Tinker Taylor Soldier Spy

Movie stills found here

MAGYAR

(Hungarian, subtitled)

And porkolts. You know porkolts?

JIM PRODEAUX

(Hungarian, subtitled)

Yes, I've had it.

MAGYAR

It's very good. Better than goulash. 

I of course had selected our Hungarian recipe (Chicken Paprikash) before seeing this little segment in the beginning of the movie, otherwise i would have thrown some peppers into our paprikash and voila! we would have had Porkolts. 

This was such a cinematically beautiful movie, the plot was fantastic, with an abundance of talented actors. Based on the 1974 British spy novel by John lé Carré the film focuses on a retired agent (Gary Oldman) finding a mole within the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS)–who doesn't love a spy thriller? Only, this beautiful movie wasn't so thrilling that we both didn't nod off from time to time. Still, I would hesitate to recommend it–we probably just ate too much delicious paprikash!

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 4 stars

Cinematography: 4.5 stars

Acting: 4 stars 

Average: 4.16 stars

Hungarian Chicken Paprikash

Recipe adapted from the one found here

INGREDIENTS

2 lbs chicken, bone-in, skin-on (we used two breasts, two thighs, and two drumsticks)

1 large onion

2-3 tablespoons paprika

salt and pepper 

6 cups chicken broth (water would be fine too, plus this measurement is just an estimation)

1/4 cup flour

1/2–3/4 cup sour cream (full-fat yogurt would work as well)

egg noodles (prepare according to package instructions)

DIRECTIONS

Season the chicken generously with salt, pepper, and paprika. Brown the chicken over medium heat on all sides. Cover chicken with the onions. Allow the onions to soften. Pour the chicken broth over chicken and onions until covered. Simmer for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken falls from the bone. Remove the chicken and allow to cool. Put the 1/4 cup flour in a medium bowl and slowly add small amounts of broth until you form a thick paste. Keep mixing and adding more broth until the "roux" is thin enough to add back to the pot. Once the chicken has cooled, remove the bones, etc. and return the chicken to the pot along with the sour cream. Serve over prepared egg noodles. 

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 5 stars

Taste: 5 stars

Presentation: 4.25

Average: 4.75 stars

The Iron Lady (2011)

Do people have mixed feelings about Meryl Streep, or do they assume whatever she does is going to be good, like I do? 

Meryl Streep photo found here; Margaret Thatcher photo found here

Her role as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady (2011) was well played, and I could hardly believe it was her in the segments where she was getting on in years, but the movie? Well, it sort of fell flat. There seemed to be so much potential, but compared to other biopics—even British ones, like The King's Speech—it felt sadly disjointed and barely scratched the surface of the complexity behind Britain's only female prime minister. Saving grace: I'm in Love with Margaret Thatcher by the Not Sensibles on the soundtrack.

Movie Rating
Plot: 3
Cinematography: 3
Acting: 4.75
Average: 3.6

My dinner strategy was to use an iron lady of our own: the ever-reliable, rugged cast iron skillet.

Thanks to Gabby L. for lending her skillet in this starring role!

A search of the BBC GoodFood site yielded this recipe for lamb steaks with roasted veggies. I'd suggest using pearl onions in place of red onions for relevance... when Thatcher is first deciding to run for prime minister, she's advised to lose her signature pearl necklace. This advice is met with her response, "the pearls are absolutely non-negotiable." We weren't big fans of the lamb, but it's probably just because of the strange leg steaks the butcher at Whole Foods made for me from a larger leg roast. I can imagine this would be delectable with bone-in chicken breasts or fat pork chops as well. The roasted veggies were by far the highlight of the dish.

As an accompaniment, I wanted to try making yorkshire puddings like Eric's mom makes, so I used this recipe. Had we remembered to salt and pepper the batter, they would've been just perfect. I could hardly believe we got them to puff the way they did!

Cast-Iron-Roasted Lamb Steaks and Vegetables with Yorkshire Puddings
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
For the lamb and veggies:
2 TB olive oil
4 lamb leg steaks
salt and pepper
1 sweet potato, finely sliced
2 carrots, chopped
2 parsnips, chopped
1 red onion, halved and sliced
1 sprig fresh rosemary
2 TB whole grain mustard

For the yorkshire puddings:

1/2 cup flour
2 eggs
3/8 cup milk
canola oil, for cooking

DIRECTIONS
Heat the oven to 450 Fahrenheit.

