Combi Oven Microwave. I'm in love!

So if you’re a regular reader here you’ll know I’m a Panasonic intelligent living mum and that recently they sent us a combi oven to try out. I fell in love with one of these back at the Brit mums live event when their incredibly good sales guys mentally sold one to me. However at the time we had done without a microwave for over a year and were unsure about whether to get another. Needless to say I am over the moon we did get one! We had a lovely day at the Panasonic HQ and I fell in love with it all over again but this time from a practical point of view. We (Emma) and I made chocolate brownies (recipe here)(the easiest thing I’ve baked in years!) and they are melt in the mouth divine! And I watched on in awe as the others cooked up a roast chicken in 45 mins (one of the first things I tried when I got it home..Perfection!)  and a scrummy couscous vegetarian dish.

The one thing I wondered about these was if you use them for cooking will they dry out your food and can you consistently get the same results…..Well take a look at this salmon. It took 4 mins in the microwave, perfectly cooked and incredibly moist. Brownies…perfectly moist and incredibly every time. A bit I have to add in here is that baking in it is easier (once you figure out the relevant settings) and my cakes don’t have the crisp edges you sometimes get in the oven as you wait for the centre to cook.

It has meant as well in our house hold that I’m piling on the weight as the baking’s spot on every time! And it’s so much simpler to do plus and get this…I can put metal in it! I know!!!! They have included a special little tray and spark ring which prevents the fires (the cause of death of my last machine) and therefore you can chuck your baking tins in, cake trays, roasting pan, you name it and you don’t have to buy extra.  I have mentioned the settings. It took me about three attempts to get these settings sorted in my head which is a pretty good record and I’ve even had friends pop stuff on and pick it up immediately. Its very simple and easy to follow!

Valentines Indulgence - Image from the Ideas Kitchen Panasonic

Recipe here for the Valentines Indulgence

A week after we had our machine our oven broke so I can say with all fairness and trial that these machines are indispensable. We cooked regularly 3 times a day (3 boys = cooked breakfast) plus the baking almost daily and not once did anything go wrong or did I burn or undercook a single meal or dish. When we joined Panasonic we were given Daniel Galmiche recipe book created in union with a microwave and I have been using it as a bible. Daniel Galmiche by the way used Panasonic microwaves in his Michelin star kitchen before he became associated with Panasonic! That’s how good these products are.

I could waffle on for hours about how good this machine is and although we were obviously sent one I would now go out and purchase one for myself in a heart beat if they took it away!  If you’re still in any doubt or you have a microwave and don’t think you’re getting your potential out of it take a quick look here at the Panasonic kitchen ideas site. Any product you have they have recipes, hint or tips to try out even if you purchased your product second hand it doesn’t matter, head over and see what you think!