bluegrass party sneak peek, and love from Amy Atlas

This summer I had the pleasure of working with Step Brightly and Sweet Soirees who created an incredible 2-yr-old bluegrass birthday party.

Every detail was perfect, from the live music to the burlap accessories and flea market touches.

I'll post pics from the event soon, but in the mean time, check out this super fun guest dessert feature from Amy Atlas.

     It's always such an honor to be featured on her amazing blog!

kellyallison photography is a chicago area photo studio, specializing in events and modern family portraits.

california, part 2: the getty museum

and now, the second edition from our great adventure in the west.



have you been to the getty center?



          imagine impressive white stone modernist architecture
set against sprawling southern california valley scapes. 

the views of Los Angeles are incredible from here.
            the gardens are some of the prettiest I've seen.

when the weather is just right, the scene is breathtaking.

then there's the family room: a creative space where kids can explore and interact with adaptations
      of original art objects from the museum's permanent collection.

it's quite an impressive display.

so, if you find yourself in LA, looking for a way to spend some time,
        
         the getty museum awaits.

       enjoy!

Amy Atlas Blogs Me!

We recently had a little rainbow butterfly birthday shindig to celebrate a certain someone turning four.   

      The whole thing was her idea, and it turned out to be quite a hoot.

I promise to post more photos soon, but in the mean time here is a real sweet post from Amy Atlas that pretty much sums it up.

Amy Atlas Guest Dessert Feature: Rainbows & Butterflies


Enjoy!

Outstanding in the Field: Dietzler Farms & Hinterland Gastropub--a sneak peek

Last night I had the great pleasure to dine with Outstanding in the Field at Dietzler Farms, featuring culinary delights prepared by guest chefs Dan Van Rite and Kelly Qualley of Hinterland Gastropub.

The whole experience was nothing short of wonderful.

       Here are a few favorite shots from the event.

       Enjoy!

P.S. there are still a few seats remaining for this Friday's City Farm event, with chef Paul Virant--go if you can! It will surely be incomparable.



kellyallison photography seeks to create inspired food images that capture the power and passion at the heart of food creation.

grilled vegetable ratatouille (a farm share variation)

it's Thursday!

   a new box of beautiful produce has just arrived from Angelic Organics.


that's just one more reason to love summer.

grilled vegetable ratatouille (a farm share variation)
recipe adapted from Cook's Illustrated

makes 4 to 6 servings
  ratatouille is a traditional french vegetable stew made from eggplant, zucchini, peppers and
  tomatoes. the recipe below has been adapted to include typical farm share vegetables, and will work
  with pretty much any vegetable that you can grill.  experiment! have fun!

1- 2    pounds each of a variety of farm fresh vegetables, totaling 4 - 6 pounds raw veggies
          (recommendations include eggplant, beets, zucchini or summer squash, peppers, potatoes,
           kohlrabi, carrots, tomatoes)
   1     medium onion
          extra virgin olive oil
   3     tablespoons balsamic vinegar
   1     tablespoon minced fresh thyme
1/4     cup chopped fresh basil
   1     garlic clove, peeled and finely minced or grated to paste on rasp-style grater
          kosher salt & black pepper

preheat grill to medium high. combine 1/4 olive oil, vinegar, basil, thyme, and garlic together in a glass jar. shake vigorously or whisk well to ensure emulsification.

prepare vegetables for grilling:
    kohlrabi: remove leaves & peel away woody skin using a sharp paring knife. slice into 1/2" rounds.
    potatoes, beets & carrots: scrub thoroughly to remove dirt. leaving skins intact, slice into 1/2"   
    rounds. trim away beet root tops before slicing. grill carrots atop foil or in a grill pan.
    eggplant: leaving skin intact, trim eggplant and slice into 1/2" rounds. in a large bowl,
    dissolve 2T salt in 1 cup warm water. add 3 quarts cold water. soak eggplant rounds in
    salt water for 30 minutes, using a plate to keep them submerged. pat dry with paper towel.
    other: wash, trim & slice into 1/2" rounds.

in a large bowl, coat all vegetables in olive oil and season with salt & pepper. grill vegetables over medium hot fire, turning once, until tender and streaked with grill marks. remove vegetables as they finish cooking--onions, beets, potatoes & kohlrabi 10 - 12 minutes; eggplant & squash 8 - 10 minutes; peppers & carrots 7 - 9 minutes; tomatoes 4 - 5 minutes.

allow vegetables to rest until cool enough to handle. once cool, chop all vegetables into 1/2" pieces and toss to coat with oil & vinegar mixture. season with salt & pepper to taste, and serve warm or at room temperature atop wilted greens (recipe below), quinoa, rice, pizza, or use as an omelette/crepe filling. garnish with goat cheese, creme fraiche, or hummus.

wilted garlic greens

makes 4 to 6 servings
 
   3     bunches cooking greens (recommendations include baby chard, spinach, arugula, swiss chard,
          beet greens, turnip greens, or any combination thereof)
   1     garlic clove, peeled & minced
   1     tablespoon olive oil
          kosher salt & black pepper

wash & trim greens, then rough chop to large bite-sized pieces. heat olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet until just shimmering. add garlic & greens and stir constantly until greens begin to wilt. reduce heat to low and continue to stir until all greens are wilted and bright green. remove from heat and let rest 2 - 3 minutes for uniform heat distribution. season with salt & pepper to taste.



kellyallison photography seeks to create inspired food images that capture the power and passion at the heart of food creation.

farm share pesto

being a part of a local farm through community supported agricultre is an awesome gift.
     receiving a box of lovingly grown & harvested vegetables every week is a celebration.


but honestly, working to ensure that every last bit of bounty is washed, prepped and eaten before next week's box arrives can feel daunting.

that's where this awesome recipe comes into play. I've relied on this simple preparation so very often, creating random concoctions with bits and pieces of remaining greens as a last-ditch effort to empty the fridge before receiving a new batch of organic goodness. 

the concept is simple: find some greens, add oil, a salty cheese, some form of garlic, a handful of nuts, and season with salt & pepper.

you can eat this with anything, from pasta to pita chips, pizza to grilled cheese. it even makes an awesome omelet filling.
     seriously, the flexibility here knows no bounds.

I hope you find it just as helpful and delicious!

farm share pesto 
makes 1 cup
  don't hesitate to double, triple, quadruple this recipe, depending on the amount of greens you're
  trying to use up--pesto freezes well! 

   2     cups packed raw greens, any tender greens will work
          (basil, spinach, radish/turnip greens, beet greens, chard, arugula, or any combination of greens)
   2     cloves garlic, or 3 garlic scapes
1/4     cup chopped nuts (pine nuts, walnuts, pistachios, hazelnuts)
          note: if you're using bitter greens, avoid walnuts--the end result will be too bitter
1/2     cup high-quality olive oil
1/2     cup freshly grated hard italian cheese, such as parmesan or pecorino romano
          kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

place greens, garlic and nuts in a food processor or blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. slowly drizzle olive oil into mixture, and process until smooth. add cheese and pulse until smooth. season with salt & pepper. pesto will keep several days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.

if freezing, omit cheese and place pesto mixture in an air tight container. cover the top with olive oil before sealing, to prevent oxidation. when ready to use, thaw in the refrigerator and add cheese just before using. freezes up to 3 months.


kellyallison photography seeks to create inspired food images that capture the power and passion at the heart of food creation.