Forum Thermomix

Welcoming Center, Management and General Chat => Chit Chat => Topic started by: brazen20au on September 30, 2009, 05:56:56 am

Title: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on September 30, 2009, 05:56:56 am
Thanks to Chelsea for a fabulous idea!!

Review-arama!
Cook and review two forum recipes that have 2 or less reviews - preferably none (one sweet and one savoury) and offer honest feedback and suggestions for improvement. 

Post which ones you are going to cook and review so we don't all double up - let's say no more than 2 people doing each recipe.  Those that have a camera could also post photos of the dishes with their reviews.

so let's get reviewing!!!!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Thermomixer on September 30, 2009, 07:12:00 am
Good idea - post what you will do here and put reviews under the recipes.

Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on September 30, 2009, 10:01:04 am
Can I do all savoury please?  I have chosen 4 if that is OK - obviously we have a few weeks to do them.  May do some more after I get these done if that's OK. Guess I should do a sweet or two as well but we will see how we go.

Sauteed Spinach and Tomatoes in Vegetarian by greenjellysnakes 22/6/09
Spanish ham croquetas in Starters & Snacks by huilink 12/11/08
Chicken & Ricottta crepe bake in Mains by Brazen 13/9/08 - does this freeze OK Karen?
Quiche without crust in Mains by MrSpock 4/6/09

4/10/09 did the spinach dish & the ham croquetas today - reviewed in their own thread
5/10/09 did the crustless quiche
7/10/09 did chicken & ricotta crepe bake
My challenge is done  :D :D
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on September 30, 2009, 12:24:11 pm
sorry judy, i have no idea about the freezability!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Chelsea (Thermie Groupie) on September 30, 2009, 12:38:14 pm
I am going to cook and review:

Impossible Lemon Pie (posted by Trudy - dessert section)
Pork and Potatoes (posted by JD - mains section)

They both sound very yummy!  :)

Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on September 30, 2009, 12:46:19 pm
Karen, your recipe calls for a large tub of low-fat ricotta - is that 500g or 250g? 
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on September 30, 2009, 01:00:03 pm
i'm guessing 500g. no way i could feed us on 250g lol
perhaps you should halve the recipe judy, if i remember right it gave us enough for lot sof leftovers lol
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on September 30, 2009, 01:01:37 pm
Definitely will Karen.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on September 30, 2009, 01:05:04 pm
you could still make the full amount of crepes and freeze them for whatever you wanted to use them for ;)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on September 30, 2009, 01:06:54 pm
May as well.  My favourite crepe recipe is a WW seafood crepe with prawns and scallops - will have to look at converting that one of these days.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 01, 2009, 10:25:18 am
This sounds very exciting. I will have to have a look and come back and put in my selections.

OK Here are my selections.
Delicious Vegetable Quiche from Nconnella.     Done and review posted.

Chocolate Sauce Pudding from CreamPuff 63       Done and review posted.

Caramelized Amaretto Apples from Riv mum
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 01, 2009, 01:22:22 pm
Fantastic idea!  Now to look for a recipe or two to review!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 01, 2009, 01:27:42 pm
Are we using the reviewing section for recipe books only? If so I guess we put these reviews with the forum recipe.
What are everyone's thoughts on this?
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 01, 2009, 01:30:59 pm
Good idea - post what you will do here and put reviews under the recipes.


Looks like it Cookie1.  Much easier if the forum reviews are under the recipe and the recipe book reviews are in the new review section.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 01, 2009, 01:32:40 pm
Thanks Judy. As I hang my head in shame I will admit I didn't read that correctly.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 01, 2009, 01:42:18 pm
I'll volunteer to try JudyDawn's Chicken Cacciatore to start with. 
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: riv_mum on October 01, 2009, 03:18:05 pm
I was planning on doing some baking over the weekend so have picked a few recipes to try.

