches aside. Stir honey into juice, and boil over high heat until lightly thickened, about 5 minutes, stirring often. Stir in peaches and reserved sugar-glazed pecans; keep warm.
Lightly coat the interior of the preheated waffle iron with spray oil. Pour about 1/3 of batter onto the hot waffle iron and cook until puffed, brown and crisp, according to manufacturers directions. Repeat with remaining batter. Serve immediately with peach topping.

Source:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/sweet-potato-pecan-waffles-with-praline-peaches/detail.aspx

What to do With Extra Mason Jars:

2011-09-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

So perhaps you are done with your canning for the season and you have a few canning jars that didn't get filled with yummy preserves. Well, we wouldn't want those empty jars to sit in storage feeling all alone now would we?

So what do we do with those lonely jars, perhaps they are single, or in a small group...but either way with fall coming up and the economy still a bit tight, there is a way to creatively and cheaply decorate with mason jars.

Here are a few photos from a wonderful little blog called The Inspired Room to get your creative decorating juices flowing:

Our favorite idea from The Inspired Room.

For more design inspiration and a little info on how to make these wonderful little jar decorations, visit: http://theinspiredroom.net/2008/09/25/the-most-simple-party-decorating-idea-ever/

Love these ideas, but used all your mason jars in your canning? Visit PressureCooker-Outlet.com to purchase some more.

All photos in this blog post are from http://theinspiredroom.net .

Canning Week 2011

2011-08-25T06:56:00.000-07:00

Canning week is going strong over at a Latte' with Ott, A and From Mess Hall to Bistro's blogs. If you haven't already you should go check them out! There are prizes that can be won and lots of tips!

http://alattewithotta.blogspot.com/

http://messhalltobistro.blogspot.com/

So go win a canning kit or at least find some interesting and yummy things to try in your canning.

Free Canning Jar Labels

2011-08-17T07:44:00.000-07:00

To access the Free Canning Jar labels from Red Hill General Store go to: https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B9Z9DSCfzOYtZWFkYzg5OWEtOWRhMy00MTM2LWE2YzctMjQwMTUwNmI2NDU0&hl=en_US

These were made to fit the Avery 5963 labels, however, we are unsure as to whether being uploaded to google docs will alter the size of the labels.

Let us know if it works for you!

Sample pic:

A Pleased Customer

2011-08-12T10:12:00.000-07:00

We were so excited to receive an email from a customer who was pleased with the service that we were able to provide, here is a little bit of that email:

We have my grandma's old pressure cooker that has been in the family for almost 50 years and is used by three generations. The name plate has long fallen off and lost... With no tags or labels we had no idea who made it or where to get parts...We did not want a new pressure cooker so it was time to do some research.

Our efforts on the internet lead us to your website which gave us a phone number to your business. The lady that answered the phone was super and helped us identify the maker of the pressure cooker through numbers stamped on the bottom of the cooker. She then looked up the parts and took our order. Your prices were great and we received the parts in only 2 days. That my friend is customer service.

With Red Hill General Store's help, we now have my grandma's pressure cooker ready for another 50 years of home-cooking. Thank you for making us a happy family.
D.R.

Emails and letters like this one make us proud of what we do. We love being able to help someone keep a relic from their older relatives in working condition. We hope that their pressure cooker gives them fond memories each time they use it.

Pressure Cooker Outlet now has an Affiliate Program!

2011-07-22T09:14:00.000-07:00

We've had a little something in the works lately and now that we are done it is time to unveil our Affiliate Program:

The Pressure Cooker Outlet Affiliate Program pays a 10% commission on all sales that come from your site. There are rules and regulations and your website and/or blog must be approved before you can become a member.

There are several banner ads available for you to choose from for your site. So if this sounds like something you would be interested in check out all the information at: http://www.pressurecooker-outlet.com/aff/affiliate/index.php

A Vintage Pressure Cooker

2011-07-06T11:55:00.000-07:00

We received a photo from one of our customers:

She wanted to know if we sold parts for this canner.

It is a Ward's 16qt Cast Aluminum Pressure Cooker. It has the gasket free tapered metal to metal gasketless seal! I thought it was an All American but is say Ward on the lid. It has 7 wing nuts to secure lid. 2 of the wings of the nuts have one broken wing. Do you sell replacement parts for this unit?

