Light meals

Char siew pow – steamed pork buns

~ nzthermomixmum
Steamed bun
Steamed bun

I have always wanted to make steamed pork buns. The recipe in the ” A Taste of Asia” p79 looks so simple, no rising needed,  so had to give this recipe a go. Probably considered sacrilegious to substitute lamb for pork but I made up the filling with leftover lamb finely diced and using the oyster sauce hoisin base. The result is not  what I expected most likely because the buns did not require proving.  The buns, of course, are the same size as I put in the Varoma even though there was yeast and baking powder in the recipe. Kids loved them and they were demolished in seconds but not the fluffy steamed buns we are used to. I will search for a recipe from the community next.  What I do like about having the thermomix is the inspiration it gives us to try new recipes. Internet has been down and so haven’t had access to the recipe community website. Can’t wait to look now.

Note Just this minute my daughters have just requested I make these again, they think they’re better than the normal buns that require rising and funnily enough I may even agree! So we may be onto another lunch box winner.

 

 

 

Mushroom risotto

~ nzthermomixmum
Mushroom and corgette risotto
Mushroom and corgette risotto

A year ago after seeing the earlier model thermomix Tm31 at a demo and feeling I couldn’t justify the expense,  I bought a pressure cooker as a consolation purchase. At a fraction of the cost, it has served us well making risotto, soups and stews super fast. The Breville fast slow cooker also had a sauté function so it was  one pot cooking and also had the prep and walk away factor. Accuracy with measurements were not an issue, I could within reason add more ingredients or meat or rice and the end result  more forgiving because the high pressure ensured it’s all fully cooked. So the thermomix had a lot to live up to in comparison with regard to risottos, stews,  and soups.

The risotto I  made in the thermomix using the guided touchscreen recipe, was slightly undercooked but once left in the thermoserver for a few minutes it completed cooking.  On reflection this was most likely because I added more mushrooms and slightly more rice accidentally than the recipe required.  The onions could have been sautéed longer than the recipe stated. The kids noticed the onions  in the risotto made in TM.  I definately saute longer in pressure cooker until onions are browned and softened. All things considered, the Tm5 did a good job with risotto but with a little more expermentation ie sauté longer and cooking slightly longer this will perfect the  recipe. I stirred through cooked corgettes after to add another serve of vegetables. Lovely meal and will definately try again.

Pita bread wraps

~ nzthermomixmum
Pita bread
Pita bread

http://www.recipecommunity.com.au/breads-rolls-recipes/pita-bread-wraps/128146

My kids love pita bread so this one was a must have recipe. And it’s so simple, add the ingredients knead a couple minutes proving only 15 minutes then ready to pan fry. I hardly had time to take to take a pic because the scavengers were circling, even the hummus didn’t last before I could click the button. Comments were “these are better than the ones we buy”, ” so tasty”  and moreish! . Recipe made about a dozen. Can see I will be making these often.

Tuna dip

~ nzthermomixmum
Tuna dip by thermomon
Tuna dip by ThermoMon

With croutons made had to find a healthy dip to accompany them. And via my travels on the web and came across this little gem by thermomon, another thermomix owner posting great tips and recipes on her blog. I substituted half sour cream because I ran out of cream cheese but the dip was a big hit with the family and excellent picnic food.

Mushroom soup

~ nzthermomixmum

Today I discovered a packet of mushrooms in fridge that needed to be used sooner rather than later so… Out comes the thermomix to rescue the old mushrooms.

Mushroom soup
Mushroom soup

Using  the guided recipe called for 200g of mushrooms.  I had about 400g leftover in fridge and used it all. The result is a slightly darker looking soup. The soup only took about 10 minutes and all we had to do was pop in mushrooms, water, milk, homemade (tmx) vegetable stock and cream. Delicious and so simple. Miss 8 loves mushroom soup and the recipe made about 1.5ltrs enough to freeze for later . Probably 6 large bowls. Fabulous!

Christmas with our Thermomix

~ nzthermomixmum

Catering Christmas lunch for 25., the thermomix saved so much time, and stress. From chopping onion and garlic, making 3 lots of bechamel sauce, boiling eggs, making salads, grating cheese, making sauces, making caster sugar and icing sugar and whipping cream. To be able to ‘prep’ and walk away from it while you  carry on with some other task is it’s best feature.  It’s like having an extra pair of hands in the kitchen

Chopping onion
Chopping onion
Apple sauce
Apple sauce

Great, three apples peeled and popped into the thermomix, minutes later, perfect apple sauce for the ham.

Boiling eggs, the ones on left are out of thermomix, the ones on the right from pot on stove
Boiling eggs, the ones on left are out of thermomix, the ones on the right from pot on stove

I boiled eggs for hot potato salad on stove but got distracted and left them too long, the bowl on the right shows my exploded eggs from the stovetop. Boiling a few extra in the thermomix, I could leave and a few minutes later perfect boiled eggs.

Grating cheese
Grating cheese
Mac and cheese
Mac and cheese for kids
Cranberry and pistachio biscotti
Cranberry and pistachio biscotti
Boxing Day leftover lunch
Boxing Day leftover lunch, forgot to take photos at Xmas

Thanks to the thermomix, Christmas cooking done and dusted, no dramas in the kitchen.

Cleaning out fridge

~ nzthermomixmum
Mac and cauliflower cheese bake, broccoli salad
Mac and cauliflower cheese bake,  with a vegetable salad
Vegetable soup
Vegetable soup

In preparation for Christmas we cleaned out our fridge and decided to use up all the leftover vegetables for dinner. Quarter of a head of cauliflower was blitzed into a mac and cheese bake, white sauce made in thermomix. And six tomatoes, the wobbly ends of two celery  stalks along with the fabulous thermomix vegetable stock and egg ribbons became a light tomatoey soup. Used a quick 10 minute recipe from the TMX lunchbox snack recipe book. Good fast food to sit in front of TV  after a long day of spring cleaning. Kids loved the combination of pasta cauliflower and cheese. And the soup and salad was perfect for the mum and dad.

Hummus

~ nzthermomixmum

I’ll have to think of a different adjective to describe how “easy” it is to make hummus. But it is easy, guided recipe, measure straight into bowl. Substituted peanut butter for tahini paste as we didn’t have any in pantry and the result is yummy.  Toasted  Pita pockets and freshly made hummus for breakfast. Whoopee! There must be a TM recipe for pita pockets too. Watch this space.

Hummus
Hummus