Italian Chef

As you know, during the off season I like to cook up new recipes. Today I have officially cooked my first homemade spaghetti sauce! I was inspired by an episode on Cake Boss. One day they made homemade sauce and canned it for the year. They said once you have homemade sauce, you will never buy sauce again and that is true!! It is amazing. So simple, yet so delicious. Here's the recipe that I tried.

8 pounds tomatoes (seeded and diced - I did not seed them!)
1/4 cup basil
1 large onion diced
3 cloves garlic
olive oil
salt and pepper

Dice tomatoes and basil and put in pan. In a separate pan, cook onions and garlic in olive oil until onions are translucent. Add onion.garlic, salt and pepper to tomatoes. Cook for 2 hours or until sauce thickens.

Enjoy!

Banks Photography Equipment Garage Sale

The time is here for the Banks Photography Equipment Garage Sale. We are cleaning house and simplifying our camera bag. Here is the equipment that we have for sale. All equipment is used but in great condition. More pictures to come soon!

1. Fuji S3 camera body - $400.00
2. Nikon 17-55mm 2.8 lens DX- $900.00
3. Nikon Fisheye 10.5mm 2.8 DX - $450.00
4. Nikon 200mm 2.0 - $3800 - This lens is AMAZING and I am so sad to sell it. I have only had it about 7 months but I just don't use it enough to justify having it. For someone it will be an amazing lens!

Please email at bankspix@yahoo.com or call 614.214.2359 if you have any questions.

Top 10 things to do in the off season

As you know wedding photography has it's seasons. During the months of April-December we are slammed with weddings. Once we make it through, we then have 3 months where we have time to recover and get other things done. So what do I do during the off season? Here are the top 10 things to do during the off season.

10. Decorate the house and gallery
9. Organize the office
8. Organize the house
7. Design new marketing material
6. Design and order new display albums
5. Have lunch with other amazing wedding vendors
4. Try new things
3. Spend more time in the kitchen trying new recipes
2. Spend time with family
1. Nothing!!!! That's right!! Just relax and let my mind relax from the year!

So what on this top ten list have I done already this off season?

1. Organized the house - I am on my way to having this finished. Pantry, closet and laundry room are done.
2. Decorate the house - Laundry room was redecorated and next up, the kids bathroom. I am thinking either the traditional under the sea theme or going out on a limb with a candy theme!
3. New marketing materials - This year we created some super cute folders and cards. I will post some pix soon!! I also have a really cool marketing idea that will come out at the end of March. Big secret and very cool.
4. New display albums - They are on their way right now!
5. Lunch - Had lunch today with some great girls and tons of other lunches this past month.
6. New recipes - Every time my father in law comes over for dinner, I like to try something new. Reason, it scares him. He is a traditionalist when it comes to food so I like to mix it up and make him try something new.
7. Spend time with family - check!
8. Nothing - There has been plenty of that especially with all this snow.
9. Try new things - This year I started taking tennis lessons. Dave's whole family plays tennis and then the kids started lessons. I figured since everyone was playing, I should start too! I have been taking lessons with a group of girls and also playing singles with my father in law, Warren. I want to be good right away, but obviously it is a slow process! I do love it though!

Well, that's it! That's what I have been doing this winter. In a few short months, we will be back at weddings and families. Wow, what a blessing this business has been.