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http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl Member Run Boards >> Food >> Cooking with the Mechanic... http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1404889749 Message started by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:09pm

Title: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:09pm

so I hear people say all of the time..

aww, eating healthy isn't cheap :'(

well that's just a load of rot from someone who doesn't know what they are talking about, and to be quite frank, most likely someone who doesn't do the cooking or is too lazy to make a healthy meal for their family...

today I spent $70 and made two soups, and, two stews...

here's what I purchased.. you'll see apples and yakult in there as well as part of the $70... mind you I already had carrots in the fridge so didn't need to buy them...

so i'll start with the soups..

I have a Tefel soup maker as some of you may have seen already... it's not one of those inferior products that you see with a plastic bowl.. the Tefel is stainless steel and as tough as nails...

this is mine while cooking today...

so... i'll teach you on how to make two soups and how damn easy it is... a veg soup and a pumpkin soup... you wont believe how tasty they are once you try them... so sweet and yummy using all natural ingredients..

first... with the vegetable soup... you'll need this..

one vegetable pack from woollies.. some chopped garlic and half a cube of vegetable stock...

this is it

no seriously.. that's it... you'll also need 800 ml of water...

I don't peal any of it accept taking the outer layer off the onion.. cut off the ends if need be and dice it up.. it should look like this..

once you chop it up just chuck it in the Tefal.. add your 800 ml of water, half a cube of vegetable stock and two teaspoons of garlic

turn it on to P2 and 35 mins later its done

it took me 7 minutes to dice and put the ingredients into the bowl..

so while that ones cooking for 35 minutes with a blend at the end which is all automatic... you start preparing the next soup... the pumpkin soup...

tbc

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Stunt-free Horse on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm

..still serious money but!!

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

hang on, wait, there's more...

people talk about spending HUNDREDS of dollars every week on groceries.. 4 . 5 hundred etc.... im giving you the option to halve it..

this will feed two adults for smoko, lunch/dinner meals for 7 days

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:49pm

soup 2

Pumpkin Soup..

ingredients...

pumpkin, one leak stick, one potato, two tea spoons garlic, shake in some cinnamon to taste.. maybe around one tea spoon.. I don't measure anything but that's close... pumpkin is about 500 grams.. half a vegetable stock cube.. 700 ml water...

now I cut that pumpkin up into 3 pieces and used 2 of them..

all cut up.. it looks like this

chuck it all in the Tefal..

and use the P1 setting.. 25 minutes later and its done... on this setting it gets a one minute blend so it's like a smoothy..

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:51pm

PS don't taste test it as soon as its finished.. it'll burn your mouth out...

if you take the lid off two quickly it can bubble and spit out hot soup...

so leave it for a bit... :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Aussie on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:54pm

Gimme an onion (+) soup and directions where to find that soup maker.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:02pm

Aussie wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:54pm:

Gimme an onion (+) soup and directions where to find that soup maker.

Harvey Norman have them... Tefel try and maintain their price and price them at $299

but I beat them down on price... I got that one for around $270

I know that dear... but you are getting a stainless steel bowl that's bullet proof..

I hear from a lot of people that have the plastic bowl that they burn the bottom turning it black...

that's just not on... no way.. to me its a fire hazard..

get one of these and you'll have no trouble, NO burning and easy to clean...

after two soups all I had to clean was

one bowl,

one knife,

one tea spoon...

wow... :o

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Aussie on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:04pm

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:02pm:

Aussie wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:54pm:

Gimme an onion (+) soup and directions where to find that soup maker.

Okay.....now....where's me onion (+) soup?

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Datalife on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:13pm

Unless you are going to fry off the veggies and meat and getting some maillard caramelisation I don't like the sound of those soups.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:23pm

Aussie wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:04pm:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:02pm:

Aussie wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:54pm:

Gimme an onion (+) soup and directions where to find that soup maker.

