Movie Review: Inside Llewyn Davis

Inside Llewyn Davis
Director: Joel and Ethan Coen
Actors: Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan, John Goodman, Justin Timberlake

Rating: -A

A beautiful and entertaining movie. It depicts a week in the life of a struggling folk singer in a biopic style. It's hard to believe the main character was created by the talented Coen brothers. Emotion pours out of the actors as they portray some intense scenes. Furthermore, the musical scenes are raw and heart felt. This is a movie that stays on your mind long after the closing credits. For that I give this movie an "-A."

Movie Review: American Hustle

American Hustle

Directed by: David O. Russell

Starring: Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jeremy Renner

Rating: A

It has been a number of months since my last movie review blog. I have seen many movies since then, but American Hustler is definitely worthy of being my first review upon my return to the blogosphere.

American Hustler is a fast moving clever movie that never lost my attention. The acting is terrific and as a moviegoer I really lost myself in the story. There is a surprise at the ending, as some of my favorite movies have. I like it when you think you have a story figured out and then one thing changes, minor or major, to make you rethink all that came before.

The blast from the past setting of this movie makes the scenes seem even more magical. Corruption is not a new thing, and this movie definitely proves that as cons try to “get over on all these guys” as Amy Adam’s character proclaims in a line that now appears was very prophetic. This is definitely one of my favorite films of the year. I give it an "A" rating sincerely urge you to go see it!

My New Year’s resolutions

I have selected a number of resolutions In keeping with my past bucket list resolution to accomplish a number of things on my list each year. This way I will have achieved much of my list by the age most people get around to creating a list. Last year I knocked off the 365 Day Photo Project, which was no easy task. In addition, I also learned to knit and made coffee mug cozies for a number of my friends and I went to a major professional sports with the Indy 500. I have a good start on the list! Many items to go…

Travel to Denmark

Ride in a hot air balloon

Take a cruise to Alaska

Black tie New Years Eve celebration

Take a dive from the stratosphere in Las Vegas

Get my hair braided in the Caribbean

Go on a relief mission for vacation

Take in breakfast at Tiffany’s

See the red wood trees

See Niagara Falls

Throw a New Years Day brunch

Visit all 50 states

Go on a bike tour through wine country

Go windsurfing

Learn to salsa dance

Climb to the top of a lighthouse

Send a message in a bottle

Write my memoirs

365-day photo project

Throw a dart at a map and go there

Drive route 66

Take a cooking class

Visit Stonehenge

Hike up volcano

Knit a hat

Make a gingerbread house

Learn to make dad’s peanut brittle

Go to a professional sports championship game/match

Visit a jazz club in New Orleans

Ride trolley in San Francisco

Cook a soufflé

Go gambling in Atlantic City

Invent a holiday and celebrate it

Grow my own vegetables

Ski New England

Go on a couples camping trip

Learn to dance the two-step and show it off

Take a sculpting class

I figure this year I will make a gingerbread house, take a cooking class, and grow my own vegetables. These activities are in addition to a trip I plan to take to an undetermined destination. I may decide to see the redwoods in California or Oregon or travel to Atlantic City for some gambling. I’ll leave some wiggle room!

I have been accused of being an over-achiever, so I’ll add a few more resolutions. I plan to write in an inspiration journal daily. I resolve to finish reading the first Harry Potter book in french, which is something I started long ago and I now figure I have time to work on it again. Finally, most important to all of my readers, I will return to blogging regularly. I will not be writing as frequently as before, but after transitioning into a new job and spending months enjoying the payoff from all of my hard work, patience, and faith I now find myself looking for new projects to consume my time.

No more Freshman 15?

What was once the Freshman 15 is now the Freshman 30. When I was in college, all undergrads worried about gaining 15 pounds in their first year. The food served in the cafeterias was so different than we were used to. What's more is that there were no boundaries as to what we could and should eat. Our parents weren't there to tell us we'd had enough food or that we should chose a different option for dinner. We were able to make our own decisions, and some continued to live as they were taught and others rebounded once they saw the extra weight around their waist. Now, however, it seems undergrads are fearing the freshman 30. Or should I say they are jokingly embracing the upper limits of average freshman year weight gain.

There are now more options than there were ten years ago when I was in school. Fast foods and foods that are higher in fat content are more acceptable. Students are also coping with more stresses, mostly self imposed based on societal views, and that means they cope in different ways. They cope with food. They don't exercise as much, as there are more distractions and activities that students feel are more important.

