Molly

I’ve been shooting more and more and blogging less and less. This past weekend I had the privilege of shooting a very special event. I met Molly at the event and she was just too cute not to share photos of. You can see from the photos below that Molly is very proud of her dad for being such a courageous Marine. I hope these photos put a smile on his face while he is away fighting for our freedom! I’m so grateful for the opportunity of meeting some of the many brave family members of deployed Marines.

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I’m so happy I have the freedom to photograph wonderful people like Molly!

Worn Out

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Trevor-Class of 2010

I spent a little time with Trevor over the weekend taking his senior portraits.

I love how they turned out! Don’t you?

There’s a short slideshow at the bottom if you’d like to see more shots from this session.

Click here for  a  Slideshow with more photos from Trevor’s session.

More of Little Adam

A few more of this adorable little dude!

The Homecoming Dance

One of the many things I love about Brittany is that she isn’t too fussy of a girl. She plans out her outfit and manages her time pretty well when getting ready for a dance. I’m glad she’s that way because it gives me time to take plenty of portraits of her before she leaves!

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Just look how gorgeous her hair is. So full…so beautiful.

Brit borrowed the gloves I wore to my prom for this dance. Yes, that makes me feel OLD.

Her eyelashes are all natural…and she didn’t get them from me-darn it!

Tasty Tuesday: Chicken Stir fry

What’s not to love about chicken stir fry?

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I usually make up a marinade similar to this one here that she calls “dressing” (reserving a quarter cup or so for later use) and let the chopped meat hang out in it overnight. Next, I get whatever veggies look good and prepare them by chopping and dicing the sizes I like them to be. Lastly, I cook up the meat and veggies along with some fresh garlic and the reserved marinade. I always serve it over brown rice. Delicious.

By the way the Asian Noodle Salad recipe by PW is the most magical harmony of ingredients ever put together in one dish. It’s spicy, it’s summery, it’s fresh and it’s flavor is addicting.

Going to the Playoffs

The Murrieta Hawkeyes were undefeated this season which means they made it to the playoffs!

Here are few of my favorite shots of my son during the regular season games.

He never goes down without giving it an extra long reach…

I really have no idea where he gets his speed from, but he makes all the running look really easy.

Taking opponents down is probably his favorite part of the game.

He’s honestly quite good at it.

I like watching him run the ball best. He gets such a serious face!

See what I mean? All business!

And when all else fails…he simply glides through the air to get the tackle he’s after even if it means taking out his own teammate.

The thing I love the most about my son is he always puts his whole heart into the game. It’s hard watching him play tackle football, but seeing him do what he loves is the best thing in the world!

More to come after the playoffs…

Tasty Tuesday: Classic Macaroni & Cheese

A comfort food like no other.

Macaroni & Cheese! I like mine extra creamy, extra cheesy and positively simple. I don’t need the crusty bread crumb topping or the added flavors from herbs, onion or garlic in this particular dish. All that I do is make up the sauce with butter, milk, a splash of cream, lemon juice (yes, I just said lemon juice-just a couple splashes to perk it up) salt & pepper & extra sharp cheddar cheese. I’m sorry…but EGGS don’t belong in the sauce. I only like the giant elbow noodles for my macaroni & cheese. The crevices of those noodles are perfect for collecting the sauce and creating a really creamy dish! When I’m making a more adult friendly mac n cheese I tend to lean towards white cheeses and always include blue cheese as one of them. I like to add a crusty top to those versions. I am always surprised at how many people haven’t made homemade macaroni and cheese. It’s the easiest.

I made this for Colton’s birthday and again for his team party for football this past weekend. Such a hit with the kids!

These pictures were taken before baking the dish. I always add a layer of cheese right on top before baking.

You want some. Right?

Jessica & Madisun

Meet two of my sweet nieces…Jessica & Madisun. We spent about 15 or 20 minutes together taking the following shots before Madisun’s birthday party last month. I love how happy and giggly these two cuties are.

This was a “just for fun” session to celebrate sisterhood and both their birthdays (Madi’s passed and Jessie’s is coming up soon)!

Aren’t they pretty? Madisun is on your left and Jessica is on your right.

Jessica has the most beautiful smile!

My favorite shot!

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Madisun has the most smiley eyes!!!

Love the background of the pretty park in this next one.

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Are you kidding me?! So cute!

A little old school action for these modern girls (I think it works with the peace sign on Jessica’s shirt)!

I really like the casual feel of this session and their natural poses.

A little fun on the playground. Madisun’s great idea!

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I loved the bright colors on the play equipment. Check out what Jessica’s shirt says…”All You Need Is Love”. Such a cool shirt! Maybe Jess will let me borrow it sometime. What? An Auntie can wish..can’t she?!

Love it.

The most beautiful sisters EVER.

I’m sure Jessie and Madi will appear on my blog in the future so keep checking back!

Tasty Tuesday: The One & Only Gooey Butter Cake

Do yourself a favor and don’t try this recipe. Don’t get addicted. Don’t research the other varieties (like double chocolate and pumpkin) out there for this cake. Don’t you do it. You’ve been warned.

Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cake

The pillows of lusciousness that mound on top of this cake while it’s baking is one of my favorite parts.

The moist center is a dream come true.

The first bite is indescribable. Trust me on that.

All of this and it’s easy to make. Paula Deen sure knows how to use butter to its full potential.

I am smitten.

I am also stuck eating celery sticks for the next 6 months to compensate for indulging in this cake. How will “Tasty Tuesday” survive?

Caption This Photo

Caption this photo if you have it in you to do so! His name is Jay if that helps.

Tasty Tuesday: Red Chili Stew

This is the best slow cooker stew I know how to make. It requires little effort and gives off the most aromatic loveliness you could ever imagine. It’s just a big pot of comfort. I don’t usually say that about a meal that doesn’t include cheese The hominy is virtually unrecognizable after cooking in the liquid all day-so if you think you don’t like hominy I wouldn’t rule this fabulous red chili stew out. I came up with this recipe after trying tons of different southwest stews. I like it’s rustic simplicity and I LOVE the smoky mild flavors of this stew. My kids ask for this one time and time again.

Try it…or miss out. Your choice!

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Heather’s Slow Cooker Red Chili Stew

INGREDIENTS:

6 chicken breasts

1 tbsp olive oil

2-3 cloves minced garlic

1 medium chopped onion

salt & pepper to taste

2-3 small cans hot minced green chilis

1 16 oz can tomato sauce

1 10 oz can red chili sauce

1 16 oz can hominy (water partially drained, but not completely)

2 oz water

6 medium red potatoes chopped

1 tsp smoked paprika

1 tbsp cumin

METHOD:

Chop chicken into bite size cubes. Saute onion and garlic 2-3 minutes in olive oil. Season chicken with cumin, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Saute chicken in the same pan with the onions and garlic until brown (adding a bit more olive oil if necessary). Spray slow cooker with pam and pour tomato sauce, hominy, chili sauce, green chilies and water inside. Gently mix them together (It will look quite unappetizing, but trust me that will drastically change in about 8 hours). Drain grease from chicken and add it all to the crock pot, lightly stir it in as you add it. Add chopped potatoes on top of everything else, but do not stir. Cook on the low setting in your crock pot for 8 hours.

Serve with bread. It will be perfect for soaking up the sauce with.

NOTE: I cut the chicken and potatoes in cubes that are the same size so they cook evenly.

Little Adam

Little Adam needed to get his portfolio started. I was more than happy to help! There are many sides to this “mini” man and I think I captured quite a few of them in just an hour or so. I love spending time with this little guy! He’s so talkative and inspiring!!!

Check him out…

“Sweet” Adam

“Cute” Adam

“Uncertain” Adam

“Handsome” Adam

“Determined” Adam

“Hopeful” Adam

“Happy” Adam

“Confident” Adam

“Joyful” Adam

“Saucy” Adam

“Headstrong” Adam

“Pleasant” Adam

“Predictable” Adam

“Lovable” Adam

“Cool” Adam

Which side of Adam is your favorite?

More of little Adam to come at a later date from our 2nd session together.

Tasty Tuesday: Simple Beef Enchiladas

A favorite of mine from my childhood. Plain and simple beef enchiladas. I remember a time when my grandma accidentally grabbed the hot enchilada sauce instead of the mild at the grocery store. Talk about getting a surprise when we sat down for dinner! They were almost too hot for me, but not quite. I still prefer the mild flavored ones like my grandma used to make me. This dish is so easy with only 6 ingredients and even less if you don’t like onions or olives! You can vary the cheese depending on preference or what you have on hand. I love jack cheese in both my beef enchiladas and green chili chicken enchiladas. I made a double batch of these for a work potluck happening today. I hope my coworkers will love them as much as I do!

Simple Beef Enchiladas

by Heather McCullah

INGREDIENTS:

1 package or 1 1/2 lb ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 large can La Victoria Enchilada Sauce (Mild)

12-14 corn tortillas

12 ounces shredded cheese

1 can sliced black olives (drained)

salt & pepper to taste

METHOD:

Cook onion & ground beef together until done (season with salt & pepper while browning).

Drain grease from meat.

Add a ladle or two full of the sauce to the meat & mix well.

Add sliced olives to meat mixture (I use the same pan, but turn the heat off right as I add in the olives).

Add 2-3 handfuls of shredded cheese to meat mixture mixture.

Heat sauce in medium pan.

Soften tortillas in microwave for about 2 minutes & 30 seconds (I wrap 4 wet paper towels around the tortillas to keep them from drying out).

Spray pan with Pam or the equivalent.

Build your enchiladas. Dip each tortilla in sauce. Fill with one small ladle of the meat mixture. Roll up and place in your 13×9 baking dish or other large casserole dish. Repeat process on all the enchiladas.

Pour remaining sauce evenly over the top of the enchiladas.

Sprinkle remaining shredded cheese over the top of the enchiladas.

Add more sliced olives for a garnish (I forgot to save some for the shot above; I guess I was to anxious to taste the enchiladas-shoot me)!