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{inspired by : sungold spaghetti}
1 Novwell, summer is gone and we are in the autumn months and slowly transitioning into winter… and as the seasons change, so does my palate and therefore, what i enjoy to cook and eat.
i recently decided to leave the social media world for a while. it’s just too much and it’s not what i signed up for. i only mention that because sometimes i did enjoy getting inspired by other foodies while scrolling and sifting through the mostly nonsense, and i found the recipe for this dish. it is one of my new favourites that i now eat on the regular. it was particularly awesome to make it when i was able to grow my own tomatoes.
i miss having a garden so much it hurts.
this dish is so simple to make. i was so happy to see that i could find sungold tomatoes at my local grocery store since i am not able to grow my own. they are so wonderful! they are like natures candy… sweet and tangy… and if i’m not mistaken, they are less acidic than regular tomatoes (which is really important to me at this time in my life.) they are so juicy and they pop and burst in your mouth and make a delicious sauce! when i saw they were on sale in the late summer, i bought a bunch with the intention of making some of this sauce to freeze so i could enjoy it during the approaching wintertime. it freezes really well and during the cold months, is so comforting, refreshing, and satisfying.
ingredients are simple, as always – measuring with your heart :
- sungold tomatoes
- sweet onion
- garlic
- olive oil
- spaghetti or pasta of choice (thin spaghetti is the food and foto choice)
i think the key with this recipe is to make sure not to use too much of the onion and garlic. you really want the tomato to be the star. the aromatics help with overall flavour, but we don’t want to overpower the delicate taste of these beautiful summery golden tomatoes.
the best method i’ve found is to add the onion, garlic, and tomatoes to a bit of olive oil in a sauce pan and simmer very slowly, adding a bit of water as to avoid any burning. the tomatoes will eventually burst and create a wonderful base for the sauce.
once the tomatoes are fully cooked, transfer to a blender and marry all those flavours together. cook the pasta until al dente, then add in a bit of starchy cooking water to the fragrant sauce and then add in the noodles. remove from heat and top with freshly grated parmigiano reggiano. transfer to a bowl and finish with (homemade) croutons and fresh parsley. *chefs kiss*
usually i have a small cucumber salad on the side… nom nom.
this really is a dish for tomato lovers!
have you ever tried sungold tomatoes? shoutout to daphne oz for the inspo on this! she’s just so classy and such a foodie!
{pastini AKA italian penicillin}
17 Octoh! we are officially in soup season and this foodie girl couldn’t be happier. 🙂
autumn is my favourite time of year when i feel like i thrive the most! although, i admit i do not love the change of light and losing of light and such, but i do love the food and the smells and the colours and the leaves and the slowing down…
mostly, i love making soups and so now is the time i will enjoy them more often. during summer months, when frequenting the farmers markets and local farm stands, i tend to stock up on fresh veggies (and/or delightful friends gift them to me), make my own broth, and create tons of soup to enjoy during the winter months.
this is such a lovely simple dish that is apparently a staple in many italian kitchens. it’s a way to get extra nutrients in your diet without actually eating vegetables, it’s a way to sneak in vegetables to kiddos, and it’s super health-conscious and fantastic as we move into the fall and winter seasons.
for me, the hardest part was finding the pasta shape. this teeny tiny pasta shape {pastina} is what makes this dish so special. it just feels so comforting and easy to eat and almost nostalgic. that’s kind of what i love about ancestral food… there’s just something so special about the simplicity of these comfort foods and how they’ve been passed down from generation to generation.
it all starts with the basic mirepoix blend… simmered in chicken stock {homemade is best – although this one is beef, i also make it with chicken} and cook until the veggies are tender. next, remove veggies from the stock and blend with a bit of the liquid. add mixture back into the pot with the pasta and cook until desired consistency. sometimes i add water or more broth. typically what i do is make the mirepoix blend ahead of time and freeze. then when i’m ready to serve, i heat the mixture and add the pasta as to not overcook. either way, basically it’s delicious no matter how you serve it.