The new Freshman 30 could also be caused by a change in values parents impart on their children. Instead of teaching them how to live healthy they just make them live healthy while they're at home and then they cut them free when it's time to go to school. Once away and on campus, these younglings do not know how to maintain that lifestyle. They have never learned how to make appropriate decisions. They have not learned how to portion and enjoy smaller amounts of the things they love.

Whatever the cause, the Freshman 30 is reason for concern. We are becoming more and more a society of extremes. While we have a growing population of undergraduate students who are gaining more weight, we have a growing number of co-eds who are dieting extremely and exercising strenuously. There is a happy medium, and that medium doesn't have to consist of increasing a clothing size from small to the above, or from medium to large.

Allergy mystery

A 13-year-old California girl is a victim of a fatal allergic reaction and it is something that didn't have to and shouldn't have happened. Natalie Giorgi had a severe reaction to a dessert that included peanut butter. She technically shouldn't have died, due to the administration of three injections of epinephrine, and epinephrine is the only treatment known to prevent a serious allergic reaction from becoming fatal. The young teen knew she had the allergy and reportedly spit out the peanut butter and chocolate glazed rice crispie treat as soon as she realized what she had bitten into. This is a tragedy, and one that has puzzled the food allergy community, since all appropriate steps were taken to prevent death.

I have long feared being prescribed an epi-pen. It is not the prescription that I fear, as it would potentially save my life if needed, but I fear getting to a point where I need an epi-pen. My allergies have grown stronger over the years. The allergy that plagues me the most emotionally is apples. I am allergic due to my tree allergies, but I love the juicy, meaty fruit. Until a couple of months ago I didn't bother staying away. My reaction to them wasn't bad enough to warrant cessation, in my opinion. However, I know my friends and family wished I would stop eating them. Well, I recently had a stronger reaction to my formerly favorite fruit. Instead of just feeling my lips slightly itch, burn, and swell, I felt increased levels of those reactions in addition to an increase in my temperature and reddening of my face and neck. I also took issue with itching dermis on my neck and hives on my arms. This enhanced reaction was enough for me to chuck the apple into the trash (after only two bites) and swear uncooked apples off for good. I haven't touched them since. I fear one of these days I will get to the point where a doctor will tell me I need to start carrying the emergency medication at all times. Heck, I may already be at a point when I should be told to carry it. Only time will tell if and when it is needed.

Social media laziness

The world wide web puts a never ending amount of information right at your fingertips, but some aren't taking advantage of it. In fact, another product of the www, social media, has made people lazy. It is extremely easy to find the answer to just about any question on the web, and answers to the more difficult questions are discoverable with a bit of effort. However, since we're such a connected society it seems people now expect to not have to search for answers. When they have a question they just post it on Facebook or ask about it on twitter. When a person reads something they don't understand on social media they don't bother to open another tab on their browser and conduct a simple internet search. I implore you to put the limitless knowledge contained on the web to use. Find answers for yourself instead of just believing what someone else says. If your only source of information is your peers then you'll never have to make up your own mind. When you see something that is puzzling or a mysterious word just look it up yourself.

Movie review: The Way Way Back

Directed by: Nat Faxon, Jim Rash

Starring: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph

Rating: A-

This coming of age movie has a strong message. As the lead character becomes more and more upset with his life he finds an outlet, and through that outlet he finds a new way of being. During this summer at the beach house of his mother's boyfriend, he learns he doesn't have to do or be what is expected. The movie is very relatable, as even if you haven't been through a similar situation you can understand. There is a very visible and palpable transformation in Duncan and many others, with the exception of Steve Carell's character. Man, that actor can play a terrible dickhead like no other. While I was rooting for certain characters as the end neared I kept hoping he would get hit by a bus. I know this is the type of reaction Carell and the directors were hoping for. Bravo! As for Toni Collette's character, any viewer could see the growing strain on her face and the more agitated way in which she carried herself. These changes in her character all lead to the climax and then the resolution, and which while we don't exactly know what will happen once the ride from the beach house is over, we have an understanding and assumption of what will happen. It is the outcome we have been hoping for.

