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Jamie Oliver HomeCooker by Philips. Melanie's Review.

  • Creamy Pasta Sauce

    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.
    Cheers
    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_m9Y4BCNIfA

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Chicken Cacciatore with Garlic Mash

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Beef Goulash oooh la la!!!!

    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 :)

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • No more creamed rice in a can

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Mastered!

    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”.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Spaghetti

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Is it dinner time yet???

    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 :)

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Perfect Risotto

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Broad Bean & Asparagus Risotto & Chorizo Sausage

    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 :).

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • 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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • 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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • 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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Philips Recipe: Leek and Potato Soup with Prawns

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Philips Recipe: Sweet Dumplings

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Creamy Pasta Sauce

    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.
    Cheers
    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_m9Y4BCNIfA

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • A fantastic experience!

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • No more creamed rice in a can

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Chicken Cacciatore with Garlic Mash

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • yummy chicken fahitas!

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • another winning dinner!

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • 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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Beetroot flavour, hard to beet!!

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • HomeCooker made my dinner party stress free!

    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!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • something to go with the BBQ

    I made the crispy potatoes from the recipe book, but they didn’t end up crispy. But they were nice with the BBQ. Something easy for a Sunday night.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • 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 :)

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Jamie Oliver cooked us lunch

    Hello all,

    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)

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Practice Risotto was so easy

    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:)

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • Success with Potatoes - Yipeeee

    Hi
    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!!

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • The cutting tower

    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.
    http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wU2rq9kBhZs

    Cheers see you next time ladies.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use

  • perfect toasted almonds!

    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.

    Would you recommend
    to other mums?
    Versatile & suitable
    for lots of recipes
    Saves time & makes
    my life easier
    Simple to understand
    & easy to use
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Article Buon Appetito! A Busy Mum’s Guide To Memorable, Simple Summer Entertaining

Buon Appetito! A Busy Mum’s Guide To Memorable, Simple Summer Entertaining

I fondly remember slow, summer afternoons with family and friends gathered around a table of delicious finger-food during my childhood – the adults chatting and laughing, the kids pretending they understood the jokes. My parents had continued their Mediterranean traditions long after settling in Australia – and the simple joy of an effortlessly elegant gathering was one of my favourites.

What I don’t remember is my parents ever being stressed about the gatherings. It all just seemed to ‘come together’. Ah, how times have changed!

There’s something about the Italian style of entertaining that’s still so alluring in our fast-paced family lives. The idea of La Dolce Vita: a sweet life surrounded by family, friends, food and minimal fuss. Which is why we’ve enlisted the help of the entertaining experts at Sandhurst to share easy tips for elegant, memorable summer get-togethers.

We also asked our community of mums to share their tried and true, easy summer entertaining ideas, and we can’t wait to share them with you!

Euro-Inspired Entertaining

Sandhurst

Before we dive into the delicious world of sumptuous, simple summer entertaining, it helps to know a little about the inspiration behind our guide. And that’s the concept of Italian entertaining – where time is taken to lovingly grow ingredients, before enjoying them with those you love.

Established in 1988, Sandhurst was born from the time-honoured traditions of generations of the family behind the brand – a proud Italian Australian family passionate about quality produce sourced from world’s best growers.

At the helm of Sandhurst are brothers Mimmo and Ray Lubrano, who live and breathe the impeccable ingredients that become the centrepiece of so many gatherings in Australian family homes.

“Tradition is what we stand for. We’re custodians of Italian values,” explained Mimmo. “When we go to Italy we see it in our grandparents, our parents came from Italy in the 50s. The tradition is a set of values: honesty, teamwork, participation, family – all the things you would associate with Italian family are the values.”

And it’s these beautiful values that make summer gatherings in Australia an extension of the European table.

Easy Summer Entertaining Starts With … Time Saving Secrets!

Sandhurst

A sweet summer of entertaining doesn’t need to be stressful. In fact, it shouldn’t be. It’s a chance to spend time with loved ones. To press pause on life and make memories. And it can be simple! So here are some really easy tips for making your home the place where everyone wants to gather this summer.

Create An Entertaining Kit

Whether it’s pre-planned or you’ve had friends or family drop-in, having a few things ready to go immediately melts away any stress. Here are some things to include in a summer entertaining kit:

  • A red table cloth: It instantly says festive!
  • Some platters and serving dishes
  • Candles
  • Some quality antipasto ingredients that simply need to be decanted and enjoyed!

Many Hands Make Light Work

As mums, we tend to be our own worst enemy when it comes to delegating tasks. But remember, a summer of entertaining is about creating memories – not perfection. So let the kids help, and accept offers from your guests who’d like to bring something along to share.

“It can be overwhelming, so just delegate, and prepare. I do one dish prep per day and pop them in the freezer. Then they just need to be heated up. Let the kids do the decorating for you – plus keeps them busy!” – MoM Member Kirsty

Decorate With Happiness

There’s no need to pull out your finest crystal to pull off an elegant get together. Take a look around your home and garden to see what will bring your table to life. A bowl of lemons is a gorgeous addition, as is a bunch of gum leaves. Keep it simple and understated.

