LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE.
When 7 year old Olive Hoover (Abigail Breslin) gets a chance to be in the Little Miss Sunshine Beauty Pagaent. The only way that Olive can participate is for the whole dysfunctional family, including Olive's mother Sheryl Hoover (Toni Collette) and her brother, Frank (Steve Carrell) who has been released from a mental asylum, her father, (Alan Arkin), who has been kicked out of his retirement village for drug use, Dwayne (Paul Dano) who has taken a vow of silence and Olive's father who is a failed self help guru, to jump into the families old Volkswagen Kombi. Along the way the family has many adventures like the van breaking down and needing to be pushed to start everytime.
This was quite an enjoyable movie and I do think that it is worth seeing for a laugh. The thing that I enjoyed the most about this movie is that it showed that no matter how badly a family might get along, they can band together so to support each othe no matter what the circumstances.
Monday, 25 April 2011
Friday, 22 April 2011
Food on Friday.
Well I was thinking about the time of year, but I don't have a Hot Cross Bun recipe, so considering that Monday is the 25 April, today's recipe is:
NUTTY ANZAC BISCUITS.
Makes 30-40
1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 tbsp golden syrup
125 g butter
1 tspn bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsn boiling water
Mix the flour, oats, sugar, coconut and peanuts together. Melt the syrup and butter over a gentle heat. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water, stir in the syrup mixture, and pour over the dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed.
Put heaped teaspoons of the mixture about 5 cm apart to allow for spreading, on greased oven trays. Bake in a moderately slow oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on the trays a few minutes then lift off with a spatula.
NUTTY ANZAC BISCUITS.
Makes 30-40
1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
2 tbsp golden syrup
125 g butter
1 tspn bicarbonate of soda
3 tbsn boiling water
Mix the flour, oats, sugar, coconut and peanuts together. Melt the syrup and butter over a gentle heat. Dissolve the bicarbonate of soda in the boiling water, stir in the syrup mixture, and pour over the dry ingredients, stirring until well mixed.
Put heaped teaspoons of the mixture about 5 cm apart to allow for spreading, on greased oven trays. Bake in a moderately slow oven for about 20 minutes. Remove from oven and leave on the trays a few minutes then lift off with a spatula.
Monday, 18 April 2011
Monday Movies
MY SISTERS KEEPER
Eleven-year-old Anna (Abigail Breslin) seeks out successful lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin) to get medical emancipation from her mother Sara (Cameron Diaz) who wants her to donate her kidney to her sister. Anna explains to the lawyer that she was concieved by in vitro fertilisation to provide donor organs for her sister Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Anna tells the lawyer about the procedures she has been forced to undergo since she was 5 years old to help her sister. Alexander agrees to take on the case pro bono and Sara takes Anna to court to force her to donate to her sister.
This is an amazing movie and very powerful, I would really reccomend this for everyone to see. However keep a box of tissues near you cause it is a real tear jerker.
Eleven-year-old Anna (Abigail Breslin) seeks out successful lawyer Campbell Alexander (Alec Baldwin) to get medical emancipation from her mother Sara (Cameron Diaz) who wants her to donate her kidney to her sister. Anna explains to the lawyer that she was concieved by in vitro fertilisation to provide donor organs for her sister Kate (Sofia Vassilieva) when she was diagnosed with leukemia. Anna tells the lawyer about the procedures she has been forced to undergo since she was 5 years old to help her sister. Alexander agrees to take on the case pro bono and Sara takes Anna to court to force her to donate to her sister.
This is an amazing movie and very powerful, I would really reccomend this for everyone to see. However keep a box of tissues near you cause it is a real tear jerker.
Friday, 15 April 2011
Food on Fridays.
BEEF WITH CAPSICUMS (PEPPERS)
Serves 4
100 g butter
170 g red capsicums, seeded and chopped
90 g flaked almonds
3 onions peeled and chopped
10 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
grated rind 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
500 ml buttermilk
4 slices of rumpsteak
3 tbsp oil
Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the chopped capsicums, almonds two thirds of the onion and all the garlic and lemon rind. Season with salt and pepper and add the buttermilk. Cook over a low heat until a thick sauce is obtained.
