What are you cooking today?

[judydawn]

Does you Mum spend time on the forum I Love Bimby?  That is where I really became interested and got moving, wasn't that pleased with it at first because nothing seemed to work for me and I think I was scared of it!  Now I use mine more than my DD, in fact her DH said at the weekend that he thought it was a waste of money.  My DH quickly disputed that!  Your cooking should be enough inspiration for your mum though, you do some great things.

[Rowyfo]

Oh man, I am getting jealous! My children have one grandparent between them and she has never looked after them even once. I don't have any siblings, either. My uncle comes around on Sunday mornings to play with my 4 year old but that's it. We're always here with him.

In happier news, this evening I made a mystery risotto from what I had leftover (roast chicken, pumpkin, peas, corn) and the family thought it was great. I'll probably never be able to replicate it!

[judydawn]

That is sad Rowyfo, young children love their grandparents and we can teach them so much.  My 4 year old loves to cook with me and get out into the garden.  I play hide and seek, dress Barbie dolls and draw (badly I might add but she always knows what it is supposed to be) and although it sometimes wears me out, I wouldn't have it any other way.

[I Love Bimby!]

judydawn - no she doesn't unfortunatly. I don't think she spends much time on the internet full stop.  However I do take dishes out there for her to prepare in the TMX - like the mini chicken drumsticks.  I marinated them overnight then sent them home with her when I recently had a demo (she looked after Miss 3) - they were a huge hit and she has the recipe now.  I think the biggest part is getting her out of her old habits. So often I get there and she's steaming the vegies on the stove!  I didn't realise that she was walking past her TMX each morning to her milling machine to do her LSA.  It was only after going to the cooking class did she try it in the TMX and was wrapped with the result.  I think I need to invest some more time with her to get her going a bit more.

Oh Rowyfo, that must be hard. There are some people I work with who have no family around either and can never get baby sitters.  It must be difficult - and you are doing an amazing job.  I'm so thankful I have Mum close by and that she and Dad just love having DD!

[CarolineW]

Oh man, I am getting jealous! My children have one grandparent between them and she has never looked after them even once. I don't have any siblings, either. My uncle comes around on Sunday mornings to play with my 4 year old but that's it. We're always here with him.

Know what you mean, Rowyfo.  My family are brilliant - but live the other side of the world!!!  So not too many visits or help, just once a year.  I have to fight feeling sad or jealous sometimes when I see what it's like for other people who have loving, helpful families around them - but hey, we're still blessed.  And I'm so very, very grateful to have my daughter.  And a family.  And a roof over our heads.  And food on the table. ... And a TMX in the kitchen!! 

[judydawn]

I made Karonjulie's apricot slice again tonight but made it half with apricots and half with apple.  Didn't read the recipe correctly and creamed the butter and sugar, mixed in the flour and then realised I should have had the eggs in with the butter and sugar.  A very forgiving recipe - it let me add them at the end and still turned out well. ) ) )

Also made Bron's washing machine liquid - that was fun.  Trying it for the first time tomorrow - still not sure how much to use.

[Thermomixer]

Never heard of anyone eating the broccoli leaves over here Caroline - do they taste anything like spinach or completely different.

Think Gai-Lan - Chinese broccoli - we eat it mainly in stir-fry.

[Thermomixer]

The more I read about nutrition etc the more and more I hear that we should be eating much more leaves (beetroot leaves etc). There are some strange sounding vegies that you can eat both the root part and the leaves too.  Michael Pollans 'In Defence of Food' and some of his other books talk about this - very interesting!

Just trying to get my mind-set and old habits out of the way lol  )

At class today, Sergio was talking about this very thing.  The cucina povera (cuisine of the poor) involving using a lot more of what we now discard.  They use the water from cooking artichokes as a tea for cleansing the liver and couch-grass tea also.

Turnip leaves are becoming more popular as cima di rape or rapini ( foreign name means we are more likley? to eat it and pay more !! )

[Thermomixer]

Also, if your radishes run to seed, the seed pods are DELICIOUS in a stir fry (or pickled, come to that).  I actually hope that my radishes will run to seed as I prefer the pods to the radish itself   

  And dandelions.  I like the variety of it, as it tastes better and I'm always convinced that the more variety there is, the more nutrition there is.  Not to mention the 'waste not, want not' philosophy 

If you save enough seeds you can make radish sprouts too - also delish!

Nettles are now available for sale at markets - yes those who know, like the Italian and Greeks can get them for free in the vacant land !!

[Thermomixer]

Speaking of eating leaves, there was a show on TV here a while back called 'Gondola on the Murray' and the Italian chef made a pie using stinging nettles   Who ever would have thought you could eat them!  How do people find these things out, guess if they don't die, it proves it is safe to eat   I think I would have to be told what it was, after I ate it!

Hi Jd - just saw this after I posted above about nettles - there is a bookm called Wild Weed Pie by Janni Kyritsis - see here http://thermomix-er.blogspot.com/2008/07/classic-janni-kyritsis-beef.html  and here http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?home=penguin&SBN=1920989323 and here http://www.penguin.com.au/lookinside/spotlight.cfm?SBN=1920989323&Page=Extract  There is a history of apprecaiting what is available.

Did Loretta Sartori do the nettle pie in that show ?? she helpe with many of the recipes - especially pastries.

[Thermomixer]

Judy,

a friend of mine on another forum has been drinking nettle tea, made her own out of nettles on her farm. I think, but don't quote me, that she said it was a great source of iron. They were discussing getting more iron in the diet.

Like spinach and silver beet - supposed to be correct - ask our gyno?? Paul, what's the go?

[Thermomixer]

i just tried to do my taco meat in the tmx and ended up with taco soup. it's the same problem i had when i tried to do the sloppy joe mix as a meat contribution for tenina. is the tmx just really not suitable for mince?

You really need to part freeze it and Turbo a couple of times - that has worked for me.

PS Thanks bron - now that I have gone down the page I see you have already said that 

[Thermomixer]

For 3 years Karen, I used to cook a meal and dessert on the Monday to take down there on Tuesday plus do her ironing and a general clean up.  However, it was getting too much for me and taking up most of my Monday so this year I just do her ironing and babysit. I prefer to do it at their house as it keeps my place clean   I don't mind cooking their tea if she leaves me all the ingredients, especially now she has the TMX.

Maybe it should be mandatory for mums to be like you JD !!!! 

[Thermomixer]

Oh man, I am getting jealous! My children have one grandparent between them and she has never looked after them even once. I don't have any siblings, either. My uncle comes around on Sunday mornings to play with my 4 year old but that's it. We're always here with him.

I was getting jealous, but then I remembered that I started cooking because I couldn't stand the food my mother cooked.  Old English style to please my dad - sooooooooo bland. 

I can assure you that my DW will be spending every possible second with the first grandchild - she can't wait to get back.

In happier news, this evening I made a mystery risotto from what I had leftover (roast chicken, pumpkin, peas, corn) and the family thought it was great. I'll probably never be able to replicate it!

Isn't that always the way - but also great that you can combine, taste and adjust and voila - everyone's happy (usually)

[Thermomixer]

 I think the biggest part is getting her out of her old habits. So often I get there and she's steaming the vegies on the stove!  I didn't realise that she was walking past her TMX each morning to her milling machine to do her LSA.  It was only after going to the cooking class did she try it in the TMX and was wrapped with the result.  I think I need to invest some more time with her to get her going a bit more.

Old habits do die hard - even when we see how easy something is - it needs to be repeated time and time again to really become a good habit.

Maybe you could get paid to go and do follow-up demos and cook some meals for clients to help them get their heads straight??