Season the lamb steaks on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat half the oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high, and brown the steaks on both sides. Set aside. Toss the potato, carrots, parsnips, onion, remaining oil and half the rosemary in the skillet for a few minutes, then lay the steaks on top.

Turn off the heat on the stovetop. Brush steaks with mustard and scatter remaining rosemary on top.

Once the oven is good and hot, drizzle a little canola oil in each hole of a 12-hole muffin pan and place in the oven to heat. While the pan is in the oven heating, make the batter: put the flour in a medium mixing bowl and beat in the eggs until smooth. Gradually add the milk and continue beating until the mixture is lump-free. Season batter with salt and pepper. Transfer the batter into a liquid measuring cup (or something else with a spout for easy pouring). When the oil in the muffin pan is hot, pull out the rack and distribute the batter evenly among all 12 holes of the muffin pan.

When finished, push the oven rack back in and move the full skillet into the hot oven to roast for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, lamb is cooked, and puddings are puffed.

Dinner Rating
Movie Relevance: 4
Presentation: 4
Taste: 3.5
Average: 3.83

Of course, for dessert, we had to have tea and cookies.

There are a few typical British food items throughout the movie: soft boiled eggs, toast with "much too much butter", tea (of course!), halibut, whiskey & seltzer.

If a Tree Falls

Movie still found here

I have been having a series of hectic mornings lately and as such I have been missing out on my morning news program which left me itching for a documentary. It lost out to "Undeated" at the Oscars this year, but being nominated landed it in my Netflix queue. Ben and I have grand plans for tearing down two trees in our yard so this film seemed fit the zeitgeist. 

The documentary focuses on the story of the Earth Liberation Front (ELF), a radical environmental group that the FBI has dubbed America's 'number one domestic terrorist threat'. Seeing the destruction of forests in the West as well as the brutality of the police against protesters was incredibly heart-wrenching and hard to watch at times. If you have a minute, check out this PBS video clip from the movie about a particular protest in downtown Eugene.

The film also focused on Daniel McGowan an ELF member facing a life-sentence for his arson crimes. In my opinion, the movie was split into two halves, the second half focusing too much on Daniel McGowan's feelings about incarceration and not enough about the cause itself.

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 3 stars

Cinematography: 2 stars

Acting: 3 stars 

Average: 2.66 stars 

 This amazing pot of fresh herbs was a wonderful housewarming present! Thank you Joan!

Radicchio with Linguine and Fresh Oregon-o

Recipe adapted from the one found here

INGREDIENTS

2 head radicchio, cored and julienned

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

1/4 pound pancetta, julienned

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minced

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 pound fresh linguine

1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and brown, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium low and add onions. Season with a little salt (not too much as the pancetta is already salty) and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until inions are translucent, about 5 minutes more. Add garlic and cook for two more minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling, salted water until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking water. Add radicchio to the onion mixture and cook, stirring, until radicchio is wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta and reserved cooking water, mix well. Finally add 1/2 the cheese, the oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve with a little cheese on top.

We both though this was quite the tasty dish! But with the slightly bitter radicchio and salt pancetta, we couldn't help but wonder what it would taste like with something sweet such as golden raisins added.

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 3.5 stars

Taste: 3.8 stars

Average: 3.65 stars

Treasure of the Sierra Madre

Image found here 

First Movie Night in the new house! Still trying to figure out how this stove from 1952 works and still have most of my kitchen packed up in boxes, but it doesn't get any easier and delicious than this recipe (below).


Ah Humphrey Bogart. What can I say? I just dont get it. Am I supposed to swoon for you? I can't understand a bleeping word you are saying. Playing a drunk is definitely your forte and that just makes you even more unappetizing. The best part of this movie was the ongoing side commentary by prospectors Ben and Barb. I do wish that I could whistle through my teeth while I talk like they can. The gist of the movie (if you must know and still feel like watching it after reading this) is that Humphrey hitches up with another dude and an old Prospecting dude to go mining for gold. Which they find and then some! Its the keepin' it that's the thing...

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 3.75 stars

Cinematography: 2.5 stars

Acting: 2 stars 

Average: 2.75 stars  

recipe found here 

Mexican Chorizo & Caramelized Brussel Sprouts

INGREDIENTS:

6 ounces chorizo

1 pound brussel sprouts

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 package yellow rice (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Remove chorizo from the casings and fry in a medium sauté pan until fully cooked. Meanwhile, clean and trim the brussel sprouts and cut them into quarters.