Okay.....now....where's me onion (+) soup?

sorry Aussie, ive never done an Onion soup..

I hear that the "French onion" soup is a treat.. type in google "tefal French onion soup recipe"

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:26pm

Datalife wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:13pm:

Unless you are going to fry off the veggies and meat and getting some maillard caramelisation I don't like the sound of those soups.

suck it and see... you'll be surprised...

I can't believe how sweet these recipes are... if you cooked them on the stove they'd be bland by themselves...

but the recipes above are my likes and the mrs... there's plenty of other recipes you can try to your taste in the books that you get...

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Datalife on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:32pm

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:26pm:

Datalife wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:13pm:

Unless you are going to fry off the veggies and meat and getting some maillard caramelisation I don't like the sound of those soups.

Fair enough. I like a good soup myself, pea and ham weather here. But to my mind blitzing veggies in hot stock would not have as good a result as doing the same thing with some classical cooking methods.

The recipes are sweet because the sugars are not being converted into complex carbohydrates which are flavour.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Stunt-free Horse on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 6:57pm

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

Now ya tell me: laughing dood- sweet!

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 7:01pm

ps...

on the back of the viggie pack wrapper are more "easy" recipes...

the information is there right in front of you... :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 7:37pm

so...

I also have a Tefal pressure cooker.. I think its called "Cook for me" or something like that..

I cooked two stews today as well...

this one is a chicken stew...

about 500grams of chicken... I use stir fry strips as they are easy to cut up...

five "mash" type potatoes.. so the white ones

five sticks of celery, or 3 of the full sized ones

five carrots

two onions

a couple of cups of frozen vegies...

umm.. about 2 table spoons of garlic...

one cup of red wine.. (some people use white)

2 tbl spoon olive oil and a slice of butter

2 cups of Vegetable or Beef stock... depend on what you like.. either one..

2 cans of diced tomatoes..

brown the chicken in the oil and butter... add in a tble spoon of oregano, 2 of Garlic, then add a cup of red wine.. and then if you like add in the onion and marinade for a few minutes..

all this is done in the one pot...

then add in the rest of the ingredients and set for 25 minutes...

that's it.. you are done..

don't eat until around at least 6 hours later to let the flavours set in...
we usually wait till the day after... the longer it sits the more flavours blend in and are stronger.. its amazing.. so tasty :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 7:50pm

now the lamb stew is about the same, but different..

ingredients here

500g diced lamb
2tbl Garlic
umm, shake in some rosemary - like 1 tble spoon ( I don't measure it just guess)
5 or 6 red potatoes
5 carrots
a stack of beans like in the picture
5 or 6 sticks of celery
2 cans of Ardmona chopped tomatoes
2 cups Beef stock
olive oil (not that virgin crap >:( )
butter
2 onions

brown the meat like the chicken recipe.. add in the rosemary.. leave for a couple of minutes then add in the cup of red wine...

chuck in the rest of the vegies, stir, and, set for 35 minutes...

then you are done... let it sit for at least 6 hours after its done :)

oh PS...

flour the meats both in this one and the other one..

two tble spoons on a plate and flour the meat before browning...

when you finish marinading put in the left over flour...

and lastly...

add in one tble spoon of mint sauce... the secret ingredient...

shhhhh ;)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Lady Lols on Jul 10^th, 2014 at 1:32am

Nice cooking thread, I haven't got a soup maker, but I do have the Tefal Cook4me, looks like a black orb, sitting on the island bench in my kitchen, everyone comes in and asks "what's that!" ;D and I say it's a black orb.....then I do explain.
I got mine for $289 on special.
The good thing about this pressure cooker is that it is computerized and tells you what to do, and sets the time etc and releases the pressure valve....takes the guess work out of what the old fashioned pressure cookers used to be like.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Stunt-free Horse on Jul 10^th, 2014 at 2:13am

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 7:50pm:

Is that lamb? Mint sauce: fair enough!!

