Making Headway on the List

I got a couple of movies checked off my list this weekend. Atonement was good, living up to the hype, but it was different than I expected. The ending was a little weird, wrapping things up in a tragic way. Anyway, go to it for a good cry.

On the lighter side of things, I also saw National Treasure. While not art, the original was surprisingly entertaining and engrossing. The sequel was surprisingly painful and derivative. The first half was embarassingly lame. Oh, well.

On the video front, Stardust was a fun, romantic fantasy that I enjoyed quite a lot. I suppose I liked it so much because it's about a cute nerd who does good. And it's also about finding your true love. Again, what's not to like?

Now, I am dying to see Juno. Then the Water Horse. We also saw a bunch of previews that look really, really good.

Meal 1 and Meal 2

X-mas eve: Per Elinor's request, we had turkey meatloaf for dinner. Simple but good. The mashed potatoes my sister made were to die for. Decadent and rich, it was perfect with the light and zesty meatloaf! Some fresh green beans, a salad and there you have it! Plus, gingerbread cookies for dessert. We shared them with Santa....

X-mas: the big family dinner. I only have one of four tables of food pictured. This is the main stuff, turkey, ham, sushi, salad, potatoes, yams, corn, stuffing, curried veg, okra, rice....all the usual stuff. Table 2 was desserts. Table 3 -- appetizers; Table 4 -- more apps, but lighter fare like fruit.

Mmmm.....the holidays

Pretty, cute eh? I made gingerbread cookies with the kids on X-Mas eve. They were delicious! Too much food, tho. Too much to eat. But look at the cuteness!

Because I'm Behind

I'm terribly behind in my moving going, so I'm going to make a list in order to keep track of those movies that I still wish to see:

1. Atonement -- the most romantic movie of the year. With James McAvoy, my favorite
2. Juno -- so excited to see this.
3. National Treasure -- not a must-see in my book, but the last one was fun. It got panned, tho
4. Walk Hard -- this, on the other hand, got great reviews. My favorite director, Judd Apatow
5. The Savages -- haven't they been showing this preview for like a year?
6. The Water Horse -- very excited about this as well.

Good thing most of these flicks are at one theater -- a few movie marathons and I'll be good. But when?

Ok, I think that will do it. What have I been seeing? I took the kids to see Alvin and the Chipmunks -- surprisingly sweet and nostalgic. The kids say it's the best movie they've ever seen. We also saw Enchanted, which I'm not sure I totally agree with the ending.

This Place Has Soul

Hold the phone! I have to tell you about a recent dining experience of mine at Alligator Soul. I can't believe I forgot to write about it. It was nearly perfect despite:

1. the restaurant is in Everett

2. the restaurant looks like it was a Denny's in a previous life

3. the people who eat there look like they are from Everett

What is with all this disdain of Everett? I don't know. I am a snob, I guess. But, listen to this:

1. the food was kick-ass!

2. it was so busy there that the service couldn't help but be slow. However, they made up for it by being super cool and super nice.

3. STRONG drinks which were upgraded for being late. And we got a personal apology from the bartender

Ok , now about the food.

1. Crawfish etoufee. Yum! It had a kick, which I was not used to. But so flavorfull. Not at all like the brown gray at New Orleans.

2. Hamhock on creamy black eyed peas and braised greens. This did not sound especially spectacular, but omg. So good.

3. appetizer of fried up sweet potatoes, okra and pickels. Ok, so I don't even like pickels. I'm kind of 'whatever' about okra, but the sweet potatoes....

4. Bread pudding. Hard to comment because we got this to go and I did not get around to eating it until a few days later.

Anyhoo, I would go back in a heartbeat. And, it was so much fun. Live music. A totally crazy hostess. I'm the skinniest person in the restaurant. GO! Have fun. You'll love it.

More Silver than Gold

I was so looking forward to the Golden Compass that it had to be a bit of a disappointment. Unlike Narnia or Eragon, which both surpassed my lowly expectations, this movie could've been great, but lacked that certain something. Plus, I found the talking, fighting polar bears to be rather distracting. No magic here, I suppose. It's still a good ride, but you leave feeling less than satisfied. Plus the girl struck me more as snotty than sassy.

I fear that I'm lagging behind in movie-viewing this season. Onward and upward!