When the chorizo is cooked, remove from pan and set aside.

Making sure your pan is hot, drop in the sprouts and stir to coat in the chorizo drippings. 

Cook for about 8–10 minutes, tossing occasionally to make sure they don't burn, but not too much as you want them to become nicely caramelized. 

Add the chorizo back in along with the olive oil for another 2 minutes until the flavors have blended. Add salt and pepper as needed.

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 5 stars

Taste: 5 stars

Average: 5 stars

Harvey

Image found here 

This is a blog post for a movie we watched around Easter this year. I would not normally highlight my extreme posting delinquency except that this 1950's film stars James Stewart playing Elwood P. Dowd opposite his co-star: a 6-foot imaginary Rabbit named Harvey. This plot is certainly unique plus gave us an interesting insight into 1950 cinematic portrayal of a mental institution. Elwood P. Dowd was an endearing character who seems harmless enough-which begs the question: Is there anything really wrong having an imaginary pal? Perhaps he describes himself and his pooka (a benign but mischievous creature from Celtic mythology) best:

"Harvey and I sit in the bars... have a drink or two... play the juke box. And soon the faces of all the other people they tuen toward mine and they smile. And they're saying, 'We don't know your name mister, but you're a nice fell.' Harvey and I warm ourselves in all these golden moments."

I love that this bizarre little movie came out in 1950 and I would love to see this remade today, maybe by the Wes Anderson??

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 4 stars

Cinematography: 3 stars

Acting: 2.5 stars 

Average: 3.1 stars  

Spring Egg Sandwich: Poached eggs, Asparagus & Pickled Onion

adapted from the recipe found here

INGREDIENTS (serves 2):

1/2 bunch asparagus

2 small baguettes

2 eggs, poached (we used poach pods again!)

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 tablespoons diced raw onion

2 tablespoons French mustard (aka dijon!)

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

lemon juice to taste

fresh dill

salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS:

Trim the asparagus by cutting off the woody ends and cutting the spears in half length-wise. Cut the red onion and place it in a small bowl with the red wine vinegar and set aside.

Prepare the asparagus by blanching it in boiling water for a minute. Then, in a large skillet over high heat add a little oil. Sear the asparagus spears, about 3–4 minutes on each side. Split the two baguettes in half and remove a little of the doughy center so the egg can fit inside. Smear with some mustard and a little olive oil.

Poach the eggs. Add them to the top of the sandwich along with the asparagus, dill, a little lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 4.5 stars

Taste: 4.5 stars

Average: 4.5 stars

The Descendants (2011)

All movie images from imdb.com

"My friends on the mainland think just because I live in Hawaii, I live in paradise. Like a permanent vacation. We're all just out here sipping Mai Tais, shaking our hips, and catching waves. Are they insane?" —Matt King

In The Descendants (2011), George Clooney plays Matt King (in an Oscar-nominated role), who lives in Hawaii, and whose wife is in a coma as the result of a boating accident. He is wrestling with the role he's played in his family's life as he is forced into the lead role from being the "back-up parent" to his two daughters, Scottie (10) and Alex (17). Learning that Elizabeth will never wake from her coma, he tells his older daughter that they need to say their last goodbyes. Alex then reveals to her dad the affair her mom was having at the time of the accident.

Add to this weight the fact that Matt King also happens, along with all his cousins, to own 25,000 acres of undeveloped land on Kauai. Land that has been passed down through generations of his family and is held in trust for a mere seven remaining years. The family's decision on what to do with the land makes headlines regularly in the newspaper, and Matt King is the sole arbiter of the trust, meaning he holds the power to make the ultimate decision.

In the throes of his wife's final days, Matt King takes his daughters to Kauai to wrestle both with his wife's affair and whether to confront the man she was involved with (played by Matthew Lillard), as well as to revisit the land of his forefathers in the hopes it will guide his judgment. They go out to eat at Tahiti Nui, where Matt runs into Cousin Hugh (Beau Bridges) at the bar and drinks an Old Fashioned while his daughter orders him mahi at the table. Side note: Beau Bridges is an actual Tahiti Nui customer!

