Culinary Adventures with Camilla

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of The Quail & Olive . Complimentary product was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed here are my own.   If you have been following me for awhile, or even just a little while, you might know that I am a huge proponent of using what you have on-hand. So, when I made kimbap for my mom's birthday last month, I reached for the Winter Ambrosia Vinegar from The Quail & Olive * instead of my mirin to use in the rice. Not traditional, obviously, but just as delicious...and local to me! Winter Ambrosia starts with organic apples and pears and offers a sweet-tart flavor to dishes. Besides when I made Bulgogi-Inspired Beef Jerky , I used apples to tenderize the beef; using pears is traditional. So, that's not too far out in left field on the flavor profile, right? Seasoned Rice Ingredients  serves 8 4 cups short grain rice (sushi rice) 4 cups water plus more for soaking ...

This is a sponsored post written by me in conjunction with a virtual wine tasting event hosted by  Snooth for Murrieta's Well Winery.  Wine samples were provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links. Last summer I participated in a virtual tasting with wines from Murrieta's Well*. You can read about that  here . So, when my contact at Snooth asked if I wanted to participate this round, I was quick to reply 'yes'. This week, I'll log in and chat with wine enthusiasts around the country about a set of four wines from Murrieta's. Can't wait! So far, I've paired the 2018 Dry OrangeMuscat with Sweet Potato Risotto and th e 2018 Dry Rosé with Petrale Sole Ceviche . In My Glass Next on my list to try was the 2016 Merlot from Murrieta's Well. Retailing at $46, this wine was a powerhouse that deserves that price point, in my opinion. A blend of 95% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Sauvignon, this wine has an opulent mo...

  This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf Mt. Brave Wines, one of the  #MerlotMe   event sponsors. Complimentary wine was provided for this post and this page may contain affiliate links. However, all opinions expressed here are my own. The month of October always means lots and lots of Merlots as I make my way through the generous samples sent by participating wineries for #MerlotMe. So, here at Casa Mann, we're kicking off October 2018 with - as a I joked with my husband and our friend who joined us for dinner - "peasant food and pricey wine!" Thank you, Mt. Brave.* In My Glass   A century and a half ago, a German Presbyterian pastor named Peter Veeder regularly traversed the creeks and canyons of his, now, eponymous mountain in Napa Valley that reaches upwards of half a mile. And in 2007, winemaker Chris Carpenter began letting the mountain express itself in each vintage. Originally from Chicago, Carpenter is a founder of the Napa V...

So, this season I was determined to have the robotics team eat well during both the build season and the competitions. I started a meal train and different families signed up for different weeks. For the season kick-off, I brought lasagna. Apparently, it's been the talk of the team for weeks. One day at breakfast, this happened... R: You know the kids at robotics were talking about your lasagna. C: What about it? R: They were wondering when you were on the schedule to bring food again...and J1 asked if you could bring lasagna. J2 said, "It doesn't matter what she brings, it'll be good. I've had her corned beef and cabbage, too. Besides, it's rude to make requests like that." R: No, her friends make requests all the time. It's not rude. It's how you get what you want from my mom. You just ask. Too true. Well, apparently, they took the advice to heart and when I stopped in to see if they needed anything (you know, I was thinkin...

As we inch towards the final quarter of the  Foodie Reads 2016 Challenge , I cracked the cover on a copy of  Not My Mother's Kitchen: Rediscovering Italian-American Cooking Through Stories and Recipes  by Rob Chirico.* I received an advance reader's copy through a giveaway and was excited to dig in. On the Page I have to be honest - I had a hard time finishing this book. When I was given the choice of books from the giveaway, I immediately chose this one because it involved Italian food. How could I not devour the book? I lived in Italy. I learned to cook in Italy. I'll read just about anything set in Italy and anything that includes Italian fare. Well, there were two reasons that reading the book was agonizing for me. First, his tone bordered on disdainful towards his mother's lack of culinary skills. The first line of the introduction read, "My mother was an assassin." He continued, "Left to her own devices she laid waste to spaghetti, hamburge...

Each year, Kita at Girl Carnivore coordinates a month-long event that makes my three carnivores so, so happy. Okay, I know they're actually omni vores, but you know what I mean. Click for the 2016 burgers so far: here . We have 31 days of burgers planned. Here's the 2015 line-up , where I made a salmon burger on cuttlefish ink buns . When I served this - Kheema Aloo Burgers with Fresh Mango Chutney Wrapped in Garlic Naan - the Precise Kitchen Elf asked, "Is this for an event, Mom?" Yes, it's for Burger Month. " He continued, "I love Burger Month!" The other two chimed in immediately, "We love Burger Month, too!!" Inspired by a stop at Curry Up in Palo Alto a few months ago, I was intrigued by the flavors in Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf's samosa burger and decided to create a burger with an Indian twist for my Burger Month offering. It's a triple layer of deliciousness on a garlic naan: jeera aloo topped with a khe...

If you follow my blog, or know me in real life, you'll know that my littlest one, my Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf, loves wombats. I don't really remember when his fascination with wombats started, but it's been several years. He has a stuffed wombat - you know how other kids have stuffed teddy bears? - and his nickname is 'The Wom'. When we go on outings, just the two of us, it's 'Mom and Wom Time.' So, when my Wom announced that yesterday was National Wombat Day, I knew we had to do something to celebrate. D: Mom, tomorrow is national wombat day C: What does that mean? D: We have to have a party to celebrate wombats- R: And EAT wombats!??! D: Noooooooooo... I talked him into celebrating one day late, because yesterday I was running in three different directions and wouldn't be able to do the meal justice. He agreed, then finagled a cake out of the deal. So look out for a chocolate wombat-SHAPED cake. Slightly Non-Traditional...