|
Post by 3piggles on Dec 12, 2012 15:38:44 GMT
Great thing about the pasta machine is that it makes all the pastas, so you can do a gluten free dough, and make any shapes and sizes you want. Great think about ravioli is, since the filling gets precooked, it can be anything you want, and gluten free. If you eat pasta at all, the machine just allows you to make it fresh. It does take a bit more time, but fresh is so good!
I have to plan holiday menus well in advance. Love him, but hub is ADD and dyslexic, so I have to go over things repeatedly, and hope he gets it. He means well, but loses focus easily, and doesn't pay attention too well.
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Dec 12, 2012 20:12:11 GMT
If someone's tried making gluten-free pasta and can vouch it's not too painful, I'd try it. But without the gluten most foods fall apart a lot easier while making them - that or the doughs tend to need more liquid in the mix (so they don't end up really dense and dry when cooked), so it's usually too sticky to be mouldable. Better (or just more patient) cooks than me can do it, I'm sure - I'm just grateful the range of gluten-free foods available is pretty good these days. I can't wait until someone brings out a good puff pastry though - I do miss that!
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Dec 26, 2012 0:44:15 GMT
This is the cookie jar I decorated for daughter, full of cookies. She was thrilled with both I forgot to take a picture of the peppermint bark, but both candy and cookies were big hits! There are butter cookies in peppermint sugar, mint chocolate chip, regular chocolate chip with red and green chips, and sugar cookies with peppermint sugar sprinkles, green sugar sprinkles and red sugar sprinkles! I used red blanket binding to make the ribbon and bow, and cut thin to decorate the handle.
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Dec 27, 2012 14:04:34 GMT
Oooh lovely, what a delicious and thoughtful gift. Has she finished them yet?!
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Dec 27, 2012 17:21:33 GMT
She got back to her friends house around 4 p.m., and the cookies were all gone by the next morning
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Dec 30, 2012 12:12:57 GMT
Haha good work all round!
I am so bored of washing up at the moment and am thinking of getting a dishwasher. Think I'd only be able to squeeze a slimline one in so I might not be able to get all the pots in as well as the crockery etc but it'll still save me a load of time. My 7 year old son doesn't approve and says it's lazy (in his defence he does like helping with the washing up, but seeing as I have to take the glasses/ knives out and make the water cooler than I like it to be, it's not exactly an efficient procedure - plus he always soaks the kitchen floor and I end up having to wipe that down too!).
Shall I go for it or an I being lazy?! Any makes to avoid?
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Dec 30, 2012 20:34:01 GMT
Go for lazy, but make sure you get what you need. Our last dishwasher wasn't tall enough inside for our dinner plates to stand up. Didn't fit any but the smallest pots, either, and generally did a lousy job of washing the silverware. You want one that's quiet, fits the biggest thing you want to wash (take it with you shopping) and fits in your kitchen. My mother had a roll-around one she put in a corner out of the way. When it was full, she wheeled it over to the sink, hooked the hose to the faucet, outflow into the drain, and off she went. No dishwasher will hold all the dishes, pots, pans, etc., so do multiple loads when you do a lot of cooking. You can also get the drawers, so if you don't do a lot of washing, maybe one drawer would do. www.fisherpaykel.co.uk/product/dishwashing/dishwasher/Just look around at what's available. As for lazy, it does the dishes when he has something better to do, when everyone is too tired to do the cleaning up, when everyone is sick and feeling lousy, etc. I don't run mine every day, but don't want to go without one!
|
|
|
Post by weesilvie on Dec 31, 2012 8:37:22 GMT
Check out the Which report. I'm a member so can look them up online for you if you want.
Be lazy - why not! Go for one with a good environmental rating at leats, will make you feel better about it!
So, what's everyone done with their Christmas leftovers? My freezer is now jam packed. I made a chilli on Christmas eve (nothing Christmassy about it really!), a nice Dhansak with the leftover turkey and a pumpkin I'd had for a while and an unintentially vast quantity of Christmas pasta (with sprouts, chestnuts and bacon).
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Dec 31, 2012 11:08:37 GMT
We had my brother over for Christmas lunch, so not many leftovers here... I did bake an extra ham for sarnies etc throughout the week, so that's been nice! I've been looking at a couple of reviews sites and have found a couple of slimline ones that are reasonably priced and get good reviews. www.reevoo.com/p/beko-dsfs1531www.reevoo.com/p/indesit-ids-105They're both A rated. Unfortunately there don't seem to be many slimline ones that have an energy rating above A that have good reviews and are a reasonable price (I'd happily spend up to £300 but a super special one [that loads itself?] might nudge me a bit higher). There's one Bosch one but a load of the comments go on about it being difficult to load and not as spacious, so I think that one's out (which won't please fella as he loves the likes of Bosch and hates cheapy brands like Indesit and Beko...). www.reevoo.com/p/bosch-sps40c12gbIf Which can shed any extra light, that'd be great. I love reviews sites for stuff like this - I could immediately rule a bunch out because they someone had said that if your dinner plates are bigger than 10" they won't fit! Laurie, that's a good idea about taking your plate round to the shop though!
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Jan 1, 2013 19:20:58 GMT
In the US there are regular tub and tall tub dishwashers, depending on the height between the main loading deck for plates and pans, and the upper loading deck for glasses, etc. The regular tubs allow some pots and pans on the upper deck, while the tall tubs won't hold large items on the upper deck. That's a choice based on what you plan to wash, more than anything, which is why I suggested taking a plate or pan you would want to wash, and making sure it fits.