finish with a healthy topping of freshly grated parmigiana reggiana and fresh parsley. sometimes i also add homemade croutons for a bit of crunch and extra flavour. nom nom! slurp slurp!
have you ever had this classic italian dish? do you add variations to it? i hope you try it sometime, it may change your life! 🙂
{sally salad volume 2}
24 Sepas many of you already know, i am sometimes referred to as “sally salad” because well… as the kids are saying these days, IYKYK. 😛
i created this big salad a couple weeks ago for a gathering and people often comment on how good my salads are. to be honest, i’m actually not sure why haha. it could be because of the dressing i use {it’s kind of a trade secret but i don’t gate-keep – so feel free to comment or ask}. that said, what i feel may be the case, is that i put a lot of love into food that I prepare/cook. it is truly a love language for me. it’s like – being in the kitchen is one of the only ways i feel i have any sort of control most of the time. i get to create on my own terms, in my own way, with my own rules, on my own time. and i deeply love that… especially in todays world. but also, i truly do enjoy sharing food with others and so i tend to believe that people can feel that when they eat the food i make. it’s a beautiful thing, really.
so anyway here’s a pretty salad i recently made 🙂
starts with a bed of super crispy romaine lettuce… with cucumbers, tomatoes, olives, carrots, celery, sweet onions, fresh parsley. sometimes i like to add cabbage or artichokes… or in this case, i did add a little heat with some peperoncinos. always finished with my favourite champagne vinaigrette. very much the epitome of “eat the rainbow” 🙂
nom nom!
{speaking of eggs – jammy eggs are my jam!}
22 Julit’s hard for me to believe that there was a period of time in my life when i simply did not like eggs. like, what?!
but thankfully that has changed and now i love love love them. i think it’s so interesting how they can be prepared so many different ways. fried, baked, poached, boiled, in a salad, on toast, in baking… the egg is for sure “eggcelent” (pun intended).
i think i am still trying to perfect the “jammy egg.” it’s always been my favourite way to enjoy eggs… that creamy custardy center, that’s the key. recently, i was experimenting with the jammy eggs that typically accompany a good bowl of authentic ramen, which i have been fully craving lately. so, i did a bunch of research and tried to make them in the food and foto kitchen.
i cooked them in boiling water for 6 minutes, then transferred them to an ice bath until fully cooled, then peeled and stored in the fridge in a mixture of coconut aminos, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, and sesame oil for about 24 hours. when serving, i sprinkled with sesame seeds.
for a first time try, i think they turned out pretty good! I devoured three of them this morning!
#nomnom
what’s your favourite way to enjoy eggs?!
{foodie friday : farm fresh fried egg}
18 Julmost of the time… it’s just… the simplest things… that bring me happiness…
like this perfectly cooked sunny-side up egg from a local chicken mama friend… lightly pan-fried in local grass-fed butter… with a beautifully-coloured yolk and custardy-center… isn’t it so pretty?!
if you saw my last post, you know that my sweet kitty is no longer with me… and i still feel that loss on the daily… especially when i make eggs… callee always loved them and she could smell them from all the way on the other side of my apartment when i was making them in the kitchen… after i was done eating, i would always let her lick the plate… and in her later days in life, i would make a special egg just for her… because she was always worth it… ❤
#nomnom!
how do you like your eggs?
{rest in paradise, sweet callee girl}
11 Mayit is with a very heavy and woeful heart that i post this blog.
this past week, i made the very difficult decision to put my kitty, callee, down to eternal rest. she was my best friend, my sidekick, my companion, my love. she gave me purpose and something to look forward to coming home to. for so many years she gave me a reason to feel important, a love i have still never known, and so much appreciation in my heart for what a good girl she was. she did not bite or scratch people or furniture, she didn’t jump on countertops, knock stuff over, or most of the typical cat stuff. she was so loving and sweet and loved to be adored and petted. she was my little shadow… followed me everywhere. she “slow-blinked” at me all the time and just adored me. she was a “talker” as my best friend would say, she was vocal and a good listener, she was also a good learner and just an overall great animal and pet. i was overwhelmingly blessed to have her in my life for such a long time. i still can’t believe she’s gone. it will take me some time to grieve and move on. i used to think i would want another kitty immediately, but now that i’m here in this space and time, i realize i feel differently… i just know i need to have grace with myself and allow myself to take it all one moment and day at a time until i decide i may want to adopt again.
