We will be spending a couple of weeks in a travel trailer and I thought this would be perfect for the travel trailer and regular use. Also, we have the most difficult time getting the perfect crisp for French fries. We only baked them, which I know could possibly be part of the problem, but I refuse to fry foods. I really dislike the smell it puts in the house. I can’t imagine that it is good for our pets either. I know birds are sensitive to many things and while I do not have a bird, I believe animals are more sensitive than we are.
The Ninja Foodi comes as a 6.5 qt. and an 8 qt. Their tagline? “The Pressure Cooker That Crisps.” It is a multi-functioning gadget that allows people to create a whole meal in one pot. What is the Foodi able to do? It pressure cooks, air crisp, sear/sauté, bakes, broils, steams and slow cooks. If you get the 6.5 qt from some retailers it has a dehydrate function. We have a dehydrator so I did not see that as being a necessity. The 6.5 qt. will cook a 6-lb. roast or a 5-lb. chicken. Or if you are in need of 3-lbs of French fries, it will cook 3-lbs. of French fries. If you pressure cook a whole chicken and then air crisp it, you will never have to buy a rotisserie chicken again. That alone is exciting considering the last one I bought was not quite done and ended up being recooked once I cut into the chicken.
The 8qt. is bigger and pricier, but has the capabilities to cook a whole 7-lb. chicken! Ninja retails the 6.5 qt for $199.80 and the 8 qt. for $279.00. With only my husband and myself in our home, I did not see the point in purchasing the 8 qt. Depending upon where you purchase the Foodi, it comes with the Pressure Cooker lid, the Air Crisping lid, the reversible rack (deluxe reversible rack if you purchase the 8 qt.), the 4 qt. Cook and Crisp basket (the 5 qt. Cook and Crisp basket for the 8 qt.) and a recipe book. Also, the cooking accessories for the Instant Pot fit the Foodi. You can place other cookware inside the Foodi as long as it fits, however, glass is not recommended for use when using the Pressure Cooker function. Be sure to check which size you are purchasing to fit your Foodi. I would check Amazon because they have sets you can purchase that will fit your Foodi. For “How-to” videos, definitely check YouTube.
In anticipate of using our Foodi, I’ve joined a couple of groups on Facebook that share recipes created with the Ninja Foodi. I found them helpful when I was thinking of meal ideas. As of the day this blog was written, I have created turkey burgers twice and made some delicious and crispy French fries that were the perfect amount of crispy. I should be using it a bit more, but this week my husband is away on business and I usually do not cook if I am the only one eating. Although, I was thinking I might cook the sweet potatoes for the dogs this evening if I am feeling better. I am working with a migraine today due to the repairs being done on the house, Finn barking every 5 minutes and the weather going from cold to hot and humid.
At any rate, using the Foodi was easy and not as scary as I first thought. It was enjoyable to have burgers cook and not heat up the whole kitchen like the oven does. I will include detailed recipes and photos when I make the next meal with the Foodi.
Thanks for reading!
Coffee to Mascara in life 