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 3^rd, 2014 at 8:56pm

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 10^th, 2014 at 2:13am:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 7:50pm:

Is that lamb? Mint sauce: fair enough!!

you can also use the same with beef...

add in some chick peas...

with the chicken add in some honey to the browning... and/or a hand full of chopped apricots....

you can't go wrong...

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by John Smith on Aug 3^rd, 2014 at 10:43pm

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

this will feed two adults for smoko, lunch/dinner meals for 7 days

What boring taste buds you must have to eat soup and stews every day for smoko lunch and dinner .... Ok for one meal, few days a week during the colder months, but I need variety

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Dsmithy70 on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 3:40pm

You could reduce your bill by at least another 10% & create more meals by buying unprocessed Vegies

Buy a bunch of celery not pre packaged sticks

Buy a small whole pumpkin not a wedge

Bag your own beans

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redneck on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 5:29pm

OK Mechanic you are in the sh1t if this doesnt work out!

Have ordered one of those soup makers!

Best Price online Billy Guyatts $248.95 + delivery in my case $10.31

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Greens_Win on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 6:50pm

Quick look at the forum section and I thought this thread was "cooking with meth" ...

Now reading it, try chick peas in your pumpkin soup before pureeing to make it go even further.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 7:58pm

John Smith wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2014 at 10:43pm:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

this will feed two adults for smoko, lunch/dinner meals for 7 days

What boring taste buds you must have to eat soup and stews every day for smoko lunch and dinner .... Ok for one meal, few days a week during the colder months, but I need variety

what do you cook john?

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 8:02pm

Dsmithy70 wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 3:40pm:

I can't see any processed vegies there?

some prepacked maybe...

good ideas on the celery but how does a whole pumpkin save you money? i'll have to look into that.. :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 8:08pm

Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 5:29pm:

OK Mechanic you are in the sh1t if this doesnt work out!

Have ordered one of those soup makers!

Best Price online Billy Guyatts $248.95 + delivery in my case $10.31

I can't see how you could go wrong...

using mine over the weekend I made a different type vegie soup and also a cauliflower soup with bacon bits.. while the soup was cooking for its 25 mins I cooked up some bacon, over done so crunchy, then put them in at the end after cooling them and cutting them up..

two soups in about an hour and fifteen...

clean up... one knife, one spoon, a stainless steal blender jug and wipe down the chopping board...

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 8:12pm

____ wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 6:50pm:

Quick look at the forum section and I thought this thread was "cooking with meth" ...

Now reading it, try chick peas in your pumpkin soup before pureeing to make it go even further.

not surprising coming from a greenie... ;)

I didn't know but apparently chick peas are high in protein... they can't get enough of them in india, they use them in a lot of their cooking... india is the biggest producer, Australia the second biggest in the world...

a lot of chick peas are being introduced into poor countries to grow because they are so healthy etc

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by John Smith on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 9:43pm

True Blue... wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 7:58pm:

John Smith wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2014 at 10:43pm:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

this will feed two adults for smoko, lunch/dinner meals for 7 days

What boring taste buds you must have to eat soup and stews every day for smoko lunch and dinner .... Ok for one meal, few days a week during the colder months, but I need variety

what do you cook john?

I try to mix it up as often as I can ... pasta, rice, mexican, meats chicken & fish ... steamed, boiled fried baked or BBQ ... depending on what I'm after ... I usually try to mix it up ..if the last time I had fried steak, next time I'll throw some meat in the oven, but that usually won't be for another 3 or 4 days before I have meat (as the main) again

tonight I had spaghetti with a prawns garlic and oil sauce , I often put what I make in the this thread

http://www.ozpolitic.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1395814942/209#209

I like variety ....