Brunch Time

I've been saying for quite some time now that I would have brunch at my place. It finally happened -- in between winter storms, no less. There was snow. Then there was brunch. We had quite a spread of waffles, sausages, potatoes, every kind of pastry imaginable, mimosas, bloody marys, a baked french toast, bacon, japanese sweets....did I miss anything? Made to order eggs and toast. Here's a little sample.

And then there was rain like I've never seen. And the flooding. Oh, my.

Outsourced

I saw a good movie over Thanksgiving weekend (what else did you expect me to do?). Although I fear that I am much behind my usual movie pace -- especially as we are in full holiday movie season mode. This one is even from way back. Outsourced will surely make you feel good -- for a number of reasons. I'll let you find out what they are when you watch the movie yourself -- but it confirms that travel only lifts the soul and makes you whole. Plus, it has local ties, with part of the film shot in Seattle.

Dessert or Brain Matter?

At the end of the Indonesian feast, there was an apple galette (by yours truly) but also a durian fruit to sample. I tried it and it was not bad. I have to say that I was disappointed at how unadventurous the rest of the group was -- refusing to even come within breathing distance of the prickly fruit. Why?

...the edible flesh within emits the distinctive odour, which is regarded as either fragrant or overpowering and offensive...

In many SE Asian countries, it is illegal to bring them on public transit, hotel rooms, or in rental cars. Even so, I still say try one if you ever get the chance....

Indonesian Feast -- Homestyle

I got a cooking lesson in the ways of Indonesian food. I found it's not all that different from the home recipes I've collected in my head. So, now there are more in my head. Here are the results. Ok, so the bad part is that I don't remember any of the dishes' names' -- just what is in them. Oh, well. They were delicious!

Movie and Dinner

I am having a web-related breakdown so I'm going to focus on something pleasant for the moment. On Saturday I went to see Dan in Real Life which i loved. Talk about funny (laugh out loud funny) and poignant (make you cry poignant). Trust me. Go see it.

Then for dinner I made the recipe below. This is the 3rd or 4th time I've made it, and it's good every time. Unexpectedly so. Even real meat eaters find this recipe satisfying and delicious. I'm enjoying it again as a meatloaf sandwich.

This makes 2 loaves --and big ones at that. I cut the recipe in half. Served with mashed potatoes, some danish squash and a stir fry of asparagus and snow peas. My mom's pumpkin pie for dessert!

Turkey Meatloaf

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)

2 tablespoons good olive oil

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)

1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce

3/4 cup chicken stock

1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste

5 pounds ground turkey breast

1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs

3 extra-large eggs, beaten

3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.
Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.) Serve hot, at room temperature, or cold in a sandwich.

Potluck!

It's taken a year since our last potluck to put together another one. But everyone brought something and it was yummy -- and it was a good time! Peggy brought a family recipe of Hungarian Goulash, Melody made the most gorgeous apple pie, Steph brought pork loin, I made salad, Brian brought some bread and Hillary made a multi-squash soup. Success!

I love potluck....

4400 Season 4

I have been saving all my episodes of the 4400 for months now. My Tivo went crazy one day and deleted a bunch of episodes (I was VERY upset). Luckily, USA Network reruns episodes frequently. However, it took me a good long time to finally catch the first episode. The upside is that I was able to watch all the shows consecutively. I finished the 14 episodes (I still missed one somehow) in 4 evenings. That is really the way to watch it. By the time I got to the end, my mind was blown. That's what this show does. It kind of sneaks up on you. But the overall journey is quite astonishing. They actually killed off a bunch of characters this season -- as they usually do, come to think of it.

This Show is Funny

Ok, a late comer in the new season, I have recently discovered Carpoolers. It's got a bunch of stuff going for it. But the main reason to watch it -- Canadian humor. It's not only written by, but produced and created by Bruce McCullough . You know him from Kids in the Hall, one of my favorite funny shows of all time. The plots all revolve around these 4 guys who carpool together every morning. Hilarious! Watch it and we'll talk. One stand-out character is Marmaduke, one of the carpoolers' sons. He's bizarre! Sorry for such a tiny picture....

Double Feature

Eventhough it was another beautiful day, I decided to hit the theater for matinee day. It has been SO long since I've done this. I picked a couple of good movies to watch.

3:10 to Yuma -- a remake of a classic Western with Christian Bale and Russell Crowe. Wow, in the end, people end up doing the right thing for the right reason. How often does that happen anymore. I'm not a big fan of the Western, but I enjoyed this quite a bit.

