Peach Season

Posted on July 3, 2020 by Camille

At this moment Peach Season is in full bloom and it couldn’t come at a better time than July 4th weekend. Here are some great peach recipes to enjoy this weekend while BBQing and spending time with your family and friends.  

Peach and Blueberry Cobbler

Peach Tart Tatin

Summer Fruit Crostata

Summer Fruit Crostada

Peach Semi-Freddo

Peach and Blueberry Shortcake

Each of these dessert can be served with White Chocolate Whipped Cream, Whipped Creme Fraiche, Peach Semi-Freddo or any Ice Cream you like. Enjoy!! (For more Peach Recipes click here.)

Have a Peachy 4th of July Weekend. Stay Safe!

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Blueberries, Buttermilk Scones, Cobbler, Food For Thought, Pastry Crust, Pate Brisee, Pate Sucre, Peaches, Scones, Semi-Freddo, Summer Fruit Crostada | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Peach Season

Summer Salads

Posted on June 27, 2020 by Camille

The temperature is rising here in the South and I am ready to eat light with cool summer salads. Here are a few that are light and cool and refreshing and super easy to prepare. What’s really nice about summer salads as entrees is you can prepare them ahead and serve chilled or at room temperature when ready to eat. No last minute cooking or pan clean up.

You will notice that lemon is a common factor in several of the recipes. Roasted Lemon Vinaigrette screams summer for salads. If you don’t have the time to roast lemons for the vinaigrette you can simply use fresh lemon juice instead. Not bottled please, ONLY freshly squeezed lemon juice. For more vinaigrettes and salad dressings click here.

Roasted Salmon Salad

 

Oven Roasted Shrimp Salad

 

Quinoa and Roasted Chicken Salad

Chicken Salad Veronique

Summer Rice Salad

Wild Rice Salad

Moroccan Potato Salad

Vegetable Couscous

Angel Hair Pasta with Tomato and Fresh Basil

There you go. Pair any of these delicious make ahead dishes together to make a great summertime meal and keep your kitchen time to a minimum. 

Enjoy!

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Angel Hair Pasta, Chicken, Couscous, Food For Thought, Pasta, Pickled Vegetables, Pickled Veggies, Pickling, Potato, Salad, Salad Dressing, Salmon, Shrimp, Side Dishes, Sides, Wild Rice | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Summer Salads

Curried Pork Tenderloin

Posted on June 14, 2020 by Camille

Last night’s dinner was a combination of East Indian and Mediterranean flavors. The combo of the spicy hot curry and the refreshing vegetable couscous compliment each other. Both dishes are often prepared in each region for their simplicity since the ingredients are mostly on hand and preparation is quick and easy. 

The curry dish can be made a day or two in advance and reheated easily for an even quicker meal. The couscous takes such a short amount of time to make that you can prepare it while reheating the Curried Pork.

(Click on the links or the photo for the recipes.)

Curried Pork Tenderloin

And Vegetable Couscous

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Chicken Stock, Coconut Milk, Couscous, Entree, Food For Thought, Pork, Pork Tenderloin, Side Dishes, Sides, Spicy, Vegetables | Tagged , | Comments Off on Curried Pork Tenderloin

Quick Breads, Sweet Breads, Tea Breads

Posted on May 22, 2020 by Camille

Quick Breads, Sweet Breads, Tea Breads all have much in common: They are really good, quick and easy to make. Once upon a time a long time ago, I was the sous chef at a restaurant in Delray Beach. The owner new nothing about restaurants nor did the chef. It was a new experience for everyone that worked there. I was the only one with kitchen experience and believe me when I tell you it wasn’t much. The chef was a woman of great partying talents which pretty much left me to run the kitchen on my own. It was great fun and I learned more there than just about any place I worked.

One of the daily preparations was to make two kinds of bread from scratch for the Lunch and Dinner Bread Baskets. One bread was to be a savory yeast bread and the other a sweet quick bread. No one had any idea how to make any of it. It was all trial and error and a lot of reading. I came up with several quick breads on my own after doing the daily routine over and over and over. These breads then became a part of my repertoire during the many years of catering brunches, luncheons and afternoon teas once I went out on my own. Like I said, it was all trial and error. I tried to keep the error part to a minimum. It worked and these are just a few of the quick breads I developed.

