The Instant Pot has been around since 2009 but has really come into its own this year. With dozens of new cookbooks and lots of recipes available, there is a lot to choose from. Because the Instant Pot can cook nearly everything, and faster than conventional means, it can relieve a lot of the stress this holiday season. It makes every recipe go faster and easier.

Enjoy a decorating party

One thing I love to do is decorate the tree for the Holidays. It doesn't matter how big or how small your tree is, you can still have fun getting together and setting it up.

One traditional decoration is the popcorn garland. Stringing popcorn and maybe a few cranberries is a terrific alternative to strings of garland. Yes, of course, you can make popcorn in the Instant Pot, no recipe needed. You can even pop right in the room with the tree, all you need is an electrical plug.

For those hardworking enthusiasts busy decorating your tree, you need to cook something to keep them going. This meatball recipe makes the perfect nibble. You might even want to make extra to freeze.

Mulled Wine is a traditional choice of beverage for a holiday tree trimming party or the perfect warm-me-up after caroling.

Really, any day spent out in the cold is a better day if you can cozy up afterward with a nice warm drink. This recipe only takes a couple of hours in the Instant Pot to get the same results a slow cooker takes all day to make.

Enjoy the day

If you are having some family over or if you just want something special for your holiday breakfast, you can't go wrong with Banana Pecan French Toast.

After a few minutes of prep, you can leave it to cook so you can spend more time with your family.

You are going to be having that big holiday meal later on, so you don't want everyone filling up at lunch. But you don't want stealth ninja raids on the fridge because people are starving either. The answer? Cook French Onion Soup for lunch.

Tasty and filling enough to keep hunger away, but not too filling.

The main event made easier

Why spend hours hovering over a turkey in the oven? With the Instant Pot, you no longer need to babysit your food, continually basting to keep it moist. Sit back and enjoy the day while your Turkey cooks itself in less than an hour.

If you want a nice traditional Cranberry Sauce, don't use that horrible canned stuff. This is a make-ahead recipe so if you don't want to spend time making it on the day, cook it in advance and save yourself the hassle. Made with cranberries, apples, and just a hint of Apple Brandy (or Spiced Rum), it will add a special touch to your meal.

The holidays are stressful.

The good stress is seeing friends and family you miss dearly. The bad stress is having 15 million things to do all at once. Either way, it is still stress. Using your kitchen tools to their potential can help you enjoy the holidays just a little more. The Instant Pot was born for versatility and is, therefore, a kitchen tool that can help the most. With a few good recipe ideas, it can seriously reduce your kitchen stress and leave you more time for the fun stuff.
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