Yup that’s me. In the middle there on my momma’s lap. I had a happy family, food in my belly and was motoring around since I learned to run before learning to walk. Reality however was a little different. Times were hard for my parents. The food stamps we were allotted as a family didn’t get us much, especially when you went to the store and all you saw were empty shelves. The beginning of my food journey was quite minimal. Most of the traditional Polish recipes require the most basic ingredients. Most often we ate things like potatoes with buttermilk, pierogies, soft boiled eggs, goulash. My family was lucky to have connections to extended family who lived on farms and occasionally gave us goose, chicken and fresh eggs and milk. There was a lot of political unrest and although my parents worked to provide for us, eventually they made the decision to leave Poland.

Sometimes I travel for work. Sometimes far. Sometimes near. Hotels are great. Secure. Nice amenities. No clean up. But lately I have been loving booking with AirBnb! Last week for a little trip to Toronto I think I stayed at the cutest BNB in the city!! This place had charm. With lights strung in the main room, vintage furniture filled with vinyl and cool art work and posters that filled the walls. I felt at home as soon as I checked in. It only made sense to take out my camera and photograph this lovely space.

Maybe you are planning on staying in this weekend. And maybe you want to cook a nice meal for Valentine's Day. Here is an awesome recipe you can try this weekend or any weekend for that matter. Guest blogger Nicole from MOD Custom Catering shares her recipe for Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter, Sage & Enoki Mushrooms . Enjoy! INGREDIENTS Servings 3-4 450g ricotta cheese 1 large egg 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 teaspoon salt Large pinch of ground pepper 3/4 cup all purpose flour plus additional for coating 10 sage leafs 3/4 cup unsalted butter Large bunch enoki mushrooms 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts DIRECTIONS Line medium bowl with cheesecloth or several layers of paper towels. Spoon ricotta cheese into bowl. Let drain at least 30 minutes. Beat egg, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper in large bowl to blend. Mix in ricotta. Sprinkle 3/4 cup flour over and stir gently to blend. Cover and chill dough 1 hour. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Line rimmed baking sheet with plastic wrap and top with thin layer of flour. Place extra flour on work surface. Gently roll dough into logs until 1 inch thick. Cut into 1"x1" logs and place on floured baking sheet. Gently place gnudi into simmering water. While gnudi are cooking, heat butter over medium heat, until brown and bubbly (5-7 mins). Add in torn sage leafs for 2-3 mins, then remove onto paper towel. Strain brown butter through a mesh strainer to remove brown particles. Gnudi are done when they rise to the surface (5 mins). Remove with slotted spoon and place in colander to drain. Mix gnudi with brown butter and sage. Top with crushed hazelnuts & enoki mushrooms that have had bottom third removed and been rinsed under cold water. TIPs Gnudi can be made ahead and stored on baking sheet in fridge for up to 4 hours Brown butter sauce is delish on so many dishes - try it with green beans and almonds with a squirt of lemon juice!

Our first AirBnB experience.

Whether you are taking photos with a DSLR or a smart phone, there are a few tips to help you produce great food photos.

I am thrilled to introduce to you the wonderfully talented Nicole from MOD Custom Catering as my guest blogger today! Her and I teamed up recently to put together a few recipe blog posts for you. Nicole is brilliant in the kitchen and while she was cooking up this delicious soup I photographed and styled it. Lucky me I got to enjoy tasting the soup too! I hope you give it a try in your own kitchen soon.