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Spiral Puffed Apples

Published by Yvette

Usually there’s two or three apples left in the bottom of the fridge, well I know in my house there usually is, why not jazz them up a little and enjoy these Spiral Puffed Apples, this recipe hasn’t been adapted from anywhere..it’s original, the mixture for the centres can be made from any dried fruits or nuts…a combination of dates and hazelnut’s..apricots and macadamia….the list is endless…look inside your pantry cupboard and get creative!

Spiral Puffed Apples

Spiral Puffed Apple Recipe:Ingredients: for 2 serves

Ingredients

Golden Delicious Apples

4 Walnut kernels

6 Dried Cranberries

6 sultanas

1 tablespoon Cream Cheese

Brown Sugar

Puffed Pastry ( Ready made, rectangle 30cm x 30cm)

1 sheet of Puff Pastry this size covers 3 apples.

Preparation:

Pre – heat oven to 200°c

Wash, paper towel dry and core apples.

Spiral Puffed Apples

Chop finely walnuts, cranberries and sultana’s together. Combine with the cream cheese. Press firmly into the centre of the apple.

Spiral Puffed Apples

Cut a circle (glass size) of puff pastry for the bottom of the apple, then cut 1cm strips of puff pastry.

Spiral Puffed Apples

These strips of pastry spiral around the apple, sprinkle brown sugar over the top of the apples, and they’re ready to be baked.

Spiral Puffed Apples

Place in the oven for 20 minutes or until golden.

Spiral Puffed Apples

Spiral Puffed Apples are best served hot. Accompanied with cream or custard or just on their own are great!

Enjoy!

To Market…To Market

Published by Yvette

I couldn’t resist the urge this morning to get all the housework finished early and take a look around the markets in the heart of Treviso. The weather forecast was for rain but ignoring all-weather reports I decided to take the chance and head off, with walking shoes on, camera , wallet and no room for an umbrella. I must admit today I looked like a tourist and that’s how I played the game. Arriving outside the wall, I took a brisk walk into the centre of Treviso, the markets are an open-aired market and divided into three areas…fruit and vegetables, fish and everything else.

market day

Treviso’s markets are every Tuesday and Saturday, and are a real buzz. You can buy almost anything, clothes, shoes, belts and accessories. Fresh fish, fruit and vegetables,you can buy a cooked chicken to a new pet mouse or canary.

It was fun walking around with camera in hand, and I surely did stand out in the crowd. Everyone was happy to smile and let me take the shot, and I think I must had been asked more than 10 times…”where are you from?”

candy stall

It’s the perfect place to get the five senses working, seeing all the wonderful local produce, “Made in Italy”, smelling the magical perfumes, from freshly ground coffee, cheeses and salame, herbs and flowers. Tasting samples of local products, like honey and cheese. Feeling the texture of different materials and hearing the buzz of the Italian language.

cheese stall

It was hard to resist not taking more photo’s of these flower stalls…a brilliant rainbow of new spring colours…

flower stall

herb stall

These markets start at 8.00am and finish around 1.00pm, and I must admit I did lose time wandering around…

fish market

My last stop was to visit my friend who with her family have a fresh fruit and vegetable stall.

Ending today’s visit, I guess lady luck was on my side today….not a drop of rain and the wallet remained closed but a pleasant capture through the lens of market day in Treviso.

fruit stall

Everythings coming up Roses….

Published by Yvette

This time of the year is wonderful in the garden, after a long Winter the garden has revived itself with the first warm Spring days, and the first of my roses are in full bloom. I’ve just gone outside to do a quick count and I’m surprised I’ve now planted 200 rose bushes. From ramblers,standards and shrubs, hues of pinks, yellows, whites and reds, border beauties, beautiful beds, old-fashioned charm and carpets of colour, even a solitary rose makes a great focal point in any garden.

rose garden

david austin rose

I’ve always had a love for roses, and I have to admit there’s many a time when I wake up,stop and smell the roses, or take a wander in the garden and talk to them with my morning coffee….they’re so hardy and after last Winters snow it’s a miracle I didn’t lose any…every time a single new bloom appears, what ever the colour pink, white or red for me roses symbolize love..

