Tomatoes

We have had an abundance of cherry tomatoes this summer, which is delightful for all of us , mostly Atticus!

In wondering what to do with all of these little pods of yumminess, a friend suggested I slow roast them...so I did. (Thanks Mary! Mary also provided us with the magic plants;))

 I put them in the oven on a cookie sheet at 250 degrees for a couple of hours sprinkled with olive oil, minced garlic and rosemary. Then, once they were ready, I took them out, put them in a jar, and covered them with vegetable oil (about 1/2 cup?)...and into the fridge they went. I didn't really have time to prepare a meal with them for about a week... so when I did, I drained them and set the oil aside. 

With the tomatoes I was able to make tomato sauce, then I used the seasoned oil to fry up some panko crusted chicken, and then came the greatest treasure: I popped some popcorn on the stove with the remainder of the oil then topped with Parmesan cheese. It was honestly one of the most savory things I've eaten in a long time! 

Lots of rambling...all to lead tho this glorious bowl of popcorn!

Try it out and Enjoy!

New Baby Bundles

I'm happy to introduce two new 'bundles' to the JFP family!

A way to save while still capturing all of those precious milestones! 

{Birth to 1-year Bundles}

Bundle One: $475 (savings of $275)

Includes:

*Infant Session (within 2 weeks of birth)

*3-month Session

*6-month Session

*9-month Session

*1-year Session

Bundle Two: $300 (savings of $150)

Includes:

*Infant Session (within 2 weeks of birth)

*6-month Session

*1-year Session

** Maternity Sessions can be added to Birth to 1-year bundles for $100**

Feel free to contact me for more information!

juliasfocusphotography@gmail.com

{Infants}

I love the thought of being a great infant photographer! I see a lot of my photog friends' images and have to remind myself to close my mouth from the utter infatuation of their shots! 

(my favorite infant photographer: my friend, Jaci at Red Balloon Studio!)

So today, I had my second infant shoot, and I have to say that I realize just how much practice and experience goes into infant shoots. Photography in general is a learning game, but infants take it to a whole new level!

Here are some of my favorites from the two infant shoots I've done...I hope to have more opportunities to learn and perfect my skill!

Big sister, Cora is one of my favorite photography subjects! A total doll!;)

Daddy Time

The moments after Adam comes home get better and better the sillier and more ornery Atticus gets!

 I love that I could catch one of these 'sessions' on my camera.

Atticus LOVES his Daddy!!!

His face here just makes me SMILE!

Baking pt.2

(Aren't lemons so enticing?! all of that COLOR!)

Citrus pound cake was another in my notebook since 2006...and this is a new favorite! We've been snacking on it like crazy...Atticus has even been begging for it after each meal.

I ended up not making the syrup, so if you try it, you'll have to let me know how it is!..I served it with fresh raspberries (they were on sale for $1ea this week!) and some chocolate mousse..YUM!

I caught some great pics while making this as I had to 'zest' a lemon...so Atticus got to partake in the lemon meat...he has such a love-hate relationship with lemons...totally cracks me up!

Enjoy!

(I'm having copy & paste problems... total user error...so forgive the 'funkiness' of the layout of this post *wink*)

Citrus Pound Cake With Cranberry Syrup

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus more for the pan
• 2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1/2 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tablespoons orange liqueur (optional)

Directions

1. Heat oven to 325° F. Butter a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and zests. In a large bowl, with an electric mixer on medium-high, beat the butter for 2 minutes. Add 1 1/4 cups of the sugar and the salt and beat for 2 minutes. Slowly add the egg mixture. Beat for 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low and slowly add the flour. Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 60 to 70 minutes.
3. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake from pan. Invert it onto the rack. Turn it over again onto a serving plate.
4. In a saucepan, over medium heat, simmer the cranberries, orange juice, and the remaining sugar until the berries burst, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 5 minutes. Strain the syrup into a bowl and stir in the liqueur (if using). Slice the cake and serve with the warm syrup.

Boring picture, I know...I was too busy eating it once it was all 'dressed up'!