We decided to email All American to see what they said, since this cooker looks just like an All American Cooker and because we were curious as to whether there is a back story to this model.

Their reply:

While this may be one of our pressure cookers, we do not recommend that it be used - keep it as a relic! The aluminum may have deteriorated over the years and developed cracks. The number 39 probably represents the year it was made - 1939. While we made pressure cookers for Ward's, no one here remembers there every being seven wing nuts on them. We believe there would have been six, as the present 15.5 quart (# 915) Pressure Cookers.

Attached is a letter regarding older ALL-AMERICAN Pressure Cookers, which may provide some information regarding this old pressure cooker, however, the issue of seven wing nuts and being made for Wards is not addressed.

So if you have an older canner that you are unsure of using, just get in touch with us at 1-800-251-8824 or email our customer service department at cs@redhillgeneralstore.com and we will do what we can to help you get the parts and/or information you need.

What can you do with pulp left over from a juicer?

2011-06-24T07:15:00.000-07:00

We have found that many people that really enjoy using their juicers sometimes avoid doing so because they feel like they are wasting food when they throw out the pulp. Which is understandable. But there are many things that the pulp from your juicer can be used for everything from fillers for soups and other recipes to helping other plants grow.

So what can you do with the left over pulp from your juicer?

If you already compost (or are thinking about starting) the quickest and easiest thing to do with your leftover pulp is to compost it. This will return that material to nutrients that other plants can use while growing. And if you are juicing fruits and vegetables that you are growing yourself, what better way to recycle these leftovers?

For the pulp from vegetables, some people throw it in the blender and blend it up to make a nice vegetable soup. Pulp can be frozen to use for this purpose, but you will definitely want to use it soon since it is from fresh vegetables, so be sure to date your pulp if you are freezing it.

There are tons of recipes that juice pulp can be used in, pasta sauces, breads, muffins, soups, the list goes on. We found several Juicer Pulp Recipes at: http://www.all-about-juicing.com/juicer-pulp-recipes.html

How have you used your Juicer Pulp in the past? We would love to hear your ideas!

Garden Salads

2011-06-13T09:51:00.000-07:00

What goes with anything that you can cook on a grill?

Fresh vegetables!

Whether your vegetables are from your own garden or from your local farmer's market, salads are a great addition to nearly any summertime meal. That and homegrown tomatoes taste marvelous sliced up and put on burgers, grilled chicken, and even a basic sandwich.

Salads are fairly easy to fix and if you fix them with a Salad Shooter they become a very quick addition to any meal.

Salad shooters can slice, shred, and ripple cut nearly any vegetable you so desire. The salad shooter is a great tool to have on hand if you eat, prepare, and/or grow your own vegetables. They work for taco toppings, pizza toppings, etc. The uses of this neat little machine are practically endless.

What are your favorite vegetable dishes of summer?

Canning in Half Gallon Jars

2011-05-30T09:42:00.000-07:00

Here at Pressure Cooker Outlet, we will be the first to admit that yes, it is sometimes hard to find a canner that will can in 1/2 gallon jars. So we did a little research for you:

The Mirro 22 quart Pressure Canner can hold four 1/2 gallon jars.

The Presto 23 Quart Pressure Canner can also hold four 1/2 gallon jars.

Have you had any experiences canning with 1/2 gallon jars? If so what works for you, what doesn't, and what tips and advice do you have for people looking to can in that size canning jar?

Canning Week 2011 with Ott, A & Mess Hall to Bistro

2011-05-20T09:26:00.000-07:00

This year we are sponsoring a prize for Canning Week 2011. This event is ran by Ott, A (a Latte' with Ott, A) and Jen (From Mess Hall to Bistro). This is the 2nd year for Canning Week and it will be ran on their blogs from August 22-26, 2011.

There will be contests, prizes, sharing of recipes, and more. So be sure to visit From Mess Hall to Bistro and a Latte' with Ott, A to bookmark them and visit in August to participate in Canning Week.

