Culinary Adventures with Camilla

For my virtual potluck this month - August 2014 - I decided that I wanted to pool together the great, creative minds of my food bloggin' pals and collect cheese recipes. And it doesn't have to be an actual recipe; if you want to share tasting notes of your favorite cheese, do that! Here are some ideas to inspire you... Do you make your own cheese? Post it! Here's my Homemade Paneer . So easy. Have you tasted an usual cheese you want to share? Post it. Here are my tasting notes from Bonnyclabber's Moonshine cheese ; thought the cheese wasn't my favorite, it has a great story. Do you have a favorite cheese appetizer? Post it. I love the ease of making these Roasted Fig-Gorgonzola Balls . They are a perfect savory morsel. And because of the breadth of this category, I'm expanding the submissions. You're not limited to sharing three recipes this month, link in up to five. Think sweets with cheesecake. Imagine savories bubbling with salty, chees...

I've been on a ice cream kick lately. We've made everything from fig ice cream to garlic ice cream . Yep, you read that correctly: Garlic. Ice. Cream. I made my first batch of chocolate ice cream last night. I guess I should admit: my family is always in the mood for ice cream. On road trips, we purposely plan stops that include exploring new-to-us ice cream stores. We celebrate with ice cream; we mourn with ice cream. You get the idea. So, as we launch into summer, I'm asking you all for your favorite frozen treats. I'll post a round up shortly...in time for a 4th of July ice cream fest. Maybe. That sounds like a plan to me!!

Welcome to the June 2014 edition of my virtual potluck! Summer vacation is almost here. My boys are out of school this Thursday. Yikes! And we have quite a few days of camping planned before they go back to school in August. So, this month, let's share recipes that are cooked over a campfire. Think roasted potatoes or your favorite s'mores. Last summer I worked my way through Robin Donovan's Campfire Cuisine: Gourmet Recipes for the Great Outdoors during a 10-day camping trip around northern California. And, as I mentioned, we have another trip planned for this summer. So, bring it on! I'd love some new recipes for our cooking in the wild arsenal. Link in up to three recipes and I'll round 'em up in a week or so.

For as long as I can remember, I've vastly preferred wine to beer. Don't get me wrong: I drink beer. However, wine would be my beverage of choice for any special occasion meal. But, as usually happens when I'm working on a story, the subject invades my life. I read about it more. I make jewelry with it in mind. It's everywhere. I'm not sharing too much about my upcoming piece for Edible Monterey Bay , but I will say that it involves beer. Lots of beer. And, now, I'm completely intrigued by this ancient brew. So, for this month's recipe round-up, I decided to ask you all for your favorite recipes that use beer. Think braising, steaming, and spiking batter. However you use beer is fair game! Here are a couple of recipes to get you thinking in the right direction - Beer-Butt Chicken , Earthy Braised Lamb Shanks , Wipeout IPA Whole Wheat Bread - or tasting notes - Dogfish Head's Midas Touch , Bison's Saison de Wench - then...  Link up to three r...

I was trying to decide what sort of recipes to feature this month. I looked at the calendar, remembered Easter, and decided on eggs. So, bring it on. Add in your favorite egg recipes; link up to three. Sweets, savories. Get creative. I'll round 'em up in time for your Easter brunch table.

Pi Day is coming up. Pi Day? you ask. You know. March 14. 3/14 = 3.14159265359 or pi. Also known as a great excuse for Cam to make pie. Over the holidays we were invited to a pie tasting party. In preparation, discussions began around our dining room table:  What makes a pie a pie?  Sensibly, my precise Kitchen Elf said, "A pie has no frosting."  True . My Love declared, "It's the crust."  Okay . And my sweet, Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf asserted, "A pie has a crust...and is low to the ground."  Huh.  "You know, a cake can be tall; a pie is short." Employing all three of those criteria - no frosting, a crust, and low to the ground - a galette can qualify as a pie. So can a tart, right? I'm looking to all of you for some pie inspirations.  Feel free to link up to three pie recipes. Think sweet. Think savory. I'll post a round up in time for you to create some of them for your Pi Day celebration if you wish.

Do you love Valentines' Day? I don't...I am not one to celebrate Valentines' Day, typically, for myself. I firmly believe that love and romance belong front and center all the time. Why is February 14th designated as a day for people to show their sweethearts that they are adored? What about the other 364 days?!? I would rather get a bunch of handpicked wildflowers on a random day in January than a dozen red roses on a day when florists mark up beyond the usual 300% markup on flowers anyway. Okay, I know that I sound unapologetically unromantic. Is there a Valentines' equivalent of a Grinch? That would be me. But one of my boys loves Valentines' Day and spends weeks planning his cards for his classmates; the other could take it or leave it, but definitely likes the treats. These were some heart-shaped treats we made last year:  Beet Sugar Cookies . So, with that in mind, I decided that my February linky theme would be sweet treats...for your spouse, f...

I was trying to decide what my January linky theme would be and it hit me. Mushrooms. Even though we've had a ridiculously dry year and mushrooms are few and far between on the trails, I'm still going to prepare for my mushroom-themed Valentines' feast. Think 'Fungi with my Fun Guys!' So, I'm putting the call out to you all. Bring it on...share your favorite mushroom recipes! Link up three of your favorites. I'll post the round up next weekend.