The movie was a definite tear-jerker. Lindsey and I both ended up with watery eyes at the end of this one, something that has rarely happened in Movie Night history. It also ended up winning one Oscar, for Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay. It was also nominated for the best director, editing, picture, and actor awards.

Movie Rating
Plot: 4.75
Cinematography: 4.5
Acting: 5
Average: 4.75

Let me start by saying that we could have done a better job with our dinner prep. In a rush after a busy day, I bagged the idea of actually grilling our skewers outside over charcoal to save some time and hassle. Despite it being a beautiful day, under the broiler they went. I was focused on searching out Hawaiian recipes, and naturally, pineapple was an easy place to start. I've been craving red meat lately, too, and combining the pineapple on a skewer with teriyaki-marinated steak sounded really tasty.

Movie-wise, we could have had burgers, crab legs, mahi, Mai Tais, Old Fashioneds, and either (or both!) strawberry or mocha chip ice cream for apt tie-ins.

Hawaiian Teriyaki Beef and Pineapple Skewers 
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
For the teriyaki sauce:
1/3 cup soy sauce
2 TB honey
1 TB brown sugar
1 clove garlic, minced (could increase to 2)
1 tsp minced or grated fresh ginger
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 TB cornstarch

For the skewers:
2 large beef sirloin steaks
1 fresh pineapple
1/2 red onion, cut into wedges
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped into skewer-able pieces
10 skewers (we used wooden)

For serving:
brown rice

DIRECTIONS
In a medium saucepan, combine soy sauce, honey, brown sugar, garlic, ginger, and vinegar over medium-high heat, stirring frequently until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a low boil. In a separate small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in water, then add to the mixture in the saucepan. Simmer for 6–8 additional minutes, until thickened. Remove from heat and cool.

Place the cubed steaks and half the teriyaki sauce in a resealable bag for at least 20 minutes (or up to overnight) to marinate. If you are making brown rice as an accompaniment, this is a good time to get it started.

Meanwhile, cut your pineapple: start by cutting off the top and bottom, then stand the fruit back up and make vertical cuts through the core to break it down into quarters. Slice off and discard the woody center and carefully cut the rind from the outer edges, discarding it as well.

Cube half the pineapple for use on your skewers and save the other half for another use (my fave other use for pineapple—completely off topic—atop greek yogurt with this granola and some honey).

Once the meat has marinated, assemble your skewers by alternating between beef, pineapple, onion, and pepper pieces. Grill the skewers, or roast them under the broiler, for about 5 minutes per side, or to until the steak is done to your preference. Serve with remaining teriyaki sauce, atop a pile of cooked rice.

Dinner Rating
Movie Relevance: 4.5
Presentation: 4.5
Taste: 4.25
Average: 4.4

My Week with Marilyn (2011)

image found here

As the 2012 Oscar nominated movies continue to come out on DVD, we've been slowly ticking them off our list. My Week with Marilyn (2011) was nominated for two: Best Actress (Michelle Williams as Marilyn Monroe) and Best Supporting Actor (Kenneth Branagh as Sir Laurence Olivier). Performances by other cast members were notable as well, namely Eddie Redmayne as Colin Clark and Judi Dench as Dame Sybil.

The movie captures the (true) story of the filming of the movie The Prince and the Showgirl (1957) in London. Colin Clark (played by Eddie Redmayne) is a "third" on the set, basically a go-fer, and is able to develop a bit of a relationship with Marilyn. Clark's real-life book, The Prince, the Showgirl, and Me was the inspiration for the film.

Just for comparison's sake, here's a side-by-side of a promo shot for the 1957 film and Michelle's Marilyn for this movie, 54 years later.

images found on imdb.com

While Michelle Williams didn't initially look like Marilyn, she definitely made us believers by the end of the movie. The dynamics between Sir Laurence and Marilyn on set were fascinating, as he was an established actor grasping for movie fame and she desperately wanted to be a good actor, even though she'd already reached the height of stardom for her prior movie roles. At one point, Sir Laurence, exasperated, proclaims, "Trying to teach Marilyn to act is like teaching Urdu to a badger!" Her demeanor was childlike and she seemed distracted and terrified to be on set, which surprised me.

Movie Rating
Plot: 4.25
Cinematography: 4
Acting: 4
Average: 4.1

Dinner was a bit of a stretch this week as far as relevance goes, but being the nerd I am, wordplay always works! These were deliciously decadent and the aioli just may have stolen the show—if for nothing more, bookmark this recipe for the sauce alone, which would be amazing on any seafood or as a dipping sauce for asparagus fries?