Banana Bread with Chocolate Chips and Pecans

Banana Toasted Coconut Bread

Blueberry Bread

Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread

Cranberry Orange Bread

Pumpkin Chutney Bread

I enjoy making these delicious Quick Breads and hope you will too. You will make everyone happy.

Enjoy

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Ahh Haa Moments, Blueberries, Bread, Breakfast Bread, Cheddar Cheese, Cheese, Chili Peppers, Chocolate, Chocolate Chips, Condiments, Corn, Cornmeal, Cranberries, Cranberry Breakfast Bread, Cream Cheese, Creme Fraiche, Dried Cranberries, Food For Thought, Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate, Hot Peppers, Lemon, Mango Chutney, Nuts, Oranges, Pumpkin, Quick Breads, Recipes To Share, Savory Quick Breads, Sugar, Sweet Quick Breads, Tea Breads | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Quick Breads, Sweet Breads, Tea Breads

Easter and Passover 2020

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Camille

This will be an Easter and Passover we will never forget. The coronavirus is keeping us in our homes and away from our family and friends. There will be no communal Easter or Passover Brunch or Dinner and no Easter or Passover services at our Houses of Worship (I’m sure there will be televised services). But if we all “Stay In Place” for the next four weeks or months we will be able to celebrate next year.

Even though we will not be with family or friends we are still going to celebrate with a traditional Easter Brunch and Dinner. There will be less items but there will be plenty for us to eat.

Our Easter Brunch will  feature my Mother’s traditional Frittata and my homemade Hot Cross Buns. Hot Cross Buns are traditionally served on Good Friday but we will be enjoying them on Sunday.

If we were going to have company for Easter Dinner I would be making a Roasted Leg of Lamb, but since it is just the two of us I decided to ordered a Honey Baked Ham (they have curbside pickup). Accompanying the ham will be Potatoes Dauphinois #2, Asparagus Mimosa and Dark Cherry-Apple Compote. These accompaniments go great with Lamb as well as Ham. For dessert Jim requested Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting.

I just put in my order for groceries to be delivered Thursday. We shall see if that goes as planned. If not I will be wrapping my self in plastic bags and be wearing a homemade mask and disposable gloves.

Happy Easter to my Christian family and friends. Happy Passover to my Jewish friends. Hopefully this virus will pass soon.

Hot Cross Buns

Frittata

Roasted Leg of Lamb

Potatoes Dauphinoise

Asparagus Mimosa

Dark Cherry-Apple Compote

Carrot Cake

Happy Easter and Happy Passover

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Apples, Asparagus, Cake, Carrot Cake, Carrots, Cheese Sauce, Cherry Apple Compote, Cream Cheese, Dessert, Dessert/Pastry, Desserts, Dinner, Easter, Egg Dishes, Eggs, Entree, Food For Thought, Frittata, Frosting, Gravy, Ham, Italian Dishes, Italian Food, Italian Sausage, Lamb, Lamb Sauce, Lamb Stock, Menus, Pineapple, Potato, Potato Dauphinoise, Recipes To Share, Ricotta Cheese, Side Dishes, Sides, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off on Easter and Passover 2020

Valentine’s Day Dinner

Posted on February 7, 2020 by Camille

This year I will be doing a Valentine’s Day Dinner for 6 of our closest friends visiting over Valentine’s Day Weekend. I’ve decided to do a simple dinner, one that won’t keep me in the kitchen all night. Being able to prep and prepare some of the food in advance will keep me in the kitchen for a minimum amount of time so I can enjoy my company and not work as hard while they are here.

I’ve decided on steak since they all love it and have no dietary diversions. I’ll have a variety of Hors d’Oeuvres but not too many as I don’t want to fill them up before we get to dinner. Dessert will be special and chocolate for
sure.

