Yvette's Twistedvines

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Lucky Afternoon Tea

Published by Yvette

Under the shade of a cooling tree, a soft breeze and the soothing cup of green tea. An afternoon tea with a touch of green.

Read on for more…

An adventurous outing on the weekend, and some bidding skills throughout the family, a box of wooden scraps was purchased. Old furniture legs and cornice pieces were included in this throw away box. We quickly put our creative hats on and the DIY skills into practice and planned to make a Welcome entrance sign. Nothing too fancy! Just a little country and rustic!

Pumpkin and Ginger Soup

Published by Yvette

We’ve just started Autumn here in Australia, although our days are still sunny and warm, our days now are getting shorter and cool towards the evening. Last week we even experienced a few cloudy and rainy days, so for our dinner party we opted for a warming pumpkin and ginger soup.

It’s not the first time I’ve written about pumpkin soup , however this version is made with added starchy vegetables and wholesome flavours.

We garnished our pumpkin soup with a dollop of cream cheese and chives served with warm fresh bread rolls and homemade cheese crackers.

This pumpkin and ginger soup is creamy, dense and tasty. What better than to start dinner, with friends,warm conversations and a warm hearty soup.

This soup can also be made the day before, giving an enriched ginger flavour.

Recipe:

Pumpkin and Ginger Soup

500 g butternut pumpkin, chopped

500 g Jaradale pumpkin ( Australian ‘blue’ pumpkin)

2 sweet potatoes –orange, chopped

1 potato, chopped

1 leek, chopped

1/2 onion, white, chopped

1 cup chicken stock

2 cups water

2 carrots

2 celery stalks

2 cloves garlic

2 heaped tablespoons freshly grated ginger

1 teaspoon nutmeg

chives for garnish

1 swede chopped

Note:

Nutritional Information:
1/2 cup cooked swede is a serve, and is a:
Good source of vitamin C and fibre.
Source of folate and potassium.
Despite their filling nature, they are low in kilojoules, with only 85kJ per 100g (2/3 cup).

Historical Information:
Americans know it as “rutabaga”. The Scottish call it “neeps” and serve it with haggis. The swede, a fairly recent root vegetable, is thought to have originated around the 17th century in Bohemia. In 1620 a Swiss botanist described the root vegetable, believed to be a hybrid of the cabbage and the turnip. By 1664 it was growing in England.

Source Information:formula for life

Sauté the leek, onion, carrot,celery,and finely chopped garlic, then add chicken stock. Peel and chop pumpkins, large pieces are fine.Add swede,fresh ginger and nutmeg. Add water, bring to boil, then simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until vegetables are soft. Leave to cool. With hand whiz, gently blend all ingredients. To serve garnish with fresh or cream cheese and chive sprigs.

A beautiful creamy, delicate and flavorsome soup. Something to warm the soul and conversation.

Accompanying this soup I made Homemade Cheese Crackers. I featured these from Claudette’s Tea Menu…Sandy’s Tea Society, here

Recipe:

Cheese Crackers:

230g Mersey Valley cheese, grated

200g Vintage cheddar, grated

100g smoked hard cheddar, grated

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups all- purpose flour

1/2 cup butter, creamed

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerate for 1 hour.Roll into a thin rectangle. At this stage you can make plain narrow strips and twist to make cheese straws, or use cookie cutters as I have.Bake in high 200°C oven for 20-25 minutes.

Enjoy, friends

Yvette…x

Linking to:

The Kings Court IV, What’s Cooking Wednesday

It’s a Keeper Craft and Recipe

Tarts with Zing

Published by Yvette

We’re all short of time! The rush of our everyday routines! These little tart’s tick all the boxes, time, flavour, charming and rewarding.

Serving them as a little mignon dessert is a great way to end your dinner. Easy Entertaining!

So yes, these mignon Lemon Meringue Tarts have zing. Just for your taste buds to tingle with the luscious lemon butter, finished off with creamy meringue, topped with a dollop of double cream and garnished with candied lemon.

