All posts filed under: Ramblings

DadCooksDinner and the Scale of Doom – January 2019

Published by Mike Vrobel

Ugh. My weight has crept up again over the last year. (One of the occupational hazards of food blogging.) I want to weigh 225 pounds; I was so close last summer. Then I had hernia surgery and sat around for a couple of weeks recovering. More important, I stopped paying attention to what I ate at about that time and my weight started creeping up. To slow down the extra pounds, I started exercising a few months ago, determined to fill the exercise rings on my Apple watch. And, even though I’ve met my exercise goal for (checks phone) the last 131 days, my weight still went up. It seems to have leveled off, bouncing around 245 pounds for the last month or so. That’s…not good. It’s the New Year, and it’s time to carefully follow my rules for losing weight. Portion control is the big one – I keep reaching for a second helping, even when I know I shouldn’t. Wish me luck… What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the …

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Happy New Year 2019

Published by Mike Vrobel

Happy New Year, everyone! Welcome to 2019. Sorry for the slow posting over the last week or so; first I was spending time with my family, then I got a nasty ear infection that knocked me down for a few days. Here’s a look back at some of my most popular posts from 2018, top 5 list style: Top 5 new recipes for 2018 Pressure Cooker Asian Zing Chicken Wings (From Frozen)Pressure Cooker Baby Potatoes with Butter and ParsleyPressure Cooker Pork Steaks, St. Louis BBQ StylePressure Cooker Oreo CheesecakePressure Cooker Beef Back Ribs Texas BBQ Style Top 5 non-recipe articles from 2018 Review: Instant Pot Ultra 6 Quart (vs Instant Pot Duo Plus 6 Quart)What to Do if I Dump Liquid Into My Instant Pot Without the Pot LinerHow to Fix Instant Pot Quick Release Spraying StarchIs Instant Pot Delay Start Safe to Use?Reader Survey: Pressure Cooking Frozen Chicken Drumsticks? Top 5 Holiday Recipes in 2018 New Year’s Day: Pressure Cooker Black-Eyed PeasEaster: Pressure Cooker 7 Hour Leg of Lamb (in 90 minutes)Father’s Day: Grilled …

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A plate of cookies and a glass with candy canes in front of a Christmas tree with streaky lights

Merry Christmas 2018

Published by Mike Vrobel

Merry Christmas, everyone! Happy holidays to you and yours, and thank you for following along on my cooking adventures in 2018. (The “beams of Christmas lights” is a trick I learned from Tony & Chelsea Northrup’s YouTube channel. Thanks, Chelsea!) Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share this post with your friends. Want to contribute directly? Donate to my Tip Jar, or buy something from Amazon.com through the links on this site. Thank you.

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Fagor America is now Zavor

Published by Mike Vrobel

ZAVOR is the inspired creation of the team behind Fagor America. After closing its doors, the minds behind the top pressure cooker brand in the country put all their efforts into continuing the product line on their own terms, enter ZAVOR. ZavorAmerica.com I was worried we were losing the Fagor line of pressure cookers. Great news! I was wrong! Zavor has risen from the ashes of Fagor America. My long-time favorite stovetop cooker, the Fagor Duo, is back as the Zavor Duo (along with the Zavor Elite, a Macy’s exclusive, and the Versa, a Bed Bath and Beyond exclusive..) Even better, the Fagor Lux electric pressure cooker line is now the Zavor Lux, Lux Edge, and Lux LCD, all in 4-, 6-, and 8-quart sizes. They’re my favorite “Non Instant Pot” electric pressure cookers, and I’m glad they’re still around to keep Instant Pot on their toes. Zavor fixed a couple of my complaints from earlier models. They changed the gasket holder on the 8-quart lids, and they added a “Mute” feature to stop the …

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The Instant Pot Max is Here

Published by Mike Vrobel

Look what was waiting on the front step when I got home – my Instant Pot Max! They’re in stock at Amazon with immediate shipping. (Much to my surprise. I didn’t know it was coming until I opened the box; I missed Amazon’s “we’re shipping” email on Sunday.) From my couple of minutes with the Max: It doesn’t have the twitchy knob that the Ultra (hooray!). It feels substantial, with heavier weight and higher build quality. And…that’s all I’ve got in the few minutes I’ve played with it. More to come once I’ve had time to put it through its paces, but for now…my new toy is here. Whee!

