Introducing the team that will bring you Jamie Oliver HomeCooker Reviews.
Recently we had hundreds of mums apply to take part in the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker reviews. The gallery of mums in their kitchens was fantastic to spend time browsing through! From all the mums who entered the team at Philips have chosen the 20 mums they would like to conduct the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker reviews.
Each mum that has been selected to review receive a Jamie Oliver HomeCooker worth $529.95, a HomeCooker cookbook especially developed by Jamie Oliver and a $150 shopping voucher so that they can cook up a storm for a group of friends. In addition to this, 5 mums will also star in their very own video review of the HomeCooker!
Follow the MoM Review Team as they share their Jamie Oliver HomeCooker reviews.
The 20 mums that will conduct the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker reviews appear in the Gallery below – you can hover over their image to find out their name and the number of children they have.
Or, to see what they cooked, what they thought and how they rated the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker, simply click on their photo to visit their individual review page. There you’ll find reviews, recipes and photos of the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker in action as well as recipes each mum is whipping up.
WATCH VIDEO REVIEWS OF THE JAMIE OLIVER HOMECOOKER
Introducing the Jamie Oliver Home Cooker by Philips
Co-created by Philips and Jamie Oliver, the Philips HomeCooker is a first-of-its-kind, multi-functional device that does the preparation as well as the cooking!
The Philips HomeCooker performs multiple cooking functions, even stirring automatically thanks to its unique stirring arm. You can control the heat, set timers and know your food will never stick or burn. A revolution in home cooking, HomeCooker does all the hard work – so you don’t have to.
The Philips HomeCooker comes with an exclusive cookbook of delicious recipes developed especially by Jamie Oliver for the HomeCooker to help you create a great variety of dishes.
The Philips HomeCooker with Cutting tower HR1050/90 and HR1051/30 …
Includes Cutting tower with five disc system for shredding (x 2 sizes), slicing (x 2 sizes) and cutting julienne
Includes steam basket, steam tray and pasta insert
Auto shut off
Intuitive control panel
Temperature range of 40 – 250⁰ C
3 litre family sized stainless steel bowl
Dishwasher safe for easy cleaning
Available in black (HR1050/90) or white (HR1051/30)
The Philips HomeCooker, the first product in the Philips Jamie Oliver kitchen range, will be available from leading electrical retailers and department stores in Australia from November 2012.
Philips HomeCooker with Cutting tower RRP: $529.95
Philips HomeCooker RRP: $429.95
For more information and inspiration to create delicious HomeCooker recipes please visit www.philips.com.au/homecooker
So today I decided to test the Jamie Olive Homecooker to cook a creamy pasta sauce.
Usually cooking a pasta sauce that involves fresh cream requires constant stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom of the pan as well as prevent it from separating.
The stirring arm played a good part in this recipe.
First it browned the chicken well without sticking and burning. While it was doing this I had time to sit with my kids and look at their homework. i had set the time to 20 minutes and the machine beeped when the time was up. Secondly when I added the freah cream cheese to my pasta sauce the stirring arm helped to combine the sauce together into creamy goodness.
I tried out the steamer basket to steam pasta ravioli, this was a hit and miss as it required a lot of time to steam the ravioli then I had anticipated. I learnt that in order to cook pasta ii really neededtoboil it rathe than steam.
i learnt that food such as pasta reauires a lot of time so it is best to boil pasta using the pasta insert ove hot boilling wate in the homecooker.
The steamer basket worked perfectly fine to steam vegetables ove a hot simmering curry though..
I loved the results and would definately reccomend the homecooker to anyone.
I have uploaded a video of my cooking experience on youtube which you can view by copying andpasting the url below onto your browser.
This recipe is one of my favourites. Its so easy to do & follow even the teenagers could do it! Did contemplate that......only for a minute........but it was cleaning day today & the kitchen is sparkling so I didn't want mess every where (party on weekend so wanted to try & keep things in order). To spice things up a little I added a few chilli flakes - just enough to give it a little kick. Tasted delicious with the mash - did make it a little chunky & drier than normal so the sauce could be mixed in! All that I can say is YUM YUM YUM! Now while teenagers slave @ part time job, I'm sitting back with a cider waiting for my creamy rice to cook.
I knew I had a busy day today with teenager no2 so I thought I'd better cook dinner in advance! Tonight was going to be Beef Goulash! Everything seem to flow like clockwork. I think I might be getting the hang of the Home Cooker & what it can do! The chopping tower sliced the onions in seconds, I added the spices & oil & I was off with 20mins to prepare the meat & other ingredients. After adding the final ingredients I had plenty of time for something else before I had to reset the timer for the next stage. Arghhh- I had left 5 loads of washing to do. The Home Cooker gave me some time to hang, reload & hang again (hmmm is that what my "another set of hands" has done - more time for housework).
Recipe was very easy to follow. The best thing was coming home knowing dinner was done. The vote from the contented family was 5 stars for the recipe (no leftovers). The process of cooking was very simple! Its time to clean the pan & cook the beetroots for salads this week :)
Creamed rice is one of my favourite childhood memories. My Mum made it as it was a relatively easy desert to make but required one of the 6 kids to stand and stir so the milk /rice didn't stick or burn on the base. It was a job that I quite often got lumped with being the youngest. The older siblings just made it sound so exciting. We always had stewed rhubarb & apple with our rice.
Jamie's recipe is delicious! Very creamy & full of flavour! I did add a little extra sugar as I wanted sweet rice. Topped it with a little drizzle of maple syrup. I had never used vanilla beans so was excited to taste & see how much they flavoured the rice. Never will I buy creamed rice again. I will be using the HC for this.
Well we have mastered the rosemary potatoes! they are so easy & delicious to make that the boys have suggested we make them every night! LOL......have to say that a good hard waxy potato is the best to use to hold its shape & doesn't get shaved by the stirring arm. Just love to add the ingredients & walk away, come back later to delicious crunchy roasted potatoes. All smiles in this household.
Have been using the HC to make our Japanese curry. Its so easy now as I'm not constantly running back to stir the sauce & ingredients. No more sticking to the base of the saucepan because I've forgotten to stir. Love that I have a "little helper".
The process was very easy to make this sauce. In the past, I would normally be watching & stirring every now & again just so my sauce wouldn't stick to the bottom of the saucepan. Not today - just walked away & let the Home Cooker do its thing.
Our sauce just didn't turn out as rich & full of flavour as I would've liked. Not sure why - I did however use Pork mince for the first time ever. Normally only ever use beef mince but someone told me to try the pork. Thats OK - I'll just use my favourite recipe in future. Teenager 1 has enough sauce for Wednesday school lunch!
I have just put my crispy potatoes on and the house is smelling so amazing that I am salivating. I am planning on adding in some carrots, sweet potato & parsnip with 30 mins to go so hopefully they turn out ok! I love the fact that having the vegies in the home cooker has freed up the space in the oven for my chicken and fish and I don't have to worry about having different temperatures. Can't wait for dinner, will fill you in on how it goes :)
Wow weeee! Have just finished eating the most delicious risotto ever! I was so impressed by the Home Cooker tonight - 5 stars from me. Have never tempted to make a risotto as I thought it was so time consuming standing there stirring the rice. So just thought "Too hard basket".
The Home Cooker along with Jamie's recipe made life so much simpler. The stirring arm of the Home Cooker fascinates my family (&me). Its quite mesmerising watching it.
Tonight I spent a bit more time, probably because i was quite nervous tackling a risotto. I did use quite a few extra pieces - saucepan, baking dish & fry pan. I didn't mind as we have a rule in our house - if you cook you don't clean up! So I just sat back while the family cleaned.
