Hello Monday & Dinner

 Good Monday morning to you! Did you miss me Saturday? Sorry about that I had a wedding Friday night and boy did we have fun. I had written a post for Saturday days before only to find some of my facts and information are wrong. So I put the post on the back burner to be fixed and shined up ready to go. I had nothing else to write and my brain while not hurting was fuzzy and tired so I just went ahead and gave my self the day off.
    At the wedding I got photography lessons and tips from the wedding photographer. I wanted to use the tips out back in the yard and make that my subject today. I only went out back once the entire weekend and I didn't do something right because I didn't get the same results out in my yard as I got out in the yard at the hall. Because I want to gift the pictures to the Bride and Groom I am only going to share a few of the 507 pictures I took with you. I am going to say almost 300 of them are usable and 200 are down right good. I still have a lot to learn about, focus, lighting, composition, as well as how to get close up shots from a distance. I do however feel I am improving with each picture I take. I need to sit down and actually read the camera manual one of these days. I need that most of all, a better understanding of my camera will help I am sure.
 This is how my pictures were looking before I got help and tips.

 It was taking at least 3 tries to get what you see here. The nice photographer saw me struggling and came over to me saying I would never catch the wedding that way. He set my settings showing me how to do it and explained why. Then he left me on my own to do his job and this is how my pictures turned out with just one click.

 I still got bad shots but a lot less from out of focus and blurriness. My biggest problem was capturing my subjects correctly in the frame. So much to learn and just when you think you got a handle on it you learn you don't. That is all right I am tickled with the amount of quality pictures I was able to get. Me the person that has the hardest time photoing candid and action people shots produced 100's of them with a few hints and the right settings. 
  I am all about promoting local business especially when they are good. I have seen 1 photo so far from the photographer and I liked it. He was nice to his assistance and very polite with the guest. He didn't have to help me he did so any way and did so without ever being asked. I am recommending him to you and our Florist friends at Mum's the Word in NJ. Here is a link to find this very nice and I believe good photographer. I hope if you need a photographer you will check this one out.
LoRusso Studios
     " What Was Dinner "  Dinner was very very good. No real recipes to speak of just good ole cooking going on. I wasn't into fussing for dinner with long complicated 
instructions  and steps.I wanted the kind of dinner you can read a book while it is cooking. A real no fuss meal but, I wanted it to appear like I suffered in the kitchen all day. I read a blog with a " Twice Baked Sweet Potato " in it and that started my dinner plans. I didn't use that recipe however just the idea. My main attraction of Herb Crusted Baked Chicken Breast

 was just about to get over shadowed by an up and coming side dish I plan on using as often as I can. I see this going to pot lucks and family dinners often. The whole entire dinner was pretty and our plates looked so delicious with all the color from the green freshness of the  steamed broccoli drizzled with butter and lemon

 to the vibrant orange of my version of a twice baked sweet potato. As I said I didn't use the recipe I had read because it was just too sweet sounding so I came up with my own idea of a twice baked sweet potato.

 I baked the potatoes until well done, so done they almost mash them self. Bill said add garlic I said no. I used butter and a very small amount of Greek yogurt for a nice creamy mixture. I added ground Chinese ginger less then a table spoon, but I did it to taste so I am not sure. I mashed it all together  until creamy and smooth and placed in a greased baking dish, topped with fresh coconut flakes and baked in a 400 oven until heated through and coconut was nicely browned. I only used 3 potatoes not wanting to waste food and not sure how we would like this. I won't make that mistake again we all wanted more and there was no more. This is a great dish to serve a diabetic it has the sweet taste they seem to crave with out any sweetener in it. If my can of coconut milk was open I would have tried that as my liquid in place of the yogurt. One of these days I may try it yet.

 All in all dinner was banging and I did read a book while it just about cooked itself.
   A bright and cheery Monday! Thank you for stopping by.