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Don’t say cheese! Travel destinations where photos are illegal

<p dir="ltr">While many happy travellers love to immortalise their holiday with a collection of photos, there are some places that don’t allow for pics to be taken. </p> <p dir="ltr">In several destinations across the globe, tourists are actually banned from taking selfies and can even get fined for breaking the rules.</p> <p dir="ltr">So before you pull out your camera and strike a pose, you might want to check if what you’re snapping a photo of is legal. </p> <p dir="ltr">Here are just a few places where taking photos isn’t allowed. </p> <p><strong>The Sistine Chapel, Vatican City</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">The use of professional cameras and phones is strictly prohibited in the Sistine Chapel so don't even think about it. </p> <p dir="ltr">According to <a href="https://www.vaticancitytours.it/blog/are-cameras-allowed-in-the-vatican-city/#:~:text=Sistine%20Chapel&amp;text=The%20real%20reason%20for%20the,companies%20to%20fund%20the%20project.">VaticanCityTours,</a> the reason you can't take pictures dates back to 1980 when the chapel was restored due to damage caused by flash photography. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Mecca Pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia</strong></p> <p dir="ltr">In Saudi Arabia, it is against the law to take photos of worshippers during Hajj, otherwise known as their pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca. </p> <p>This is due to it being disrespectful to snap people while they are on their religious journey. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>The Blue Mosque, Turkey</strong></p> <p>Taking a photo of the outside of the iconic Blue Mosque is totally okay, but snapping any photos of the interior is a big no. </p> <p>Visitors also must follow strict dress codes as well as other rules and regulations.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Anne Frank's House, Amsterdam</strong></p> <p>Taking photos or selfies in the House of Anne Frank is not allowed inside the museum due to its serious nature.</p> <p>There is a very sombre mood within the historical house, making it a time for reflection, not for flash photography. </p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Palace of Versailles, France</strong></p> <p>Photos of both the Palace and the surrounding gardens are strictly prohibited for all travellers. </p> <p>This is due to concerns about the preservation of artwork and the safety of visitors.</p> <p dir="ltr"><strong>Garoupe Beach, France</strong></p> <p>The famous Garoupe beach in southern France banned holidaymakers from taking selfies during the busy season in the middle of summer.</p> <p dir="ltr">The law was first introduced to stop people from bragging about their holiday and just enjoy the stay rather than show off on social media.</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p>

Travel Tips

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Can you freeze cheese?

<p>Dairy products are notoriously fussy when it comes to freezing. But when there’s a great sale at the supermarket, it’s hard to resist the siren call of a big discounted brick of cheese. It doesn’t last forever in the refrigerator, but can you freeze cheese?</p> <p>Yes – sometimes! The general rule of thumb is that freezing cheese will likely change its texture. If you do opt to freeze extra cheese, its best use after thawing is for cooking– the texture change becomes a moot point after it’s all melted. You probably don’t want to freeze the fancy stuff you bought for snacking on with homemade crackers, though. But frozen cheese, once thawed, would be perfect in a cheesy bake or casserole recipe.</p> <p><strong>Can you freeze mozzarella?</strong></p> <p>Blocks of mozzarella or shredded mozzarella are fine to freeze, though they tend to have a crumbly texture after freezing. Just avoid freezing fresh mozzarella, as its high water content has a likelihood of forming ice crystals.</p> <p><strong>Can you freeze cottage cheese?</strong></p> <p>Cottage cheese, along with ricotta cheese, can be frozen. However, upon thawing, both cheeses are likely to have a grainier texture. As with most frozen cheeses, thawed cottage and ricotta cheeses are best used in baked or cooked recipes.</p> <p><strong>Can you freeze cheese slices?</strong></p> <p>Yep! For prepackaged sliced cheese, just pop the package into a freezer bag and place it in the freezer. For deli-sliced cheese, place a piece of parchment paper in between each slice of cheese. Then wrap the cheese in freezer paper, tape shut and place the whole package in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.</p> <p><strong>Can you freeze shredded cheese?</strong></p> <p>For prepackaged shredded cheese, place the package in a freezer bag before putting it in the freezer. For cheese you shred or grate yourself, place it in a freezer bag and carefully remove as much air as possible from the bag.</p> <p>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/kitchen-tips/can-you-freeze-cheese-yes-heres-what-you-need-to-know" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</p> <p><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;">Image: Getty</span></em></p> <p><em><span style="color: #444444; font-family: Raleway, sans-serif, 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 16px; background-color: #ffffff;"> </span></em></p>