Sandhurst

Finger Food For The Win

Nothing says simple summer elegance more than a charcuterie board (or three!). When my friends and our families get together, it’s our go-to – every family is asked to ‘bring a board’. Some do savoury and some sweet, so we’re covered for a long afternoon of catching up.

“Food wise, I keep it simple by doing cold deli meats, cheeses, fresh fruits and veggies.” – MoM Member

But just because boards are easy to put together, doesn’t mean they can’t ooze elegance. And that comes down to including quality ingredients. Choosing Sandhurst products is the easiest way to guarantee the highest quality ends up on your table. We love the premise behind the brand: from our family to yours – it invokes that nostalgic feeling of shared stories, history, gatherings and family.

How To Put Together A Charcuterie Board 

Sandhurst article image

There are no right or wrong ways to create a charcuterie board, but to ensure a balance of textures and flavours try to include:

La Dolce Vita!

A summer of sophisticated entertaining doesn’t have to be hours and hours of work. We don’t want it to be! By grabbing some beautiful ingredients to fill your pantry next time you’re shopping, you’ll know that at a moment’s notice you’ll have everything you need for a Euro-inspired gathering. No fuss, but plenty of substance and style!

Sandhurst

Ready to host your own summer gathering? Choose Sandhurst’s quality produce and look for the red lid.

Mouths of Mums is proudly working with Sandhurst to bring you this article.

We may get commissions for purchases made using links in this post. Learn more.

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  • I have been a purchaser of Sandhurst goods ever since they first appeared on supermarket shelves and still buy it to this day. The Sandhurst brand is the best without a doubt. This year I have not been able to find the Sandhurst cheese stuffed baby capsicums anywhere. I have tried to get on the Sandhurst site, but no luck with what they make. Help – these are such a wonderful addition to a salad.

    Reply

  • Fantastic Article

    Reply

  • I Love a good charcuterie board. I Love all the different options all on the one board. I love to do a chocolate board when we have guests over, it’s a fun way to do dessert after dinner. The kids love seeing everything layed out so they can pick and choose.

    Reply

  • This is great for the grandchildren they love them as they use them as finger food and make up their own meal and use plenty of ingredients including meat and cheese on the dips and crackers. We keep it simple with the Sandhurst’s products as it is a meal in every jar and the kids love them.

    Reply

  • This looks like the perfect relaxed way to have a picnic! I am loving the idea of this! Just bring along lots of fillings and plenty of cheeses and breads and of course a little alcohol and you’re all set. This sounds like the perfect way to catch up with friends!

    Reply

  • I hate being taken to a third party page to enter comps.

    Reply

  • Certainly most welcome for summer, and would be wonderful for the festive season. I can see this platter on the table Christmas Eve, when we get together with our neighbours.

    Reply

  • Love the look of the olive on creamy fetta

    Reply

  • This is timely and helpful, thanks – I aspire to entertain more and tips to make it less stressful are very welcome.

    Reply

  • Charcuterie boards are the absolute best! We do these so often in the warmer months because there’s something for the whole family. People pick and choose what they like and there’s no complaints because there’s so many different options to choose from, everyone is happy. It’s such a simple stressful way to make dinner.

    Reply

  • I absolutely adore finger food and this style of feeding people when we have family and friends at our home; or when we go out for a picnic, bbq or get together. These types of food are so easy to source and to buy and to prepare and to happily eat.

    • Yes I agree, finger foods are easy and yummie ! And you can assemble a healthy enough plate (certainly when you add salads, cheeses, nuts, fruits, boiled eggs, olives and rustic breads) that it can certainly can replace a meal (either lunch or dinner). Everyone happy and no hours of preparation in the kitchen :)

      • Also; the other bonus is less mess to clean up when cutlery is not needed. Finger food is the best for laid back and relaxed get togethers. There is always such a clam and relaxed feel to a finger food meal without the need for any fancy and stuffy table settings.

    Reply

  • The simplest way to entertain.

    Reply

  • I love the looks of different finger foods. I don’t think it is hard to put something together and I had many afternoons hanging out with many mums and all the children at the Cul the sac we then lived. At times I had 8 mums coming with over 40 kids. Many sweet memories indeed

    Reply

  • Love the visuals of the chatcuterie board

    Reply

  • Looking forward to summer catch ups! Its always the best time to just chill

    Reply

  • I love the go to guide for how to arrange a board! Mine never look aesthetic so I am going to try this!

    Reply

  • Charcuterie Boards and Antipasto boards are so good. I love them, i love the variety of foods you can put on them and they are so great for entertaining and enjoying with family or friends. It is something i like to make whenever i have friends over as you can enjoy and pick away while you are catching up. Great entertaining option.

    Reply

  • I absolutely adore an antipasto spread. There’s nothing better than having a colourful plate of charcuterie and antipasto shared with loved ones. I grew up with my Mum making the most lush, long table of nibblies on celebrations and it’s something that my siblings and I carry on today. It brings us all together.

    Reply
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