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Let me start with a confession. When my daughter Emily gave me an Instant Pot for Christmas three years ago, I smiled politely and figured it'd end up in the same category as that electric tie rack she got me in 2015. Another gadget collecting dust.

Boy was I wrong. That little pressure cooker has become the MVP of my fifth wheel kitchen, and I ain't ashamed to admit it. Here are the seven recipes I actually make on a regular basis, not the fancy Pinterest stuff nobody really cooks.

1. Pulled Pork - This is the big one. A 3-4 pound pork butt (or shoulder, same thing different name), rubbed with brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Put it in the Instant Pot with a cup of apple cider vinegar and half a cup of chicken broth. Pressure cook on high for 60 minutes per pound. Let it natural release for 15 minutes. Shred it with two forks and mix with your favorite BBQ sauce. I use Sweet Baby Ray's because I'm a man of simple pleasures. This makes enough pulled pork for sandwiches for DAYS, and it freezes great.

2. Chili Mac - Brown a pound of ground beef right in the Instant Pot using the saute function (see, it does everything). Add a can of Rotel, a can of tomato sauce, elbow macaroni, beef broth, chili powder, cumin. Pressure cook 4 minutes. Stir in shredded cheese when it's done. This is ready in about 20 minutes total and my grandkids inhale it like it's going out of style.

3. Chicken and Rice - Bone-in chicken thighs, rice, chicken broth, cream of chicken soup. Yeah I use cream of chicken soup from a can, sue me. Pressure cook 12 minutes, natural release 10 minutes. The chicken falls right off the bone and the rice is perfectly cooked. This tastes like something your mama would make if your mama had a pressure cooker and limited counter space.

4. Beef Stew - Chuck roast cut into cubes, potatoes, carrots, onion, beef broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce. Pressure cook 35 minutes. This would take 3 hours in a regular pot. Three hours! I got things to do. Fish to catch. Naps to take. The Instant Pot lets me have my stew and my afternoon nap too.

5. Red Beans and Rice - Dried red beans (no soaking needed, that's the whole point of a pressure cooker), andouille sausage sliced up, the holy trinity of onion, celery, and bell pepper, Cajun seasoning, chicken broth. Pressure cook the beans for 25 minutes, then add the sausage and saute for another 5. Serve over rice. I started making this after a trip to New Orleans and it's become a regular in the rotation. It ain't exactly what you'd get at Dooky Chase but it's pretty dang close for a guy cooking in a fifth wheel in Alabama.

6. Potato Soup - Diced potatoes, chicken broth, cream cheese, bacon bits, onion, garlic. Pressure cook 10 minutes. Mash some of the potatoes to thicken it up, leave some chunky. Top with more bacon, cheese, and sour cream. This is comfort food at its finest and it costs maybe $6 for a big pot. I make this when it's cold or raining or when I'm just feeling sorry for myself about something. Potato soup fixes most problems in my experience.

7. Hard Boiled Eggs - Okay this isn't a recipe so much as a revelation. Put eggs on the trivet, add a cup of water, pressure cook 5 minutes, ice bath. The shells peel off like nothing. I spent 50 years fighting with hard boiled egg shells and this gadget solved it in one try. I make a dozen every week for snacks and salads. It's the small victories in life, people.

The Instant Pot we have is the 6-quart Duo, which fits perfectly in the cabinet above the microwave in our fifth wheel. It draws about 1000 watts, so you need shore power or a decent generator -- it won't run on battery alone unless you've got a serious solar setup. But for $80 at Walmart, it's the best money I've spent on RV kitchen equipment, and I'll fight anyone who says otherwise. Figuratively speaking. I'm 62, I don't actually fight people anymore.