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The Instant Pot Max is On The Way

Published by Mike Vrobel

Remember a few weeks ago, when I was complaining about the missing Instant Pot Max? Guess what – it’s coming! The Max is available for pre-order at Amazon (Instant Pot Max at Amazon.com link) and Williams-Sonoma. (I’m an Amazon affiliate, so if you use the Amazon link, I get a a small commission, and thanks). Amazon isn’t giving any hints about the release date; Williams-Sonoma says my order is backordered, with an expected delivery date of December 14th. Hopefully, it’s an early Christmas Present for myself. Now, Is the Max worth its $199 price? Not really, when the Instant Pot Duo Plus costs only $129 (and even less on sale – hold out for Black Friday if cost matters.) I don’t think the Max Pressure is going to change the Instant Pot experience much. But, oh, the Max looks so good. I wants it, I needs it, my preciousssss…ahem. I meant to say: if you love your Instant Pot and want the top of the line model (like I do), then the Max is almost here! …

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Pressure Cooker Lentil Sausage Soup | DadCooksDinner.com

Throwback Thursday: Lentils and Sausage

Published by Mike Vrobel

Fall is my favorite time of year…and a few weeks ago I started to worry. It was October, and the temperatures were in the upper 80’s. That’s good for July, but October? Not so much. Luckily, that was summer’s last gasp. Fall is here! It’s jacket weather, we had our first frost, and fall colors are bursting out along the roadways. It’s time for a hearty lentil soup. Following up on Tuesday’s Hungarian theme, I’m making Lentil soup with Hungarian Sausage. Now, you don’t need Hungarian sausage – any smoked sausage will do – but I have some nearby sausage sources and I like to get the good stuff. Recipe: Pressure Cooker Lentil Sausage Soup Pressure Cooker Lentil Sausage Soup – DadCooksDinner What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below. Related Posts Instant Pot Quick Lentil Curry Pressure Cooker Lentil and Bacon Soup Pressure Cooker Lentil and Hambone Soup My Pressure Cooker Recipes Index Enjoyed this post? Want to help out DadCooksDinner? Subscribe to DadCooksDinner via email and share …

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Pressure Cooker Chicken Legs with Herb Rub | DadCooksDinner.com

Throwback Thursday: Chicken Under Pressure

Published by Mike Vrobel

Can’t talk now. Busy. Gotta run. Work, work, work. We had a software upgrade over the long weekend, and I’ve been working 12 to 18 hour days ever since. What do I do when I work late and have to squeeze in dinner before another scheduled install at 8:30 PM? I give in to the dark side…of the chicken. Instant Pot Chicken Legs, here we come. Recipe: Pressure Cooker Chicken Legs with Herb Rub Recipe here: Pressure Cooker Chicken Legs with Herb Rub – [DadCooksDinner] An update to the recipe: I use Penzeys Sunny Paris Seasoning instead of the Italian Seasoning. Any herb blend will work, but I’m in love with Sunny Paris. They hooked me with a free sample; I’ve gone through three more full-sized jars since then. Sunny Paris goes with chicken, pork, and vegetables – Especially vegetables. If there’s a Penzeys near you, try a jar. You won’t be disappointed. What do you think? Questions? Other ideas? Leave them in the comments section below. Related Posts My Pressure Cooker Recipes IndexMy Pressure Cooker …

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Rotisserie Grilling cookbooks now available on Walmart eBooks

Published by Mike Vrobel

Big news in the eBook world: Walmart teamed up with Kobo to make the Walmart eBook store! Walmart and…Kobo? Who’s that? In the US, Amazon is the elephant in the eBookstore, with the vast majority of the market. Outside the US, Toronto-based Kobo is giving Amazon a run for their money, making them a close second in global eBook sales. Kobo is a subsidiary of Rakuten, a Japanese e-commerce giant. Rakuten also owns OverDrive, which most libraries use to loan out eBooks. In other words, Kobo has some eBook muscle. Walmart and Kobo are a fascinating pairing that could give Amazon serious competition. Kobo has a reputation for well-made e-readers as well as the usual reader apps for iOS or Android, and a vast eBook selection to rival Amazon’s Kindle store. Walmart is…Walmart. You may have heard of them?  As an eBook author, I love the idea of e-readers promoted in every Walmart in the country. That means, at least indirectly, my books are now sold in Walmart! As an eBook reader, I like the …

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Ten Years of DadCooksDinner

Published by Mike Vrobel

Ten years. Holy cow. In 2008 I was a food fanatic with a seven-year old, a five-year old, and a three-year old, and a brand new blogspot account. Now I have a high school senior, a daughter itching to get her learners permit, and a just-turned teen. And a successful food blog. It’s easy to get caught up in the rhythm of posting every week. Stepping back, seeing where I am now, and how much I’ve grown in ten years? That’s harder. I’m wired to worry about today’s problems, not to sit back and reflect. But, ten years is such a big, round number that I can’t let it slide by. So, here are a few thoughts about ten years of writing DadCooksDinner. What have I learned? Get better by doing the work. How did I learn to cook? I cooked dinner every night for my family. How did I learn to write? I wrote ten years worth of blog posts. I was a hobbyist photographer back before I had kids, but the improvement in …