And if you are curious as to which prize we will be supplying it is the Presto 7 Function Canning Kit:

Cooker vs. Canner Question

2011-05-06T05:46:00.000-07:00

In our last blog post, Urban Gardens and Pressure Cooking, we had a commenter ask us a very important question:

OneOfTheseThingsIsNotLikeTheOthers said...

RE: "You can use a pressure canner for cooking, however you CANNOT use a pressure cooker for canning." Why not? Is it size? Or pressure?

We wanted to share our answer with all our blog readers for we feel that this is definitely something that everyone who is pressure canning and/or pressure cooking should know.

One part of it is size (it would be very hard to fit certain jars in a cooker). However, from our experience, what information we can find, and customer stories, the main part of not being able to can in a pressure cooker is that the pressure cooker heats up and cools faster than a canner which does not allow adequate processing time for your cans to go through the proper process, which could ultimately lead to problems with botulism in your canned goods.

Hope this information helps anyone who was wondering about this rule of not canning in a pressure cooker.

Urban Gardens and Pressure Cooking

2011-05-04T11:20:00.000-07:00

Wow, we've been seeing a lot of posts about Urban Gardening, Self sustainability, container gardening, homesteading, and more! How exciting is it that people are getting back to earth and back to the basics? (Personally I feel that getting back to the basics is freeing in a sense).

So, what is the best way to prepare your hard worked for vegetables once they are ripe for the picking? (While raw veggies are awesome, sometimes you just want something cooked for a nice dinner) So if you want a quick way to cook them that preserves the most nutrients then I would suggest giving pressure cooking a try. There are a few different brands of pressure cookers out there and various sizes. There are also Pressure Canners. You can use a pressure canner for cooking, however you CANNOT use a pressure cooker for canning.

For what size cooker you should choose, well that depends on what your needs are, what size family you are cooking for (or if you are just cooking for 1 or 2), how much storage space you have, etc. The size cooker you will need lies with you. Though I will say that those of you who are brave enough to venture into the small house movement, you might want to stick with a smaller cooker like the Presto 4 qt. It is the smallest Presto Pressure cooker that we carry and would be easier to store than a larger one such as the Presto 8 qt.

For Pressure cooker recipes check out our previous blog post that lists 100 recipe links.

Eggs

2011-03-28T12:55:00.000-07:00

Eggs are a staple in many people's diets. Not only are they great alone, but you can find them in cakes, ice creams, doughs, casseroles, and the quiche. There are so many recipes that require eggs that the use for them is nearly limitless. And it is no wonder that the egg is eaten in so many varieties of ways. Its consistency is perfect for helping to hold together meat loaves and other dishes of this sort. Eggs are also very nutritious. Many diets encourage dieters not to forgo eggs. Of course on a diet you may want to eat egg whites and not the yolk as it is a little higher in fat and cholesterol than the rest.

Eggs for breakfast is what most people think of when they think of eating eggs. And eggs can be a great breakfast food as they are so versatile in the ways that you can fix them. You can boil, scramble, fry, poach, bake, coddle, and many many more.

Some of the ways to cook an egg are fairly simple, such as boiling or scrambling. Other methods are more difficult. I know many people who have never tried a poached egg because they were too afraid to try to cook one. They feel that the method of pouring the egg into the boiling water is nearly impossible to get right. These people love poached eggs when I have cooked the eggs for them. So my suggestion is to try an egg poacher.

Egg poachers can make poaching an egg incredible easy. To use an egg poacher:

Fill the saucepan with water.
Insert the egg poacher.
Butter each dimple in the egg poacher.
When water starts to boil crack an egg into each dimple.
Cover the saucepan so that the eggs will cook in the heat and steam.
When eggs turn solid they can be removed from the egg poacher and served.

You can cook your eggs however you prefer them, I cook them well done just to be safe of any possible food diseases.

Poached eggs are delicious on toast with a little salt and pepper on them.

It's That Time of Year

2011-03-18T10:15:00.000-07:00

The sun is out and warm, the birds are singing, the bugs are buzzing, squirrels are frolicking and a lot of us are figuring out our gardening plans for the year. Amazing how much of a difference the warm weather can make in our day to day and our routines. Some of us who are planning our gardening are also deciding which vegetables to plant so that we have enough during harvest season to have not only fresh veggies, but also enough left over for canning. For those that plan ahead and purchase their canning supplies in the spring before the fall rush causes some items to be out of stock, you can head over to pressurecooker-outlet.com and stock your shelves.

