G~reen H`eart in Lausanne: January 2011

Friday, January 21, 2011

Venice ~ 29.12.2010 - 31.12.2010 (Ian's First Overseas Trip)

As soon as we collected Ian's passport, we booked ourselves train tickets to Venice. It has become our yearly practice to travel during the Christmas- New Year holiday. Besides the reason that most companies are closed at this time, it is also my husband's birthday that we are celebrating.

Overall, Venice is a beautiful place to visit with many shopping streets. The only not so fun part about the whole journey was that there are too many bridges in Venice, and to cross them with baby and his stroller was not easy.

We left Venice without joining the countdown on New Year's eve considering baby is too young for such excitement.

Ian just wouldn't sleep during the 6 hours train ride and I mean both the going and return journeys

The first thing he did when we got off the train

Enjoying early sunset with papa while taking the water bus

All ready to discover Venice

The streets were beautifully decorated

A piece of cake for the birthday boy

I love this

Mama looking excited even in cold

Family photo

Unavoidable diaper session

Traveling Italy means pizza, pizza and more pizza. But of course we had their pasta and gelato ice cream as well.

It is important to get a map in Venice. You can easily lost your way without one.

We have crossed uncountable number of bridges, carrying Ian and his stroller

A postcard-like photo

Souvenirs

Thursday, January 20, 2011

Potato-Ham-Cheese Bake

Ingredients:

600 g potatoes
75 g grated cheddar cheese
44 g grated parmesan cheese
150 g shaved ham, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
250 ml cream
salt and pepper

Method:

1. Grease the base and side of your bake ware. I used a 24 cm diameter glass bake ware.
2. Peel and halve potatoes. Boil them until tender, drain and allow them to cool before cutting into 1 cm thick slices.
3. Combine both types of cheese in a bowl.
4. Cover the base of your bake ware with a layer of potato slices. Season with salt and pepper.
5. Top with ham and onion. Sprinkle with one third of your combined cheeses.
6. Continue layering ingredients. Seasoning each layer of potatoes. Finishing with a layer of cheese.
7. Use a fork to beat eggs and cream until combined. Gently pour mixture over ingredients in bake ware.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes in preheated oven of 180 degrees Celsius, until the top is golden brown and egg mixture has set.
9. Let it cool for 5-10 minutes before removing from bake ware and serve.

Potato, cheese, ham, egg and cream. A perfect combination for a sure good outcome.
I couldn't find cheddar and parmesan cheese therefore I replaced them with Mozzarella and Edam cheese.
You may add bacon to your chopped ham.

Original source:
http://www.exclusivelyfood.com.au/2006/07/ham-and-potato-bake-recipe.html

Thursday, January 13, 2011

Easy Peach Tart

This tart is so easy to prepare that it becomes our regular snack (we alternate between savoury quiche and sweet tart) on train when we travel out of Lausanne.

Ingredients:

150 g half cream
1 egg
1 envelope vanilla sugar (13 g)
Zest of 1 lemon
1/2 tablespoon corn flour
Canned peach slices (I rinse away the syrup)
1 sheet of 32 cm pre-made pie crust (pate a gateau)

Method:

1. Press your pie crust against a 28 cm round baking pan. By using your kitchen scissors, cut the excess crust.
2. Prick a few times on your crust using a fork.
3. Arrange the peach slices on your crust.
4. Mix the rest of the ingredients (half cream, egg, vanilla sugar, lemon zest and corn flour) in a bowl. Pour mixture onto your pie crust. The egg-cream mixture will cover your peach slices.
5. Bake in preheated oven of 220 degrees Celsius for 35-40 minutes.

1. You may replace peach with apple or any other fruit that seems suitable.
2. Do not forget about the lemon zest. The fresh taste of lemon certainly tempts you to have another slice.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Christmas 2010

Here are some Christmas related photos. As we only received Ian's passport on 27.12.2010, therefore we did not travel during the Christmas long weekend.