Cooking pics

I've started doing most of the photography for the recipes I make for work. Justin was a good photography teacher! I've still got a long way to go to understand the camera...I usually just mess around with the settings until the picture looks good vs. adjusting the settings to a known good setting and then taking the picture.

I took a little break when we moved, but here are some of my latest creations:

Pappardelle Pasta with Sauteed Maitake Mushrooms, Chives and Parmigiano-Reggiano

Justin thought this one was really good. I really love pasta dishes that incorporate veggies (or mushrooms) that are sauteed and softened in a white wine until it's reduced. It makes for a nice light flavor.

Grilled Pear & Blue Cheese Crostini with Bacon and a Cranberry Pear Vinaigrette

Who doesn't like bacon on things? I'm glad I decided to sprinkle a bit on top -- it went really well with the blue cheese and pear. 

Crisp Asian Pear, Daikon & Avocado Salad with a Sicilian Lemon Vinaigrette

Someone had something similar at a restaurant in Vegas so we decided to see if I could recreate it at home. I was not excited to make or even try this dish, but it was surprisingly ok (mostly because of the lemon vinaigrette) and I got to use my mandoline slicer. I don't know that I'd make it on my own, but it turned out better than I anticipated.

Mixed Medley Tomato Bruschetta on Cheesy Garlic Crostinis

I have always enjoyed bruschetta, but every time I have bruschetta I can't help but think how much better it would be with cheese. So for this one I added some cheese. I do what I want! I also rubbed the toasts with garlic. I made and photoed this dish early in the morning...I'm not ashamed to say I ate it for breakfast.

Portobello Mushroom and Fresh Basil Pesto Pizza on Cornmeal Crust 

I used Red Fresno peppers instead of bell peppers (allergic!)...it gave the pizza a nice kick and helped the rest of the flavors stand up to the pesto, which I personally think can overpower a dish sometimes.

Spice-rubbed Pork Chops with a Pear-Ginger Chutney

Wooooeeee was this good! I adapted it from Cooking Light, with the biggest tweak being that I swapped apples for pears. I thought the cumin in the pork played nicely with the ginger in the chutney, and the rest of the ingredients were all well represented too. I like when you can taste all the flavors in a dish without one overpowering the other.