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Where has the time gone ????
7:04 AM, Friday, July 31, 2009
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My poor old blog needs serious updating. It's that time of Year!!
11:29 AM, Friday, December 29, 2006
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Brace yourselves, I'm back!! Movies, movies and more movies!!! Lots and lots of recipes!!!! It's freezing outside, so what's a girl to do ?? Oh we do make whoopie, the hubs and I. But that's for afters  So here I am, ready or not  Oh sod it , last year's stuff looks like it needs some tidying up. Talk soon  Linguine alla Carbonara
11:53 AM, Saturday, February 18, 2006
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Linguine alla Carbonara (serves 4) 1 tbsp. Olive Oil 7 oz (200 gms) chopped onion 1 finely chopped garlic clove ( I use at least 3 or 4) 8 oz. Mushrooms sliced ¼ dry white wine 7 oz. Chopped pancetta * see note below 1 ½ oz. Chopped flat leafed parsley 1 cup heavy cream (double cream) 4 egg yolks 2 oz. (350 gms) grated parmesan 7 oz. (200 gms) Linguine (I use fresh pasta) 1. Cook onions and mushrooms gently in the olive oil for 7-10 mts. Add the garlic and cook until soft. Add the wine and cook for a bit to burn off the alcohol. Transfer onion mixture to a bowl and keep warm. 2. Fry the pancetta until lightly browned. Add to the onion mix. 3. Mix the heavy, cream slightly beaten egg yolk and the parsley and leave aside. 4. Cook the linguine (add a little oil) in a pot of boiling water. Drain. 5. Tip into a serving dish and very quickly add the cream and egg mixture. Mix rapidly as the heat in the pasta is meant to cook the egg yolks. (I just warm it a bit while stirring to make absolutely sure). 6. Add the bacon/onion mixture. Sprinkle the Parmesan and serve immediately. Note: Although this is basically a side dish, you could use 1 lb. Sweet Italian sausage in place of the pancetta and turn it into a meal if you like. Bacon can be substituted for the Pancetta. Nigella Lawson's Cottage PieLooks like I haven't been blogging on BE since November!! Well, time to put that right eh? Just typed out this recipe to send to my cousin in New Zealand. She loved it when she was over and wants the recipe. Must be the first time an American taught a Kiwi to make cottage pie Yes, I love trying out new recipes for old favourites and the general consensus is, that this is by far the best anyone in our family has ever tasted before!! I have tried several ways of making cottage pie over the years and I have to agree Anyone reading my blog would think I come alive only when I see a new movie or dine somewhere new. Or when I try a new recipe. Well, basically that's the only time I want to write down my experience or share it with someone. Hubby and I share hot sex in the bedroom of course, in case you're wondering, but it's not something I want to shout about Nigella Lawson’s Cottage Pie 1 medium Onion cut into rough chunks 1 medium carrot peeled and cut into rough chunks 1 clove garlic ½ celery stalk cut into rough chunks 2 Tbsp. Olive Oil ½ lb. Button mushrooms thinly sliced (optional) 8 oz ground beef or lamb 1 Tbs; all purpose flour ¼ cup Marsala wine (any type of wine such as port or a sweet sherry could probably be substituted) 1 cup canned tomatoes, drained 1 tsp. Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce salt and freshly milled pepper 1 recipe your favourite mashed potato ¼ cup grated cheddar (optional) Put the onion, carrot garlic clove and celery into a food processor and pulse to chop finely. Heat the oil in medium frying pan and stir in the vegetables. Cook for a good 10 mts. until soft and add the mushrooms. You may want to add a knob of butter at this stage too. After 2 mts. Add the meat. Pushing and breaking it up with a wooded spoon. You want it to unclump and lose its pinkiness. Sprinkle over the flour and stir well. Then add the marsala wine, Tomatoes and worcestershire sauce. Stir well and let simmer for 20 mts. Uncover, prod and season with salt and pepper and cook for another 10 mts. By which time the meat should be cooked and not too liquid. Put into a dish, and top with potato. If you want the top crispy dot with butter and put it under a hot broiler – sprinkling with grated cheese first, if you like – for a few minutes. "Dreamer :Inspired by a true story"
6:08 AM, Friday, November 4, 2005
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So last Saturday we did the ritual dinner and movie thing again and ended up with Hobson's choice as far as movies. It was a toss-up between the movie in the title and "The Legend of Zorro" (attraction being Catherine Zeta Jones) and of course, "Dreamer" won.Yep, comfort movie (cinematic equivelent of macaroni and cheese) and an adorable child star. If you have kids it's a must-see. Having said that, hubby and I both loved it ;) The following is an excerpt from the review in the Chicago Tribune: "Let's get this out of the way. "Dreamer" is not a movie for anyone who has ever been accused of being cynical and/or immune to the charms of doe-eyed farm animals. If, on the other hand, you loved "The Black Stallion," you're not creeped out by Dakota Fanning and you can tolerate a phoned-in performance from Kris Kristofferson, "Dreamer" is right up your alley. Gorgeously shot amidst the verdant hills of Kentucky horse country, this is an underdog (underhorse?) story about the redemptive power of love and all that jazz. Does it sound like a movie we've all seen before? Of course it does. Because we have. But that's the beauty of "Dreamer:" This is a comfort movie, the cinematic equivalent of macaroni and cheese. It's precisely what we expect—no more, no less—and in that capacity, it is supremely successful." A Modern Day Western
8:19 PM, Saturday, October 1, 2005