I had an uncle who for 50 yrs every day ate a bowl of spaghetti bolognaise, and then a piece of steak ...EVERY FRIGGEN DAY , the only time it changed was if he went to a wedding for the day or was in hospital ... I would have gone mad

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by John Smith on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 9:46pm

True Blue... wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 8:12pm:

didn't know but apparently chick peas are high in protein... they can't get enough of them in india, they use them in a lot of their cooking... india is the biggest producer, Australia the second biggest in the world...

absolutely love chick peas, actually I love all the beans and peas

my favourite way to have them, boil them until cooked, strain, then add extra virgin olive oil and salt

wife usually complains a lot later that night though ... not sure why ;D ;D ;D

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 9:54pm

John Smith wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 9:43pm:

True Blue... wrote on Aug 4^th, 2014 at 7:58pm:

John Smith wrote on Aug 3^rd, 2014 at 10:43pm:

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:26pm:

BatteriesNotIncluded wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:13pm:

..still serious money but!!

this will feed two adults for smoko, lunch/dinner meals for 7 days

What boring taste buds you must have to eat soup and stews every day for smoko lunch and dinner .... Ok for one meal, few days a week during the colder months, but I need variety

what do you cook john?

thanks for the heads up with that link.. I've never ventured to that part of the forum...

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 6^th, 2014 at 8:18pm

ok,

I was doing something different tonight...

I've been looking at how people do their puddings in the oven with water etc and it all seem a bit over complicated to me..

so... being a genius, :D,

I thought I'd try cooking some of my puddings in our vegetable steamer.. :o

here's how it turned out.. its a jam pudding.. I went without tea to eat this tonight..

the steamer..

the cakes once finished... at 20 minutes they were still a bit soft.. so they got 30 minutes in the steamer

run the knife around the edge and tip them out..

all finished with custard applied... :)

oh boy.. im full now.. they didn't look that big.. :(

all in all a great result on a simple recipe and in 30 minutes.. beats hanging around for 2 hours.. :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by King FriYAY II on Aug 7^th, 2014 at 11:58am

Had slow cooked pork belly on a bed of spinach and sweet potato weges with a cider jus last night.

METHOD:

Grab a can of pepsi max and add 1-2 shots of scotch.

Walk to pub.

Order.

Eat.

Walk home.

Yummo. ;)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 10^th, 2014 at 4:06pm

King FriYAY II wrote on Aug 7^th, 2014 at 11:58am:

now come on.. you could have cooked this yourself.. you should be ashamed.!! ;D

I also don't mind a whiskey in Pepsimax now and again.. ;)

I take out one large mouthful and then top it up with the whiskey.. 8-)

oh, I was looking at spinach yesterday to see the nutritional value in the leaves..

incredible.. its packed full of goodness so im going to add them into my diet... if I can get it into a recipe that tastes good ;)

im making bangers and mash tonight for my guests.. i'll show you guys later on if I remember to take pics..

the best ever tasting bangers and mash you'll ever taste in your life.. I've only made it once on a trial run.. so tonight is the big night to unleash it on unsuspecting ~~guineapigs~~ family :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by King FriYAY II on Aug 13^th, 2014 at 12:31pm

True Blue... wrote on Aug 10^th, 2014 at 4:06pm:

King FriYAY II wrote on Aug 7^th, 2014 at 11:58am:

The better half did bangers in red wine and cream sauce the other week, they were sensational.

It’s so hard to not go to the pub sometimes!!! The walk there is along the banks of the Murray River, with the restaurant overlooking he Murray River as well. Just too bloody easy…. :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redneck on Aug 17^th, 2014 at 5:59pm

Well Mechanic,the Tefal finally arrived and has been tested. I did your first recipe first and then a Mushroom and Bacon soup. Actually used those chopped up bacon bits from the dairy section of WW

Its a great machine and soups turned out great.

As I like soups with meat in them (Chicken, Beef etc) I am still thinking of how best to do them.

Should I brown the meat first in a fry pan or just chuck it in? I have even wondered about using chicken mince?

