Around 5PM today I decided this family had had a little too much computer / TV time. The Bears were on their third episode of The Berenstain Bears! So we all put on our tennis shoes and headed out for some exercise.
Matt put the bears in their jogging stroller and we conquered 6.5 miles all around town. It was a lovely day for a run – we even got to experience more raining sunshine! Or, sunshine rain!
Once home we had to get dinner in the oven FAST – the sun was setting.
And we missed him 
BUT – guess what I discovered! Yesterday we had a new light installed in our kitchen. (Remember when we cooked in the dark for a week?) Since then it’s been lit only by a single bulb. The new fixture (which had to be ordered) holds THREE 100 watt bulbs. I went to pick some up today and….LET THEIR BE LIGHT!! You can’t even tell in this dark photo, but the kitchen is a’glow.
So I discovered that food photography in the new kitchen isn’t that bad!
We had chicken on the menu. Picked up a local whole chicken from The Organic Butcher here in town. [Note the temp!!]
We roasted him in pieces over a bed of brussels, sweet potato and parsnips.
The photography started out as this
Blah
And improved to the more vibrant (but still not sunlight) this:
I had a little light and a little dark meat over a pile of veggies, enhanced with a few pieces of cheese!
Back to the dining room!
After dinner we watched the movie White On Rice, featuring our very own healthy living blogger Lynn Chen, who writes The Actor’s Diet!!!
The movie was cute, and it made me laugh out loud quite a few times. The main character, Jimmy, was pretty hilarious.
There’s Lynn! I can’t believe a movie star reads my blog! [Hi Lynn!]
Pretty sure you can watch it on Netflix Online too.
***
Speaking of films, check out the new Kodiak Cake film series and see them being cooked in action! They are taking reader requests for mixins to put in the ‘cakes. This one is with SPAM! I’m leaning more towards pumpkin and black beans myself 
Time for bed little bears!
Gabriela @ Une Vie Saine says
I still really need to see White On Rice- I met Lynn in September and she was such a sweetheart!! Boooo cold weather and bad photo light 🙁
Allie (Live Laugh Eat) says
Bahaha jogging stroller! Video please 🙂
We missed the sun tonight too : / No super low f stop can make up for missing Mr. Sunshine. I want to go find the light bulbs that mimic daylight–I’ve only heard about them. I wonder if they’re any good!
holly @ couchpotatoathlete says
Good night Bears!
I’d like to see a pic of the jogging stroller — and I sure hope you have a triple stroller so each bear gets his own seat 🙂
Lisa @bakebikeblog says
Ah yes – I have just finished the winter months and AGREE that dinner photography is HARD!! Luckily for us we now have linger daylight hours 🙂
Lisa @bakebikeblog says
hmm obviously I meant to say ‘longer’ oops 😉
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is says
I adored the Berenstain Bears!
ilana says
Me too! “Inside outside upside down” was a great book to be read to!
Lauren at KeepItSweet says
i really want to see that movie to see lynn in it!! your chicken looks delicious, we have only roasted a whole chicken once
stacey-healthylife says
I hate when the sun goes away. It’s so much harder to get a good picture with just light bulbs.
Michelle (The Runner's Plate) says
I loved the Bernstein Bear books as a kid! I despise taking pictures indoors.
Estela @ Weekly Bite says
I saw Lynn’s movie the other day. She’s so talented!!!
Hope says
Hehe your bear stories make me laugh!
That chicken looks really good!
Jamie @ Food in Real Life says
That’s a fancy food thermometer!
And I love the awesome Lynn sighting! 🙂
Have a good night!
Sarah K. @ The Pajama Chef says
aww i used to LOVE the berenstain bears! today i saw a family dressed up for halloween. the dad was the man in the yellow hat & the son was a monkey! curious george 🙂
Anna S. @ History Running Girl says
The only time I can go outside and take pictures is at lunch! Breakfast is too dark and dinner is too dark. I can’t wait for that time change!
Sarah J. says
My sister is in that movie! I haven’t seen it, I thinks she just plays a small part…she’s the red-head that plays Susan. I’ll have to see it.
