Instant Pot Love (and a creamy chicken pasta recipe)...by Jen

Since I didn't feel good all week I finally sat down to clean off the hundreds of emails I was ignoring - and came across this one from my sissy at the beginning of February! I can't believe I didn't see it before now, I NEVER pass up anyone wanting to guest blog for me :). So even though she references Valentine's Day it's still a good post and I'm totally using it now...hope she didn't notice that I didn't post it weeks ago! I have yet to jump on the Insta Pot craze, but she's making me think about it with how easy and delish this pasta recipe sounds! Here's the post in her words:

Ok.. with Valentine’s day coming I have decided to blog about my newest love.  I am definitely in LOVE.  Yes I love my husband, my kids and my family but this is an all new kind of love.  I am in love with my new Instant Pot.  I heard everyone rave for months and finally gave in.  I have to just say WOW.  Not disappointed.  So not disappointed I decided to write a blog for my sister about it!

With me being the master chef that I am, I decided to start simple.  Hard boiled eggs.  WOW.  Yes I know I anyone can boil water.  The thing is that you have to stand there and wait for it to boil and then time your eggs just right.  With the Instant Pot I put the eggs in, pushed the buttons and BAM.  Perfect eggs.  Oh and I didn’t have to watch them.  I put them in, started it came back and BAM.  Eggs.

With my new found confidence I moved on to steamed veggies.  Ahhh  that was more complicated.  Too long and they were mush, too short too crunchy.  After 3 tries I have it mastered. 2 minutes is perfect for me. (and quick release the pressure to stop the cooking). 

Well, last night I moved on to Pasta.  This was the reason I bought the Instant Pot in the first place.  With the promise of adding sauce and dry uncooked noodles and walking away.  That is basically what I did. 

I perused online recipe’s to find one simple enough for my skill level.  I couldn’t find one so I combined a couple that looked good.  I have to say it was easy and delicious.  Thus my new proclamation of Love. 

Rotisserie Chicken – pre cooked from the deli, cut off bone into cubes

I box of Rotini pasta

I can of enchilada sauce

1 ½ cups water

Half a block of light cream cheese

1 ½ cups of cheddar cheese

Place the can of enchilada sauce in the pot, add dry pasta and water on top.  Water should just cover the noodles.  Put the cubed chicken on top.

Cook on manual in the Instant Pot for 4 minutes.  

When done do “quick release” of pressure for Al Dente noodles and add cubed cream cheese and cheddar cheese and stir until melted.

I put this pasta over the top of previously cooked vegetables (but my kids did not)..  I didn’t cook the vegetables in with the pasta as I was afraid they would be too mushy so I cooked those in the pot previously as noted above.

So if you would like to fall in love this Valentine’s day grab a pot and this recipe.  XOXO