Oooooh, you guys — Thanksgiving is already NEXT WEEK! I have to admit it really doesn’t feel like fall around here (it was up in the 80s today)…..but my calendar tells me it’s definitely fall, and that means — HOLIDAY COOKING! I love gathering new recipes and digging out old favorite recipes and deciding what days I need to cook what, so that everything can be prepared, shared, and enjoyed!
But this year, my holiday cooking will be a little different. And that’s because I have a new (and super exciting) tool to use in my kitchen! And it’s a PRESSURE COOKER! I know, I know…..if you’re anything like I was, you may be thinking that’s some rickety old pot that grandma has in her pantry, for canning fruit and such. Well, you’re in for a treat….because this whole pressure cooker thing is about to blow your mind!
I was invited to try out Fagor’s new line of pressure cookers and join several other bloggers in coming up with holiday recipes that can all be made in the pressure cooker! And let me tell you guys, not only are you going to be surprised with what you can actually make in a pressure cooker, you’re going to save yourself some time, the taste is going to blow your mind, and you can free up the use of your oven (which is also a really great thing if you don’t want to heat up your house).
And my recipe? A classic thanksgiving dish, made in a fraction of the time —- Candied Sweet Potatoes!
Wait, what is a pressure cooker? It’s similar in appearance to a crock pot but it seals up air tight and builds pressure while it cooks, speeding up the whole cooking process and produces very tender and flavorful foods. And you can cook so many things that you may have never even considered before, like yogurt, cheesecake, and homemade vanilla extract!
This Fagor pressure cooker can also be used as a standard slow cooker (in case you need to be gone all day and would prefer a slower method)…..so no need for 2 different appliances. Hallelujah…..we can finally say goodbye to our old crock pot that we received as a wedding present 11 years ago, because this baby can do both!!
So yes……this pressure cooker worked perfectly for these Candied Sweet Potatoes, and only took 4 minutes to cook! They turn out so tender, with a thick and buttery syrup that is delicious just as it is…..mmmm!
OR, if you prefer toasted marshmallows on your candied sweet potatoes (which I do, but I know my dad doesn’t), you can throw some on top and toss in the oven for just under a minute on broil. Easy.
Even though I was asked to create a Holiday Recipe to share, I have been having so much fun cooking even the simplest of things in my new Fagor Pressure Cooker, like rice in 10 minutes, a pork roast in just over an hour, and even “baked” potatoes in about 15 minutes. Such a life saver for this hectic household!
And Fagor just came out with a new line of pressure cooker colors: champagne, silver and copper.
I chose the silver, because it goes with all of my other appliances….and looks pretty sitting in my kitchen!
Oh how I love prepping for our family’s Thanksgiving feast……but even more now that I have a new tool to help me out in the kitchen, which will save me so much time (and energy)!
Ready to make some CANDIED SWEET POTATOES??
Peel your sweet potatoes and then cut them into 3/4 inch cubes.
Place the potatoes in a gallon size Ziploc bag and then toss with your cornstarch, evenly coating your sweet potatoes.
Place your sweet potatoes directly into your pressure cooker….and then add the rest of the ingredients, EXCEPT the pecans and optional marshmallows.
Stir all ingredients together. And that’s it!
Seal up your pressure cooker and set your timer to 4 minutes. Once your cooker builds up enough pressure, your 4 minutes of cooking will begin.
Once your 4 minutes is up, do a quick release and let the all of the steam out of your gauge. Be careful not to burn yourself.
Take a peek inside…..and you’ll see your perfectly cooked sweet potatoes, sitting in a nice candied syrup (that will thicken a bit once it cools).
Add your chopped pecans and then combine carefully.
Pour into a 9×13 inch baking dish and serve as is, or sprinkle with a single layer of mini marshmallows and place in oven on broil until the marshmallows are slightly toasted. (Keep a very close eye on this…..it happens quickly.) You can even place the sweet potatoes in smaller serving dishes and keep some plain, while adding toasted marshmallows to other portions.
So easy, so quick, and SO DELICIOUS!! Oh, how I love my new Fagor Pressure Cooker (that can be found —> HERE)! :)
Enjoy!
-Ashley
Peel sweet potatoes and cut into 3/4 inch cubes. Place in Ziploc bag
with corn starch and shake to evenly coat over potatoes. Place potatoes
in pressure cooker and add all the ingredients, EXCEPT pecans and
marshmallows. Mix well. Lock lid and cook on high for 4 minutes.
Quick release, open lid, and add pecans. Gently combine. Pour into a
9×13 inch baking dish and serve as is, or sprinkle with a single layer
of mini marshmallows and place in oven on broil until the marshmallows
are slightly toasted. (Keep a very close eye on this…..it happens
quickly.)
. . . . .
To see more Holiday Pressure Cooker recipes, check out these other great recipes…
Homemade Applesauce by Place of my Taste | Cranberry Sauce from Cherished Bliss
Homemade Beef & Mushroom Stew by A Burst of Beautiful | Candied Sweet Potatoes by Make it and Love it
Candied Orange Peel by Craftberry Bush | Flavor Infused Honey by TIDBITS
Oreo Cheesecake by French Country Cottage | Mashed Potatoes by Our Best Bites
Cape Cod Cranberry Sauce by Nina Hendrick Design Co. | Creamed Corn by Live Laugh Rowe