Tips

Here are some tips I have learn along the way.

• Collect all your ingredients and read through the recipe before you begin to cook.
• Have a large bowl for your trash.
• When saute , get your pan good and hot.
• Toast nuts to bring out their flavor
• Pat chicken breast dry to help them brown.
• Roll lemon and limes on the counter before squeezing to extract more juice.
• When searing proteins pat them dry to remove as much moisture as possible.  This will produce a nice crust.
• Do not crowd the pan when browning anything.  A crowded pan will produces steam and will not brown.

Here are some easy ways to dress up your dinner.

• Serve one dish meals in shallow pasta bowls.
• Garnish with fresh herbs cut in springs.
• Try putting sauce under food instead of over food.
• Slice meat and fan on plate.
• Arrange food on bed of greens.
• Sprinkle herbs and spices around the edge of the plate.
• Garnish desserts with powdered sugar, cocoa, chopped fruit or whole berries.
• Wipe plate edges free of spatters prior to serving.

Here are some links with tips to take better pictures of your food.

• Pioneer Woman Photography- Photography and Photoshop tips
• Food Photo 101- Nikas Culinaria
• Food Styling and Photography at BlogHer Conference- La Tartine Gourmande
• Photography on Simply Recipes – more great links at the bottom of the post
• Photography Tips – Use Real Butter keeping it real
• Food Photography Tips – 101 Cookbooks
• Still Life With…- great blog with “little nuggets from the front lines of food styling and photography”
• Food Photography – An Introduction – Digital Photography School