Goodbye, 2011

Hard to believe we're in the last hours of 2011! What a year it has been. I wanted to check in here and update on my plans for 2012.

Concerning photography: I will be focusing more on just doing hobbyist photography for at least the first half of the year, since I will be heavily pregnant for part of it and dealing with a newborn from March onward, and won't have time for sessions/editing. I will certainly update later concerning when I am available again. I hope to take part in a Project 52 again this year, which I absolutely loved and which served as a great learning experience for me.

Also coming soon to this little blog: I aim to try - and photograph - 52 new recipes this year. If I am pressed for time (say, late winter when I am nursing a newborn 'round the clock!) I may photograph the creation of old favourites. Regardless, if you enjoy food and photography, keep checking in!

Hoping everyone had a lovely Christmas, and best wishes for 2012. :)

My last session of 2011 : Ashley and Tyler

These two lovebirds came to me in September, wanting some photos to commemorate their second anniversary together. Ashley and I go way back to the good ol' Rec Centre days when I was the leader and she was one of the teens who came to hang out with us in the afternoon. Now she's all grown up and making me feel very old. ;) Anyway, they were great sports and we had a good time taking some photos to showcase their relationship.

On another note, I have an announcement - I won't be doing any more full sessions for this year, aside from those I've already discussed things with (ie for Christmas cards, especially since those sessions are usually quicker). At almost 6 months pregnant, I am suffering from a lot of hip/pelvic/back/sciatic pain, and while I love to do photos for people, it is taking a toll on my health. Hopefully once baby arrives late winter and I adjust to life with two kids, I'll be able to take on more. If you had something specific in mind you wanted to ask me about, or if you really wanted that Christmas card photo, let me know; it's just that at this point, sessions will have to be short without a lot of varied poses as it's just a bit too hard on my body right now.

Ahem. Without further ado, here are the adorable Ashley and Tyler, being all schmaltzy for the camera. :)

Squash Soup.

Yes, I am still on a soup kick. We're well into a bit of a cold snap and really, nothing beats a hot bowl of soup on a raw day. This soup is one of those foods that will make you wonder how something so healthy can taste so rich. It's that good.

Also, the fact that I will cut a huge squash by myself proves I love this stuff. I hate cutting squash. However, that's the first step - get yourself a decent sized squash, peel and seed it, and cube it into small pieces. We used one from our garden's harvest. I love squash - it's so versatile and so delicious. You can steam it, boil it, bake it, roast it...and put it in soup!


You also need two carrots. I looked in my fridge - no carrots - but since we're gardeners who are not Very Serious, ours are still in the ground. So the kidlet and I geared up in our warm coats and went outside to dig a couple.


You need either one onion or two leeks. I've used both and haven't noticed a lick of difference in taste. Today I used onion, since I always have one on hand but don't normally have leeks just laying around.



Heat a tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, then add the onions. Saute until aromatic and soft, about six minutes. Then shake in some cinnamon and nutmeg and stir for a minute. Mmmmm.



Your work is mostly done. Grab the carrots:



Three or four cups of vegetable broth (or whatever kind of broth/stock you use; vegetable is highly featured in this household if I have no homemade stock on hand):

And put them in the pot with the onions. Toss your squash in, too. Make sure you have just enough liquid to almost cover it all.


Now go find something to do for 25 minutes while it simmers. In my case, I had to go drag my wayward dog home from Dave's friend's house. He takes off every few months, usually on a windy day. Thankfully everyone knows which dog belongs to whom along this road.

Okay, so your vegetables are tender, so you're almost done. Transfer the soup to your food processor or blender (I usually do this in two batches) and puree until smooth.


Put it back in the pot and add a splash of cream. This is completely optional, but I like it. Also add salt and pepper to taste.


Heat through and voila - you have yourself healthy, rich, smooth, hot squash soup!



This was the first squash soup I tried, and I've never bothered with a different recipe. It's so simple and delicious. Enjoy!

SOUP

It's fall, which means it's that time of year when I crave hot, delicious, comfort food. Soup is a big one for me; I love love love soup. LOVE. Nearly all kinds. So in the past two weeks, I've tried three new recipes. I am sure my husband has a different opinion, but I consider all three a huge success.

Above is "Hearty Quinoa Soup", and it was excellent. Chock full of veggies and beans and quinoa. My husband deemed it "interesting", which is his kind way of saying, "please don't make me eat this again when there are so many other options out there". So I happily ate the leftovers without having to share.



Next I tried Tri-Colour Tortellini Soup. Oh, noms. Tomatoey and cheesy and healthy. I normally dislike pasta in soup as it always goes soggy, but this did not and it was so delish. Thumbs up from the husband, and the kid (who is very much not a soup lover unless it's tomato or vegetable from a can) even ate some.


Finally, Creamy Mushroom and Barley soup. Husband's favourite, by far. You have to be a serious mushroom lover for this one, and since we both are, we both really enjoyed it. It's got both fresh and dried mushrooms in it, and sour cream, and onions...and, well, how can you go wrong with that!?

Soup. It's what's for dinner. Except for my souped-out husband, who insisted that I make something "good" tonight. "Like poutine!" he says. Hey, we can't win them all.

Links to soup recipes:
http://www3.samsclub.com/meals/recipes/ground-beef-and-tricolor-tortellini-soup-recipe
(I did not add corn to the tortellini soup recipe, but otherwise followed it pretty closely.)

http://food.chatelaine.com/Recipes/View/Hearty-quinoa-and-bean-soup

http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/cream_of_mushroom_barley_soup.html
(I used white wine instead of sherry and a bit more sour cream than it called for.)

Kody and Michelle.

Last weekend I went into Fredericton on a very HOT Sunday to do engagement photos for Kody and Michelle. I met Kody earlier this summer at a wedding I photographed; he was the best man. I was thrilled when they contacted me about their own wedding next summer, and for engagement photos as well. I could not have asked for a smoother session! We hit up O'Dell Park, then went down to Queen Street and the walking bridge to finish things up. Three solid hours of photo-taking and everyone survived. ;) Here are a few of my favourites. Congratulations, Kody and Michelle!

Four years old.

My boy is four on Saturday.

Happy fourth to the best kid I've ever known.

What to Wear - Part Two