Top 10 Movies Blogfest

This is a blogfest being hosted by Alex J. Cavanaugh or, as somebody recently christened him, the Blogfather. If you click on the Ninja Captain's badge at the side, it will take you to his announcement.

At the moment, the top of my list is:
Avatar, fantastic movie, just wish I had seen it in 3D. I don’t want to know how it was done, but the idea of Pandora was incredible and I would love to be a Na’vi. If its sci fi, I enjoy it anyway. Its about scientists ‘driving’ avatars which are created with a combined genome of the local people and the human driver. One of the scientists dies and his twin brother, an ex Marine with a spinal injury, is sent to Pandora in his stead. He ends up getting really close to the Na’vi people.

The King and I, every time the king dies I cry, the film was just a fairy tale, the real Anna Leonowens wasn’t nearly such a nice person, not sure the king was either. Anna certainly thought they were all savages, if you read her memoires. Anna did help to modernise Siam though. Always liked Yul Brynner.

Anastasia, loved the concept that the Tzar’s youngest daughter might have survived. I always hoped she had. Yul Brynner again and Ingrid Bergman who was always a favourite. Such an elegant woman too, I think I saw most of the movies she ever made. One which comes to mind, was a slightly sad little move called The Yellow Rolls Royce which comprised three stories about the car and its current owners.

Gigi, lovely romance, lovely music. Liked Maurice Chevalier. In fact I made a point to see more of his films after I had seen this one. The time of the movie was an era I very much admired, clothing was so graceful and the lives they (well the rich anyway) led seemed to be admirable, or maybe ‘such a bore’.

The King’s Speech, well done and a good story based on fact. Colin Firth did an excellent job as the King and Geoffery Rush was a wonderful Lionel Logue. I was familiar with the speech done by the King himself although I didn’t hear it at the time, too young. Also, being too young, I had never heard about the king’s stutter which Colin Firth did beautifully.

Stardust, lots of magic and nasty witches; Michelle Pfeiffer was a great, but nasty, witch. More romance. Wonderful part played by Robert de Niro as Captain Shakespeare, one of the best bits in the movie. I first saw the movie on the plane returning from England and fell in love with it right away. Michelle Pfeiffer was a particularly wicked witch right to the bitter end. Of course there’s another love story. The hero has stars in his eyes.

How to Train Your Dragon, very funny although why Vikings should have Scottish accents, I haven’t a clue. A village is constantly plagued by dragons who steal their sheep and burn down their dwellings, the villages are excellent dragon fighters and know all about dragons from their many years of experience until the chieftain’s son, named Hiccup, turns it all on its head. The main love story here is between Hiccup and his dragon.

Dirty Dancing, great story and I love the dancing. Plus I was always nutty about Patrick Swayze. Certainly in his earlier films before he was struck by cancer. I loved him in Roadhouse and Ghost too although not so keen on Point Break which was a surfing movie, good, but not as good to me.  Particularly love Whoopie in Ghost, she played the most wonderful medium.

Starman, a love story with a twist and an alien played by Jeff Bridges. Earth has sent off invitations to aliens to come visit us. When one does, they shoot him down. He simulates a widow’s husband, but has to get back to his mother ship soon or he will die. At first she, the widow, is terrified but eventually, surprise, surprise, they kind of fall in love. OK, I love happy endings, so sue me!!

The Last Starfighter, you don’t have to be stuck in a boring life. A young man on a trailer park, fed up with spending his life fixing people’s power circuits and running errands. Disappointed about not getting a loan to go to a good college and take his girlfriend with him. His one pleasure is to play a video game of starfighting and protecting a planet against an armada. One day he breaks the record on the machine only it turns out it was actually a test for a real off world situation, not just a game at all. The only ‘name’ I know was Robert Preston of Music Man fame.

I want to say so much more on this subject, thinking about it, that I have started tomorrow’s blog about movies rather than make too long a post for the blogfest.
As this is all about movies, I thought a drink served on Oscar night would be appropriate.