The Darjeeling Limited -- I know many people think Wes Anderson is some kind of pretentious hack, but I still enjoy his movies. They have been kind of going down hill (The Life Aquatic is NO Rushmore), but I think he is redeemed in this movie. A story of 3 brothers on a journey. They have a quirky relationship (of course), but it all works for me.

Fresh Donuts

I never have been a big fan of the donut. However, if you eat it one minute after it has been removed from the hot oil, and it is sprinkled with cinnamon sugar.....YUM! Another reason why I love Fall City Farms. We got 2 dozen of them last time we went. Too bad I was already stuffed full of XXX hamburger and rootbeer float.

Here is the magic donut machine. I heard that for a mere $7000, you can have one too!

It Means X-tra Large

I went to XXX Rootbeer this past weekend on my way to Fall City Farms (see entry below). This time I had my munchkins (nieces and nephew) with me. I have determined that XXX must mean X-tra X-tra large. Check out the burger and fries I ordered. I think it was called the 49 Woodie or something like that. But, they forgot to put in our order, so I spent 40 minutes sucking down my ginormous rootbeer float on an empty stomach and getting a major sugar rush. The burger was super-delicious. Bacon, American cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, special sauce, and meat patty. However, I would not recommend getting one of these everyday, for instance. There is a danger of a huge tummy ache.

Although I was not hungry, I made jambalaya for a dinner party. It was good, but not as good as the one I had in Montana. I admit that I did acidentally get the wrong sausage -- mistaking chorizo for andouille. Don't ask. I think I like my rice in the dish, rather than served in the bottom of the bowl. Judge for yourself:

EVERYTHING JAMBALAYA
2 cups enriched white rice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan
1 tablespoon butter
1 pound boneless, skinless white or dark meat chicken
3/4 pound andouille, casing removed and diced
1 medium onion, chopped
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
Several drops hot sauce or 2 pinches cayenne pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons (a handful) all-purpose flour
1 (14-ounce) can diced tomatoes in juice
1(14-ounce) can or paper container chicken stock or broth
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) cumin
1 rounded teaspoon (1/2 palmful) dark chili powder
1 teaspoon (1/3 palmful) poultry seasoning
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 pound medium shrimp, raw, deveined and peeled (ask for easy peel at fish counter)
Coarse salt and black pepper
Chopped scallions, for garnish Fresh thyme, chopped for garnish

Cook rice to package directions. Place a large, deep skillet over medium high heat. Add oil and butter to the pan. Cube chicken and place in hot oil and butter. Brown chicken 3 minutes, add sausage, and cook 2 minutes more. Add onion, celery, pepper, bay, and cayenne. Saute vegetables 5 minutes, sprinkle flour over the pan and cook 1 or 2 minutes more. Stir in tomatoes and broth and season with cumin, chili, poultry seasoning, and Worcestershire. Bring liquids to a boil and add shrimp. Simmer shrimp 5 minutes until pink and firm. Remove the pot from the heat and place on a trivet. Ladle jambalaya into shallow bowls. Using an ice cream scoop, place a scoop of rice on to the center of the bowlfuls of jambalaya. Sprinkle dishes with salt, pepper, chopped scallions, and thyme leaves.

Colcannon

I went to Fall City Farms last weekend where my friend Hillary works. It was completely charming. While there I got some beets, peppers, leeks and the most beautiful swiss chard I have ever seen. All the stalks were different shades of red, orange, yellow. Gorgeous. Although it's usually made with kale, I used the swiss chard in colcannon, which I have been wanting to make for a long time.

COLCANNON:
4 medium to large all-purpose potatoes, such as Russet, peeled and cut into chunks
Coarse salt, for boiling water
2 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 head dark curly kale, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup whole milk, eyeball it
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, fresh or grated
1 teaspoon ground thyme 2 scallions, sliced
A handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Boil potatoes for 15 minutes in salted water. Drain potatoes and return them to the hot pot and mash.

