Roasted Parsnips

Peeled, quartered, and thrown in the Remoska with a dash of olive oil.

Really, really really good. Perfect in fact.

I also did sweet potatoes for about an hour and a half, and they were smelt wonderful and were very very soft. I used them to make the sweet potato cake with.

Spanish Apple Cake

I used a recipe that I've used before and cooked in a conventional oven.

It looks beautiful done in the remoska, but the apples didn't have time to cook, and were hard inside.

It just didn't work.

Sweet Potato Cake

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Pound-Cake/Detail.aspx

I used the above recipe, but had less than 400g sugar, so used 300g, but next time, I'll do 200g.

I cooked it directly in remoska, which was already hot from cooking lunch. (meatballs and hash browns)

I greased and floured the pan, and put foil over the top for the last 20 mins of cooking.

It tastes great and is mega moist.

Roast Beef and Potatoes

I put two small joints of beef I got on the reduced aisle, and a few potatoes in today.

I wasn't that pleased.

The potatoes were mushy, although they did eventually look kind of golden, and the meat was really over cooked. I think they were in for an hour and fifteen.

I often cook meat badly though, so the remoska hasn't helped in that regard.

Ginger Cake

I made a ginger cake today. It was from a recipe book, but I won't list the ingredients because cake is cake, and I imagine if this one cooked well, then most others will too.

I pre-heated the remoska with a bowl of water while I made the mixture. Not sure why the water, but everybody seems to say you have to, so I did. Anyway, when I'm camping, that hot water can be put to good use in a tea or for washing up!

In went the mixture and on went the lid.

It cooked quicker than in the oven, and I forgot to put the foil over the top, until it was already a shade darker than I would have liked. But I did catch it before it actually burnt.

So, remoska is good for cakes! I think I might try it without preheating it first to see what difference that makes.

Chilled Supermarket Pizza

This Asda chilled supermarket pizza took the same time to cook as it would in the oven, and was just as good. Good electricity saving!

Sultana Scones

I used the Remoska recipe leaflet to make scones today.

Easy mixture to put together but it needed more flour to make it less sticky.

They cooked to more of a thick biscuit rather than a scone, but they cooked nicely. Good and fluffy inside.

However, they don't taste as good as my regular scones, so next time, I'll use my recipe, but cook them in the remoska.

Jacket Potatoes

Three large potatoes took 2 hours.

Could have done with a little longer.

It does take a very long time, but, as long as you remember in advance, and throw them in, it isn't difficult, there's minimal washing up, and it's energy efficient.

Sausage and Hash Browns

I've been in a photographic rush all week, so I haven't cooked alot, much less use the Remoska. But today, I needed to make a quick lunch so I threw some frozen sausages into the remoska, then half an hour later, made a foil pouch and added some frozen hash browns.

I did mushrooms and sweetcorn on the hob.

I do like sausages from frozen in the remoska.

Rice Pudding

I have wanted to make rice pudding for a while, but was really put off by complicated instructions for soaking the rice, then throwing the water away, and then infusing milk with vanilla etc, etc, etc.

I knew there had to be an easier way. So, I looked in the Remoska recipe leaflet that came with, and it was just as complex!

So, I thought, maybe on the back of the packet of rice? And there it was. Easy as pie. Well, easier than pie actually.

60g rice, 1 pint of milk, sugar to taste, flavourings if wanted, and bake in oven for two hours.

Well, knowing that there will be little evaporation in the remoska, I doubled up, but instead of 2 pints of milk, I added 1 and 3/4 pints of milk.

Cooked it for two hours. It was still a little runny, but Heston Blumental said it would continue to absorb milk when cooling. So I turned the lid off, popped on some foil to stop it developing a skin, then went out for an hour.

When we got back, well, to our shame, my daughter and I ate THE LOT!!!! I won't even tell you how little time it took!

She decided it would be even better with some cream and extra sugar, and did that when I was upstairs. And she was absolutely right.

This is SERIOUSLY dangerous food, and FAR too easy.

