Authentic Simplicity's Melon Salad {SRC Orphan Rescue}

I'm on Orphan-detail again today for the Secret Recipe Club and I am so excited about having been introduced to Anne of Authentic Simplicity. Anne writes: "I'm just a simple stay-at-home-mom trying to keep it all together without losing my sanity... or going over budget." You go, girl. That was the toughest job I ever had. Now my boys are in school, so I'm back to work. But not much has changed with the keeping my sanity and staying within budget parts of my life though.

I loved what I made from her blog. She had a series of posts called 'Simple Sides' during August of 2011. All of those recipes looked amazing. Once it starts to warm up a bit, I will give her corn salad and her mango salad a try. Those both seem fabulous heralds to the summertime. I picked her Refreshing Melon Salad to serve as dessert tonight.

1 C coconut milk

juice and zest of 1 blood orange

5 C melon (I used a honeydew and a half of a cantaloupe)

1/4 C shredded coconut

Whisk together the coconut milk, blood orange juice and zest until well blended. Pour over melon and stir gently to combine. Refrigerate until ready to serve, at least an hour, or up to 3 hours. Top with coconut just before serving, if desired.

Hot Chocolate Agasajo-Style {Spice It Up!}

photo by D For my Spice It Up! kiddos this week, I was looking for an exotic drink to serve while we learned about saffron. I found a recipe from food historian Maricel Presilla that mimicked traditional Spanish hot chocolate from the 17th century where it was served at lavish receptions called agasajos . When I teach, I don't always get to shoot photos. Thankfully, D grabbed my camera and snapped a few. Ingredients serves 14-16 1 gallon organic whole milk 3 T dried rosebuds - or 2 t rosewater 2 t saffron threads, lightly crushed 3 T ground cinnamon 3 whole tepin chiles, crushed 2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise 1 C organic granulated sugar 1 lb. bittersweet chocolate Procedure In a large soup pot that can hold a gallon plus, combine milk, dried rosebuds (or rosewater, if you are using that), saffron threads, ground cinnamon, chiles, vanilla beans, and sugar and warm over medium heat till it steams. Whisk to dissolve sugar, then lower heat an...

Ki Ngombo = Okra

In honor of Mardi Gras, I searched for traditional recipes for gumbo...only to discover that there is no canonical recipe for gumbo. It seems there are as many recipes for gumbo as there are cooks! The only two constants in a gumbo: variety and okra. The term 'gumbo' likely comes from an African dialect whose word for okra is ki ngombo . Gumbos can have meat, seafood, just about anything. In Mark Huntsman's "The History of Gumbo" he refers to written mentions of using muskrat and owl in gumbo recipes. I embraced the unlimited potential of ingredients and opted for a combination of fish, chicken, pancetta, oysters, mussels, octopus, shrimp, and squid...and lots of okra!

A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige #ItalianFWT on CulinaryCam.Com

I am in the process of migrating over to my new domain. Come on over to read " A Cheese Board Anchored on a Trio of Italian Cheeses + A Pinot Nero from Alto Adige " for December's #ItalianFWT.

Culinary Adventures with Camilla

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