Dream Pot

Romy5152 · Guru

Dream Pot

Loffty · Senior Member

Yeah, just broke ours in b4 Easter. Not too bad, will get used to that idea real quick :)

Romy5152 · Guru

Hi Loffty,

I'm glad to hear someone else uses one! When I mention Dream Pot usually, a lot of people say 'What's that?'

To get used to ours before leaving on the very first holiday we used it on with our camper trailer, I almost flogged it to death at home! I cooked all the things that I thought I would cook in it while we were away, and I was very surprised with not only how good the food tastes, but also how hot it keeps it after several hours. Meat in casseroles/stews is never tough, chicken doesn't overcook, and whole potatoes (and other vegies) are 'just right'. Although fruit cakes are inclined to be a bit heavy, they are still nice to eat, keep well while travelling, and help keep the munchies at bay. We now have a caravan, but it still makes the trip with us. Like I said before, there's nothing quite like sitting back during Happy Hour and thinking, 'Well, I just might have anothery! Dinner's cooking itself."

I usually use it for dinner meals, and start them off when we stop for lunch.
It really came into its own when we had the camper trailer, and was so handy when getting into camp later than we expected some times.
Happy cooking with yours!

Romy5152 · Guru

By the way, I love the fantastic way it cooks rice!

Loffty · Senior Member

Still to try the rice.
Just got a Cauliflower soup and beef stew going for tonight.

Home made croutons as well.
Had to do the Banana bread in the oven though, ran outta room.
Gunna eat well for a couple of days now :) :)

Must be time to get another job, me thinks.

Got too much time on my hands :)

-- Edited by Loffty on Monday 9th of May 2011 03:14:39 PM

-- Edited by Loffty on Monday 9th of May 2011 03:15:17 PM

Romy5152 · Guru

Sounds so yum! If time on your hands means cooking up a beaut feed, then you've put it to good use, Loffty!

Pejay · Guru

Ours will get a 'caning' in the next couple of months with a trip to Canberra next week, then Tassie July/August. They are fantastic for making a pot of soup that is done to perfection by the time you get back from being out all day and you need to thaw out before dinner. The soup must be pretty good, when my used said it was nearly as good as his mother's a couple of years ago.

Romy5152 · Guru

Only nearly as good? So, Pejay, did he end up wearing the soup? Hehe! Seriously, yes I agree, soup is great on a cold day - warms the hands (if in a mug) and warms the belly really well. The Dream Pot is so versatile - I've even set EasiYo homemade yoghurt in it, and it works a treat!

Pejay · Guru

Oh yeah, only nearly as good - Grandma's soup was to die fore. I felt a warm fuzzy feeling when Dad said of my soup in the same sentence as that of Grandma's! Mind you she has been gone some 40 odd years, so I guess it has taken me a while to 'master' it.

Romy5152 · Guru

Then it was really was a very nice compliment, Pejay. That's lovely. Can you share Grandma's soup recipe, or is it a family trade secret? The only good thing about winter for me, is that it's good soup time.

Actually, I tell a lie - winter's fabulous IF I'm on holidays/days off and can stay in bed with a good book too!
I only work 4 days a week now, so am partially retired, but during winter, we have the occasional 'soup days' at work, where everyone brings in a pot of soup to share - really yummy on a cold day. Some bring in soup, others bring bread, someone else brings disposable bowls, and still others bring in a dessert. It's a really nice shared lunch.

Pejay · Guru

I guess I go by the KISS principle with my soup, and for Dad to say what he did makes it all the more special. So here goes:

I buy a soup pack in the fruit & vege section of IGA (1 ea of potato, onion, parsnip, turnip, carrot, 2 x 1/2 sticks of celery)
Chop 'em all up and put in Grandma's boiler (must be the secret thing, I think) with about 2 Lts of chicken stock (Grandma used to make her own stock with the ham bones I think), a shake or two of mixed herbs, and a handful of dried soup mix.
Let it all slow simmer for a couple of hours, or throw it all into the Dreampot, before putting it through the blender (Grandma didn't do this bit - come on, they didn't have blenders in those days!) then dish it out, with a bread roll or put into into containers and freeze.

As I said, really KISS stuff, but oh so yummy!!

Romy5152 · Guru

Thanks for Grandma's recipe, Pejay - it does sound really tasty and the KISS principle works so well with so many other things too, doesn't it.

I think I'll make your soup over the weekend - what do you reckon; boil all on the stove for the Dream Pot recommended 20-25 minutes, and then into the Dream Pot for several hours? If I start it in the morning, it should be ready for lunch? Yum! Hmmmm, I wonder if the dried soup mix would cook enough? I guess there's only one way to find out.
Yes, I guess when you think about it, everything was homemade back in those days. No blenders, no stick mixers, no microwaves, and shock, horror - no Dream Pots!