Some have silverware baskets that fit in the main deck, others have silverware baskets that go on the door, and some have silverware baskets that go on the upper deck. I don't like the upper deck baskets, as you can't load cooking utensils that are very long. Those have to be laid on the rack where the glasses would go, and use most of the space. I like the door mounted baskets best, as they leave the main deck for pots, pans and plates. We've done some creative loading a few times, and it was nice not to have to deal with the basket.
The current dishwasher we have is also quiet, incredibly quiet. We run it overnight, when the electric rates are lower. We don't even hear it, and sound carries in this house.
Most dishwashers, now, preheat the water, so you don't have to set the house water temps high enough to burn people, just to wash the dishes. That saves money on hot water costs.
If you're likely to not wash the dishes every day, a Rinse/Hold feature is nice. Otherwise rinse the dishes before loading them. You shouldn't have to do any more than that.
Few dishwashers will clean dried on egg, so that is something to rinse off before loading, even if you're going to wash the dishes that day.
Most dishwashers also have a Pots/Pans cycle or Heavy Soil cycle. It's a good cycle for pots or pans with anything baked on.
I hope this helps, and I didn't ramble on too much.
|
|
|
Post by weesilvie on Jan 2, 2013 17:10:47 GMT
Beko DSFS1531W - is the best 'budget' one in the Which report (£180, a Best Buy and an Energy Saver). Pros: Cheap to buy and run, great cleaning, good drying, half-load setting. Cons: Noisy, small, confusing controls, takes a long time to complete standard cycle. 66% overall.
The Bosch SPS40C12GB Classixx comes in at £286 if that's of interest? A Best Buy and an Energy Saver. Pros: Cleans well, excellent drying, very few watermarks, delayed start, energy efficient. Cons: Slow. 69% overall.
The Beko, the Bosch and a Miele (£557 - would need to load itself!) were the only three 'Best Buys' on the Which list for slimline dishwashers.
There were also several others from Beko near the top of the list and quite a few from Hotpoint which didn't quite make it to Best Buy status.
So says the Which report on such things. Hope that helps. Looks like you've already found the good ones anyway!
|
|
|
Post by jolovespiggies on Jan 2, 2013 17:24:08 GMT
I love receiving edibles as gifts, the jar looks delicious.
Hugs
Jo xx
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Jan 2, 2013 20:07:43 GMT
The Beko, the Bosch and a Miele (£557 - would need to load itself!) were the only three 'Best Buys' on the Which list for slimline dishwashers. Oooh well that's good news, and thanks so much for looking them up - looks like it's down to Beko or Bosch then. Fella would always go for the Bosch but I'm a bit dubious about a few comments on reevoo relating to how the space inside is organised making it difficult to get more in (although interesting it doesn't get mentioned for that on Which, but it does for the Beko!). He reckons people have higher expectations with 'better' brands so will tend to moan more rather than just get on with it and be thankful they haven't just bought a bag of nuts and bolts?! If money was no object, I would get a Miele (based on reputation and my experience of one of their hoovers!), but it is, so I won't! Thanks so much for the extra info too Laurie - it's great to hear these things as you make your mind up - having never had a dishwasher, I have no idea of the things to look out for and would rather think about them now than because I've bought the wrong machine! I think my choices have been cut dramatically because of the space I need to fit it into, but I won't complain about that as my head might explode if I had too many options! Oh and back to leftovers, I did a roast pork meal for the family on New Years Eve and had a bit of pork leftover, so yesterday I thought I'd rustle up a quick risotto for lunch to use it up. So I got out a few veggies to go in and we sat down to eat it, but after half a plate I realised we were eating a very nice veggie risotto and the tub of pork was still sitting on the counter - durrr!
|
|
|
Post by jolovespiggies on Jan 4, 2013 15:28:45 GMT
We have a few bits left over and we froze them. I am having some of the ham today with a baked potato. Believe it or not, there are some chocolates left LOL!!
Hugs
JO xx
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Jan 7, 2013 12:37:46 GMT
I'm impressed! We have a few left but they're all strawberry and orange cremes that no one will touch with a bargepole!
|
|
|
Post by weesilvie on Jan 8, 2013 15:15:57 GMT
Ooh, send the orange creams to me - I'll eat them! You can keep the strawberry ones though. I've still got chocolate left too. And still a whole load of potatoes, half a red cabbage and half a white cabbage. The cabbages were huge to start with and it seems to multiply as you chop it!
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Jan 8, 2013 22:51:55 GMT
Ooh, I'll eat them
|
|
|
Post by Bean on Jan 9, 2013 21:48:22 GMT
Oh you sick, sick people....!
|
|
|
Post by 3piggles on Jan 10, 2013 0:32:31 GMT
If I pick it out myself, I get a Valentine's box of candy from hub. That can be really good, but lately we're not at the stores that carry the interesting ones, so they've been kind of boring. I'll take the strawberry and orange creams, definitely!
|
|
|
Post by monkeyandthechimp on Jan 10, 2013 12:46:56 GMT
Hahaha talking about left over chocolate, I just threw out my Easter egg... From last year... I'm not a big chocolate eater... Can your tell? Cheese on the other hand... No cheese is safe in my fridge!
|
|