Culinary Adventures with Camilla

Here we are at the final post during our week-long #PepperParty. I joined up with a team of foodie bloggers to celebrate peppers of all kinds. A couple of days ago, I shared a recipe for my Sweet Pepper-Masa Cake . I had challenged myself to make a dessert with bell peppers for this blogging event. It was as delicious as it was unique, I think! The event is sponsored by  Divemex   though I have received no compensation nor products in exchange for my participation. I am joining the fun simply because I really love peppers. For the past month, we've been enjoying all of the poblanos - think  grain-stuffed  - and padròns - think  pan-seared  - from  Fogline Farm   in our CSA box .  But this party prompted me to create some fun, new recipes featuring beautiful bells. One of the things I adore about being part of events such as these - I get inspired by the other foodie blogger offerings. Here are my top three picks from October 7th...

I've made many a soufflé - remember my Crab-Tarragon Soufflé or my Bear's Head Soufflé with Truffle-Beciamela ?!? And when I saw girlichef post about her Irish Cheese Soufflés  today, I was inspired. But I was also feeling a wee bit lazy. Then I remembered bookmarking an easy cheese soufflé from The Steamy Kitchen that didn't require all that whisking. I decided to give it a shot, simplifying the flavors a bit. This made 5 individual ramekin-servings. 7 large eggs 1/2 C organic sour cream 1/3 C organic whole milk 1 tablespoon butter, softened 5 T grated parmesan 5 T grated emmentaler Preheat the oven to 350F. Using a hand blender, blend together the eggs, sour cream and milk for at least one minue. Brush the butter all over the inside of the ramekins. Place 1 T of parmesan and 1 T of emmentaler in the bottom of each dish, then pour the egg mixture gently over the top, leaving a small gap at the top to prevent spillage. Place the dishes in the oven...

Unlike our esteemed event hostess for the month, Heather of girlichef , I am not a movie buff. My husband and I hardly ever escape to the theatre for a date. 'Dinner and a movie' is tough to justify when you're paying a sitter by the hour and most movies don't need to be seen on the big screen anyway. We usually opt out of the movie part and just languish around a table, eating, drinking, and remembering why we like each other. Case in point: while we were in port during a cruise with my parents, they kept the boys and we stole away for Alaska beers and reindeer pizza. And by the time movies make it to DVD or netflix, I usually only have my eyes on the screen for 50 to 75% of the time; it's challenging to watch a movie when you're reading a book or making jewelry at the same time! So, when I do sit down to watch a movie, with undivided attention, there's usually a purpose. Once a month, I watch one for Food'N'Flix , with a notepad in hand, to d...

My 'Fungi Feast for My Fun Guy' had some easy dishes - open jar and serve - and some culinary challenges that got me out of my comfort zone. Having never made a soufflé, I thought I'd tackle it for Jake's birthday dinner. It was well worth the effort. Keep in mind this egg-to-person rule: every egg you use represents a single serving. So, if you are having a soufflé party for 6, use 6 eggs. Simple. Slice whatever mushrooms you are using – in this case bear's head mushrooms from Far West Fungi were my fungus of choice - toss them into a hot skillet and sauté them until water bubbles out and they brown slightly. Separate your eggs and stir the mushrooms into the yolks. Whip your egg whites until they form stiff peaks, and fold the mushroom-yolk into the egg whites 1/3 at a time. Butter your soufflé ramekins, and fill them three-quarters of the way up. Put them in the oven - in a baking dish with water coming halfway up the ramekin. Bake for roughly ...