Two of my favorite things about the holidays: cocktails and cookies. I love creating fun, intriguing sweets for my holiday cookie platters. And I love, love, love to toast with friends during this festive season. So, I'm putting the call out to you all. Bring it on...get into the holiday spirit and share your favorite cocktail and cookie recipes! Link up three of your favorites, in each category - cocktails and cookies - for a total of six max.

click on the photos, above, to go to the original recipe posts Thanksgiving - and other holiday -  dinners are about spending time with loved ones over good food washed down with good wine. Well, that's what it's about at my house. Though I serve a main dish, not usually a turkey, these feasts are all about the side dishes. I could eat an entire dinner of sides. And I try to dazzle my guests with some delicious bites. I'd love to hear from you . What do you serve with your Thanksgiving - or other holiday - dinners? Are you traditional or not? Favorite stuffing recipe? Best appetizer? Below are few of my personal favorites. Click on the recipe title to go to the original recipe post. Link up your favorites. I'll categorize them (Soups, Salads, Appetizers, etc.) and post a round-up by November 11th. Triple Mushroom Pâté Cucumber Salad Rustic Potato-Fontina Tart

I love pumpkins. No, I don't mean love as in a casual crush. I mean love as in full-blown-lusty-obsession love. I love pumpkins. I once ate so many pumpkins one season that I had an allergic reaction to it. Dead serious. So, I've curtailed my pumpkin creations in recent years. Here are few of my personal favorites: Riley's Pumpkin Pie Pumpkin-Cacao Nib Polvorónes Pumpkin-Potato Gnocchi What would you say are your favorite pumpkin creations? Link up to three of your favorites!

The beginning of September means one thing for my family: apple picking! It's a family tradition...though we don't always go to the same orchard every year. Each year I stare at the bounty - juicy delicious orbs in all shades of red and green - and try to decide what to make. Apple Butter is a must. The boys love Apple Hand Pies . I've made an  Apple Tart with Plum Glaze , Spiced Apple Chutney , and even stuffed a pork tenderloin with apples when we made Fyldt Svinem Rbrad . But I've decided to open it up for suggestions, this year, and ask all of my foodie blogger friends for some suggestions. I'll keep the link open till September 6th and post a round-up that weekend. Feel free to link up to five recipes.

The reality is setting in: summer is almost over. And I am steeling myself to the advent of the Lunchbox Wars , year seven. Seriously. My mini-foodies don't like to stand-out in the lunchroom. Their adventurous palates are reserved for our house for some reason. Here's a poem that a friend wrote about me - just in case you had any doubt that I am a kitchen witch... There once was a really mean mother Who was evil to two little brothers "Nothing deep-fried!" She yelled as they tried To eat food just like the others. So, I'm asking for your recipes and hope that this little exchange helps inspire you as well. We can all use new, kid-approved lunches, right?!?

On Sunday we went to a Bastille Day party where - to our delight - everyone was prompt and all of the food was amazing! We were asked to bring an appetizer to share. I brought an onion galette and some wine. Grandpa Pete brought what he called Lava Dogs. They were delicious. All I could get out of him was that it involved mustard and (some kind) of jam...and that he had to drive to several different stores to find 100% beef mini dogs. So, I'm putting this out there, dear readers, does anyone have a recipe that sounds vaguely like this: hot dogs in a sweet, spicy mustard sauce? I'd be eternally grateful. Please. Pretty please. Or I'll just have to go harangue Grandpa Pete for the recipe.

I had so much fun - meeting new bloggers and seeing new recipes - during my Rhubarb Romance Round-Up. So, I decided to do another linky. This time with summer squash. Most of my gardener friends have squashes aplenty. Here goes...if you want to participate, please link up before July 19th. I will post a Round-Up on July 21st. Ready, set, go!

Paella has always been something I've wanted to make at home. For my 40th birthday I received a gift certificate - from one of my best friends - to a local kitchen store with a note attached: "For your paella pan...". Sweet! So, I headed over there and picked up a paella pan large enough to serve 10. It hasn't left the shopping bag yet. Then, yesterday, at the Maker Faire, I saw the huge pans of paella goodness at the Gerard's Paella booth. We ordered two huge plates for lunch! All signs are pointing to: Paella. From my kitchen. Stat. Now I just need a good, traditional (or not traditional) recipe. Any suggestions, dear readers? I'm all ears. Comment below or email me directly at constantmotioncamilla[at]gmail[dot]com. Many thanks.

Though I am not a fan of Valentines' Day, I love making my boys feel special with a themed picnic. And I purchased a beekeeping workshop for all of us this weekend. So, after the class, we'll lounge at the winery and feast on a honey-infused picnic...as a celebration that say, " I love you more than bee vomit! " I'm thinking about... Honey-Glazed Beef Short Ribs Bread with Fennel Pollen Honey Butter Honey-Lemon Cheesecake But I'd love to try something new! Anyone have any must-try recipes that feature honey? Would love to hear. Comment here or email me at constantmotioncamilla [at] gmail [dot] com. Thanks!