rose garden

I think everyone has received a single rose at some time of their life…remember the time you received that rose it was given to you with love.

rose garden

climbing rose

I couldn’t leave Australia without placing all my roses in a good home. A friend of mine adopted them, replanting them in his garden..It’s the first thing funny enough I do when I arrive at his home is take a walk around his property and admire the roses.

rose garden

At a moments glance outside a window at my garden and the simple elegance of a single rose..hey! I know everythings coming up roses!

a single rose

Turning your head…..Treviso

Published by Yvette

Treviso

Walking around the outside of the wall of Treviso is truly a pleasurable experience…taking my time today…I wanted to capture the full picture. Innumerable lions and coats of arms are carved into the walls, semi – circular turrets break up the outline of this wall, remnants of battlement… if only a whisper from these walls could tell me what this beautiful place today went through during war-time.

Treviso

wall - Treviso

Treviso

: Treviso

Wall - Treviso

Numerous bold horse-chestnut trees line the walk ways and the flowing Sile river curves it way around and under the city and walkways.

: Treviso

Along the walkway there are many tranquil spots to stop…

Sile River - Treviso

Warm salad of grilled beef ,vegetables and basil pesto

Published by Yvette

warm salad

Sunday nights are usually a easy tea time treat for me…the last thing I want to do is spend my last minutes of my weekend in the kitchen, easiest thing… heat up the grill….

Jazzing up plain beef steaks and making a delicious warm grill vegetable salad is my choice..and you’ll impress all who have the chance to try it!

warm salad

Ingredients: Serving for 4

800 g lean beef steaks : ( 2 thin steaks for each person)

Marinade

2 tablespoons dried oregano

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 clove garlic, crushed

Vegetables

1 bunch white or green asparagus

6 small artichokes

3 vines of cherry tomatoes

basil pesto

Preparation: Mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl, add beef steaks, turning to coat thoroughly, cover with plastic wrap and leave to marinade in refrigerator for up to 30 minutes.

Preheat bbq grill to medium/ high

I used white asparagus, grilling that first, slicing each one in half..turning continously on grill, followed by the artichokes,( I pre-steam mine for about 8 mins).

Next grill the beef, around 2 minutes each side – or until cooked to your liking…finally the cherry tomatoes.

Arrange firstly the asparagus and artichokes on serving plate…slice the beef into thin slices…cover with a lavish amount of basil pesto and cherry tomatoes on top. Lightly season, drizzled with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Other grilled vegetable suggestions: Eggplant, Zucchini, Red bell peppers.

Enjoy!

Big Red….

Published by Yvette

Strawberries…strawberries…..strawberries…..

Enjoying an evening with girlfriends last night…viewing the range of pierre lang jewellery….a real girls night trying on beautiful rings, necklaces, and earrings, chit – chat and the pleasant thought that yes the weekend is here….I wanted to end the night with a new spring flavour….what better way than preparing a strawberry meringue gateaux and pineapple cheesecake. It’s funny but when I think of meringue, I remember my sister and myself saying that we would never get married in a meringue dress…..you know the ones very fluffy, large frills with layers and layers of white chiffon …a real meringue…..Strawberries and meringue however are like the perfect marriage of love….the light meringue crunch with the sweetness and smoothness of strawberries… just mouth-watering..

Meringue Gateaux with strawberry mousse filling Meringue Ingredients: 4 egg whites, pinch of salt, 160 grams fine sugar, 1 tablespoon corn flour

Preparation:Pre heat oven to 100° c. Whisk egg whites with a pinch of salt, add sugar and corn flour, mix the egg whites until they form soft peaks.Trace a 24 cm circle on a piece of oven proof paper. Place the meringue into a piping bag , m aking a whole disk of meringue, use a knife to even it out. Place in low temperature oven for about 2 hours.

Strawberry mousse filling Ingredients:500 grams strawberries.200 grams cream cheese,250 grams mascarpone,200 ml fresh cream,1 tablespoon vanilla sugar,1 teaspoon lemon juice,50 grams fine sugar. Garnish: extra strawberries and fresh mint leaves.