Maryland Marilyn Crab Cakes with Lemon Aioli
Serves 4
Slightly adapted from this recipe

INGREDIENTS
For the crab cakes:
1 lb. Maryland lump crab meat
1/2 cup fine dry bread crumbs
4 scallions, white and green part, thinly sliced
2 TB chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tsp Old Bay seasoning
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce, or to taste
1/2 tsp sriracha, or to taste
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1 lemon, cut into wedges

For the lemon aioli:
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 TB heavy cream
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 TB prepared horseradish
1 minced garlic clove (we omitted)
1/2–1 tsp dried thyme

DIRECTIONS
Pick over crab meat to remove any cartilage or shell. Place in a large bowl and add bread crumbs, scallions, parsley, Old Bay, Worcestershire, and sriracha. Toss with a fork to combine. Fold in mayonnaise. Taste, adding more seasonings as desired. Add the beaten egg and blend just until the mixture holds together. Gently shape into 4 large, round crab cakes. Can be prepared ahead, refrigerate between sheets of waxed paper up to 2 hours.

Meanwhile, make the aioli by stirring together the 1/2 cup of mayonnaise, heavy cream, lemon zest and juice, horseradish, garlic, and thyme in a small bowl.

To cook, combine butter and oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. When fat is hot and combined, gently slide crab cakes into the pan and fry 4 minutes on each side, until the outside is crisp and browned.

Serve hot with lemon aioli and fresh lemon wedges, adding a side salad to complete the meal.

Dinner Rating
Movie Relevance: 3.5
Presentation: 4
Taste: 4
Average: 3.8

The movie features champagne, whiskey, and a mention of how good Arthur Miller's (Marilyn's husband at the time) dad's matzo ball soup is.

Pollock (2000)

Image found here

Pollock (2000) tells American painter Jackson Pollock's story during his rise to fame as one of the defining artists of the Abstract Expressionist movement. His gigantic, loudly colorful, flowing canvases transformed and transfixed the art world in the 1940s and beyond. 

If people would just look at the paintings, I don't think they would have any trouble enjoying them. It's like looking at a bed of flowers, you don't tear your hair out over what it means. 

—Jackson Pollock

Here, Ed Harris stars in an Oscar-nominated role as the famous American painter. Marcia Gay Harden (who won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Supporting Role) plays opposite Harris as Lee Krasner, a fellow painter who becomes Pollock's champion and eventual wife. Seeing unpublished images of the artist and couple, it's clear that the actors nailed it. The movie also introduces us to Peggy Guggenheim, (played by Amy Madigan of Uncle Buck fame!), Willem DeKooning (Val Kilmer), and Ruth Kligman (Jennifer Connelly), Pollock's mistress later in life.

Seeing Pollock's technique in action—starting early on when paint was applied to the canvas straight from the tube in a painting that looks darn close to the Philadelphia Museum of Art's Male and Female (1942–43, shown below), and moving through the discovery and development of the drip/splatter effect—was definitely a highlight.

Practically in tandem with Movie Night, Design*Sponge featured Living In: Pollock—a very cool feature on their blog, and worth checking out, since I made special note of some set/costume highlights during the film: the toaster in Lee and Jackson's apartment, juice tumblers with a pink diamond pattern, and Ruth Kligman's fabulous black one-piece bathing suit.

Movie Rating

Plot: 4

Cinematography: 3.625

Acting: 3.75

Average: 3.8

For dinner, we each transformed a humble plate of nachos into individual works of art. (And we learned a homemade recipe for nacho cheese, to boot!) 

It turns out there was quite a bit of eating and food throughout the movie, as well. Scrambled eggs, coffee, a standard "meat and potatoes" dinner, orange juice, toast, poached eggs, sandwiches, watermelon, clams—a Long Island tradition, Corn Flakes, potatoes, milk, bread, Schlitz beer, and green beans all show up. Thanskgiving dinner is prepared but never gets eaten. Some additional dinner ideas include Pollock (a white fish, who knew?!), and anything titled (or made to be titled) "drunken". Critics even compare Pollock's work to baked macaroni, so dig out your favorite recipe and see how if there's a resemblance!