Cut the rump steak into thin strips. Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the beef and remaining onion, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add to the sauce and heat through without cooking. Serve with a lettuce or tomato salad and creamed potatoes.
Serves 4
100 g butter
170 g red capsicums, seeded and chopped
90 g flaked almonds
3 onions peeled and chopped
10 cloves garlic peeled and thinly sliced
grated rind 1/2 lemon
salt and pepper
500 ml buttermilk
4 slices of rumpsteak
3 tbsp oil
Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the chopped capsicums, almonds two thirds of the onion and all the garlic and lemon rind. Season with salt and pepper and add the buttermilk. Cook over a low heat until a thick sauce is obtained.
Cut the rump steak into thin strips. Heat the oil in a frying pan and saute the beef and remaining onion, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Add to the sauce and heat through without cooking. Serve with a lettuce or tomato salad and creamed potatoes.
Wednesday, 13 April 2011
Happy Birthday
So yesterday was my birthday, I had a great day. I had a picnic in a little nearby park to celebrate. Just my siblings and their families came but it was good to see them, especially Ben and Radz, as I don't see them that often. My Brother who is in Chile didn't come, but he did ring me in the morning, so that was good to hear from him too.
There were some funny things that happened, like Jon was cooking some rissoles on the barbie, and he broke the slide thing, and he blamed Tim (who is in Chile), when Amy, Jon's wife came he told her that Tim had done it, and she took about half an hour to realise that he couldn't possibly have done it.
There were some funny things that happened, like Jon was cooking some rissoles on the barbie, and he broke the slide thing, and he blamed Tim (who is in Chile), when Amy, Jon's wife came he told her that Tim had done it, and she took about half an hour to realise that he couldn't possibly have done it.
Monday, 11 April 2011
Monday Movies
CORALINE.
An animated movie in which, Coraline (Dakota Fanning) and her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) move to an old house. Coraline feels neglected by her parents and finds a hidden door which she goes through. The door leads to another world where she finds parents who care for her and all her dreams come true, however everyone in the new world has button eyes. The Other Mother offers Coraline the chance to stay in the other world for ever, but she refuses and discovers that the other world is a trap to lure her away.
I actually found this movie a little scary. That doesn't mean that you will but I would not recommend that you watch it, especially if you are like me.
An animated movie in which, Coraline (Dakota Fanning) and her parents (Teri Hatcher and John Hodgman) move to an old house. Coraline feels neglected by her parents and finds a hidden door which she goes through. The door leads to another world where she finds parents who care for her and all her dreams come true, however everyone in the new world has button eyes. The Other Mother offers Coraline the chance to stay in the other world for ever, but she refuses and discovers that the other world is a trap to lure her away.
I actually found this movie a little scary. That doesn't mean that you will but I would not recommend that you watch it, especially if you are like me.
Friday, 8 April 2011
Food on Friday
TRADITIONAL SPAGHETTI SAUCE
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped fresch rosemary
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
6 mushrooms finely chopped
5 skinned chicken giblets finely chopped (optional)
1/2 skinned cacciatore salami , finely choppped (optional)
500 gm rump, round or topside steak finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 g can diced tomatoes
pinch mixed spice
salt and pepper to taste
Heat most of the oil or butter (reserve 2 teaspoons) in a frying pan - preferably not a nonstick pan because you won't get a good browning on the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and basil. Cook on low until the onion is soft and clear abd the bottom of the pan is slightly brown, but take care not to burn.
Meanwhile, soften the mushrooms in the the reserved oil in a seperate frying pan, then set aside.
Add the chicken giblets and salami (if using) and cook until brown. Add the steak, cook until brown. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, spices and mushrooms.
