Forum Thermomix
Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: lizzieO on August 19, 2010, 10:18:11 am
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Went to a TM presentation last night with DH. It was odd, for a person who doesn't cook much and pretty badly, he sat there and nodded his head with excitement all night. After tasting all the yummies at the end of the night the he ordered a TM on the spot. I'm a serious gadget person and the technical person round the house and have all sorts of useless gadgets I've bought over the years and others I use a lot - DH is not. If I tell you I bought an iphone a year ago purely 'cos I wanted one and love it, he owns a flip phone and has never even played with my phone. When I started looking at TM online and told him about it and what it did but said it sounds great but its so expensive he said "Lets get one". We replaced our kitchen in January and he still hasn't got round to finding out how to use the new oven - like many men he is allergic to instruction manuals. The decision was made so quickly that last night I was awake half the night wondering if we'd done the right thing. At 6am I told him about my concerns (almost on the verge of buyer's remorse) and he was smiling from ear to ear still full of enthusiasm - I should have woken him at 1am and then I could have slept in peace. What's more he has even agreed to read the manual and follow recipes, - halleluia. I think he is counting the sleeps. Up to now I have the cooking space mostly to myself as I love it so now I think there is going to be a serious challenge and I may even have to draw up a roster. There are only the two of us at home but we have 5 married children and by the end of the year there'll be 11 grandchildren. I know the TM will be great, I've often made bread but this looks like it will take the slog out of it - and I'm gluten intolerant and the gf bread we had last night was great. Well this is my first post, I joined up so I could do research and gauge the enthusiasm, its awesome - doesn't seem anyone has regrets.
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hi lizzieO
first welcome and you will love this forum...and by the way you wont regret your purchase..your DH is the first that i know to buy it on the spot.wow..brave man!! Im sure there are many others though!!
This forum is fantastic and everyone is so helpful and there are new recipes everyday..it will keep you inspired for many months to come and sure does take the slog out of making bread.so so easy..check out isi 's recipes in the bread section...fail proof and so yummy..a good one to start is isi's portuguese rolls and the normal bread!
if you need any help or advice just ask someone on here..there is always someone around to answer your questions!!
enjoy your thermomix once you get it ..in the meantime check out some of the recipes you can make and drool hhaha!!
enjoy and sleep easy!! (i dont know anybody who has one who has regreted it!! - best thing i ever did!) :) :)
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Welcome lizzieO ;D
My TMX landed just over 12 months ago and I can honestly say we haven't regretted it yet! Even if I do have to fight the children to use it sometimes! ;)
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Hi Lizzie, welcome to the Forum. You will have great fun with your TMX. Perhaps you will need 2 bowls. ;D ;D When I came home from my first TMX demo and told my DH about it, he said order one. Like you I was wondering if I could justify the cost. I have done my sums and it has paid for itself in 18 months. I save $500 a year in bottled gas. Enjoy it and as Frozzie says ask for help it you need it.
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Welcome to the forum lizzieO. You have a husband that many would want to take with them to a TMX demo ;D ;D Mind you, if you can get your husband to go along to one, they don't seem to take much convincing so it is always a good idea to do so.
Here's hoping his enthusiasm continues and there are not too many fights in the kitchen. Some people can be a distraction in the kitchen and when you first get your machine you need to read the recipe carefully and then read it again to make sure you are doing the right thing. Many mistakes are made by rushing into things. I remember when I used the varoma for the first time and did the Asian flavoured steamed fish - I poured the marinade into the water and not over the fish!! I have never revisted this recipe so have no idea what it really should taste like - has to be better than the version I made though :-)) :-)) Have fun and let us know how you get along with it.
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TMX is fabulous for GF. You won't know how you survived without it!
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thats a very humourous story lizzieO, and a good one :D like chookie says, it may be worthwhile getting 2 jugs (good excuse anyway). i think you both are going to have a lot of fun making up some wonderful recipes together by the sounds of it ;D
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Welcome LizzieO - there is LOADS of enthusiasm here and almost no negativity.