Food & Wine

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The Ultimate Mac and Cheese

<p dir="ltr">The crumbly top is the perfect partner for a decadent cheese sauce. </p> <h2 dir="ltr">Ingredients</h2> <p dir="ltr">• 400g dried macaroni</p> <p dir="ltr">• Melted butter, for greasing</p> <p dir="ltr">• 1 bunch chives, chopped</p> <p dir="ltr">• Sea-salt flakes and freshly ground white pepper, to season</p> <p dir="ltr">• 1 thick slice sourdough</p> <p dir="ltr">• 70g cheddar, grated</p> <p dir="ltr">• 20g butter, melted</p> <p dir="ltr"> </p> <p dir="ltr">Cheese sauce</p> <p dir="ltr">• 40g butter</p> <p dir="ltr">• 1 brown onion, roughly chopped</p> <p dir="ltr">• 4 rashers (250g) rindless bacon, thinly sliced</p> <p dir="ltr">• ¼ cup plain flour</p> <p dir="ltr">• 3¼ cups milk</p> <p dir="ltr">• 180g cheddar, grated</p> <h2 dir="ltr">Method</h2> <ol> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Cook macaroni in a large saucepan of salted boiling water following pack instructions. Drain well, then return macaroni to pan.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease an 8-cup capacity baking dish with melted butter.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To make cheese sauce, melt butter in a large deep frying pan over a medium heat. Add onion and bacon and cook, stirring, for 5-10 minutes or until onion has softened. Add flour and stir until combined, then cook for a further 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and gradually add milk, stirring continuously until smooth and combined.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Pour sauce over macaroni, then add chives and stir to combine. Season with salt and white pepper, then transfer macaroni and sauce mixture to prepared dish.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Process sourdough in a food processor until crumbs form. Transfer crumbs to a small bowl, then add cheddar and melted butter. Stir to combine.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Scatter crumb mixture over macaroni and bake for 25 minutes or until golden. Serve immediately.</p> </li> </ol> <p dir="ltr">Cook’s tips</p> <p><span id="docs-internal-guid-a7d76719-7fff-5dfd-78a0-e2c24c95b0c4"></span></p> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Add an adequate amount of salt when to your water when boiling your pasta. Well seasoned pasta is the key to great mac and cheese.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Always opt for smaller varieties of pasta, preferably hollow to hold plenty of that irresistible cheesy sauce. Elbow pasta is the classic choice but other shapes including fusilli, conchiglie or farfalle work as well.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Perfect your bechamel. Remember to constantly stir the sauce and cook off the flour well. Making sure the milk doesn’t boil is vital, and when adding your choice of grated cheese, do it in stages ensuring it melts completely before adding more.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">If you do have some spare cream in the fridge, replace some of the milk with it for a richer and silkier bechamel.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">To elevate the flavour profile of your dish, add some spices or extra ingredients. Try mustard powder, garlic, chilli or nutmeg.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">Don’t limit to yourself to one type of cheese, try adding a trio. Whether it’s gruyère, brie or even something stronger like blue or parmesan.</p> </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> <p dir="ltr" role="presentation">This recipe already incorporates bacon, but if you want to make it meat-free, try adding sautéed mushrooms, seasonal herbs, caramelised onions or even sundried tomatoes.</p> </li> </ul> <p><em>Image: Better Homes & Gardens</em></p>

Food & Wine

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Sweet and tangy lemon and blueberry cheesecake