In a large skillet over moderate heat melt butter and add milk. Season with nutmeg and thyme and add scallions to the pan. Remove kale from cooking liquid to the milk and butter mixture using a slotted spoon. Stir in 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Add mashed potatoes to milk and kale and stir until combined and creamy, 1 or 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Paired with some lamb, this was a very tasty meal. Ahh...and because no Irish meal is complete without soda bread, we made some of that too. Ugh. That last piece put me over the edge as my belly swelled out beyond unreasonable proportions. But i put some creamed honey on it (from the farm as well) and it was sooooo delicious. Magically delicious.

The New Shows

I've been a shut-in for a couple of weeks -- feeling much better now, thank you! But instead of going out to the movies like usual (it's literally been a whole month -- omg) I have been seeing what's going on with the new fall season. Here are the new shows I like:

Bionic Woman: This is pretty good! I read about it when I was in London because the lead is actually a Brit. I can not tell at all -- she does a convincing job of being American. Starbuck from Battlestar Gallactica is on here as the original bionic woman, so I don't what the deal is with that. Will Starbuck return? The show does not start until after 2008, so maybe this is what she did during her vacation?

Pushing Daisies: I heard somebody on a talk show say he liked this, so I decided to check it out. It's quirky and fun. And dark. And I like the storytelling. Very Tim Burton, Big Fish. This has made it onto the Tivo. In the last episode, Olive broke out in song, singing "Hopelessly Devoted to You". That was pretty cool. Oh, and the dude is a piemaker!

Chuck: I'm still giving this one a chance. I think I will keep watching it because it's kind of fun and mindless. Kind of Alias, kind of Revenge of the Nerds. Doesn't quite live up to the hype, but it'll do.

Journeyman: I'm a fan of the dude in here who was also in Rome. Conceptually, I like the series alot too. It is not always good, or makes that much sense. I may give up on it. But lately I have the time, so I watch it.

What does this mean? A lot on the TIVO! Along with my old shows, I'm becoming one of those people!

Other stuff I tape: Heroes, 30 Rock, Ellen, Desperate Housewives (might give up on this soon), The Office, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report, various cooking shows.

TV Time

Oh, did I mention that I've been sick? That should be more like sick, with a capital "S"! So, what did I watch this past weekend?

The Last King of Scotland: rewatched this. Brilliant performances. So good. And the icing on the cake, of course, is James McAvoy and his Scottish accent. I know, it's a thing. But this movie does something unusual -- at times uplifting, it's also heart-wreching. Much like the regime of Idi Amin must have been. Your best friend and worst enemy -- all wrapped up into one.

The Flying Scotsman: Ok, I just did some research and have to take back my thoughts on Johnny Lee Miller's Scottish accent. While he is not a Scot, he is indeed British. Maybe he's been living in America too long? I just did not find his accent believable, but the movie overall was pretty good. Billy Boyd is also in it (Pippin from LOTR). I am learning so much... "Born in Glasgow, Scotland in 1968", which makes him older than me. Pippin!

Cool Hand Luke: I'm not usually one to go back and watch all the classics, but if someone recommends one to me, I am all ears. I was a little confused because I thought this movie was about pool and was the prequel to "The Color of Money". I later found out that that is "the Hustler" and this movie is about prison and one man's inability to conform. Besides Paul Newman, there is a whole slew of recognizable faces like George Kennedy, a very young Dennis Hopper, a guy from MASH, Harry Dean Stanton, and that good looking actor on the Smith cd's....

Rome: Season 2 of the HBO series. It's entertaining enough. But really, sometimes I wonder....it can be kind of soap-opera-y, but with more nudity and killing. The one thing that does bug me is that there are only 2 episodes on each dvd. What's with that?

Staying In

I've been a little sickly lately. Flu, cold, stomach issues -- you name it. So, what does one do during those times? Watch dvds -- and a lot of them. It was a chance to catch up on some classics. It's funny how movies are different in subsequent viewings:

High Fidelity: Way more depressing than I remember. When I read the book, I thought, "Wow! What great insight into the male psyche!" When I first saw the movie, I thought, "Wow! What a great interpretation of the book!" Now that I've seen it again, it I was saddened by how even a "nice" guy is still a self-absorbed guy. Still, a good flick. Who doesn't like a "top 5" list or think about the complexities of the mixed tape.

Notting Hill: Julia Roberts is way more monotone and charmless in this movie than I remember. But, it still has an unruly cast of Brits that are full of vim and vigor -- and wit. I chuckled many-a-time.

Office Space: I can never say anything bad about this movie. It's a classic through and through. Sheer perfection. So funny. But what ever happened to Rob Livingston?