The thing I love the most is the cutting tower which I used for the onions, celery & cheese. The celery was a little awkward but I quickly worked out the best way to grate it. It makes less mess with no more little pieces flying around the kitchen (this is usually the kids job). Love the design of the cutting tower, fitting nice & snug against the pan.
Great recipe! Look forward to making this one again.
Well I must say I am really loving these 2 appliances. I was going to put them in the cupboard when not in use but I am using them most days especially the chopping tower! I think I have used the chopping tower every night since I received it. Very easy to assemble blades that just click into place & click to remove!
Tonight was the Broad Bean & Asparagus Risotto (didn't have the peas so just deleted them). Very simple & easy recipe to follow. I was feeling confident as had used the Home Cooker to create a previous Risotto. Last time I nervously watched & hoped it was going to work. Tonight I just followed the recipe and walked away confidently. The Chorizo Sausage was for teenager No 1 who is not quite sure about the "risotto" meal. I thought if I added the chopped sausage it would appeal to him more. But still had no success in winning him over. Teenager No 2 however enjoyed it thoroughly - which is surprising as he is normally the fussy one. Husband loved the whole minty, zesty lemon flavour.
Have found the clean up to be easy as have had plenty of "spare" time during the cooking phase to clean up before dinner, just leaving the pan to clean.
Have found a recipe for some steamed ginger cakes so am thinking I might try that tomorrow night when teenagers are at work :).
Being brave - Chilli Garlic Chicken & Chorizo Sausage
Teenager no 1 has always been a big eater! To combat the lunch time appetite has been making a large salad with chicken strips. I thought I might try & cook the strips in the Home Cooker. After infusing the oil with chilli, garlic, thyme & rosemary for about 15mins, I added a chopped chorizo sausage (I didn't realise how much oil these would release) & fried them for about 10mins, turned the heat down & added the chicken for about 15mins. Probably need to experiment some more but the chicken taste tested by the teenager has got the thumbs up! Teenager cant wait to have his turn on Wednesday for some more experimenting chicken strips. It was much easier than standing by the BBQ and turning the strips. Chicken has remained moist. Lately teenager had been overcooking his chicken. Now with the help of the Home Cooker he will have moist chicken strips with his salad.
I took the Jamie Oliver cooker away for the weekend
I took the JO Cooker to my sisters in the country for the weekend. We had a family dinner & I cooked my version of apricot chicken curry for 10 people. All I had to do extra was cook some rice on the stove. eveyrone loved the dish and were super impressed with the cooker. We still had left overs the next day.
Love the chopping tower and free time during cooking
With our Paella dinner party cancelled due to a family emergency, I decided to whip up something quick but still special for dinner tonight as it was my international student's last night. French Onion soup fitted the description with most of the ingredients in my pantry. The chopping of the onions was very easy although the chopping tower did get a bit wobbly with half and onion whipping around in it and I did have to keep repositioning it (I'd love some sort of simple clip to keep it steady). I love how I can set the home cooker and forget it - go and water the plants or sweep the floor and know I won't burn anything. The results were fantastic - even in the warm weather, the soup was scrumptious.
I then used the chopping tower to chop the veges for my vegetarian nachos - very simple and easy to use although I do hold the pan up to the spout.
I often use it to julienne carrots for tacos or for a salad it's so easy to use and quick to clean. Worth holding the bowl up for.
In short I love my cooker and chopping tower. I think it will get more use in winter when the lovely flavours of the dishes create beautiful warming, tasty meals. The chopping tower I'll use all year around.
The only thing I haven't used at all yet is the steamer basket and pasta basket, maybe I haven't found the right recipes.
Quick and easy dinner tonight was taken care of thanks to this delicious and very easy recipe from the Philips HomeCooker website.
The recipe required both the HomeCooker and the Cutting Tower. The Cutting Tower made very quick work of thinly slicing the leek, potato and onion required for the recipe. The cutting blade quickly clicked into place, but once again I had a little trouble removing it once I was finished. I’m sure there is a knack to exactly how to click it out easily, but I haven’t discovered it yet. The unit was very quick to use and clean however, so I’m more than willing to persevere.
The soup took almost no effort at all from me thanks to the stirring arm and Cutting Tower. Shelling the green king prawns was the most time consuming stage, and I was able to do that while the potato, leek and onion were simmering in the vegetable stock. The prawns cooked in the steamer tray while the soup simmered for a final 20 minutes and everyone came back for seconds, so we’ve got another tasty recipe to add to our list of family favourites.
I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’ve never cooked green prawns before, always having purchasing pre-cooked prawns in the past. It was so easy to steam the prawns over the simmering soup, I’m looking forward to using the HomeCooker to prepare garlic prawns and prawn laksa soon.
Until now, I haven’t had an opportunity to try any sweet recipes, but with a little bit of free time on my hands this afternoon, I thought I would try out the Sweet Dumplings recipe (available at the Philips HomeCooker page).
Making the dough was easy but a little time consuming as I had to keep returning to knead the dough and make sure that it was kept warm on the unseasonably cold day today. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time), I will probably use my breadmaker for the dough as it is easy to maintain the correct temperature for the dough to rise properly.
The recipe used ‘plum butter’ as the filling for the dumplings, although no recipe for this was provided with the dumpling recipe. I substituted some thick, homestyle jams purchased at the supermarket instead, using a couple of tablespoons each of apricot and plum jams.
Once the dumplings were prepared, it was easy to set the steamer basket up in the HomeCooker to steam them. The basket easily held five large dumplings. I only used one layer rather than using the second steamer tray, choosing to cook the dumplings in two batches instead. As always, set up and clean up of the HomeCooker was too easy. This is the first time we’ve used the steamer trays, but I’m planning to make pork dumplings later this week and I’m looking forward to being able to steam more dumplings in each batch than I could in the steamer I usually use thanks to the large double steamer trays.
The kids loved the dumplings for afternoon tea and my husband enjoyed them for supper this evening. Suggestions have been made for future filling flavours including lemon butter, strawberry jam, Nutella and chocolate. The recipe said that the dough would make 6 – 7 dumplings. I made it into 10, but I would probably make the dumplings even smaller next time, probably getting at least 15 – 20 small dumplings from the mix.
Another delicious recipe that I know we will use frequently. It will be great to make for lunchboxes or picnics and will be another reason to keep the HomeCooker on the kitchen bench within easy reach.
So today I decided to test the Jamie Olive Homecooker to cook a creamy pasta sauce.
Usually cooking a pasta sauce that involves fresh cream requires constant stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom of the pan as well as prevent it from separating.
The stirring arm played a good part in this recipe.
First it browned the chicken well without sticking and burning. While it was doing this I had time to sit with my kids and look at their homework. i had set the time to 20 minutes and the machine beeped when the time was up. Secondly when I added the freah cream cheese to my pasta sauce the stirring arm helped to combine the sauce together into creamy goodness.
I tried out the steamer basket to steam pasta ravioli, this was a hit and miss as it required a lot of time to steam the ravioli then I had anticipated. I learnt that in order to cook pasta ii really neededtoboil it rathe than steam.
i learnt that food such as pasta reauires a lot of time so it is best to boil pasta using the pasta insert ove hot boilling wate in the homecooker.
The steamer basket worked perfectly fine to steam vegetables ove a hot simmering curry though..
I loved the results and would definately reccomend the homecooker to anyone.
I have uploaded a video of my cooking experience on youtube which you can view by copying andpasting the url below onto your browser.
Just to wanted to say what an amazing invention the Jamie Oliver Homecooker is - over the last few weeks it has been an amazing addition in my kitchen. I have experimented with some absolutely delicious dishes and introduced new healthy options to my whole family. It has been SO easy to use, with minimum effort needed for maximum results. I feel I have learnt the skills now to be able to adapt recipes and use the HomeCooker for my own dishes, whilst taking onboard all of Jamie's hints and tips! The HomeCooker is a proud permanent addition to my kitchen and I look forward to using it for many years to come. I would recommend the HomeCooker to anyone who wants beautiful and healthy homemade dishes with most of the hard work taken away - and absolutely amazing results!