<p>Time to prepare 1 hr 10 mins |Serves 10</p> <p><strong>Lemon and blueberry cheesecake</strong></p> <p>Bringing together sweet blueberries and tangy lemons, this simple cheesecake is light but luscious. It’s the perfect end to a lazy summer meal!</p> <p><strong>Ingredients </strong></p> <ul> <li>Melted butter, extra, to grease</li> <li>375g cream cheese, at room temperature, cubed (see Tips)</li> <li>3 eggs, at room temperature</li> <li>185g (3/4 cup) sour cream</li> <li>125ml (1/2 cup) thin (pouring) cream</li> <li>165g (3/4 cup) caster (superfine) sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest</li> <li>2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice</li> <li>200g fresh or frozen blueberries (see Tips)</li> <li>Icing (confectioners’) sugar, to dust</li> </ul> <p><strong>Biscuit base</strong></p> <ul> <li>100g plain sweet biscuits</li> <li>60g butter, melted</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 150°C. Line the base of a 20cm spring-form cake tin with baking paper. Brush the side of the tin with a little melted butter to grease.</p> <p>2. To make the Biscuit base, process the biscuits in a food processor until finely crushed. Add the butter and process until well combined. Sprinkle the mixture over the base of the tin and use the back of a metal spoon or the base of a glass to press down to cover evenly. Put the tin on a baking tray and place in the fridge.</p> <p>3. Clean the food processor bowl and process the cream cheese until smooth. Add the eggs and process until smooth. Add the sour cream, thin cream, sugar, lemon zest and juice and process until well combined and smooth, scraping down the side and base of the bowl when necessary. Pour into the tin over the base. Scatter the blueberries over the top.</p> <p>4. Bake for 1 hour 10 minutes or until the cheesecake is just set but the centre trembles slightly when the tin is shaken gently. Turn off the oven, use a wooden spoon to keep the oven door ajar and leave the cheesecake in the oven for 1 hour (this helps prevent the cheesecake from cracking). Transfer the cheesecake, still in the tin, to the fridge and chill for at least 3 hours or until well chilled. Dust with icing sugar and serve.</p> <p><strong>Tips</strong></p> <p>Having the cream cheese at room temperature means it will easily become smooth and creamy in the food processor. If you use it straight from the fridge it will take longer and you’ll need to scrape the side and base of the food processor frequently so that no lumps are left after processing.</p> <p>If using frozen blueberries, use them straight from the freezer – do not thaw.</p> <p><strong>Variations</strong></p> <p><strong>Orange &amp; Raspberry Cheesecake</strong> – Replace the lemon zest and juice with orange zest and juice. Replace the blueberries with fresh or frozen raspberries.</p> <p><strong>Blueberry &amp; White Chocolate Cheesecake</strong> – Replace the lemon zest and juice with 1 1/2 teaspoons natural vanilla extract or essence. Melt 180g good-quality white chocolate and cool to room temperature. Add to the bowl of the food processor just before transferring the mixture to the tin and process until just combined.</p> <p><strong>Individual Lemon &amp; Blueberry Cheesecakes</strong> – Line a 12-hole 80ml (1/3 cup) capacity muffin tin with paper cases. Divide the biscuit base, cream cheese mixture and blueberries evenly among the cases. Bake at 160°C for 30 minutes. Cool as per the recipe, then chill in the fridge for at least 1 hour before removing the paper cases and serving.</p> <p>Recipes and images from Bake Class by Anneka Manning ($39.99, Murdoch Books).</p> <p><em>Republished with permission <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/lemon-and-blueberry-cheesecake.aspx">of Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Delicious kale, prosciutto and blue cheese tart