Valentine’s Day Dinner 2020

Hors d’Oeuvres and Cocktails
Lobster Cakes
Kalamata Olive Tapenade
Goat Cheese Crisps with Tomato-Cucumber-Mint Salsa
Bourbon Manhattans, French Rose Wine

First Coarse
Mussels with Chorizo Sausage and Cherry Tomato Compote
Crusty Artisan Bread
Unoaked Chardonnay

Entree
Pan Seared and Roasted Filet Mignon with Sautéed Wild Mushrooms
Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Creme Fraiche
Haricot Verts and Pecans
Sangiovese

Dessert
Chocolate Mousse Cake
Shiraz

Lobster Cakes

Kalamata Olive Tapenade

Goat Cheese Crisps

Mussels with Chorizo Sausage and Cherry Tomato Compote

Pan Seared and Roasted Filet Mignon

Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes

Haricot Verts and Pecans

Chocolate Mousse Cake

 Happy Valentine’s Day! 

To leave a comments click on to my email address.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Ancho Chili Preserves, Andouille Sausage, Appetizers, Beef, Cake, Chocolate, Chocolate Desserts, Chocolate Mousse Cake, Chorizo Sausage, Condiment, Condiments, Crab Cakes, Creme Fraiche, Dessert, Dessert/Pastry, Desserts, Dinner, Entree, Filet Mignon, Food For Thought, Goat Cheese, Haricot Vert, Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate, Hints and Tips, Hors d'oeuvres, Italian Meringue, Lobster, Menus, Mousse Au Chocolate, Mushrooms, Mussels, Pecans, Recipes To Share, Remolaude Sauce, Seafood, Side Dishes, Tenderloin of Beef, Wine | Comments Off on Valentine’s Day Dinner

Rainy January

Posted on January 14, 2020 by Camille

I’m not complaining about the weather. It is January after all, and we could be having snow days instead of rainy days. The temperature outside is not cold at all. 60 to 70 degrees in January is pretty great but oh the rain.  So what to do on a day when you cannot be outside? For me the only answer is to cook and create delicious food. And that is exactly what I have been doing. Here are some of the recipes I made these last few days.

Homemade Pasta

I made this pasta with my new Kitchen Aid Pasta Roller and Cutter. I had been using a very old hand crank pasta roller (one my mother gave me for my wedding shower). It was from Italy and it worked very well but it was exhausting to use. I’ve had my eye on the Kitchen Aid for years but the price was not what I wanted to pay. My persistence in holding off worked well for me since I got it on sale for $100 less than normally priced. No need to buy pasta any longer! I love my machine.

Pot Roast

Three Cheese Shallot and Bacon Tart

Apple Pear Pie with Crumb Topping

Orange Marmalade

Pickled Jalapeños

Roasted Marinara Sauce

There you go: Something to do when the weather isn’t going outside weather. Mind you, we didn’t eat all of these dishes. The pie was a trade deal for tickets to Biltmore Estate (Thank you Bill and Lynn), the marinara and pasta both are in the freezer, the pickled jalapeños and the marmalade are tucked away on the refrigerator shelf, the pot roast was several nights ago and the tart was last night’s light dinner with a spinach salad.

It’s still raining and I think I’ll make a chocolate cake to bring to knitting on Thursday.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Bacon, Brie, Cheese, Creme Fraiche, Egg Dishes, Eggs, Entree, Food For Thought, Quiche, Savory Tarts, Shallots, Talagio Cheese, Tarts | Tagged , , , , , | Comments Off on Rainy January

Christmas Tree Decorating Dinner

Posted on December 7, 2019 by Camille

Tonight we trim the Christmas Tree and for dinner we are having Oven Braised Beef Short Ribs. I made this dish a couple of days in advance so I wouldn’t have to think about it while decorating our apartment. Plus making this in advance will allow the flavors to meld together and make the short ribs more succulent and delicious. I haven’t made short ribs in quite a while since I never see really good looking short ribs at the butcher but last week Whole Foods had the best looking short ribs. Also, they had a special for Amazon Prime Members – $2,00 off the price per pound. I couldn’t pass this deal up.

