for real, this time....

So, a funny thing happened on the way to the airport. I know, I know. We're supposed to be on the beach, digging our heels into the sand and sipping margaritas, and yet we're stuck here instead. We're, I guess, what you'd call.....grounded.

I remember attempting to scan A's passport in one of those kiosks to get a boarding pass and wondering why it kept coming up as error. As I scanned it again the second time, I noticed a backwards Sept. 11, and it suddenly occured to me, I can't remember the last time we checked our passport's expiration date.  And true enough, A's passport is expired! Imagine my horror! But I think in all honesty, we handled it like mature individuals seeing how this was an honest mistake. We were at the passport office on a Saturday to get him a new one. So yes, we had to say goodbye to T&C. For now.

I guess it was arrogant of us to assume to always be good for travelling as we've never had problems before. So, lesson of the day: Always check your passport!!

We are rebooked for December though =) But enough of that, I'm actually excited about our nth trip to NYC for a very special conference. We'll be attending this:

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It's the biggest event for wedding photographers and we're just ecstatic to meet fellow wedding photographers and learn from industry experts. We'll also hopefully be able to find a photo book company to make flushmount albums for us. This is something we've been trying to add to our roster of products for some time. I can't wait to share with all of you our exciting time in NYC so stay tuned =) We're leaving tonight as soon as we pick up A's passport.

wedding trends: romantic braids

Love the idea of romantic braids. Here's some inspirations for you =)

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Winner of Fujifilm Instax Wide Summer Photo Contest!

Congratulations, Racquel! (Entry #8)

Thanks for sending us Mandy's picture. To all the other participants, we will be sending you surprise consolation prizes in the mail so please send us your mailing addresses at adrianandjanaphotography@gmail.com

Thank you all for joining!

homemade sweet potato chips

 We're in the process of getting rid of whatever is left in the fridge and pantry, since we will be away for almost 10 days and it'll be a shame if most of our food went to waste. So, I was thinking up recipes for the sweet potato I've been meaning to cook for days. Here's a simple homemade sweet potato chips recipe:

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato thinly sliced and dried (I dried mine using paper towels)
1 tablespoon of light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1/8 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
1 cup of peanut oil/vegetable oil

Directions:
Mix brown sugar, salt and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and set aside. Pour oil in a saucepan over medium heat.

 Deep fry the sweet potato until golden around the edges, about 45 secs to a minute. Drop the sweet potato in batches. Do not overcrowd the pan!

 Using a strainer, shake off excess oil and transfer chips onto a baking sheet (I used aluminum foil on mine). Sprinkle the chips with the seasoning and let cool to crisp.

 Serve while still hot and crispy! Yum!

on vacation....

Can't believe it's been a week since my last post. We just finished another wedding over the rainy weekend, but we hopefully got decent fall shots out of it. My brain is also all over the place because I'm anticipating our must awaited vacation...escape the cold and muggy Canadian weather for the beautiful sandy beaches of......

Turks and Caicos!

We'll be staying at the picturesque...The Veranda Resort and Spa.

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I will write a review on our way back. I am actually hoping to bring our laptop and try to do some work while we're there (I know! Crazy, right?!?)

Looks like I'm gonna be distracted for the rest of the week until we leave!

garlic shrimp in coconut milk

I had fun playing around with this recipe. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
12-20 pieces of large shrimps peeled
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of butter
1 small ginger thinly sliced
1/3 cup of coconut milk
1/2 of a chicken bouillon cube
a dash of cayenne pepper and salt

Directions:
In medium heat, add the butter to the skillet. When melted, add the minced garlic. Add the shrimp to the skillet and stir about 4 minutes until the shrimp is cooked. You may add a bit of cayenne pepper and salt at this point. Add the ginger and chicken cube. Pour the coconut milk and continue to stir.

Serve over rice.

Serves two.

wedding trends: non-floral bouquets

Ever considered getting a non-floral bouquet for your wedding?? Here are some ideas to consider...

A clay-based stephanotis and swarovski bouquet by dkdesignshawaii on Etsy

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Why I love this idea: They cost the same as regular bouquets but at least they won't wilt and you can keep them "fresh" for a very long time. This is ideal if you've always wanted to preserve and display your wedding bouquet. Here are some of their designs:

A bouquet made from a collection of doorknobs and drawer pulls from Anthropologie

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Looking for something really sweet? A marshmallow and candy bouquet by Haute Floral!

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 Or a paper flower bouquet like this....

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What about a bouquet made of fabrics, lace and buttons like these....

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wedding trends: printed bridesmaid dresses

Love the idea of pretty printed bridesmaids dresses! Here are some ideas to consider.

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bacon and egg pasta

Okay, I'm on a roll and since I'm off today, I want to share another recipe with you. Here you go...

Ingredients:
250g of spaghettini (about half a bag)
6 bacon strips cut into smaller pieces
3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
3 eggs
1/4 cup of texmex (mozarella and cheddar)
salt and pepper
parsley for garnish

Directions:

Cook the spaghettini according to package directions. Boil one of the eggs with the pasta. Drain when cooked. Mash the egg in smaller pieces and add a little bit of salt and pepper.

Beat two eggs and add the salt and pepper.

In a large skillet, cook the bacon for about 10 minutes. Add the garlic. Sautee for about 2 minutes. Add the pasta. Stir over gentle heat until well mixed then add the egg mixture. Continue mixing well until the eggs are lightly cooked and creamy. Serve immediately and garnish with the mashed boiled egg, cheese and parsley. Maybe served with garlic bread.

Serves two.

maple-glazed chicken breast with vegetables

 It's been so long since my last food update, I owe you another recipe. Try this delicious maple-glazed chicken for dinner. It's one of those less than 10-ingredient recipes you can make in less than an hour. Here are the ingredients:

garlic
1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 teaspoons of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of salt
a dash of pepper
1/2 of an onion
3 medium carrots
1 zucchini
2 boneless chicken breasts cut into strips
(you may also use red and green pepper instead of carrots and zucchini)

Directions:

Marinate the chicken breast in salt and pepper and set aside.

In a skillet, add the oil and sautee the garlic and onions. Add the vegetables. Add the soy sauce and maple syrup. Set the vegetables aside when cooked.

Using the same skillet, cook the chicken breast until they're medium brown. You may add the sugar at this point. You may also add additional soy sauce and maple syrup as you please.

Serve chicken and vegetables over rice. Enjoy!

Thank you for joining our Win an Instax Summer Photo Contest

Thank you all for joining our Win an Instax contest! We had so much fun viewing your photos and seeing how many people are liking your photos. Isn't social networking awesome?? I apologize to the ones who tried to send us your photos after September 30th. We want to be fair to the others who actually sent us their pictures on time. I feel like a teacher penalizing the student for handing things late. Hehe. Don't worry though, we are planning more awesome contests for you to join. I'm already shopping around for ideas for our new giveaway. Here's the final entry for the contest. Don't forget to visit our Facebook page to vote!

The count is on!!!