Wanted - ideas and suggestions, please!

CFC · 30 December 2006 at 4:28AM

Hello all, seeing as I was lucky enough to get a Kenwood Chef for Christmas, I'm on the look out for interesting recipes using my new toy.

To fill you in, I can't make a load of anything and freeze it as I have a very tiny freezer. I used to love cooking years ago, but anti social and long hours at work have damped the fires of my ardour and I haven't cooked much for about 5 years now, except basic stuff - roasts, pasta, chicken in sauces, curries and the other usual suspects.

I have the mincer, the liquidiser and the multi mill (currently lost in the post LOL)

What I'm after is stuff that looks and tastes impressive but is easy and reasonably fast - no slow cooker here! I got rid of my breadmaker as I didn't like the bread nor the shape of the loaves much, and I can't leave bread for 4 hours to prove, so really lovely rolls are in the frame but a basic white loaf isn't.

Favourite cakes (not choc preferably, as other half doesn't like it, and my waistline might regret it if I ate a whole cake!), NICE soups (I have to say I've never actually made one in my life that I thought was worth making). I like strong flavours and am pretty adventurous in my tastes.

Those are just suggestions, but I'm open to anything! Quite fancy having a go at sausages once I've tracked down the casings.

I'm not going to stint on the ingredients either, as the whole point is to rekindle my love of cooking, and to rebuild my confidence in my skills other than for basic stuff, rather than seek to make the cheapest meals that I can, so even if you think that a recipe is a bit extravagent, if it'll fit the bill, please post it!

Your challenge, should you choose to accept it, is to get me to actually *enjoy* cooking again....

apple_mint · 30 December 2006 at 8:44AM

Not moneysaving as such, but I use my kenwood chef to make the most delicious butter and with the buttermilk make scones or Irish Soda bread.

I buy a large tub of double cream (£1.12 - but you get both good butter and a tub of buttermilk out of this. Reduced cream is better value

). Leave it out of the fridge for half an hour or so to come up to room temperature (it turns to butter quicker if not absolutely chilled).

Pour the cream into the bowl and beat with a k beater. What you are trying to do is take it past the whipped up stage. It tends to go suddenly and you you hear the swishing of the buttermilk in the bottom of the bowl. I don't have a splash guard for my Kenwood so I cover it with a clean tea towel (you need to be careful that you don't get this entangled with the beater so I won't actually recommend it - I am planning to get a splatter guard). I would turn the speed down as it starts to turn. I always stay with it as once it is at buttermilk stage it tends to splash.

Once I have the butter and pull it off the beaters and spoon it out of the buttermilk and press it firmly on a plate with a big palette knife (OH is going to make me some butter pats when he has made all the rest of things on the list we need :rotfl:). Pour the extra butter milk you have squeezed out onto the plate back into the milk in your bowl. I get about 8 fl oz of buttermilk from a large tub of cream.

Next start running the cold tap and squeeze the butter underneath it to rinse the final residues of buttermilk away. Once you are satisfied you have pure butter you can either press it into a butter dish or press it into a block (which I then freeze, wrapped in greaseproof paper and foil).

The buttermilk is then used for scones or soda bread. I got my soda bread recipe from here - I'll have a look around to see if I can find it again.

apple_mint · 30 December 2006 at 8:53AM

I couln't find the actual Soda Bread posting but I had cut and pasted it into word. Here it is:

By Smashing – MSE

I always use my Gran's old recipe, which is very easy to remember -

6oz plain flour
6oz wholemeal self-raising flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda
1/2 pint buttermilk

Mix dry ingredients, make a 'well' in the middle, add buttermilk gradually.
Form into a dough, flatten into a round, score a cross in the top with a blunt knife and chuck in the oven for 20-30 mins gas mark 6 / 200°c / 390°f

Smashing's recipe is so easy to make and is wonderful with HM soup. I make it every week and freeze it cut into portions. Soda bread is best on the day it is baked. Also when I take it out of the oven I leave it propped up on its edge to cool on a tea towel. I read this somewhere and it does seem to be better for it. Also, I don't buy wholemeal self raising - I buy wholemeal plan and add 1 1/2 tsp of baking powder.

hypno06 · 30 December 2006 at 8:56AM

i love using the grater thingy to grate vegetables for making into rosti and the like - carrots, courgettes, potato of course and onion work really well and I know someone who uses parsnip and swede as well. Simply grate into the kenwood the veg of your choice, add a bit of beaten egg if it needs it, but generally I find that the moisture of the veg is enough, make them into splats and fry them. you can add spices to make indian flavoured ones that are divine if you like spicy food.

These are really lovely as a side veg, looking fab on the plate, or make mini ones as a starter or nibbly thing, with some dips.

Enjoy experimenting - as with lots of things trial and error will prove to be your best friend!

CFC · 30 December 2006 at 2:03PM

Thank you ladies for your time...more ideas, anyone?

Toxic_Lemon · 30 December 2006 at 4:15PM

Kenwoods make the BEST mashed potatoes ever. Simply add the boiled potatoes into the Kenwood bowl. Switch on to a slow speed with the K beater. After a couple of minutes or so, add butter and cream or hot milk and seasoning. Beat for a couple of minutes more. Serve when you think it looks and tastes good.

Angelina-M · 30 December 2006 at 4:28PM

I have made sausages but I couldnt face adding extra fat so they were a bit dry, oh and I used a little too much mace so they were nutmeg bangers!

Butter is something I do all the time in my KC, makes great yorks puds too!

Toxic_Lemon · 30 December 2006 at 4:31PM

CFC - what Kenwood did you get? Food processors and Food Mixers are my area of expertise (I have an FP business), so I'm interested.

lil_me · 30 December 2006 at 4:33PM

All these ideas sound great, wonder if my Dad threw his old one out, he offered me a while back but I refused thinking I wouldn't use it but sounds like it would come in handy. If not think I miht buy one at some point, all those things it can be used for.

Toxic_Lemon · 30 December 2006 at 4:36PM

You turned down a free Kenwood? :eek: :eek: :eek:

moggins · 30 December 2006 at 4:39PM

OMG!! You turned it down? I've just forked out £150 for mine

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Wanted - ideas and suggestions, please!

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