<p>Serves 8</p> <p> So many food trends come and go. Right now kale is having its moment in the culinary limelight, it is so versatile and nutritious. Try serving a wedge of this tart with a bitter leaf salad, which helps to cut through the richness.</p> <p><a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/71095/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fthe-edible-city-indira-naidoo%2Fprod9781921383816.html">Recipe from The Edible City by Indira Naidoo, published by Penguin Books, RRP $45.00.</a></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 pre-rolled butter puff pastry sheet, thawed</li> <li>2 tablespoons thyme leaves</li> <li>1 egg, beaten</li> <li>1 large bunch kale, finely chopped</li> <li>1 tablespoon olive oil</li> <li>1 onion, thinly sliced</li> <li>1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds</li> <li>Salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>Small handful chopped flat-leaf parsley</li> <li>180 g blue cheese, chopped</li> <li>2 eggs (extra)</li> <li>4 egg yolks</li> <li>200 ml pouring cream</li> <li>200 g sour cream</li> <li>200 g prosciutto (about 4 strips)</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 180°C fan-forced (200°C conventional).</p> <p>2. Sprinkle the pastry sheet with the thyme leaves. Roll it out to fit a pie dish 27 cm in diameter and 5 cm deep. Prick the base all over with a fork. Line with baking paper and fill with baking beans or rice, then blind-bake for 10–12 minutes or until lightly golden.</p> <p>3. Remove from the oven and remove the paper and baking beans. Brush the base with the beaten egg, return to the oven and bake for 6 minutes until golden and crisp.</p> <p>4. Reduce the oven temperature to 150°C.</p> <p>5. Place the kale in a large heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Place a lid on top and allow to soften and wilt for 15–20 minutes.<br /><br />6. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat and add the onion. Fry for 4–5 minutes until soft. Add the kale and mustard seeds and cook for a further minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Spread the kale mix over the tart case, then sprinkle over the parsley and scatter over the blue cheese.</p> <p>7. In a bowl, whisk the eggs, yolks, cream and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper to taste, then pour into the tart case. Place the prosciutto strips on top.</p> <p>8. Bake for 40–50 minutes or until light golden and just set with a slight wobble. Leave to stand for 10 minutes, then serve.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/kale-prosciutto-and-blue-cheese-tart.aspx">Wyza.com.au.</a></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Enjoy a savoury onion and goat cheese tart

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This puff pastry tart is perfect for when you want a savoury treat. Read more:</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;"><strong>Serves:</strong> 4  </span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 sheet of defrosted frozen puff pastry</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">4 red onions sliced</span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 tsp fresh thyme leaves </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">200g crumbly goats cheese </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 egg </span></li> <li><span style="font-weight: 400;">50g butter </span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Method:</strong></p> <ol> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Add butter to a medium saucepan over low heat. Once melted add sliced onions and cook gently for 45 minutes. Stir occasionally until soft and caramelised and set aside to cool.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Preheat oven to 200</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">°C. Line a flat baking tray with baking paper and lay puff pastry on top. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">With a knife score a line 2cm inside the edge to create a border around the pastry (do not cut through the pastry). With a fork prick the pastry all over inside the border. </span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Inside the border, spread caramelised onions and distribute half the goats cheese in chunks.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">In a small bowl beat the egg and brush around the border of the pastry. Bake in the oven for 30 mins or until the pastry is golden brown.</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"> Remove from the oven, top with remaining goats cheese and sprinkle with fresh thyme leaves.</span></li> </ol> <p><em><span style="font-weight: 400;">Recipe courtesy of Australian Onions.</span></em></p>

Food & Wine

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The best Macaroni & cheese recipe

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">In my house we just call it ‘cheesy pasta’ and it’s at the top of the most requested dinner list.</span></p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">400g macaroni</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">50g butter</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">25g plain flour</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">450ml full-cream milk</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">200g semi-hard cheese, grated (use whatever you have on hand)</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">½ teaspoon seeded mustard</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">pinch of freshly grated nutmeg</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">40g (½ cup) fresh breadcrumbs</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">1 tablespoon grated parmesan</span></li> <li style="font-weight: 400;"><span style="font-weight: 400;">2 teaspoons finely chopped thyme leaves</span></li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 200°C. In a large stockpot, cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water until al dente.</p> <p>2. While the pasta is cooking, melt half the butter in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat and stir in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes, stirring, and then gradually whisk in the milk, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens. Remove from the heat and stir through the grated semi-hard cheese, mustard and nutmeg.</p> <p>3. Drain the pasta and transfer to an ovenproof dish. Pour the cheese sauce over the top and stir through. Melt the remaining butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat and transfer to a small bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, parmesan and thyme and mix well to combine. Sprinkle this over the top of the pasta.</p> <p>4. Bake in the oven for about 15–20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.</p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">This is an edited extract from </span><a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Fmilk-made-nick-haddow%2Fprod9781743791356.html"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Milk. Made.</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> by Nick Haddow published by Hardie Grant Books RRP $55 and is available in stores nationally. Image © Alan Benson.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Republished with permission of </span><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/macaroni-cheese.aspx"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Wyza.com.au.</span></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Camembert hedgehog bread

