Disappointed

[animal999]

Hello have had my thermie since Thursday and can't say that I am feeling very happy. Mashed potato was like eating white sauce, breads are okay, chicken risotto was extremely gluggy and I just failed at making play dough.  Will keep persisting but feel like I have wasted $2K.

[Lucyluu]

Sorry to hear your having problems but I know when I got my thermie I tried to cook the same way I had always done and it didn't work. I had gluey potatoes and over cooked dinners. If you follow the recipes on the forum they have all been tried and tested and tweaked a little. In other words this is the biggest test kitchen in the world and they work well. Don't be disheartened by a few problems everything will work out.

[phatassphairy]

oh no ..... that is such a sad start ...... my only suggestion that i can make is be strict on the speeds and the liquid amounts ....

we have a thermo at work ... and my boss for the life of her can not use it .... but she treats it like a blender and when it says sp5 ... she does speed 6 or 7 ... and this makes a huge difference .... and even if i put 10g more i try to fish it out with my MC-(little measure cup and she is adds too much milk to the mash and it is gluggy and runny .... (i make mine on full milk and i leave in my little MC cup.... then use the butterfly to whip. )

even !/2 a speed can make a difference.

Now i do not like moist risotto ....and my hubby is not a risotto fan ... but i have done this recipe a few times and it is a big tick in this house .......

http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=11435.0

give it a try ..... and i hope things brighten up for you ...xoxoxox

[Mama Fergie]

Keep trying A999 as it is a completely different way of cooking.
I think we all have a few disasters in the beginning but it doesn't take long to get the hang of it. 
Don't give up 

[BecciM]

I totally agree. With all the above. My mash was awful until i learnt to steam the potatoes in the basket. Then tip them into the bowl and add butter and a small amount if milk and whip with the butterfly. I usually need to add more but it's better than putting too much in!

 I admit I am not using mine as much as I would like, it is time consuming to learn a different way to cook things.

Keep at it, follow instructions to the 'T' and ask in here 😀 everyone is very helpful!

[animal999]

Thank you all for your responses.  I have read other threads where it has taken people awhile to get used of their thermie. I am not giving up but have been so excited to finally get my tx. I have a child with allergies and have made the rice milk which certainly tastes better than store bought. But I feel disappointed when I couldn't even get playdough right. I know things will get better, just needed to have a whinge. Thank you all for listening.

[goldfish]

Welcome to the forum, A999!  My TMX sat on the bench for nearly 3 months with little or not use at all - I was snowed under at work and exhausted at weekends . . .but slowly and surely, one thing led to another and after that I've been making things I thought I never would!  Now I can't imagine being without it!!!  I certainly know how you feel . . .but once you get the feel of it you won't be looking back!

If you have any problem or question at all, pop it on here and you'll have answers/suggestions in no time at all.

And if it helps to have a whinge . . you go for it!!  It all helps to let it out - we're all here to lend an ear, shoulder and whatever else that might help!!

[Jamberie]

Oh no! I'm sorry you feel that way!

I've learned that before making anything from the EDC to always check the forum here first for honest reviews and tweaks, my success rate is 100% if I do that.

Chookies 'plain white rolls- no fuss' are my favourite and I use that recipe to make loaves each week
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=4253.0


And if you really want to make yourself happy try the Cookies and Cream fudge http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=5062.0
Or
 butter chicken http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=5295.0

Also, just to reiterate the importance of following recipes as directed until you get the hang of it...I added a tiny bit too much oil to one batch of playdough and it too was ruined. Are you using measuring cups or weight when adding ingredients, even that can make a difference in some recipes.

We are all here to help!

[TraceTrace]

Welcome to the forum and sorry to hear about your initial disasters! Like Jamberie, I always come on here to check reviews and look for tips on the EDC recipes before I start. I'm only a new TM owner myself (I've only had my TM a week) but have had luck with the Chilli Con Carne and Focaccia from the EDC (plus some tips that I checked out here first).