Lies Shells told me

I like to tell colorful stories. Some say I lie, but that's not how I label my theatrics. I would call it a lie if I didn't start laughing and ruin the whole bit in the middle of my embellishment. I would call it a lie if I made the story more plausible and therefore seemingly accurate. I recently started reading Lies Chelsea Handler Told Me, which is a hilarious book in concept and in word. Although I do not always think Chelsea Handler is funny and I think she uses words that are insensitive and vulgar, this book is funny. The book is written by hear friends and family, each taking a chapter to detail the biggest and worst lies Chelsea ever told them. I think what I find most humorous is the lengths she will go to in telling a lie and how long she will carry out a certain lie, sometimes even forgetting a lie was told. My friend Amelia (named changed to protect any purported sense of innocence) bemoans how much I lie. I like to think she likes it because they're harmless lies; my lies never make her look bad. So, I told her I was reading this book and she should maybe be afraid of the scheming ideas I will come up with. (Cue evil laughter) bah haw haw haw.

Showing your age

The other day, the ladies on The Talk did something very brave. They wore their ages printed on their t-shirts. This is brave because we are in a society where women often lie about their age and people will spend great amounts of money trying to look younger than they are and trying to fool themselves into thinking they are younger than they are. It is also brave for someone in the entertainment industry to admit age because there is a thought that once you hit a certain year you are no longer castable. Does letting people know your real age make you suddenly vulnerable? To other it may seem this way, but it actually appears to be empowering. The women on The Talk embraced their numbers and wore them proud.

Throughout life, I have set silly little milestones or deadlines. The first was that when I turned 30 I would get botox. This idea grew out of my days as a news producer working long hours and not getting much sleep. It was starting to show. However, after ramping up my skin care regimen I decided that I could and should skip the indictable birthday present to myself, I just didn't need it. So, I said I would put off that appointment until age 35, but at that time I think I will feel the same. I am pleased with my skin and my aging. I seem to have fewer wrinkles than many people my age or younger and any signs of age that do show are displayed with grace, or so I hope.

I have also wondered if, and at what age, I will ever stop telling people my real age. Many people have an age they are stuck at. They purposely celebrate their 29th birthday over and over again. Sometimes when younger people find out how old I am they give me the head tilt and an "oh." As if to apologize for my being so old. This gesture always makes me laugh. I view my age as a badge of honor. I have done many things in life, accomplished many goals, and I have many fond memories. I would not trade them in for anything, including a different date on my drivers license. When I get that sort of reaction I generally do the same thing in my head toward my younger peer. I feel a bit sorry for them for being so young and naive and for thinking that I have something to be ashamed about because I have lived a few more (full and active) years than they have. I don't have a scary age, so I doubt at this point that I will start lying soon. I do not fear turning 35, or 40, and so on. So, this year I will proudly display 33 candles on my birthday cake!

Movie review: Jack the Giant Slayer

Directed by: Bryan Singer

Starring: Nicholas Hoult, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci

Rating: C


This is a lack luster movie that isn't poorly done, it just doesn't successfully deliver to any demographic. Actually, one is left wondering what movie going segment this film targets. It's definitely not suitable for children as there are points when the giants eat humans in their entirety and spit out the bones (cue the KFC ad slogan, "I ate the bones. I ate the bones!"). It definitely wouldn't be interesting for teenage girls, and it is missing some key elements teenage boys would be interested in. While it is an action film there are no cars, or explosions, sexy scenes or women. For those reasons, this movie isn't bringing in men. As for the key purse string holding demographic of women, they are not drawn because the story isn't identifiable. The women aren't able to transport themselves to the plot line, nor do they want to. Harry Potter's magic and Twilight's intrigue are due to people feeling swept away. They feel like they're a part of the story even though they're just watching from their seat. Furthermore, this movie had hints of Lord of the Rings without capitalizing on the epic proportions and grandeur of the tale. Everything just fell short. It gets a very average rating because while it wasn't great, it wasn't poor. It is very forgettable.

Movie review: Girl Most Likely

Directed by: Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini

Starring: Kristen Wiig, Annette Bening, Matt Dillon 

Rating: A-

This is a very charming, comedic movie that documents the depressive spiral of Imogene's life and how she eventually and painfully comes to terms with her new reality. The story is witty and is filled with subtle humor. Much of that humor surrounds things that are not said, but instead the clothing the characters wear or the situations they are thrown into. It makes you scratch your head for a moment wondering if there are really families like that in American, but then you think there must be. In all their eccentricities, families like that do and must exist. In the end, those families with the anecdotal stories grow closer and stronger through adversity.