Chicken Curry

This is a favourite dish I like to make, and I usually do it on the hob. I tried it in the Remoska last night.

Chop a few onions and garlic and soften in olive oil in the remoska.
Add a tablespoon of curry powder and let it cook off.
Add three or four diced chicken breasts and cook until white.
Add two tins of evaporated milk, and cook until the liquid thickens to a curry texture.

On the hob, this takes half an hour, but it's half an hour of continual stirring and my pan is rubbish so it really sticks.

The onion and cooking chicken didn't take that long in the remoska, but I did think, after 90 minutes that the milk would never thicken.

It did eventually, but it was a bit curdled. Maybe the milk was too hot for too long without doing thickening.

It tasted just as good, but the texture wasn't brilliant. I loved the fact that I didn't have to stir it and it slides off the non stick pan.

I think I'd try in again in the remoska, just to see how I could stop it from curdling. Maybe use less milk? I'd be perfectly happy to make it when camping.

Apple Crumble

Yesterday I made apple crumble in the remoska. I peeled and chopped 5 bramley apples, and put them in a pie dish inside the remoska. I added brown sugar and cinammon and let them cook. This took about half an hour.

Then I made a standard crumble mixture, as per delia smiths how to cook book, and put that on top.

That took about 15 mins to cook.

It was a very nice crumble. The children ate it, and they don't ordinarily. Although I don't think that had anything to do with the crumble per se, but that perhaps they're getting more adventurous.

Raspberry and White Chocolate Muffins

I used the recipe from an old muffin book I have that is fool proof. The Genuine American Cookie and Muffin Book by Peter Shaffer.

It's too good. Cooked them in the remoska, but I didn't have silicone cases, so I just used paper ones.

Well, it all splurged out into a bit of a mess, but I thought, never mind, I'll just separate them afterwards.

Well, actually, as it turns out, I quite like the mis-shapen muffin style!

I will bake in the remoska again.

Roast Chicken

As everybody says, Roast Chicken is a delight in the Remoska. I have no idea how long it was in for, but it was a 2k one, filled the pot, and I didn't have any burning issues.

I did it right way up for a bit, then upside down for a bit, (at which point I suspect it was cooked) but then turned it right way up again.

Moist and tasty.

Will make again.

Popcorn

Now, I'd love to have a picture here of a gleaming bowl of freshly popped corn done in the remoska, dusted with icing sugar (thanks steph).

But the remoska categorically cannot cook popcorn. We left it in for a hour and it did not pop. It just burnt. I thought I might rescue them by throwing them in a pan and doing it conventionally on the hob, but all I got was a house (or rather garden as I was wise enough not to open the pan indoors) full of burnt kernels and smoke.

Pork Risotto

I pulled a piece of pork fillet out of the freezer yesterday and decided to make a pork risotto today.

I threw the pork into the remoska and let it cook for about 30 mins.

Took it out, and let some olive oil heat up before I put some onions and garlic in.

When that was soft, I added the rice and when that was translucent, I added cold water with liquid chicken stock.

When the rice was cooked (about 40 mins) I added the pieces of pork that I cooked earlier.

I thought the pork tasted horrible. But the rice tasted as good as it does on the hob. It was a no fuss way to do the rice. Normally I have to stand over the hob for 20 mins stirring the whole time, but I'll stick to chicken or gammon in future!

Jam Roly Poly Recipe for Marion

This is taken from the Pudding Club book.

180g self raising flour
pinch salt
90g shredded suet
15g sugar
480g jam
water to mix

Sift flour and salt, add suet and sugar, and then enough water to make a good rolling dough.

Roll the dough out, and spread with a thick layer of jam.

Dampen edges with water to seal, and roll up like a Swiss roll.

Place in ramoska and cook till golden.

Serve with ice cream or custard.

Jam Roly Poly Update

My husband told me today that the Jam Roly Poly was one of the best puddings I've ever made! So, more of a success than I thought! :)

Jam Roly Poly

I've wanted to make this all day, and I did. The sponge is the easiest thing in the world to make, flour, suet, touch of sugar and water.