White cabbage salad with almonds by caroline.
Russian tea cakes by auntannie
Jam coconut slice by creampuff
Soft torrone by thermomixer
Passionfruit slice by Brazen

Hopefully we can get some great reviews to add to the recipes which have few comments. It will definiatly be helpful!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: riv_mum on October 02, 2009, 02:32:11 am
Just made the honey sesame delights. Review to follow soon as they are set.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 02, 2009, 08:56:39 am
I'd like to review the Hot Cross Bun recipe by food&winos.  I know it's not easter, but I'm wanting to perfect my raisin toast recipe and it could be a good base.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: I Love Bimby! on October 02, 2009, 11:26:36 am
I'll make:
Chicken and Vegetable Soup by our one and only Judydawn  :-*
Pasteis de Nata (Portuguese Cream Tarts) by MiMi

Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: I Love Bimby! on October 03, 2009, 01:22:06 pm
Made JD's Chicken and Veggie soup today and have posted the review against that recipe. Yum!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Chelsea (Thermie Groupie) on October 04, 2009, 12:37:37 pm
I'm loving reading all of these reviews. My printer has been running hot tonight.  So many different recipes to print out (with your reviews and suggestions underneath)!!!! :)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 04, 2009, 12:47:04 pm
Yes this challenge was a brilliant one - got things moving a bit.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: JaneeZee on October 04, 2009, 02:31:25 pm
Does it have to be something that has had no feedback?  I would like to try the spicy asian chicken & garlic sauce - although others have already been there.  Dessert TBA.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 04, 2009, 02:46:34 pm
Does it have to be something that has had no feedback?  I would like to try the spicy asian chicken & garlic sauce - although others have already been there.  Dessert TBA.
There are postings JaneeZee but I could only see 1 person who had actually made the recipe so go for it.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 04, 2009, 03:22:54 pm
Yes I think the idea for this is to ignore "that sounds delicious"  ??? so we can upgrade to "that was delicious, we all licked the plates clean!" :-*
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 05, 2009, 01:05:35 am
You've got it Cathy ;) ;)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on October 05, 2009, 03:00:10 am
hey i personally don't mind what you review lol go for it!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 05, 2009, 08:24:26 am
I don't know about others but I love to read all the different comments re recipes. Especially if they differ. You can sometimes work out that your family likes similar things to .........family and therefore read their reviews knowing that alteration would probably be good for your tastes. I always note on the recipes people's comments and then add to them or scribble them out according to my tastes. I even find when I make things they can vary, it makes for lots of notes on my recipes.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 05, 2009, 12:18:48 pm
And very messy recipe books Cookie1 - my EDC is disgusting with all the changes made.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: JaneeZee on October 05, 2009, 12:32:08 pm
Spicy Asian chicken in Garlic Sauce done............YUM YUM!!

What a tough assignment this is!!!!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: faffa_70 on October 06, 2009, 03:15:10 am
And very messy recipe books Cookie1 - my EDC is disgusting with all the changes made.

I have a gazillion (yes gazillion - I was one of the cheap book sellers remember  ;)) cookbooks that have scribbles etc through them and now are starting to get TMX scribbles on them as well as my TMX books. Have made the bold decision this week to start typing them out so they are easy to change as need be (to add to or remove etc). Also was thinking of all the room I would save once I got through a book as I would no longer need to keep it  :D
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Chelsea (Thermie Groupie) on October 06, 2009, 03:33:16 am
What a tough assignment this is!!!!

I am finding this challenge a little tough.  I am wanting to keep trying new recipes that haven't been reviewed, but I'm getting sidetracked.  When I read a great review on here, I just want to try the reviewed dish for myself instead of trying a completely new dish.  What a dilemma...... ;)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 06, 2009, 02:21:21 pm
Just did the zucchinni brownies!  Short version - excellent!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: CarolineW on October 06, 2009, 03:19:04 pm
And very messy recipe books Cookie1 - my EDC is disgusting with all the changes made.

