Teresa Ulyate

Spaghetti bolognese

Published on November 10, 2015June 2, 2018 by Teresa Ulyate3 Comments

There are probably as many variations of this dish as there are families who enjoy it. Or perhaps even more! I love making this dish but dear husband is usually the Spag Bol King in our house and even he and I have our own different ways of preparing it. Bottom line though – it does not matter who the chef is, spaghetti bolognese is a firm favourite on the menu, and one thing is always the same – we both love to pile in the mushrooms!

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How to assemble a chocolate cake and make a teddy bear cake

The ultimate chocolate cake and October cake round up

Published on November 3, 2015June 25, 2018 by Teresa Ulyate2 Comments

November already and it feels as though we are hurtling towards the end of the year now. Hearing Christmas jingles on the radio, seeing mince pies on the shelves and receiving school newsletters reminding us that there are only five weeks (what?!?) left of this term do nothing to help quell the hysteria!

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Ginger, mushroom and chicken stir fry

Published on October 27, 2015October 6, 2017 by Teresa UlyateLeave a comment

Quick stir fry with mushrooms, chicken and ginger.

This week I am diving deep into my recipe collection. All the way back to the 90’s in fact – they seem like forever ago! Today’s dish is adapted from a stir fry recipe I made in my high school Home Economics class, nearly 20 years ago. I even have the original (rather yellowed) handout from that class, on it a handwritten recipe that was copied on the old “rolio machine”, which then made its way from a school ring binder all the way to my current recipe book shelf.

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Lemon and pistachio cupcakes

Published on October 20, 2015November 10, 2017 by Teresa UlyateLeave a comment

Spring seems to have settled in properly now, in fact it feels more like summer this week. Sunny skies, short sleeves and (ah-choo!) hay fever – happy days! Except for that last point, hay fever – feel free to be on your way any time now. That biting morning chill that we became accustomed to in the winter months has all but gone and the promise of a glorious summer is quite literally in the air.

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Mushroom moussaka

Published on October 13, 2015July 26, 2018 by Teresa Ulyate11 Comments

Mmm-moussaka! Mushrooms, mince and melty cheese, what’s not to love? Even the most staunch anti-auberginers (those poor berated brinjals) will be tempted by this dish.

This is my latest recipe in the #JoinTheBlendTrend series, and the amazing thing about it is that you would never guess that the filling is 50% mince and 50% mushrooms. Thanks to their flavour and texture the mushrooms blend perfectly with the mince, lowering the calorie content of the dish while stretching it into more portions and giving it a fantastic flavour. This moussaka is very delicately flavoured with cinnamon and nutmeg and I would gladly tuck into a bowl of it any day!

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Out & About: Food Photography Workshop

Published on October 6, 2015August 26, 2017 by Teresa Ulyate5 Comments

Last week I had dinner with two of my oldest and best friends, and while we were catching up on family, work, the usual stuff, I mentioned that I had attended a food photography workshop the previous weekend. It was then that one of my friends rehashed a story about how the two of us had been sitting in our high school French class one day and how I had mentioned that I would love to be a food photographer one day. I always knew I would be involved in the food world one day, but it was amazing to hear her story as I had completely forgotten saying it! Life is a funny thing eh?

When I look at photographs from some of my earliest blog posts two things usually happen. Firstly – I cringe! (And then I cringe some more.) Then the second thing happens, which is that I am reminded of how much I have learnt in two and half years. I see my food photography as a journey, one where I am continuously learning and (hopefully) improving.

Feeling in need of some inspiration and new knowledge I did not hesitate to sign up for a workshop hosted recently by blogger and photographer Hein Van Tonder of Heinstirred, photographer Francois Pistorius and stylist Isabella Niehaus. The venue was Isabella’s stunning Langebaan beach home with the waves crashing just metres away and no shortage of beautiful surfaces and props to experiment with.

The workshop started with a few short talks on lighting, composition and styling, and then it was time to get shooting! I loved being able to take my time and experiment with different camera settings to get the best shot, and as a result I feel much more confident with shooting manually which is something I have not done much of (oh the shame!). After a delicious lunch we moved onto sweet dishes in the afternoon, and practised some movement shots – so much fun!

I quite literally took hundreds of photos at the workshop, but here are a few of my favourites from the day. I am so glad I went along and look forward to putting what I learnt into practice and really using my camera to its full potential. Being a perfectionist I do not think I will ever feel as though I am “there” when it come to my photography, but I will resist the urge to delete my early blog photos and keep working at it!

If you are interested in attending a workshop keep an eye on Heinstirred for details of future dates.

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Cheesy mushroom and pork enchiladas

Published on September 29, 2015December 5, 2017 by Teresa Ulyate2 Comments

This recipe went down a treat when I made it at home. Even my Little Miss (who finds the teensiest smidge of black pepper in any meal unbearably exotic) enjoyed it! These rich enchiladas are flavoured with Mexican inspired spices, topped with a double layer of sauce and baked to cheesy perfection in the oven. Get in my belly! As part of the #JoinTheBlendTrend series this recipe is also about blendability and that fabulous ingredient: mushrooms!

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Peppadew® hot wings with blue cheese dip

Published on September 22, 2015November 21, 2017 by Teresa Ulyate3 Comments

Seeing as we are in Heritage month with National Heritage Day, also popularly known as Braai Day, coming up on Thursday, I thought it would be appropriate to share a recipe that can be whipped up on the old barbie! These hot wings are perfect for spring and summer entertaining – enjoy them around the braai with friends, serve them up at your next party or munch on them while you cheer on the Springboks (she said optimistically)!

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