Instant Pot, but for real!!

So a while back I mentioned the Instant Pot briefly because it was on sale.  I want to revisit this jewel of a find.  Well, I guess it wasn't really a find since a few friends had one and told me how much they love theirs.  It doesn't matter, this thing is A-MA-ZING!!!

My 6 quart Instant Pot with my 7 quart crockpot

Anyone who values their time ( ahem, everyone!) and cooks could use this appliance.  It will save you a ton of time two different ways.  The first way is obvious, it is a  pressure cooker so yes, it cooks faster. Dried beans in one hour!!  From bag to bowl in ONE hour.  The second way is that while it cooks, you are free to do other things.  It isn't something you have to watch once you start it.  You press the button and walk off.  You can also, program to come on at a certain time, though I haven't used this function yet.

A few of the meals I have prepared and loved are one-pot spaghetti, steak and gravy, beans and rice with sausage, and stuffed peppers.  Oh and don't let me forget, lemon blueberry cheesecake. YES, cheesecake!

My  husband has loved everything that has come out of the pot, but my son has a preference for spaghetti so we make it at least once a week.  With the instant pot, I use one pot and after sauteing the meat, I put it in and walk away until I hear the beep.

I would love to say that I used the instructions that cam with it and nothing else, but that wouldn't be true.  Although the instructions are good and it did come with a recipe book, my favorite place to find out how to prepare something is a Facebook group called Instant Pot Community.  It is a a public group so anyone can join.  The reason I like the group over the actual page is the search feature.  I can search for what I want to cook and get a list of posts.  Click HERE to take you to that page.

I will also include a link to the Instant Pot on Amazon for you to check it out.  Yes, it is an affiliate link but I choose what I put here and it won't be something I don't love!

This is the one I have:


But I will add, they now have an 8 quart that I would like to add to the family!  At the very least, I want to get another inner pot for it so I can just take it out and start the next thing.  Especially cooking something like beans and rice or rice and anything!

Well, I hope you can appreciate my love for my Instant Pot!  This pressure cooker has changed our mealtime so much!  If you have one or get one, let me know what you think about it!

God bless and have a good day!
Lee Ann

Planners everywhere! Which one and what to do with it?

About this time last year, I fell into the hole of planners very similar to Alice in Wonderland.  I have yet to emerge from that hole and not sure that I ever will.  It is like those people that give you the samples or taste of something, once you get that little bite, you are done for!  Just put it in the cart and move to the next one!  LOL

A few of the planners mentioned! 

But seriously, planning is about finding the system that works well for you.  I am looking really hard for the best one for me.  I started by making my own planner last July out of a leather binder.  I just went on Google and found a lot of free printables.  I found calendars, cleaning pages, financial pages and a lot more.  

There are so many options for planning and it can easily overwhelm you, but if you take time and look around, you will find what works for you.  I have gone through several planners buying and then selling them or giving them away to be able to buy the next one.

I started with the binder I mentioned above and then moved on to the Happy Planner by Me & My Big Ideas.  I really liked this planner but I couldn't customize how I needed to so that it would fit our family.  I did get the fitness and recipe planners they have also.  Next I moved to the ringed binders, both an A5 size and a personal size.  You can find tons of free printables and then just print them to the size you need and hole punch them to fit.

my faux-leather binder

Coil planners are probably the most common ones you will see around.  I have a Day Designer I got at Target that is a daily planner and an Erin Condren hourly weekly planner.  They are both great planners with different purposes.

Travelers' Notebooks are the new black.  You can find them everywhere in the planner community and for a good reason.  You can put a lot or a little and whatever your heart desires in it.  There are several sizes so you can have a larger one to write in or a small one for a wallet.

This year, Me & My Big Ideas, introduced a Big Happy Planner and I didn't see a need until recently.  It has a specific purpose in my arsenal and I look forward to starting it next month.

Are you getting the picture here?  There are all sizes and shapes of planners, just waiting for you to find the one (or three) that work for you!  Some things I like separate but for the most part I like it all together.  Currently, I use my Erin Condren as my home planner and leave it sitting out most days.  I have a travelers' notebook that is my EDC (every day carry).  We also have a budget binder and I have a notebook for goals.  I also have notebooks that have other purposes.  It is a system and the best thing is to find what works for you and your family.  I have even sat down and planned out how I need to plan.  We are in a period of re-evaluating and streamlining things in our family so this is a big part of it for me.

Hopefully soon I will make a video on the planners I have used and why I am using what I am using now.  When I do, I will edit to include the link here.

God Bless and have a great day!
Lee Ann