losing her is a great loss for me. it was a long time coming… she had been declining for about the last year and i did all i could to hold on and let her hold on… but in the last days, i knew she was ready to go. she was telling me every day and finally i had to make the decision in haste. i found a wonderful local place that was able to take her immediately and so graciously helped and comforted me through the very tragic and daunting process. i also had a tremendously wonderful friend help me through the entire journey, even long before the final day arrived. these people are important to me and i will be forever grateful to have them there during the painful and heart-wrenching procedure.
in her final days, she was a lot more affectionate with me. she was always so loving, but not much of a “lap cat.” but one day last week she came into my recliner with me and laid on my chest for what felt like days, although it was probably only a half hour. but it was the best gift she could’ve given me. she nudged her little head into my armpit and held me close. i will forever cherish that moment. days later, when we sat in the veterinarian office and i had made my last memories with her, she was calm and was purring and rubbing her head against my hand, almost as if to thank me. we both knew it was time. and i reminded her that although i was no longer going to be able to play the role of her mama on this earth, that she would be so warmly greeted and welcomed by my mama on the other side.
and believe me when i say this – SHE UNDERSTOOD THAT! ❤
so on this mothers day, which is usually a hard day for me anyway, i honour my mother, and also being a “mother” to my sweet kitty, callee. she changed my life, saved my life, and forever will be in my life… and in my heart.
thank you to all of you who have made sweet comments about my dear callee girl, and those of you who had the pleasure to meet her, pet her, hear her, know her, and love her.
i’ll most likely post another blog with more pics of her… but for now, i will close with this favourite foto of her from 2017.
I LOVE YOU FOREVER, CALLEE GIRL!
{maryland engagement portraiture – Mr. and Mrs. M}
28 Aprit’s kinda silly for me to say that i actually took these fotographs last year around this time. and due to a busy and unpredictable work/life mode, i never got around to sharing them on my blog. until now! 🙂
this is my sweet cousin and his sweet new bride and their adorably sweet baby girl. they married last fall and i had the honour of being their engagement fotographer. i also had the privilege of attending their wedding. i adore them both and if you remember – i also got to do some baby bump pics! 🙂
so without further ado, here are some of my favourite images from their engagement session! ❤
i am just LOVING the spring sunset warmish coolish yummy evening light!
this is the one they chose for their wedding announcement
I LOVE YOU SO MUCH, D & M & M!
{homemade classic chicken cutlets}
3 Marhow silly is it that i had never made chicken cutlets before yesterday?! haha. my best friend and i were talking about this the other day and was asking how i should prepare them. i did a lot of research and took his advice, but ultimately added my own little flair to it 😉
and basically it doesn’t matter that i had never made them before or that i was making it up as i went along… because when i finally made them, they were AHH-mazing!
after pounding out some already-thinly-sliced chicken breasts…
i created a seasoned flour/egg mixture/parmesan breadcrumb dredging station…
fried in some coconut oil… then i finished them in the air fryer for a perfect crisp… and dusted with parmigiano reggiano…
finally, dressed the cutlets with an arugula salad doused in meyer lemon and olive oil…
OH MY WORD! so good!!!
#nomnom!
this has quickly become one of my new favourite staples in the food and foto kitchen! what is your favourite way to enjoy chicken cutlets?!?!