Paris's Crimson Champagne Cocktail

Epicurious | February 2008

By Lara Shriftman and Elizabeth Harrison


yield: Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

Brandy-cranberry syrup

• 1 quart cranberry juice cocktail
• 4 slices fresh ginger
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 piece star anise

Champagne cocktail

• 1/4 cup brandy
• Champagne
• 1 fresh cranberry, for garnish

Preparation

For cranberry syrup
In a medium saucepan, boil the cranberry juice cocktail, the ginger, the cinnamon stick, and the star anise for half an hour or until reduced to 1 cup. Let cool.
For cocktail
Fill a Champagne flute half-full with Champagne and add the brandy. Add 1 ounce Brandy-Cranberry Syrup and mix. Garnish with fresh cranberry.
Cook's note: The syrup recipe makes enough for 10 drinks.

Have a great day

Tornadoes, Sandwiches, Movies

When I got up on Thursday morning it was blowing a gale and the wind whips around our nine storey building howling like a banshee which makes one feel cold just listening to it. Then I turn on the TV and see they had 150 tornadoes in the States on Wednesday night with lots of destruction and quite a few deaths, I couldn’t help wondering if they were headed here with all this wind? The States has certainly been pounded with tornados lately, the pictures on yesterday’s TV were horrifying. The last count I heard was 290 deaths from tornados recently.

As I mentioned, we went to Benny’s for lunch yesterday. Everyone seemed to be OK with what was being served, I ordered a sandwich called Lox, Stock and Bagel. Not a good choice, in the first place a good bagel doesn’t seem to be available round her, secondly the lox was overpowered by a mayonnaise, tomato, onion and lettuce combination. The mayo itself was a big mistake for a start. But that is how North Americans make sandwiches, they don’t use butter but slather the bread with mayonnaise which neither of us have taken to. Mayonnaise certainly does not go with smoked salmon – it wasn’t particularly good mayonnaise either. Ah well, if we go there again, I will not be choosing that. It was actually on the breakfast menu which several of us used for our selections. One person had a Benny’s Benedict which I thought looked pretty good. Matt had his good ol’ standby of BLT which he enjoyed. I had thought of soup and salad, the the soup of the day was broccoli and it didn’t appeal to me at the time.

We had fun at the bowling alley, I even bowled two good games although the third one was terrible. Matt didn’t bowl well at all, he gets up tight which doesn’t help it I guess. We have started playing poker (used to do it years ago) you are dealt a 5 card hand then if you hit the head pin you change one card, if you bowl a strike you can change two cards. In the second game I started with a flush and didn’t want to change any of them. I ended up with a load of rubbish Ah well, only a quarter (25 ¢) a time so I didn’t exactly lose much.

Much to my delight the DVDs I had ordered, The King’s Speech and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, both arrived in the mail yesterday so we played The King’s Speech last night and Matt thoroughly enjoyed it. Well it is a wonderful movie. I was so glad it got so many Oscars although I was sorry Geoffrey Rush didn’t get one. I won’t play the Narnia movie for Matt, not his scene at all, but I will be watching it again. The first time I saw it in the theatre it was in 3D, will be interesting to see if it makes much difference.

I didn't intend to get up this morning for the wedding, but nature called at 5:45 a.m. so I figured I might as well stay up and turn on the TV. I very much liked the dress, pretty simple but elegant and beautiful. I saw the ceremony right through and loved every minute of it.

This is a possible clone of the cake which Prince William has requested as one of the wedding cakes today. Apparently this particular cake recipe originated in Denmark. The Palace cake is supposed to be a secret but I imagine there is a lot of similarity. I like the look of this because it doesn’t need cooking.

Nick Watt's Mum's Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Give This Royal Favorite a Try

From the kitchen of Carol Watt

Servings: 8

Prince William's childhood favorite treat is the same as ABC News' very own Nick Watt, but Nick has a secret weapon that even the Royal Family can't match: his mum Carol. She shares a generations-old Watt family recipe here.

Ingredients

8 oz. good-quality dark chocolate, chopped

8 oz. (1 stick) unsalted butter

2 large eggs

½ cup sugar

8 oz. Rich Tea biscuits or Graham Crackers, broken into almond-sized pieces

Zest of 1 orange

½ cup chopped hazelnuts, walnuts or almonds

¼ cup raisins, soaked in 2 tablespoons of sherry (omit if making for children)

Cooking Directions

1. Melt chocolate in a mixing bowl placed over a saucepan of gently simmering water. In another saucepan (or microwave-safe bowl) melt butter.

2. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the eggs and sugar until mixed well. Add melted butter and chocolate. Add orange zest, raisins, and nuts to the chocolate mixture. Gradually fold in the crushed biscuits (or graham crackers), until biscuits are evenly distributed throughout the chocolate.

3. In a 2-pound loaf pan lined with plastic wrap, spread the chocolate mixture and smooth out evenly. Cover entire pan with plastic wrap.

3. Refrigerate overnight. Cut into slices.

Cook's Note: This cake is quite rich—a small piece is all you need.

Have a great day

DVD, Charlie Sheen, Shaving, Schools.

I have just discovered that The King’s Speech is available from Amazon.com for pre-order and will be available on April 19. Guess who will be ordering her copy today. I really want Matt to see this movie too and he will not go to the cinema – too noisy. Of course we were both alive at the time of the speech even if I was only just on the scene. I recognised it when I heard it in the movie – I must have heard it re broadcast many times along with the speeches of Winston Churchill.

The news lately has been dominated by the actor Charlie Sheen – I am sick of hearing of him quite frankly. He seems to be doped up to the eyeballs (sorry, I forgot, he says he is clean these days), however, people are now saying he is behaving as though he has bi-polar disease. I have seen bits of several interviews, he seems just plain nuts to me. His kids have recently been removed from his custody although his ex wife is also an addict. His parents must be so proud of him! He apparently joined Twitter yesterday and soon had over a million followers. They are nuts too. It’s a constant on the news to hear of some star or another committing all kinds of crimes through drugs or drunkenness and then virtually getting away with a slap on the wrist.

Talking of stars, I noticed a lot of them at the Oscars were sporting the unshaven look. Maybe its my generation but I don’t find anything attractive about that at all and I would imagine kissing one of them would give you a beard rash and a half. What fascinates me, how do they arrange to have their beards at just the right unshaven length for specific events and occasions. Colin Firth had a clean shaven chin, Hugh Jackman did not.

My last gripe of the morning is the news from Buffalo that they are cutting teachers. This is happening all over the place these days, either that or closing schools. Don’t they realise the importance of educating their children, much more important than wars, much more important than paying government official exorbitant sums, not to mention pensions, to do their jobs so inefficiently.

Here’s the current recipe from Mushrooms Canada which I usually try to share with you. I always enjoy mushrooms in a dish and some of their recipes are absolutely delicious.

Easy Mushroom Ravioli with Four Cheese Sauce

Ravioli:

3 tbsp butter 45 mL

1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 lb fresh Mushrooms, finely chopped 500 g

2 large cloves garlic, minced 2 tbsp lite soya or tamari sauce 25 mL

1/4 tsp ground black pepper 1 mL

1/2 tsp dried thyme 2 mL

1 pkg. (400g/ 13.5 ) won ton wrappers

Sauce:

1½ tbsp each butter and flour 22 mL

1 3/4 cups 2 % milk 425 mL

1 cup shredded Italian 4 cheese blend 250 mL

1/4 tsp each salt and pepper 1 mL

1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional) 1 mL

Ravioli: In large skillet melt butter over medium heat; sauté onion for 1-2 minutes just to soften. Add mushrooms sauté 4-5 minutes or until liquid is released; reduce heat to low and add garlic, soya sauce, pepper and thyme. Continue to cook, stirring often until a thick paste is formed, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

To assemble ravioli work in batches, place a few won ton skins on work surface (keeping other ones covered so as not to dry out); place a heaping tablespoon of filling in centre of each. Brush water around the outside edges of each wrapper; top with a second wrapper. Press out air and edges to seal. Place on a damp towel- lined baking sheet and cover with damp towel while making remaining ravioli. Refrigerate or freeze as directed below until cooking time.

Sauce: In medium saucepan melt butter; stir in flour and cook stirring constantly 1-2 minutes or until bubbling. Whisk in milk and bring to boil, whisking constantly until thickened; lower heat and stir in cheese, cook for 3-5 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Keep warm on low heat until ready to serve or reheat in microwave on Medium power.

In large wide saucepan or deep skillet of gently boiling water cook a few ravioli in batches (in single layers), about 4 minutes or until tender but firm. (Do not let water boil vigorously once ravioli have been added.) Remove with slotted spoon to shallow baking pans, in single layers; add about 1/2 inch cooking water to keep warm, in oven while cooking remaining ravioli. Transfer with slotted spoon, draining off excess water to warm serving plates. Spoon sauce evenly over ravioli, garnish as desired.