Creamed rice is one of my favourite childhood memories. My Mum made it as it was a relatively easy desert to make but required one of the 6 kids to stand and stir so the milk /rice didn't stick or burn on the base. It was a job that I quite often got lumped with being the youngest. The older siblings just made it sound so exciting. We always had stewed rhubarb & apple with our rice.
Jamie's recipe is delicious! Very creamy & full of flavour! I did add a little extra sugar as I wanted sweet rice. Topped it with a little drizzle of maple syrup. I had never used vanilla beans so was excited to taste & see how much they flavoured the rice. Never will I buy creamed rice again. I will be using the HC for this.
This recipe is one of my favourites. Its so easy to do & follow even the teenagers could do it! Did contemplate that......only for a minute........but it was cleaning day today & the kitchen is sparkling so I didn't want mess every where (party on weekend so wanted to try & keep things in order). To spice things up a little I added a few chilli flakes - just enough to give it a little kick. Tasted delicious with the mash - did make it a little chunky & drier than normal so the sauce could be mixed in! All that I can say is YUM YUM YUM! Now while teenagers slave @ part time job, I'm sitting back with a cider waiting for my creamy rice to cook.
Had a few friends over for dinner and decided to go for it with the Homecooker!! Impressed everyone with the cutting tower - I whizzed the capsicum and onions through it, and they couldn't believe how quickly it all went straight into the bowl. I then set the stirrer arm and let the Homecooker work its magic again! After 10 mins I added my chicken (cooked leftovers from a few days ago) to heat through and chucked in a few spices. Perfect!! I even had time to socialise while it was all cooking which is normally unheard of! The Homecooker was certainly the centre of attention and I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't added onto a few Xmas lists! I also managed to serve up the delicious cherry fondue again for dessert which went down a treat. It was so easy to make - and as I had made it earlier in the day it had set beautifully in the fridge. It was lovelly to be able to show the Homecooker off and I felt very proud of it! It has been fantastic to trial it and I feel so pleased that I have been able to experient with some fantastic starters, dinners and desserts. My friends thoroughly enjoyed their meal and a fantastic cooking and dining experience was had by alll! Thanks Jamie!
Well, after trying so many different Homecooker meals using the recipe book, I tried one of my own tonight and, thankfully, it worked a treat! I made a chicken stir fry with fresh vegies - perfect! Using the stirrer arm was perfect for my beansprouts as it meant I didn't have to keep stirring them myself. I just whacked the Homecooker onto a high heat and it did all the work for me. The chopping tower was so easy to use and my chopped carrots, onions and capsicum went straight into the bowl. The chicken pieces cooked perfectly too. I demonstrated the Homecooker to my father-in-law and he was most impressed. He even said he might try using it tomorrow for one of his dinners - fantastic! Can't wait to see how it goes!
I thought the Jaimie Oliver Cooker would be good to make Jam
I had lots of strawberries left over from the weekend. They were going to go rotten soon if I didn't do something with them. I thought Jam is what I can do. Easy. I had 500g of strawberries so I needed was 500g of sugar & some lemon juice. I didn't have any fresh lemons juice so I replaced it with verjuice. 45 minutes later - yummy strawberry jam. Tastes great, hopefully when all the air bubbles settle & it gets cold it will set. Didn't make much jam though.
I tried the beetroot last night as a side dish for my pork belly, and it was the easiest dish so far. I didn't use the herbs or orange that Jamie has in recipe and I used less beetroot (because it's another one that hubby doesn't eat) I simply tossed them in oil, salt and pepper and threw them in, it was so easy! All I had to do was take the lid off after 30 mins, add some balsamic and let it go again. I love beetroot but this is the first time I have roasted it, the flavour when it roasts is so much more intense and fresh, I even managed to get the kids to try it and they liked it too. However I do think they enjoyed looking at their red tongues in the mirror more than the beetroot itself! The only problem is that, I think having less beetroot I should have reduced the cooking time as the balsamic really 'caramelised' onto the beetroot and the base and needed a lot of elbow grease to get it off! I am going to try this cooking method with some other root vegetables now (instead of the crispy potato recipe) as it was a very effective roasting recipe and not having to take a tray out of the oven and turn the vegies over every 15 minutes was great!
I held a dinner party last night for some of my best friends. We're each having a turn at holding a dinner party in a kind of "my kitchen rules" cook off (all in the name of friendly fun, not really a competition!). It was a lovely night. My husband commented at the end of it all how surprised he was that it had been so stress free! I think the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker had a bit to do with that as it was able to do a lot of the work for me.
My menu was:
On arrival -
Cheese platter with Jamie Oliver's fiery pepper chutney
Entree-
Smoked salmon, Spanish onion, caper, avocado and lemon salad
Tomato, bocconcini and basil salad
Fennel and apple salad with maple prosciutto and salted caramel pecans
Main-
Butternut pumpkin risotto with crispy pancetta and sage
Dessert -
Raspberry semifreddo with star cookies
My philosophy with dinner parties is you need an entree and dessert that is prepared before your guests arrive and a main that can cook while you are eating your entrees. That being the case I would normally not serve risotto but with the HomeCooker I was able to put the risotto on while we were eating our entrees and just spend 10 minutes in the kitchen at the end of the entree finishing off the dish and plating up. That was pretty much the only time I spent in the kitchen for the whole dinner party so I was able to enjoy my friends' company instead of missing out while in the kitchen.
I also used the HomeCooker to make the pepper chutney the day before the party (a lot of work, not sure I would do it again. The chutney was nice but quite hot, not to everyone's taste) and to do a lot of preparation for the entrees before the party. The hit dish of the night was the apple and fennel salad. Here's the recipe:
12 slices prosciutto
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon Sea salt flakes
1 tbsp water
2 bulbs fennel
3 red apples
2 tablespoons White balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Set HomeCooker to 175 degrees and once it has heated up add pecans, sugar, salt and water. Set timer for 12 minutes and cook pecans until sugar has dissolved and caramelised. Set aside.
Pre heat oven to 160 degrees. Brush prosciutto with maple syrup and place on baking paper on baking trays. Cook for 10 mins, until golden (watch so doesn't burn). Set aside.
Whisk together vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.
Use cutting tower to thinly slice fennel and apple. Combine with pecans and prosciutto and dress with dressing.
All in all a great night was had by all, even me as the host! I was so busy enjoying myself I forgot to take any pics of the food but here's a photo I took of the table before my guests arrived!
Mmm...Chocolate Fondue! Keeping the entire family happy
Well, who do you think is the most popular Mum in my house at the moment? Me, of course! With special thanks to the HomeCooker and especially because of a very popular Chocolate Fondue.
It's been a busy time in our household lately, with family gatherings, trips away and end of year parties to attend. With so much going on I decided it was time to just sit down again with all the family and enjoy some meals cooked using the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker.
For the main meal I decided to use one of my popular recipes and cooked up a Tuna Mornay served with Fettuccine. For dessert, as a treat to the kids (big kids included!) I decided to serve up the much anticipated Chocolate Fondue (adapted from Jamie's Boozy Chocolate & Cherry Fondue).
Recipe: TUNA MORNAY with Fettuccine
60g Butter
2 medium onions
2 sticks celery
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream
2/3 cup tasty cheese, grated (I used the Cutting Tower to grate mine!)
2 small cans of corn pieces, drained
2 large cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Some extra grated cheese to sprinkle on the top before serving
Fettuccine - cook enough to cater for everyone's dinner and to have leftovers for lunch if you desire!