{happy new year! (and some ramblings)}
22 Janwow, how has another year gone by so quickly?! (and almost a whole month already!?)
i had every intention of blogging recently and i have sat down several times to do so, but something seemed to get in the way every time. so here i am, trying again. making it happen this time.
as i look outside my window, i am seeing fluffy little puffy flakes of snow fall all around my apartment and neighbourhood. this is probably our 3rd or 4th snowfall this year, thus far. admittedly, i don’t love nor hate it. i just deeply prefer not to drive in it. that said, it has its beauty and charm.
how was your 2024? how are you feeling about 2025? are you the kind of person that celebrates the new year or is it just another day for you? do you make resolutions? do you fall asleep early? do you plan, make changes, start over, etc? For me, the older i get, the less i care about New Years Eve / New Years Day. I get why we celebrate it and all, but it’s quite specifically just another day. i alway say this – i can make changes at any given point of any given day. like on a random tuesday in august, i can just consciously decide to do or not do anything i want. i don’t need to be glutenous for 6 weeks, then promise to clean up my diet drastically overnight. i don’t need to be a lazy slacker for the entire year and then expect to suddenly want make the effort to be in better shape on january 1. ya know what i mean?!
it’s easy to give power to an event, like New Years Day, instead of really focusing on an overall balance. that’s usually been my keyword or phrase or mantra throughout my life :
BALANCE!
as many of you probably know, i am not big on “diets” or “trends” because (i do firmly believe) the best recipe for health is a little bit of everything… well, kinda – in moderation.
i digress.
what is something you are looking forward to? what is something you are thankful for? what is something you’d like to change? and how can you show yourself grace in the process of all of this? these are questions i tend to ask myself during the New Year. and they are also questions i tend to ask myself almost every day. i feel like it’s important to carry the “idea” of the new year throughout the entire year. if the events that have transpired since 2020 should’ve taught us anything, it’s that things can almost quite literally change overnight. whether that be by our own decision or by outside convincing forces is irrelevant. much of what we experience in life is out of our control, but i do very much believe that we still have power over our own lives and choices. particularly in how we treat others. i always aim to be more kind, understanding, patient, honest, and loving.
anyway – here’s one of my favourite recent images to get the new year at food and foto dot com started!
{yellow watermelon!!!}
19 Sepi’m a little late posting this, considering the season is over now. but this is one of my favourite things of ALL TIME! and i was so excited this year when i was able to get my hands on not only one but TWO yellow watermelons! the first time was from a dear friend who shared her CSA {community supported agriculture} box with me when she was on vacation. and the second time was randomly at an amish market – both times were locally-grown, which makes this foodie super happy.
i was thinking the other day about how many farms there are where i live… i literally drive through so many of them on a daily basis, all within 30 minutes in any direction. and i love knowing where my food comes from. seeing the actual field where this watermelon was grown is SO COOL and i believe it makes it taste better! 🙂
the farmer i spoke to about this watermelon said they even grow orange watermelons! so next year i have to make sure to look out for that! i would love to get a red, orange, and yellow and compare them side-by-side.
for me, yellow watermelon has a slightly different taste and texture. it’s hard to explain but i prefer yellow over red. if you have a chance to get your hands on one, i guarantee you won’t be disappointed.
they are usually in season and available in late july or early august… nom nom!
happy farmer audrey 🙂
have you ever had yellow watermelon? i truly hope one year i can try to grow my own!
{a delightful dill bouquet}
4 Sepdill is one of my favourite herbs and it is very easy to grow!
and check out how pretty it looks when harvested in this stage – 😀
{lettuce “chips” and dip}
10 Augthis simple concept will definitely remain a new staple in the food and foto kitchen!
as many of you already know, i love to eat my veggies! specifically – lettuce! one of my nicknames is “sally salad” because i’m always the one that brings the salad to any gathering or potluck. 🙂
i also love snacks. and there’s something about eating lettuce this way that makes it feel more like a snack. simply cut the lettuce into little chunks and dip it in your favourite dressing. i used romaine lettuce hearts and ranch dressing… but sometimes i like to mix it up with french dressing or caesar, or a mix… it’s just fun to eat and something different, and it’s nice and refreshing on these super hot summer days!
and the crunch is the best part!
#nomnom
{first diy reuben sammy}
4 Aprwell i’m just full of firsts in 2024! especially in the kitchen!
recently, i randomly decided to make my own reuben sandwich at home. it is most certainly my all-time favourite sammy! there was a glorious place in denver called masterpiece delicatessen and they made THE BEST reuben sandwich! {recently found out they closed, bummer!} and since then, i’ve been trying to find a place that creates one in the same way… alas – to no avail, i have yet to.