Investigating food allergies

In my battle against allergies I am trying a new tactic. For months I have been trying to figure out if I have a banana allergy. I have been in denial actually. I don't want my diet to lose another food. There's already so much I can't eat! My latest go-round with the tree fruit resulted in a slight, but increased reaction. I noticed a burning sensation on a spot on my upper lip. I also felt a loss of sensitivity there. My banana reaction reminded me of how my apple allergy used to manifest. Many have said that allergies can get worse with each exposure. So this is concerning.

My new smartphone app will test for changes in my heart rate as a way to indicate if I may have a food sensitivity. "Bulletproof Food Sense" takes a user's heart rate in the morning for a base rate and then at increments after meals. Backers of the tool say the heart rate can increase long after you've eaten, so it is important to check back more than just right after you've finished. Your after meal heart rate can be compared to your base rate to figure if your rate increased after eating a certain food or foods. The app can also take a before bed rate so you can hold it against your morning rate to see if there is an environmental allergy that may be giving you trouble, for instance a certain fiber in your pillows.

The app takes the heart rate several ways. It can be hooked up to a heart rate monitor like those used by fitness buffs. You can take your pulse manually, a method which requires much concentration and no interruptions (I tend to lose count easily when doing this). The method I use is built right in to my iphone. There is a sensor in the flash of my camera. I simply hold my index finger over the flash for a minute as it measures my beats.

I have recently started using this app, and thus I haven't come to any conclusions yet on whether I find it useful and worth my time. Only frequent use will tell. Actually, I'll probably test my banana theory with the pulse counter to see if there is any change. There are some other areas of the app that I will experiment with as well, like the relax tab.

Robin Roberts has courage

Robin Roberts is a courageous woman, and she's being recognized for it. Roberts was awarded the Arthur Ashe Courage Award at the Espys, although she's long been heralded for foraging ahead through health obstacles. She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007 and MDS in 2012. MDS was a side effect from her cancer treatment; she needed a bone marrow transplant to survive. Roberts fought these battles in the public eye as a journalist and host of Good Morning America. I can imagine it would be incredibly difficult to go through such a major life event on such a large stage. Everyone is watching you at all times, talking about you and judging you. It shows bravery and courage to allow yourself to be so vulnerable to so many people who look up to and admire you, people you don't even know. As a public figure, she also became a spokesperson of sorts for breast cancer awareness. She was thrust into this position, but accepted it and thrived in it. Her kind of courage is inspirational.

Missing out on the moment

At a recent concert Beyonce got in a fan’s face about his camera use. The fan was recording the concert and Beyonce told him to put it away, expressing to him that she was singing right at him, but he didn’t notice because he wasn’t in the moment. Now, Beyonce may have overreacted, but her message is a good one. Sometimes we are trying so hard to record and capture life that we miss it. We want to capture memories instead of creating moments. Instead of being present we spend our time looking through a lens. Those photos or videos are likely not things we will spend much time looking back at. After all, who needs ten minutes of a third grade class warming up for a spring sing. Aren’t the memories better?

On the afternoon show “The Talk” the hosts shared insight on this topic. They, as mothers, say they have backed away from trying chase every milestone with a camera. They will spend a limited amount of time recording and then they’ll put the camera down or remove their face from the viewfinder. That way they get to enjoy what is going on and they will also have a memento of the occasion in case they do want to view it again. The mothers said those shorter videos are things they go back to more often because they trigger the memories and feelings they had while watching that event.

This discussion applies not only to cameras and recording, but also to nocializers who are on their phone while out with friends. I tend to get annoyed when I’m out with someone and they are consistently on their device. It is offensive. It makes me feel like I am not good enough for their full attention. Or I feel like they think what we’re doing isn’t interesting enough. If Facebook, Twitter, Four Square, etc. are that happening I would rather that person go home and give social media their full attention instead of trying to divide it with me. It doesn’t make me feel bad about myself, but instead I feel like my time is being wasted. I also wonder what is wrong with that person that they can’t enjoy their time and are always looking for something else. A friend introduced me to a new term recently, FOMO—fear of missing out. I think many nocializers have this problem. I think they’re also afraid of socializing. They may think it is easier to live vicariously through our “friends” and “followers” than to actually live our own lives.

Recipe review: Rosti

This has been called the national dish of Switzerland. I chose to use Switzerland for a school project on a comparative look at health care policies. Recently, I received an invitation to a pot luck of sorts with every invited student was asked to bring a dish from their selected country. This got the wheels turning in my head and I wanted to come up with something that wasn't cheesy and expected, like fondu. That's when I found cheese rosti on the All Recipes website.