I have a gazillion (yes gazillion - I was one of the cheap book sellers remember  ;)) cookbooks that have scribbles etc through them and now are starting to get TMX scribbles on them as well as my TMX books. Have made the bold decision this week to start typing them out so they are easy to change as need be (to add to or remove etc). Also was thinking of all the room I would save once I got through a book as I would no longer need to keep it  :D

That's what I ended up doing too, Faffa  :D  I ran out of shelves!  I put them onto Recipezaar.com before this forum arrived, but now I'm gradually putting them here.  I used to have a whole bookcase full to bursting, but I now have 1 small shelf in a cupboard!!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: CreamPuff63 on October 07, 2009, 03:35:06 pm
I thnk this months challenge has been inspirational, it has really got people to "come out" and say what they think about the recipes, rather than just say "yum yum",  printing them off and keeping thoughts to themselves.

Brazen, can I suggest perhaps for next months challenge (and I don't mind being shot down in flames) if we convert a recipe from our favourite chef or book?

Other people put your thinking caps on and come up with suggestions please to knock mine off the block...
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 07, 2009, 10:55:53 pm
Or Christmas theme?  It'll be here very soon!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 08, 2009, 01:07:29 am
Both of the above plus your best low kj recipe to get our bodies in shape for summer ;) ;)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: CarolineW on October 08, 2009, 10:52:13 am
I thnk this months challenge has been inspirational, it has really got people to "come out" and say what they think about the recipes, rather than just say "yum yum",  printing them off and keeping thoughts to themselves.

Brazen, can I suggest perhaps for next months challenge (and I don't mind being shot down in flames) if we convert a recipe from our favourite chef or book?

Other people put your thinking caps on and come up with suggestions please to knock mine off the block...

Loud cries of "Here, here!" from this direction (I can just hear the honorable gentlemen of the House of Parliament joining in).  I couldn't agree more with you, CP63, on all points.

For a future challenge, how about reviewing a TMX cookbook recipe too, to kickstart that thread more as well.  It's only just begun to register in my thick head that this is actually a very useful thread.  I'm a bit slow on the uptake sometimes  :-))
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Chelsea (Thermie Groupie) on October 08, 2009, 11:25:35 am
I agree CP63, reading all of these reviews has been inspirational.  I know I plan to review recipes much more in the future - even when we have our next challenge to keep us busy.  I think Karen will have a hard time choosing our 3rd challenge from these great suggestions when she returns from her trip.  I was also thinking a Christmas theme would be good, but wondered if Tenina would be running a Christmas theme with the monthly competition.  Maybe not??  :) 
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 08, 2009, 11:45:24 am
It seems like we have lots of wonderful ideas to keep us going for a while. We could even have family favourites that we have converted.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: CarolineW on October 08, 2009, 06:04:10 pm
It seems like we have lots of wonderful ideas to keep us going for a while. We could even have family favourites that we have converted.

Oooh, I like that one.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Thermomixer on October 08, 2009, 11:59:13 pm
Now we're cooking Thermomixing !!!!   :-* :-* :-* :-*
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 19, 2009, 01:14:46 pm
I'd like to put in another vote for Challenge #3 - Christmas Recipes.  I've just found out that Christmas lunch plans have been changed, and that we're hosting for the first time every - talk about pressure.  But I'm also very excited.  I've never hosted Christmas so am trying to get some ideas of things that can be prepared ahead of time.  I'm thinking mainly cold so that we don't have timing issues of getting everything hot at the same time.