Zing your taste buds, read on for the recipe…

Oranges and Lemons…Caterpillars and Butterflies

Published by Yvette

Today has been one of those relaxing Sundays, even time to ponder in the garden. With inquisitive hands and eyes, these caterpillars were discovered munching on lemon leaves in the garden. A look at nature and it’s cycles of life.

And here’s what all the fuss was about! Read on …

Princess Cookies

Published by Yvette

I’m not a cookie maker. So, let’s take the challenge!

I guess I’ve never been a cookie maker, due to the fact it’s somehow just easier to mix everything in a bowl, place the mixture in a cake tin and it’s done! Also, apart from that, one piece of cake will keep you satisfied..one cookie always, but always leads to another and another. I don’t make cookies!

However the charm of making cookies for my niece and nephew, (taking the cooking pressure off my sister) led me to discover this basic cookie dough. Not too hard, right!

For three days I’ve been making these cookies! The joys of the cookie process. Dough made: best left overnight wrapped tight in fridge… Cut cookies, bake, leave to cool, another day gone… make Royal Icing, whip, colour, design pattern. Leave to dry…Yes, my friends, three days.Cookie monster would be screaming!!

Searching for a basic cookie dough I opted for this one…(all faith in Martha and then tweaked)

Basic Cookie Dough:

Ingredients:

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour (I used 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 cup self raising flour)

1/2 teaspoon baking powder ( I eliminated this )

1/4 teaspoon salt

180 g butter,softened

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Cream butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy.

With mixer running add egg and vanilla.

Reduce speed to low.

Add flour mixture gradually,beating until just incorporated. Divide dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm,at least 1 hour or overnight.

Friends, first day done!

Preheat oven to moderate temp: 180°C. Let one disk of dough stand at room temp. just soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to about a 5-6 mm. Then have fun choosing your cookie cutters. I used a princess shoe, crown and heart.

Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes…this waiting time is important.

Bake cookies until edges are golden brown, about 14 –16 minutes.

Let cookies cool on paper on wire racks. Another day over!

This is the part I really enjoyed. The icing of this cookies. I chose these feminine colours of pink, lilac and yellow. Appropriate for these cookie shapes: princess shoe, crown and heart.

My first attempt at cookies and this style of icing, using Royal Icing.

Ok, so I took three hours to ice these cookies, but well worth the effort, don’t you think?

Royal Icing

500 g icing sugar

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

3 large egg whites

Vanilla flavoring, or any other you desire.

Food colouring ( your choice – all the colours of the rainbow )

Place icing sugar and cream of tartar in mixing bowl. Turn mixer on low, gradually adding each egg white one at a time.Mix for 3 –4 minutes. Gradually add 1 – 2 tablespoons of water.

You’re ready to start designing coloured coated cookies.

So after applying 100% into my personal cookie baking challenge, I know I have to go out and buy some “boys” cookie cutters, maybe a dinosaur, train or racing car. Some boy’s stuff Zia!

Happy Cookie Cooking Friends

Yvette…x

Linking up to Amy @ uTry.it

Spiced Peach Muffins

Published by Yvette

From Laura’s Tea Menu, a lady from Sandy’s Tea Society. I made Spiced Peach Muffins.

These muffins have dainty bit’s of fresh peach which melt in your mouth, giving your

taste buds a subtle sweet sensation, combining with the delicate spices of allspice,

nutmeg and cinnamon.

Recipe:

Spiced Peach Muffins

4 1/2 cups plain flour

1 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 eggs

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 1/4 cups milk

4 peaches, diced and unpeeled or

3 cups small whole berries or other fruit

1 peach for garnish (optional)

Combine flour, salt, baking powder, brown sugar, all spice, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre. Stir in eggs, vegetable oil, and milk, then gently stir in fruit.

Grease 24 muffin cups or use cupcake covers as I did. Heap ( ice-cream scoop measurement) batter into cups. As another option at these stage you can sprinkle a bit 0f granulated sugar on top. Bake in a pre heated moderate oven for 25 – 30 minutes or until muffins test done.

For decoration I used this delicious butter cream frosting and fresh peach.

Butter Cream Frosting

Ingredients

150g Butter – softened

250g confectioners (icing) sugar

1 tsp vanilla

2 tsp hot water

Method

1.
Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric beater.