I like to serve Oven Braised Short Ribs with Spaetzel and a green vegetable to complete this hearty dish.

Oven Braised Short Ribs

Spaetzel

Enjoy and Happy Tree Trimming!

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Beef, Braised Short Ribs, Braising, Entree, Food For Thought, Short Ribs, Spaetzel | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Christmas Tree Decorating Dinner

Thanksgiving Feast 2019

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Camille

I had Thanksgiving Dinner last week (exactly 4 weeks early) since my sister and her husband were visiting and we could be together with my brother. I made everything traditionally (my traditions) with one exception – I changed the brining method for my 17 pound turkey. I have been doing the wet brine for years but decided I wanted to try something different. I did some research on dry brining and thought I’d give it a try. It worked out pretty good but I will go back to wet brining next year.

The dry brining method seemed attractive to me because it doesn’t take up as much room in the refrigerator as the wet brining. Remember with wet brining that big turkey has to be immersed in a watery brine so a ton a space is is needed in the frig. With a dry brine you rub the turkey with Kosher salt and the optional herb or two and let it sit in the refrigerator for 72 hours, the amount of time needed for dry brining. I read so many different articles on dry brining and they all were pretty much the same. 1 Tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds of turkey. The method was super easy, took no extra space in the frig and it produced a pretty good product. What I did not like was that the turkey did seem a bit salty: I never have had that problem with the wet brine. The turkey was moist and flavorful, but with the wet brine I feel that the turkey is much more moist and way more flavorful. So I am going to suggest you do the wet brine if you can spare the space in your refrigerator. With that said here is the menu I prepared for our Early Thanksgiving Feast.

Roasted Organic Turkey with Wild Mushroom-Chestnut Stuffing and Plenty of Turkey Gravy

Wild Mushroom and Chestnut Stuffing

Roasted Corn Pudding

Brussels Sprouts and Pearl Onions with Pancetta

Smashed Yukon Gold Potatoes with Turnips and Fresh Sage

Sweet Potato Casserole with Pecans-Streusel Topping

Pumpkin Cheesecake with Caramel Sauce and Whipped Cream

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Organic Turkey from Whole Foods Market wholefoods.com

Chestnuts from Wm-Sonoma.com

Happy Thanksgiving To All! We have so much to be thankful for.

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Ahh Haa Moments, Apple Pie, Apples, Bacon, Bread, Brine, Brussels Sprouts, Caramel Sauce, Cheesecake, Chestnuts, Corn, Dessert, Dessert/Pastry, Desserts, Dinner, Dried Cranberries, Dried Fruit, Entree, Food For Thought, Fruit Desserts, Gravy, Hints and Tips, Mushrooms, Pancetta, Pastry, Pastry Crust, Pate Sucre, Pecans, Pie, Poultry, Pudding, Pumpkin, Recipes To Share, Sage, Sauces, Side Dishes, Sides, Stuffing, Sweet Potato, Thanksgiving, Turkey, Vegetables, Wild Mushrooms | Tagged , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Thanksgiving Feast 2019

Tricks Or Treats, Money Or Eats!

Posted on October 26, 2019 by Camille

BOO!!!!!

I love Halloween!! Who Doesn’t love this crazy, goofy, scary holiday? For me it is the best holiday of the year as I love everything about it. We are invited to a party this year and I am making treats that remind me very much of Halloween when I was a kid. They might remind many of you of the treats that we were given and allowed to eat when there was no scare of tainted Halloween candy. These treats really aren’t for the Trick or Treaters but more for a party or to nosh on while waiting for the door bell to ring.

Caramel Corn

Caramel Apples

Spooky Cookies

Happy Halloween!!

camille@camillecooksforyou.com

Posted in Accompaniments, Ahh Haa Moments, Caramel Apples, Caramel Corn, Cookies, Food For Thought, Halloween, Honey Roasted Peanuts, Nuts, Popcorn, Sugar Cookies | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Tricks Or Treats, Money Or Eats!