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Topics - asha_76
16
« on: November 23, 2012, 12:26:32 am »
Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere but does anyone know how long the EDC Basil & Spinach Pesto should last in the fridge? I made a batch five days ago but still have heaps left as I've been out most of the week. It still looks & smells ok. Thanks in advance 
17
« on: November 16, 2012, 08:52:54 am »
Hi all, Made this for dinner the other night and thought I would give it a quick review. I used lamb backstrap and halved the recipe as well so I reduced the last two cooking times by around 20%. I also served it with basmati rice rather than jasmine. Firstly can I say that this recipe smells absolutely divine whilst cooking...it is a real mouth waterer. Unfortunately opinion was divided on the finished result. Even when halved, this is a spicy one. Personally, I loved it and was able to eat it as is. Hubby managed to get through his by mixing through some yoghurt but even then struggled. Miss 4 had lots of yoghurt added to hers too but wouldn't touch it after a couple of mouthfuls. I won't give it a mark because my family's opinion isn't reflective of the recipe itself. If you like spicy dishes then it's a great one but if you don't then steer clear. Unfortunately I won't be making this one for the family's dinner again 
18
« on: November 14, 2012, 04:14:47 am »
Hi all,
Thought I would review this dish seeing as I gave it a go on the weekend and no-one else has done it!
I cheated and used supermarket mascarpone and it was fine. The recipe also said to use dry sponge biscuits so I went with Unibic Savoiardi Biscuits as I have always used them for Tiramisu before.
Just a couple of tips - I used the smallest rectangular sized dish that I had and I still needed quite a few more than 180g biscuits so I'd recommend making sure that you have enough to cover the dish twice (there are two layers) before you start.
The recipe recommends chilling for at least three hours. I did mine for three and a half and it was fine but it did taste better the next day once all of the cream and liquor had properly soaked into the biscuits.
Also don't be put off by the smell of the Amaretto. It is very strong when the mascarpone mixture comes out of the TM but it does settle down once it is chilled and soaks into everything else.
In general this was a really nice dessert and you will probably get around 8 or 9 serves from it. I'd definitely make it again although it wasn't popular with Miss 4 who found it a bit strong.
19
« on: November 11, 2012, 10:57:09 pm »
Hi all,
Here is a Seafood Paella recipe of mine that I’ve converted to the TM. It’s taken a couple of attempts to get right but I am happy with the result of this one. Of course it doesn’t have the crispiness of a traditional paella but you could always add it to a hot wok for a few minutes or put it on to a baking dish and under a hot grill if you wanted to try and crisp things up a bit. The turmeric will temporarily stain your butterfly yellow but I’ve found that it eventually comes off after a few washes.
SEAFOOD PAELLA - adapted from Super Food Ideas (Budget Favourites)
Ingredients
20ml vegetable oil
1 large onion, peeled and cut into quarters
1 red capsicum, trimmed and seeded
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon turmeric
300g long grain rice (I used basmati)
400g tin chopped tomatoes with herbs
375ml container of liquid fish or vegetable stock
450g marinara mix
150g frozen peas
Preparation
1. Spread the marinara mix and frozen peas across the Varoma tray and set aside.
2. Place onion, red capsicum and garlic into TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on Speed 7.
3. Add the vegetable oil and sauté for 3 minutes on Varoma Speed 1.
4. Insert Butterfly. Add the turmeric and rice and sauté for 2 minutes 100° Reverse + Speed 1.
5. Add the tinned tomatoes and stock to TM bowl. Place the Varoma containing marinara mix and peas on top of the bowl. Cook for 15 minutes Varoma Reverse + Speed 1.
6. Remove Varoma and place cooked seafood and peas into large bowl or Thermoserver. Add the cooked rice and stir until all ingredients are combined. You can leave covered for 5-10 minutes if the rice needs to soak up any remaining liquid.
Tips/Hints
My marinara mix was very light on prawns so I added a couple of handfuls of frozen ones to the Varoma dish and steamed them underneath the marinara mix and peas. You could easily add any extra ingredients this way.
20
« on: October 29, 2012, 05:29:09 am »
Hi all,
I read on Facebook somewhere that the Festive Flavour Cookbook was going to be re-released in time for Christmas this year. Can anyone please confirm if this is the case and how much it will be selling for?
I've seen a couple on Ebay but suspect the price may be higher than what Thermomix will be charging and if that's the case then I'd rather wait and buy through TM.
