Week 3 of FOOD+FOTO

cranberries, originally uploaded by susan736.

I am in week three of Miss B.'s FOOD+FOTO class. I have to admit, it has been more difficult than I anticipated. I have never staged a photograph before. (Other than trying to get my children to sit still!). Staging and lighting food so that it looks like something you would want to eat is proving to be a lot more challenging than it looks.

Martha Stewart's Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never met a Martha Stewart cookie recipe that I didn't like.

The cookies in my FOOD+FOTO pictures are from Martha.  And they are (well, were) as delicious as they look.  And, they have oatmeal and raisins in them, which, in my book, qualifies them as both healthy and a breakfast food. 

If you would like to eat cookies for breakfast without feeling guilty, make this recipe.  Now.

Oatmeal Raisin Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

  1 tsp baking soda

  1 tsp salt

  2 sticks (16 tbsps) unsalted butter, room temperature

  3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

  2 large eggs

  1 tsp vanilla extract

  2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

  1 1/2 cups raisins

  1 package (12 oz) semisweet chocolate chips

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda and salt; set aside. With an electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until ight and fluffy.

2.  Add eggs and vanilla; beat until combined, scraping down sides of bowl as necessary.  Add dry ingredients; beat just until combined.  Add oats, raisins and chocolate chips; beat just until combined.

3.  Drop heaping tablespoons of batter onto baking sheets, about 1 1/2 inches apart.  Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until cookies have spread and are golden brown but still soft to the touch, 10 to 12 minutes.  Cool 5 minutes on sheets; transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes:  I accidentally used quick cooking oats and the recipe turned out fine.  The recipe says it will make 32 cookies, I had about 48.  Also, I used salted butter rather than unsalted.  I always use salted butter.

Obsessing Over Square Boxwood Wreaths - and another DIY Wreath

I am in love with square wreaths this season, especially ones made of boxwood.  How can you resist these?

available on Etsy  

I absolutely love this one against the red door.

available at Williams Sonoma

You can hang the wreaths inside, if you prefer.

Me, I plan to hang mine inside AND outside, with a ribbon through the center and a bow at the bottom. 

Since no wreath posting would be complete without a DIY idea - go to Better Homes and Gardens for the DIY tutorial for the wreaths above.

Enjoy!

Love, 40

Best Birthday Card Ever!

Thank you, 35, for the best birthday sentiments I have ever received!  Only Mick Jagger appearing in the flesh on my doorstep could have topped those awesome pictures!

xoxo,

40

Happy Birthday, 40!

Happy Birthday, Big Sister!  I really wanted to get you this, but I was afraid it might gross everyone out.  Instead, I decided to just give you some nice things to look at. 
I love you-
35

Souvenir Foto School FOOD+FOTO Week 2 Submissions

These are the images I submitted for week 2 of the Souvenir Foto School.  I couldn't decide which image I preferred, so I submitted several, hoping that members of the group would give me feedback on what they do and do not like about each image.

Playing with the depth of field.

Just cookies.

More cookies

Bagels and ceam cheese

To take take the cookie photos, I ventured out of my comfort zone.  Generally, I like to take pictures of things as I find them.  This time, I created the background and manipulated the items for each picture.  I generally like the way the pictures turned out, what do you think?

Love, 40

Still Dreaming of Backyard Skating Rinks

Until recently, my husband did not share my enthusiasm for a backyard rink.  He thought a rink would be too expensive, too hard to put together, and too much work to maintain.  Well, I found something that finally changed his mind - a backyard skating rink kit!  There are many kits online, but I like this one.   In fact, my husband is so on board with the idea that he even talked a co-worker into buying a kit for his home! 

Now, as far as maintenance of the rink is concerned...that's what the children are for!