2.
Once well combined, add the vanilla and water. Beat until smooth and creamy.

Decorate with fresh thinly peach slices and white chocolate shards.

A special dessert for any occasion.

Enjoy my friends.

Yvette…x

Linking up to:

The Kings Court IV, What’s cooking Wednesday

It’s a Keeper Thursday Craft & Recipe

Alison@ Sweet Tooth Friday

Sandy’s Tea Society

Published by Yvette

Sandy’s Tea Society *****

by Sandy Lynam Clough

An Edible Book Review inspired by Jain at Food for Thought,

and co-hosted by Mary at Home is Where the Boat is.

“ As each Lady shares her original ideas for decorating and setting her tea table, graciously entertaining, developing friendships, and preparing special recipes you will be treated to a touch of heartfelt hospitality and the exciting opportunity to deepen your own friendships.”

Delighting in Friendships Steeped in Love

“Welcome To My Tearoom! Won’t you come in and join us? Please don’t hesitate just because you don’t know anyone else here. I have invited these special ladies to tea because they have one thing in common: They are very rich.Oh, they’re not wealthy financially. But they are truly rich because in their hearts is a wealth of warmth and caring individual style and creativity, all just waiting to be shared.”

After reading this book, which I might say is a Sunday relaxing read, this book is a little treasure of images, recipes and ideas for your next afternoon get together with friends. A wonderful, delightful and fun book.

How I would have loved one of these invitations. How about you?

Read on, I’ll share this book with you, an invitation to tea….

A twinkle of a star

Published by Yvette

So I grab a cup of coffee and spend a couple of hours looking around blog world capturing wonderful interpretations of different lifestyles and kitchens. I for one enjoy this time catching up with many friends old and new, seeing what they’ve enjoyed throughout the week or day, and seeing what great ideas they have shared with us all. One of these new blogs I’ve met through a link up is “The Mixing bowl Diary”.

Becky challenged herself in baking gluten free and dairy free. Experimenting with her passion of cooking:

“…I take out the mixing bowls,the spoons and measuring cups and somehow the hours pass without me knowing it. Creating,recreating and taste testing my way through this new Gluten-Free world…”

One of those recipes she’s shared with us for Valentines Day was Hi Hat Cupcakes

Don’t they look divine! Wait and see the finishing touches Hi Hat Cupcakes . I just had to share these with all of you.

“…Reminds me of a soft serve ice-cream with a hard chocolate shell…”

Thanks Becky for giving me permission to share your talent with everyone. I look forward to many more visits to your blog.

Yvette…x

Take a coffee break …

Published by Yvette

What better way to take a break with these crunchy, no fuss biscuits. This recipe is one of those hand me down recipes, that has been passed down from our grandmother, hence “ add a bit of that, a pinch of that, feel the mixture sort of recipe”.

I’ll do my best to give you the amounts of these ingredients, but you’ll know what I mean if you try this recipe, you will feel when the mixture is right.

Recipe:

Pre heat oven moderate 180°F

4 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons sultana’s (not included in mine)

125g butter, melted

2 cups self raising flour ( 2 extra cups )

1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

Icing sugar for decoration

Beat eggs until frothy, add sugar, beat well. Add melted butter,and sifted flour. If making with sultanas add as this point. Stir in milk and vanilla. At this point continually add sifted flour until the mixture forms a soft dough. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, knead for 30 seconds until smooth and divide the mixture into two.

Roll the vanilla flavour dough on a large sheet of baking paper approx.25cm x 35cm.

In the other half of dough we’re making a chocolate flavour.

2 tablespoons cocoa

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup hot water

Dissolve the cocoa and sugar in water. Add to the dough mixture. ( here, you might need to add a little more extra flour) ( You need to feel the dough)

Roll onto another piece of baking paper just a little smaller than the first, turn onto the first piece of vanilla dough. Roll up from the long side in Swiss roll style.

Cut dough into 1cm slices, wiping blade of knife between cuts. Place on prepared trays, bake for 15 minutes until golden. Cool on wire racks.

When cool, sprinkle with icing sugar.