It's so good too, to hear you say, 'I buy a soup pack from IGA . . .' as most of the time I hear people say Woolworths or Coles or Aldi. That's fair enough too, but I live in a small Queensland country town, and IGA is our only, but well-stocked, little supermarket. They're just as good. The only time the bigger food companies come into the shopping equasion is when we travel away.

Pejay · Guru

Hi Romy,

I'd say around the 20 min mark on the stove for making it in the dreampot, then I let it 'cook' for the whole day whilst out sightseeing.

Love my IGA's as they give back to the communities, and if you are in Qld you most probably have an IGA owned by Cornetts, with their Head Office here we we live - two nicer and unassuming people you would ever meet. We also have a Woolies and an Aldi, but I prefer my IGA, and wherever we travel I try and use IGA.

About going back to the old days - I actually have decided to go back to using my Commonsense Cookery Bk and my CWA Cookery Bk - so over all the additives etc etc that is in packet stuff at the supermarkets.

Anyway, hope you enjoy your soup.

Romy5152 · Guru

Hi Pejay,

Thanks for that. The soup's a goer today, so I'll let you know what I think of it tonight. All day cooking in the Dream Pot sounds much better to me too.

Yes, our IGA is Cornett-owned, they are a friendly lot, and they do give back to our community. They sponsor different fund-raising organisations here in town like Shave for a Cure, you can always rely on them for a raffle donation for a worthy cause like the Qld Cancer Council or the local schools, and they employ only local people. The thing I like about them too is that after 3pm, they only have older high school students on the checkouts, in fruit and veg, in the deli, and working out the back, as they like to give the kids a chance to earn some money too. Our Cornett store works with our privately leased IGA store as well, and if either store is having problems with their fridges or freezers, for example, they will let the other store know so they can order more cold supplies in to keep both lots of customers happy. Perhaps they do, but I personally don't know of any Woolies or Coles or Aldis that do that.

I have those old cookery books that you mention too, Pejay, and it can be a trip down memory lane when I get them out to cook something! Many's the time, when our kids were little, they would drag a chair up to the bench and 'help' Mummy cook, so on some pages there are remnants of those days. It's only a smear of this or that, but I have to smile to myself when I see them. One day, I had to go into work for a couple hours on a student free day at school, and the kids (then aged 12 and 10) were home alone. Before I left, they had the usual run-down - if someone knocks at the door pretend you're not at home and don't open it, if you're worried about anything ring me, and don't leave the house without permission. They asked me if they could make a chocolate cake, and since they'd been helping me cook since they were knee-high to a grasshopper, I said they could as long as they washed their hands first and cleaned up their mess before I got home. Big ask, but they were the rules!

When I arrived home, here was this lovely, but rather flat, iced chocolate cake cut into squares in the cake tin. It looked lovely, but I smelled a rat when they asked if I would like a piece and smiled at each other.

When I asked what was wrong with the cake, they assured me nothing was wrong with it, but again smiled and giggled at each other. I threw caution to the wind, took the first bite, and said, 'It's yummy! But there's something different about it.' They burst out laughing. It turns out that when they were making the icing, there wasn't enough icing sugar, so they had made up the difference with SR flour! And truly, it was a bit different, but it really was nice!

Romy5152 · Guru

Hi Pejay - well, Grandma's soup was a great success last night! I didn't get to start it until later in the morning, around 11am, but I didn't lift the lid on the Dream Pot until about 8.30 last night. It was cooked to perfection, and still hot enough to enoy! Now it's a firm favourite in our household. Thanks Pejay's Grandma! I added a handful of red lentils as well as the soup mix and didn't have chicken stock (thought I did!) so used vegetable stock. It was so delicious and so warming. I'm having some hot for lunch today too as it is very cold! Thank you for your recipe.

Pejay · Guru

Hi Romy,

So glad it worked out for you - we love it, and as you say, it's great for lunch on a cold day, especially if you have some really yummy fresh bread rolls to go with it. Dream pot is packed for our trip this coming week.

Romy5152 · Guru

Where are you off to this time, Pejay? We had planned to go charter fishing off Airlie Beach in June holidays, but with our daughter's wedding on Saturday, we might not be able to afford to go fishing too!

Pejay · Guru

Heading for Canberra for birth of another grandchild.

Romy5152 · Guru

Oh, how lovely! Hope all goes well, Pejay.

gordon_adl · Senior Member

Has anyone used them whilst bush camping? I'm getting ready to take a trip very soon and seems like it could be a nice idea. But just not sure it would hold the temperature outside bush camping.