For others who are going to jump right into their gardening you should visit our new sister blog, RHGS Outdoor and Garden Blog. Don't forget to bookmark the site as we will be adding many blogs to help you on your gardening quest through the coming days, weeks, and months.

We hope you enjoy your beautiful day and have a great weekend of gardening and planning.

Red Hill General Store's Big News

2011-03-02T11:45:00.001-08:00

Our main company, Red Hill General Store, is opening a new location in Raleigh, NC. Everyone is really excited about it. The Grand Opening is this Saturday, March 5, 2011.

At Red Hill General Store's new location they will offer many of the products of Pressure Cooker Outlet, along with:

Carhartt, Columbia, & Life is Good clothing
Earthway products
Case Knives
Rada Cutlery
Burt's Bees Personal Care Products
Toys by Kikkerland
Rainbow Sandals
Presto Kitchen Appliances, Pressure Cookers, Canners, & more
Lodge Cast Iron Cookware
Teas by The Republic of Tea
Preserves and supplies to preserve with

And much much more. If you are in the Raleigh, NC area you should stop by and see the big event.

Tomatoes - A little history

2011-02-18T06:50:00.000-08:00

After receiving an interesting email about how certain sayings came to be, we also discovered that apparently the tomato used to be considered poisonous, the quote from this email reads:

"Those with money had plates made of pewter. Food with high acid content caused some of the lead to leach onto the food, causing lead poisoning death. This happened most often with tomatoes, so for the next 400 years or so, tomatoes were considered poisonous."

So naturally, we did a little online research. In our research we found that the above quote from the email we received was from http://historymedren.about.com/od/dailylifesociety/a/bod_tomatoes.htm. Tomatoes were used as decorative items while people considered them to be too poisonous to eat, they still realized the beauty of the variety of yellows, greens, and reds that the tomato contains. The plant of the tomato does resemble nightshade which is a highly deadly plant, which helped to continue to perpetuate the belief that eating a tomato would turn your blood to acid. Also the fact that every part of the tomato plant EXCEPT for the fruit(tomato) is poisonous helped to keep people from eating this delicious delight.

However, with the help of Thomas Jefferson (or so some believe), Colonel Robert Gibbon Johnson, and Joseph Campbell the tomato was able to gain the love of people. Nearly everyone today consumes tomato in one form or another, ketchup, salsa, soup, in salads, on sandwiches, etc. Hard to believe that a food that is such a staple in our diets today was once considered so deadly.

So next time you have your canning supplies out, and are getting ready to can some tomatoes, take a moment to reflect upon how far this amazing fruit/berry/vegetable came.

Sources:
http://historymedren.about.com/od/dailylifesociety/a/bod_tomatoes.htm
http://www.tomatogardeningguru.com/history.html

Pressure Cooker Recipes

2011-02-14T12:57:00.000-08:00

I'm sure at this point most of you had have time to peruse the 101 Pressure Cooker Recipes list from our previous blog.

We would love to hear from our readers regarding this list! Are there any recipes that you tried? What did you think of them? Are there any recipes that we left off the list that you wish we'd included? Let us know!

101 Pressure Cooker Meals

2011-02-07T07:21:00.000-08:00

Many of us have a pressure cooker that is lurking in our cabinets; maybe we use it frequently, maybe not. Perhaps you are curious about pressure cooking, what all it entails and whether or not it is something that you want to invest in. If you do decide to invest in a pressure cooker, there is a variety of them at http://pressurecooker-outlet.com and their customer service is great and willing to answer any questions that you may have.