Mix it up, roll it out, add some raspberry jam, roll it back up again and cook.

Traditionally you are supposed to steam it, and I can see that it would be much better steamed.

Baking it in the remoska was ok, but I should have taken it out 5 mins earlier, it was a bit crisp for me. But it tasted good and the adults didn't leave any which generally means it was good.

I'd make it again, but not in a remoska if I'm at home. Perfectly edible and good if out camping though.

Cheesy Corn Chips II

I did the corn chips again, but this time, remembered to take a photo! Just as good second time around and they were ready in no time at all.

The Superbowl

Tonight is Superbowl Night, and a friend and I thought that we should have some good American food to eat right alongside it.

So, Super Steph guided me in making these great loaded potato skins.

Take some small/medium potatoes and put them to bake in the remoska with their skins on.

When they're baked, half them, and scoop out a little of the flesh.

Put them back in to crisp the cut sides up.

When they're crispy, add some cheese in each half and top with a little crumbed bacon.

Serve with sour cream with added snipped chives.

I liked the idea, but there was something lacking for me. Maybe I needed a sharper cheese. I think the cheddar I used was too sweet. I also think I needed to add more pepper.

My daughter loves sour cream, but I wasn't so keen. I think I might load them with boursin au poivre next time. And there definately will be a next time.

The remoska cooked the potatoes great. I think the ones in the grill came out better, just because the grill is more intense, but for camping, the remoska rises to the challenge and would make a super fancy snack to share with friends in the evening.

Jacket Potatoes

Gorgeous! Pure and simple. It is simplicity itself. There's something about using the remoska, possibly because it's at table height, that seems much easier than using an oven.

In theory, putting some potatoes in the oven, should be the same as putting them in the remoska. Yet somehow, the whole making of jacket potatoes seems a much easier thing to do with the moskie.

Anyway, they were cooked to perfection, and kept warm for an hour after with the lid on covered in foil for my daughter who was swimming.

Remoska Recipe Flapjacks

I made the flapjacks in the remoska recipe today. They turned out well, as the picture shows.

It's a bit fatty underneath so could do with more oats, which I shall add next time, but my daughter, who loves flapjacks, said it's the best she's ever had. Recuring theme there!

More Toad in the Hole

Due to the overwhelming success of Toad in the Hole, I'm making it again for dinner tonight at the request of my son.

Naan Bread Pizza

Take a naan bread, spread with tomato puree and add grated cheese.

This works quite well in the remoska, but I prefer it in the sandwich press as the underside gets crispier.

However, my son said it's the best ever again. I'm not sure if he's just decided that it's a gadget he loves or if really, food is better when it's cooked in the remoska! lol

Cheezy Corn Chips

This works really well in the mosky. Layer corn chips with cheddar cheese, mozarella and tomato paste or salsa. I also add snipped in chillies for heat.

Switch on, and leave for about 20 minutes. Perfect snack.

Toad in the hole

Toad in the hole is excellent.

I cooked off some mini sausages in the remoska, straight from the freezer.

Then I made a six egg yorkshire mix, added it to the sausages and let it cook.

I needed to cover the top as it was burning too close to the element, but I did it in enough time, so it didn't spoil.

There's none left. Everybody enjoyed it, and my son thinks it's the best toad in the hole he's ever had.

Guess I'll be buying him a remoska when he leaves home!

Washing the Remoska

The non stick on the remoska is a dream. Even tough things like burnt mincemeat can be wiped off.

The lid is also easy to clean, but you do have to do it relatively soon after cooking.

Burgers

I cooked some burgers for dinner this evening. I was utterly alarmed at home much fat came out of them considering they were premium burgers. I took a cup of fat out of the remoska half way through cooking so that the burgers wouldn't be sitting in fat while they cooked.

Anyway, burgers are burgers so I haven't taken a picture of them. They took an hour to cook, were cooked through, and not at all dry. So, I would say a success. Also, I managed to lie 8 burgers on the base of the remoska, so really, the grande is enough to feed six people easily.

