Bieber, Dicaprio, Movies, Chocolate

You have to question the sanity of some people. A woman has accused Justin Bieber of paternity for her 3 month old baby (she also accused someone else) but it turns out Justin was only 16 when the alleged event occurred and she was several years older (20 I think) so that qualifies as statutory rape. He swears he is not responsible and is planning to have a paternity test when he gets back home. This woman has laid herself open to all kinds of problems, not least of which, being sued by Justin Bieber for this accusation.

Saw an interview with Leonardo DiCaprio about the upcoming release of his latest movie, directed by Clint Eastwood, J. Edgar. It sounds like a great movie and I will certainly do something about seeing it somewhere, somehow. I saw Cars 2 over the weekend and thoroughly enjoyed it, quite funny. Michael Caine’s distinctive voice playing one of the spies added to the enjoyment. Yes spies. They think Tow Mater is a spy too. Tow Mater’s voice is Larry the Cable Guy, (git ‘er done). If you haven’t seen the Cars movies I highly recommend them for a fun viewing, especially this one.

OK, we’ve heard chocolate is good for us, but now there is a new study out which gives more reasons to indulge ourselves – not only that it appears chocolate may be good for the brain, teeth and skin, but only a small helping every day. The article suggests “Get your fix in a cozy cup of hot chocolate made with real polyphenol-rich cocoa powder, no-fat milk, and sugar-free sweetener. Bingo! All the benefits, none of the bad stuff.” These Mayan Chocolate Truffles fill the bill. I published the recipe on May 31st this year.

When I first tried grits I was underwhelmed and didn’t think much of them at all although a friend fell for them hook line and sinker. I recently tried them again in the classic southern dish of Shrimp and Grits and actually enjoyed them. That being said, here is a recipe for grits. I notice there is fried okra on the plate too, another southern classic.

Garlic-Cheese Grits

WebMD Recipe from EatingWell.com

Garlic-cheese grits are a typically rich Southern dish, but the truth is you don’t need a half a cup of butter and a pound of cheese to make them taste good. By using a pungent blend of super-sharp cheeses we’ve found you can use much less cheese and still get flavor-packed results.

Servings: 6
 
To Make Ahead: Prepare through Step 4, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Recipe Ingredients:

1. 4 1/2 cups water
2. 1 cup grits, quick or old-fashioned (not instant)
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt
4. 2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
5. 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
6. 1/2 cup shredded extra-sharp Cheddar cheese
7. 1/2 cup grated sharp Italian cheese, such as Pecorino Romano or Parmesan
8. 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper or 1 teaspoon hot sauce, or to taste

Recipe Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat an 8-inch-square baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Bring water, grits and salt to a boil in a large saucepan, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat and simmer until the grits are thick, 5 to 30 minutes, depending on the type of grits.
3. Meanwhile, combine oil and garlic in a small skillet and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the garlic is fragrant but not browned, about 1 minute. Remove from heat.
4. Stir the oil and garlic into the grits along with the cheeses and cayenne (or hot sauce); transfer to the prepared pan.
5. Bake, uncovered, until bubbling and crusty on top, about 45 minutes.

Recipe Nutrition:

Per serving: 168 calories; 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat, 2 g mono unsaturated fat); 16 mg cholesterol; 21 g carbohydrates; 7 g protein; 1 g fiber; 264 mg sodium; 35 mg potassium

Have a great day.