Set temperature to 130 degrees and melt butter, ensuring stirring attachment is in place. Add sliced celery and onion (using Cutting tower) and adjust the temperature to 175 degrees. Cook for approx 4 mins or until onion is soft. Add flour by sprinkling it evenly around the top of the mix and leave the HomeCooker to stir it into the mix for approx 1 minute or until mixture starts to bubble. Slowly add in combined milk and cream as the stirrer continues to mix the ingredients for you until it boils and thickens.
Add cheese, corn and tuna and let it stir until the cheese is melted.
Then you can either transfer the mix into an oven proof dish and cook in the oven with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs for 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, return the HomeCooker bowl to its element and set the timer for approximately 20 minutes. Then serve with Fettuccine and a sprinkle of cheese on top! (I cooked the mornay completely using the HomeCooker as I wanted to avoid making extra dishes and turning on the oven!)
The Tuna Mornay Fettuccine was very popular with the family but for the children the best was yet to come.
For dessert I used the HomeCooker to create a yummy chocolate fondue. I wanted it to be something for the children of the family to enjoy so I didn't worry about adding cherries or brandy to the mix but instead just used a mixture of cream and Cadbury Real Milk Chocolate Melts. I set the temperature to 130 degrees and added the chocolate first but soon realised that I needed to add the cream to help the HomeCooker to mix the chocolate easier. Once the cream was added I left the HomeCooker to do its thing while I cut up a range of different fruits, including strawberries, rockmelon, mango, banana and apple. I also had some marshmellows and white chocolate melts (my middle daughter only eats white chocolate) to serve alongside the chocolate sauce and fruit.
Once the chocolate and cream was all melted and blended nicely it was time for us to all enjoy it.
And enjoy it we DID! The kids are already nagging me to do this all again soon :)
Well my lunch yesterday with my friends was a huge success, all thanks to the Jamie Oliver Home Cooker!!! I hosted a Nutrimetics party for 12 mums (and 9 pre-schoolers), and planned to serve both Risottos from the cookbook as lunch. As I wanted to listen to the party host, I relied on Jamie to cook our lunch and beep at me, whilst I soaked my feet and tried on lotions and potions:) And it worked really well!
I actually made the Pumpkin risotto in the morning whilst getting the children ready for school, and just kept it in the fridge until lunch time. Roasting the pumpkin was so easy, and added a lot more flavour to the dish, as did adding the extra ingredients.
The Asparagus and pea risotto was even better. This is possibly the best tasting dish I have cooked so far, and so easy!! My friends were really impressed with the easy of the cutting tower, stirring arm and friendly beeper. I think I won a lot of them over!!
Comments included:
- Is that all you have to do, it stirs itself?
- This looks awesome Mel!
- Oh Yum!
- It is so easy to clean (from my gorgeous friend who took over washing my dishes)
I also think the best evidence of a great dish is the silence when eating, some friends going back for more, and the 12 empty plates!!
You have sold me on ease, versatilty and simplicity, and impressed my friends too!! Photo attached of some of my friends with the dishes (served in my fave Jamie Oliver bowls)
OK, so I will add that I LOVE Risotto, and am a big fan of it being cooked with Arborio Rice, absorption method. I have sent back Risotto at a restaurant before and had an argument with the chef about how awful it was.....but that is a long (and slightly embarrassing) story. So, to cook Risotto differently is a huge step for me, and one I wanted to ensure worked out right.
I was planning a big lunch with my friends to show off the HomeCooker, so thought I better have a practice run first with the Risotto. I attempted the Butternut Pumpkin recipe, but went shopping without looking at the recipe, so cooked it without celery, and the Pancetta and Sage toppings. As it was just a side dish, and I was lazy, I also didn't oast the pimpkin, just cut it up and threw it in just after adding the stock. In admitting all this, the Risottos was a breeze to make, and the rice tasted really nice....even reheated the next day for lunch!
It was a little bland, but that was probably because of the lack of ingredients etc. I was confident to host my lunch though:)
I have been using my HomeCooker every week, but been a bit frantic to update my reviews, so here are a few I have done recently.
Last weekend we cooked a roast, and I decided to attempt the potatoes again. I am so pleased to say they were a huge success!!! Crispy, scrumptious, and not mess on the bottom of the pan.
I used the proper waxy potatoes (instead of creamy ones) and didn't put the lid on the HomeCooker. If I had just read the recipe properly in the first place:)
I am o excited the potatoes worked out, and are so easy. Hosting Christmas for the first time this year for 26, we always seem to eat SO MANY potatoes, I am planning on cooking some in the oven, and other small ones in the HomeCooker to keep up with demand!!
Today I would like to review the cutting tower that came with the homecooker. It is an independant appliance on its own and can be used with or without the Homeccoker.
I understand that it is an option to purchase and the Homecoojer can be ourchased with or without the chopping tower.
Its long tower design helps to chop and cook at the same time. I have been using it daily to chop onions and juliene vegetables while cooking in the homecooker. However you can also use the chopping tower on its own to chop salads or grate/shred vegetables to make chutneys.
It comes with 5 blades, with a variety of options to juliene,shred or chop. It also comes with a feeding chute which is designed just like a food processer, which is used to feed your vegetables inside the chopping/ rotating blades.
I am fairly satisfied with the performance of ithe chopping tower, and have given it a workout recently using to to shred carrots for making carrot cake,julliene vegetables for stirfrys,chopping cabbages and green apple to make coleslaw.
I was fairly satisfied with the consistency of the coleslaw, my son and his friends loved it when I served it with roast chicken recently at lunch.
The only drawback I have experienced so far is that the chopping tower has a tendency of catching pieces of vegetables beneath the blades but that can be easily taken care of by lifing the blade and scrapping all the vegetable out after you have finished chopping.
I have recorded a short video demonstrating the chopping onions in the chopping tower and frying them in the homecooker.
You can view it by clicking on the link below or copying and pasting the url on your browser.
When toasting my almonds using the Homecooker for the curry, I decided to try it without using the stirrer arm this time. Last time I toasted them for the porridge, they didn't really toast that well, as they just stayed on top of each other in a pile. This time I simply had them toasting on the Homecooker and it worked beautifully They were absolutely delicious and it is something I could quickly cook to have as a healthy snack or on cereal in the future.
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Article
12 Best Kids’ Lunch Boxes For School In Australia
The right lunch box helps keep little humans nourished while making life a lot easier for mums and dads! So to help you find the perfect one faster, we’ve put the best kids’ lunch boxes for school in Australia in one handy spot.
Kids’ lunch boxes have come a very long way. No longer just plastic boxes for toting treats, they’re now durable, washable, droppable and best of all, easy for kids to use. There are heaps of different styles to choose from, and if you head to the bottom of this article, you’ll find more information on what to look for, how to choose the right one for your child, and even what to put in it!
Whether you’re after a colourful lunch box to match that new drink bottle, or a machine-washable option that saves you time, there’s something in our shortlist for every type of foodie.
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to lunch box shopping, check out our comparison table below as a handy guide. (Use the bottom slider to see all brands)
The table below is a guide only. Products are subject to changes by brands.