In a bowl mix together cream cheese and mascarpone, add vanilla sugar, lemon juice and sugar, mixing until all ingredients are combined well. Beat the cream in a separate bowl until thick. Combine both cheese mixture and cream together. Clean and husk strawberries cutting them into small pieces add to mixture.Wow… it’s strawberry mousse…….

Place the strawberry mousse on top of the meringue disk….garnish with more fresh strawberries, fresh mint leaves and a sprinkling of icing sugar. A fresh mouth-watering dessert with a sweet crunch…..

strawberry gateaux

This cheese cake is real easy..it’s best made in advance for setting purposes..

pineapple cheese cake

Pineapple Cheese cake

Ingredients:1 cup sweet biscuits,90 grams butter (melted),2 teaspoons hot water,1 tablespoon gelatine,1/4 cup hot water,375 grams cream cheese (softened at room temperature),1/2 cup caster fine sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla essence,1/4 cup lemon juice,1 x 425 gram can crushed pineapple (drained),saving 1/4 cup pineapple syrup, 1 + 1/4 cup cream,(whipped)

Preparation: Combine biscuit crumbs, melted butter and 2 teaspoons of hot water.Press into base of 20 cm springform tin..refrigerate.Meantime dissolve gelatine in hot water.Beat cheese until smooth, gradually add sugar,dissolved gelatine,vanilla essence, lemon juice and pineapple syrup. Blend well…Mums tip with a light hand.

Fold cream and drained crushed pineapple into cheese mixture.Pour into prepared crumb crust. Chill until firm decorate with fresh pineapple and strawberries.

pineapple cheesecake

I have to admit both of these desserts are delicious….and not even one piece was left for hubby. An excuse to make another next week… Enjoy!!

Sunrays on wheat crop

Published by Yvette

This photo was taken the other night around 8.00pm – at sunset…. rays on our wheat crop….

Visit with me….Bassano Del Grappa

Published by Yvette

….no this is not a history lesson, a few photo’s of the things I found interesting and loved as we walked around Bassano Del Grappa…in the heart of town there was a buzz of locals, tourists, everyone enjoying the start of the Spring weather, having a coffee at one of the local cafe’s or taking a photo of the many historical buildings..in the centre of town Piazza Libertà there is the Church of St. John the Baptist, town hall and clock..

St.John the Baptist -Church

town clock

there are many frescoes on the walls and leading out through cobbled stone alleyways there still remains two of the original gates..

Porta Dieda

..one of the gates Porta Dieda and the other Porta della Grazie.

The streets of this historic centre are filled with statues, fountains, cafe’s and boutiques….and every angle doted with mignon gardens full of colour and perfume….the boutique shops are just so colourful, their window displays are amazing with a continuous urge to enter through their doors to have an extra glimpse inside…

bakery

How can you not resist buying a hot fresh bread roll or sweet bread from this bakery, not to mention the perfume as you walk past the door………or buying some of the local Bassano ceramics…..

Bassano ceramics

maybe some porcini mushrooms…..

We had a wonderful day walking around this town, a truly pleasurable and memorable place to visit…Bassano Del Grappa

View from a bridge…Bassano Del Grappa

Published by Yvette

After a week of rain and thunderstorms, today was truly a Spring day,we decided to take a 50km drive to a beautiful place called Bassano Del Grappa. It’s not my first visit, we’ve shown visiting friends this special place before, leaving them and myself fond memories…amazing views of Mount Grappa and the Valsugana Valley.

Ponte Vecchio -old bridge

The symbol of this historical town is the old bridge -Ponte Vecchio, with it’s grand appearance and construction of wood, it’s visited by tourists everyday..and today was no different. While walking across the bridge you have views of the Valsugana Valley and the Brenta river.The bridge was a vital means of communications between territories of Vicenza and Bassano. It’s been destroyed more than once, during war time and also violent flooding, however has been rebuilt exactly as it’s original design.

wooden bridge -Ponte Vecchio

We visited today the tavern “Taverna Al Ponte” otherwise known as the “Taverna degli Alpini” which is at the eastern entrance..downstairs is the Italian Alpine Troops Museum..a fascinating look at memorabilia from both world wars.