Sometimes finding recipes for the pressure cooker can be a difficult task in and of itself, so we have searched the internet far and wide and have brought you 101 recipes for the Pressure Cooker. Now, we did not have time or resources to test all of these, so use your best judgment before trying any of them. Now onto the list:

101 Pressure Cooker Recipes:

Spiced Italian Chicken Soup – soup is always a pressure cooker staple.
Chicken and Dropped Dumplings – a great comfort food recipe.
Cinnamon Apple Flan with Maple Syrup – a unique yet yummy desert.
Shrimp and Saffron Risotto – seafood and pressure cooking does mix.
Garlic Cheese Noodles – an interesting twist on mac and cheese.
Herbed Pork Roast – quickest roast you will cook yet.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Fricassee – this would be delicious over rice.
Country-style Pressure Cooker Green Beans – this one is a classic.
Old Fashioned Meat Loaf – bet this isn’t a food you thought could be made in a pressure cooker.
Pressure Cooker Chili – who would argue with quick chili?
Spicy Potato Soup – a moderately healthy recipe.
Pressure Cooker Pork Sandwiches – sandwiches are great when you need a quick meal to go.
Chicken legs with scallions and carrots – this one just sounds yummy.
Pressure Cooked Ham – great quick recipe for holidays.
Stuffed Cabbage Hungarian Style – this one makes a great wintertime treat.
Fudgy Peanut Butter Cheesecake
Pressure Cooker Pork and Beans – great to go with those grilled hot dogs and burgers.
Chipotle Mashed Potatoes – add a little kick to your mashed potatoes.
Pressure Cooker Carnitas – add some spice to dinner.
Pressure Cooker Sloppy Joes – quick meal that’s popular with nearly everyone.
Salmon with mushrooms recipe – this one just sounds like it’d be great.
Slow Cooker Sour Cream Cheesecake – another great recipe to try.
Pork Chop and Potato Casserole – ideal comfort food.
Swedish Meat Balls – these are a nice treat.
Pressure Cooker Spaghetti Sauce – wonder if this would taste good with the Swedish Meat Balls.
Sicilian rice recipe – rice goes great with so many meals; try this one with a Sicilian twist.
Apples, Stuffed – this is a great fall time treat.
German Potato Salad – this makes a great side to bring to a potluck.
CHICKEN ADOBO – great one if you like ginger.
Pasta with Chickpeas recipe – interesting recipe with several options.
Arroz Con Pollo – a favorite dish with many at Mexican restaurants, try it at home.
Indian Curry – add a little Indian spice to your life.
CHICKEN & KRAUT – let us know what you think if you try this one.
Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake – cheesecake in a pressure cooker, who would’ve thought?
Chicken Cacciatore – this is usually a very popular dish out in restaurants.
Coq Au Vin – didn’t Sam on Bewitched make this once?
STUFFED ONIONS – a variation on the stuffed pepper.
Salmon with Spinach Sauce – sounds divine.
Cheesecake, Orange – another cheesecake recipe, yumm!
Chicken Fajitas with a Spanish Twist – In the mood for some Spanish flavor?
SEAFOOD GUMBO – Everyone needs a little Gumbo in their life.
Rajma (Kidney Bean Curry) – this one is great for the budget.
Salmon Steaks Moutarde – salmon is always a great food for those watching the waistline.
Smashed Potatoes – Pressure cooking is one of the quickest ways to make mashed potatoes.
MEXICAN MEATBALL SOUP – This one sounds delicious.
Mensaf (Jordanian Lamb Stew) – trying something different can be a treat to your tastebuds.
Chicken Biryani – Need something simple? This is one to try.
Pears, Ruby – another recipe for the sweet tooth.
Scottish Cauliflower Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe} – Great way to use cauliflower, we don’t see many recipes that put those to use.
Cannellini and Mint Bean Salad – This one sounds like it would have a unique flavor.
HOMEMADE CHICKEN BROTH – make your own broth for soups and other recipes.
Mixed Beans in Broth with Parsley and Parmesan – budget worthy recipe.
Spanish Paella with Seafood, Chicken & Chorizo {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}
Lemon and Olive Liguarian Chicken
WILD DUCK – Great recipe for hunters.
Chawan Mushi, Japanese Savory Steamed Custard – add a little oriental flavor to dinner.
Russian Borscht served Hot {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}
"Cafe Rio" Black Beans – Great vegetarian dish.
BAVAIRAN VACATION SAUERKRAUT DINNER (YOU WON'T NEED TO PUCKER)
Baby Artichokes and Two Sauces
Italian Meatball Sliders {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}
Sweet Brown Rice Breakfast – Pressure cooking even helps at breakfast time.
PIG IN THE BLANKETS
Asian Steamed Vegetable Pot with Silken Tofu
Busichka’s Beef & White Bean Soup {Electric Pressure Cooker Recipe}
Roasted Corn Cilantro Rice
SWISS STEAK – looks simple and sounds yummy.
Halibut with Black Olive Butter Sauce
Goulash – gluten free.
CHINESE SWEET-SOUR SPARERIBS
Meat and Potatoes Korean Style
Boiled Peanuts – once on the page scroll down a little to see this recipe.
Chicken and Corn Chowder (pressure cooker and stovetop directions)
BOSTON BROWN BREAD
TAHITIAN CHICKEN
Pork and Clams Portuguese Style
Chinese Red Cooked Chicken – once on this page scroll down to view this recipe
Braised Turkey Legs
Middle Eastern Chicken with Yogurt
Almond Cod With Peas Recipe
PRESSURE COOKED VIENNESE CHICKEN
Three-Bean Turkey Chili
Banana Pudding (Pressure Cooker) Recipe
Macaroni Fish Pie
LAMB AND GREEN BEANS
Quick Southwestern Bean Dip – great for game time get togethers
Colonial Boiled Dinner – on this page scroll down to see recipe.
Bourbon Laced Sweet Potatoes Recipe – need we say more?
MINESTRA – beans and sausage make this a yummy dish.
Cassoulet Salad – chilled version of the French Bistro Favorite.
Pumpkin Cheesecake – on this page scroll down to view recipe
Carrots Oahu Recipe
VENISON STEW
Pizza Provencal - a white bean pizza
Cauliflower With Mushroom Sauce Recipe
CHINESE PEPPER STEAK
Pork Pozole – flavorful Mexican dish
Braised Veal Roast with Vegetable Gravy
Cheese-Smothered Haddock Recipe
CONCH AND RICE
Chinese Beef-Rice Baby Meatballs