MontiiCo
B.Box
Frank Green Lunch Container
Yumbox
Sky Gazer
Bentgo Modern
The Somewhere Co. Mini
EcoCocoon
Bright Star Kids
Stuck On You
Country Road Elysia
OmieBox
Style
Bag
Bento
Box
Bento
Bag
Bento
Bag
Bento
Bag
Bento
Bag
Bento
Colour variations
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
YES
Material
Fabric & aluminium lining
PP & silicone
Stainless steel & silicone
ABS, tritan & silicone
Fabric & PEVA lining
BPA-free plastic
RPET & aluminium foil lining
Stainless steel & silicone
Fabric & insulation lining
BPA-free plastic
100% cotton canvas & insulation lining
Stainless steel, plastic & silicone
Start price
$42.95
$27.95
$79.95
$49.95
$34.99
$39.95
$38
$84.95
$39.95
$54.95
$59.95
$89.95
Loved forits
Roomy size & machine washable design
Custom divider
3-in-1 design
Portion-controlled sections
Unique designs
Removable sandwich divider
Shoulder strap
Dishwasher-safe parts
Personalisation
Leak-proof silicone seal
Internal name label
Storage for hot and cold food
Mouths Of Mums Kids’ Lunch Boxes Comparison Table. (The products above are featured in our shortlist below.)
How to choose the best lunch box for school
When you’re searching for a kids’ lunch box, take the time to work out what will best suit their needs. If you make the right choice and invest in a quality one, it will last many years.
Box, bento or bag? If your child doesn’t like different foods touching, a bento lunch box is a great choice. Also, think about whether they prefer cut-up or whole fruit; a bento is better suited to cut food, while bags and boxes suit whole fruit. Bags are fantastic if you like to pack separate containers, like smaller bento or snack containers.
Freshness is a must – An insulated bag or box will keep everything cool and fresh until snack and lunchtime. But you can also get boxes that come with cold and ice packs. Remember, kids’ lunches often sit at room temperature for up to 5 or 6 hours before they’re eaten, so insulation and coolness are important. Check out how to keep school lunches safe in the heat.
Easy-to-clean design – Check if the box is dishwasher-safe, or for lunch bags, if they’re machine-washable.
Leak-proof – The last thing you want is a soggy mess at lunchtime, so if buying a hard lunch box, look for designs that are leak-proof with proper seals.
Child-friendly – Depending on your child’s motor skills and independence, you may need to start with a product that’s simple to open and close.
The right size – We tend to pack way too much in our kids’ lunches, so think about how much realistically you’ll need to pack for your child when choosing the size of their lunch box. You may also need to consider the size of their school bags.
12 Best Lunch Boxes For School Kids In Australia
Ready to get back-to-school sorted? From stainless steel gems to beautiful bentos, we’ve done all the hard work so you don’t have to. So sit back and enjoy our curated Mom Guide of the best kids’ lunch boxes for school in Australia.
These award-winning lunch bags have sold over 200,000 units – and it’s clear to see why. The interior of each large bag measures 29cm x 23.5cm x 7.5cm, making them big enough to fit multiple containers and even many popular bento boxes. Each bag comes with an ice pack for up to eight hours of cooling – and you have a massive range of designs to choose from.
Pros:
Interior name label
Fabulous large size fits everything!
Comes with an ice pack for day-long cooling
“A vote for montii co lunch boxes, lunch bags and freezer bricks (they really do stay frozen all day!!” (Megan)
“Montii lunch bags are the best and the freezer brick can stay frozen for ages I forgot one day and it was still cold after 24hrs”(Sarah)
Tired of apples not fitting in hard lunch boxes? b.box has solved this with its flexible ‘whole fruit holder’ that bends around the fruit rather than squashing it – genius! If you’re not keen on cutting up a fruit salad every day, this multi-compartment two-litre lunch box has handy homes for everything. It also comes with a gel cooler pack (a must for Aussie summer!), and it’s freezer-safe. Choose from a range of colours.
Pros:
Leak-proof silicone seal
Comes with a gel cooler pack
The square section is big enough for a regular sandwich
“B-box lunch boxes are the best…all parts come out so you can wash them super easy! So many awesome accessories available for them too!”(Kerrie)
“BBox lunch boxes are great and they fit in the large Montiico lunch bags. As someone has said, the ice brick that comes with it is amazing too”(Tash)
“I really like the B.Box lunch boxes.”(Kendal)
“Bbox is the winner in our community on repeat.”(Mums On A Budget)
Got a Frank Green fan on your hands? This is the lunch box to match their drink bottle. It comes in a gorgeous range of colours suited to all ages and uses 90% post-consumer recycled stainless steel and quality silicone lids. Monograms, bumper guards and ice bricks are all available separately.
Pros:
Leak-resistant design for mess-free travel
Comes with two microwave-safe removable containers
Customisable with your choice of bumper, ice brick and monogramming (at an additional cost)
With the option of four, five or six compartments, it’s easy to see why Yumbox Bento Lunch Boxes are such a hit with Australian kids. They feature handy, pre-measured half-cup serving compartments to help pack a healthy lunch and contain absolutely no BPA or phthalates. Pop it straight into the dishwasher on the top rack for easy cleaning.
Pros:
Top rack dishwasher-safe
Includes five half-cup sections for portion control
Sections are labelled to help parents with a balanced lunch
If your little (or not-so-little) one wants a lunch bag everyone will comment on, this is it. Available in a range of stunning designs, they come with a long and strong handle and easy-use zippers. But good looks aside, what’s winning heart about these is their capacity – they hold up to seven litres of food!
After something a bit more mature? Bentgo’s Modern lunch boxes are a great option. They have a sleek matte finish in a choice of four stylish shades, including Mint Green, Orchid, Dark Grey and Navy. Each is cleverly designed with a removable divider that allows you to choose between using three or four compartments. Even better, they are leak-proof, microwave-safe and fine to pop in the dishwasher.
Colourful and easy to carry, these bags are insulated, eco-friendly and secure. It features aluminium foil lining that keeps food fresh all day long, and it comes with top-level carry handles and a shoulder strap, which is brilliant for those days when kids have a lot to tote. Choose from a range of styles.
Pros:
Roomy and stylish
Shoulder strap makes carrying easy (and great if schoolbags are too full!)
Zip-front pocket handy for cold packs or notes from mum
Large enough for the hungriest of school kids, this stainless steel wonder has a removable silicone seal in the lid to stop thick liquids from leaking. No more soggy anything! There are five handy compartments to make sure all of the food groups are ticked off, with a large compartment perfect for sandwiches, and smaller ones for snacks.
Pros:
Dishwasher-safe
Every compartment is leak-proof
Easy to open and close (suitable for younger kids)
Practical and customisable with your child’s name, these insulated bags tick all the boxes. You have a choice of five bag colours, and from there you get to choose from a huge range of designs and fonts to personalise it! Each comes with a mesh pocket for ice bricks, a top carry handle, a secure zip closure and enough internal space to fit a medium bento box.
Pros:
Machine-washable
Internal mesh pocket for an ice brick
With their name on it, you won’t need to visit lost property!
With a leak-proof silicone seal, these colourful lunch companions keep sauces and dips right where they belong. They come with six compartments, which convert to three for easy washing on the top shelf of the dishwasher. They’re free from any nasties and customisation with your child’s name – no more lost property, yay! Choose from box colours of Matte Navy, Pink Lemonade, Dusky Blue or Seafoam Green- if you can!
Uber stylish and as roomy as can be, these contemporary bags are perfect for kids of all ages who prefer to pack several separate containers. It has a 100% cotton canvas outer, an insulated lining and comes with a super handy internal name label. Just as great for preschool as they are for high school.
Pros:
Easy-carry handle
Internal name label
Stylish design, great for kids who prefer muted shades
Finally, a kids’ lunch box that stores hot AND cold food in one place! Designed out of necessity by a problem-solving mum, the OmieBox encourages low-waste lunches and ends the need to use multiple clunky containers (which always get lost!). The spill-proof individual compartments mean no mixing of savoury and sweet, and the 280ml double-wall thermos keeps soups and pasta hot for up to six hours!