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A History of Violence starring Viggo Mortensen, Ed Harris and Maria Bello. Another stellar performance from Viggo Mortensen. And I always enjoy a movie with Ed Harris. A very, very good movie. Hubby and I both loved it. A review from the LA Times - "A History of Violence is a ticking time bomb of a movie, a gripping, incendiary, casually subversive piece of work that marries pulp watchability with larger concerns without skipping a beat. It's a tightly controlled film about an out-of-control situation: the predilection for violence in America and how that affects both individuals and the culture as a whole. It's the gift of Violence, which stars Viggo Mortensen and Maria Bello and features terrific support from Ed Harris and William Hurt, that it manages to do all these things without seeming to make a fuss. That's how strong and compelling its dead-on plot is, and how much command of the medium veteran Canadian director David Cronenberg demonstrates". Celebrity kids
9:03 AM, Thursday, September 29, 2005
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Or should that be kids of celebrities? Anyway, the piccie below is of Carys, the little daughter of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas from a recent issue of " Hello!"  I really want to know what this cutie looks like as she is the kid of another celebrated beauty. But no such luck  At the request of the very paranoid parents no doubt. But WTF 
Baby Apple :)
7:09 PM, Monday, September 26, 2005
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 .If I was told I had the choice of living the life of a celebrity for an year, whom would I choose? Gwyneth Paltrow of course  . I want a baby called Apple, Cold Play front man Chris Martin for a husband, live in a fabulous apartment in Belgravia and own another in New York. Oh and have mother called Blythe Danner. Just kidding  Just look at this cute photo of baby Apple   Chicken with RieslingI made this last night and only one word to describe it. Excellent!! Hubby absolutely loved it. Not too many ingredients and minimum prep time. I love recipes like this one.I felt a little like Martha Stewart as I poured in the cognac in and set it alight . Jean-Georges suggests Asparagus and Ham Gratin, sauteed Alsation dumpling (he's from the Alsace region of France), Watercress salad with crispy Leeks followed by Molten Chocolate cake. Yum!! But for a simple weeknight supper I chose to go with buttered egg noodles and asparagus. I just do easy stuff at home. Most weekends we end up eating out. And when it comes to entertaining we prefer to go to a restaurant. I enjoy cooking but nothing that involves slaving in the kitchen for hours. Unless it's Thanksgiving or Christmas.Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Chicken with Riesling (4 servings)
5 tbsp. (2 1/2 oz.) unsalted butter One 3 1/2 to 4- lb. Chicken quartered (I used skin on chicken thighs and drumsticks) Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 large shallot minced 2 tbsp. Cognac 1 cup dry Riesling 6 oz. white mushrooms sliced 1/4 in. thick 1 tbsp. all-purpose flour 1/3 cup heavy cream 1. Melt 2 tbsp. of the butter in a large skillet. Add the chicken, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderate heat until lightly browned, about 4 mts. per side.. Add the shallots and cook stirring, for 1 minute. Add the cognac, then carefully ignite it with a long match. When the flames suside add the Riesling, cover and simmer over low heat, until the the chicken breasts are cooked, 25 minutes. Transfer the chicken breast to a large plate and and cover with foil. Cover the legs and simmer them until cooked through. about 10 minutes. Transfer to the plate. 2. Meanwhile, melt two 2 tbsp. of the butter in a medium skillet. Add the white mushrooms, season with pepper and salt. and cook over low heat until the liquid evaporates, 7 minutes, increase the heat to moderate and cook the mushrooms stirring until browned, about 3 minutes. 3. In a small bowl blend the remaining tablespoon butter with the flour with the flour. Stir the cream into the skillet; bring to a simmer. Gradually whisk in the flour paste and simmer whisking, until no floury taste remains, 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return the chicken to the skillet, add the mushrooms and briefly reheat. Chef Recipes Made Easy -- Page 86 Sweet Spicy Glazed Salmon
3 tbsp. dark brown sugar 1 tbsp. soy sauce 4 tsps. Chinese-style mustard or dijon 1 tsp. rice vinegar 4 (6 oz.) salmon fillets (about 1" thick) Cooking spray Salt and pepper 1. Pre-heat over to 425*F 2. Combine first 4 ingredients in saucepan and bring to a boil. 3. Place fish on foil-lined jelly roll pan coated with cooking spray, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 425* for 10 mts. Remove from oven. 4. Pre-heat broiler. 5. Brush sugar mixture over fish, broil 3 inches from heat for 3 mts. or until fish flakes easily when tested. Yields 4 servings. Cooking Light -- Simple Summer Suppers Pg 37 (August 2005) Accompaniments: Emeril's parslied potatoes and green beans. Emeril's Parslied Potatoes 5 baking potatoes 6 tbsp. unsalted butter 3 tbsp. chopped flat-leaf parsley salt and pepper Cut up peeled baking potatoes into 1-inch chunks and cook in boiling salted water until tender about 10 minutes; drain. Return potatoes to pan and shake over moderately high heat to dry them out. Melt butter in large heavy skillet. When the foam subsides add potatoes and cook over moderate heat, turning occasionally until they are browned about 10 minutes. Season with pepper and salt, sprinkle with parsely and serve. Chef Recipes Made Easy Pg. 52 (Aug 2005) It's cool enough to cook indoors and I'll be making a collection of my favourite recipes in my blog under it's own category for my own easy reference. Please feel free to use them if you wish. This I cooked last Friday and it was good. Use only the freshest possible salmon, though. Enjoy!! { Last Page } { Page 1 of 3 } { Next Page } |
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Just returned from our holiday on the Olympic Peninsula, of Washington State, USA.. Photos from our trip should do the trick. Run out of steam as far as recipes and movies though 
. Although I still have a few cool recipes up my sleeve which I'm sure Scottishcelts will enjoy 