<p>Ahh, the Camembert Hedgehog Bread—a stalwart of Twisted’s funk-cheese repertoire. Trust us, this will be your next dinner party show-stopper. Even the most amateur chef should feel right at home with this dish, but its ease is only half the appeal. All it takes is six ingredients, 10 minutes to make and 20 to bake, and boom, food heaven (and lots of weird dreams to boot).</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <ul> <li>1 large, whole camembert for baking, all packaging removed</li> <li>1 large sourdough loaf (or any other large loaf of bread)</li> <li>2 tbsp finely chopped rosemary, plus a few small sprigs</li> <li>3 garlic cloves, finely chopped, plus a few slivers</li> <li>6 tbsp olive oil</li> <li>Sea salt flakes</li> </ul> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p>1. Preheat the oven to 175ºC.</p> <p>2. Using the bottom of your camembert box as a stencil, cut a hole in the middle of the loaf. Tear away the bread to make the hole as deep as the camembert.</p> <p>3. Working around this central cavity, carefully cut your loaf in both directions almost all the way down to the bottom of the loaf (it’s important not to cut through the bottom crust). You want to have 1-inch (2.5-cm) squared individual segments (the perfect size for dunking).</p> <p>4. Score one side of the camembert and cut away the rind. Pop the cheese, cut-side up, in the bread hole.</p> <p>5. Mix the chopped rosemary and chopped garlic into the olive oil and spoon all over the loaf, encouraging the flavoured oil into all the slits. Cover the loaf liberally with sea salt flakes. Pop a few mini sprigs of rosemary and a few garlic slivers in the middle of the cheese, along with a little drizzle of olive oil.</p> <p>6. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes and get your mates round!</p> <p><em><strong>This is an edited extract from<span> </span></strong></em><a rel="noopener" href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Ftwisted-team-twisted%2Fprod9781849758444.html" target="_blank"><span><strong>Twis</strong><strong>ted</strong></span></a><em><strong><a rel="noopener" href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.booktopia.com.au%2Ftwisted-team-twisted%2Fprod9781849758444.html" target="_blank"><span> by Team Twisted</span></a><span> </span>published by RPS, $16.99, and available nationally.</strong></em></p> <p><em><strong>Photographer: © Ryland, Peters &amp; Small</strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Entertain with ease: Avocado, garlic and cheese pull-apart bread

<p><span>Impress friends and family with this fabulous and easy pull apart</span>.</p> <p><strong>Time to prepare: </strong>20 minutes</p> <p><strong>Cooking time: </strong>15 minutes</p> <p><strong>Serves: </strong>4 to 6</p> <p><strong>Ingredients</strong></p> <p><span>1 loaf sourdough bread </span></p> <p><span>1 ripe avocado, peeled and halved lengthways</span></p> <p><span>1 tbs olive oil</span></p> <p><span>2 garlic cloves, crushed</span></p> <p><span>1 tbs lemon juice</span></p> <p><span>1½ cups grated 3-cheese mix </span></p> <p><span>Salt and pepper to season</span></p> <p><strong>Directions</strong></p> <p><span>1. Preheat oven to 200˚C/180˚C fan-forced. </span></p> <p><span>2. Using a sharp knife, deeply cut the bread into a honeycomb pattern (don’t cut through the base of the loaf).</span></p> <p><span>3. Scoop avocado flesh into a bowl and add oil, garlic and lemon juice and seasoning, and lightly mash with a fork.</span></p> <p><span>4. Gently ease bread open and spoon avocado mixture into the loaf.</span></p> <p><span>5. Repeat using cheese. </span></p> <p><span>6. Place loaf onto a large sheet of foil and loosely wrap. Place on a baking tray and bake for 12 minutes. </span></p> <p><span>7. Uncover and bake for a further 8-10 minutes until hot and golden. <br /></span></p> <p><span><em>Recipe courtesy of <a rel="noopener" href="http://australianavocados.com.au/" target="_blank">Australian Avocados</a></em>. <em>Republished with permission of <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/avocado-garlic-and-cheese-pull-apart-bread.aspx" target="_blank">Wyza.com.au</a>.</em></span></p>

Food & Wine

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Warm salad of sweet and sour eggplants with cheese and pistachios

