Help me love my thermomix

[chocymoose]

Hi,

I've had the thermomix for about 3 months now and have only used it occasionally for basic things like mash potato, steaming veges, cakes, making rice and soup.

I don't have the most experience or confidence when it comes to cooking and I was hoping that owning a thermomix would help but I get indecisive, intimidated and overwhelmed by the sheer number of recipes and long lists of ingredients and then finding ways to use up the remaining before they go off in the fridge. I know my main problem with cooking is not being very organised, or trying to do too many things at once and getting stressed out but I am trying. When I make something and it doesn't work out and my husband or kids won't eat it, it kind of affirms that I'm not a very good cook.

Can anyone suggest fast, easy, almost idiot proof dinner recipes to get me started? I will be trying the

How has the thermomix made life easier for you in the kitchen? I'm sure i'm just not using it to its full potential! My consultant has been in email contact and suggested going to cooking classes but they are all on in the evenings and its not possible at the moment with the kids being so young and bed time such chaos.

Thanks very much

[Meagan]

Sorry to hear you are not getting the most out of your tm. A cooking class is a great thing to go to but I understand about the bedtime thing. Which state are you in? How old are your kids? What sort of food do they like? I am sure we will be able to help. Just need a bit more info from you.
Can I suggest menu planning too so you can plan your shopping around the meals you make or what you have in the freezer. This will help and maybe try introducing one Tm/new recipe a week.

[Rogizoja]

The one recipe that we use lot is cheese sauce - quick macaroni cheese, cauliflower cheese, pastitsio and...

Another great meal to do is rice or potatoes in the basket, fish (with pesto, chilli sauce etc) in foil in the bottom part of the varoma and veggies (e.g. green beans) in the top part. Quick, easy and delicious.

Then there's custard - plain, chocolate, banana etc or with other flavours e.g ginger and maple then into the freezer for later turning into ice cream - kids' favourite.

Just keep experimenting and you'll find the recipes that you enjoy making and the family enjoy eating 

[Halex]

Hi chocymouse,

If you live in oerth, you are quite welcome to ome over and play. I have had my tm 5 months and us t continally. I have had 2 good friends over who cant cook, intimidated etc, who nw absolutly love their tm.

Happy to help
 :)Hally

[johnro]

That must be frustrating for you, start using the TMX like you would eat an elephant in small bits.  Instead of being overwhelmed by the sheer number of recipes available pick 6 dishes for the week perhaps using CP's list of favourites or something you think you would enjoy, read through the reviews and comments from that recipe and don't be tempted to keep searching as the discovery never ends!!! Hope this helps in some way instead of causing further confusion.    

[chocymoose]

Hello,

Thanks for the replies I'm in Sydney and have 2 boys, a 3yr old and 8 month old. My 3 yr old will eat chicken, spaghetti, egg, rice and a few select veges. Hes not big on trying new things so will often clamp his mouth shut and refuse to try food so doesn't really know he doesn't like it.

At the moment I'm sometimes struggling to cope on a few domestic fronts, getting the baby to sleep, cooking, keeping up with the housework and finding time for my husband and myself. Its been a rough month with lots of colds, a bout of gastro and yet more colds leaving us down and depleted. Thankfully we're better now with more good days than bad. On good days everything seems to click and  tasks are easy, on bad its amazing how stressed and exhausted i can be while accomplishing very little.

This week I will make up a big batch of bolognaise and have steak, chicken and steamed veges and a new dinner dish in the thermo. That way there is a back up if the little man won't eat it. In the past I have tried to bite off more than I can chew, best to take baby steps. Doesn't help that my son hates the noise the thermomix makes when it goes past speed 5 and the bub is going through a clingy phase.

[thermoheaven]

Your consultant doesn't sound very helpful - a class won't necessarily get you cooking - the classes tend to show pretty much what is shown in the demos given at home, and you probably want more individual attention. Try to find yourself a consultant who knows how to cook and knows about food, then have a few demos. I'm sure you will find that very helpful. I've had quite a number of demos and have learnt so much at each one because my consultant explains everything very well, is very patient and is always sharing new and better ways of doing things.
Good luck with it all.

[CreamPuff63]

chocymoose I would suggest when your children don't want to eat the food you place in front of them, after everyone has finished eating, just take the plate away.  Anyone who has not eaten does not get dessert or anything else afterwards (because they are obviously not hungry). There are no unhealthy snacks in between. Fruit and yoghurt etc are ok. Repeat for each meal until they are really hungry and will eat what is placed in front of them. Do not give them biscuits or crap in between if they complain of being hungry, and if you have on hand maybe reheat the last meal.

Another thing I used to do

One of the biggest hurdles for mothers is they feel they have to be the "perfect housewife". Believe me, there is no such thing so stop listening to everyone crapping on what domestic goddesses they are and how great their kids are doing and the milestones they are at. Do not try and be a SUPERWOMAN. Having an immaculate house is not the be all to end all, and it is much better to let a couple of cleaning jobs slide in favour of making things a little less stressful on yourself. Sometimes the happiest families do not live in the cleanest houses.

Your kids will need to get used to the noise, possibly pull some funny faces and do some strange dramatic antics to make them laugh while the loud noise is going, but kids are very resiliant and soon they know this is all part and parcel of yummy food.

[judydawn]

Have you tried the chicken or tuna-a-la king chocymoose?

Can you get the 3 yr old to eat risotto? Try Cacciatore chicken risotto

Chicken croquettes are lovely - just like chicken nuggets only better.

What about Easy Carbonara - this recipe is just like those packet pastas you cook in the microwave, you can add some leftover cooked chicken to this.

What about sausages, all kids like sausages surely?  Here's the great Bangers & Mash recipe.

