Culinary Adventures with Camilla

"Let's go inside Revival Ice + Cream and see if Chef Ron can give us suggestions for an ice cream pairing!" I suggested as we headed down Alvarado for our ingredient hunt . "We're having Bananas Foster for dessert tonight," D explained. "Will you recommend some flavors for us?" "Right now, there are five that would go well," said Chef Ron. Okay, let's pick three. Chef Ron pointed out the flavors before heading out the door. The boys tasted, discussed, then decided on Burnt Cinnamon, BeesKnees, and Kelp & Caramel. I couldn't resist getting a pint of Almond Milk Latte - that's almond milk (so, dairy-free), cold-brewed ACME Coffee , and chicory. Ummm...yep. That goes with the Cajun theme! Here's our crew of boys at the shop before we headed out to hunt for our dinner ingredients. After dinner, the boys made Bananas Foster and sang around the pan since we didn't have a traditional cake wi...

To cap our Cajun-New Orleans menu, I decided to have them make Flambéed Bananas for dessert. Who can resist setting their food on fire?!? And, one of the kids, suggested we just stand around the stove and sing around the pan...since we weren't having a cake with candles. Great idea! Ingredients  makes 6 small servings 1/2 C (1 stick) unsalted butter 3/4 C firmly packed organic dark brown sugar 1 t freshly grated orange zest 4 ripe, but firm bananas, sliced on the bias into thick coins 1/4 C dark rum ice cream for serving (more on our ice cream flavors soon) Procedure In a large sauté pan over medium heat, combine the butter, brown sugar, and orange zest. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the sugar is dissolved, approximately 5 minutes. Add the banana slices and cook, until just tender, approximately 2 to 3 minutes. Turn off the burner and pour in the rum. Using a stick lighter, ignite the alcohol by placing th...

When we starting talking about The Enthusiastic Kitchen Elf's 13th birthday celebration, several months ago, there wasn't much of a discussion. He declared: "I would like to have my friends over. We are going to cook. And it's going to be a Cajun feast." Okay. Sometimes I wonder where he gets these ideas. Then I just look in the mirror. Well, I still don't know how the Cajun part popped into his head. But, we're ran with it. And, to add to the mayhem, we planned an ingredient hunt at the farmers' market with the kids in the afternoon. I pulled some veggie riddles from the web for the nine ingredients we needed to find. Some were more challenging than others, but, I think, they figured all of them out. Since we weren't able to find green beans, bell peppers, or bread, I'm glad I had purchased some things ahead of time. We stopped for a cookie break at the end of the street.... Then, they all came back to our house to ma...

I love the idea behind the Crazy Ingredient Challenge (CIC). In the CIC, we are assigned two ingredients to cook and create. This month, Kelly of  Passion Kneaded   is hosting. So, here goes... December's Crazy In gredient Challenge = nutmeg and rice The nutmeg tree is native to the Moluccas which are also known as the Spice Islands of Indonesia.  For centuries the Dutch East India Company kept the location and cultivation of the trees a fiercely guarded secret. The Dutch still use more nutmeg than most in their regional cuisine. The nutmeg tree - scientific name Myristica fragrans - is unique among spices in that the fruit produces two distinct spices: nutmeg and mace. The outside of the seed is a lace-like sheath; that is the mace. The seed itself is nutmeg. Connecticut is known as 'The Nutmeg State' because Yankee peddlers used to sell carved "nutmegs" to naive homecooks. I decided to make pork koftas in a spiced tomato sauce a...

This is a sponsored post written on behalf of  Simply Sesame . All opinions are my own. I joined in the fun for the Simply Sesame Blogger Challenge and received three flavors of Simply Sesame to try: Vanilla with Almond Bits, Pistachio Morsels with a hint of Cardamom, and Pure Roasted Sesame. First, I decided to try using it as I would tahini and made Charred Cauliflower for Thanksgiving. Then, I whirled it into hummus; and we slathered it on toast. But, for the challenge, I wanted to try my hand at a Simply Sesame sweet and settled on creating a Sesame Panna Cotta. I made this recipe three times with each version of Simply Sesame I received. And, hands down, the family loved the batch made with Pure Roasted Sesame. Ingredients makes eight 2-ounce servings 1 envelope gelatin 1/4 C cold water 1-3/4 C organic heavy cream 1/4 C organic whole milk 1/2 C organic granulated sugar 1 t pure vanilla extract 3 T Simply Sesame paste black sesame seeds for g...

We love a tasty burger. So, when we heard that Smashburger had just opened in the next town over, we took a break from our Christmas prep and went over there for lunch. I'd heard people compare them to In'N'Out - of which we are huge fans. We incorporate an In'N'Out stop into every road trip. But, I don't really think they're comparable. While I love my Protein Style-Animal Style Number 2, it's still a fast food experience.  Smashburger is an order-at-the-counter, table-service kinda place. And the menu is much more extensive. More than just burgers, fries, and shakes, they have chicken options and salads. While my trio all decided to try the signature Classic Smash, I ordered the Spinach & Goat Cheese. Cucumbers, spinach, goat cheese, tomato, onion & balsamic vinaigrette on a multi-grain bun. Everything was fresh and delicious. Oh, if you're unfamiliar with Smashburger - I certainly was - the name is derived fro...

Last week, the girls and I met for our annual holiday lunch. We had decided to go to a new-to-us place: Sur in the Barnyard . We had to have Sur's Famous Arctic Bon Bons. Three large rounds of hand-scooped Marianne's ice cream, dipped in chocolate, and served with more chocolate, caramel, chopped nuts and teeny, tiny marshmallows.  But the best reason to order the dessert: the dramatic presentation. My cousin saw photos and called it "food performance art." I'll agree with that. When dry ice is placed in water, sinking, dense clouds of smoke-like fog are created through a process called sublimation. Sublimation is when something solid turns into a gas without first becoming liquid. It definitely lends itself to a beautiful presentation. I'll have to think of something to use this for. It's gorgeous!