BUT! – as usual, when i can’t find what i want, i try to make it myself. and i feel like i was able to artfully recreate this specialty in my own kitchen, and i must’ve eaten one every day for like a week – haha!
complete with homemade russian-style {aka thousand island} dressing and homemade saurkraut! 🙂
this totally hit the spot… perfectly toasted marble rye bread, superbly savory pastrami {sliced thin and stacked high, of course}, delightfully melty swiss cheese, crunchy and punchy {and gut-healthy} sauerkraut, and slightly sweet tangy russian dressing… *chef’s kiss*
what’s there not to love?!
nom nom!
{happy 12th birthday to food and foto dot com!}
22 Marit’s my blog’s birthday today! 😀
WOOHOO!
it’s hard to believe that it’s been 12 years since i started this cute little blog and created my website!
it’s been such a fun journey and i have thoroughly enjoyed this artistic and expressive playground. not only do i relish in taking fotographs and eating delicious food, and rambling about random things, but i very much also delight in writing about said things and sharing it with all of you!
if you are new here – WELCOME! and thank you for stopping by!
here’s a little something i wrote 12 years ago about myself… so funny to look back at that time in my life. i remember exactly where i was sitting when i very first sat down and decided to create this space on the internet. a space to express myself, to share my passion for food and fotography, and to explore my storytelling in a personal way.
i pour a lot of my heart and soul into this space and what i love most about it is that i can be as creative as i want in how and what i share. i also feel like this blog holds me accountable in a way… as in, helps me set aside time to be creative. i don’t have a lot of social media and although i do try to maintain it, this blog and website has been and will continue to be my main focus. it’s personal. it feels different.
in 12 years i have been fortunate to have over 1800 of you wonderful readers subscribe to my blog and take the time to read and engage… and for that i humbly want to express my GRATITUDE. especially to those of you who have been with me the entire time… from the start… encouraging me, supporting me, being my personal cheerleaders! THANK YOU! my hardcore fan, ANT – you know who you are! thank you for your unwavering dedication to supporting me and for your amazing friendship! i wouldn’t be here without you.
this year i am focusing a lot on maintaining food and foto dot com in a more consistent fashion. when i first started, i was blogging up to 5 times a week – whew! and for a little while, i wasn’t blogging at all. now, i believe i have found a healthy balance. my life has taken many twists and turns in 12 years. you’ve seen me living in a tiny house, traveling to new york, cooking yummy things, drinking yummy things, growing yummy things, and writing about all kinds of things like astrology and the moon… and of course, my kitty. sometimes i’ll look through my old posts and i think to myself, “wow, did i really just say all that on the internet?!” haha. but most of the time i laugh at myself and realize that in 12 years, a lot is bound to change… this blog, the world, life, ME…
{then and now} – wow!
and some things haven’t changed… i am a creature of habit and my “look” and “style” and overall marketing within this space is something i have not wavered from… i put a lot of thought and attention-to-detail into my blog, my business cards, the food i cook, my greeting cards, my art, and everything that is food and foto dot com – the aesthetics, the representation, the feel – all of it! this blog is an extension of WHO I AM… much of which is consistent, reliable, and faithful… and some of which is ever-changing, ever-growing, and ever-impermanent. and i celebrate all of that! 😀
so i’ve learned to have patience and grace and appreciation with myself over the years…and mostly – have a little fun!
and i hope you have a little fun while you’re here – click on some things, learn some things, teach me some things, share some things… and remember to keep it seriously simple!
AND! this is still hands down one of my favourite fotos of all time :
also – this one is a classic :
{it’s true!}
❤ ❤ ❤
nom nom click click!