Kath says
OMG – what a connection!! I remember the redhead!
Marisa @ Loser for Life says
I’m not loving my dinner photos now that it’s dark at dinner time! Booo! My house lighting stinks! We use compact flourescents throughout and it really makes for poor photos.
Mary (What's Cookin' with Mary) says
Really like your dinner shots tonight Kath! Both delish looking and pretty. I love roasted chicken. …and yours is done to perfection.
Now as we go into fall and winter, I have been playing around with the lighting I have in the kitchen and have found that it’s not ‘that’ bad if I turn everything on 🙂
Allie says
Mmmm, your salad look delicious 🙂
Liz @ Tip Top Shape says
White on Rice is on Netflix instant??? Hmm…I know what I’m watching this weekend!!
That chicken looks delicious! I don’t eat as much meat as I used to but I would definitely bring out my inner carnivore for that 😀
RhodeyGirl says
HEY I KNOW THOSE PLACEMATS!!!!!!
They look great in your kitchen!
Amy says
Oh your dinner looks so so yummy! Did you break down the chicken yourself or did they do it at the butcher?
Kath says
Matt did it, but I bet the butcher would too
Bri says
Kath,
Could you or Matt do a tutorial video for how to break down a chicken? I know its the best way to cook them, but I have no idea how to!
That dinner looks delicious and perfect for a fall night!
-Bri
Kath says
You’re in luck – we have a video about it!!
(Although at $.49/lb, it sounds like the days before we committed to organic chicken!)
Paige @Running Around Normal says
Love Lynn! How awesome:) I haven’t watched the movie yet, but it’s on my to-watch list!
Shannon (A Better Me) says
Probably the biggest downfall of Fall is the sun going to bed way to early. It really makes it hard to much of anything outside. I get off work at 4pm and know in another month it will already be dark 🙁 Booo. Otherwise, I do love this time of year. Dinner looked tasty! Love those placemats too! Super cute!
Claudia says
Haha…I can’t be the ONLY one who thinks jogging with stuffed bears in a stroller is weird. I’d love to see someone doing that…I’d definitely sneak a picture hehe
Kelly says
I think its a lil weird too! I few years back I saw a guy jogging with his dog in a kids stroller and took a photo of that but this just takes it to another level!
chelsey @ clean eating chelsey says
I have been hating on the fact that the sun is setting super early too. I want Daylight Savings to hapen now!!
Amanda says
Awesome! Love Lynn, she lives near us and we went to a blog meet-up. Fun fun! Can’t wait to see you guys at the Foodbuzz Festival 🙂
Jessica @ The Process of Healing says
Mmmm.. roast chicken is the BEST!
Kristen @ Kristen, Sweetly says
😮 The Berenstein Bears!!! Hahaha, you gave me the best mental picture of Matt actually jogging with the bears in a stroller. What ever would your neighbors think??
Meaghen says
I absolutely adore that chair that the bears are sitting on in the last picture! It’s just gorgeous! I also love your placemats. Very shiny!
Heather (Heather's Dish) says
that’s a great idea to roast the chicken over a bed of other root veggies! yummy 🙂
Cara Craves... says
Did you really go jogging with your bears?
Cause I think that would be a funny sight to see 🙂
Kiran says
The chicken looks moist and delish. Can you share at what temp did you bake it for?
Kath says
350* for about 30-40 minutes (don’t know the time because we used temp)
Anna says
You should see lynn’s movie “saving face” she is amazing in it!!!
Kt says
I am so intrigued by that William Sonoma thermometer! Sorry, I guess I should just google it but I’m curious how it works and whether it has some sort of remote device or something – the picture was difficult to sus out.
Happy belated birthday!!
Kath says
It has a probe that goes into the food and snakes out of the oven. And the remote thing is hand-held so you can carry it around the house and it says “Your food is ready” when it reaches the right temp.
J3nn (Jenn's Menu and Lifestyle Blog) says
I’ve been wanting to see Lynn’s movie White on Rice!
