Hi From Brisbane

[Debbiebillg]

Hiya all, and what a fantastic forum. Such lovely members and a wealth of information. I have had my thermomix for about 6 weeks now. Funny thing was a g/f of mine has had one for 18 months, when she bought it she was living interstate and I freaked at how much it cost (her husband bought it as a suprise christmas present over in Perth). She's now back here and I have watched her use it with interest. My dear friend before moving to Perth could only cook if it came out of a packet or a jar and the standing joke now with her husband is that he brought home a different wife from Perth ha ha.  Anyhow we finally decided to get one after doing much research ourselves as well (I did a lot of lurking on the forum). My g/f always used to tempt my husband with rock cakes out of the EDC. When I discussed buying one with him (he's pretty cool), he said yeh great we can make our own rock cakes.  Well suprise, suprise HE made his own rock cakes a couple of days ago.
We have 3 young boys (an almost 6yo, 3 1/2 yo and an almost 2yo) so we find it great with the kids. I love how when you cook on heat once the time is up it keeps stirring it for you (so easy to forget things on the stove with kids). We have made cheese and bacon rolls quite a few times now (last lot was a triple batch but did the dough in 3 lots though). This is all my eldest son wants for school lunches now! We have made the dough for a few of our friends so they can finish them off at home, and everyone loves them. Tonight we made Butter Chicken from the Indian cookbook (after checking reviews on here) and then chapati bread to go with it.  It was very yummy, we love curries. I'm a bit fussy with chicken and only like chicken breast so I avoid ordering in restaurants so great to cook my own. I think I've typed too much now. But just wanted to thank everyone for your invaluable information. Debbie

[judydawn]

Hi Debbie, welcome to the forum.  Sounds like you are going great guns with your machine, no doubt egged on by your dear g/f whose life in the kitchen has obviously been turned around since becoming the owner of a TMX.  Looking forward to hearing about more of your successes and what else DH gets his teeth into in the coming weeks.

[Debbiebillg]

Thanks Judy, I lived in Adelaide for work for a year about 10 years ago in South Plympton. I was going to write other things I have cooked too but must have reached the character limit so cut it short. My g/f is not so much into computers so she's been egging me on and I've being egging her on too with recipes from the forum. It's great to compare what we've been cooking and bounce ideas off each other. She has 3 kids similar ages to mine too so works well. Some other things we have made are;

I made what I call English custard tarts (made with egg custard, my family is English and we all love these)
Beef enchiladas (we made the tortilas too)
I love Bimby's chocolate cake (so easy and so yummy), I put chocolate ganache on it using EDC recipe
Custard in various forms
Banana bread from the forum quite a few times
Rice pudding
Thai Red chicken curry
A zucchini and bacon slice converted from another recipe, will make again but I overdid the onions and I presume because they weren't sautee's first, all we could taste was bitter onion. Made me a little scared to do onions for a while in case I ruined a whole dish. I'm still a bit wary if they aren't sauteed first.
We're having a go though and you can only learn from your mistakes~only thing is the kids aren't always forgiving of these !

[judydawn]

You sound like an old pro already Debbie, don't forget to post any recipes you convert or make up yourself. Like you, I like to saute my onions first in most cases too, soup sometimes probably being the only exception.  Glad to hear you are sharing the forum recipes with your friend - there are so many now it is hard to know what to do next. 

[Cornish Cream]

Hi Debbie and welcome to the forum.You have been busy and have fun cooking with your TM in the past six weeks.Great work getting your DH cooking, mine can't boil an egg.

[cookie1]

Hi and welcome Debbie, it sounds as though you have been very busy with your Thermomix. Congratulations.

[Debbiebillg]

Thank you for the welcomes. Yes we have been having fun, the only problem is that there's too much eating going on, and not good for the waistline at all.
Judy, it doesn't give me much hope of getting any better with the onions then Judy ! So you think I should always sautee them ? I also made a quiche early on using my usual way but did all the chopping in the Thermomix and the onions were bitter, and that's all I could taste for hours after. In something like a quiche or a zucchini slice do you think it would taste funny having the onions sauteed first ? I'm happy to do it as it's still easier than chopping by hand, but just wonder about the taste.

[judydawn]

What type of onion do you generally use Debbie?  I saute the white or brown but can get away with the red being raw in some things. I sauteed the onion recently when making meatballs as I can't stand raw onion in them and you can do the same for quiche or zucchini slice - the flavours will be intensified not bitter in my opinion. What do others think. 

[achookwoman]

Debbie welcome to the Forum.  I always chop and the saute the onions,  100 for 3/4 mins in oil before I use them in my quiche.  I would also cook the onion for meat balls and fish cakes.  Also cook them if using them in stuffings.  Hope this helps.

[Debbiebillg]

I usually use brown onions Judy. I will give red onions a go though. It's worth a try. My g/f doesn't get what I mean and she doesn't think she's ever had this problem. I gave her some of the zucchine slice to try and she couldn't taste the bitter onion and yet that was all I could taste. Interesting huh.

[judydawn]

Yes, we are all different.  I find raw onion (not salad onion though) repeats on me at my age and next time I make a batch of pasties I am even going to try sauteed onion - it is either that or leave it out altogether rather than use raw.

[CreamPuff63]

I tend to buy brown onions for cooking and red onions for salad unless a recipe specifies a certain onion onion onion onion onion onion onion onion onion onion onion onion - oops scuse me! my onions are repeating also 

[Debbiebillg]

Lol Creampuff. I think I'll stick to sauteeing the onions, but I will give the red onions a try when I'm game.

I've just been on the phone to my g/f and she reckons that she's going to make an official response to her lack of cooking (except from jars or packets) Pre-Thermomix that is. Ohhh dear lookout I'm in for it now. I will be impressed if she finds her way here though lol.

[cookie1]

ROFL CP63

We'll look out for your girlfriend Debbie. 

Onions and I have no dramas and I am one of those people who generally don't saute them as I can taste no difference. Perhaps it's an unrefined palate . The only time I can taste them is in stuffing and rissoles, where I now saute them.

[Very Happy Jan]

Welcome Debbie