Baking

I've always been quite intimidated by baking...maybe that's because I often confuse baking soda and baking powder or because I feel like a teaspoon can be estimated by a few shakes... or because I have been known to go down the list of ingredients, adding each into the bowl, before I look at the instructions (opps!)

Despite all of that, I have turned a new leaf! I have started baking... and now that I've started, I dare you to try to stop me! *wink* 

These recipes have been in my 'bake me' book of recipes that I've gathered over the years...since 2006!! So, it's about time I whipped them up!

I have a couple of recipes to post... so I better get to it!

Bake away!

signed, Julia Towell...not to be confused with Julia Child (giggle)

Applesauce Spice Cake by Real Simple 2006

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, plus more for the pan
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 2/3 cups jarred chunky applesauce
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• pinch ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup dark or golden raisins
• 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
• 2 pints vanilla ice cream

Directions

1. Heat oven to 350° F. Butter and flour a 9-inch springform or round cake pan.
2. In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. In a large saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the granulated sugar, applesauce, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, vanilla, and eggs. Add the flour mixture and stir just until combined. Stir in the raisins. Pour into the prepared pan.
3. Bake the cake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 35 to 40 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Using a knife, loosen the cake from pan. Invert it onto the rack. Turn it over again onto a serving plate. Sprinkle the cake with the confectioners' sugar, slice into wedges, and serve with the ice cream

Game Day

 Adam and I went to Cincinnati this weekend for the Oklahoma/ Cincy game... 

it was such a blissful day for us!

It couldn't have been a more beautiful night and it was a great game! 

Now, this is where Adam and I differ: I think a close game = a good game. 

I kept saying, "even though I want Oklahoma to win, I can appreciate a good play for the other team"...he would promptly roll his eyes. He explained that a good play for the other team is a bad play for his team, so he wasn't going to find any pleasure in that. I guess that's what separates me from the real 'fans'. I truly enjoyed seeing the fans of the other team scream and yell of excitement almost as much as I did when 'our' team had a great play. Needless to say, I'm so thankful that OU won, even if it was just by 2 points!  It could have been a very long drive home if things when the other way!! *wink*

I just brought my Coolpix with me, but I got a few shots of the beautiful stadium and it's surroundings...it really is an amazing setting! And I always have a hard time not photographing large crowds of people... *sigh*

Adam and I haven't had a picture of the two of us that I 'approved of' for several months now...so we (I) took a lot!

Thrifty Find

You read that right! I got this amazing carafe at the thrift store for $2.98.

It's totally vintage and cute and lovely..AND it keeps coffee warm for hours and hours...I tried it!

A-mazing!

(Poor Adam says that I buy things just because they're a great deal ...I say who doesn't NEED a carafe?!)

Hospitality vs. Pride

I had a lovely brunch with a friend this week, and we got to talking a bit about what we {women} do to ourselves in the name of 'hospitality'.  I often struggle with finding a balance between 'fluffing' things to make people feel welcome, and 'perfecting' things to hide the 'real' in my life.

I think that these issues go deeper than cleaning my house and hiding the dirty laundry, it comes down to not being real to people. About putting up a wall (ie. a clean house) to only let people see the 'neat' parts of my life. Not the messy, 'I suck at this' parts.

I've just been thinking a lot about what exactly it means to be hospitable... And I think it means being open in home and in heart.

This is a messy area for me, but it's on my mind a lot, so hopefully God will start 'working on me'...

Ode to Summer

Summer has officially ended (although it's been long gone in my mind)! Most of you who know me know that I don't prefer Summer. That's a lie. I, very much so, dislike Summer. But it an effort to be grateful to its Creator and all of the fun events of the season, I am going through Summer pictures and compiling collages of some of our favorite memories. I'll be posting them for the next week or so, here and there.

Here goes it... HAPPY FALL!!! *BIG smile on my face*

The first is from the splash pad in Norman, OK. Where Adam and I lived when we were first married. We were visiting dear friends, so it made the splash pad even sweeter. Atticus didn't enjoy it until the last 5 minutes or so...he inched closer and closer and finally realized the shooting water was his friend.

Atticus was so ornery but still very pensive that day... he wasn't sure what was going on...

Oh, Heaven's, I love this kid and all of his crouching glory!