h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Isn't Andy annoying, Carole, boasting about not burning anything and how perfect his cooking is?! I love baked potatoes but to get them nice and soft inside I always seem to overdo the outsides...there are some in the oven at the moment, covered over with tin-foil in the hope that the outsides won't go black. Gave the kids a choice of "Anything you want on toast" this lunchtime - two opted, very unimaginatively, for beans on toast and one wanted Roulé on toast! Easy to please at times. Now, what shall I cook to go with the baked spuds tonight? (Veggie of course)And if I don't get any replies in time then ideas for next time please! I like scooping out the insides and eating the skin with butter inside - I'll never lose any weight!

Hi MJ. I do apologize for not answering sooner. I was away for most of the weekend. I hope that you have eaten the baked potatoes and not waited for my reply!

I adore them too. I had them tonight and last night with my VEGGIE chilli!!! My daughter and I love them with Brie and bacon-oops sorry all you piggies out there. Maybe cottage cheese and pineapple instead.

My baked potatoes are usually quite perfect. For crispy skins I usually put them into the oven for about 70 minutes, gas mark 5. But I do prefer them with soft'ish skins. Ah well-it takes all sorts!

Oh another perfect . I failed again with my baked spuds. The tin-foil had stopped them cooking properly so I removed it and turned up the oven and - yes you've guessed it - burned the skins. Oven chips this evening...not very good at those either! My soups are delicious though.

Jane
xx

Oh poor Jane. How do you manage it?? Maybe the oven thermostat is dodgy?! I never use foil-there's no need for it. Why not just bake the potatoes slowly, and then turn the heat up near the end of cooking? I love them well oiled with olive oil, and then covered in a small amount of sea salt. Mm, yummy.

I must start my soups soon, using my new mixer thingy that I had last Christmas. Whoopee-Christmas just around the corner. It is the best excuse for staying with my daughter and son-in-law, and being looked after for a few days. Sheer bliss!

's from me and champion Wookie.
xxxx

It's taken years to perfect the art of burning good food! Can't blame the oven it's new. I think I'm just tired of cooking and have become rather careless and impatient.

I have a Braun blender for soups which you do in the pan - it's fantastic. None of that time-consuming ladling out a bit at a time into a food-processor and out again into another pan to reheat. The kids will eat all my soups quite happily now as they're not eyeing lumps of unfamiliar veg with suspicion. Though now they're older ( I got the blender about 5 years ago) they're not so fussy. And they usually love the soup, with grated cheese on top.

Better prepare some work for tomorrow now.

Jane
xx

Dear supercook ,

I have one of those hand-held blenders. You know-the phallus shaped one! Is that what you use for your soups?

Goodnight. Sweet dreams.

Carole xxx and xxx

You know-the phallus shaped one!

Well, that had never occured to me, Carole, but yes, I suppose so! Blending soup will never be the same again...

Jane

Posted: Wednesday 08 November 2006 23:52:04

I use a food processor for my soup - no phalluses involved (fortunately)