Health professionals agree that kids need a good balance of lean protein, grains, fruit and vegetables throughout the school day. Skip the processed food and try to reach for whole foods that pack a punch in the nutrient department. Here are some great ideas:
Grilled chicken or turkey wraps with fresh salad
Crackers and vegetable sticks with healthy dips like hummus
Whole-grain pasta with cherry tomatoes and your choice of cheese
Zucchini slice cut into rectangles for easy stacking in an insulated box
That lunchbox comparison table is handy to have. It helped me make a decision on which lunchbox to buy next for my daughter who is starting kindergarten. I needed to upgrade her lunchbox but wasn’t sure which way to go. The table helped me with my decision. I ended up going with the BBOX and have found a cheaper lunch bag from a department store that it fits in.
I do not know if anyone else has picked up on this or not, but every bag mentioned in the table above is a ‘designer’ brand. There are plenty of more affordable options that aren’t over $40. I have never spent that much on a lunchbox – even from Smiggle. The cheaper brands last just as well too.
Getting ready for the return to school has started to kick in so this was a timely read. We have the yum box and i love it, it is so easy for my daughter to open and close on her own. I find the lunch cooler bags also a great idea however some days depending on what else needs to go to school, they can be quite bulky to include in the school bag. I need to do some more research this year as i like the idea of being able to watch it in the washing machine, that is a clever idea.
Along with all of the other back to school products; there is also a good range of lunch boxes available for people to buy. It has been fun to see the wide range of bottles and lunch boxes that are available for the new year for school and for work.
Lunch boxes have come such a long way since my eldest was a kid, he’s now 26! There’s really a solution to everything from food heating, cooling, dividers, pockets etc etc. Lunch boxes are a real fashion accessory and so on-trend these days. I personally love the Bento lunch boxes. They save on plastic and separate different foods.
I am such a huge fan of Bento lunch boxes and Bento. Food should be so many wonderful things; including delicious, fun, colourful and nutritious too. Lunch is a favourite meal because the body is ready for some more calories and a boost of energy. Food looks so good in Bento lunch boxes.
So so many fantastic options! We use the montii co ones for our kdis and swear by it. Its lasted 3 years so far and still standing strong, like new since the first day using it. They are so durable and i find cleaning them to be the easiest for us.
There are so many great lunch box option out there indeed ! I’ve always liked the Bento style lunch boxes for my kids. It reduces the use of plastic lunch bags and packaged food which aren’t very good for the environment and it encourages to present a good variety of foods (which is not only better nutrition wise but lao to prevent our kids from getting bored with same foods all the time.
There are some really fabulous options here. So many variations of colour, shape and size. I love the bento style lunch boxes, so handy to keep food separate and eliminate the use of plastic packaging. The machine washable bags are a great idea too. They can get grubby so fast, this would be so much easier to maintain
This has gotten much easier since my kids hit high school – they have strong opinions about their lunch boxes, so I don’t have to think about it so much anymore! However, I am strongly in favor of bento style boxes regardless of their age. They’re easy to clean, easy to pack, and invite appropriate sized portions.
Great article! Our kids are so lucky, when it comes to lunchboxes, they really are spoilt for choice. There are so many to pick from. Regarding sandwiches, my eldest son, used to hate sandwiches for school lunches. It wasn’t until many years later that I discovered that he’d throw out his sandwiches in the playground bins. My son’s an adult now and he still hates sandwiches. He only likes “hot” lunches. So glad he lives on his own now and can make his own “hot” lunches just the way he likes them.
This is an extremely useful article!! 2 schppl going kids and third starting kinder soon means we are always on the lookout for lunch ideas and lunch boxes. This is a great list with features and prices listed to make the search easier and help with decision making for purchasing of the lunch boxes
This is super useful article and thank you. I can see so variety of lunch boxes from every store. Always wonder which one would be more convenient to use by little hands. I love some of these lunchboxes to give it a try for this year. And then decide to go with suitable ones
Wow, lunch boxes have really come such a long way from when I was taking a lunch box to school. Feel old, like “back in my day”, but we were lucky to have options like are available now. While I like some of these designs, I feel like they aren’t super practical.
These lunchboxes are beautiful but are they really worth the expensive price tag? I have been through so many lunch boxes and bags over the years and found the best it to use an insulated lunchbox bag with ice brick and use small containers to keep individual items fresh and assessable.
I love the bbox lunch boxes. They are so reliable and tough when kids throw their bags around. Easy to wash and store. I have used the we can be tiny snackies at home too. The boys love choosing a certain animal shape. They wash well, are durable and great quality.
My kids are old enough now to pack their own lunches and I am so happy to see the great choices they are making. They take left over meals, cook food in the morning to take and now I am confident they aren’t throwing away sandwiches! I do have the chilly bags for them, I find they fit better into bags
My daughter uses a bento box now for work and sometimes an insulated bag in summer, but when she was at school it was a rectangular lunch box with no compartments. It was very easy to wash each day, just the box and lid, and it could still be filled with rolls/sandwiches and snacks.
Lunchboxes are so important these days. Back in my day it was a brown paper bag or the exact same lunch box that everyone else had and there were three compartments. Today its such a fashion statement and as much as the lunchbox itself is judged so are the contents.
8:01 pm
Creamy Pasta Sauce
Usually cooking a pasta sauce that involves fresh cream requires constant stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom of the pan as well as prevent it from separating.
The stirring arm played a good part in this recipe.
First it browned the chicken well without sticking and burning. While it was doing this I had time to sit with my kids and look at their homework. i had set the time to 20 minutes and the machine beeped when the time was up. Secondly when I added the freah cream cheese to my pasta sauce the stirring arm helped to combine the sauce together into creamy goodness.
I tried out the steamer basket to steam pasta ravioli, this was a hit and miss as it required a lot of time to steam the ravioli then I had anticipated. I learnt that in order to cook pasta ii really neededtoboil it rathe than steam.
i learnt that food such as pasta reauires a lot of time so it is best to boil pasta using the pasta insert ove hot boilling wate in the homecooker.
The steamer basket worked perfectly fine to steam vegetables ove a hot simmering curry though..
I loved the results and would definately reccomend the homecooker to anyone.
I have uploaded a video of my cooking experience on youtube which you can view by copying andpasting the url below onto your browser.
Cheers
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_m9Y4BCNIfA
7:03 pm
Chicken Cacciatore with Garlic Mash
8:05 pm
Beef Goulash oooh la la!!!!
Recipe was very easy to follow. The best thing was coming home knowing dinner was done. The vote from the contented family was 5 stars for the recipe (no leftovers). The process of cooking was very simple! Its time to clean the pan & cook the beetroots for salads this week :)
12:15 pm
No more creamed rice in a can
Jamie's recipe is delicious! Very creamy & full of flavour! I did add a little extra sugar as I wanted sweet rice. Topped it with a little drizzle of maple syrup. I had never used vanilla beans so was excited to taste & see how much they flavoured the rice. Never will I buy creamed rice again. I will be using the HC for this.
4:35 pm
Mastered!
Have been using the HC to make our Japanese curry. Its so easy now as I'm not constantly running back to stir the sauce & ingredients. No more sticking to the base of the saucepan because I've forgotten to stir. Love that I have a "little helper".
9:34 pm
Spaghetti
Our sauce just didn't turn out as rich & full of flavour as I would've liked. Not sure why - I did however use Pork mince for the first time ever. Normally only ever use beef mince but someone told me to try the pork. Thats OK - I'll just use my favourite recipe in future. Teenager 1 has enough sauce for Wednesday school lunch!
4:25 pm
Is it dinner time yet???
8:21 pm
Perfect Risotto
The Home Cooker along with Jamie's recipe made life so much simpler. The stirring arm of the Home Cooker fascinates my family (&me). Its quite mesmerising watching it.
Tonight I spent a bit more time, probably because i was quite nervous tackling a risotto. I did use quite a few extra pieces - saucepan, baking dish & fry pan. I didn't mind as we have a rule in our house - if you cook you don't clean up! So I just sat back while the family cleaned.
