HELP--suggestions please!

[Lellyj]

Since I got my thermomix on Christmas day, it has hardly been idle. (As anyone who managed to wade their way through my long-winded introdution will know!  Thanks to all those kind people who so generously welcomed me!)  Until now.  I'm stuck.  I've flicked through both recipe books and randomly clicked on threads on this forum . . . but I still don't know what to cook tonight!!  I was wondering if any of you kind souls out there have any suggestions for something easy, yummy, healthy . . .  What do you cook when you don't know what to cook? Fridge is pretty bare so will probably have to go to the shops anyway.  Shops are close, but in a rural area, fairly limited.  Thanks in anticipation

[Shiraz49]

Hi Lellyj

If I'm stuck I make the creamy tomato and salami fettuccine from EDC. Have never had a failure. Regularly vary the vegies I use in this recipe.  Have used different meats. As long as you have the required amount of liquid it always works. I always use macaroni in this recipe.  Good luch with your choice.

[judydawn]

I sometimes make the easy carbonara http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=3442.0 adding any bits and pieces of vegie to get rid of them or
Agilio Oilio E Peperoncino http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=376.0.

Failing that, I open a can of baked beans  or have some eggs

[cookie1]

Baked Beans on toast with an eg and bacon on top. One of my favourite foods, that I hardly ever have.

How about a pasta with a simple sauce on. Maybe gnocchi with a tomato sauce. They only take flour and potatoes.
Have you made Baf's chicken from here?

[Lellyj]

Thanks guys . . . Judy the other night I though we'd have eggs as I had already cooked a vego dish with the thermomix and wanted to keep the rest of it for the vegetarians (my teenage children are both vegos and my husband and I are vegetarians who eat meat!  Love the vego food, but also love the animal protein too. Youngest is a almost a carnivore, very intolerant of lentils so it's a bit of a juggling act!)  Anyway I decided to poach some eggs, cook some bacon and steam some asparagus . . . by the time I did that I had used 3 pots and had bacon fat all over the stove and then I thought why didn't I just cook something else in the thermomix!

Cookie your reply just came in . . . I think I will summon up the courage to try gnocchi!  Vegos and meateaters alike can enjoy that dish!  Thanks for the other suggestions too.  I want to give Baf's chicken a shot . . . again a bit scary--such a different way of cooking!

[Merlin]

The creamy tomato fettucine is always well received. Sometimes I add ham instead of salami. Macaroni cheese is always a winner as I always seem to have at least some pasta, milk and cheese lurking around. Other options are risotto with any leftover veggies in the fridge or even just an omelette made in the Varoma if you have some eggs. Other options are tuna pasta or baked tuna with pasta using the béchamel sauce recipe from the EDC. Usually I can scrape together at least something from the pantry ie even pasta with fresh herbs or chillies often works.

[hools003]

Yep, the creamy tomato and salami fettucine was the first thing that came to my mind too!!! Another must try( but won't be any good for vegetarians) is Chookies KFC. It is fantastic! The first time I did it with chicken breasts, the second, legs and we do prefer the chicken breasts. You must try the salted caramel maple ice cream too if you are into ice cream, it's to die for 

[Lellyj]

Thanks everyone!  I'm writing a list 

[Zan]

mmm the vegie side of it makes it hard.
Totally agree with the creamy tomato pasta - we do it regularly, the kids love pasta - usually leave out the meat though.
How about Jo's fried rice?
Dahl (though lentil hater would need something else) - my dd1 loves it and is always asking for it, unfortunately dd2 hates it.
A vegie curry - using the chicken in yoghurt recipe or the Indian book's butter chicken?
Something like baf's chicken or any of the sauce in the bowl, rice in the basket, meat and veg in the varoma would work great for everyone - just don't give the chicken/meat to the vegies. The lemon and feta sauce with fish is particularly nice.
Most of my favs are not vegie - teriyaki, stroganoff (though could do that vegie), ribs, chicken stir fry, chicken kiev, beef casseroles, chicken balls, chicken flattened and rolled with fillings, madras and other curries.

[Lellyj]

thanks everyone for sharing your tried and true meal suggestions with me!  I have a lot of ideas to follow up now.  It is tricky catering for everyone's tastes and I often cook two meals or a vegetarian meal and chuck some chicken breasts or steak one as well.  And my poor little one who hates lentils often has them disgusied in bolognaise and shepherd's pie anyway.  The funny thing was at five o'clock he asked me if he could ride his bike down the shop and buy a sausage roll . . . and I thought ahh!! sausage rolls!!  So I tried Cyndi Omeara's recipe http://recipecommunity.com.au/node/10685.  Then I thought that's not really dinner, so I made this sweet potato and lentil soup as well http://www.forumthermomix.com/index.php?topic=3711.0 and then got totally carried away and made some breadrolls too!  Well, I need to work on my bread rolls, think I may have inadvertently put the wrong amount of liquid in, edible but not great.  BUT the vegie sausage rolls were FANTASTIC--I had some sausages in the fridge and so I removed the skins and wrapped a few in pastry and cut them up to make some for Fergus (meat man) but we all liked the vego ones better!  The meat ones tasted so oily by comparison!!  And the soup was absolutely divine!  Am now feeling very virtuous and clever especially as I wasn't inspired to cook previously today.  To finish the night I made tequila margarita sorbet.  It is to the ultimimate margarita!  If you are a fan, try it! http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/recipes/10925/tequila-margarita-sorbet.html

Tommorrow night I'm going to try the creamy pasta sauce with salami--must admit the title didn't really appeal to me when I was looking through the cookbook, buit it definitely seems to be a favourite!  Just one query on the pasta if anyone happens on this--do you think you can cook that with evaporated skim milk, rather than cream? Will also checkout the carbonara--that is the one dish my husband can cook, what they always have when I'm away--so will be interesting to try in TX.  Looking forward to trying gnocci and the legendary Bafs chicken too.  When school goes back, I will have to be more organised so I'm hoping to develop a repertoire of dishes I can quickly rustle up after work, so thanks again, everyone!  Just one query on the pasta if anyone happens on this--do you think you can cook that with evaporated skim milk, rather than cream?

[judydawn]

Yes you can Lellyj, many of us on here substitute it for cream.

[Lellyj]

Thanks Judy 

[quirkycooking]

I often make this one when I'm in a hurry and can't be bothered - Chicken & Cashews with coconut satay sauce - and it's easy to convert to vegetarian... just leave out the chicken and use more cashews.  Or put the chicken on bottom varoma tray and veges on top.  You can use whatever veges you want.  If you don't have the sauce ingredients, just add soy sauce and don't worry about it - it'll still be yummy

[Lellyj]

thankyou Jo.  I saw this recipe and am keen to try it but I admit the varoma is still in the box!  Will make it next weeks goal to acquaint myself with the varoma!  It sounds perfect for staff meeting nights!  Will be great to do chicken and veg on different layers then cater for vegos and omnivores alike!

[Lellyj]

I am gradually working my way through cooking the suggestions here--just tried Jo's fried rice which was fantastic and my introduction to the varoma.  I found the whole experience quite magical . . . especially the eggs!  Feel brave enough to try Baf's chicken tomorrow night!  Thanks!