Can anyone shed any light on this for me?
21
« on: August 30, 2012, 12:03:52 pm »
Hi all,
Would be interested to know if anyone else has given this a go?
I made it the other day and feel there is something not quite right with the recipe. I did everything as instructed but the cake was still very uncooked in the middle after the 40 minutes cooking time. I put it back in for an extra 20 minutes with the oven up 20 degrees higher but it still made no difference.
The cake itself was very nice and very easy to make but we ended up having to eat it half cooked. Has anyone else experienced the same thing?
22
« on: June 07, 2012, 03:00:17 am »
Hi all,
I attended a Back to Basics Cooking Class the other day and the consultant (who is not my consultant) said that all of us who owned TM's would already have the cleaning brush (the bright green one that looks like a toilet brush).
Problem is that I don't have this brush. Was my consultant meant to give me one when she dropped off my machine six months ago? I couldn't stay back to ask after the class cause it ran overtime and I had to leave.
I do already have the spatula & brush set from Super Kitchen Machine but would like to have this one too if I am entitled to it.
23
« on: April 27, 2012, 03:39:39 am »
Hi all,
This is a Nigella recipe that I've been making for ages but only just did it in the TM with great results!
PASTA WITH MEATBALLS - adapted from Nigella Bites by Nigella Lawson
SERVES - 6
MEATBALLS
INGREDIENTS
1 garlic clove
250g minced pork
250g minced beef (I used 500g combined beef & pork mince that you can get from Coles)
1 egg
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan
1 teaspoon dried oregano
3 tablespoons breadcrumbs or semolina
Grind of black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
PREPARATION
1. Put garlic in TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on Speed 7.
2. Add all other ingredients and mix for 10 seconds on Speed 5, using the spatula to ensure all ingredients are combined.
3. Form the meat mixture into balls and place into greased Varoma dish. If you have more meatballs than will fit in the dish, put the remainder on greased Varoma tray. (Larger ones are better in dish & smaller on the tray).
TOMATO SAUCE
INGREDIENTS
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon dried oregano
20g unsalted butter
20g olive oil (not extra-virgin)
700g bottle tomato passata
350ml cold water
Pinch of sugar
Salt and pepper
100ml full-fat milk
PREPARATION
1. Place onion, garlic and oregano into TM bowl and chop for 5-10 seconds on Speed 7.
2. Add the butter and oil and sauté for 3 minutes at 100° on Speed 1.
3. Add the bottle of passata, cold water, sugar, salt and pepper and cook for 10 minutes on 100° Speed 1.
4. Add the milk and then place the Varoma into position and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature on Speed 1.
5. When cooking time has finished, place the meatballs into the Thermoserver and cover with Tomato sauce from the TM jug before serving over cooked pasta.
TIPS & HINTS
Nigella recommends serving these with tagliatelle. I use store bought or make some using the pasta dough recipe in the EDC. If anyone wants to make the pasta to her recipe, the ingredients are –
PASTA
400g Italian 00 flour
Fat pinch of salt
4 eggs
Brumington: ...added a zucchini, capsicum, carrot and mushrooms into the sauce
.....used tinned tomatoes instead of passata
....put in some beef stock that I've had frozen for months and just wanted to get rid of it!
...added a dollop of umami
MEP: Reduced water to 200ml
Added an extra teaspoon of sugar, fresh basil, a shake of bolognaise herbs and two cut up carrots.
Judy:I did 1.5 times meatball mixture but just the 1 quantity of sauce - it was plenty for the extra balls. 7-8 serves in this house over pasta
Jamberie: About 4 minutes into steaming I added a heap of Brussels sprouts to the varoma tray. I thought they might be a fun veggie to add as they are a similar size to the meatballs and the sauce disguised the taste for those who are not fans! I added the meatballs and Brussels sprouts to the thermosaver then poured the sauce over the top.
ES: I didn't have any pork mince, so I used all beef. I think my mince was too lean, so next time I'll add the pork. I also increased the mince to 750g. I couldn't fit all the meatballs in one layer in the top tray, so I put some in the bottom tray as well.
Bubbles: I use 500g beef mince and 250g pork mince and increase the rest of the meatball ingredients to suit. I also add carrot, zucchini & celery to both the meatball mixture and the sauce for added vegies for the kids.