The thing I love the most is the cutting tower which I used for the onions, celery & cheese. The celery was a little awkward but I quickly worked out the best way to grate it. It makes less mess with no more little pieces flying around the kitchen (this is usually the kids job). Love the design of the cutting tower, fitting nice & snug against the pan.
Great recipe! Look forward to making this one again.
6:38 pm
Broad Bean & Asparagus Risotto & Chorizo Sausage
Tonight was the Broad Bean & Asparagus Risotto (didn't have the peas so just deleted them). Very simple & easy recipe to follow. I was feeling confident as had used the Home Cooker to create a previous Risotto. Last time I nervously watched & hoped it was going to work. Tonight I just followed the recipe and walked away confidently. The Chorizo Sausage was for teenager No 1 who is not quite sure about the "risotto" meal. I thought if I added the chopped sausage it would appeal to him more. But still had no success in winning him over. Teenager No 2 however enjoyed it thoroughly - which is surprising as he is normally the fussy one. Husband loved the whole minty, zesty lemon flavour.
Have found the clean up to be easy as have had plenty of "spare" time during the cooking phase to clean up before dinner, just leaving the pan to clean.
Have found a recipe for some steamed ginger cakes so am thinking I might try that tomorrow night when teenagers are at work :).
9:54 pm
Being brave - Chilli Garlic Chicken & Chorizo Sausage
12:02 am
I took the Jamie Oliver cooker away for the weekend
10:15 pm
Love the chopping tower and free time during cooking
I then used the chopping tower to chop the veges for my vegetarian nachos - very simple and easy to use although I do hold the pan up to the spout.
I often use it to julienne carrots for tacos or for a salad it's so easy to use and quick to clean. Worth holding the bowl up for.
In short I love my cooker and chopping tower. I think it will get more use in winter when the lovely flavours of the dishes create beautiful warming, tasty meals. The chopping tower I'll use all year around.
The only thing I haven't used at all yet is the steamer basket and pasta basket, maybe I haven't found the right recipes.
10:18 pm
Philips Recipe: Leek and Potato Soup with Prawns
The recipe required both the HomeCooker and the Cutting Tower. The Cutting Tower made very quick work of thinly slicing the leek, potato and onion required for the recipe. The cutting blade quickly clicked into place, but once again I had a little trouble removing it once I was finished. I’m sure there is a knack to exactly how to click it out easily, but I haven’t discovered it yet. The unit was very quick to use and clean however, so I’m more than willing to persevere.
The soup took almost no effort at all from me thanks to the stirring arm and Cutting Tower. Shelling the green king prawns was the most time consuming stage, and I was able to do that while the potato, leek and onion were simmering in the vegetable stock. The prawns cooked in the steamer tray while the soup simmered for a final 20 minutes and everyone came back for seconds, so we’ve got another tasty recipe to add to our list of family favourites.
I’m a little embarrassed to say that I’ve never cooked green prawns before, always having purchasing pre-cooked prawns in the past. It was so easy to steam the prawns over the simmering soup, I’m looking forward to using the HomeCooker to prepare garlic prawns and prawn laksa soon.
11:13 pm
Philips Recipe: Sweet Dumplings
Making the dough was easy but a little time consuming as I had to keep returning to knead the dough and make sure that it was kept warm on the unseasonably cold day today. Next time (and there will definitely be a next time), I will probably use my breadmaker for the dough as it is easy to maintain the correct temperature for the dough to rise properly.
The recipe used ‘plum butter’ as the filling for the dumplings, although no recipe for this was provided with the dumpling recipe. I substituted some thick, homestyle jams purchased at the supermarket instead, using a couple of tablespoons each of apricot and plum jams.
Once the dumplings were prepared, it was easy to set the steamer basket up in the HomeCooker to steam them. The basket easily held five large dumplings. I only used one layer rather than using the second steamer tray, choosing to cook the dumplings in two batches instead. As always, set up and clean up of the HomeCooker was too easy. This is the first time we’ve used the steamer trays, but I’m planning to make pork dumplings later this week and I’m looking forward to being able to steam more dumplings in each batch than I could in the steamer I usually use thanks to the large double steamer trays.
The kids loved the dumplings for afternoon tea and my husband enjoyed them for supper this evening. Suggestions have been made for future filling flavours including lemon butter, strawberry jam, Nutella and chocolate. The recipe said that the dough would make 6 – 7 dumplings. I made it into 10, but I would probably make the dumplings even smaller next time, probably getting at least 15 – 20 small dumplings from the mix.
Another delicious recipe that I know we will use frequently. It will be great to make for lunchboxes or picnics and will be another reason to keep the HomeCooker on the kitchen bench within easy reach.
8:01 pm
Creamy Pasta Sauce
Usually cooking a pasta sauce that involves fresh cream requires constant stirring to prevent the cream from sticking to the bottom of the pan as well as prevent it from separating.
The stirring arm played a good part in this recipe.
First it browned the chicken well without sticking and burning. While it was doing this I had time to sit with my kids and look at their homework. i had set the time to 20 minutes and the machine beeped when the time was up. Secondly when I added the freah cream cheese to my pasta sauce the stirring arm helped to combine the sauce together into creamy goodness.
I tried out the steamer basket to steam pasta ravioli, this was a hit and miss as it required a lot of time to steam the ravioli then I had anticipated. I learnt that in order to cook pasta ii really neededtoboil it rathe than steam.
i learnt that food such as pasta reauires a lot of time so it is best to boil pasta using the pasta insert ove hot boilling wate in the homecooker.
The steamer basket worked perfectly fine to steam vegetables ove a hot simmering curry though..
I loved the results and would definately reccomend the homecooker to anyone.
I have uploaded a video of my cooking experience on youtube which you can view by copying andpasting the url below onto your browser.
Cheers
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_m9Y4BCNIfA
11:28 pm
A fantastic experience!
12:15 pm
No more creamed rice in a can
Jamie's recipe is delicious! Very creamy & full of flavour! I did add a little extra sugar as I wanted sweet rice. Topped it with a little drizzle of maple syrup. I had never used vanilla beans so was excited to taste & see how much they flavoured the rice. Never will I buy creamed rice again. I will be using the HC for this.
7:03 pm
Chicken Cacciatore with Garlic Mash
1:08 am
yummy chicken fahitas!
11:32 pm
another winning dinner!
9:30 pm
I thought the Jaimie Oliver Cooker would be good to make Jam
7:39 pm
Beetroot flavour, hard to beet!!
11:36 pm
HomeCooker made my dinner party stress free!
My menu was:
On arrival -
Cheese platter with Jamie Oliver's fiery pepper chutney
Entree-
Smoked salmon, Spanish onion, caper, avocado and lemon salad
Tomato, bocconcini and basil salad
Fennel and apple salad with maple prosciutto and salted caramel pecans
Main-
Butternut pumpkin risotto with crispy pancetta and sage
Dessert -
Raspberry semifreddo with star cookies
My philosophy with dinner parties is you need an entree and dessert that is prepared before your guests arrive and a main that can cook while you are eating your entrees. That being the case I would normally not serve risotto but with the HomeCooker I was able to put the risotto on while we were eating our entrees and just spend 10 minutes in the kitchen at the end of the entree finishing off the dish and plating up. That was pretty much the only time I spent in the kitchen for the whole dinner party so I was able to enjoy my friends' company instead of missing out while in the kitchen.