<p>Add some warmth to your salad with winter coming up - the combo of eggplants and pistachios will surprise you with how good it tastes!</p> <p><strong> Ingredients:</strong></p> <ul> <li>2 large or 3 medium eggplants (aubergines)</li> <li>60-90 ml extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>100 ml dry vermouth or white wine</li> <li>3 tablespoons wine vinegar</li> <li>1½ tablespoons runny honey</li> <li>sea salt and freshly ground black pepper</li> <li>2 large handfuls of baby spinach leaves</li> <li>200 g crumbly or soft cheese, such as feta or goat’s cheese, broken into chunks</li> <li>4 teaspoons pomegranate molasses handful of mint leaves, chopped</li> <li>75 g shelled pistachio nuts, roughly chopped</li> </ul> <p><strong>Options</strong></p> <p>Substitute an aged balsamic or balsamic glaze/syrup if pomegranate molasses is unavailable.</p> <p><strong>Directions:</strong></p> <p>1. Slice the stem off the eggplants. Stand them on the severed end and slice downwards, shaving off and discarding the first and last bit of skin. Make slices 1 cm thick. Brush each slice on both sides with olive oil.</p> <p>2. Cook the eggplant in batches. Heat a chargrill pan until very hot. Lay the eggplant slices in the pan and cook each side until translucent and striped with black. Allow to cool slightly, then cut the cooked eggplants into long strips about 2 cm wide.</p> <p>3. Heat the remaining oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. (If you have used up all the oil, add a couple of tablespoons to the pan.) When hot, add the eggplants and spread them out evenly in the pan. Add the vermouth or wine all at once – stand back as it may splutter at first. Season well with salt and pepper and cook, stirring gently, until the wine has almost completely evaporated. Add the vinegar and honey to the pan and stir. Cook for a couple more minutes, while the juices thicken and caramelise, then remove the pan from the heat.</p> <p>4. Make a bed of baby spinach leaves on each plate and pile the eggplants on top. Scatter the cheese over them. Drizzle with pomegranate molasses, sprinkle with the chopped mint and pistachios and serve.</p> <p>Images and recipes from <a href="http://t.dgm-au.com/c/185116/69171/1880?u=https://www.booktopia.com.au/superveg-celia-brooks/prod9781760522681.html">SuperVeg by Celia Brooks by Murdoch Books</a>, RRP $39.99. Photography by Jean Cazals.</p> <p><em>Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/recipes/warm-salad-of-sweet-and-sour-eggplants-with-cheese-and-pistachios.aspx"><em>Wyza.com.au.</em></a></p>

Food & Wine

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Goat's cheese toasts

<p>Indulge your guests with these tasty morsels, made by topping toasted slices of crusty baguette with slices of roma tomato and tangy goat's cheese, sprinkled with pine nuts and fresh herbs. Choose your favourite type of goat's cheese: delicate or strong in flavour, soft or firm in texture.</p> <p><strong>Makes:</strong> 16 toasts</p> <p><strong>Ingredients: </strong></p> <ul> <li>1 baguette, about 280g, cut into 2.5cm slices</li> <li>4 tablespoons passata</li> <li>2 tablespoons sun-dried tomato paste</li> <li>4 roma tomatoes, about 250g in total</li> <li>150g goat's cheese</li> <li>1½ tablespoons extra virgin olive oil</li> <li>1 tablespoon pine nuts,</li> <li>Few sprigs of fresh thyme or oregano, plus extra to garnish</li> </ul> <p><strong>Method: </strong></p> <ol> <li>Preheat the grill to moderate.</li> <li>Place the baguette slices on a rack in the grill pan and lightly toast on both sides.</li> <li>Mix together the passata and tomato paste and spread a little on top of each toast, covering the surface completely.</li> <li>Slice the tomatoes lengthwise, discarding a slim slice from the curved edges, to give 4 flat slices from each tomato.</li> <li>Lay a slice of tomato on top of each toast.</li> <li>Place 1 small slice of firm goat's cheese or about 1 teaspoon of soft goat's cheese on top of each tomato slice, and drizzle over a little oil.</li> <li>Scatter on a few pine nuts and thyme or oregano leaves.</li> <li>Grill for 4-5 minutes, or until the cheese is beginning to melt and the pine nuts are golden.</li> <li>Serve the toasts hot, garnished with sprigs of thyme or oregano.</li> </ol> <p><em>This article first appeared in <span><a href="http://www.readersdigest.com.au/recipes/goats-cheese-toasts">Reader’s Digest</a></span>. For more of what you love from the world’s best-loved magazine, <span><a href="http://readersdigest.innovations.com.au/c/readersdigestsubscribe?utm_source=readersdigest&amp;utm_campaign=RDSUB&amp;utm_medium=display&amp;keycode=WRA85S">here’s our best subscription offer</a></span>.</em></p> <p><img style="width: 100px !important; height: 100px !important;" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/7820640/1.png" alt="" data-udi="umb://media/f30947086c8e47b89cb076eb5bb9b3e2" /></p>