"Painted" Nachos

Serves 4 as a hearty main meal or up to 8 as a snack

INGREDIENTS

For the homemade nacho cheese:

2 TB butter

3 TB flour

1 cup milk

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (we used Monterey Jack)

4 oz. can chopped green chiles

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. cumin

handful of cilantro, minced

1/2 cup red salsa

For the sour cream sauce:

1/2 cup sour cream

juice of 1 lime

For assembly:

1 bag of tortilla chips (we used—and love—Tostitos bite size)

1 rotisserie chicken

2 tomatoes, diced

1 avocado, diced

3 scallions, diced

handful of cilantro, chopped

remainder of the jar of red salsa

1 jar of salsa verde

lime wedges

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Disassemble the chicken, discarding the skin, and shred the meat. I froze the carcass for making chicken stock.

To make the nacho cheese sauce, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Once melted, whisk in the flour to create a roux. Whisk in the milk, being careful to break up any clumps of flour. Reduce heat to medium and allow the mixture to thicken, about 5-7 minutes. Add the shredded cheese to the thickened sauce and reduce heat to low. Once the cheese has melted, stir in the can of green chiles, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, and salsa. Continue to heat until everything is nice and warm.

Meanwhile, make the sour cream sauce by simply mixing the lime juice and sour cream together until smooth.

When the cheese is ready, assemble your masterpiece: layer tortilla chips, chicken, and cheese sauce (and anything else you'd like warm; I chose to add tomatoes and scallions at this stage) on a baking sheet or oven-safe plate and place in the heated oven for 10 minutes. 

Once warmed through, add the remaining ingredients (tomatoes, avocado, scallions, cilantro) and top with finishing touches from your "palette": more nacho cheese, traditional salsa, sour cream sauce, and salsa verde. Squeeze fresh lime wedges over everything and dig in!

A jaunt through the Whole Foods bakery for dessert yielded these perfectly drizzled and filled donuts (caramel and chocolate). Boy, were they a treat!

Dinner Rating

Movie Relevance: 4

Taste: 3.75

Average: 3.875

A Better Life

movie still found here

This movie title caught my attention when Demián Bichir was nominated for a 2012 Best Actor Oscar. His character in the film, Carlos Galindo, is an illegal Mexican immigrant looking for a better life for his son, Luis (played by José Julián), in L.A. Carlos has the most admiral of intentions and an honest moral code that he tries to instill in his son to keep him on the straight and narrow and away from gangs.

This country is a land of dreams. It can be a hard place, a cruel place. But it's where I work, and I dream of a better place for my son. – Carlos Galindo

This movie was a tear-jerker with a phenomenal lead acting performance by Bichir. It was a drama that kept me on the edge of my seat like an action flick until the end–with ups and downs all along the way.

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 4.25 stars

Cinematography: 3 stars

Acting: 4.5 stars 

Average: 4 stars   

Stuffed Poblanos
recipe found here

INGREDIENTS:
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes in puree
1 jalepeno chile (ribs and seeds removed) We added two for extra flavor, although we thought it could have been even spicier!
2 small onions, chopped
3 garlic cloves (2 whole, 1 minced)
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 can (19 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup shredded pepper jack cheese We used a "salsa jack" cheese from Whole Foods which was very flavorful
1 teaspoon ground cumin
4 large poblano peppers, halved lengthwise (stems left intact), ribs and seeds removed

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a blender, combine tomatoes in puree, jalapeno, half the onions, and 2 whole garlic cloves. Puree and then season with salt. Pour the sauce into a 9 x 13 baking dish and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine beans, cornmeal, 1/2 cup cheese, remaining onions, minced garlic, cumin, and 3/4 cup water. Season with salt and pepper.
Dividing evenly, stuff poblano halves with bean mixture; place on top of sauce in baking dish. Sprinkle poblanos with remaining 1/2 cup cheese; cover baking dish tightly with aluminum foil.
Bake until poblanos are tender, about 45 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until sauce is thickened slightly and cheese is browned., 10–15 minutes more. Let cool 10 minutes.