6 large potatoes
6 table spoons butter
8 ounces swiss cheese, grated
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
2 table spoons hot water

Cook potatoes in boiling water until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and let cool. Once cool, peel and grate. Melt 3Tbs butter in a large non stick skillet. Add a layer of potatoes and a layer of cheese, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Repeat layers. Dot each layer with remaining butter. Sprinkle hot water over the top layer, cover and saute at low to medium heat until bottom layer browns. Turn with spatula and brown the other side.

For recipe modifications I used frozen hash brown shreds (thawed) due to a lack of time. I also used white pepper instead of black pepper, which produces a more mild flavor and is less visible in a dish.

No photos on this one. The recipe didn't turn out picture perfect, but it was pretty delicious and worthy of another try. I will make several changes to my process in hopes that the rosti sticks together and comes out in one piece instead of turning out like cheesy hash browns!

Recipe review: Quiche de Aubergine

One of my favorite recipes is my quiche. I call it Quiche de Aubergine not because it has eggplant in it (Aubergine is French for eggplant), but instead because it is my recipe and my French name in high school was Aubergine. As with many of my creations, I started with a basic quiche recipe and added my own ingredients. This will work for you too if you don't like the quiche stuffings I have selected. This recipe is very easy to alter.

1 unbaked pie crust
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup feta cheese
1 cup cheddar cheese
4 eggs slightly beaten
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/8 tsp white pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees
Bake crust for five minutes
Remove from oven and set temperature to 400 degrees
Cook onion over medium heat
Sprinkle onion over shell and alternate with olives, feta, and cheddar
Blend eggs, milk, and seasoning and pour over the filled pie crust
Bake for ten minutes
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 30 to 35 minutes
The quiche is done when a knife inserted into the center comes out clean

Movie review: The Heat

Directed by: Paul Feig

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Melissa McCarthy

Rating: B

This is a greatly funny movie and it pairs two very jovial actresses for a dynamic duo. Bullock and McCarthy are unlikely partners of law in this comedic flick. Their characters begin as opposites and neither is fond of the other. Slowly the characters remove bricks from their walls as they get deeper in their case and realize they will be better off working with each other. There is a lot of swearing in this movie, but it is appropriate within the context and does not ever seem out of place or excessive. There was a lot of laughter in the theater through out the movie, as the unexpected happens and the story unfolds. There are definitely moments that are amusing and surely unscripted, the actresses bring their own improv talents to the story. I greatly enjoy watching Bullock in comedies; she is great with physical humor.

Movie review: Despicable Me 2

Directed by: Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud

Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Benjamin Bratt
 Rating: A-

Despicable Me 2 follows the hilariously fun trail blazed by the first Despicable movie. The sequel is charming, clever, funny, and believable. The characters, although some pretend to be evil scientists, are genuine. It is easy to understand their motivations. Their emotions are very clear through both inflection in their voices and the artful illustrations. The lines are delivered with great comedic timing, which leaves the viewer hanging on (although one doesn't have to wait long) for the next masterfully written line. The evolution of Gru is very interesting. In the first movie he is fully involved in evil schemes and his heart melts over his orphan girls, whereas in the second he ends up investigating nefarious plots and falling for a woman on his crime fighting team.

Shells guide: Wedding appropriate clothing

As I prepare to watch a friend walk down the aisle I am reminded of my own wedding attire rules and the moronic looking people who do not follow said rules. There are certain guidelines one should follow as a wedding guest to make sure you don't become the center of attention.

1. Do not wear white. Do not wear off white. Do not wear cream unless said cream has colored accents to obviously differentiate between your dress and that in which the bride, bride's mother, or someone in the wedding party would wear.

2. Do not wear red. Really this rule applies more to funerals, but why not weddings too. Red is a very bold color and it conjures different emotions in different people. Unless you want to be seen as the ball buster, sex pot, or attention seeker, do not wear red.

3. Find out what color dresses the bridesmaids will wear and stay away from that color card. This especially goes for those who think they should have been invited into the wedding party but were not and/or family members. Do not wear a similar color unless you are asked to by the bride herself.

4. Watch your neck/hem line. You are not trying to be the sassiest person at the reception, are you? Keep the skin in check!

5. Do not up stage the bride! If you follow rules one through four there is a good chance you will side step this problem, but still when all else fails try the dress on and look in a mirror. You should not look dazzling. That means watch the sequins. Watch the frill, rosettes, tulle, etc.