The new fall season has started. Caught Heroes. So, the big question is, what has become of Peter Petrelli? I think he is glad that he finally got to cut his hair, tho.

The new season of the Office, also launched with a one-hour episode. Yes, people, Pam and Jim ARE DATING. Chew on that for awhile!

Cool Places to Hang Out

It's fun to get to share people's favorite neighborhood joints -- long after they've moved out the of the neighborhood. So, we all know that I'm partial to the Nite Lite and the Mecca -- the hang outs of my youth. Recently I got to check out Karl's favorite places. I have to say, they rock -- and rock hard. Why did I never hang out here?

Dexter and Hayes. Even for a Saturday, we were able to get a table. Everyone was friendly and nice. It had a nice, mellow vibe. A place where you could just hang out with your peeps and have a pint or a cocktail and a chat. I would go back in a heartbeat. Plus, you never have to wonder where it is, hence the name.

Molly Maguires. A cute little joint in Ballard with a "vintage" pool table in the back. The shepherd's pie was yum -- served with soda bread, it was more filling than I expected. I had to have a Guiness because when in Rome....the clientele runs from the bawdy, salty, "vintage" Ballard folk to the metrosexual male duo who converse intimately at the bar. Love it.

Ok, Now You've Seen the Clip...

So now I'll tell you why this is the best show in the world.

1. It's about a novelty rock band from New Zealand
2. No one knows why or how they are different from Australians
3. The characters are totally low key and sweetly naive -- fish out of water in NYC
4. The band only has one fan despite their obvious hotness
5. Jemaine has the best facial expressions
6. The music is not bad -- the dancing is INCREDIBLE
7. How many animal sweatshirts can one guy have?
8. Band manager Murray is clueless, but well-meaning
9. The best characters on TV!
10. Read about them here

My New Favorite Show of ALL TIME!

Are You Bjorn Turoque?

Thank you Netflix. Actually, thank you Ebert and Roeper for recommending this documentary. Air Guitar Nation was fun, inspiring, and it totally rocked. Let no one say that you can not live out your dreams of rock hero-dom. With names like Bjorn Turoque, C-Diddy (Asian Fury), Krye Tuff, and Cherry Vanilla -- the creativity and spirit of the particpants were enough fun for the 90 minutes of docudrama. Oh, the competition. The world of air guitar convenes in Finland each year. One day, I must make the journey.

A Huge Comedy with Tiny Balls

The tagline pretty much says it all right there. And yes, I laughed. All in all, I found this movie to be pretty funny. How can you not like a dude who plays ping pong to a soundtrack of Def Leppard? I wonder how they filmed the ping pong sequences. I mean, they looked like they were really playing -- and they were really good. I want a ping pong table. I could be good.

Mora! Mora! Mora!

This may be, hands down, the best ice cream I've ever eaten. And I've eaten a lot of ice cream. Alot of good ice cream. I mean, I've had gelato in Florence, Venice, the Cinque Terra. Yes, all very good. I'm going to leave those out of the discussion, because gelato in Italy is an entirely different league.

But let's talk about what we can do here at home. It's reminicent of gelato in that the flavors are very simple, fresh and vibrant. The pistacio was fabulous. And they had 2 varieties of banana ice cream (thank you for making that flavor!). OMG! I must go back soon. I went to the one of Bainbridge, which was super cute and we got to enjoy it on the patio, etc. etc. I will go slumming it to Bellevue Square, tho. And I say you should too. Mora.

Audrey Turns 4

My niece turned 4 this week. Here is the cake my mom got her. Whoa! That's a pretty sophisticated cake! But she's a pretty sophisticated little girl. For her birthday dinner, she chose sushi from Tokyo restaurant in Factoria. It's always a good standby for some good food at a good price. Nothing fancy, but consistently good!

Ball Park Eats

I went to 2 -- count them 2 Mariners games in one week. How crazy is that? If anything, it's an opportunity to completely fill up on snacks. And my favorite snack? Kettle corn! But it has to be Dragon's kettle corn. Get it on the home plate side of the stadium. Trust me. It's worth it. Here's the rest of the feast. Also -- I must be a good luck charm. Mariners won both games!

