So I got a pressure cooker for Christmas. I just had to have one after watching "Veggie Queen" Jill Nussinow use hers at a vegan cooking demo at the University of Memphis a few months ago. The fact that you can cook dry beans in 20 minutes totally sold me on pressure cookers. Plus, they seem so retro and kitschy.
Today, I decided to cook some butter beans I'd frozen this summer after buying too much at the farmer's market. I threw in two cloves of minced garlic, Cavender's Greek Seasoning, and some Liquid Smoke:
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The beans were DELICIOUS. But I should have read the instructions for how to use the pressure cooker first. When the cooking time (about 20 minutes) was up, I just took the pressure regulator off the lid and BOOM! It was like Mount Butter Bean erupted in my kitchen. Bean juice went EVERYWHERE. I just stood there, staring at the pan with my mouth hanging open. Finally, I bolted into action and threw a potholder over the lid. And then, for good measure, I tossed a towel over that. Then I looked up and noticed the bean juice dripping from my ceiling. I had to climb on a ladder to clean the goop from my ceiling. Yuk! Guess I know better now than to remove the pressure regulator before the pan cools.
I also veganized a buttermilk cornbread recipe in my new cast iron skillet (also a Christmas present). It could have used a little more sugar. I like my cornbread pretty sweet. But I'm going to perfect this recipe and include it in my cookbook.
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Finally, for dessert, I made Chocolate Pear Cake in my Crock Pot. It's from the new issue of Vegetarian Times.
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I'd always wanted to try a Crock Pot cake, but never had the patience. I started this one at 3 p.m. today and it was ready by 8 p.m. Honestly, it wasn't that great. Okay, but a little too sweet. I may just be too full on beans and cornbread to really enjoy it though. I'm really full! I think I'll go on a juice fast after New Year's Day.