Culinary Adventures with Camilla

This year Christie of  A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures  has rallied a group of bloggers to share recipes to inspire your Easter menus. So, if your menu still isn't set, check back with us throughout the week. We posted on Monday; today is Wednesday, and we'll be posting on Friday of this week. Wednesday Easter Recipes Braised Rabbit with Fennel and Salsa Verde by Culinary Adventures with Camilla Carrot Cake Cheesecake by A Day in the Life on the Farm Carrot Patch Chocolate Cupcakes  by The Redhead Baker Citrus Tarragon Asparagus Salad by Jolene's Recipe Journal Easy Easter Candy Bark by Daily Dish Recipes Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies by Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks Horseradish Deviled Eggs  by Everyday Eileen Individual Warm Chocolate Truffle Cakes   by Family Around the Table Lemon Coconut Bars by Cookaholic Wife Pancetta Brussels Sprouts  by A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures Pineapple Carrot Cake Cupcakes by Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Sur...

Welcome to September's  Improv Cooking Challenge  which is now headed up by Nichole of Cookaholic Wife . The idea: we are assigned two ingredients and are challenged to create a recipe with those two things. This month's chosen ingredients are two of my favorites: Sausage and Mustard. I thought about recreating the Sausagefest we attended a few years ago in Santa Cruz. It was a veritable smorgasbord of sausage, mustard, and beer (for the talls - the smalls had horchata!!). But time was short, so braising sausages from a favorite purveyor, D'Artagnan Gourmet Foods , and glazing fingerling potatoes with mustard in the oven was a quick and delicious dinner. You can see D'Artangnan's sausage selection: here . I have tried them all, but their Duck and Armagnac Sausage is our favorite! And here's the line-up for the rest of the year. Stay tuned... October 20: Carrots and Curry November 17: Nuts and Caramel December 15: Cinnamon and Honey ...

Here we are with yet another recipe post and wine pairing for the week running up to our Valentines #WinePW. Click to read Christy of  Confessions of a Culinary Diva 's  invitation  to the Saturday #WinePW event. We're getting closer! I had venison medallions that I'd purchased from  D'Artagnan Foods . And I wanted to sear them and serve them with  Justin Vineyards & Winery 's Cabernet Sauvignon. I've long been a fan of Justin. And whenever we're in Paso Robles, we stop by. I was also excited to hear that Wine Enthusiast named them 2015 Winery of the Year. Nice and well-deserved! In the Glass.. . I rarely say that a wine is pretty. But this one really, really is! It's clear with almost a garnet glow where the wine hits the glass. On the nose, it's aromatic with both sweet berries and fragrant spices. On the palate, it's sophisticated with savory notes and expertly balanced tannins. What a wine! On the Plate.. . The sa...

Here we are with an additional recipe post and wine pairing for the week running up to our Valentines #WinePW. Click to read Christy of  Confessions of a Culinary Diva 's  invitation  to the Saturday #WinePW event. When I was faced with a bottle of Landmark Vineyard's Pinot Noir*, the words "wild boar," "mushroom," and "pot pie" came to mind. That sounded like a fantastic match to the Pinot Noir: Wild Boar-Mushroom Pot Pies. I had a wild boar shoulder that I'd purchased from D'Artagnan Foods . I chuckled when I saw that it read - meat from feral swine. Really?? That does not sound appealing at all. But I knew it would be. And it was. Scribbling down an ingredient list before I headed for the store, I asked my husband if a pot pie always had a top and a bottom, he stared at me. "Sorry," he apologized, "I was stuck on the wild boar and mushroom combination. That sounds delicious." He was no help. No help at ...

Funny story: when the boys went on their cruise with my parents in October, D would call us and tell us what he had for dinner. "Today I had pheasant." "For dinner I had caviar." Everyday it was something fantastic sounding that made my mouth water. One night, he announced, incredulously, "Mom, I ordered osso buco and it didn't come with the bone. Can you believe it?!?" Nonna shared that D actually asked their waiter about the missing bone, explaining that osso buco literally means 'hole in the bone.' The waiter shrugged his shoulders and leaned down to whisper to D -  You're right...it should have the bone. Needless to say, the Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf has been requesting real osso buco  for a month now. I finally got around to making some. I had some venison shanks in the freezer and this weekend was it. Ingredients  serves 4 four osso buco -cut venison shanks* flour for dredging 3 T butter 2 T olive oil 1 onion, pee...