Makes 4 servings

Variations:

1. Add 2-4 tbsp crumbled Gorgonzola cheese with other cheese to sauce.

2. Substitute 300 mL pkg. four cheese pasta sauce for the homemade one above and add milk to desired consistency.

3. Drizzle sauce with truffle oil or substitute ¼ cup (50 mL) sherry for ¼ cup (50 mL) milk in the sauce

Tip: To make ahead, freeze ravioli in single layers on parchment lined baking sheets. When frozen transfer to resealable freezer bag. Cook from frozen state increasing the time to 8-10 minutes or until tender.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 607, Sodium: 1360 mg, Protein: 24.1 g, Fat: 24.1 g, Carbohydrates: 74.2 g, Dietary Fibre: 4.2 g.

Have a great day

Actors and their Roles. Lost Something? Bowling.

I was talking to Sia McKay (Thoughts Over Coffee) about actors, which made me think of two I particularly admire, Anthony Hopkins and Peter O’Toole. I love Emma Thompson too. If an actor can make me totally forget who they are when they are playing a part so that I only think of the part itself, that to me is a sign of excellent acting.

This morning I am also full of admiration for Colin Firth’s rendition of George VI in The King’s Speech. What an excellent movie, I do hope you get the chance to go and see it. Although I wasn’t actually alive at the time of most of the movie, it brought back memories particularly of the Windsors and how he abdicated in order to marry Wallace Simpson, much to the disgust of those concerned. Also, the speech itself, which was his first during the war years, I remember hearing recordings of many times in my life. I don’t know the name of the actor playing Winston Churchill but I thought he had the voice down to a T. I heard also, that Colin Firth had worked so hard at perfecting the stammer that now he was having trouble getting his speech to flow properly again. One thing which did stick out like a sore thumb to me was the use of the word loo to describe a toilet. That phrase didn't come into being until many years after the era of the movie, a glaring anachronism. Next week my friend and I are planning to go and see The Voyage of the Dawn Treader, a somewhat contrasting movie.

How’s this for an odd picture, the piano was found in Miami Bay and no-one knows for sure where it came from. One or two theories of course, but what a very peculiar place to find a piano? Wot no piano stool?

Today is one of our Travel League get togethers for bowling, we are going to Cambridge this time. The restaurant chosen for lunch is absolutely miles away from the bowling alley so it seems quite stupid to me when there are restaurants close by. However, not just me choosing. I think there is only one 5 pin bowling alley in Cambridge where once upon a time there were at least 3 to our knowledge. Such a pity they have disappeared.

I have cooked fish in foil several times over the years and always enjoyed the results. Obviously you can select a variety of different fish to make this dish. The recipe was obviously provided by Kraft but I think it sounds very tasty and we will certainly be trying it.

Foil-Pack Fish Florentine for Two

2 servings

What You Need

1 cup instant white rice, uncooked

1 cup warm water

1 halibut fillet (1/2 lb.), cut crosswise in half

2 cups tightly packed baby spinach leaves, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun Dried Tomato Vinaigrette Dressing

1 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It

HEAT oven to 375ºF.

SPOON 1/2 cup rice onto center of each of 2 large sheets of heavy-duty foil with sides slightly turned up. Pour 1/2 cup warm water over each mound of rice; top with 1 fish piece. Arrange spinach around fish; drizzle with dressing.

BRING up foil sides. Double fold top and ends to seal each packet, leaving room for heat circulation inside. Place in single layer in shallow pan.

BAKE 15 min. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packets; top with cheese.

Kraft Kitchens Tips

Substitute

Prepare using any flaky white fish.

Note

If you don't have heavy-duty foil, you can use double-layer sheets of regular foil instead.

Have a great day

Oscars, Heartthrobs, Movie.

