Recipe Review....Helpful Hints from Cuisine At Home Magazine, Chocolate Chip Cookies

I was reading the June 2013 issue of Cuisine At Home Magazine and came across a question from a reader in regard to chocolate chip cookies.  They wanted to know, why, if following the same exact recipe their chocolate chip cookies would turn out differently.  Sometimes they were thin and crispy and other times thick and chewy.  I must say I have wondered that at times myself.  They seem to turn out different every time.
So what was their answer?
It has to do with the temperature of the ingredients, and how the dough is mixed and handled.  So how do you overcome this variable? Their answer, "chill the dough until it is very cold".  This "allows the fat to stay firm to aid in the shape of the cookie and allows the proteins to relax and the liquid to absorb, giving your cookie better texture and flavor" They also suggest making sure that your cookie sheet is at room temp and not hot or you defeat the purpose.
Ok lets give it a try.  I picked up the Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, gathered my ingredients  and mixed my dough

I decided, for scientific purposes, to make one batch from the fresh batch without the chilling. The result is seen below. Tasty but flat cookies...

I chilled the dough for several hours and placed the dough on a room temp cookie sheet and popped them in the over...

It really did produce a better texture.  They were moist and chewy with more fullness.
Here is a picture from the magazine of a side by side comparison...I guess they know what they are talking about...Yummy Goodness:-)

So next time you make chocolate chip cookies try chilling the dough and see what happens.  For me it made all the difference.
Happy Cooking Everyone!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Macro Photography...Kenko Extension Tubes

I was off on Friday so I packed up my camera with my new extension tubes and off I went to Duke Gardens.  I decided to use the 36mm extension tube on my quest for pictures today.  Before I get started I looked on line to see what others had to say and here is what Thom had to say about extension tubes...
"Extension tubes. Basically what the name implies: a hollow tube that fits between the camera and lens. This is similar to allowing the lens to focus further forward (extend, thus the name). I'll cut to the chase: just get the three-piece Kenko set (12, 20, 36), or just the smallest one (12mm). While no longer dirt cheap, the Kenkos are the only tubes that do a decent job of bringing the lens data to the camera."
Here are a few of my shots....

I liked several of the shots I was able to get with extension tube.  My camera did overheat though and I had to give it breaks.  I think this was due to the fact that I had it on auto focus and it was working very had to get a crisp shot.  If and when I learn to work with the manual setting I think that will be better for my camera and probably my shots. 
I am used to my P510 which is extremely versatile, I can quickly switch from macro to zoom without lens changes.  There were several times I wanted to take distance shot of the gardens but that would require removal of the tubes.  That being said I could never get the close up shots with the P510 that I got on my D3200 with the extension tubes.
I think I will get a shoulder bag and carry my P510 along when I go out shooting with the D3200.
Some qutoes from Digital Photography School
"Extension is the term used to describe the distance that the front element of your lens can be moved forwards. The further forward the element, the closer your lens can focus to your subject.

Extension tubes work by increasing the extension of your lenses. An extension tube is a hollow, light-tight tube that fits between your lens and your camera mount. It moves your lens further from the camera, and the front element closer to the subject. The closer you can focus, the more magnification you get."

Depth-of-field is very narrow this close up. Don’t be afraid to raise your ISO in order to get a small enough aperture to give you adequate depth-of-field. If your subject is still, you can use a tripod – this will let you use a low ISO to maximise image quality and eliminate camera shake.

If you are hand-holding the camera, you may need to use a faster shutter speed than normal to obtain a sharp image. The extra magnification also magnifies camera shake as well as the subject. Shutter speeds of 1/250 second or more are ideal."

When I got home I decided to take a few more shots using the other extension tubes.  I don't recall which one I used when but here are a few more shots.

I had a fun time working with the extension tubes.  Yes they are a pain at times but all in all they give you the flexibility to take some great macro shots at a much lower price then if I had bought a macro lens.  All in all worth the $200 investment.
Get out and take some pictures!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Photography....Kenko Extension Tubes for my Nikon D3200

I love to take close up photos of flowers.  In the photo world I believe this is called Macro Photography. I have gotten some shots that I really love with my Nikon P510 but they did not have the clarity of the photos my daughter could get with her Nikon D5000.  So for Christmas my family surprised me with a Nikon D3200.  I could not wait to get started.  