It's Super Good

Superbad. Go see it. Especially if you're a boy. I was super excited to see this movie. The opening credits even rocked. Super 70's and retro. I can't say that it's my favorite Judd Apatow work, but it's ain't bad. It took 2 tries to go see this. The first time it was totally sold out. Teenagers. But that gave me the opportunity to see Becoming Jane, the story of Jane Austen. British Lit lives on!

This Sums It Up Perfectly

My relationship with chips and cheese. It will never end.

Sushi -- around and around

My dad took us to Sushi Land in Southcenter. This is a popular chain of conveyer belt sushi. I thought it was fun and kooky so I took a bunch of pictures. It was crowded from the time we got there to the time we left. Cheap and fast. That is what the people want. I stuffed myself silly! I also snapped a pic of the plastic sushi in the case -- I love these things.

The Cutest Bakery Ever

We were on Vashon Island for a photo shoot and had lunch at Macrina. Can I say that this is the most charming, beautiful, warm, and inviting bakery ever? They have this oatmeal, chocolate and raisin cookie (and maybe some peanut butter) that was very likely the best cookie I've ever tasted. Wow! And it's just so goddamn cute. Can I just hand out here all day please? Outside are grape vines and an enchanted meadow!

Hot, Hot, Hot

In one word, Hot Rod is AWESOME. I laughed from beginning to end. What a crazy string of jokes and gags that actually work. With my favorite SNL guy right now, Andy Samberg gives this movie heart and ha ha. Go see it and I guarantee that you will be quoting some of the sillier lines long after you leave the theater. ****

Beers and Brats

Ok, I'm not the biggest sausage fan, but I have to admit that it is ideal summer fare and really hits the spot with a good German lager. Refreshing! And the apple cider krat was kick ass. There were about 10 different kinds of mustard to choose from. Oh, plus atmosphere counts too. Leavenworth. Summertime. Goodness.

His real name is David...

Spoiler alert! The Bourne Ultimatum was hands down the most action-packed of the Bourne series. A string of unbelievable stunts where Jason Bourne kicks ass! The scenes are shot in a disorienting shaky manner, but sit back far enough to catch all the action is my only advice. It's worth it. A good summer choice. And as usual, there are a bunch of attractive foreign locations. And no gratuitous romance. Good choice.

Chocolates....

or sardines? Chocolates! These cute fishes are actually chocolates, altho they are curiously close in likeness to little fishes. How cute is that? I would not sample until I took a picture. These came from Spain, where our See Kai Run distributorship lives. Thank you See Kai Run Europe!

Beef Bowl -- the Tradition Lives On

Every year at the annual Obon Odori (Japanese folk dance festival) at the parent's church, I make the beef bowl. This consists of beef (shaved thin), onion, and spinach. All in a tasty sauce served over rice. Hits the spot before some dancing! That's an impressive wok. I'm thinking about taking these skills pro at some point. Anyway, it was a good time. And now I'm officially hungry.

The Princess Bride! Outside!

Ha! I made a rhyme! And I mean it! One of my most favoritest movies was playing at the outdoor theater at Marymoor. And if you can find your way around Redmond (which I can not), you can get a nice picnic dinner at Whole Foods (fried chicken, sushi, chips, smoked mozarella pasta salad and some Orangina), claim your spot in a grassy Marymoor field, put on a comfy sweatshirt, cuddle up in a blanket next to your sweetie and watch theater. "As You Wish."

Mmmmm....and I got to have kettle corn!
*****Summertime fun.

Now That's A Burger!

I've been a bit of grilling this summer. It's fun, easy and the results are pretty dang tasty. Best housewarming gift to date. Thanks dad!

Top Foods has these insane gorgonzola burgers. I highly recommend them. Served with a side of K's famous potatoes and some grilled zucchini. Bon appetit!

Chinese Feast

Ok, if you ever go out to dinner for Chinese food with my dad, this is what you can expect: huge quantities of food. Yes, this is how we roll.

Blueberries!

So I had 3-1/2 pounds of blueberries from the picking. What did I do with them? I made my first blueberry pie ever!

Ingredients
Makes one 9-inch pie.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
Pate Brisee
8 cups (about 4 pints) blueberries, picked over
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream

Directions
On a lightly floured work surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 9-inch glass pie plate, pressing it into edges. Trim dough to a 1/2-inch overhang all around. Fold edge of dough over or under. Roll out remaining dough in the same manner; transfer dough (on parchment) to a baking sheet. Chill pie shell and dough until firm, about 30 minutes.