It appears The King’s Speech is leading for Oscar nominations with the rest of the film categories as follows”

• Facebook tale The Social Network
• Dance thriller Black Swan
• Boxing drama The Fighter
• Sci-fi blockbuster Inception
• Contemporary family drama The Kids Are All Right
• True-life survival tale 127 Hours
• Animated tale Toy Story 3
• Revamped western True Grit
• Ozarks crime thriller Winter's Bone

Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/arts/film/story/2011/01/25/oscar-nominations.html#ixzz1C5XP9iXf

I haven’t yet seen The King’s Speech but everyone says it’s a great movie, not sure how many say that because they are so enamoured of Colin Firth, LOL. I must say from what I have seen on TV it looks like a good movie. George VI came to the throne before I was born, but I remember him very well in later years. I certainly never knew for years that he had a stutter, I only learned about it long after he was dead.

Talking of Colin Firth, I had no idea who he was when lots of friends were talking about him in throbbing voices *g*, however, I then discovered I have seen him in lots of movies including Nanny McFee which I watched again last night. I hadn’t realised that was Colin Firth and I had seen the movie before. Until I saw the credits last night, I still didn’t know. I am afraid I don’t agree with the statement “the greatest specimen of manhood to walk this earth” which is the way one friend described him. Anyway, I have now arranged to see The King’s Speech tonight with a friend, so I can tell you what I think of the movie.

Not only did I think this looked different, I thought it looked delicious. I suspect we would use the goat cheese as Matt is not to keen on Gorgonzola although I love it.

Caramelized Onion Lasagna

From EatingWell: May/June 2008

This unusual lasagna with portobello mushrooms, sweet onions, spinach and Gorgonzola cheese has a rich, complex flavor. It's also great with goat cheese instead of Gorgonzola, if you prefer.

9 servings

Ingredients

Caramelized Onion Lasagna

• 8 ounces lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat

Caramelized Onion Filling

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 large sweet onions, thinly sliced (about 10 cups; see Kitchen Tip)
• 4 medium portobello mushroom caps, gills removed (see Kitchen Tip), diced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Spinach & Cheese Filling

• 4 cups baby spinach
• 2 cups nonfat ricotta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

White Sauce & Topping

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-fat milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Preparation

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot and cover with cool water.
2. To prepare onion filling: Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until golden brown and very soft, about 25 minutes. (If they begin to stick, add water 1/4 cup at a time to release them and prevent burning.) Add mushrooms and cook, stirring, until just beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Add wine and 1 teaspoon salt and continue cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in pepper.
3. To prepare spinach filling: Place spinach, ricotta, basil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a food processor and process until smooth.
4. To prepare white sauce: Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour and stir until bubbling, about 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in milk and 1/2 teaspoon salt and bring to a boil, whisking constantly. Cook, whisking, until the sauce has the consistency of thick gravy, about 1 minute. Add Gorgonzola and gently whisk until it is melted. Remove from the heat. (The sauce will continue to thicken as it sits.)
5. To assemble lasagna: Preheat oven to 375°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
6. Drain the noodles and spread out on a kitchen towel. Spread 1/2 cup white sauce in the prepared pan. Place a layer of noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the spinach filling over the noodles and top with one-third of the onion filling. Evenly spread 1/2 cup white sauce over the onions. Repeat with another layer of noodles, the remaining spinach filling, half the remaining onion filling and half the remaining white sauce. To finish, top with a third layer of noodles, spread the remaining onion filling over the noodles and then spread or dollop the remaining white sauce on top. Sprinkle with walnuts and basil.
7. Bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Nutrition

Per serving : 345 Calories; 14 g Fat; 3 g Sat; 7 g Mono; 9 mg Cholesterol; 39 g Carbohydrates; 16 g Protein; 8 g Fiber; 680 mg Sodium; 514 mg Potassium

2 Carbohydrate Serving

Exchanges: 1 1/2 starch, 2 vegetable, 1 medium-fat meat, 2 fat

Tips & Notes

• Make Ahead Tip: Cover and refrigerate the caramelized onion filling (Step 2) for up to 1 day.

• Kitchen Tip: Onions contain a volatile compound called lachrymator that reacts with the fluid in your eyes and makes them water. To chop them without crying, try wearing goggles, burning a candle nearby or cutting them under cold water. To mellow the bite of a raw onion, soak it for an hour in 1 cup cold water, 1/4 cup vinegar and 1/2 teaspoon salt and then rinse thoroughly.
• Kitchen Tip: The dark gills found on the underside of a portobello mushroom cap are edible, but can turn a dish an unappealing gray/black color. Remove the gills with a spoon, if desired.

Have a great day