Your dinner looks great. I feel you on being lighting challenged. I have found that darker surfaces, like black counter tops are the WORST for food photos. I also discovered that brown backgrounds work best. As do white dishes. Other colors, not so much, unless in bright daylight. 🙁
Hannah says
Cheese enhances everything 🙂 I’ve never heard of that movie… I’ll have to see if I can find it in a store in Aus!
lynn (The Actors Diet) says
how funny – i had a very similar dinner tonight! thank you so much for renting/watching my movie, i’m glad you enjoyed it!!!
Sarah says
Hi there Kath
First, happy belated birthday!
I have a question: is it possible to eat “too much” legumes? I don’t eat lots of meat and I love hummus and legum-veggies soups. In a week, I can eat about 5 times about half a cup of cooked lentils or chickpeas, or black beans, and I often ^have rice, pasta or bread with it I know it’s a really healthy food, but I wonder if I then lack other nutrients or if I might put on weight because they contain a lot of carbs?
Thanks a lot!
Sarah
Kath says
I think some legumes everyday sounds perfectly fine, but I really don’t know much about your whole diet to make any suggestions.
Maryea @ Happy Healthy Mama says
I love your placemats. I have been trying to force myself to try roasted brussels, but for some reason they intimidate me. I know they can’t be as bad as I grew up imagining they must be. Pretty sure I’ve never even tried one.
Erin says
They are like CRACK. I stopped by my mom’s house on my way to work the other morning to drop some stuff off, and found leftovers in the fridge. I ate a whole bowl for breakfast! Toss them in a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, for about 20 minutes at 400. You won’t be sorry.
Sarena (The Non-Dairy Queen) says
I am hoping to get some free time to watch White On Rice too soon. I hear ya on the lighting. It was raining here and it got dark around 5 due to the storms…not the best for photography.
Erika @ Food, Fitness, & Fun says
Wow I wish my kitchen lighting was as good as yours! All my kitchen pictures come out yellow. 🙁 Those bears…gotta love them! <3
Kath says
Change the white balance to the little bulb – that will take out the yellow!
Bess @ Bess Be Fit says
your posts crack me up…I definitely think you should do more bears videos. Your voice for them is funny 🙂 I mean, their voices are funny…
girlevolving says
Wait, are you serious about the bears in a jogging stroller? I just assumed you were joking… ???
Mom says
Usually I think, the bears jog along with Kanz and/or Kath. They only ride in the stroller when the traffic makes it dangerous.
Leslie says
Does that thermometer work well? We have tried several different kinds and none are accurate!!
Lauren says
That delicious meal is like Thanksgiving in a bowl! Yummy.
Heather says
wow that is a bright light! very cool about the movie!
Kath says
GUYS, I was most definitely JOKING about the stroller!! We don’t own a jogging stroller! And if we did I really don’t think we’d put stuffed bears in it. Unless I made a blog video for humor!
Joanne says
Just checked out Lynn Chen’s site. It’s pretty good. She actually found a pickle without sugar. What a find!
Mary @ Bites and Bliss says
Movie nights are always the best 🙂 Especially if you have such awesome bears to cuddle up with!
sue says
I cannot find the temp online at williams sonoma. Did you buy it at the store
Kath says
It’s from our wedding in 2007.
These three seem to be comparable:
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/digital-voice-alert-thermometer/?pkey=ctimer-thermometer|ctltimthe
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/all-clad-digital-oven-probe-thermometer/?pkey=ctimer-thermometer|ctltimthe
http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/remote-roasting-thermometer/?pkey=ctimer-thermometer|ctltimthe
Melissa says
Wooo! There is a TV ghost in front of your flowers! Spooky! (Not really)
sue says
Thanks it doesn’t look as nice as the one you have. The others didn’t get good reviews
sue says
Thanks. it doesn’t look as nice as the one you have. The others did not get good reviews
Deb (SmoothieGirlEatsToo) says
I heart Lynn. She is one of the movie stars that is actually SUPER nice in real life too. I saw People I slept With and Lynn was good, but you’ll want to cover the bears’ eyes for that one 😉
The chicken looks magical. If I was vegetarian, I’d un-veg for that one.