I also used the HomeCooker to make the pepper chutney the day before the party (a lot of work, not sure I would do it again. The chutney was nice but quite hot, not to everyone's taste) and to do a lot of preparation for the entrees before the party. The hit dish of the night was the apple and fennel salad. Here's the recipe:
12 slices prosciutto
1/4 cup maple syrup
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 teaspoon Sea salt flakes
1 tbsp water
2 bulbs fennel
3 red apples
2 tablespoons White balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons Olive oil
Set HomeCooker to 175 degrees and once it has heated up add pecans, sugar, salt and water. Set timer for 12 minutes and cook pecans until sugar has dissolved and caramelised. Set aside.
Pre heat oven to 160 degrees. Brush prosciutto with maple syrup and place on baking paper on baking trays. Cook for 10 mins, until golden (watch so doesn't burn). Set aside.
Whisk together vinegar and olive oil. Set aside.
Use cutting tower to thinly slice fennel and apple. Combine with pecans and prosciutto and dress with dressing.
All in all a great night was had by all, even me as the host! I was so busy enjoying myself I forgot to take any pics of the food but here's a photo I took of the table before my guests arrived!
9:51 pm
something to go with the BBQ
1:03 am
Mmm...Chocolate Fondue! Keeping the entire family happy
It's been a busy time in our household lately, with family gatherings, trips away and end of year parties to attend. With so much going on I decided it was time to just sit down again with all the family and enjoy some meals cooked using the Jamie Oliver HomeCooker.
For the main meal I decided to use one of my popular recipes and cooked up a Tuna Mornay served with Fettuccine. For dessert, as a treat to the kids (big kids included!) I decided to serve up the much anticipated Chocolate Fondue (adapted from Jamie's Boozy Chocolate & Cherry Fondue).
Recipe: TUNA MORNAY with Fettuccine
60g Butter
2 medium onions
2 sticks celery
2 tablespoons plain flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup cream
2/3 cup tasty cheese, grated (I used the Cutting Tower to grate mine!)
2 small cans of corn pieces, drained
2 large cans tuna, drained
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
Some extra grated cheese to sprinkle on the top before serving
Fettuccine - cook enough to cater for everyone's dinner and to have leftovers for lunch if you desire!
Set temperature to 130 degrees and melt butter, ensuring stirring attachment is in place. Add sliced celery and onion (using Cutting tower) and adjust the temperature to 175 degrees. Cook for approx 4 mins or until onion is soft. Add flour by sprinkling it evenly around the top of the mix and leave the HomeCooker to stir it into the mix for approx 1 minute or until mixture starts to bubble. Slowly add in combined milk and cream as the stirrer continues to mix the ingredients for you until it boils and thickens.
Add cheese, corn and tuna and let it stir until the cheese is melted.
Then you can either transfer the mix into an oven proof dish and cook in the oven with a sprinkle of breadcrumbs for 20-25 minutes. Alternatively, return the HomeCooker bowl to its element and set the timer for approximately 20 minutes. Then serve with Fettuccine and a sprinkle of cheese on top! (I cooked the mornay completely using the HomeCooker as I wanted to avoid making extra dishes and turning on the oven!)
The Tuna Mornay Fettuccine was very popular with the family but for the children the best was yet to come.
For dessert I used the HomeCooker to create a yummy chocolate fondue. I wanted it to be something for the children of the family to enjoy so I didn't worry about adding cherries or brandy to the mix but instead just used a mixture of cream and Cadbury Real Milk Chocolate Melts. I set the temperature to 130 degrees and added the chocolate first but soon realised that I needed to add the cream to help the HomeCooker to mix the chocolate easier. Once the cream was added I left the HomeCooker to do its thing while I cut up a range of different fruits, including strawberries, rockmelon, mango, banana and apple. I also had some marshmellows and white chocolate melts (my middle daughter only eats white chocolate) to serve alongside the chocolate sauce and fruit.
Once the chocolate and cream was all melted and blended nicely it was time for us to all enjoy it.
And enjoy it we DID! The kids are already nagging me to do this all again soon :)
9:48 am
Jamie Oliver cooked us lunch
Well my lunch yesterday with my friends was a huge success, all thanks to the Jamie Oliver Home Cooker!!! I hosted a Nutrimetics party for 12 mums (and 9 pre-schoolers), and planned to serve both Risottos from the cookbook as lunch. As I wanted to listen to the party host, I relied on Jamie to cook our lunch and beep at me, whilst I soaked my feet and tried on lotions and potions:) And it worked really well!
I actually made the Pumpkin risotto in the morning whilst getting the children ready for school, and just kept it in the fridge until lunch time. Roasting the pumpkin was so easy, and added a lot more flavour to the dish, as did adding the extra ingredients.
The Asparagus and pea risotto was even better. This is possibly the best tasting dish I have cooked so far, and so easy!! My friends were really impressed with the easy of the cutting tower, stirring arm and friendly beeper. I think I won a lot of them over!!
Comments included:
- Is that all you have to do, it stirs itself?
- This looks awesome Mel!
- Oh Yum!
- It is so easy to clean (from my gorgeous friend who took over washing my dishes)
I also think the best evidence of a great dish is the silence when eating, some friends going back for more, and the 12 empty plates!!
You have sold me on ease, versatilty and simplicity, and impressed my friends too!! Photo attached of some of my friends with the dishes (served in my fave Jamie Oliver bowls)
9:14 am
Practice Risotto was so easy
I was planning a big lunch with my friends to show off the HomeCooker, so thought I better have a practice run first with the Risotto. I attempted the Butternut Pumpkin recipe, but went shopping without looking at the recipe, so cooked it without celery, and the Pancetta and Sage toppings. As it was just a side dish, and I was lazy, I also didn't oast the pimpkin, just cut it up and threw it in just after adding the stock. In admitting all this, the Risottos was a breeze to make, and the rice tasted really nice....even reheated the next day for lunch!
It was a little bland, but that was probably because of the lack of ingredients etc. I was confident to host my lunch though:)
8:57 am
Success with Potatoes - Yipeeee
I have been using my HomeCooker every week, but been a bit frantic to update my reviews, so here are a few I have done recently.
Last weekend we cooked a roast, and I decided to attempt the potatoes again. I am so pleased to say they were a huge success!!! Crispy, scrumptious, and not mess on the bottom of the pan.
I used the proper waxy potatoes (instead of creamy ones) and didn't put the lid on the HomeCooker. If I had just read the recipe properly in the first place:)
I am o excited the potatoes worked out, and are so easy. Hosting Christmas for the first time this year for 26, we always seem to eat SO MANY potatoes, I am planning on cooking some in the oven, and other small ones in the HomeCooker to keep up with demand!!
11:07 pm
The cutting tower
I understand that it is an option to purchase and the Homecoojer can be ourchased with or without the chopping tower.
Its long tower design helps to chop and cook at the same time. I have been using it daily to chop onions and juliene vegetables while cooking in the homecooker. However you can also use the chopping tower on its own to chop salads or grate/shred vegetables to make chutneys.
It comes with 5 blades, with a variety of options to juliene,shred or chop. It also comes with a feeding chute which is designed just like a food processer, which is used to feed your vegetables inside the chopping/ rotating blades.
I am fairly satisfied with the performance of ithe chopping tower, and have given it a workout recently using to to shred carrots for making carrot cake,julliene vegetables for stirfrys,chopping cabbages and green apple to make coleslaw.
I was fairly satisfied with the consistency of the coleslaw, my son and his friends loved it when I served it with roast chicken recently at lunch.
The only drawback I have experienced so far is that the chopping tower has a tendency of catching pieces of vegetables beneath the blades but that can be easily taken care of by lifing the blade and scrapping all the vegetable out after you have finished chopping.
I have recorded a short video demonstrating the chopping onions in the chopping tower and frying them in the homecooker.
You can view it by clicking on the link below or copying and pasting the url on your browser.
http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wU2rq9kBhZs
Cheers see you next time ladies.
4:53 pm
perfect toasted almonds!
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