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Home-made Mustard

Home-made Mustard

For the month of December Jenni from The Gingered Whisk challenged us to make our own condiments. Ketchup, Mayo, hot sauce… nothing is too challenging for the daring cooks. Ah condiments! Growing up in Italy, I never really used/ate any of them, apart from Mayo and Ketchup. They are not really part of Italian cuisine, but…

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Onion Pakoras

Onion Pakoras

Vimala was our host for the November Daring Cooks challenge and she invited us to try our hands at some Indian snacks and treats. What amazing timing… as Indians have just celebrated Diwali – the festival of lights. I am very happy to share with all of you the recipe for one of my favourite Indian…

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Kabsa rice with chicken drumstick, almonds, and raisins served on a woven mat.

Chicken Kabsa

Inspired by traditional Saudi flavours, Chicken Kabsa blends spiced tomato rice and tender chicken into a dish rich in flavour and balance, loved across the Middle East. Sawsan from Chef in Disguise shared a wonderful idea, asking us to cook a rice-based main dish that shows our culture or curiosity for another cuisine. It’s exactly…

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Bruschetta with Eggplant and Matarocco

Bruschetta with Eggplant and Matarocco

  With summer just around the corner, ML Spell from Dry Spell invited us to play with fire! She challenged us to make some mouthwatering eats on the grill for the June daring cooks challenge. Well, as you are probably aware, I live in Australia and even though the weather is usually not extremely cold,…

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Sooji Halwa – Rava Sheera

Sooji Halwa – Rava Sheera

For the March Daring Cooks’ challenge, Ruth from Makey Cakey invited us to start the day with something filling, warm and nutritious. We got to experiment with different techniques and flavorings to create our own perfect personal porridge. As I said in my previous post about Sooji Kheer (an Indian semolina porridge), I am no porridge expert……

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Sooji Kheer – Rava Payasam

Sooji Kheer – Rava Payasam

For the March Daring Cooks’ challenge, Ruth  from Makey Cakey invited us to start the day with something filling, warm and nutritious. We got to experiment with different techniques and flavorings to create our own perfect personal porridge. Porridge?  Mmmm… I have a confession to make.  I have never ever eaten (or made) porridge in my whole…

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Moroccan mint tea served in glasses with flatbread, olives, and cheese on a colourful tray.

Moroccan Mint Tea

Brew Moroccan Mint Tea for a soothing blend of sweetness and minty warmth, a comforting drink to enjoy any time of day.

Close-up of Lebanese Za’atar Manouche showing golden crust and olive-oil-zaatar topping.

Za’atar Manouche (Lebanese Flatbread)

Soft, chewy Za’atar Manouche baked to golden perfection and brushed with olive oil for rich, herby flavour. Serve warm and enjoy straight from the oven.

Ful Medames

Ful Medames

I made this dish for the Middle Eastern breakfast we were asked to prepare for this month’s Daring Cooks challenge. Ful Medames is an Egyptian dish made with cooked and mashed fava beans, tomatoes, tahini, lemon juice, fresh coriander leaves, spring onions and extra virgin olive oil.  It is a staple meal in Egypt, but…

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Middle Eastern Breakfast

Middle Eastern Breakfast

For the February Daring Cooks challenge, Manal from Manal’s Bites invited us to celebrate the most important meal of the day Middle Eastern style! As Manal says “Breakfast is a very important meal in the Middle East; it is major! […] Fridays, the first day of the weekend here in this part of the world is the…

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Crespelle Cake with Broccoli

Crespelle Cake with Broccoli

A few months ago, I shared with you the recipe for another Crespelle “cake” made with asparagus and I liked it so much that I decided to make it again using other vegetables.  This time, it’s broccoli.  I adore broccoli, it is one of my favourite vegetables.  I have adapted a classic pairing of Italian cuisine…

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Close-up of fried cheese bitterballen with crisp coating.

Cheese Bitterballen

Crunchy on the outside and creamy in the middle, Cheese Bitterballen deliver crisp crumbs and hot, melted cheese in one rich, savoury mouthful.

Close-up of golden baked gnocchi alla Romana in baking dish.

Gnocchi alla Romana

Soft, creamy, and baked until lightly golden, Gnocchi alla Romana is classic Italian comfort food, with a cheesy finish and a texture meant to be enjoyed slowly.

Bibimbap bowl ready to be mixed at the table.

Bibimbap

Leftover veggies? This Bibimbap turns them into a cosy, colourful warm bowl with crisp vegetables and savoury sauce, perfect for relaxed weeknight meals.