Edible Gardening - Why it is a Huge Benefit

2011-02-02T06:30:00.000-08:00

With this beautiful weather we have this morning, we can't help but to think about spring, and breaking out all the gardening equipment. (If you need gardening supplies you should visit our sister site Earthway-Outlet.com)

There are so many reasons why people want to grow their own food. It is healthier, saves money, is higher in nutrients, and they can determine which chemicals (or no chemicals) go on their food. In his article "Declining Nutrient Levels in Vegetables" Stephen Allen Christensen quotes:

"Perceived causes for the diminished nutritional state of our foods include a trend toward industrial farming, the leaching of agricultural soils, poor crop rotation methods, and development of crops that – while more amenable to mass production – do not provide the nutrients found in traditional cultivars. (Jack, A. Nutrition under siege. One Peaceful World (Kushi Institute Newsletter), Becket, MA, Spring 1998, pp 1, 7–8 and Long C: Is chemical farming making our food less nutritious? Organic Gardening. Nov/Dec 1999, p 12 )"

So it seems if you use the proper fertilizers and use soil that hasn't been overly farmed then you will be a step ahead of the produce section at your nearest grocery store. And fresh vegetables are such a welcome sight at any meal. Imagine being able to just walk outside into your yard and having all the ingredients for a delicious salad literally at your fingertips. And everyone that we've talked to, raves about how much better homegrown tomatoes are from store bought. And if you grow enough fruits and vegetables, you can can some to keep and use during the winter months, or to give away as gifts to friends, neighbors, and family. Homegrown food is a wealth that many people love to share with you. So if you are tempted to grow your own garden and can some vegetables of your own this year, check out all our canning supplies at http://pressurecooker-outlet.com.

Now don't fret if you live in an apartment or condo, you can still benefit from fresher vegetables by visiting your local farmer's market. Also if you have a balcony area, you can do a mini-garden in buckets or planters, many people participate in urban container gardening that live in dwellings where outdoor space is at a premium.

How will you be getting your fresh vegetables this year?

