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Today's Friend-spriration comes from my wonderful friend and co-worker, Kristen Kochanski! We've been working together for almost two years now, and actually sit right next to each other with a couple of candy bowls in between. We love chocolate, you guys. She's an incredibly talented photographer (she shot my crochet class), and along with the bottomless candy bowls, she brings in the yummiest treats for our whole team! Kristen's just started a food blog, Fork, Knife & Spoon to share the delicious food she creates!

Kristen Kochanski of Fork, Knife & Spoon

Where did you get your love of cooking?

My love of cooking definitely came from just growing up in the kitchen. My family had dinner together every night at the kitchen table together. My mom was always cooking. I used to just sit in kitchen watching her mixing, throwing stuff in a pot, smelling everything. She never really taught me to cook, I pretty much just learned from watching. Sometimes I'd ask her to show me how she made things that were a little more complex and she would teach me her recipes.

Honey Butter Beer Bread

Does being a photographer impact what you choose to cook?

Being a photographer definitely impacts what I choose to cook. I find myself trying to make dishes look cleaner bc I automatically think about how it looks on the plate. As soon as I started to really photograph my food, I quickly realized how much I wished my kitchen had more natural light! I've definitely become much more aware of things now than I ever was before. Everything I make I think about how it would look on a plate and in a photograph.

Breakfast Egg Soufflé

Are there any quick tips you could share when photographing food?

Definitely using natural light for food. I hate harsh shadows and bright lights that are normally found in a kitchen for food images. It can make a gorgeous dish look horrible. Natural sun light just has such a softer quality to it that really makes food photography look more appetizing. I like simplistic and clean looking images too. Not over-cluttering a dish is key. Add colors and textures with placemats, napkins and surfaces.

Dark Chocolate Bark with Almonds and Cranberries

Do you have a favorite go-to meal to prepare on a regular day?

My go to meal would have to be sausage and peppers in a crock-pot. Not the most photogenic dish but it's so good and on a day that I want a good hearty meal but don't have the energy to cook, it's perfect. Toss everything in the crock pot and let it do all the cooking for me! I kind of feel like using a crock pot is like cheating since you really aren't standing over the stove cooking all day but it makes people think you did!

Citrus Marinated Grilled Swordfish

What are you going to do next?

I really don't know what I plan on cooking next. It all depends on what my stomach is craving that day! I'll be spending some time with my mom this weekend so maybe I'll cook up something again in the kitchen with her. I love trying out new recipes too. I have tons of recipes magazines and blogs I follow. You'll just have to see what I post next to find out what I come up with! :)