24
« on: April 19, 2012, 12:12:23 pm »
Hi all,
Here is my conversion of Donna Hay’s Berry Popsicles. They are pretty similar to the Yoghurt & Berry Popsicles in the EDC but the recipe makes more and you don’t need to thaw the berries first.
BERRY POPSICLES - adapted from Donna Hay Magazine Issue 7
Makes - 10 (according to recipe)...I got 12.
Ingredients
100g fresh or frozen raspberries
500g thick natural yoghurt
220g caster sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
150g fresh or frozen raspberries, roughly chopped
Preparation
1. Puree the 100g raspberries for 5 seconds on Speed 6.
2. Add the yoghurt, sugar and lemon juice and mix for 30 seconds on Speed 3.
3. Add the 150g of roughly chopped raspberries and mix for 30 seconds on Reverse Speed 3.
4. Spoon into moulds and freeze for 4 hours or until firm.
25
« on: March 19, 2012, 12:58:33 am »
Hi all,
Here is a recipe for Chicken Cacciatore that I adapted from one of my old recipe books. It was really yum so I thought I would share.
CHICKEN CACCIATORE - adapted from Fats & Figures: Luscious Low Fat Recipes
SERVES - 4
INGREDIENTS
4 skinless chicken breast fillets
Salt, black pepper
1 medium onion, sliced into rings (or you can chop the onion with the garlic and bacon in Step 2 if you prefer)
2 rashers middle bacon
1 clove garlic
40g oil
120g dry white wine
20g white vinegar
1 x 800g can tomatoes, including liquid, chopped
1 x 140 g can tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried basil
˝ teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon soy sauce
300g dry fettuccine
PREPARATION
1. Sprinkle chicken fillets with pepper and salt on both sides and place on greased Varoma tray.
2. Place onion, bacon and garlic in TM bowl and chop for 2 seconds on Speed 7.
3. Add oil and sauté for 3 minutes at 100° on Speed 1.
4. Add wine and vinegar and cook for 3 minutes on 100° Speed 1.
5. Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, spices and soy sauce and cook for 20 minutes at Varoma temperature Speed 1.
6. At the same time, place the Varoma with chicken into position.
7. Meanwhile cook fettuccine as per directions on packet.
8. At the end of cooking, cut chicken into serving size pieces.
9. When cooked, arrange fettuccine on serving plate and serve chicken pieces and sauce over the top.
TIPS/HINTS
I halve this recipe and only use 2 chicken fillets and half the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste. I don't bother about halving anything else and it still works really well.
members' comments
thermo 18 - This was a really nice meal, only did the 2 chicken breasts and the one tin of tomatoes and 70g tomato paste as suggested. Next time, and there will be a next time, I might add 1 more garlic and I would put the chicken in with the sauce already cut in strips and cook for 15 minutes. A good meal, quick and simply that everyone would enjoy.
26
« on: March 02, 2012, 10:50:43 am »
Hi all,
Here is a Chicken Lasagne recipe I adapted from one of my cookbooks that turned out really well in the TM.
CHICKEN LASAGNE - adapted from Brilliant Chicken Recipes (Family Circle)
SERVES - 4
INGREDIENTS
1 clove garlic
20 g oil
250g frozen spinach, thawed
50g butter
50g plain flour
500ml milk
180g cheddar cheese
300g diced cooked or BBQ chicken
fresh lasagne sheets
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 180°.
2. Add cheddar cheese to TM bowl and grate for 6-8 seconds on Speed 8.
3. Remove 60g of cheddar cheese from the bowl and set aside.
4. To the remaining cheddar cheese, add the butter, flour and milk and cook for 7 minutes at 90° on Speed 4.
5. Set aside the cheese sauce and rinse TM bowl.
6. Place the garlic into TM bowl and chop for 2-3 seconds on Speed 7.
7. Scrape down sides of bowl then add the oil and saute for 2-3 minutes at 100° on Speed 1.
8. Add spinach to TM bowl and cook for 5 minutes at 90° on Speed 3. Season to taste.
9. Add 1/2 cup cheese sauce to the spinach and put 1/3 of the spinach mixture into an ovenproof dish.
10. Cover with lasagne sheets, then another 1/3 of the spinach mixture.
11. Sprinkle over half the chicken and cover with lasagne.
12. Repeat with the remaining spinach, chicken and lasagne, and finish by pouring on the remaining cheese sauce.
13. Sprinkle over the remaining cheddar cheese and bake for 30-40 minutes.
members' comments
JD - didn't have enough chicken so added some diced ham and used caramelised garlic paste instead of a clove of garlic. DH really enjoyed it, I thought the cheese sauce was a little rich so would cut the quantity of cheese. Apart from that, it was very nice. Thanks asha.
