how to hide an egg...

i have a good friend who isn't opposed to eating eggs, but prefers that they are hidden. hmmmm. sure, you can wrap them in a breakfast burrito or hide them under salsa. those are excellent options.. but then THIS occurred to me... here's my suggestion... french toast!

egg? what egg?

just add "you"!

before i shoot anything... a portrait, pin up, family, wedding, event, food... really anywhere that i've been hired to shoot... i like to go ahead of time and scout the location.

i've got a wedding this weekend at the gateway center in collinsville. the location for the formals and wedding party shots has not been picked yet, so i took the liberty of exploring. i found a spiffy little put-put golf place across the street, some really cool walls on main street collinsville, and of course, the willoughby heritage farm.

what i tend to do is run around looking for "back drops". i will take a photo and imagine your fabulous face in the picture. 

i've been asked about this before, so i thought this was a perfect opportunity to share with you a little of my process. 

take a look at these photos and see if you can "see" a wedding couple in them. 

to me, this is like going out for ice cream.... a creative, mental treat!

cinco de mayo 2012

cinco de mayo 2012 was a much more laid back affair for me this year. sometimes, it's nice to simply gather with the girls, nosh on tasty snacks and wash them down with margaritas. we had a lovely night with simple foods... awesome taco dip, fresh fruit, fresh avocado, killer soft pretzels and the ever popular taquito!

there was a point, while we were soaking in the last moments of twilight, when the light shifted and everything turned pink. light like that doesn't happen often! it was stunning!

all in all, it was a lovely girls night... with secrets and a super moon and jose cuervo. how can you beat that?

the prettiest drink ever!

two very special ladies... lisa and shannon.

the lovely shannon graciously poses...

sometimes a taquito is just a cigar...

even little miss roz got in on the fun. :)

the killer pasta salad...

a very good friend of mine just bought her first home--it's gorgeous and exactly what she wanted. she threw a little shindig of a housewarming party and i decided that i needed a killer pasta salad to contribute.  i googled "i need a killer pasta salad recipe". this is what came up in my search, and i assure you, it truly is killer!
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This is an AWESOME pasta salad, made with orzo and roasted vegetables. It looks like a lot to do, but if you gather your ingredients near your chopping board before starting, its a snap, really. I serve this at room temperature. It has no mayo , so would be great for a summer picnic.

Roasted Vegetable and Orzo salad

1 small eggplant, peeled and 3/4-inch diced
1 red bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 yellow bell pepper, 1-inch diced
1 red onion, peeled and 1-inch diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 pound orzo or rice-shaped pasta
For the dressing:
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)
1/3 cup good olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

To assemble:
4 scallions, minced (white and green parts)
1/4 cup pignolis (pine nuts), toasted
3/4 pound good feta, 1/2-inch diced (not crumbled)
15 fresh basil leaves, cut into julienne


Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Toss the eggplant, bell peppers, onion, and garlic with the olive oil, salt, and pepper on a large sheet pan. Roast for 40 minutes, until browned, turning once with a spatula.

Meanwhile, cook the orzo in boiling salted water for 7 to 9 minutes, until tender. Drain and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the roasted vegetables to the pasta, scraping all the liquid and seasonings from the roasting pan into the pasta bowl.

For the dressing, combine the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper and pour on the pasta and vegetables. Let cool to room temperature, then add the scallions, pignolis, feta, and basil. Check the seasonings, and serve at room temperature.