Thank-Full

This post is so long over-due (or maybe it's really early for next year?), I actually thought about not blogging about this. But then I thought....nope, I need to because I'm proud of my efforts. My mom came to visit from Upstate (well really Northern to be exact) New York. Yes, I know it's hard to believe that there really is more to NY than just the city. Google map it, I swear there is. Anyway, it was Donald and my first official Thanksgiving dinner that we were going to host for someone else, and although it would have been awesome to have all of our family members gathered around our table, we were very pleased to have my mother here to share it with us.

I began the morning before Thanksgiving by making the muffins that you see below. It was a twist on a family favorite...cranberry-orange bread. Although, this time around, I wanted to make something that would be a bit healthier than the recipe that we normally follow (thanks Ms. Betty Crocker for feeding me during my youth). I'm not going to post my version of the recipe now, for a few reasons. One, I usually leave the baking up to these two ladies. And two, I need to perfect the recipe a little more to get it exactly like I want. Then I'll post the recipe. They still tasted pretty good, and looked really cute. But I know I can do better.

Which leads me onto the main course. It was my first time making a turkey...and I'm proud to say, I nailed it! It was so perfectly golden brown, and juicy (and cooked to the correct temp! YAY!), gosh, it almost makes me want to go make another one right now. I think I had beginner's luck or something, so I'm really tempted to make another one for Christmas just to see if I really do know what I'm doing. Donald helped make dinner too.......his mashed potatoes were delish! And I'm proud to say, that all of the other food made it to the table without getting cold. That's something I don't do well with when it comes to multi-dishes in the kitchen....I am getting better, but there's almost always something on the verge of being cold when it hits the table, and more devastatingly, my plate!

It was a great Thanksgiving dinner, and my mom had a great visit. There's something so satisfying about being able to show my mom after all of these years that I have become quite an amazing young lady (that's right...I'm not afraid to give a little credit where credit is due).

So, this past Thanksgiving, I was very thankful to be able to have the chance to have another Thanksgiving with my mom, and do a little role reversal for once. And of course, I'm very thankful to have all of my family, friends, my canine daughters, and especially my Donald. Here's to wishing everyone a safe and happy holiday season!

Viva Las Vegas!

When I was younger, I wanted to be just like my sister Susan. If she did it, I did it too--or at least I tried really really hard to. Sure we could fight like we hated each other, but then two minutes later, we were best friends again. Well, she just turned 30 (ummm, I hope that wasn't a secret Suze), and although she wasn't exactly excited to hit the big 3-0, I think she makes 30 seem really cool, and really cool 30 year olds celebrate their birthday in Las Vegas. Sticking true to my younger days, I joined Sue, and one of my other sisters Michele in Vegas for the big celebration. We had such a great time, although it was only for a few days. Here are just a few of the highlights from the trip...

First of all, I have to mention that the Encore Wynn is an amazing hotel, and just so happens to be where country superstar Garth Brooks will be playing shows at for the next couple of years. If you ever get the chance to go to Vegas, I would HIGHLY recommend staying at this hotel. Absolutely STUNNING! It's very modern chic, and even if you're arriving in your "travel attire", you'll feel like a million dollars just walking through the doors.

The first photo, is just a little taste of what you'll see inside the Wynn resort. I really want the mosaic tiled floors in my house someday...or as a piece of art on the wall...there were many of those throughout the resort as well...again...stunning pieces of work!

We ate dinner at the hot on the scene, Asian-bistro restaurant Tao Las Vegas, located in The Venetian Hotel and Casino. The restaurant had a super cool vibe, and incredibly delicious food.
I wonder what the chance of a Tao opening in Nashville is?

I took the photo above from the staircase that led to the Tao nightclub (also a really cool place, but my sisters and I didn't stay very long...we all had long day of traveling and wanted to hit the casino floor before going to bed). Which brings me to my next photo....proof that I won it big in Vegas. Ha, yea, riiiiiiggghhhhttt. If I remember correctly, I only started with $10 the first night, so I didn't do too badly. Thankfully, I didn't get too carried away with the gambling, and I don't think I'll have to call any 1-800-I-Have-A-Gambling-Problem number anytime soon. Unfortunately, I also didn't come back to Nashville with a fat wallet either.

We had breakfast in Paris the next morning. Ok ok, not really Paris, France, but it sure felt like it! We ate at Mon Ami Gabi (a classic French bistro) and had fantastic quiche Lorraine, big skinny lemon pancakes, spinach and brie crepes, and cappuccino in a bowl (personally, I don't have the correct taste buds to enjoy cappuccino, but the bowl was super cute!)

...and of course when in Paris, you must see the Eiffel Tower!

