These Christmas Tree Cupcakes are so much fun to make! I baked chocolate cupcakes to use as the base of the tree and then topped them with green vanilla buttercream to make the tree. To decorate the “tree” you can use anything you like. I used mini chocolate chips of different colours, silver pearls and…
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Dairy-free Blueberry Lavender Muffins
I am pretty sure that everyone has their favourite flavour combination when it comes to muffins. Mine has always been blueberry and lemon. Well, at least up until very recently, when I remembered that blueberries are fantastic when paired with lavender. Do you remember my Blueberry Lavender Syrup, Blueberry Lavender Mojito, and Blueberry Lavender Swirl…
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Thanksgiving 2017 Round Up
I know, I know… I am not American and I don’t live in the USA either. However, the majority of my readers, do. So, with Thanksgiving coming up, I thought it would be nice to put together a little Round-Up specifically for this occasion. Probably not many of you know that the first time I…
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Vegan Wholemeal Banana Bread
If you follow Manu’s Menu more or less regularly, you may know that I have recently found out that I am lactose intolerant. Don’t worry, I will still be publishing “normal” recipes, but I will also start experimenting with dairy-free (or lactose-free) recipes. This Vegan Wholemeal Banana Bread is one of the first attempts at…
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Cardamom Rum Banana Bread
I must admit I am not big on breakfast. Italians, in general, don’t have heavy breakfasts. We usually havbreakfastse (espresso) and cookies or a croissant. But I do make an exception for a slice of good banana bread! This Cardamom Rum Banana Bread has quickly become one of my favourites. It tastes delicious, and it…
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Apple Skillet Cookie with Maple Butterscotch Sauce
There is absolutely nothing better than apple desserts, especially in winter. I find them to be the most comforting of dishes. I love the flavour, the consistency, the aroma that fills the house when you bake anything made with apples. This Apple Skillet Cookie with Maple Butterscotch Sauce has become a huge family favourite in…
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Sweet Potato Mash
As you know, it is winter her in Australia and what better time of the year to make sweet potato mash? I usually add a hint of cinnamon to mine, as I think it goes really well with the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. You can serve this with different stews, but I think this…
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White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Bark
Don’t you just love chocolate bark? I had some leftover white chocolate and dried apricots, and I just couldn’t resist to urge to mix them up! This White Chocolate Apricot Pistachio Bark tastes delightful and it’s very quick and easy to make! I know bark is mainly a Christmas thing, but then again, it is…
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Smoked Salmon Bagel
I had my first Smoked Salmon Bagel when, at the age of 17, I visited New York. It was my first time in the USA and I spent 3 weeks in NYC as part of a school exchange program. I have always loved smoked salmon, but I had never had it with cream cheese before….
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Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream
Cheesecake + ice cream = yesss please! Don’t you just love both desserts? And you can have them both into 1 single dessert with this ice cream. This Blueberry Cheesecake Ice Cream tastes amazing and you don’t even need an ice cream machine to make it! You can whip it up in 20 minutes! The…
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Guinness Brownies with Baileys Frosting
I have had this Guinness Brownies with Baileys Frosting recipe saved for a looooong time and I finally got to make it. And what better occasion than Saint Patrick’s Day? Isn’t this the quintessential Irish recipe? These brownies are amazing… so chocolatey and fudgy! The addition of Guinness only intensifies the deep chocolate flavour. They…
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Blueberry Lavender Swirl Yogurt Popsicles
I LOVE frozen yogurt, don’t you? I love the tangy flavour of the yogurt and during a hot day, I find it extremely refreshing. Besides, when you are trying to eat low-fattish (is that even a word??), it is the best alternative to full fat ice cream. These Blueberry Lavender Swirl Yogurt Popsicles are so…
Nutella Cheesecake with Nutella Ganache #WorldNutellaDay
Happy World Nutella Day everyone! As I am sure you have noticed from my latest Round-Up, I already have plenty of recipes that feature Nutella among the ingredients. I grew up eating it and I still love it. And so do my kids, so, World Nutella Day is a day we always celebrate happily. While…
Ghastly Bark
Halloween is coming up again. I can’t believe how fast time flies! It feels like yesterday that I posted last year’s Halloween recipe (check out my cute shortbread and white chocolate ganache Ghosts here)… and soon we will start preparing for Christmas! Anyhow, this year I am going to share with you a tutorial on…
Apple Orange Hand Pies
I know I have already said this, but apple desserts are among my favourites. I must admit that I am not a huge fan of raw apples (even though they are really good for you!), but cooked apples are a totally different matter. I love the taste, the consistency… everything! And these Apple Orange Hand…
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Home-made Apple Pie Spice Mix
Living in Australia, I do not find many of the spice mixes available in North America (or in Europe), so I often make my own. Besides, these spice mixes are usually made by stirring together spices that are commonly available everywhere in the world. I already showed you how to make Cajun Seasoning, Pumpkin Pie…
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Copycat Starbucks Banana Nut Bread
I don’t know about you, but I always have ripe bananas on my bench top! My kids have this annoying habit of insisting that I buy bananas for them and then they don’t want to eat them. And I never learn… Anyhow, thank God for banana bread! I really like having a slice of it…
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Home-made Doritos
Today’s recipe is addictive. I could eat a whole bowl of these without even realising it, so be advised! Ladies and gentlemen, I give to you Home-made Doritos! Yep, you read that right! I have a confession to make… whenever I am at a party and I see a bowl of these next to a…
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Curried Chicken Salad
I love chicken salads, don’t you? I love to eat them plain, but I like to have chicken salad sandwiches even more! This Curried Chicken Salad steps it up a notch from your usual chicken salad, both in flavour and in texture. I love the crunch added by the apples, celery and almonds and the…
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No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars
I made these No Bake Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars to take to a friend’s get together. I love the combination of peanut butter and chocolate and these also had an added bonus: puffed rice. Don’t you just love how crispy puffed rice is? Every time I eat it, I get transported back to my childhood,…
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Cookies & Cream Frozen Yogurt
Today’s recipe for Cookies & Cream Frozen Yogurt has been taken from my eBook The Cool Side of Summer. The cookbook contains 25 recipes of my favourite frozen treats: ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, semifreddo, sorbet, granita, popsicles…it’s all there. Italian classics like Milk Gelato, Lemon Sorbet, Mint Granita. But also international flavours like this…
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Home-made Ranch Dressing
I must confess that I had never heard of Ranch Dressing before I started blogging. It’s definitely not an Italian thing. We use more vinaigrette based condiments for our salads and vegetables, so I never really knew it. After trying it though, I must say that I fell in love with it. I am a…
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