Here is the link to all the recipe reviews from the EDC:
http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=8487.0

I am sure everyone has had their fair share of disasters - I tried to convert a family favourite Shepherds Pie recipe the other night (how hard could it be, I thought!) and it was an absolute failure - think Shepherds soup! I have also thought of myself as a pretty reasonable cook but it really is a different way of cooking. I love that I can make so many things from scratch.

There are so many tried and tested recipes on here so have a look around, pick something you'd like to try and give it a go

Good luck!

[achookwoman]

A999,  Welcome. To the Forum. As you now realize,  we all have disasters.  My chooks ate very well for the first week.  I had trouble with the speed.  Everything was mash.   Once you get used to it you will find you can set it and go off and do something else.  A great time saver.  I use the recipes from this Forum,  rather than EDC book.  Members here are very honest  when they test a recipe.   Look at the comments,  some times pages of them.   
Write notes to yourself about recipes and you will soon be  having success and will be telling us all about it. 
Got for it,  if you want to complain,  we will listen, and understand and help.

[Greyhoundmum]

hi A999 we all have disasters. i have had my thermie 5 months now and it did take a while. When i got my EDC it had hand written notes in it by my consultant, mainly with speeds and times reduced, always best to chop, mince grate or whatever you are doing for less then stop and have a peek, you can always do more but cant do anything abut it once it has turned to pulp!!!!

 I prefer to use my accurate electronic scales that i keep nearby thermie as some times i find thermie not so accurate with smaller weights.

oh and another common mistake is that us newbies tend to want to stop the machine and peek a bit and if you are cooking you must remember to re press the temp button when you switch back on.

 The forum is where you will get most help, the forum is full of kind and helpful members and best of all the forum never sleeps as we have members from all over the globe.  good luck and we are here for you.

[judydawn]

Hi animal999, welcome to the forum. I was like you when I bought my TMX 4 years ago, very little worked and I was a little disappointed  - then I found this forum and things started to look up.  Always someone here to answer questions, recipe reviews which have already been pointed out to you (a must to read before trying any recipe from the books) and so many recipes that it's hard to know were to start.  On top of that we have a list of blogs with some amazing recipes and tips and even a list of links to ice-cream or sorbet recipes on the forum.

Mashed potato is trial and error, different potatoes have different results but these days I only add butter when I mash for no more than 10 sec/speed 4, check it and if it needs a little extra moisture that's when I add a tiny bit of milk.  A tad too much and it turns to glue.  I prefer the steam in the basket method myself.

I've made a few batches of playdough using Faffa's recipe here (halfway down the page).  Give that one a try, you are bound to have success with it.

I chop my onions for only 2 sec/speed 5 as I like a bit of texture not mush and I always check that the MC weighs 25-30gms before weighing ingredients into the bowl. 

Keep at it, you will start making some successful recipes and never look back.  We all still make mistakes, no matter how long we have had our machines so it always pays to read the instructions very carefully.  Good luck and please keep us informed as to your progress.

[berringamababe]

I also had sme disasters with mashed potatoe and the play dough was terrible. I must say since then I have very few failures, I can't imagen life with out TM now.  So much so I bought my 18 year old daughter one who lives in a different state to me. Once you get the hang off it you will love it, 90 percent of what I cook is a recipe from the forum and I found the EDC cook book also as good as useless eg the play dough

Don't be disappointed you will love it once you learn how to use it.

[Deniser]

Hi A999.  Agreed  - perhaps stick with tried and true recipes that you find here on the Forum - at least until you have confidence to convert your own recipes (I am still waiting for that confidence to really kick in but am getting better)  I mostly use recipes that I find on the Forum as they always work out for me.  Also ask for help - you will find that no matter how silly you think your question  - others have been wondering the same.  They will thank you for asking.
Love my Thermie and use it every day in some way or another. 

[cookie1]

Hi A999. I know how you feel. Just make sure you always err on the side of slow speed and little time. You can always add more time, but not if you have slush.
As everyone has suggested, try a couple of recipes from the forum.

I can honestly say it took me ages to be able to use the tmx without checking for a similar recipe in the EDC. I think it was at least 12 or 18 months before I tried converting. Now after nearly 4 years I can use the tmx easily and still love it.

Just hang in there. Don't be afraid to ask for help here, we are only too willing to help.