I don't wish I had bought the standard, but the grande really is very big and I really need a rack for it, which I don't believe comes in grande yet.

Chunky Vegetable Soup

I tried out my favourite soup today. Chunky Vegetable.

2 carrots, diced
2 leeks, sliced
2 sticks of celery, chopped small
3 cloves garlic, sliced
Tin of plum tomatoes, roughly chopped in the tin
1 litre stock
Chilli powder
Tin of green lentils

Cook the carrots, leeks, celery and garlic in oil until soft. (This takes five mins on the stove, but around 20 mins in the remoska)
Add tin of tomoatoes, lentils, stock and seasoning. (You're supposed to use hot stock, but as I don't want to use any extra gadgets while using the remoska, I added it cold)

Cook for another 30 minutes.


It turned out very much like it usually does, but I think the liquid evaporates more when cooked on the hob, which I prefer, so I'd have to add 200ml of liquid less.

Also, I would need to use stock powder, instead of a stock cube, as I'm adding the stock cold, so the cube doesn't readily dissolve.

To make soup in the future, I would do it on the hob for speed. But I would make it when camping.

Oh and I really can't emphasise enough how amazing short crust pastry is done in the remoska. I am ashamed to admit that there really are not many of those mincemeat crescents left, and I'm the only person who likes mincemeat!!!!

Mincemeat Pouches

Seeing as the government is now trying to encourage us not to waste food, I thought I had better use up the ready to roll pastries I had in my fridge since christmas.

Well, the puff pastry was mouldy, so that had to go, but the shortcrust looked and smelt ok.

So I cut circles out of it, filled with mincemeat, and pinched together.

Bung them in the mosky and let it do it's magic. I did line it with non stick as mince meat can get terribly sticky.

Hmm, with the government and it's obesity warnings, I don't know which part of the government to listen to, the love food not waste lot, or the stop eating you fat b*****ds lot!

Frozen Chips

I did a packet of frozen chips for lunch in the Mozzie today. I didn't put the whole bag in, as I wanted them relatively crispy. So I only did them in a single layer.

It took half an hour and they were perfectly cooked.

Next time, I will try putting the whole bag in.

I then put two eggs in after taking the chips out, and I left them too long because I was on the computer.

I know it's just a question of timing though, and I have to remember, that when the lid is hot, things cook very quickly, it just takes half an hour to get there.

Rice with the Remoska Off!

I had a funny surprise today.

I decided to cook salmon fillets in foil, with rice.

I put each fillet in a pouch of foil with lemon and salt.

Then I put a glass bowl in the remoska and put one cup of rice and two cups of water with some salt.

I turned it on and it was cooking for 1/2 hour. The rice was still sitting in a pool of water, so I knew that it was going to take alot longer than on the hob. But that's ok, because I'm thinking will it work for camping. I don't mind about things taking longer.

But then the phone rang, and my Mum asked me to come and get her from the hospital to bring her home.

So, I just turned the remoska off, with everything still inside and the lid left on, and went to get her. I returned 90 minutes later, to find, the rice cooked!!! It just needed a little extra water to cook through, but it had absorbed all the water, and if I had added more water, it would have been cooked to perfection.

The salmon was overcooked, (naturally) but still very edible and certainly not spoilt.

So there we are, the remoska works even with the lid turned off!

Essential Equipment

A teflon friendly slotted spoon!

It's a Sausage Thing

I'm working my Remoska overtime today.

This evening I made a sausage type thing.

I layered 6 peeled and sliced potatoes on the bottom, threw in a pack (350g) of quartered mushrooms and put 16 sausages on top. (I had to use them by the sell by date, and I thought we could use the extra cooked ones in sandwiches tomorrow.)

I didn't add any liquid, as I figured the sausages and mushrooms would add enough, nor did I add seasoning as the sausages were quite strong.

