It's Dinner Time

Ok, I promise I won't blog every single dinner but at the moment it is still very exciting and new to me. I was actually looking forward to cooking dinner tonight, normally it is something that I put off until the last minute.

Anyway, I thought I would try out the Varoma by steaming some chip shaped sweet potato. I then brushed on some oil and a little salt and cooked them in the oven. Jake loved it! It was so nice seeing him eat a vegetable. I also made the "Herbal Chicken Hors-D'oeuvres" from the Everyday Cooking cookbook, very easy to make and something I think I will do again and probably modify to sneak some more vegies into Jake.

Now we're cooking!

Today was time to get started using the Thermomix. First the day involved preparing a shopping list plus a basic meal plan and then a trip to the shops. I thought I would be heading home with nothing as I almost left after dealing with a major tantrum early in the shopping trip but fortunately Jake's mood improved an we were able to finish the shopping.

Yesterday I cooked custard with the Themomix consultant's guidance but today I was on my own. I decided to cook muffins so I used the recipe in the Everyday Cooking cookbook although I made some minor variations.

Just chucked all ingredients for muffins in except the choc-chips.

The finished mixture after processing and mixing in choc-chips.

The finished product - Banana & Choc Chip muffins.

Gets the tick of approval from Jake.

Next I needed to make some stock concentrate. I once again used the recipe in the Everyday Cooking cookbook with a couple of changes as I didn't have everything listed.

Making up stock concentrate - before processing

After processing

Once the stock was made it was then time to make the Risotto. I based it on the Mushroom risotto recipe in the Everyday Cooking cookbook but as Andrew doesn't like mushroom I used sundried tomato and broccoli instead. It turned out well but was a little salty so possible too much stock concentrate added.

Tonight's dinner - Sundried tomato, broccoli and baby spinach risotto.

I forgot to take a photo but I also whipped up some chocolate custard to take around to Andrew's parents place as we were visiting after dinner. 

So overall a very productive day food wise. I'm already feeling pretty comfortable using the machine. Next step is to try something using the Varoma.

One more sleep!

Tomorrow is the day! My consultant will deliver my new machine directly to my house (on a Sunday) and get me started by cooking something in it. I have chosen just to do a custard as something quick and easy, I'm sure Jake my two year old will be pretty happy with that choice.

So once I get my recipe books I can get planning on what I will cook this week.

Ordered and waiting

The focus of my blog is my new 'toy' which has been ordered this weekend. It is a Themomix, a super dooper chopping, mixing, cooking machine. I can't wait to get it to start playing, I mean cooking :)

Not only did I purchase my Thermomix on the weekend, I also signed up to become a demonstrator. It is something completely different to what I have done before but I think it will be fun to show people what it can do, and hopefully make a little income for myself while I am at it. My training is in early November so once that is complete I can begin doing demos.

I plan to put up a meal a week online to show what can be made. I might even post some tips and other useful things I learn along the way.

So now I just have to patiently wait for my machine.