Lazy-Chef Salad, Pot Pie, Mushroom Mashed Potatoes, and Strawberries

Ah, the semi-formal dinner. I put in "semi" because you can only be so formal with your herb garden on the table and no one to serve your dinner to you! Today I made sure that my entire table setting was the most formal I could make it. I find that presenting a formal dinner helps bring everyone to the table, instead of retiring to the couch and television literally three feet away.

I'm trying out a new camera for most of the photos, so let me know how the new pictures look.

Dinner last night was Lazy-Chef Salad, Turkey and Chicken Pot Pie, and Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms. For dessert we had strawberries and whipped cream.

There is a story behind "Lazy-Chef Salad". When my husband, Chef Gerrard, was in Culinary Arts school, the instructors and chefs were working with the students on different salads. The typical salads were covered, wilted spinach salad, chef's salad, Caesar salad, etc. When they came to the wedge salad, Chef Gerrard decided that it had been poorly named. To this day he calls it Lazy-Chef Salad, because it's ridiculously easy to prepare.

Our table.
Same clothes and napkins and flowers as before, but set even more properly, and I left my herb garden on the table.
I love plants, so to me, plants on the table make dinner all that more special.

One of the first pictures with the new camera. You have to admit, this one is pretty awesome!

Another picture of my proper table setting. Had there been a soup course, I would have had a soup spoon to the right of the knives, and we didn't have bread for bread plates, so thankfully that is left off. Not much room on my little table!

Lazy-Chef Salad, otherwise known as Wedge Salad. I chose not to top it with bacon, because the rest of our dinner was rather heavy. Chef Gerrard appreciated the healthy portion of onion on his plate.

Can someone teach me how to photograph food that tends to be the same color as it's surroundings???
This is the mushroom and onion mashed potato dish. It was beyond delicious because I believe in using a ton of butter and heavy cream in my potatoes.

Seriously, can anyone show me how to take pictures that look as great as the food tastes???
Our turkey and chicken pot pie. Not much of it is left for lunches this morning!

Thank you to all those who look at my pictures. I firmly believe that if you set it, they will come. I hope that I can inspire others to set enjoyable meals and spend quality time with their families.