Rice
boiled eggs
poached eggs.

toast

sponge cakes and pancakes

roast potatoes - I'm just not good at them.

Roast, I can never have it all ready at the same time, which is why I never cook Christmas dinner

I can cook virtually everythng no matter how complicated but where I really struggle is with Roasts
Everybody has a firm idea of where in the stage of pinkness they want itand trying to cook somthing that is rare in the middle and cooked on the outside is s really quite difficult
I like Roast beef cooked in a huge piece by a talented chef in an oven that can cope

quote:

Originally posted by Scrumtum:
for me its pasta.

no matter how hard I try its either overcooked or undercooked.

The instructions on the packet are pretty reliable

quote:

Originally posted by Essex Angel:
Rice
boiled eggs
poached eggs.

Rice
1 cup + 2 cups of water lid on and cokk until you get dents on the top of the rice then check
leave lid on if it isn't quite there but rice is easy

Boiled eggs depends on the size so 3 mins is stndard but try it on a large egg

poached eggs
Essential you have very fresh eggs so the white stays together
if the white spread all over the pan they are getting a bit stale

Boil water first swirl with a spoon and crack egg into the centre it doesnt take very long

quote:

Originally posted by old hippy guy:
toast

I understand you have a woman to do it for you

quote:

Originally posted by Big Brothers Big Scam:
sponge cakes and pancakes

Very easy but cakes must have the right size tin for the ingredients and the correct temperature
Get the Mary Berry cake book Her cakes are flawless

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
roast potatoes - I'm just not good at them.

Put decent size chunks in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil simmer for about ten minutes and drain
allow all the steam to evaporate and then shake them around in the pan to make then fluffy on the outside (makes them crispy)
melt fat/oil (goose fat for best results)
in large and not too deep roasing tin (not with the meat they go soggy)
heat the fat on hob first to get it nice and hot then put poratoes in and make sure they are coated
into the oven on shelf above meat 1 to 1.30 hours

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
roast potatoes - I'm just not good at them.

Put decent size chunks in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil simmer for about ten minutes and drain
allow all the steam to evaporate and then shake them around in the pan to make then fluffy on the outside (makes them crispy)
melt fat/oil (goose fat for best results)
in large and not too deep roasing tin (not with the meat they go soggy)
heat the fat on hob first to get it nice and hot then put poratoes in and make sure they are coated
into the oven on shelf above meat 1 to 1.30 hours

Thanks Puddy - do I turn them over?

I can cook pretty much anything, but bread I've never got my head round.

Always comes out really dense. Sure fills a corner, though

Lovely Roasts

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
roast potatoes - I'm just not good at them.

Put decent size chunks in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil simmer for about ten minutes and drain
allow all the steam to evaporate and then shake them around in the pan to make then fluffy on the outside (makes them crispy)
melt fat/oil (goose fat for best results)
in large and not too deep roasing tin (not with the meat they go soggy)
heat the fat on hob first to get it nice and hot then put poratoes in and make sure they are coated
into the oven on shelf above meat 1 to 1.30 hours

Thanks Puddy - do I turn them over?

I sprinkle flour on mine before I shake them up, lush

quote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddyostrich:
I can cook pretty much anything, but bread I've never got my head round.

Always comes out really dense. Sure fills a corner, though

Bread machine
all that kneading is far to hard on the hands and wrists
brilliant for homemade pizza dough then you can control the fat and salt on them

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
roast potatoes - I'm just not good at them.

Put decent size chunks in a pan, cover with water and bring to the boil simmer for about ten minutes and drain
allow all the steam to evaporate and then shake them around in the pan to make then fluffy on the outside (makes them crispy)
melt fat/oil (goose fat for best results)
in large and not too deep roasing tin (not with the meat they go soggy)
heat the fat on hob first to get it nice and hot then put poratoes in and make sure they are coated
into the oven on shelf above meat 1 to 1.30 hours

Thanks Puddy - do I turn them over?

I don't
So long as you get the fat nice and hot before you put the potatoes nto it they shouldn't stick to the pan and they will cook underndeath a well as getting crispy on top If you keep immersing them in fat they won't crisp up
I must confess I have aluminium roasting tins bought from catering wholesalers. they are the best conductors of heat and very easy to clean
I may get alzheimers but then I am not convinced about that anyway

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddyostrich:
I can cook pretty much anything, but bread I've never got my head round.

Always comes out really dense. Sure fills a corner, though

Bread machine
all that kneading is far to hard on the hands and wrists
brilliant for homemade pizza dough then you can control the fat and salt on them

Got one. Follow the recipe and instructions to the letter. Still cock it up

maybe where I'm going wrong is the turning over - I'm stopping it right now! I will be reporting back on my success (or otherwise!) when I try the roasties!

quote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddyostrich:

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddyostrich:
I can cook pretty much anything, but bread I've never got my head round.