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Gosh all those replies, now I can't wait. Today I played bridge with three friends and was telling them about it, two had never heard of the TM but the third laughed and said her daughter bought one a few weeks ago but she didn't know whether she'd use it as they didn't eat much! As I was describing what it does she said that I sounded just like her daughter and said the spiel must have worked! Just a question though, Grace was at the meeting, what a lovely lady and DH thinks she said you can put junks of pumpkin into the TM including seeds and skin to make soup. I can't remember hearing this, is it true? Also if anyone has a recipe for gluten free bread without eggs, I'm not tight, if I can buy a thermomix I can buy eggs, but they do give it a cakey texture. Now I don't feel like cooking any more until I get the new toy!
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have you looked in teh special diets section lizzieo?
i found this link but have a look through taht section!
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=3521.0
:)
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Hi LizziO
Yep thats true about the pumpkin. You can leave the skin on if it is butternut or other soft skin varieties and leave the seeds in. I think they give it a nutty sort of flavour and all that goodness you are getting.
I love the Pumpkin soup and make it in my lunch break- it only takes about 20minutes
Happy cooking (when ur TM comes!!) :D :D
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Yah to your dh. I'm sure you will both enjoy it.
Spend the days till you get it reading up here and listing all the recipes you want to try (I did that for 6 months, lol, so not sure when I'll ever get through them, lol).
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Hi lizzieO!
I can't ever imagine my DH even contemplating going to a TMX demo!
Read up here and check out member's blogs for some great ideas and recipes. I can see you will both be fighting over your new toy!
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My DH was sceptical at first, but now tells his female patients to buy one for an easier life, and his male patients to buy them for their wives :D
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Thanks everyone. DH is describing the TMX to everyone he knows but it is a strange description (although I would say "it does what a food processor does plus it cooks, weighs, steams, stirs etc.......... I don't think he knows about the fp which I've had forever) he says "it has this jug thing and these blades inside and you put a tea towel in it to dry and you don't need your stove anymore, which is all a bit rich as we have just got a brand new kitchen!! I asked him what the butterfly is cos I've read the book but received a blank look. I'm worried that he will make two things following a recipe and then think he knows it all and cook like he does at the moment which is badly. On the odd occasion when he has followed a recipe he produced something fantastic so there is hope. I worry he won't have the patience for the step by step recipes. Still I have great visions where we can cook together now and maybe do a course each which will be fun. Question - does owning a TMX make you dull and boring when you talk about nothing else? Do you lose friends or gain them and should you abandon all relationships that don't own a TMX?
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Question - does owning a TMX make you dull and boring when you talk about nothing else? Do you lose friends or gain them and should you abandon all relationships that don't own a TMX?
LOL It sure feels like it when people start calling me THERMOMAN ! ha ha
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lizzieO, I love hearing our DHs talk in glowing terms about the TMX. Mine proudly announces to everyone that everything on this table was made in the machine but wouldn't know the first thing about how to go about it. Others may find us dull and boring because we do tend to go on a bit about it and I find now, when there is no interest shown, I don't even mention him in conversations. If I have guests eating the food though, now that is a different story - they usually show more interest and let you talk about him. As long as your DH follows a recipe in his early cooking days, once he gets to know the capabilities of the machine, he will gradually learn to just do his own thing. We all have disasters from time to time so be prepared for that, especially when we don't read the recipe correctly. Even then though, the machine can be very forgiving and you can work your way out of mistakes.
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LizzieO, our friends and family are willing to put up with the hype about the TMX, when they eat a nice meal, 90% of which has been cooked in the machine. Many have now bought a TMX.
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I have influenced the purchases of about 15 Thermomixes :) Two of my three sisters have one, and loads of my friends!
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thermie is a drug lets just face it and cant help but go on and on about him..my DH does too but lets face it he does make some fantastic food so easy to whip up and who could help but go on about that :) :) :)
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My DH has been rolling his eyes when I have enthused about the TX ... it arrived on Sunday and yesterday [Monday] I made a creamy chicken and veg recipe using the varoma and made the best rice ever in the steamer basket and he changed his tune in an instant ... it was just so very funny!!!