Crockpots are Time Savers

2011-01-31T08:51:00.000-08:00

So many of us need a little more time in our days. From the time our feet first hit the floor in the morning, it is rush rush rush for the majority of the population. Rush to get breakfast ready for the family, rush off to work, then rush home to rush and fix dinner, rush to finish up chores, homework, etc.

What if at least one of those things could be a little less rushed a little less stressful?

Dinner is something that could be ready for you when you walk in the door. There are so many one pot meals that are great to fix in a Crock Pot. You just fix the recipe and put it in the crockpot on low and let it cook on low all day. (or whichever setting the recipe you are using calls for)

It much simpler than having to fix everything from scratch the minute you get home. Now you can have dinner ready and fix a few sides if you want, or as mentioned above do a one pot meal in your slow cooker which doesn't necessarily need any sides to go with it.

What kind of shortcuts do you use to get through your day a with a little less stress?

Eat Healthy with your Salad Shooter

2011-01-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

Salad Shooters are actually quite handy little gadgets. Some of us may have one lurking around in the cabinets pining for daylight, others use ours almost on a daily basis, and then there are the few that still have not yet purchased a saladshooter.

If you are trying to hold up to your New Year's Resolution, depending on what your resolution was, the salad shooter might actually be able to help you. It can help you eat healthier, lose weight (by eating healthier), and save money.

Obviously, you can use your salad shooter for salads. It can shred and slice veggies and fruits. In turn this will save you money. If you buy pre-shredded and pre-sliced fruits and veggies, not only are they more expensive, but they tend to go bad at a faster rate than whole fruits and vegetables.

The salad shooter can also:

Shred cheese and peppers for omelets
Slice apples for a delicious apple pie
Take care of all your veggies for your homemade vegetable soup
Cheese, Peppers, & Onions on your pizza
Shred potatoes for delicious hash browns
Perfect for shredding all the ingredients for coleslaw
Use it to make a graham cracker crust

Honestly the options are limitless, and it makes prep time so much faster, there is no need to drag out the cutting board, sharpen your knives, or dirty extra bowls, you can just shred directly into the recipe.

When eating healthier is easier, it makes you more likely to stick with it.

Canning is on the Rise

2011-01-17T08:36:00.000-08:00

The more people that we've talked to the more that we've found that there are many more people who are planning on planting a garden and canning vegetables this coming spring, summer, and fall. A lot of it has to do with the economy, and some of it has to do with the grassroots movement that seems to be making its way through society right now (do the two go hand in hand? Perhaps, but we'd love to hear your thoughts on that).

So, you have big ideas and maybe your New Year's resolution is to plant a garden this year and to can your hard worked for veggies. So is there anything you can be doing now in order to prepare yourself for the hard work this spring?

1. Clean! You can go ahead and decide what area of your yard you want your garden in and start removing dead flowers, shrubs and other plants.

2. Plan! Start learning all you can about what types of vegetables you want in your garden, how you want it laid out, whether you want to do raised beds, etc. If you aren't sure what kind of veggies you want, you might want to go ahead and purchase some books about canning and see which things you'd be interested in and keep a list.

3. You may want to start stocking up on seeds, mulch, and fertilizer, as sometimes the winter prices on these products are cheaper.

4. Do all the research that you need to do. It will make things go quicker this spring if you have the knowledge already there and can stay steady with the job instead of having to start and stop in order to look things up.

5. Draw a map/plan of your garden so that you know how the spacing between plants needs to be, etc.

Have fun with your winter preparations for your spring garden! We would love to hear what kinds of plans you have in mind.

Timeless Cooking or What did they do before microwaves?

2011-01-12T10:38:00.000-08:00

In the past, there was a time before microwaves existed. And quick cooking wasn't what it is today. You couldn't just go to the freezer and grab a microwave meal, pop it in your microwave and get to cooking. Then you had to plan and prepare each meal carefully.

So what did they do back then before they had microwaves, when they didn't have much time to prepare a meal?

Well, they used pressure cookers. In the early part of last century, pressure cookers were very popular because of their ease of use and quickness in cooking. Also because refrigerators were still not what they are today and many people could not afford them, the best way for them to preserve their food was to can it in a pressure canner. Without these items many people would have had to learn to do without meals in many cases. But not only was the pressure cooker good for cooking a quick meal, they were also useful if jars needed to be sterilized before using them to can in.