Thoughts? :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Aug 18^th, 2014 at 7:53pm

Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 17^th, 2014 at 5:59pm:

I think that you could do it either way... cook it and then put it in at the start or the end of the soup cycle...

a guy I work with doesn't bother to brown the meat first when he does a soup or even a stew...

each way would give a slightly different flavour to your soup...

myself, I like to brown everything first rather than just "boil" it...

I've just done a BBQ sausage stew in my pressure cooker browning the cut up sausages in garlic, Onion, worcestershire sauce, BBQ sauce (or did I use smokey BBQ :-/) when nearly browned up add in around a cup of red wine...

then add potatoes, carrot, celery, a can of four bean, a can of chick peas, 2 cans of chopped tomatoes (Australian) and some beef stock...

omg.. Delicious.. :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redneck on Nov 30^th, 2014 at 11:14am

Can a mod move this into Food, took me a flamin hour to find it!

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redneck on Nov 30^th, 2014 at 11:47am

Thanks Annie

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Black Orchid on Nov 30^th, 2014 at 12:56pm

I liked this thread but couldn't find it either so thank you for moving it.

Redmond Neck wrote on Aug 17^th, 2014 at 5:59pm:

Should I brown the meat first in a fry pan or just chuck it in? I have even wondered about using chicken mince?

Thoughts? :)

Browning meat isn't necessary before putting it into stews/soups etc but if you caramelise it in a hot pan first it does enhance the flavour of the meat quite a lot. It also looks a lot better in the end product.

Always brown any type of mince before tossing it in so that it doesn't end up in huge clumps whilst cooking.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redneck on Nov 30^th, 2014 at 1:11pm

Thanks BO

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by True Blue... on Dec 1^st, 2014 at 5:52pm

well if the Mechanic wasn't banned for the last 4 months he might put up some more recipes...

although, you couldn't blame him if he didn't,,, probably headed into the sunset by now..

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by SpecialShirtFront on Dec 9^th, 2014 at 11:40pm

Mechanic, not sure where you live, but...

In WA, there's a shop called spud shed. It's basically like a farmers' market. There, you can pick up 10kg bags of spuds, onions or carrots for $5 a pop. Anyway, that's a good base for general soups I find. You can always add meat or other vegies like celeriac to change the taste.

Love your how-tos, by the way

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Black Orchid on Jan 2^nd, 2015 at 9:40am

How about a nice chicken and corn soup? :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Black Orchid on Jan 2^nd, 2015 at 9:42am

Are those soup makers big enough to accommodate a ham bone?

Growing up I hated pea and ham soup but the older I get the more I like things that I didn't like as a child and now I love pea soup.

I always have trouble finding a pot big enough to cook the ham bone in.

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Feb 9^th, 2015 at 7:44pm

Black Orchid wrote on Jan 2^nd, 2015 at 9:42am:

you wouldn't want to use the auto settings then... they blend at the end of the cooking automatically..

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by The Mechanic on Feb 9^th, 2015 at 7:49pm

last weeks Stew...

left over Lamb...

Olive Oil
Onion
MasterFoods Moroccan Meatballs Flavour..
Potato
Pumpkin
Celery
Carrot
Cabbage
Chick Peas
Spinach
Beans
2 Cans chopped tomato
Beef Stock
Water

when I told me apprentice what I put in this stew he screwed his face up.. but when he tasted it... he was like... hmmmm .. not bad :)

check out the goodies that are in chick peas and spinach..

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Black Orchid on Feb 12^th, 2015 at 12:44pm

I love both chickpeas and spinach :)

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redmond Neck on Oct 16^th, 2020 at 1:31pm

President Elect, The Mechanic wrote on Jul 9^th, 2014 at 5:09pm:

Good topic

Title: Re: Cooking with the Mechanic...
Post by Redmond Neck on Oct 18^th, 2020 at 2:30pm

Good topic this!

Mechanic posting something quite interesting which is unusual in itself!

Much more useful item than that silly NutriBullet