So tried and tested Christmas recipes would be great!  It's one thing to experiment on DH and kids, but quite another to experiment on the inlaws.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: judydawn on October 19, 2009, 02:08:03 pm
Well Cathy, if you are having cold it will be really easy.  I would roast some turkey rolls & pork racks the day before (cooking times are on the packs - look for the cryvacced (?) packs of pork racks, they are not always available so start looking now in Coles, Woolworths or Foodland so you know what I mean.  They are moist and luscious and you cook them exactly according to the time on the pack, no longer. Next day, remove the bone & when you slice them into thin slices they will be perfect. Then some ham in whichever form you prefer and we have plenty of nice salads in our recipe books.  The worst part is making sure you have enough plates, cutlery, glasses and ROOM to put everyone.  At least you have plenty of time to plan and make lists. I'm sure you will get help from other members of the family so put the fruit platters, trifle, pavlovas or cheesecakes or whatever you want for dessert onto them to save you room in your fridge.  Nice little tip for strawberries is to cut a cross in the top and pipe into the space some philly cream cheese mixed with some icing sugar.  Good luck, you will have an enormous amount of fun planning this special day.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: brazen20au on October 19, 2009, 10:20:01 pm
somehow i missed all the posts above! sorry!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on October 20, 2009, 01:55:59 am
Thanks for the tips JudyDawn - yes people are helping, I have to decide what I want them to bring.  yes plenty of time to plan - I'm looking forward to it.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 20, 2009, 04:43:03 am
Cathy, one thing I have always found when I have 'the mob' is a suggestion my father made many, many years ago and that was to use paper plates and disposable tablecloth and even cutlery if you are so inclined. He then announced to all and sundry that he would do the dishes after the meal. We cleared the table of the necessary and then he very grandly rolled the lot up and disposed of it in the bin. Many of the family were shocked and it can be expensive but boy it was worth it.
Even now that he and Mum are no longer round if we have 'the mob' we still have the disposable bits and pieces.

We always have a cold meal and have a very busy Christmas Eve but then Christmas day is a breeze. Good luck.
I love Christmas and all the planning.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Chelsea (Thermie Groupie) on October 20, 2009, 04:53:51 am
That's a good idea Cookie.  The washing up is always a hastle and can make the kitchen over crowded. One Christmas day at my Aunty's house years ago we used "real" cutlery and crockery, but people had to wash their own in the laundry trough and stack them on the washing machine.  It seemed a bit funny at the time, but it got the job done and people weren't crowding the kitchen and getting in my Aunty's way (heaven forbid! >:().

If you are planning to ask others to bring a dish then consider asking them to bring something cold (a salad, cold meat platter, dessert etc).  That way you can organise the hot dishes yourself and know what will fit in your oven at the same time so that everything can be ready at once.  :)
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on October 20, 2009, 04:55:05 am
More great ideas Chelsea. We'll all have Christmas well sorted by the time it arrives.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Thermomixer on October 20, 2009, 05:20:17 am
Sure the next challenge will reveal lots of ideas.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: meganjane on November 08, 2009, 12:51:55 pm
Cathy, another suggestion for your Christmas bash, is to make some truffles and shortbread to have with coffee. These can be done way ahead and you can just bring them out of your pantry and say 'voila' and everyone will think you're a genius!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on November 08, 2009, 09:35:04 pm
MJ - I'd love to do a completely homemade Christmas but will require some serious organisation on my part.  Definitely going to do Canadian Foodie's yoghurt cheese balls so will have to make biscuits for them.

Also having a surprise dinner party for family soon (8 adults).  All they know is to meet at our house and they'll presume we're going out.  But instead, we're feeding them here.  Really excited about that, and have to trawl through all the fantastic recipes I have to start planning that.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cookie1 on November 09, 2009, 04:24:41 am
Cathy that sounds like a lot of hard work but fun. Good luck with it.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: meganjane on November 11, 2009, 01:09:01 pm
Good luck with the surprise dinner party Cathy!
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: cathy79 on November 11, 2009, 09:55:55 pm
Thanks.  Any ideas?  I want low fuss, prepare before - I don't want to be stuck in the kitchen.  Was thinking salted maple ice cream,  with custard danish, fresh prawns, not sure what else yet.
Title: Re: CHALLENGE #2 - all welcome to join in!
Post by: Thermomixer on November 13, 2009, 02:11:03 am
Dips are good - serve with bread or crackers or just vegetables.  Soups are also good - cold summer soups like gazpacho, ajo blanco