Pressure cookers are able to keep most of the nutrients, texture, and flavor of the food, in the food. While studies of microwaves over the last few years have shown that microwaving food causes nutrient loss, and we have all experienced that annoying cold spot, or the oh so hot hot hot spot with microwaves that cook food unevenly. Plus microwaves tend to dry out meats or cause them to be tough. With a pressure cooker your meats will be moister and more tender.

If part of your New Year's resolution was to eat healthier, then you will definitely want to look into pressure cookers, what healthier way to eat, than to keep the natural nutrients in your vegetables in them after they are cooked. There are many pressure cooker cookbooks, and the internet has dozens of recipes on it so it should be easy to find recipes for your pressure cooker, all you have to do is a quick search for them in your favorite search engine.

Recipes for Cold Weather

2011-01-07T06:34:00.000-08:00

It's been very cold out this winter, and with all the snow we've been getting here at Pressure Cooker Outlet, it is sometimes an added relief to the cabin fever we all occasionally experience if we are able to at least try something new or different in the kitchen. Something to break up the routine, so we've searched and found a couple recipes for you to try out on your pressure cooker. (Don't forget to order new pressure cooker parts if yours are getting older or worn before cooking with your pressure cooker!)

We found a recipe by Kalyn's Kitchen for Pinto Bean and Ground Beef Stew. A 4-quart pressure cooker seems to be a good size for this recipe. We haven't tried this one yet, but it looks delicious.

Another great recipe is by The Veggie Queen at her blog PressureCooking.blogspot.com she features a recipe called Black Eyed Pea Soup with Brown Rice, Corn and Peppers. She used this recipe to bring in the New Year, but it looks like one that would be a hit on any chilly afternoon.

If you try these recipes let us know how it went! We love hearing about your pressure cooking experiences. What you liked about it, or what could have made it better.

Safety with Pressure Cookers and Canners

2011-01-04T06:42:00.000-08:00

Since safety is a big thing with using pressure cookers and canners, all of us at Pressure Cooker Outlet feel it would only be appropriate to have our write our first "real" blog on safety. Please feel free to bookmark this page and refer back to it as you need to.

Safeguards:

· Always remember, before you do anything with your pressure cooker or canner, please read your instruction manual thoroughly before operating.

· Check the vent pipe before use. This is very simple but necessary to do. You can check the vent pipe by holding the cover of your cooker/canner up to the light and run a pipe cleaner through it to ensure that it has a clear opening.

· You do not want to fill your pressure canner more than 2/3 full while using it.

· You do not want to pressure cook applesauce, pearl barley, cereals, pastas, grains, split peas, or soup mixes. These foods tend to foam, froth and sputter and may block the vent pipe, over pressure plug, and air vent cover lock.

· Please do not try to open the pressure canner/cooker until the pressure inside has been completely reduced. Wait until the air vent and cover lock has dropped. When you see that there is no more steam you can remove the pressure regulator.

· If your sealing ring has become dry, brittle, or cracked, then you need to replace it, BEFORE using your canner/cooker again, along with your over pressure plug. (Most manufactures advise you to change the sealing rings and over pressure plugs every 3-4 yrs depending on the use). That way you will feel secure knowing that you have two new parts that will be working properly for your canner/cooker.

Pressure Canners and Pressure Cookers are great tools. Just so long as you remember to practice safety with them. Also with pressure canning, always be sure to use undamaged mason jars for your canning.

Pressure Cooker Outlet

2011-01-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

Hello and welcome to our first blog. We are Pressure Cooker Outlet, and things are in full swing for the New Year already. We cannot believe that 2010 went by so quickly. We are owned and operated by Red Hill General Store which has a brick and mortar location in Hillsville, VA. You should stop by and see us there if you live close enough we are located just outside the town limits of Hillsville, at 1035 Sylvatus Hwy. (Rt. 100)

In our online store and at Red Hill General Store we offer products by Presto, All American, Mirro, Cuisinart, and more! So feel free to check out all our links, leave comments/suggestions, bookmark us, etc. We love to interact with our customers and readers! Feedback is always a plus!