Thank you

[cgonsalv]

I am sitting here spending all my time reading the forum which I love (on my day off) in total awe of the wonderful community. 
The members are just so helpful. 
When I finally get going I usually am too overwhelmed to actually make anything.   
My neighbour is coming around this evening for a glass of wine and a 'chicken tikka' making session.  That is the one thing I have managed to master, and she wants it for her dinner.
I am going to try the 'Spicy tomato and chickpea soup' and maybe some bread today.  Wish me luck. 
My last bread 'naan' episode was not all that successful - tasted yum, but did not rise. 
Back to the drawing board. 
Thanks again for all your help.

[judydawn]

This forum is very addictive cgonsalv and you can spend more time on here than actually in the kitchen but we all have to eat sometime so if you continually try recipes from the forum you will gain the confidence to have a go at anything.  I'm glad to hear your neighbour likes chicken tikka - if you can make that, then there is nothing stopping you from making anything.  I've not made naan myself but others seem to have great success with it so maybe they can give you their favourite recipe.  Keep at it.

[Halex]

Hi there,

I love this forum, I am new to all of this as well. I have found this a great place for tips and help. I love all the recipes and everyone is so knowledgeable. I too spend quite a bit of time reading recipes and conversations.

Good luck tonight with the chicken tika - have not done that one yet.

Beef Rendang is nice and easy in the EDC and tasty.

Hally

[meganjane]

I can understand how you can sit at the computer looking at the forum and get very overwhelmed.
I pop in to grab a recipe or an idea and then find myself still here an hour later!!

[cgonsalv]

Thanks Ladies.  I also followed the trail to the UK website and there are a few good recipes there as well.  I use 3 computers - my laptop, my ipad and my desktop and I have bookmarks and word documents with recipes everywhere.  Total chaos.  I really need some sort of system.
 
The Chicken Tikka was yummy - neighbour ended up staying for dinner with her husband. 
1 bottle of champagne and 1 bottle of red later we were all very happy. 
It was an interesting dinner. 
We had Chicken Tikka, Cummin Rice and Raita (which my neighbour was meant to take away), Gourmet Beef Casserole and Steamed Vegies (which was for us) .. a strange mix but we were having too much fun to care. 
We finished it with Gordon Ramsay's chocolate fondants, which I had in the freezer ready to pop into the oven.  I have to work out how to convert it to a Thermie recipe. 

Tried Raspberry jam today - used frozen raspberries and the CSR jam sugar.  I am not sure I like the taste of the jam sugar. 
It ended up being way too thick once it set.  With half of the jam, I whizzed it at the end to try and break up the seeds and it worked partially.  Is it possible to blend the seeds completely?  I should have just kept going.  Has anyone tried this?
The whizzed portion of the jam was even thicker - completely set like a jelly.  I wonder if the seeds release something when they are mushed?

Judy, if you are reading this I read on one of your posts that you roast red peppers in bulk.  Do you mind letting me know how.  I do it on the stove top and make a dreadful mess. 

[CreamPuff63]

food is a labour of love, and when people love your food the labour is insigificant

(I just made that saying up BTW)

when i roast peppers/capsium it is done on a greased oven tray sprayed with oil 180^odegrees for about 30 minutes or until the skin blisters and turns slightly black, and then I cover with cling wrap (to sweat) for a about 15 minutes.

 

[Halex]

Hi cgonsalv, glad to hear that your cooking went so well. I too have recipes  everywhere. I now print off and put them in a plastic sleeve and file them if I like the recipe. So far only a couple of disasters!LOL

Also what has worked well for me is to menu plan, so you know what you are cooking each day, plus it's great for keeping food costs down.

Have fun and enjoy.

Hally

[cgonsalv]

Very profound CP63 ... I wish the dishes were insignificant.  I am just looking at a big pile of dishes that I ignored last night. 
Thanks for the red pepper hints.  Will definitely give that a go. 
Thanks for the system Hally.  I have a vision of doing that but it never quite happens.

[judydawn]

I do my red pepper roasting the same way as CP cgonsalv then when they have been skinned and have cooled, I freeze them flat with about 2 peppers per ziplock bag.  I can then just break off what I want for a recipe.

[judydawn]

I do my red pepper roasting the same way as CP cgonsalv then when they have been skinned and have cooled, I freeze them flat with about 2 peppers per ziplock bag.  I can then just break off what I want for a recipe.

 
We finished it with Gordon Ramsay's chocolate fondants, which I had in the freezer ready to pop into the oven.  I have to work out how to convert it to a Thermie recipe. 

Just wondering if this recipe from farfallina would be similar to the Gordon Ramsay Chocolate Fondant? Be sure to check out the link to the photo.

[cgonsalv]

Judy you are very lucky that you are in SA, otherwise I would have to race over and give you a big kiss.  It does looks very similar.   
I will have to try Farfallina's recipe out and let you know how it goes. 

It will be good to freeze the roasted red peppers - will make life a lot easier.  When I come back from work I am usually too tired to do anything. 

[judydawn]

  DH & I just had a good laugh over your posting cgonsalv.  Hope the recipe turns out better than Gordon Ramsay's 

[cgonsalv]

Judy I made these last night and they were very nice.  I tested after 15 minutes and I did not think they were quite done so foolishly kept them in for another 5 minutes (should have just done a minute or 2) so there was just a tiny bit of the oozy sauce.  So easy to make.  The family did not like the hint of orange taste  - I loved it.  Thanks again for pointing me to this recipe. 

[judydawn]

farfallina will be happy you tried it cgonsalv. Perhaps you could leave the orange out next time then everyone will enjoy them.

[Decadent Dot]

Hi Chris,
I   recommend the software I use that keeps me on the straight and narrow with everything involving food. It is called diet-pro and is from Radium Technologies. Just google it and take a look. I just couldn't be without it.
DD