Always comes out really dense. Sure fills a corner, though

Bread machine
all that kneading is far to hard on the hands and wrists
brilliant for homemade pizza dough then you can control the fat and salt on them

Got one. Follow the recipe and instructions to the letter. Still cock it up

The machine must be faulty
alternatively you may be a man

Serioulsy the main problem can be the heat of the water you add When I do it mine is almost cool If it says add one cup of water I put 1/4 cup boiling water and add cold water right to the top It amounts to cold water with the chill taken off anythng warmer can destroy the action of the yeast
hope that helps

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
maybe where I'm going wrong is the turning over - I'm stopping it right now! I will be reporting back on my success (or otherwise!) when I try the roasties!

yep stop fiddling with 'em Good luck

Nope can't think of anything. I can cook

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

The machine must be faulty
alternatively you may be a man

Serioulsy the main problem can be the heat of the water you add When I do it mine is almost cool If it says add one cup of water I put 1/4 cup boiling water and add cold water right to the top It amounts to cold water with the chill taken off anythng warmer can destroy the action of the yeast
hope that helps

Oooh!

Decent, practical advice!

Thank you

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
maybe where I'm going wrong is the turning over - I'm stopping it right now! I will be reporting back on my success (or otherwise!) when I try the roasties!

yep stop fiddling with 'em Good luck

quote:

Originally posted by Bigdaddyostrich:

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

The machine must be faulty
alternatively you may be a man

Serioulsy the main problem can be the heat of the water you add When I do it mine is almost cool If it says add one cup of water I put 1/4 cup boiling water and add cold water right to the top It amounts to cold water with the chill taken off anythng warmer can destroy the action of the yeast
hope that helps

Oooh!

Decent, practical advice!

Thank you

You're welcome
make sure your other ingredients are accurately measured as well

fried eggs! i cant cook them to save my life! either i break the yolk or cook that long the yolk is like rubber

quote:

Originally posted by boink:
fried eggs! i cant cook them to save my life! either i break the yolk or cook that long the yolk is like rubber

You are sad

practice cracking eggs is all I can say and scramble the ones you break
Iprefer to tap them sharply on the edge or a bowl or cup so that you get a clean break and then just open it up and drop into fat/water/cup

the white of an egg cooks faster than the yolk so by the time that has cooked (no see through viscous bits) then slpash the top of the egg with hot fat/oil or spoon over until it goes opaque (cloudy)
done

they go in to the pan whole its when they are semi cooked i end up breaking them which make them hard to scramble ! and if i wanted scrambled eggs i would cook scrambled eggs! there easy

quote:

Originally posted by boink:
they go in to the pan whole its when they are semi cooked i end up breaking them which make them hard to scramble ! and if i wanted scrambled eggs i would cook scrambled eggs! there easy

leave them alone until the white is well cooked and thus the underneath (the bit touching the pan) if you start poking about before the egg is cooked it will break also get a decent egg slice to take it out of the pan
You may also need to turn the heat down or up to get the required result

I am constantly astonished by the utnsils people try to cook with
I have just bought myself a set of Global knives and a new magimix processor (to save wear and tear on my hands and wrists)
I don't know how people get through life without good knives

i cannot poach an egg

quote:

Originally posted by boink:
fried eggs! i cant cook them to save my life! either i break the yolk or cook that long the yolk is like rubber

A clean pan and take the pan off the heat when cracking your egg then place back over the heat and don't play with it. When the white is cooked make sure your fish slice is fully under egg before flipping. Unless you like them sunny side up which is just wrong.

Can't do pastry.

quote:

Originally posted by Bovrilking:
Lovely Roasts

Those are my fave roast spuds.

quote:

Originally posted by Essex Angel:
poached eggs.

snap... whatever I do they're just not right Its weird cos I'm a good cook and can cook stuff thats way more complicated

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
maybe where I'm going wrong is the turning over - I'm stopping it right now! I will be reporting back on my success (or otherwise!) when I try the roasties!

I always turn my roasties over - it may depend on your oven, if I didn't they would only be crispy on one side

quote:

Originally posted by SazBomb:

quote:

Originally posted by Ms Golightly:
maybe where I'm going wrong is the turning over - I'm stopping it right now! I will be reporting back on my success (or otherwise!) when I try the roasties!

I always turn my roasties over - it may depend on your oven, if I didn't they would only be crispy on one side

nonono

mine are crispy all over if you turn them over the crispy side gets wet again with fat or oil
but they do go golden underneath if just left

quote:

Originally posted by Moonbeams:

quote:

Originally posted by boink:
fried eggs! i cant cook them to save my life! either i break the yolk or cook that long the yolk is like rubber

A clean pan and take the pan off the heat when cracking your egg then place back over the heat and don't play with it. When the white is cooked make sure your fish slice is fully under egg before flipping. Unless you like them sunny side up which is just wrong.

yes a clean pan is important
if you fry bacon or something and the residue is stuck to the pan the egg will break up when you try to remove

quote:

Originally posted by clumsycat:
i cannot poach an egg

Anybody can poach an egg
just go back to my instructions and make sure the eggs are fresh

quote:

Originally posted by Puddychops:

quote:

Originally posted by SazBomb:
I always turn my roasties over - it may depend on your oven, if I didn't they would only be crispy on one side

nonono

mine are crispy all over if you turn them over the crispy side gets wet again with fat or oil
but they do go golden underneath if just left

nope, mine go crispy on the bottom first, so I have to turn them over.... weird My roasties are yummy though