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Throwback Thursday: Ribeye Pork Chops

Published by Mike Vrobel

Summer is winding down. This week started school for the kids, and tonight’s low is supposed to be 50°F. (Which I love – I’m a Fall weather kind of guy.) There’s still time for some late summer grilling, so I pulled out my recipe for pork ribeyes (aka bone-in loin chops) I keep coming back to paprika, garlic, and coriander as my default spice rub; I love how those flavors go with milder meats, like pork and chicken. Also, this is the first pork recipe I wrote after finding out the USDA changed their pork guidance from “overcook it” (160°F) to “just right” (145°F with a 3 minute rest.) The National Pork Board finally convinced the USDA that home cooks know to use digital thermometers – the key to a good chop. Don’t overcook your pork chops! (I recommend the $99 Thermapen thermometer if you’re a fanatic like me, or the $30 ThermoPop thermometer if you’re not. I’m a Thermoworks affiliate, so I may be biased, but I feel like I’m cooking blind if I …

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Do Not Wash Chicken Before Cooking!

Published by Mike Vrobel

A question from a reader: Is it best to wash the chicken off after removing from package or not? I hear conflicting advice on this. Some say to wash off any germs from packing and some say it’s doesn’t matter b/c the germs are cooked off. Should I wash chicken? No! Please, no. Do NOT wash poultry before cooking. (Or any other meat for that matter.) Washing chicken doesn’t rinse away bacteria; it splashes it around. The bacteria is still on the chicken…and now it’s been sprayed onto the sink, countertops, arms, clothes, and anything else nearby. The safest thing to do is take chicken directly from its packaging to the stove. Now, I don’t take chicken directly out of the package and to the stove. I usually have to mess with it first – seasoning, cutting it up, that kind of thing. I treat chicken juices like a biohazard – because they are, until they’re cooked – and try to contain the mess as much as possible. Here are the steps in my chicken …

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Lake Erie Vacation 2018

Published by Mike Vrobel

I’m on vacation, spending a week at my family’s cottage on the shores of Lake Erie. Then, the week after that I’m recovering from hernia surgery. (Fun!) In other words, posting will be sparse for the next two weeks. (Cell coverage and wifi are spotty out here.) I’ll be back to my regular schedule in August. See you then! PS:  Amazon’s Prime Day Instant Pot Duo for $58 deal is still on through the end of the day today. Did you get one? Let me know in the comments.

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Amazon Prime Day 2018 – Instant Pot Deals? (Yes, on the IP-Duo)

Published by Mike Vrobel

Looking for a deal on an Instant Pot? You’re in luck – it’s Amazon Prime Day! I’m an Amazon affiliate, and I get a small commission on anything you buy through the Amazon links on my site. Thank you! Why is Prime Day such a big deal for Instant Pot fans? Because Amazon traditionally has a fantastic Instant Pot deal on Prime Day for Amazon Prime members. Their lowest prices of the year are on Prime Day and Black Friday. (Side note: Prime “Day” is now Prime Day-And-A-Half, starting at 3 PM EST July 16 (today), running through the end of July 17.) Which Instant Pot is on sale for Prime Day? I don’t know yet, and I’ll update this post when I find out. The sale is usually on one specific model; 2015 and 2016 were on the IP Duo 6-Quart, and 2017 was the IP Duo 8-Quart. What will it be this year? I think it will be one of these six Instant Pots: [UPDATE 2018-07-16 3PM] The sale is on the Instant …

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Grill Smoked Trout: trout on a foil sheet, on a grill, with smoking coals on the other side of the grill

Throwback Thursday: Grill Smoked Fish

Published by Mike Vrobel

My grill smoked trout recipe is suddenly popular! I’m not sure what happened, but I all of a sudden I’m getting questions and comments on a post I wrote years ago. That’s a good thing – I love smoked fish, and grill smoking is easy enough to make this one of my go-to appetizers for parties. Now, grill smoked fish are different from cold smoked fish, like smoked salmon or lox. Cold-smoked fish are cooked at 180°F for hours. Grill smoked fish are a cross between “cold smoked” and grilled – they have a similar taste to cold smoked, but a flakier texture. The grill smoked technique is simple: Brine the fish with salt and brown sugar Lay the fish on a sheet of aluminum foil and pat dry Put in a 250°F to 300°F grill with smoking wood until cooked through and flaky, 30 to 90 minutes depending on the fish thickness. Here are my two favorites: Grill Smoked Trout and Grill Smoked Salmon Recipe: Grill Smoked Trout Recipe: Grill Smoked Salmon What do …

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