As a wedding guest it is not your role to look awesome. You want to look good, but not so good that people are looking at you instead of the bride. She will notice and probably resent you for it for a while. I'm not much for asking my friends what they're wearing before I go out, but weddings are an exception to this philosophy. Ask! Then, if your wardrobe idea is too far away from the general trend you should think again.

Recipe review: Jalapeno cornbread muffins

    I love to cook and bake, but what I really do is mess around in the kitchen. Often cooking is more fun because I don't have to follow a recipe quite as exactly. However, I recently obtained a muffin tin, something I had been yearning for, and I decided I should start testing it out. My Jalapeno cornbread muffin recipe is fun and tasty! I found it on a blog, "Bake with Love and Butter." I was a little confused as I was making it though. The recipe didn't call for any milk. How odd is that? Oh well! The muffins turned out great. Here's the recipe:

1 jalapeno pepper diced
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 4.5 oz can of chopped green chiles
1 8.25 oz can of cream style corn
1 8.5oz box of corn muffin mix

Mix wet ingredients in a small bowl (egg, chilis, corn).
Add jalapenos and cheddar.
Empty corn muffin mix into a larger bowl and create a well in the center.
Pour wet mix into the well and fold in dry mix.
Stir until blended well.
Pour mixture into greased muffin tins.
Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes.

Recipe review: Zucchini couscous

      Recently for a party I decided to bring my favorite recipe of my creation. I used a recipe for Italian Zucchini as a starting point and then I added other savory ingredients until I created my Zucchini Couscous. It makes a delicious main dish or side dish, and the left overs are great. Since I started with a recipe and added my own ingredients I've never written down any sort of instructions. So here goes!

1 cup diced onion
2 zucchinis sliced and quartered
1 cup vegetable broth (you can use any meaty variation if you'd like)
1 8.5 oz box of dry seasoned couscous (I prefer parmesan herb)
1/2 cup feta cheese

Heat olive oil over medium heat and lightly brown the onion. Add zucchini and cook until tender (about 10 minutes). Add broth and cook to a boil and then simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook couscous per directions on the box. Combine zucchini mix and couscous. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Mix in feta cheese while zucchini couscous is still warm.

Recipe review: Greek tuna burgers

     For my Greek Tuna Burgers I made significant changes to an old favorite recipe. I wanted to shake things up a bit, so I took an old recipe for Tuna Ranch Burgers and made them into a cultured treat. The original recipe is as follows:

Ingredients

2 pouches (2.6 oz) StarKist Tuna Creations®
½ cup bread crumbs, divided in half
½ cup finely shredded Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp. non-fat ranch salad dressing
2 Tbsp. egg
2 – 3 green onions, sliced

Directions

- Mix tuna, ¼ cup bread crumbs, cheese, dressing, egg, and onion in medium bowl. 

- Form into two large patties and coat each side of patties with remaining crumbs.

- Heat oil in non-stick skillet over medium heat. Cook patties 3 to 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.

Variations

I used my own tzatziki sauce (recipe follows) instead of ranch dressing and I used feta cheese instead of cheddar cheese. This added a bold, unique flavor to the tuna burgers. I paired the Greek Burgers with my Zucchini Couscous recipe. This flavor combination was a great hit and I was told that I must recreate this masterpiece in the future. 

One note, using a George Foreman type grill to cook the patties is not a preferred method. My stove top burners were occupied (in the dishwasher), so I hauled out my grill, but I was not able to cook the burgers to a golden color and they fell apart upon taking them off. 

Tzatziki Recipe

1 (8 oz) container plain yogurt

1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and diced

1 Tbs olive oil

1/4 lemon, juiced

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 Tbs chopped fresh dill

2 cloves garlic, peeled

In a food processor or blender, combine yogurt, cucumber, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, pepper, dill and garlic. Process until well-combined. Transfer to a separate dish, cover and refrigerate for at least one hour for best flavor.

This will make more than enough tzatziki sauce for this recipe, so load up on the veggies and use the rest for a dip!

A letter to my large neighbor

BTW, this letter was never sent. I am not mean. Some of my writing is just a means of venting.

Dear tenant in 3C,

I’m not sure if you’re aware, but every time you move the floor creeks and I fear you will fall through my ceiling into my apartment. I know this apartment building is old and floors will make settling noises, however the noises I hear coming from above are not settling noises. They are the noises of a support beam being tested in a very severe fashion.