They needed about an hour and a half to cook, which is ok. The potatoes had a wonderful texture, the sausages were lovely and soft, not too crispy like they can get in the oven, and the mushrooms were like, well, mushrooms! lol

I did boil some green beans as I forgot to add those to the remoska, but if I were camping, I think I would have just thrown them in too. I imagine that most of what I cook will be along the chop it up and throw it in variety.

I wasn't overly keen on the fat from the sausages going into the potatoes, so I would only ever use very good quality sausages for this. Luckily, the ones I used were very good quality ones. Cheaper ones might be ok for a breakfast thing when you can use the oil to 'fry' an egg or the bacon.

I will definately make a variation of this again, but might try chopping up the sausages into chunks, and chopping the potatoes into chunks instead and making it more casseroly. A tin of chopped tomatoes thrown in wouldn't go a miss either.

I am beginning to think you can just throw anything in, and it will come out great. My son thinks we shouldn't use anything else to cook with!

Toasted Cheese Sandwich

I made a toasted cheese sandwich for lunch. It took about 10 minutes and the cheese wasn't really very melted. I think that you definately need the optional rack to make a decent toasty cheese sandwich quickly. It will work for camping, (esp with a rack, it would probably be very good with a rack), but for at home use, my breville is much quicker and easier.

Let's Start With Breakfast - Porridge

After what seems like an infinity of waiting for deliveries, hospital visits and trips out of town, I was finally able to use my new toy for the first time.

I thought I'd make porridge as that would be a good camping breakfast.

One cup of rolled oats, and two cups of milk with 6 teaspoons of sugar to taste in the Remoska. A quick stir with a wooden spoon, lid on and flip the switch.

I checked after five minutes and the porridgy mix was hardly even warm. I was a bit worried at that point. I thought, come on, don't be impatient, just leave it for 20 minutes and then check.

After 15, I could smell a lovely porridgy smell, so I went to take a look through the glass window, and there was my lovely porridge, cooked to perfection and ready to eat.

Perfect Result Number 1!

It's Arrived

My Remoska has finally arrived. It looks better than I expected, as the heating element is covered in the lid, and I did wonder about food splashes onto the heating element, but it looks like that won't be a problem.

The lid isn't a GREAT fit, but I need to try cooking with it before I make any judgments.

The Grande is quite big and woudl take up quite a bit of space on a worktop, but my main aim was to use this for camping and I wanted the biggest I could get.

The picture shows the size of the pan and the underside of the lid where the heating element is.

Nearly There.

I rang Lakeland at midnight last night and they said that it was despatched yesterday! Gleee. So, only a few more days to go.

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Lakeland are OUT OF STOCK!!!!

I got all excited today when I saw that my Lakeland Parcel had arrived. Looked suspiciously small though. I opened it to find NO REMOSKA! It's temporarily out of stock, putting paid to my plan of starting to cook with it any time soon.

So, I shall sit here eating my Rum Figs covered in Chocolate that I ordered just because I was ordering the Remoska and I couldn't resist given that they were £1.97 instead of the ordinarily crazy price of £7.82! (Nine sweets for £7.82!!!!)

I haven't got 'mosky' yet. But I've gone through my Readers Digest Recipies and have got STACKS to get started with once it arrives.

I've Ordered It.

After a year of looking, wanting, deciding against it, looking again, camp cooking with disastrous effect on a gas hob and a calor gas canister as big as my child, looking again, spending nights reading all I could on the remoska and a £71 refund from Lakeland for a delivery that hadn't turned up, I finally decided to order the Remoska Grande because it seems the perfect answer to my camp cooking needs.

But it's January you might think, in London, and it's FREEZING. Why am I getting it now? Well, I had a leaflet for a free crepe pan if I ordered now and I need to practise!! lol

I ordered it yesterday and I can't wait to get it.

I've started looking through my one pot recipie book that I have never used, which I purchased for 30p from the Library 3 years ago, to see what dishes might work. Not sure why I started to rip out the good ones, as I'll have to find a folder now!

Happy Days.