Mills - Turned out perfect, nothing better then watching the kids enjoy their dinner and even enjoy their spinach. This is now made once a week. Thanks so much for sharing such a great recipe.
27
« on: February 10, 2012, 05:31:05 am »
Here is a Baked Custard recipe that I adapted for the TM that worked really well so I thought I'd share (forgot to take photo...sorry!)
BAKED CUSTARD - adapted from The Perfect Cookbook by David Herbert
SERVES - 4-6
INGREDIENTS
500g milk
250g cream
3 eggs
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla essence or extract
120g caster sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 150°.
2. Add milk and cream to TM bowl and cook for 6 minutes on 100° Speed 1.
3. Set aside and rinse TM bowl.
4. Add whole eggs, egg yolks, vanilla and sugar to TM bowl. Mix for 10-15 seconds on Speed 4.
5. Insert Butterfly. Add the hot milk and cream mixture back to the egg mixture in the TM bowl and mix for 20-30 seconds on Speed 3.
6. Transfer mixture to a 6 cup capacity ovenproof dish and sprinkle with the nutmeg.
7. Stand the dish in a large baking tin and fill the tin with enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the dish.
8. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 35-45 minutes or until the custard has just set - it should still wobble a little.
Tips/Hints:
This recipe can also be made into individual custards by pouring the mixture into six small ramekins and cooking for 20-25 minutes only (or you could steam in the Varoma although I haven't tried this yet).
28
« on: February 05, 2012, 09:28:35 am »
Hi all, Made this Nigella recipe for a dinner party last night and it was a hit. It is so easy to make (especially with a TM), and it tasted fantastic. I highly recommend it! I forgot to get a picture before it was cut but you get the general idea. There are more pictures on the original recipe here - http://www.nigella.com/recipes/view/CHOCOLATE-PEANUT-BUTTER-CHEESECAKE-5309CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKE - adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson SERVES - 10-12 INGREDIENTSFOR THE BASE200g digestive biscuits (I used McVitie's Original Digestives) 50g salted peanuts 100g dark chocolate chips 50g soft unsalted butter FOR THE FILLING500g cream cheese 3 eggs 3 egg yolks 200g caster sugar 125ml sour cream 250g smooth peanut butter FOR THE TOPPING250ml sour cream 100g milk chocolate chips 30g soft brown sugar 1 x 23cm springform tin PREPARATION1. Preheat the oven to 170°c (I used 150°) 2. Put the biscuits, peanuts, dark chocolate chips and butter for the base in the TM bowl and process for 15-20 seconds on Speed 6. 3. Turn it out into a springform tin and press into the bottom and up the sides to make the crunchy crust. 4. Put in the fridge and clean or wipe out the TM bowl before making the filling. 5. Put the cream cheese, eggs and egg yolks, sugar, sour cream and peanut butter into the TM bowl and mix until smooth for 2 minutes and 30 seconds on Speed 4. 6. Pour and scrape the filling into the base in the chilled springform tin and cook for 1 hour, though check after 50 minutes. The top – only – should feel set and dry. Clean or wipe out the TM bowl in the meantime. 7. Take the cheesecake out of the oven while you make the topping. 8. Insert Butterfly. Add the sour cream, milk chocolate chips and brown sugar to the TM bowl. Warm for 3 minutes on 50° Speed 1. 9. Spoon and spread the topping very gently over the top of the cheesecake, being as careful as you can in case you break the surface of the cheesecake. (not that anything bad will happen; you’ll just have chocolate marbling the cake a bit.) 10. Put it back in the oven for a final 10 minutes. 11. Once out of the oven, let the cheesecake cool in its tin and then cover and put into the fridge overnight. 12. When you are ready to eat the cheesecake, take it out of the fridge, just to take the chill off: this will make it easier to spring from the tin. don’t let it get too warm, though, as it will become a bit gooey and be hard to slice. Tips/HintsIngredients should be at room temperature before you start and you need to make it at least a day in advance although you can make it up to two days ahead.