Place blueberries in a large bowl; with your hands, crush about 1/2 cup of berries, letting them fall into the bowl as you work. Add sugar, butter, cornstarch, flour, and lemon juice; stir to combine. Spoon mixture into chilled pie shell, mounding berries slightly in the center. Remove dough from refrigerator, and place over blueberry filling. Tuck edge of top dough between edge of bottom dough and rim of pan. Using your fingers, gently press both layers of dough along the edge to seal, and crimp as desired.

Using a paring knife, cut several vents in top of dough to allow steam to escape. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolk and cream. Brush surface with egg wash, being careful not to let it pool. Freeze or refrigerate pie until firm, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees, with rack in lower third.

Place pie on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake until crust begins to turn golden, about 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking, rotating sheet halfway through, until crust is deep golden brown and juices are bubbling and have thickened, 40 to 50 minutes more. Transfer pie to a wire rack to cool completely. The pie is best eaten the day it is baked, but it can be kept at room temperature, loosely covered with plastic wrap, for up to 2 days.

Delicious!

Once

I saw the best movie today. Once. A movie about two people connecting. And all around the story is music. Good music. It made me feel good and sad. But, something special for sure. I would definitely check it out if I were you.

Previous to movie watching I picked blueberries. My sister called and said she was going this morning -- this was at 9am. So I ran out of the house before it got too hot on a quest for some yummy blueberries. I always seem to catch it toward the end of the season when it is slim pickings, but we got there in time for the big, juicy ones. Yay! I think there might be a pie in my near future. Definitely some muffins. And if I can get some peaches, I love that combo. Can't wait for my breakfast of yogurt, fruit and granola....

Baking and Making

I spent this morning baking and making a bunch of stuff. I loaded up on the groceries the other day and realized that I'm never going to get through it all. So, it was banana bread. But this recipe has rum-soaked raisins and coconut in it.

I bought some basil for a tomato, basil, fresh mozzarella salad. Had plenty left. Made a basil dressing for a change instead of the usual pesto.

Granola. Used that last of the coconut and my cashews to make some granola. Made the mistake of trying to bake it along with the banana bread so it got a little burnt. Not inedible. Just really extra toasty. Raisins get added in later. I'm feeling inspired to make some salads. I still have more tomatoes, avocado and grilled vegetables from last night's bbq action. We also did a kalbi flank steak, which turned out perfect! Oh, and these potatoes on the grill. Can I say, YUM?

Banana Bread Recipe

1/2 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup Jamaican rum
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp ginger
3 very ripe bananas
1/2 cup shredded coconut

1. Grease and lightly flour loaf pan, 9x5 inches
2. Place the raisins and rum together in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then simmer 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
3. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together in a mixing bowl. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla.
4. Sift the flour, baking powder, soda salt, nutmeg and ginger together and add to the butter mixture alternately with the mashed banana, stirring well after each addition.
5. Gently fold in the coconut and raisins. Pour evenly into the prepared pan.
6. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven until done. Cool 30 min, then invert on a wire rack and cool completely!

The Rat that Cooks

I took the kids to see Ratatouille. Whether you are a kid or an adult, this movie is about creatures who enjoy and appreciate food. What better subject? And you know how I love people who can talk about food. So, this rat can. And anything that takes me back to Paris is always welcome (that does not necessarily mean that I will see Rush Hour 3).

Bon appetit!

Transformers!

Here is the 4th of July rundown. Movie. Eat. Nap. Eat. Fireworks. It was a good time. Plus, I got to see Transformers! I think this might be the "must see" movie of the summer. It was surprising funny -- good funny. And of course it was action-packed and effects-filled. I can not claim that I knew anything about Transformers before seeing this, but they do have some kick-ass names. Optimus Prime, Megatron. AWESOME. Did I mention that these mechanical objects transform?

I was so hungry after the movie. And a burger sounded like an All-American choice, especially with a milkshake! And what's better than the drive in? So, to Burgermaster it was. All the usual plus a blackberry shake.

Siesta!

Off to Seattle to see some fireworks. Haven't done this in literally years. Alki looked packed so detoured to the waterfront. Nobody there! Couldn't pass up some fish and chips (and a little chowder). Made it out of there smooth. To bed for we work! ZZZZZZzzzzzz.....