Seriously, what do you do up there? I’m guessing you are not a slight flower, and then likely not exercising. You do dart around pretty quickly. Do you make those fast, heavy movements when you need another sugary beverage? Perhaps it is when you need to go to the bathroom because you've had too many sugary beverages. Nonetheless, your footsteps are very heavy. You’re likely not doing it on purpose (I’m not sure I could make that much noise walking around even if I tried) so I can’t just get a broom and start banging on my ceiling for you to stop. Although I have never met you, you are quite possibly obese. I can’t ask you to stop moving. I’m not going to request you become lazier and continue to sit around accumulating inches around your waistline.

You must be enjoying a few days off from work because I now hear you more frequently. Usually, you only bother me in the early morning when I’m trying to sleep or late at night when I’m trying to get some shut-eye. Your timing is poor and I take that to mean you are a very busy person who works long hours. I say work, but that is an assumption. It could be that you’re just gone from your apartment for a long time, or that the times we’re home do not typically match up.

In summation, you bother me. I fear for the structural integrity of our building. I wonder if you can hear yourself. Are you bothered by the impact of your size? Or have you become so used to your girth that you do not notice? You make me wonder if the person below my apartment can hear me as well. However, I find it hard to believe that I would not be able to hear the noises my feet would make, just as you can hear the sound of your feet impacting the floor. Please request to be moved to a first floor unit where you won’t bother and scare other residents.

Sincerely,

Your neighbor

Recipe review: Turkey meatloaf Florentine

This recipe is a nice variation on the traditional meatloaf. It is healthier too with turkey and spinach instead of ground beef. It uses Italian sauce instead of ketchup for an added flavorful kick. This dish from the Campbell's Kitchen was an immediate hit, so keep them coming please!

Ingredients

1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1 cup Italian sauce
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
2 eggs, beaten
2 Tbs grated Parmesan cheese 
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawedandwell drained
3/4 cup shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese

Directions

- Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease 8-inch loaf pan

- Thoroughly mix the turkey, 1/4 cup sauce, bread crumbs, onion, eggs, Parmesan cheese and fennel in a large bowl.

- Press half the turkey mix into the pan. Press a 1-inch indentation down the center of the mixture.

- Stir the spinach and mozzarella cheese in a medium bowl. Spoon the spinach mixture over the filling, pressing the edges to seal.

-  Bake for 45 minutes. Spoon the remaining sauce over the meatloaf.

- Bake for 15 minutes or until the meatloaf is cooked through. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing.

Modifications and notes

I have a weird thing with cooked spinach, so I threw the spinach mixture into a food processor to grind it up well. I also threw in some leftover red pepper so I could get it out of my fridge. 

I will have to come up with a better way to get the loaf out of the pan because it split mid removal. It looked a little messy, but the end result was delicious!

Movie review: Now You See Me

Directed by: Louis Leterrier

Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Isla Fisher


Rating: B-

This movie is filled with excitement, slight of hand, and mind tricks. It is engaging and compelling as the viewer follows along a mysterious plot. The main characters are supposedly the bad guys. The good guys are the police who are trying to track them down. Then, of course, there's the antagonist who is played by a third type of character, Morgan Freeman. Freeman's character is seen as something of an expert with inside information on what's happening, what will happen, and what should happen. These categories all shift by the time the movie is over.

There were some interesting reviews of this movie. The most notable critique was that the storyline fell apart in the end. To that complaint I want to point out that a movie isn't sub-par and doesn't fall apart just because you don't like how it ends. Admittedly, the movie has a twist at the end that may seem a bit jarring because it is so unexpected. The twist even breaks the momentum of the storyline, but something has to, right? For a movie to end there needs to be a climax and a resolution. This twist may shatter a magical fantasy by some viewers that there is some greater hand involved in the actions of the Four Horsemen. However, sometimes things that are larger than comprehension begin as small ideas by normal, small people.

Movie review: World War Z

Directed by: Marc Foster

Starring: Brad Pitt, Mireille Enos

Rating: A-

This movie is worthy of being placed in the summer blockbuster category. It has everything one could want in an action film without sacrificing quality or subjecting the audience to gore. The move is incredibly suspenseful, smart, and mostly logical. There are clumsy characters that do the unthinkable, make a noise that attracts the zombies. As a viewer, you just want to slap your forehead, we can all relate. There is action, sentiment, and a call to duty. The main character manages to string together many ideas and facts to formulate a hypothesis on how to stop the zombies from attacking healthy humans. By the middle of the movie, we are not just rooting for him, but for his cause because he is the last hope. In the end, he is our humble hero, who just wants to make it back to his family and to make the world safe so no one else ever has to lose a loved one. In hindsight, there are some scenes that seem implausible. However, a willing suspension of disbelief during the film is stronger, as this is a highly entertaining movie.

