What simple cooking item evades you?

hilstep2000

I can do lovely pastry, but my cakes are flat! My sister is the opposite, she can't do pastry, but her cakes are HUGE! I also can't do rice pud, it always turns out hard.no matter how long I cook it. I've taken to using tinned too, although I thought I'd try Jamie Olivers' way He boils it in a saucepan first with the milk to start it off.

Beccatje

fresh pasta!

I've got one of those pasta rollout machine thingies and am desperate to make our own pasta. It looks simple enough in the recipe's.. but I just can't do it! After boiling it is, tough, rubbery, thick, lumpy and really really heavy on the stomach..
'hmpfff...
drives me mad.. tips anyone?

VJsmum

Beccatje wrote: »

tips anyone?

Buy dried! I could never make it either.

I have learned that the secret to flapjacks is a tin of condensed milk- then they come out chewy and moist, but very sweet so drop the sugar down.

hotcookie101

Skint_Catt wrote: »

The only other thing I can think of at the moment is ANYTHING in the slow cooker - ok it's cooked & edible but EVERYTHING that comes out of it tastes the same - pretty much of nothing! :rotfl:

C xx

I found that with my slow cooker too-the only thing I was using it for was making chicken stock or cooking a gammon or bacon joint. I got rid of it and now just have use a saucepan for that

I like to cook stews slowly in the oven-the sauce reduces slightly and makes it more tasty, you get those browny bits around the edges where it has reduced (MMMMMM) , whereas I think the problem with the SC was nothing evaporates, so even if you don't add as much water, its just a bit bland....

I love cooking, am pretty adept at it, do lots of complicated recipes, but cannot consistently boil an egg so the white is set and the yolk is runny-I either get snotty whites (which I REALLY don't like) or hard yolks (which are no good for soldiers )
I do sometimes get it right, but then the next time-back to square one

Busybody

kochi1 wrote: »

Mine's cauliflower cheese - regardless of what I do its always watery - only thing I get right is the bacon bits on top!!!

Aldi frozen cauliflower cheese is fab as a standby!

tanith

Fudge is my nemesis tried 50 recipes but it always goes grainy... I really must invest in a thermometer as thats the problem I'm sure..

CH27

My lasagne was always a disaster so I now buy the M&S one which is yummy.

Linda32

Good thread.

I can't do bread or scones, I tried bread rolls once, I said the wall would come off worse if I was to throw one at the wall!!

Roast beef, I havn't bothered for years now, either red raw or tough as old boots. Luckily I prefer chicken and it stretches :rotfl:

Cheese sauce - curdled bland mess, Bisto do it far better than me

Curries, either nasty hot or bland, my sauce has to come out of a jar.

Linda32

VJsmum wrote: »

Buy dried! I could never make it either.

I have learned that the secret to flapjacks is a tin of condensed milk- then they come out chewy and moist, but very sweet so drop the sugar down.

:T :j Could you give an idea of the ratio on this please, how much less sugar do you use.

I have done flapjacks and they are very hard. OH loved them but I was worried about dentists bills! I thought I had cooked them for too long.

Shashwoo

Yorkshire Puds, 4 heaped tablespoons of Plain Flour, 2 Eggs, Salt, Pepper then do half Milk and half water untill the mixture is nice and smooth nd not too runny.

Roasties, par boil and heat up oil in your tray/roasting dish. drain the water and put the lid on your pan and bash the taties about a bit to rough them up. Put them in the oil when it is sizzling hot and bobs ya uncle!

I tell you what I can't do, Steak.... it always end up tasting like Liver (how the heck can that be?)

Toad in the hole I cheat, I do two yorkshire puds in cake tins and fry the sausages seperatly then I put the sausages, mash, gravy etc all in the bit yorshire hahahaha