F/Stop | Christian Photography Workshops

F/Stop | Christian Photography Workshops

This is so cool! One day (hopefully soon..) I'll attend...

What do you think about this....?

First of all, thanks so much for all the HONEST feedback!  I really appreciate it!  What do you think about this?  The idea is to have this in various colors, depending on content....leave your comments, and color suggestions are welcome!

Glenn Beck is awesome!

Summertime Yums

I love to cook year round, but summertime just seems to have the most refreshingly delicious treats!  I made these last year, and though more people should enjoy them, so I'm posting this here.  I actually got the recipe from epicurious.com  


Here's the recipe from the site:


ingredients:
For lemon ice cream:

• 2 pint premium vanilla ice cream
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

For blueberry compote:

• 2 cups blueberries (10 ounces)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 (3-by 2 1/2-inch) strips lemon zest
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

For sandwich layers:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Equipment: 2 (8-inch) square baking pans (2 inches deep); a small offset spatula

Here's how to make them:
Make lemon ice cream: 

Transfer ice cream to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at 30 percent power in 10-second intervals, stirring, until softened, about 50 seconds total (see cooks’ note, below).

Stir in lemon zest and juice. Spread ice cream thinly in a 13-by 9-inch baking dish and freeze while making compote and sandwich layers.

Make blueberry compote:
Cook blueberries, sugar, and zest in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, thoroughly crushing blueberries with a potato masher, until juices are released and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes.

Stir together lemon juice and cornstarch, then stir into blueberry mixture. Boil, stirring, 1 minute (mixture will thicken).

Transfer blueberry compote to a bowl and chill until cold, about 1 hour. Discard lemon zest.

Make sandwich layers while compote chills:
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle. Butter baking pans and line with foil, leaving a 1-inch overhang on each side, then butter foil.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Beat together butter and brown sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, add flour mixture in 2 batches, mixing until just combined.

Divide batter between baking pans and spread into thin, even layers with offset spatula. Bake until golden-brown but still tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool completely in pans, about 30 minutes.

Assemble sandwiches: 
Dollop tablespoons of blueberry compote all over ice cream, then swirl it gently through ice cream with a spoon. Spoon all of ice cream over 1 sandwich layer (in pan) and spread evenly using clean offset spatula. Invert second sandwich layer over ice cream, pressing gently to form an even sandwich. Wrap baking pan in plastic wrap and freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Transfer sandwich to a cutting board using overhang. Trim edges if desired, then cut into 8 pieces.

Cooks' notes: •If you don’t have a microwave, ice cream can be softened at room temperature.
•Ice cream sandwich (before cutting) can be made 1 week ahead and frozen in pan, wrapped in plastic wrap and then in foil.◊

Here are some of my lessons learned:

If you like a thicker, more chewy crust, double the sandwich layers recipe!  I started to make just the one layer, and that would just NOT do!  I'm an gooey chewy type :)

Try different flavors of ice cream and add stuff!  The last time I made them I added toasted nuts.....yumm!!!

Bon appétit!

My new cam! And them something gross...

So I'm totally stoked about my new camera!  Of course, the first day I got it I was completely trigger happy!  I've waited over a year to get it, and her it is!  More photos to follow....until then, I'm busy learning by doing.
So I love this photo I'm posting.  And now comes the gross part...Here's what you don't see:  Dillon's peeling!  If you look closely at his shoulder, his skin is kinda splotchy....yeah...that's sunburnt peeling.  I don't think that the burn itself is gross, I think the fact that I have this unhealthy obsession with peeling his skin is the gross part.  Is it just me?  Do other people like to do stuff like that?  That's kinda gross, right?  Every time he wears a tank top or wife beater, I ABSOLUTELY MUST peel some of that skin!  And when he takes his shirt of...OVER!  I know it's gross, but I have to do it anyway....Disgustingly fulfilling..... 

Don't say that!

So between the last church sermon and things that I've enountered since then, and the books I've been reading, I've noticed myself becoming more and more annoyed with negativity.  And it's not just any negativity, it's when other people are speaking about negativity, or speaking negatively.  I've been told over and over again by some of my mentors and colleagues, that you speak your own destiny into life.  So when you say "Darn, I'm so dumb, why'd I do that?"  You're going to be dumb and convince yourself that you did something wrong because you think you're dumb.  SO DON"T SAY THAT!  Instead, say "I made a mistake, but I'll fix it."  It may not be okay that you made a mistake, but take responsibility for it, and fix it!

I love k9s

Okay, so anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE DOGS!  Their unfailing, unwavering unconditional love is so gratifying.  It's one of the areas of my life where I'm the most selfish.  I love dogs, because they love me.  In return, I love them back...

For your enjoyment...

Soo....it's been a month

Soo, it's been a month, and yes...I do sorely regret my decision to run a half marathon...kind of....
BUT, that's okay!  Because tomorrow's a new day, and I'll just start over/push forward.  Whatever I feel like doing that day, as long as it's not going backwards!

2010 Will be a great year

So I've decided to run the 2010 Rock N Roll Va Beach 1/2 Marathon! Something to keep me on my toes. I'm sure in a few days or weeks I'll thoroughly, sorely, and painfully regret this decision.....but press on I will!