On the last day, after Michele left for the airport to fly back home, Sue and I had some time to kill before we had to leave, so we took another stroll on the strip, and I was able to get these last two shots. The first one is outside of the Venetian hotel, and the second is of the fountain show outside of the Bellagio hotel (and yes, it really was like the fountain scene from "Ocean's Eleven"--I love that movie by the way). The fountain show was really spectacular...the water shoots practically just as tall as the hotel! It was amazing! I wasn't able to see the show at night, but I'm sure the sunset show is unbelievable!

Vegas is one crazy city. I don't think I've ever used the phrase "this is ridiculous!" more at one time than I did that weekend. Now I know why they call it "Sin City", and I'm happy to say, that I in no way, contributed to it's sinful reputation. I'd probably go back to Vegas only once more, but that's about it for this sweet and innocent girl! ;)

All in all, I think Sue had a great 30th birthday...I mean, hello, I was there to celebrate it with her, of course it was going to be a great birthday. Happy (belated) birthday again Suze...I love you so very much, and I can't wait to be 30....just like you. :)

Special Announcement!

I interrupt the previously scheduled series finale post to bring you a special announcement! I baked. Yup, that's right, I baked...cupcakes. Hmmm, what's the special occasion you ask? Well it's my dear friend Erin's birthday! Oh, did I mention she is having a birthday giveaway for YOU on her blog? There, I just did---so make sure you go
check it out AFTER you're done reading my post. ;)

For those of you who know me well, you know that when I think of a kitchen, I don't think of it as a place where food is prepared, but more of a place where food is stored and eaten. I'm certainly not as good at preparing delicious meals as the birthday girl is, but every once in a while I get the itch to really make good use of my kitchen. I really do love my small kitchen (I think the granite counter tops really make me feel like a gourmet chef or something crazy like that) and I believe my culinary skills have greatly improved over the past year.
These cupcakes certainly prove that theory.

Although these cupcakes weren't made from scratch they could have easily been passed off as if they were. What can I say, I'm a huge fan of convenience...just ask my George Foreman grill. The birthday girl is a huge fan of pumpkin (who isn't?!?), and I knew that she would love these Pumpkin Spice Cream Cheese cupcakes
(thanks Jamie for recommending that I make this recipe!)

I tried to revise the recipe to my preferences, because I'm still trying to be good about the "bad" food I eat. Therefore, I made some substitutions of ingredients. For example, I used applesauce instead of vegetable oil for the cake mix, I used low-fat cream cheese instead of the full-monte kind of cream cheese, I also cut the sugar in half (trust me, it's plenty sweet enough!), and I went real light with the frosting (thanks Betty Crocker Whipped Cream Cheese frosting from a can). And yes, I am the guilty party who took a couple of bites out of this sweet treat before I had breakfast! Yikes, don't tell my mom!

So, cheers to you Erin! I hope you enjoy being 26 as much as I have so far.

Up next, the series finale of Fall Back into Color....for real this time.

I Play with my Food.

Not only is food fun to eat, but it's fun to play with, and of course, shoot photos of. It's even better if you can combine the three---especially, when you have something as special and as fun as dog-bone shaped birthday cookies, made with love (at least, I hope they were!) by a great friend who recognizes my passion for just about everything dog-related. And of course, the fact that she remembered my birthday (April 3...incase anyone is wondering) is an added bonus!

I love my birthday, and although I don't always expect presents, I of course accept presents without any problem. So I was super excited to find a gift on my chair at work the morning of my birthday. Yup, I was already a giddy little girl...ok ok, 26 year old young woman. I opened my gift bag, where I found part one of my present---a dog-bone cookie cutter! Wow, did this ever add to the giddy-ness! I've been wanting a dog-bone cookie cutter for a while, but just haven't found one yet. It's something that I don't really think about when I'm in the kitchen aisle of a department store or whatever. And then, I opened part two of my gift...homemade, dog-bone shaped cookies covered in sprinkles!!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!!! I was overwhelmed with giddy-ness at this point! I was so excited, and felt like a birthday girl should---very special!

So my friend (I will refer to her as "Erin") who made the cookies, has a food blog, and I knew that this would be a perfect opportunity to:

1.) practice my photography

2.) practice with the new external flash I had just purchased for myself...*cue music*...happy birthday to me...happy birthday to me.....

3.) give her some shots to use for her blog

and

4.) PLAY WITH MY FOOD!

A few weeks ago, Erin told me that she had submitted a photo of the cookies to this website's food photo event of the month (May 2009). The subject was cookies. The photo below got 9th place overall (out of 66)....

I say, yippee! Looks like the photoshoot was a success that night! :) The theme this month is "stacks" ....I'm still trying to find the perfect subject for this one. Be on the lookout for updates on this!

If you want to try to make these amazing cookies, you can find the recipe at Erin's Food Files . Oh, and please keep in mind that she is much more critical of food than I am. Although, she doesn't think these cookies were "earth-shattering" delicious....I think they were fantastic! Feel free to let me know what you think of my photos, and let her know what you think of the recipe! Thanks again Erin for the great birthday cookies!