When I downloaded photos from my camera today, I found more than 250 waiting to be gone through. I hope you don’t mind me sharing a few tonight.

On Friday, two days before Irene, I looked out at the setting sun and saw this sky. It was viciously orange and red, and made me think of that rhyme “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight; Red sky at dawn, sailors be warned.” I think that should have meant that Saturday would be a mild day … but it wasn’t. More like threatening. A warning. Read the rest of this entry…

Earlier today, I realized that it made so much more sense to move tonight’s post to next week when it will be more timely. I started working on another post, but the recipe isn’t there yet. And frankly, Snoopy here has the right idea. After shoveling snow a couple times today (don’t worry, we didn’t get a lot this time), and digging a path to the side of the house (way more strenuous), I am exhausted.

The food will return tomorrow.

Easy Low-Fat Salt and Pepper Chicken, Take Two

If you are a longtime reader of Sarah’s Cucina Bella, you might remember my recipes for Easy Low-Fat Salt and Pepper Chicken Breasts. It was a long post with adorable pictures of the kids, and a bad picture of the chicken. On Tuesday, I had the chance to reshoot this recipe with the help of professionals to figure out how to take something basic like this and make it look fabulous. The photo above is the result.

When I created my (ridiculously easy) recipe for Salt and Pepper Chicken, I was clueless how to make it look tasty in a photograph. I ended up tossing one piece on a white plate and snapping a picture.

The original photo ... Would you crave that?

And did it look irresistible? Like that special, easy recipe that everyone should have in their back pocket to make when you have no time to cook dinner or when you need a lightly seasoned chicken breast for topping a salad or drizzling with an extra special sauce? Um. No. That’s the original photo at the right … See how it looked more like a bland piece of chicken? The darkness and poor lighting didn’t help anything at all. I doubt anyone gave it a second look.

As a food writer who has had to learn to shoot photographs of the dishes and recipes I create, it’s been an uphill battle. This photograph frustrated me, but I just wasn’t sure what to do about it.

Yea.

So, when my buddies (and coworkers!) at Tablespoon asked me to choose a couple potential recipes for my photography lesson with General Mills pros on my recent trip, this one topped the list. Fortunately, they agreed. Read the rest of this entry…

The kids and I often dance in the kitchen while I am cooking or cleaning up from a meal. As soon as I turn the music on, they come running … it’s so much fun.

Apparently the kitchen nymphs were listening yesterday when I talked about things not going as planned because this morning when I went to make breakfast, my beloved range started acting up. It’s only five years old, and a wonderful glass top model with two ovens. I love it so. But today, it’s not loving me.

Whenever I turn it on, it buzzes at me and the power and lights flicker on it. Scary stuff. So that effectively killed my plans for roasting sunchokes and baking brownies.

But, you know what? That’s okay. Today is a wonderful snowy day. The flakes keep falling, collecting on the branches in that oh-so-beautiful way that makes you stop and take back all the unkind things you’ve said about snow recently. I have to say, snow-enrobed branches are one of my very favorite outdoor scenes … and the pristine whiteness of everything is so calming.

Sure, it’s cold outside – it’s snowing, after all! But no matter, this is a day to enjoy. The kids and I bundled up (I employed the techniques I learned recently while researching an article on bundling up that I wrote for SheKnows) this morning and headed outside. Read the rest of this entry…

When I was peeling carrots for dinner the other night, I came across this nobbly fellow in my bag from the farmer’s market. I couldn’t resist snapping a photo …

So, what do you see?

The kids and I just returned from a great weekend in New Jersey at the Sweetnicks household. I’ll be sharing what we ate and some interesting Jersey finds this week. But in the meantime, here are a few pics to tide you over.

Sometimes, things don’t need to be complicated to be fantastic. A peach, pealed and sliced. An apple dipped in honey. A slice of bread spread with a thin layer of hummus.

Or, in this case, a simple salad. Sungold cherry tomatoes, tiny balls of fresh mozzarella, freshly torn basil, a swig of olive oil and a sprinkle of kosher salt (I was all out of sea salt). It’s simple as can be and takes just a few moments to pull together … and yet, this is something that the kids and I just devour.

Sometimes, simplicity really is the best thing.

What’s your favorite simple dish?

Ever since hearing my cousin talk about grilling pizza recently, I have been somewhat obsessed with doing it myself. I consulted with her on technique (she grills first, tops and then broils to melt the cheese), I set about to grill a pizza from start to finish. I really want to avoid that added step of transferring to the oven, if possible.

So far, we’ve loved the toppings (pesto, fresh mozzarella, sungold tomatoes, prosciutto) but the bottom of the crust is just getting too done (read: burnt) while the cheese melts. Fortunately, the toppings have made up for the over-done crust.

Anyway, I am still working out the technique. I am thinking a mid-cook flip might solve the problem (obviously topping the pizza right after flipping), but I haven’t tested that yet.

Any hints, tips or tricks to share?

Rainbow cupcakes.

’nuff said.