If you are using a magic eraser take care ... there have been bad stories circulating about skin damage, just make sure you wear gloves and keep your face well clear of the working area so that you don't get splashed accidentally.

Clifton Hill, Collingwood, Eureka Tower ... just about on top of each other here.  Maybe we should try to meet up for coffee some time, although that is easier said than done.  I don't know about you, but I work 5 1/2 days and wrangling time off is a challenge - although I'm off on my annual gardening overdose at the flower and garden show next Thursday or Friday.

Ditto

Butternut Squash Macaroni and Cheese

Serves:  3 - 4

Time taken:  However long the butternut takes to roast, plus approx. 30 seconds for the sauce

Ingredients:

3 ½ cups Butternut, peeled and chopped
¾ cup raw cashews
1 – 2 cups non-dairy milk
3 garlic cloves
1 tbs fresh lemon juice
2 tsp salt, or to taste
6 – 7 tbs Savoury Yeast Flakes (also known as Nutritional Yeast Flakes)
½ tsp Dijon mustard
½ tsp dried Italian seasoning
¼ - ½ tsp Turmeric (optional, for colour)
¼ - ½ tsp Paprika
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
450 – 500 gms Pasta of choice

Notes:

Add cooked or frozen vegetables to pasta
This can be made into a casserole in the oven – whiz up some breacrumbs with a butter substitute and spread on top with some paprika

Method:

Season chopped butternut in a bowl with c. 1 tsp oil and a pinch of salt and stir.  Roast in oven until cooked – turn over half way through.

Cook pasta and / or  vegetables to be finished when butternut is cooked

Sauce:

Add cashews to TMX jug and process until a fine crumb forms

Add milk, garlic, lemon, salt, savoury yeast, pepper, mustard and seasonings and process 20 seconds, no. 7, until smooth.

Add butternut to the sauce and blend until smooth, 10 – 20 seconds, no. 8.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  It may be pretty thick so thin down with more milk if necessary.

Drain pasta, then return to same pot and add additional vegetables, if liked.  Add the sauce and stir well. 

Either heat up and serve or put into casserole dish, top with breadcrumb, butter and paprika mixture and bake at 160c FF (175 c) for about 20 – 25 minutes.

Adapted from a recipe by Angela Liddon on her blog called "ohsheglows".

After dithering about this for a while, I took the plunge and have now got the free trial of Living Cookbook on my computer.  I have had very little time to play with it so far and I think it will be some time before I can say I have conquered it.

Cutting and pasting recipes is a breeze and I find this very easy to use.  This was one aspect that I was not sure about prior to getting the program - would I have to cut and paste everything from my collection of recipes in Word line by line ... what an nightmare of a job that would be.  However, this isn't the case, you copy the entire recipe then paste it into the program, click a couple more options and it's all done.  Very user friendly and very quick.

I am thinking of loads of questions now, though, i.e. can you have the same recipe listed twice - as an example, could I have hot cross buns under a heading like baking / cakes and another heading called Easter, without having to duplicate the recipe?  I'm still finding my way around the correct phrasing to ask the Help function.

I am a bit disappointed with the nutritional information - but as I have only had the trial for a couple of days some of my problems are probably because I haven't quite figured out how to apply the information correctly ... I'm working on that.

So far, I'm liking LC, although with some reservations (undoubtedly due to the fact that I am not familiar with it yet).  There are heaps of recipes that come with it, at least 90% are not relevant to our diet, but for others these would probably be a useful resource. 

We'll see how things go as time goes by.

Enjoy it, Meagan.  I'm sure you will have a wonderful time and come back enthused about all things TMX

That's OK, Hally ... you just need a holiday then everything will be clear!

What a difference!!  That looks fabulous JD.  You and Geoff must be really happy with that - all your neighbours will be very envious!  Does it feel 'grass-like'?  Just imagine - no more lawns to mow, what a tempting thought!