How to Photograph Food

I don't always take pictures of the meals I make. This has to do with 2 reasons. One being that I don't get home in time to photograph the food in nautral light. The other being that I don't have any plain white plates. I only have ones with patterns and that throws the picture off.

Since I have a new fancy schmancy camera, I figured I should start trying to take pictures of my food for my blog. Here are a some great links for instructions of how to photograph food. Stay tuned for some new pics!

crumblycookie.wordpress.com

culinaryconcoctionsbypeabody.com

Smothered BBQ Ranch Chicken

This recipe was super easy and REALLY good. I highly recommend it!!!!!

Rating: 10 of 10


Smothered BBQ Ranch Chicken

Recipe:
4 chicken breasts
3/4 cup BBQ sauce
3/4 cup fat free ranch dressing


Mix ranch and bbq sauce together- pour over chicken in frying pan.

Let simmer for 30-35 minutes until cooked. Top it with shredded cheese, a sprinkle of chopped bacon, and a handful of chopped scallions.

Variation: I baked it in the oven (covered the chicken with the sauce), covered it with foil and at 30 minutes, I add shredded mozzarella cheese on the rop, continued to bake, uncovered, for another 5 minutes. THANKS CLARE! :)

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Justin orders this meal at a few restaurants when we go out so I decided to make it at home. This recipe was really easy and fast to make. It tasted pretty good too!

Cajun Chicken Pasta

1-2 boneless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
2 tsp cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
2 cups heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 box linguine
grated parm cheese

1. Boil a pot of water
2. Add linguine and toss pasta every minute or so
3. Place chicken and cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.
4. In a skillet over medium heat cook chicken with the butter
5. Reduce heat and add cream and seasonings
6. Heat for a few minutes until hot
7. Add cooked linguine
8. Sprinkle with parm cheese

Spring Cleaning List

Apparently, I'm on a cleaning kick lately. One of the blogs that I read often had a great list for spring cleaning (The Hyper Homemaker, thanks Katie!) and I have adapted my list from that.

Kitchen:
-Empty and scrub down the inside of the fridge
-Empty and clean inside of the utensil drawers
-Scrub down the cupboard exteriors
-Clean the stove hood filter
-Clean drain (baking soda, vinegar, cover, sit, then add boiling water to wash it down)
-Shine sink
-Clean out pantry and reorganize
-Clean light fixtures
-Self-clean oven
-Clean out dishwasher and run cycle while empty

Bathroom:
-Launder shower curtain
-Clean out and reorganize medicine cabinet/vanity
-Shine sink

Bedrooms:
-Wash the inside of windows
-Launder pillows
-Sort through wardrobe to ditch or donate unused clothes/accessories
-Shampoo carpet
-Reorganize closets
-Change out winter clothes for summer clothes

Living Areas:
-Wash inside of windows
-Change furnace filter
-Clean and scrub down baseboards and molding
-Shampoo carpet

Basement:
- Shampoo carpets
- Clean out laundry room
- Organize storage

Entryway:
- Organize closet
- Put away winter coats
- Scrub carpet on stairs and hallway

Outdoor:-
Wash outside of windows
-Clean screens
-Power wash deck
-Clean out grill
-Clean and outdoor furniture and accessories
- Open the pool

Automobile:
-Clean out car
-Restock emergency kit
-Refill fluids

Weekly Cleaning Schedule

I am also starting a weekly cleaning schedule. Usually, I wait to do all my cleaning on the weekends. Our weekends are starting to get really busy though so sometimes I don't have time to do all the cleaning I want to. I plan on doing a few things everyday will help keep me on track! Some days are busier than others but as long as I finish the list by the end of the week, I'll be happy! Here is my list.

Kitchen:
- Wipe appliances
- Wipe off countertops
- Wipe out inside of fridge
- Put dishes away
- Vacuum floor
- Swiffer the floor
-Wipe off garbage can
- Clean sliding glass door


Living Room:-Dust all surfaces
- Put away dog toys
-Vacuum carpet
-Vacuum upholstery
- Clean windows

Bathroom: - Scrub the tub/shower
- Clean mirror
- Clean vanity
- Wipe out sink
- Vacuum
- Swiffer
- Scrub toilet
- Wipe toilet


Bedroom: -Change the sheets
-Dust all surfaces
-Vacuum
- Organize closet
- Clean off end stands/dressers

Misc:
- Wash/Fold/Put away laundry
- Clean out cars
- Iron
- Empty all trash cans
- Vacuum stairs

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!!

St. Patrick's Day is a familyaffair for me. My Mom's side of the family is Irish. We celebrated this past Saturday. Here are a few photos from that day!

Weekly Menu Planning

I have decided that I am going to start menu planning. I hate calling home every night and asking Justin what he wants to eat. The answer never changes and I don't know why I even ask anymore! Hopefully this will inspire me to try the thousands of recipes that I have saved on my computer! Here's the menu I'm planning for this week:

Monday: Cajun Chicken Pasta

Tuesday: Smothered BBQ Ranch Chicken

Wednesday: Crockpot Chicken Parmesan

Thursday: Creamy Tomato Chicken Pasta Skillet

Friday: Chili


We usually eat out on the weekends so I will start with only planning on the weekdays.