Food & Wine

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Chilli cheese chicken quesadilla

<p>Why not spice up tonight’s dinner with these delicious chilli cheese chicken quesadillas?</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients: </span></strong></p> <ul> <li>3 diced tomatoes</li> <li>1 sliced shallot</li> <li>1 diced avocado</li> <li>2 teaspoons of lime juice</li> <li>¼ fresh, chopped coriander</li> <li>1 ⅓ cup of grated tasty cheese</li> <li>8 flour tortillas</li> <li>1 chopped red chilli, fresh</li> <li>½ BBQ chicken, shredded</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Mix shallot, avocado, coriander, tomatoes, half of the olive oil, and lime juice in a bowl to create a salsa. Add salt and pepper to taste.</p> <p>2. Place half the cheese atop four tortillas. Add chicken and chilli and top with remaining cheese. Use the remaining tortillas to close.</p> <p>3. In a non-stick frying pan the size of the tortillas or larger, heat half a teaspoon of olive oil on medium heat. Add tortilla combination, cook until golden, flip and repeat. Do so with all remaining olive oil and tortillas.</p> <p>4. Divide quesadillas into four quarters each and serve with prepared salsa. You can also use sour cream or Greek yogurt as an additional dip.</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><strong> <a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/tuna-jacket-potatoes/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Tuna, corn and capsicum jacket potatoes</span></a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/turkey-burgers/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Turkey burgers</span></a></strong></em></p> <p><em><strong><a href="/lifestyle/food-wine/2015/06/stuffed-capsicums/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Baked stuffed capsicums</span></a></strong></em></p>

Food & Wine

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Banana, date and walnut cake with cream cheese icing

<p>This scrumptious banana, date and walnut cake has kindly been shared by community member, Anne Taylor. It’s easy to make and tastes too good.</p> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Ingredients:</span></strong></p> <ul> <li>2 cups self-raising flour</li> <li>1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda</li> <li>½ teaspoon ground nutmeg</li> <li>2 cups pitted dates, chopped</li> <li>⅔ cup brown sugar, firmly packed</li> <li>2 cups walnuts</li> <li>¾ cup orange juice</li> <li>60g butter, melted</li> <li>2 eggs, lightly beaten</li> <li>1 cup ripe mashed bananas</li> </ul> <p>Cream cheese icing</p> <ul> <li>½ cup of butter, slightly softened</li> <li>8 oz. cream cheese, softened</li> <li>4 cups of icing sugar</li> <li>1 tablespoon milk</li> </ul> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Method:</span></strong></p> <p>1. Grease a 14cm x 21cm loaf pan; line base and two long opposite sides with baking paper, extending paper five-cm above edge of pan.</p> <p>2. Combine sifted flour, soda and nutmeg in a large bowl; stir in dates, walnuts and brown sugar. Make a well in the centre, add juice, butter, eggs and bananas; mix with a wooden spoon until smooth. Pour mixture into prepared pan.</p> <p>3. Cook the loaf in a moderate oven, 180º C, for about one hour, or until cooked when tested. Place a sheet of foil over the cake half way through the cooking process. This will keep the loaf from burning. Stand cake in pan for five minutes; turn out onto awire rack to cool.</p> <p>4. To make icing, use an electric mixer to cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed till smooth. Add milk then icing sugar one cup at a time. One all of the icing sugar is added, mix on high speed for 30 seconds to one minute. Once cake has cooled down, you are set to ice and then serve.</p>

Food & Wine