All posts filed under: In the kitchen

Tea for me and Tea for you….Tea for Two

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Make a cup of tea and stay with me for a few minutes, relax and enjoy. Sometimes a cup of tea, just does the trick. A soothing cup of tea relaxing with a book, or these days in front of the computer,with fellow blogging friends.Or finishing off an evening combined with five minutes of solitude. A winter warmer, a summer iced treat. A fragrant favorite of mine is “Tisana Meditazione” – Meditation Tea. It’s a combination of mint, cinnamon, sunflower petals, rose petals,chamomile and lavender. The fragrance of lavender is known to relax and soothe the mind and body. Lavender  tea is known to ease insomnia, help calm nervousness and anxiety. Alleviate colds ,coughs,bronchitis and similar respiratory problems. Fatigue and headaches. Funny enough two of my favourite teas both have lavender in them. Meditation Tea is very fragrant, sweet and soothing if you can find this combination I recommend trying it. Another favourite is “Tisana Dolce Sonno” meaning Sweet Dreams or Sleep, so I guess the title says it all. It’s ingredients are passionfruit leaves, …

Pasta Salad

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With the harvesting of wheat at the moment, I should be doing a feature bread section, but my friends , no bread baker challenge for this hot weekend So I turn to Pasta… A great Pasta Salad. Recipe: Pasta Salad – cavatelli with rocket pesto.  Cavatelli is a pasta originally from the region Puglia, Italy.It’s hand made, forming a hollow rod shape about 3cm long with curved edges. This hollow form is great for capturing sauces,it can be purchased fresh or in dry form.As I’ve used for this recipe. Ingredients for 4 serves 350 grams dried form cavatelli pasta 100 grams cherry tomatoes 100 grams smoked ricotta (grated) 100 grams parmesan (grated) 100 grams fresh rocket 3 tablespoons pine nuts 3 tablespoons olive oil 1 garlic clove, (optional) 1 jar pitted kalamata olives Prepare the pasta, as directed on package, this pasta in dry form, usually takes 9 minutes to cook, drain and wash with cold water immediately to stop the cooking process, leave aside. Prepare the tomatoes. Slice long ways,cleaning out the centre,this takes …

She sells seashells, by the seashore…

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My dreams of a blue and white country style kitchen are still playing in my mind…until that one comes true! Not fun ripping out the entire kitchen to start again! I’ll play around the theme of blue and white, where I can add accessories and have fun with table settings, bathroom accessories, shells, sand, lighted candles and creative starfish giving a Summer ocean blue hue to my home.My Summer ocean blue table setting can be found in detail here Accessorizing in the bathroom, is made easy by changing coloured hand embroidered  ocean motif hand towels and shower towels, add some shells and scented perfume bottles giving freshness to the room.   The talents of creative hands, just couldn’t resist him!   Inclusion in any ocean theme, of course is fresh seafood. For the summer months the availability and variety of fresh fish and crustaceans is at it’s best. Passing the fish market today, I purchased some fresh prawns.Too hot,weather wise today for anything else.I thought I would make a fresh prawn salad. Recipe: Strawberry and …

Open Sandwich – Fantasy

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I’m glad the hot weather has arrived…and I mean hot. Lunchtime again, what’s on the menu today? Although, I cook a hot lunch for my working man,usually pasta or rice with varying homemade sauces. I’m still use to having my salads or sandwiches. Today I thought I’d try this recipe. And I’m glad I did. It’s light, different and with added vitamins in disguise. Recipe: Open Sandwich – Fantasy Ingredients: for 4 servings There was only me…so I more than halved the quantities… 1 tablespoon walnuts 2 tablespoon parsley 100 grams cream cheese or ricotta 3 tablespoons of lemon juice salt and pepper freshly grounded 1 whole meal bread roll or 4 slices of bread 2 carrots 1 granny smith apple Preparation: I used cream cheese, because that’s what I had available, but I think this would work well with any soft cheese.Cut the walnuts and parsley finely,add the cream cheese and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste. With a peeler, slice long strips of carrot,(6)and grate finely the rest of …

