Oh, dear, Thermomixer...

Having grown up in the South, with YELLOW grits, I thought only white grits were hominy grits and therefore nixtamalized. White grits are often sold as "instant grits" as well. I always thought yellow grits were just the ground corn. So, after your questions, I looked it up in Wikipedia. Seems that there are 2 kinds of yellow grits-- the kind we called grits (ground up corn) and the ones made from ground hominy. And, there ARE yellow grits made from hominy.

So, if it says HOMINY grits, it is made from nitamalized corn. Otherwise, it is just ground up corn. Here's the link to Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grits

As to the kind I grew up with, we cooked them. A long time. Like 20-30 minutes, Lots of stirring. Perfect thermomix job.

Name of Recipe: Russian Tea Cakes
Number of People:12
Ingredients:
1 c. shortening (or butter)
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
½ c. confectioners sugar
2 ¼ c. gluten free flour mix (see below)
¾ c. nuts (hazelnuts or pecans)


Preparation:
If you want to make your own confectioner’s sugar, do that first and set aside. Remember to make enough for the measured amount and to roll the finished cookies in.

1. Chop nuts: 3 seconds on speed 4. Remove and set aside.
2. Mix butter, sugar and vanilla until pale and creamy. speed 4, 40-60 seconds. You might need to scrape down the bowl half way through.
3. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Mix for approximately 60 seconds on the knead setting.
4. Add nuts during last 30 seconds.

Form into small balls about ½ inch in diameter and place on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 325°F for 15 to 20 minutes or at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes. While still warm, roll in confectioners sugar. Cool and roll in sugar again.

Tips/Hints:
This recipe is from an old church cookbook and was submitted by my grandmother, Mrs. John R. McLaren, in 1951.  I modified them to use gluten free flour and I do use butter. Sorry, Grandmother.

Here is the mix I usually make up to substitute for regular flour in many cases:
Basic                              x2      x4
1 c. white rice flour                2 c.      4 c.
1/2 c. potato starch                1 c.      2 c.
1/2 c. cornstarch or arrowroot          1 c.      2 c.
1/2 c. sweet rice flour                1 c.      2 c.
1 c. sorghum flour                2 c.      4 c.
1/2 c. tapioca starch                1 c.      2 c.
1 ½  tsp. xanthan gum             1 Tbs.   2 Tbs.
1 ½  tsp. guar gum                1 Tbs.   2 Tbs.

members' comments
Riv Mum - These are fantastic!!!!  Kids absolutely loved them. They were a bit fiddly having to roll them into balls but worth it.

I didn't have all of the gluten free flours and don't have the knowledge of gluten free things to be able to substitute. So I just used bakers flour with 1 1/2 tbs of xanthan gum.
The only other thing I did different was to add about 30g extra of butter as the mixture was too crumbly and I gave the cashews a quick whizz to chop them before starting.
A great recipe. They would make a great gift at Christmas time as they have  a festive feel to them.
A dusting of orange and cardamom sugar would give them a bit of a different flavour and something a bit extra if you wanted.
5/5 will be making these again.

brazen20au - you definitely don't need xanthan gum if you're using gluten flour - it's to try to replicate the gluten bakers flour, has extra gluten I believe.

Name of Recipe: Chicken Paté
Number of People: 6
Ingredients:
1½ c Chicken breast,cooked, removed from bone.
226 g (8 oz) Neufchatel cheese, softened, cut in chunks
1/4 small onion
2 tb Dry sherry
2 tb Mayonnaise
2 ts Lemon juice
¼ tsp Hot sauce
1/8 ts Ground nutmeg
1 dash Paprika

Preparation:
Chop chicken breast at speed 4, 10 seconds. Add all other ingredients except paprika. Process speed 5, 20 seconds. If not smooth enough, process a little longer.
Transfer mixture to a 2 cup mold coated with cooking spray (Pam). Cover, and chill overnight. Unmold onto a serving plate. Sprinkle with paprika. Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
Yield: 1 ¾ cups


Tips/Hints:
This can be used as a sandwich spread or with crackers. I usually eat my spreads on Romain lettuce and roll it up like a wrap sandwich (gluten-free and all). The recipe itself is gluten free, and you can improvise what you put it on. As a dip, it will serve way more than 6 people.

Thanks, Samma, I will hold you to that!

I have a plan that our President should embrace:
Use the bailout money to establish the US government as a Thermomix Consultant.
Then, buy every household in the US a thermomix.

Instant conversion to metrics, PLUS, a lot of people in the US would be forced to learn Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese... maybe even some French.... and Australian and British cooking terms.

 

This is a standard oyster sauce (not Thermomix converted):
Bring to a boil, then simmer in a covered pot for 30 minutes:   2 C fresh oysters + 3 C water + 1 C bottled clam juice + 1 teaspoon salt + 1 clove of garlic + white portion of 1 green onion + 1 slice of fresh ginger root, then add a mixture of 1/4 C soy sauce + 1 teaspoon sugar + 2 teaspoons cornstarch  + 3 tablespoons water, and simmer for 10 more minutes, stirring occasionally, then strain out the solids in the sauce and discard (the solids)

Went to a picnic this weekend, so I made Chicken Paté, Vegetable Paté, Carrot-Roquefort Balls, and non-thermomix marinated cucumber salad. Now I am getting ready for a road trip, so I made Gluten Free Russian Teacakes and Brazen's Cheddar Shortbread (using some Amish Cheese that a friend of mine aged for about 10 months, YUM). Also mixed up a gluten free pie crust to make a celery-stilton quiche.

Dear Wonder,

My husband was the one who started in on the Thermomix. He saw it in the Wall Street Journal. Now, we are in the US, so there was no way to see it in action. We went looking for information everywhere we could and I was convinced that it was just a big blender.

I had purchased an excellent blender a few years back, and I have a whole host of lovely, great name kitchen appliances. So, I just was not sure I wanted to add another "thing". Finally the hubbie bit the bullet and ordered me one from Canada. I have had it now for 2 months.

First, I use it everyday. At least once a day and some days a lot more. It is a great machine.

Second, I moved out the mixer and the blender and only use the food processor for actual grating.

Third, I make things I never liked to make before-- like Bavarians and risotto. Things that need a lot of stirring while heating...

Fourth, I have changed what I buy at the store. I pass up so any things now because I know that I can make them myself. Juice, for example. I would much rather buy fresh oranges and make fresh juice than buy the refrigerated or frozen or jarred stuff.

I think you get the idea. I do not regret his decision. Even the husband uses it.

If you like to cook or like to eat good food, you will like this machine. If you see nothing wrong with overpriced, microwaved food from a box, you will not.