Earlier in the day I made a loaf of gf bread and it was superb ... I can see how much the TX is going to help me in that area.
All the best!
Alison
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Oh, oh, oh - just one more sleep until Harriet arrives (that's the name of my yet to be seen new kitchen assistant). I've got all the ingredients ready for the stock that my lovely and inspiring consultant will show me how to whip up. I'm gluten free so think some gf bread will be next as the bought stuff is a bit mediocre and expensive. Before I became gf (intolerance not coeliac, I used to make the most wholemealie bread possible so miss it dearly and cope well with a gf diet except for missing decent bread. I've also bought rock salt and seaweed to make my own iodised salt. Today I was in our local health food shop and a young mum was buying a huge pile of stuff and I thought that tomorrow I will be able to make half of that! One of them was almond butter - I presume you just grind up the almonds, do you roast them first? This time tomorrow I'll be waiting with bated breath at the front door with my pinnie on. Sat. week I'll be doing some cooking for a grandchild's 5th birthday, any ideas for something in the TMX would be great.
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Oh oh oh Harriet and I have been together since Weds. First night made wonderfull risotto, next day carrot and coriander soup - think I would cook the carrots slightly long than recipe though. On Friday we had to go out at 9.30 am and by then I already had my magnificent loaf of gluten free bread sitting cooling on the bench. Amazing so very quick and the best gf bread I've ever eaten, so nice even dh said he'd be happy to eat it all the time. It almost looks and tastes like real bread. Before I became gluten intolerant I made ordinary bread quite a bit and go to wo took hours with all the rising. The funny thing is that the yeast was a large tin I'd had in the fridge for a long time and I noticed it expired in June 08 but used it anyway as had nothing else and it was still a success. Have since tossed it and bought a new one. Only failure - I made porridge, gf again, not worth it, I'll go back to the non-stick pot. Had to dismantle Harriet to get the glue like porridge from under her armpits, pull her hat apart. She too suggested I go back to my pot!
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Sounds like you're having a great time LizzieO.
I make almond butter by simply grinding the almonds up and adding some oil at the end till I get the texture that I want. You'll have to stop and scrape down the sides a few times. How long it takes is completely dependent on whether you want smooth or crunchy. I think roasting them just alters the flavour, so it's really a personal preference.
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Hi LizzieO,
Love your story! Welcome to the 'club'!! The tmx is very addictive - my husband raves about it at work too :D
We don't eat wheat, though we can have a bit of gluten, but often eat gluten free. I've made the gluten free bread without eggs - I'm still working on perfecting it though. I used a paste made from soaked linseeds, ground up after soaking, instead of the egg. Must try it again... I mostly use spelt, brown rice, buckwheat, and rye for baking. (And I love making cakes, brownies, etc, from ground nuts instead of flour.)
When I make nut butter, I use either roasted or raw nuts, usually a mixture of cashews, almonds & a handful of macadamias, - you don't need any oil if you use macadamias. I also add a bit of salt and Rapadura for flavour.
Have fun! ;D
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Welcome to the land of Thermomix addiction LizzieO.
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Thanks to you all for your warm and encouraging responses. Unfortunately rye and oats are not gf, though I do seem ok with spelt. Last night made the steamed Asian fish with rice and veges from the book, must admit I was sceptical about it, thinking maybe I could do better - sorry Harriet you win, it was fabulous and without any fat. Have just made yoghurt, bought the Easi Yo container just to keep it warm, but used a set yoghurt as the starter. Wednesday night we are hosting a demo, mostly people my husband has enthused with, he exaggerates a lot but don't think they'll be disappointed except I think he's invited them to a dinner party, don't know how everyone will react to our lovely consultants small disposable containers. It could be a true test of friendship! I'm planning to make the apple polenta cake from the gf book to take to grand daughter's bday, has anyone made it?
