I share your frustration - I am unable to post an image of my kitchen. I will include an image something similar.

If you are not attached to the idea of using recessed lighting, you might consider a semi-flush fixture that blends with your pendants. I used semi-flush schoolhouse style lights similar to the one over the work counter in the image attached. A single 300 w fixture centered in a 4 x 6 area would provide more than enough general lighting, with the pendants there to add light or an alternate affect.

http://www.rejuvenation.com/catalog/customers/settingdisplay.html?setting_id=126&category=kitchen

We have two prep areas, one that is lit by two recessed 50-eatt halogen lights in 4" recessed cans 4 ft. above the counter, and the other that is lit by a hanging inverted pendant that uses 4 60w candelabra-style bulbs. The pendant's "body" (called the diffuser, which should have given me a hint) is ivory colored acrylic. My point in telling you all this is that we don't think the pendant, even with 240 watts of bulbs) provides anywhere near the light as the 100 watts of halogen on the other surface. It must be due to the fact that the halogens are "pin-point" -- very directed to the area they're lighting, and the fact that the pendant's cover diffuses the light much more. That said, I love my pendant because it's beautiful - LOL!

dmlove, Thanks for the input. As for the 50W halogens, do you find they cast shadows at all? My ceilings are 8ft and my cooktop and prep are at one end of the island. I just measured the distance between the counter and ceiling and it's 5 ft. I am so freaked out on the placement of the cans my husband and the electrician marked that I have an appointment with a "professional" at 1pm today. I need to pick up my kichler undercabinet lights there as well and in talking to one of the sales reps she understood exactly where I was coming from. Hopefully they'll also have matching/coordinating mini-pendants and chandeliers. The electrician comes at 6:30pm tonight, wish me luck!

More than anything else, placement depends on the particular bulbs you choose. Reflector bulbs are brightest in the middle of their beams and dim as you go out from center; the wider the beam angle, the more gradually they dim as you go out. You only get even lighting by overlapping the beams of multiple fixtures.

To put even lighting on an area of countertop 4' by 6' from an 8' ceiling, you'd need four cans towards the corners - preferably arranged in a square about three and a half feet on a side, and you'd use 40-degree flood bulbs -- probably par20 size for 4" cans, or par30 for 5" or 6" cans. If you don't care that the light is even over that whole area then you could use fewer fixtures and position them where you need the best light, letting it be dimmer further out.

Jon's reasoning is why we used 2 -- but I don't know the bulb type to be honest. Here's a link to the fixture we used. The counter area being lit directly is 50" x 2'+ (it goes back into a box window, but obviously, we're not really working back there). The two lights overlap well and cast no shadows. Again, they're in a light bridge, so they're only 4' above the counter.

Here is a link that might be useful: My halogen lights

I can't thank you guys enough for responding to my urgent plea for help. This forum has been so helpful. I went to a lighting store recommended by my electrician and found the exact info I needed. She reviewed my plan and actually just tweeked it a bit. She said electricians tend to light pathways where designers "highlight" areas. It made sense to me and as I presented to my electrician he totally went with the plan. We had to modify some placements but it works for me. The designer at the store demonstrated the difference between the R30, (which Lance, the electrician) would install vs. Par30 which I will put in. It's all in the bulb. To actually see it is to understand it for me. He was over this evening and I have wires hanging everywhere. It should be finished on Monday. Thanks again everyone!! Jon1270, I was hoping you'd pipe in on this. I've read your posts and respect your opinion!

Aw, shucks. Thanks, and I'm glad you've got a plan that works for you. Post a pic when it's done, and help other people see and understand!

So what is the differnce between Par30 and R30?

R lamps are standard incandescent reflector bulbs. They are the cheapest to buy, but that's false economy because they produce less light and burn out in about half the time. Their light tends to be more softly diffused so placement of fixtures is more forgiving.

PAR lamps are halogen lamps. They produce more light for a given wattage, that light is whiter or "cooler," and their beams tend to be more crisply focussed. They also last about twice as long.

"Crisply focused" is what I meant to say above :)!

That makes sense. Thanks.
I was looking to use CFL reflector bulbs which are listed as R30. Since they are CFL, I guess they would have their own light and life characteristics.

The cans are in and what an adventure that is when it's a remodel. The lighting designer recommended a triangular configuration over the cooktop/prep area with it repeated at the other end over the eating area with the pendant lighting. Great idea, however, when doing a remodel you have to deal with joist, vents and all other kinds of stuff overhead. We tried to do it as evenly as possible and when something had to be moved 3-4 inches we tried to balance it on the other side. Not only were we dealing with cans, I also have an induction cooktop, speedcook oven and a TV that all needed their own circuits. My electrician was so accomodating and really wanted to make sure everything was done to my liking. I've taken alot of photos and will try to post them soon. I also asked him about the par30 vs. r30. He said cost was a big factor and if I wanted to pay $10 for each par30 vs. $2 for r30 I could change them anytime I wanted. He suggested I try the r30's and maybe change just specific ones to par 30's. He also made the comment that pars are "hotter" than r30's. That's it for now. The rough-in inspection is monday am. Thanks again everyone!