29
« on: January 31, 2012, 05:34:18 am »
Hi all,
My family found the EDC Mushroom Risotto way too bland and watery so I adapted an old mushroom risotto recipe that I had last night and it worked a treat. Here’s the details if anyone is interested -
PORCINI MUSHROOM AND ONION RISOTTO - adapted from Step by Step Italian Cooking (Family Circle)
Ingredients
1 x 15g packet sliced dried porcini mushrooms (available from delis – sometimes they will be in a 10g pack – either is fine)
1 litre chicken stock
60g butter
2 onions
1 clove garlic
300g arborio rice
150g fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons parsley
60g parmesan cheese
Preparation
1. Soak porcini mushrooms in water following instructions on the packet.
2. Place the parsley into TM bowl and chop for 2-3 seconds on Speed 7. Set aside.
3. Place the Parmesan cheese into TM bowl and pulverise for 10 seconds on speed 9. Set aside.
4. Place onion and garlic into TM bowl and chop for 2-3 seconds on Speed 6-7.
5. Add butter and sauté for 3 minutes at 100° on Speed 1 with MC off.
6. Insert Butterfly. Add arborio rice to TM bowl and sauté for 2 minutes at 100° on Reverse + Speed 1.
7. Add stock, porcini mushrooms and mushrooms and cook for 17 minutes at 100° on Reverse + Speed 1.
8. When cooked, place chopped parsley and parmesan cheese into ThermoServer and pour cooked risotto on top.
9. Stir through then allow to rest for at least 5-10 minutes before serving.
Tips/Hints
Risotto will still be quite liquidy when cooking time has finished but resting in the ThermoServer allows the rice to soak up most of the remaining liquid.
members' comments
auds - Didn't use parsley. Used 90g parmesan and half cup wine. Added salt and pepper to taste at the end. Also didn't use porcini - too expensive so used 300g brown mushrooms. Was very impressed for my first ever Risotto. Using it for arancini later today. Great recipe thanks.
Uni - when I make porcini mushrooms risotto I add a few of drops truffle oil.It's an expensive risotto to make for a large family.
Chookie - I often use Chinese dried mushrooms. Much cheaper.
Hazelnut - Made this tonight and we all loved it.
30
« on: January 18, 2012, 05:10:52 am »
Hi all, I had a bag of carrots going off in the fridge that I needed to do something with and the obvious answer was Carrot Cake! I converted this recipe from one of my cookbooks before realising that there were other Carrot Cake recipes on the forums. It was so lovely and moist though that I thought I would share anyway. It has been very popular in our house! CARROT CAKE -  - adapted from Afternoon Tea released by Frankie Magazine IngredientsCake140g self-raising flour 140g plain flour 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda 200g vegetable oil 100g lightly packed soft brown sugar 4 eggs 150g golden syrup 300g carrot, roughly chopped 60g walnuts Icing180g cream cheese 60g butter 170g icing sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice Preparation1. Preheat oven to 160° and grease a deep 23 cm round cake tin...you may wish to also line the base and sides with baking paper. 2. Place walnuts into TM bowl and chop for 2-3 seconds on Speed 4. Set aside. 3. Place carrots into bowl and grate for 5 seconds on Speed 7. Set aside and rinse bowl if necessary. 4. Put vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs and golden syrup into TM bowl and mix for 5 seconds on Speed 7. 5. Add self-raising flour, plain flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and bicarbonate of soda. Mix for 5 seconds on Speed 5. 6. Add the carrots and walnuts and mix for 20-30 seconds on Reverse + Speed 2. 7. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin, using the spatula to completely incorporate the carrot and walnuts if necessary, and smooth the surface. 8. Bake for an hour, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean. Clean or rinse TM bowl whilst cake is cooking. 9. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for at least 15 minutes before turning onto a wire rack. 10. To make icing, place cream cheese, butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and lemon juice into TM bowl and process for 15-20 seconds on Speed 9. 11. Spread the icing over cooled cake. Tips/HintsThe top can be decorated with additional chopped walnuts (I ran out so the top of my cake looks a little plain)! The book doesn't specify whether oven temp is for fan forced oven but I always reduce my oven temp by 20° for everything as it is so powerful (mine is fan forced). So while the book says 160°, I cooked my cake on 140° for an hour and it was fine. If yours is fan forced I would lean towards lowering the temperature as well seeing as the cake is in there for an hour. members' commentsUni - I cooked my cake on 150 oC for 1 hour it was perfect.
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