Maftoul with Chicken

Maftoul with Chicken

The May Daring Cooks’ Challenge was hosted by the incomparable Sawsan from Chef in Disguise. Sawsan challenged us to try our hands (literally!) at making maftoul – hand-rolled Palestinian couscous that is as versatile as it is tasty! Wow was the only word that I could utter when I saw this month’s challenge!  I love Sawsan’s…

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Crespelle Cake with Asparagus

The April Daring Cooks Challenge was brought to us by Joanna from What’s On The List. She taught us all about Pathiri and challenged us to create our own version of this inspirational Indian dish! Mmmm I know what you are thinking… “crespelle cake with asparagus” doesn’t sound very Indian.  And it isn’t.  Actually, Joanna…

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A fresh bowl of Fattoush salad with crispy khubz, cucumbers, radishes, pomegranate, and sumac dressing.

Fattoush with Sumac Dressing

Bright, zesty, and refreshing, this Fattoush with Sumac Dressing brings together the best of crispy bread, fresh vegetables, and a tangy sumac dressing. Perfect for meal prepping or a quick lunch.

Spanakopita

Spanakopita

The February Daring Cooks‘ Challenge was hosted by Audax of Audax Artifex. The challenge brought us to Greece with a delicious, flaky spanakopita – a spinach pie in a phyllo pastry shell. Oh Greek food, how I love thee!  I think the fact that Italians and Greeks share a sea and lots of history, has…

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Arancine with Spinach

ARANCINE WITH SPINACH

If you have read my latest post, you will know that I am hosting this month’s challenge at the Daring Cooks!  I chose to challenge my fellow daring cooks to make Arancine from scratch, including risotto!  I also shared 3 different recipes with them: Arancine al Ragu’, Arancine al Burro and Arancine agli Spinaci. The…

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THE DARING COOKS’ JANUARY 2014 CHALLENGE: ARANCINE

This month’s challenge is very special for a few reasons. For starters, our hostess, Manu, graciously stepped in with very little notice and created an entire amazing challenge in pretty much no time at all. Secondly, Manu managed to do all of this while publishing her very first e-cookbook. Seriously, you simply must check it…

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Baked cabbage rolls in tomato sauce served in a red baking dish.

Cabbage Rolls

Rolled, sauced and baked until tender and flavourful, these homemade Cabbage Rolls turn simple ingredients into a dish that tastes rich, comforting and truly satisfying. November’s Daring Cooks’ Challenge introduced a new dish to my kitchen. Olga from Effortless Lessly shared her Ukrainian-style stuffed cabbage rolls filled with meat, fish, or vegetables and encouraged everyone…

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Freshly baked croissants with golden crust and flaky layers.

Croissants

Flaky, buttery Homemade Croissants fresh from your own oven bring crisp edges and soft layers to the table. Roll, fold, bake, and enjoy them warm.

Saffron Potato Gnocchi with Sausage and Porcini

SAFFRON GNOCCHI WITH SAUSAGE AND PORCINI

Todd, who is The Daring Kitchen’s AWESOME webmaster and an amazing cook, is our September Daring Cooks’ host! Todd challenged us to make light and fluffy potato Gnocchi and encouraged us to flavor the lil pillows of goodness and go wild with a sauce to top them with! YESSSSS!  I love gnocchi of all sorts,…

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Indian biryani topped with nuts, sultanas, and fried onions on a rustic table.

Mughlai Lamb Biryani

Saffron-infused rice paired with spiced lamb gives this Mughlai Lamb Biryani its signature aroma and rich, flavour-packed finish.

Shrikhand

SHRIKHAND – श्रीखन्ड

The lovely Cher of The Not So Exciting Adventures of a Dabbler was our July Daring Cooks’ hostess and she asked us to create homemade yogurt in our own kitchens! No incubators needed, no expensive equipment or ingredients, just a few items and we had delicious yogurt for a fraction of the cost and a whole lot…

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Albondigas en Salsa de Almendras

ALBÓNDIGAS EN SALSA DE ALMENDRAS

The June Daring Cooks’ challenge sure kept us rolling – meatballs, that is! Shelley from C Mom Cook and Ruth from The Crafts of Mommyhood challenged us to try meatballs from around the world and to create our own meatball meal celebrating a culture or cuisine of our own choice. Wow! What a great theme!…

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BAKED APPLES EN CROÛTE WITH BUTTERSCOTCH SAUCE

Our lovely Monkey Queen of Don’t Make Me Call My Flying Monkeys, was our May Daring Cooks’ hostess and she challenged us to dive into the world of en Croute! We were encouraged to make Beef Wellington, Stuffed Mushroom en Croute and to bring our kids into the challenge by encouraging them to create their…

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Hi! I am Manu, the author of Manu's Menu. I was born and brought up in Italy and my blog can show you how to create authentic Italian food in your own home! Read More…

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Video Recipe: Orecchiette with Crudaiola Sauce

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manusmenu

Food blogger, cookbook author, food photographer & stylist.