Potato and Zucchini Moussaka

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This recipe is a variant from the normal  Greek style moussaka. The main ingredient used in traditional moussaka is aubergine, or eggplant parmesan here in Italy. This moussaka is light,and a pleasant change, to the normal heavy tomato based moussaka.   Recipe: Potato and Zucchini Moussaka (serves 4 people) Ingredients: 2 potatoes 3 zucchini 2 garlic cloves, grated 200 grams minced ground beef 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 can cherry whole tomatoes 3 tablespoons lemon juice grounded nutmeg 1 tablespoon dried oregano parmesan cheese, grated 90 grams butter 3 tablespoons all purpose flour 500 ml milk Preparation: Preheat oven 200°C. In a frying pan, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil, add garlic, cook until transparent, add ground mince and cook for about 15 minutes until brown. Add cherry tomatoes, oregano and a generous amount of ground nutmeg, simmer until cooked about 30 minutes until liquid has evaporated.Turn off heat. Steam the zucchini for 2 – 3 minutes, slice long ways.Slice also the potato (raw) in thin slices.   Prepare the béchamel sauce. Heat the butter, …

Bruschetta: Figs and Burrata

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Ok, so today we’re not counting calories. Burrata is a soft Italian fresh cheese. A mozzarella, white with a  shiny coating outside and a mouthwatering creamy centre. Rich and high in protein it’s made from buffalo milk. It’s hand made like normal mozzarella, except in the centre it’s filled with strips of mozzarella combined with fresh cream. Did I mention we’re not counting calories today.! An indication of the freshness of burrata is from the Asphodel leaves that are wrapped around the cheese preserving it’s pear – like shape.The leaves and the cheese have the same freshness time limit of 3 – 4 days, so if the leaves are dry it’s a good indication that the cheese has passed it’s prime. I however have the opportunity of buying it from our local gourmet cheese shop, where now they wrap it in a paper,with compulsory date limits to it’s freshness. Burrata can be eaten fresh on it’s own with fresh bread or made into a salad, or served with grilled seasonal vegetables. I had a copy of this recipe …

Zucchini Flowers

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The gift of a flower has so many emotions attached to it. In gratitude,in happiness, in sorrow, in friendship, in Love. I remember one cold day in Winter, December 28 to be precise, I had spent the day working outside, harvesting radicchio ready for market. As I didn’t have time to get anything for my husband as it’s the day of his birthday, I picked a bunch of  red rosettes of radicchio and set the dinner table. It looked and meant much more to me than ruffled radicchio leaves, this vegetable that survives our cold winter weather, had created a whole new warm atmosphere to my dinner table. Red rosettes of my affection. Passing the vegetable patch earlier this week, my sister in law did the same thing. On her way to give me well wishes for another passing birthday, she picked three zucchini flowers in full bloom. She then added her recipe for stuffed zucchini flowers. Even after putting them in a vase of water, without sunlight they close straight away…so it was obvious …

Lunchtime Rush…

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You know those days when it’s just too hot, and you want to have something “light”.Try these Chicken rice paper rolls… They can be filled with anything really,vegetarian delights or even sliced cold cuts, prawns,or tuna, but if you like that delicate perfumed crunch with every morsel try this recipe. Recipe: Makes 8 rolls 400 grams chicken breast fillets 8 sheets rice paper 1 cup bean sprouts fresh mint leaves 1 red capsicum, seeded and sliced julienne 1 carrot, sliced julienne Preparation: Grill chicken fillets. Allow to cool and slice long strips. Prepare rice paper. Fill a shallow pan with water and heat for 2 or 3 minutes,turn off heat. Place a rice paper wrapper into the water until it’s soft and pliable ( about 15 – 20 seconds).Remove from pan and place under cold running water, lay flat on a damp tea towel. Place the filling of your choice or from my recipe, in the middle of the rice paper wrapper…grilled chicken strips,carrot,red capsicum,bean sprouts and fresh mint leaves. Fold the bottom of the …

Salmon & Prawn Pie

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This pie is light and crunchy at the same time, with it’s unique combination of flavours its truly one to put in your recipe log book. The zest and juice of an orange gives this pie a citrus light flavour and the crunch of filo pastry is a sheer delight. Recipe:Salmon & Prawn Pie 6 sheets of filo pastry 2 leeks 400 grams prawns 1 salmon filet 200 ml fresh liquid cream 2 eggs 60 grams butter salt, pepper 1 orange (zest and juice)   Preparation: Pre – heat oven 180°C Clean and wash prawns, wash orange,peel and slice finely the zest of the orange and juice. Slice leeks finely, heat 30 grams of butter in pan and cook leeks until transparent, about 5 minutes.Add the zest and juice of orange.Turn the heat up, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the prawns and sliced salmon. Season with salt and pepper.Turn off heat. Beat 2 eggs, add the liquid cream, season with salt and pepper. Add the prawn mixture to the egg mixture and stir lightly. …