It is hard with a young family to get everything done so don't beat yourself up if things don't work out the way you want them. You have very little time to experiment or look for new recipes but it will get easier and if you can just put 1 new recipe a week to the test, you will gradually build up a batch of meals you know the family will eat. You can always fall back on eggs and baked beans if things get tough.  If I was your Mum, I would be there in a flash to help you out - I know how busy young people's lives are these days.  Is there any chance DH could help out with a couple of meals a week to give you a break and some time out for either yourself or just play with the kids whilst he cooks the evening or weekend meal. 

[CreamPuff63]

ooh, and another thing I used to do was name dishes with crazy names - doens't sound quite so healthy!

[Frozzie]

i agree with CP...my kids are still young and i do that ie when they be extemely fussy I just say thats fine and take away their plates and they get nothing else and no dessert and no snacks...eventually they will eat...My DS especially drives me crazy he is 6 and soem days he loves a dish and another day he xwill turn his nose up at the exact same dish...i have to watch him because at one stage he was eating breakfast (sweet generally), no lunch, then afternoon tea yes (sweet) and no dinner so i stopped afternoon tea being bikkies etc and just yoghurt and fruit...oh and its not possible to be perfect....you need to take care of yourself or else everything just falls apart!

as for recipes I would suggest Baf65 award winning creamy chicken and veg ...everybody loves it and its very easy and tasty 

[Lellyj]

Hang in there Choccymoose, it isn't easy.  But CreamPuff and Frozzie have given you some really sound suggestions--just what I was going to say in fact!!  If your children are hungry, they will eat eventually!  I know it's hard because we have all these images of perfect mothers dishing up gorgeous healthy food to children who gratefull gobble everything down and say Thanks Mum!  But many of us didn't experience that at all!  The thing is, you don't want to set up a power struggle over food . . . because trust me, they will win!!  One of my younger friends was frustrated by the fact that her daughter would only eat vegemite sandwiches. She would cook beautiful food, which her daughter would refuse to eat, so then she was given a vegemite sandwich so at least she was having some nutrition.  We suggested that she just give her vegemite sandwiches . . . so what happened was the whole family would sit down to their dinner, Jessica would be given a vegemite sandwich and comments would be made to the effect of "well, we know you won't eat pumpkin soup, so here's your vegemite sandwich".  It was about 5 days before she asked if she could try a little of what the family was eating!!  I know it's hard, but seriously, they won't starve!!  I know it's easy for those of us with an older family to say in retrospect, but seriously I look at my adult daughter and my two enormous teenage sons who eat everything that isn't bolted down, and think, how did I ever worry that they weren't eating enough!!

Also, I found that fun names worked like Cream Puff said, we used to call ravioli "pillows" and meatballs "beachballs" and say that mushrooms were umbrellas for fairies and stuff like that!

I was always a terrible housewife, so having kids just meant that I had a good excuse for having a messy house.  Years ago I used to counsel for the Nursing Mother's Association, or Australian Breastfeeding association as it's now known. They had some very helpful little booklets back then called "survival guide" and "looking after yourself" with lots of good suggestions to help in tough times.  If you were interested I could see if they are still available, ABA is for every mother, not just breastfeeding mothers, or I might even be able to post an old copy to you if you think it would hellp.  One suggestion many mothers who do care about whether their house was tidy (unlike me!)  and found it very hard to lower standards found helpful was to concentrate on having one room that was really in order and use that as a "sanctuary" to have a cup of tea in or to usher unexpected guests to!!

Anyway, hang in there.  There are many here that are keen to help you love your thermomix!!  And so many of us can relate to where you are now.   

[faffa_70]

Choccymoose hang in there. You are doing the hardest job in the world. BEING A MOTHER!!!

I found funny things to help me get through, little signs like "my house was tidy yesterday, it's a shame you missed it" or "I am so proud of my washing, I leave it on the couch for all to see" or where ever you dumped your clean washing lol

I would try and take the pressure off yourself a little and remember as long as you are all happy that is all that matters so give up on the domestics that aren't urgent and spend some time with your DH too.

As for the food, I think trying one meal a week to start with is a great idea. At least you and DH will get to eat something different for a change as well. (I know what it is like feeding a fussy kid - thank goodness only 1/5 are!!)

Hang in there, ask questions and let us help you any way we can. Wish you were in Perth so I could help you out 

[meganjane]

Everyone has some great advice, and Lellyj sounds just like me. Sometimes my house is clean, the washing's done, the bed's made there's home made cakes and bickies ready to eat. Other times, well...fight your way through the door and scramble through the fridge to see if anything's still edible.

Don't beat yourself up. I don't use my Thermomix for days, then I'll use it to make five things in one day. It's just the way it is!

[djinni373]

Ah chocymoose how I wish I had a thermie when my kids were young. Take some time to get to know your thermie and it will be your best friend in the kitchen. I was lucky my kids ate most things. As for fast easy dinners:
-There are some real gems in the All in one section of this forum (Baf's chicken is easy, fast and fabulous)
-For something different try some of the dips with crudites, salad, and/or bread rolls as meals (the tuna dip from the EDC is great)
-Pasta with tuna from the EDC is also fast and easy
-Pizza base from the EDC with your favourite toppings is another quick and easy (there's a thread somewhere about fave pizza toppings)
-Just about any leftovers (but especially spag bol sauce) taste good when baked in puff pastry spirals with extra cheese.  Butter puff pastry from the freezer of course.
-Make some vege stock paste. It really does make a difference to your cooking. (I always use a teaspoon instead of a tablespoon)
And last but not least, CP63 and JD are bang on. Give yourself a break. When things are tough just do the basics.
Where abouts in Sydney are you?