A batch of homemade flaxseed crackers is always ha A batch of homemade flaxseed crackers is always handy to have in the kitchen.

They're crisp, easy to store, and pair well with dips, soft cheeses, fresh vegetables, or your favourite toppings whenever you need a quick snack.

#flaxseedcrackers #mealprep #healthysnacks #homemade #manu #manusmenu
Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a driz Creamy goat cheese, crunchy pistachios, and a drizzle of honey 🍯

The combination of creamy, sweet, and crunchy textures makes this such an easy appetiser to put together when you want something simple but a little different.

Serve with crusty bread or your favourite crackers and enjoy. 

#pistachios #HoneyDrizzle #sharingplatter #manusmenu
After sharing the scrambled eggs and tomato toast After sharing the scrambled eggs and tomato toast recently, I thought it would be a good time to highlight one of my favourite herb blends 🌿

Herbes de Provence is a traditional French herb blend usually made with herbs such as thyme, rosemary, oregano, and savoury.

It's a simple way to add extra flavour to everyday ingredients and works especially well with eggs, tomatoes, roasted vegetables, potatoes, chicken, and soups.

Have you used Herbes de Provence before?

#herbesdeprovence #frenchcooking #mediterraneanfood #herbblends #manu #manusmenu
Scrambled eggs with tomato on toast is one of thos Scrambled eggs with tomato on toast is one of those simple meals that always works 🍅

Warm, savoury, filling, and made with ingredients most people already have at home.

#scrambledeggs #QuickMeals #breakfastideas #homemademeals #manu #manusmenu
This calamari risotto turned out creamy, rich, and This calamari risotto turned out creamy, rich, and so satisfying 🍚

Made as a low FODMAP recipe, it’s a homemade seafood dinner option that feels filling and easier to enjoy for those with sensitive stomachs or lower FODMAP dietary needs.

 #lowfodmap #calamaririsotto #seafoodrecipes #homemademeals #manu #manusmenu
Pumpkin has a naturally gentle sweetness, which is Pumpkin has a naturally gentle sweetness, which is why ingredients like ginger, coconut cream, herbs, curry paste, or lime work so well with it.

Those subtle layers of flavour help create soups that feel comforting, warming, and more rounded 💛

 #pumpkinsoup #thaifood #homemademeals #homemade #manusmenu
Smooth, creamy, and filled with delicious Thai-ins Smooth, creamy, and filled with delicious Thai-inspired flavours 🍲 This pumpkin soup makes such a lovely homemade dinner idea ✨

#PumpkinSoupRecipe #homemadefood #thaifood #manu #manusmenu
A sweet homemade treat for the person who made lif A sweet homemade treat for the person who made life sweeter first 💖
These chocolate date hearts are filled with soft dates, rich chocolate, and a little homemade love for Mother’s Day 🌷

 #mothersday #mothersdaygiftideas #datehearts #manusmenu
more stories beyond the menu ✈️ #MatchaMoments #t more stories beyond the menu ✈️

#MatchaMoments #travelreels #travelwithmanuela
A simple treat for Mother’s Day 🌸 These chocolate A simple treat for Mother’s Day 🌸

These chocolate covered dates pair perfectly with a warm cup of tea and make a lovely homemade gift or afternoon treat.

Simple, sweet, and easy to make at home.

#mothersday #chocolatecovereddates #HomemadeTreats #dessertideas #teatime #manusmenu
This iced chai is simple to make and perfect when This iced chai is simple to make and perfect when you want something calm and comforting.

Made with a few ingredients and warm spices, it’s a drink you can easily prepare at home without much effort.

Sometimes it’s the simple drinks that you keep coming back to. 💓

#icedchai #homedrinks #teatime #homemade #manu #manusmenu
Ever wondered why your iced matcha tastes differen Ever wondered why your iced matcha tastes different every time?

It’s not just about the ingredients. Small details like the quality of the matcha, how you sift it, and how you whisk it can completely change the result.

Even the texture and colour can tell you a lot before you even take a sip.

Once you start paying attention to these steps, it becomes much easier to get a smoother, more balanced matcha at home 🍵

 #matcha #icedmatcha #Matchalatte #JapaneseTea #manusmenu
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