{(not-the-first) homemade maryland crab soup}
7 Mari am undoubtedly a marylander in this one particular way… i could unabashedly eat crabs almost every day!
{also, i’m a poet and didn’t know it}
okay, maybe not every day, but like… all the time.
if you know you know… in that, maryland is known for their blue crabs… caught fresh off the chesapeake bay and steamed in savory spices like old bay or JO and a bit of local beer… served piping hot with corn, potatoes, and sometimes hush puppies.
but also, recreated in a simple vegetable soup… which freezes comfortably and easily.
so, that’s what i did last summer… bought a bunch of steamed maryland blue crabs… hand-picked them all… saved (most) of the meat… added it to my homemade soup recipe… and froze it…
and NOW! i get to enjoy it in the colder months… share it with friends and family… and reap the benefits of my patience, self-control, and overall appreciation for homemade preserved food…
i sometimes also make a cream-of-crab soup/dip and i’ll mix the two… this picture/recipe below is classic maryland crab soup with a tomato base. my favourite preference for sure.
audrey michelle’s homemade maryland blue crab soup :
- 28 oz. crushed tomatoes of choice
- 32 oz. chicken and/or veggie/seafood stock
- 1 can light beer (yuengling is my choice)
- carrot
- celery
- onion
- garlic
- corn
- potatoes
- cabbage
- green beans
- tomatoes
- fresh lemon
- OLD BAY!!!
- S&P to taste
- 1 pound crab meat (or as much as you want!)
typically, i build my soup in “layers” – starting with sautéing the mirepoix mix in a little olive oil and/or butter… splashing some white wine in the pan, then adding the broth… next, the canned tomatoes (or blending a little of both and then adding to the pot)… then, depending on if you are using fresh or canned veggies – add those in layers also… if fresh – start with potatoes and a little crab meat… then add in green beans, cabbage, corn, potatoes, tomatoes, and lastly tomatoes… add old bay to your preferred taste, S&P, and finish with more crab meat. i like to layer in my crab meat for flavour but also because the meat will break down and “shred” as it’s cooked… therefore, the final step for me is to add in crab meat at the very end while it’s cooling (whether or not i’m freezing or serving immediately) and then i also serve it with a fresh jumbo chunk on top and a sprinkle of fresh parsley, squeeze of lemon, and more old bay.
this is hands-down my favourite soup of all time. have you ever had it?!
NOM NOM !!!
{first pad thai – ever!}
9 Febthis is another first…
first time i ever tried making this dish from scratch. and possibly the first time i have ever eaten this dish.
a friend of mine came to visit last year and i asked him what his favourite meal was so that i could cook it for him.. and he was quick to respond :
“pad thai”
and i was just a wee-bit nervous because i had never made anything like that before. but – i sought out a recipe through the magic of the internet, and then i gathered the ingredients and followed the recipe and it ended up being pretty delicious! i love the loads of flavour from this well-known dish. AND – it’s actually pretty healthy!
{first pancakes of 2024}
31 Janpossibly my first pancakes… ever?!
i am feeling pretty proud of these {cute} little {yummy} pancakes that i made on the morning of new years day… particularly because it was my first time in my adult life that i’ve made them from scratch. i always felt so intimidated, so i just never tried. {silly, yes.}
i know that it may seem so simple, but this is a big accomplishment for me – haha! ironcially, making pancakes is a very simple process and i can’t believe i took so long to do it. these were rather delicious. and simple ingredients of course…
the basics :
- flour
- sugar
- baking powder
- pinch of salt
- melted butter
- egg
- milk
mix dry and wet ingredients separately…
heat in a cast iron skillet with a little butter until bubbly… then flip…
serve with softened butter and maple syrup… and nom nom!
they were rather fluffy and delish, if i may say so myself. 😉
{first portrait session of 2024}
26 Janthis was one of my favourite sessions ever! mister LT was just so much fun to work with. he was immediately confident and comfortable in front of the camera, and he made it so easy on me while i had the privilege of playing behind the lense. those are my favourite type of sessions!
he is a very talented singer and artist and overall awesome human being! i am so thankful we met!
here are some of my favourite images from our morning in the brisk january air…
{p.s. – how handsome is he?!}
{first snow of 2024}
16 Janbaby, it’s cold outside!
oh, and it’s national AUDREY day! 😉
hehe 😉
and the holly tree sure looks pretty in the snow!
happy new year!
i am audrey michelle
i am a minimalist
food & foto 