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Good to hear you two are having fun. Sure Harriet will be a GBF for a long time
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Had a home demo - for some mad friends and DD who is planning to buy one, now have a thermosaver too. I'm finding a few hiccups with the cookbook - think cooking pasta sauce at Varoma temp. is too hot, - any comments, sauce is delish but had to be watered down and the whole thing steamed up new kitchen something awful!!
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Well, you've really hit the ground running, haven't you? It does sound like Harriet is a valued member of the family.
I rarely cook any liquids at Varoma temps, unless I'm steaming. 100 or 90 is fine. No one seems to have had success with porridge.
Some EDC recipes are unreliable. Best to check here Recipe Book Recipe Reviews (http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?board=48.0).
Keep enjoying your new family member. May she bring you great joy and great food!
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No one seems to have had success with porridge.
We do! We make it a lot for breakfast - 160g oats, 600g water, pinch of salt - 90o, 10 mins, sp 1 - stir in milk & rapadura. Sometimes I chop up apple & pecans in the tmx first, then add other ingredients plus cinnamon, and serve with Rapadura & coconut cream :)
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Think I'll stick to the pot with gf porridge, - its much finer than oats. DH cooked beef stroganoff last night, and he doesn't do anything but boiled eggs, it was excellent. I made apple polenta cake, nice but not a cake its a pudding so didn't take it to GD party, made the carrot and almond cake from GF cookbook, - very easy and everyone loved it, might cook it for 10 mins more - I think I took it out of the dinner too early. Made juice this morning from beetroot, carrot, celery, apple and ginger this morning, -very nice indeed. Was just about to dump the residue into worm farm offerings but tasted it and think I might boil it add it to left over pasta sauce and mashed potato , add some spinach leaves and see if it makes a half decent soup - I am the soup magician, even make it with left over salad!!!!!! I'm a war baby and tho that is a long time ago my frugal upbringing sticks.
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Well I've had another go at the GF porridge. I'm getting more comfortable with the Harriet each day. I noticed that ordinary porridge is cooked at 90 but the GF is 100 which makes it behave like mud pools in a geyser. SO I had a shot using only 90 and its was great, I just love all the goody goodness that go into it. Now all you good people out there HELP please. We had some friends round last night and my husband said that I would cook them dinner using the tmx. I have this great casserole recipe for chicken from the wonderful Delicious Mag (in the oven) and there are four large onions sliced and browned for 20 mins in a frypan. I thought Harriet would do a splendid job. Well, and I mean well, - the onions after 20 mins were pale green and STEWED, not the lovely caramel look I was after. Question, should I stick to the frypan and the never ending stirring or is there a trick with browning onions that I am not privy to. The meal was still good, but I knew that I had used stewed onions!! I did make a great risotto and at the end of the meal whizzed up frozen low fat vanilla yoghurt frozen cubes with frozen blueberries and OMG we were all gobsmacked it was so delish. All this was for four of us playing a friendly game of bridge, and our friends said we didn't have to feed them so much. My comment was that I had to try these things with other people as I can't justify doing it for just us two, - we'd turn into elephants.
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Good to hear that the porridge is going OK. I remember posting comments about using 90 deg on Rick's blog. For me 100 was too high - Porridge Comments here (https://www.blogger.com/comment.g?blogID=310116817404705538&postID=8257045725344609794&isPopup=true)
The onions - um - well - better in a fry pan. I cook them in the TMX, but it takes longer. I do them on Varoma temp. reverse, with some oil and add little bits of water every now & then to stop it sticking - but the frypan is easier.
Know where you are coming from with the elephant analogy -too much fun !!
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OMG lizzieO, that is what's happened to me, I've turned into an elephant. :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) But then I do love elephants. (said tongue in cheek)
It's all my TMX fault too, it sits there looking lonely and I just have to use it, and then eat what it makes. :P :P :P
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I've turned into an elephant. :-)) :-)) :-)) :-)) :-))
"me too!" says she trumpeting loudly
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LizzieO, join the circus. ;D ;D ;D