Instant Pot: Peer Pressure Cooker

This box has been mocking me from the corner of my kitchen for just over three weeks. I'd heard all the peoples talking about how amazing it was, once you start you'll never go back, how wonderful and magical it was. Frankly, I've been told it will change my life. So when it showed up on sale for almost half off on Amazon, I gave into the peer pressure (and late night shopping from my phone) and hit the Buy Now button. 

And like magic, two days later (thank you Amazon Prime) it showed up on my door step and has mocked me ever since.

Now, I could tell you I was too busy with the onslaught of holiday cheer and merriment and bringing the magic of the holidays to my family to open up the package and try it out. I could tell you I had already ordered a lovely Prime Rib feast from Dickey's BBQ Pit so there was really no need to try to test it out for Xmas Eve dinner. I could also say that in the post holiday fugue there was simply no ambition on my part to cook anything much less try out something new. And all of those things would be true, but the truth is, it was a little intimidating.

Now, I hear you wondering how could a kitchen gadget be intimidating? Well, the Instant Pot while lovely (and Canadian!) is still a pressure cooker. You know, those things were used in the Boston Marathon bombing. You know the one where 3 people were killed and 264 people were injured??? The idea of using something like that in my house where my family lives was a bit disconcerting.

And still, the box has mocked me. Daring me daily to give it a whirl. All the other kids are using it. C'mon.. you know you want to. 

And honestly, who am I to fight peer pressure from a box? So tonight, I opened up the box, and found a prettier box. 

And when I opened up that box, I found this shiny beauty.

And for my first trick.. I'm making this pot roast recipe I found via Pinterest. I figure I have about a 50/50 chance of either enjoying a wonderful pot roast dinner in about a half hour, or I'll blow up my house. Care to take bets?

Seriously... Thoughts?

Update: 

No houses were blown down in the making of this amazing looking dinner.  

I will say I really loved the ability to sear the meat right there inside the instant pot instead of having to use up a separate pan.  Can't wait to figure out what I'll make next!

PS - don't judge my paper plate - just don't.