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 4.25 stars

Taste: 3.625 stars

Average: 4 stars

The Sugarland Express

     I just love these classic movie posters found here and here and here

Sugarland Express was the first full feature film by Steven Spielberg and stars Goldie Hawn as Lou-Jean the not-so-dumb-as-she-seems-mother trying to reclaim her child after a short stint in jail. After busting her husband Clovis out of a pre-release prison center in Texas, the two embark on a wild car chase to Sugar Land to retrieve their child from foster parents. Interesting fact: the center that Lou-Jean busts Clovis out of is the actual center where the true events took place. This movie has got some great car chases, but also lot of moments where we asked ourselves, REALLY cops? You REALLY need this many cops to chase down these two people? REALLY? You cops can REALLY can just abandon your posts for the fun pursuit of these two? REALLY? The cops are really pushing their car which is out of gas to the gas station and then proceed with the chase after they fill up? Still, it was a fun flick and here are our ratings:

Movie Rating: 

Plot: 3 stars

Cinematography: 3 stars

Acting: 3 stars 

Average: 3 stars   

We just made up our own simple recipe for Huevos Rancheros:

4 Corn Tortillas, warmed
+
1/2 cup Shredded Monterrey Jack Cheese, melted on the tortilla
+
1/2 can Refried Beans, warmed
+
4 Poached Eggs
+
1/2 cup Salsa

Next time i think I will layer this recipe with a tortilla on the bottom, topped with refried beans, topped with another tortilla, then the cheese, egg, and salsa. This would give it a more substantial base to cut into.

Here are some other fun twists on the classic:
The Budget Friendly Dinner
Eggs and Tortillas Marry
Mexican Breakfast Pizza

And for dessert: Sugar Cookies!
This from recipeMartha Stewart is simply the best!

Dinner Rating: 

Movie Relevance: 3.25 stars

Taste: 3.5 stars

Average: 3.375 stars

Moneyball (2011)

Moneyball (2011) is nominated for 6 Oscars this year, including Best Picture, Best Actor (Brad Pitt as Billy Beane), and Best Supporting Actor (Jonah Hill as Peter Brand). We were lucky to sneak it in this week before the winners are announced!

still found here

Other recognizable actors in the film include PSH (Philip Seymour Hoffman), and Chris Pratt, from Parks and Rec. Oh, yes, and let's not forget Robin Wright, who played Jenny in Forrest Gump.

still found here

still found here

The movie, based on the true story of Billy Beane, tracks his moves as the Oakland A's general manager in 2002, as he attempts to field a winning team on a low budget, based on computer-generated stats rather than traditional scouting tactics. Beane and Peter Brand, a Yale grad, face abundant criticism and a rocky road as they work to change the way the game is played. The timing was perfect for a baseball movie, with spring training newly underway. It rekindled the excitement of the game, whether you're at the stadium, watching on tv or just listening on the radio. Now when's Phillies opening day?!

Movie Rating

Plot: 5

Cinematography: 4.25

Acting: 5

Average: 4.75

Dinner was "Moneyball" sandwiches, which were made with meatballs tinged green with a bunch of minced herbs. We added sharp provolone melted on the rolls and a side of marinara for dipping. Yum! We had mint chip ice cream for dessert—but sundaes with chocolate sauce and canned whipped cream would have been more appropriate. A couple other dinner ideas are "Beane" burritos, ballpark hot dogs (or maybe these, instead?), or Cup-o-noodles... for the super classy among us. Twinkies and cold cereal both make appearances as well.

Moneyball Sandwiches
Adapted from this recipe
Serves 4

INGREDIENTS
4 cups fresh basil
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh chives
2 thin slices white bread
1/2 cup milk
1/2 lb ground lamb
1/2 lb ground sirloin
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 TB olive oil
4 bakery rolls, sliced
8 thin slices sharp provolone cheese
Your favorite marinara sauce, for serving

DIRECTIONS
Place all the herbs in a food processor to combine. Soak the bread in the milk for 5 minutes, then gently squeeze any excess milk from the bread; discard the milk. Combine the bread with the meat, the minced herbs, the salt and pepper to taste. Shape the mixture into 2-inch balls, you should get about 12.

Pour the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the meatballs in a single layer, working in batches if necessary. Cook, turning occasionally, until brown on all sides, about 10–12 minutes.

When the meatballs are nearly finished cooking, place the rolls under the broiler (or in a toaster oven) to toast lightly. Add two slices of cheese to each roll and broil another 2 minutes until cheese is melted. When meatballs are fully cooked, place three in each roll and serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Dinner Rating

Movie Relevance: 4.25

Taste: 3.875

Average: 4.0625