What to cook for family dinner (they've never seen tmx before)

[trudy o]

Hi all,
Im going to see my family next weekend and am taking tmx with me - i'm sure they think it was a waste of money but they've never seen it yet lol
so, thought i'd take it down and cook dinner for everyone - there'll be 8 adults and 3 toddlers.
would love your opinions on what to cook with minimal effort but shows thermi off (i totally love it by the way and am sure they will once they see it going).
any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
oh - it's a 3hr drive so can't really prepare much cold stuff earlier at home to take down with me.
thanks
trudy

[Rowyfo]

Hmmm, make something that usually takes 3 saucepans & a frypan & several other bowls - that will impress those who cook. Especially when washing up consists of the TM, chopping board and knife.

As for what exactly, I would do a soup for a starter, they are so effortless. The main though... someone else will have to come up with that one

[trudy o]

i was thinking tomato or potato and leek soup from the book but not sure if its too boring lol
and don't know about lasange or something for main???
custard is always a winner too

[judydawn]

You will obviously have to do it in stages (like they do at demos) eg start off with a simple dip, make them a drink of some sort (cocktail or non-alcoholic), perhaps make pizza dough and get them in the oven whilst doing something else.  I'd try Aglio Oilio & Peperoncino (garlic oil and chilli) pasta baf65's recipe in Main Dishes on the forum (it is brilliant) and so quick to make. You are cooking for quite a large number of people so they will only get a taste of this and that but if you keep the goodies coming, they will end up quite full. You could do Bron's steamed garlic rice with some sort of curry too. Custard or rice pudding or sorbet for dessert would be easy too.  I take my hat off to you for trying something like this. Have a bit of a practice throughout the week and good luck to you next weekend.  Let us know how it all went and what you decided to do.

[Rowyfo]

I have made the minestrone, and also pumpkin soup for guests, and they both went down well.

The lasagne is amazing, and pretty easy for a lasagne too.

[faffa_70]

I have made Pumpkin Soup from the book using half pumpkin, half sweet potato then adding a small piece of ginger and a small chilli and if you like it a small amount of fresh coriander. This is a hit, especially if you use butternut pumpkin and don't peel or deseed it. I never do but blitz for a little longer at the end to ensure it is smooth. My guest always marvel at this one, little prep, all the goodness from the whole veg and tastes great.

The chicken and cashew isn't too bad either from the book, that with the rice in the basket is a good example of use. The ideas will keep coming for you...practice during the week and make a decision based on what you are comfortable cooking successfully so you can prove you point...god damnit don't you hate having to prove it is worth it's money when you just know it's value lol

[trudy o]

great ideas thank you so much
i've just made the lasange from book for dinner tonight and it went beautifully.  so easy and really tasty
i'm about to look up the other recipes you've all suggested so i can have a go at them too
thanks
forgot to add i also tried the quiche lorraine from the book yesterday and it too was absolutely beautiful

[baf65]

what about using your Varoma to make something for the main?

put say a litre of stock in the TM bowl, (water and stock concentrate if you are making the stock yourself)
potatoes chopped up in the little basket

chicken breast cut into strips in the varoma dish (bottom layer) sprinkle with some Herbamore or other seasoning

vegies on the top layer of the varoma dish (whatever vegies you like, fill it up!)

cook potatoes on varoma temp for 10mins speed 4
then put the Varoma on the top for a further 20mins

if all cooked, remover varoma and potatoes, set aside

add 150g block of philly cream cheese and about 30g of flour, cook for 2mins on speed 4, 100C to the remaining liquid left in the TM bowl

that then becomes the cheesy sauce to pour over the chicken vegies and potatoes

[judydawn]

What a great idea Baf65 - must try that ;)These are the ideas that need to be shared with us all.

[faffa_70]

Absolutely love this idea Baf, another one earmarked for the family. You are all such clever little cookies!

[bron]

How old are the toddlers? Whats the weather like? Need to take these things into account!
Kids always love lasagne or pizza. Grate the cheese to really show off, how to grate in 5 seconds! Make some fresh orange juice for the little ones!
I would make some bread too, make that first and leave to one side whilst you cook everything, and then just pop it in the oven.
Make something different for the kids and adults, Like Baf suggests something made in the varoma is an excellent idea. I have made fish and veg above, and made a soup below at the same time. Although my garlic rice is deeelicious, and you could make that, cover it or heat it up in microwave to serve, meanwhile make veg and meat/fish dish.
Ice-cream or sorbet is very good too (if the weather is ok?), get them to freeze some fruit for you now.  If not rice pudding, or apple crumble with hot custard, In one of my new books I have some recipes for cocktails, Thermalena will enjoy herself showing off!
Cocktails are Daiquiri, Banana Daquiri, Piņa Colada, Margarita,Tequila sunrise, Gimlet, Gin Fizz, Pisco sour, Mojito, Caipirinha, Manhattan, Cosmopolitan, San Francisco (non-alcoholic) Let me know if you would like a recipe and I can post it for you!
You could also knock up some dips for a starter. Take a pate with you, oh I love showing off! My DD said to me today...Mum, why don't you just open a restaurant? Always soooo much food in my house! We are 5, but all their friends end up here too! 

[trudy o]

great idea baf65 - just got the ingredients out to try that tonight for dinner

bron the kids are 3, 3 and 1.    i'd love you to post the apple crumble recipe if possible. also the san francisco if that's OK.
getting excited at the idea now  can't wait

[judydawn]

We had baf65's idea for lunch today so thought I'd let you all know how it went as I'm sure heaps are going to try this idea. I had a packet of 3 of those chicken breast steaks from Foodland (I think it is 1 chicken fillet sliced through thinly to get 3 pieces). I marinated it for 1/2 hour in 1 tablespoon chilli jam stir fry paste. Because they were so thin I only put them in the bottom of the varoma dish for the last 10 minutes of the total cooking time of the vegies.  I cut the potatoes into quite large chunks, did cauli, broccoli, thin slices carrot and pumpkin and whole beans and they were all cooked to perfection in the time given.  I think the chicken steaks would have only needed 8 minutes though.  The cheese sauce was very thin at the end so I had to add more cornflour but it was still too thin (delicious though) so next time I will tip some of the stock out and just leave 500g of liquid in there.

With a bit of tweaking we found this to be a quick, delicious meal.  Thanks baf65, anymore ideas??

[bron]

Tolive, have posted yummy apple crumble last week (I think).
Apple crumble is lovely as you can pop it in the oven just as you are going to sit down for dinner, as it takes 35 mins, should be just ready when you have finished eating, make the custard and voila! Will post San Francisco for you this evening!

[baf65]

oooops i should not have relied on my memory everyone!  It is in fact

500 g of stock
500g potatoes
500g chicken breasts
500g of veigies
100g cream cheese
20g flour

that should make perfecto sauce!!