Here is one of my attempts using the basic lens that comes in the kit. Nice shot but lacking clarity.  I could not get as close as I would like without a blur.

So how do I get closer to my subject and achieve a crisp clear shot?  There are a few options as I have learned in the one day class I took with Rocky Mountain Photography School. 

Here is what RMPS had to say...

You could buy close up filters for around $40. The pros are they are inexpensive and lightweight. The cons they are usually low quality so not always an even image and the edges tend to lose their sharpness.

They said something about Multi Element Filters but I don't remember what it was:-(

You could get Extension Tubes.  The price is around $200 for a set.  The school recommended Kenko for Nikon cameras.  Pros..light weight, and can use with a variety of lenses. The cons, they are time consuming to use and can be hard to get used to. 

Or, you could get a Macro lens. The cons....hundreds to thousands of dollars.  The pros, high quality, and you don't have to change tubes.

What should I do?  I consulted my photo club and was encouraged, based on my budget,  to get the  extension tubes.

After much thought I went to my computer brought up Amazon, read the reviews on the Auto Extension Tube Set by Kenko.  Held my breath and pushed the "buy now" button.  There was no turning back....

Here they are.....So this is what $200 looks like.  I hope they work.  I pulled out my Nikon for dummies to review how to remove and replace my lens, and started playing, knowing full well this is going to take practice....

Oh no, my first shot....I was worried...$200 down the "tubes".  Keep trying Kathy!

Oh! I have to get much closer to my subject....

 I know the picture below is a bit blurry.  I am not good at this yet. But you can really see the spider!  I think he is upset with me as he rears up on his hind legs:-)

After playing around just a bit with my extension tubes I must admit I feel I have entered an entirely new world of photography.  I know I will have to practice to learn when to use which tube and how many tubes to use to get the desired effect, but what fun.  I did learn also that if you use all 3 tubes at one time it is probably best to use a tripod because it is very difficult to hold steady.
I hope it is a nice day tomorrow because I hope to go to Duke Gardens to practice.
Get out and take some pictures!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Monday Morning Motivation

"I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else."

 C.S. Lewis

Happy Monday Everyone!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Monday Morning Motivation

I was reading "Daily Guideposts Journeys" and came across a quote that I really liked...
"When one door closes, another opens but we often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door that we don not see the one which has opened for us"....How true!
I think about all the change in my life in the last few years.  My parents and my brother died all within a short period of time....that door closed and could not be opened.  Well I could hold onto "music".  For years I have loved to sing.  I loved to sing with praise teams, love to sing harmony and play backup keyboard.  What fun and, for me, more then that, it was my form of worship.  I was part of the worship team at Hope Creek for probably 10 years and then for about 2 years at Apex UMC.  If nothing else I could hold on to my passion....music.  For the last two or three years I have not been involved in a music ministry, but I keep looking back at the closed door.  I am ready now to move forward and find my new open door and stop looking back.

Another quote from the entry...
"What a waste of time it is to keep on staring at a door you know cannot be opened.  And how exciting it is to find the one that God swings wide for you!"
Good Advice
Happy Monday!
Enjoy Your World:-)

Sylvan Heights Bird Park....Scotland Neck NC

I had the chance to go on an adventure with a local meetup group on Saturday. The Lady Trailblazers were headed to Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck NC so I jumped at the chance to join them. It was a 2 hour drive so I decided to be one of many drivers taking a car load of people on this journey. I was happy to have Beth and VJ as my travel buddies, they were great navigators too:-)

From Sylvan Heights website....
"Sylvan Heights Bird Park is designed to give visitors an unforgettable up-close experience with over 2,000 ducks, geese, swans, and other exotic birds from all around the world.
Open to the public since Oct 2006, the 18 acre facility features large, walk through aviaries displaying birds from South America, North America, Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia. Tranquil gardens and lush natural areas enhance the beauty of the birds on exhibit."

Here are some of the photos I took of our adventure.... I had a great time at the bird park.  Enjoyed the day with some really nice people all the while seeing hundreds of beautiful birds.  If you get a chance I suggest you visit.  It is worth the trip. Get out and explore....Enjoy Your World:-)