I often wonder during movies like this how much I would be able to run, fight, and struggle during a zombie invasion. I am not necessarily equipped to be an action hero, although I do play one in my dreams. I may get tired out from the effort and just play opossum, hoping I am just passed over by the undead. Or even better, I may just stick around an area crowded with humans and act like a zombie. Being in close proximity with other breathing entities would lead the zombies to confuse my fresh blood smell with that of the others around me. Whatever the case, I think some trickery on my part is in order. I will continue to formulate a plan because as we all know, a zombie apocalypse is highly likely!

Recipe review: Apple chips

I have dreadful food issues that prevent me from eating some very tasty dishes. One such issue is my apple allergy, but I generally don't let it keep me from the sweet, juicy goodness. I have tried many different ways to eat apples so my lips won't itch and swell. In a time pinch I just slice them and try to keep the membrane from my lips. When I have a little more time and planning done I make apple chips. Baked apples do not trigger my allergies!

 You'll just need apples and cinnamon. I like to bake mine on an ovenproof wire rack, so I don't need to worry about flipping all of the slices half way through.

Here's what you do:
- Preheat the oven to 275 degrees
- Remove the apple core and slice the apples as thin as you desire (thinner slices are more crisp)
- Place the slices on the rack or on your parchment paper lined cookie sheet
- Sprinkle with cinnamon
- Bake for two hours

This is a great nutritious snack that is easily portable. I just stick them in a baggie or tupperware and go. They're delicious!

What's left in sports?

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All interesting professional sporting events are coming to a close for the season. What’s left? The Heat won the NBA playoffs. Chicago and Boston are duking it out in the Stanley Cup playoffs, and their series will wrap up soon. I find myself wishing it were football season already. Seriously, there will be a two-month lull. Sure, there’s baseball, and I will pay attention to the Major Leagues when October rolls around. Until that time there are just too many games to care about. I do like to attend games, but aside from those few opportunities, baseball is a wash for the summer. There’s the WNBA, which is interesting to watch but not necessarily follow with any sort of rabid fandom. I can take in a game or two, but that’s it (better and most tolerable if in person). Luckily, I won’t have long to wait for my favorite sporting season. Game action begins in late August. I am already delighted by the thought of tailgates, beer, crisp fall air, and touchdowns!

Recipe review: Baked rigatoni in a bechemel sauce

This is a delicious recipe I have made often. I get requests to make this dish usually around Christmas time; my family loves it! I made it this year for Valentines Day and was greeted with the same warm reviews.

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter (4 ounces)
1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk, at room temperature
Pinch fresh nutmeg
Sea salt and white pepper
1 cup grated fontina
1/2 pound thinly sliced prosciutto, julienned
1 pound dry rigatoni
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

• In a 2 quart saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until smooth, about 2 minutes. Always stirring, gradually add the milk and continue to whisk until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Simmer until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. This will take approximately 10 minutes. 

• Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg, 1/2 cup fontina, prosciutto and season with salt and white pepper. Set aside.

• In a large pot, bring to a boil 6 quarts of salted water and cook pasta. Time may vary, but the inside of the noodle should be slightly hard when done because it will get softer when baking.

• Return pasta to the pot and pour in bechamel sauce. Using a wooden spoon, mix well until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.

• Pour into a greased 13 by 9-inch baking dish and sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 cup fontina. Dot the top with diced butter.

• Bake in oven for 25 minutes or until bubbling and the top is golden brown.

Modifications: I got very excited while picking up the items for this dish at the super market. I wasn't able to immediately locate the rigatoni, but instead I found vegetable fortified pasta. So, I took a gamble on the bow ties with an orange hue. I also cut the recipe in half and there was enough food for two with some leftovers. Cutting the recipe down also made finding the correct size baking dish easier.

Celebrating the beginning of summer

The beginning of summer is a monumentous occasion that should be celebrated. I actually celebrate the beginning of winter as well, as I feel like the solstices are important milestones and even turning points in the year. So, today arrived and I decided I needed to start a new tradition, so I went to the pool. Actually, I had been planning to go to the pool and just worked it into the new celebration plan. The new plan will be to do something indulgent and relaxing every year for the beginning of summer. I laid in the sun for a bit this year. Maybe next year I’ll get a massage or a pedi. Only time will tell.