OK, I’ve been sitting on this one for too long. I have never been able to get up early in the morning and cook myself a fancy breakfast, and I don’t like the idea of eating acrylamide-filled breakfast cereals either.
I bought the Panasonic SR-MS103 rice cooker this summer. I did lots of research, and the Panasonic unit has all the features of the Zojirushi units, but it has a 24 hour preset time instead of the 12 hour timer offered by most of the Zoji cookers, and more importantly it has a slow cooker function that is completely absent from the Zoji units.
Every night, I fill the cooker with steel cut oats, almond milk, a bit of maple syrup and vanilla extract, set the timer, and when I wake up- it’s ready!
Rice is only one of many things it does. I’ve cooked terrific risottos, and the other night made a really good pulled-pork tenderloin on the slow cook function. It also bakes bread, cakes, makes pasta, steams vegetables, I could go on and on. If I knew where to find Ron Popeil I’d be all over him to pimp the rice cooker on an infomercial.
The great thing is, if you live in a dorm room, they are ideal as they aren’t even banned as most people don’t even know what a rice cooker is. It’s a great way to cook healthy meals without having to stand over an oven. I love being able to set it, then walk out of my apartment.
I’m going to have to start posting recipes. I’ve already been bothering Ku2u#2 to get one. Somebody needs to step up!
If you’re a spoilage fearer, you can just use water. Apparently though, almond milk can be left at room temperature for days without spoiling.
Homemade almond milk is really amazing. Bryant Terry has a really good recipe for homemade almond milk. His book “Vegan Soul Kitchen” is outstanding- the best cookbook I’ve bought in a couple of years.
I’m laughing pretty hard as I write this! It’s on my christmas list. I could see it being very ideal for me since I’m a college student with very little time on my hands.
Do it! I’ll hook you up with some easy recipes. It’s the lazy person’s dream appliance. Try leaving the house with the oven on. Nuh-uh! I do it all the time with the rice cooker. It knows.