Romy5152 · Guru

Hi Gordon, I used my Dream Pot when we had a camper trailer, and it worked fine. You could try putting it in a plastic shopping bag, andthen wrap a thick towel around the outside of the Dream Pot, if you think it might be too exposed to the cold weather outside. Since necessity is the Mother of invention, you could even try placing it inside your sleeping bag if necessary, while you're out bushwalking or the like!

I kept my Dream Pot inside the tent of the camper.
The Dream Pot even travels really well in the car with you when you're on the move, but just make sure you put it somewhere it can't tip over, and it will be fine. Enjoy!

Sheba · Guru

Some years ago, I bought from another "Nomad" her "Bean-bag Cooker". She used it on the same principle as a Hay-box Cooker.

Haven't used it yet, but it would be ideal to keep the cold air away from the Dream-pot.

Just a big Cushion-type thing, with just enough beans in to completely enclose whatever Pot you put into it.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Romy5152 · Guru

Well, Sheba, they say you learn something new every day, and I have just learned something new. What a good idea! One would be pretty simple to make anyway.
I'd never heard of a Hay-Box Cooker.

BTW, I was just talking to Firefly and she said she thought it was you who had a good recipe for lemonade scones. Can I have your recipe for them, please? I've had a bit of a look, but can't find it in here.

Sheba · Guru

All you had to do was type "Lemonade Scones" in the search box Romy. It's the top Post, only I was here under xina then.

Hay-box cooking is a very old method. Just Google it. You might be surprised.

Reply Quote

This recipe is from the About Seniors Newsletter.

Ingredients:- 3 cups SR Flour.
                       1 cup Cream.
                       1 cup Lemonade.

Method:-         Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
                       Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix with a knife.
                       When the dough is ready the bowl will look clean and you will have a ball of very soft dough.
                       Gently flatten on a board and cut into suitable sizes.
                       Put onto a floured baking tray and paint tops with milk and egg wash.
                       Place in pre-heated oven for 15 mins.
                       Serve with butter or cream and home made fruit jam. Just delicious.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Romy5152 · Guru

I must admit, I was only searching for the name 'Sheba', and then looking for 'Lemonade Scones' on the subject line. Thanks.

jimricho · Guru

I have a Thermos Shuttle Chef, very similar to a Dream Pot. I use it occasionally when away but regularly at home. It's great for soups, stews etc, in fact any "slow cook" recipe. Recipes meant for the Dream Pot will work just as well in Shuttle Chef and vice-versa.

Warning!!! do not make those lemonade scones!!! they're dangerous!!! They are severely addictive and can cause a massive increase in body mass!!

Romy5152 · Guru

Hi jimricho,

I believe you're right about the Shuttle Chef. There are some other types around too, but I use mine quite a bit - while travelling and at home. You can just put your food in there to cook and forget about having to get a meal later on, and that's why I like it so much. Well, put it this way, if I lost power to the computer, I'd probably have more time to slave away over a hot stove!

And I believe you about those scones too- why, oh why, are some yummy things not always good for you!

Sheba · Guru

Here's another one from the "xina" posts, Romy.

   "Got this in an e-mail a couple of days ago. Some-one 'phoned it in to the local ABC Radio Station this morning, saying she had tried it, and it was great.    She cooked hers for only 2 mins. in a 1200 watt. micro-wave.

5 Minute Chocolate MUG Cake.

4 Tbspns Flour ( I presume SR )
4Tbspns Sugar.
2 Tbspns Cocoa.
1 Egg. (She said small ).
3 Tbspns Milk.
3 Tbspns Oil.
3 Tbspns Chocolate Chips ( Optional. )
A small splash of Vanilla extract.
1 Large Coffee Mug.    1 Teaspoon to mix with.

Add dry ingredients to mug, and mix well. Add egg and mix thoroughly. Pour in the milk and oil and mix well. Add the Chocolate Chips ( if using ) and Vanilla extract, and mix again.
Put mug in the micro-wave and cook for 3 minutes at 1000 watts on high.   The cake will rise over the top of the mug, but don't be alarmed!
Allow to cool a little, and tip out onto a plate if desired.
EAT!  ( This can serve 2 if you want to feel slightly more virtuous. )

It's called the most Dangerous cake in the world, because now we're all only 5 minutes away from Chocolate Cake at any time of day or night!"

I timed my friend when she made them, and it is literally 5 minutes from start to eating.

Cheers,

Sheba.

Romy5152 · Guru

Thanks! I made this, Sheba, and watched it rise in the microwave! Fascinating! It's so yummy and it really is ready in 5 minutes - OMG! Lookout scales!

Bugger the scales, it's my birthday today, and as such, I can have chocolate cake - can't I?

HeadnHome · Senior Member

Happy B'day Romy,hope you enjoyed your 5min choc cake... I've tried both the 5min choc cake and lemonade scones
that sheba has posted previously and both turned out yummy.. love these so quick and easy,my type of cooking!!