Add just enough boiling water to cover the mixture (about 2 cups/500ml), then partially cover the frying pan. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nearly all the water is evaporated.
Serve over spaghetti cooked al dente, with a good sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, crushed
1 heaped tablespoon finely chopped fresch rosemary
3 or 4 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped (optional)
6 mushrooms finely chopped
5 skinned chicken giblets finely chopped (optional)
1/2 skinned cacciatore salami , finely choppped (optional)
500 gm rump, round or topside steak finely chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste
400 g can diced tomatoes
pinch mixed spice
salt and pepper to taste
Heat most of the oil or butter (reserve 2 teaspoons) in a frying pan - preferably not a nonstick pan because you won't get a good browning on the bottom of the pan. Add the onion, garlic, rosemary and basil. Cook on low until the onion is soft and clear abd the bottom of the pan is slightly brown, but take care not to burn.
Meanwhile, soften the mushrooms in the the reserved oil in a seperate frying pan, then set aside.
Add the chicken giblets and salami (if using) and cook until brown. Add the steak, cook until brown. Stir in the tomato paste, tomatoes, spices and mushrooms.
Add just enough boiling water to cover the mixture (about 2 cups/500ml), then partially cover the frying pan. Cook on low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until nearly all the water is evaporated.
Serve over spaghetti cooked al dente, with a good sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese.
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Heaven
So I read this post and it made me think of the following song by Tobymac. I know the sentiments are completely different but it got me thinking. We do not think about heaven as much as we should and it will be good to find people they we have lost contact with in heaven, but we also need to think about what kind of example we are setting to our friends who don't know God and the state of their spiritual life.
"In The Air"
I had a dream last night about the other side
And I must confess that it was quite the ride
I had a dream last night and the fact that you weren't there
Gave me quite the scare
People were afloat all around me
Yet their weightless state never seemed to astound me
Everything was grand till I noticed one thing
That you, my friend, weren't on the scene
There in the air
I've been workin' all morning trying to spin my dream
Cause I just can't believe you weren't in my dream
Remember you and I said we would paint the sky
And the leaves on the trees and the stars at night
We made beats and we even wrote rhymes
And played golf, I think, a million times
Now we never got around to spiritual matters
But we sure made time for our mindless chatter
[CHORUS]
I wanna see you there
In the the air
One day we'll be singin' (Hallelujah)
I wanna see you there
In the the air
One day we'll be singin' (Hallelujah)
Hello, wassup (wassup), how ya doin' (just fine)
I was sorta wonderin', could we make the time
(Just kick it) why not (at our usual spot)
Latte's in May, mine cold, yours hot
(So where we goin') much deeper than our usual chat
(Like who's beats is weak and who's beats is phat)
Nah, my man, this some next level junk
(Like when we discussed if Tiger Woods could dunk)
Just meet me there, seven o'clock, rain or shine
With a fat cup of bean and a wide open mind
"In The Air"
I had a dream last night about the other side
And I must confess that it was quite the ride
I had a dream last night and the fact that you weren't there
Gave me quite the scare
People were afloat all around me
Yet their weightless state never seemed to astound me
Everything was grand till I noticed one thing
That you, my friend, weren't on the scene
There in the air
I've been workin' all morning trying to spin my dream
Cause I just can't believe you weren't in my dream
Remember you and I said we would paint the sky
And the leaves on the trees and the stars at night
We made beats and we even wrote rhymes
And played golf, I think, a million times
Now we never got around to spiritual matters
But we sure made time for our mindless chatter
[CHORUS]
I wanna see you there
In the the air
One day we'll be singin' (Hallelujah)
I wanna see you there
In the the air
One day we'll be singin' (Hallelujah)
Hello, wassup (wassup), how ya doin' (just fine)
I was sorta wonderin', could we make the time
(Just kick it) why not (at our usual spot)
Latte's in May, mine cold, yours hot
(So where we goin') much deeper than our usual chat
(Like who's beats is weak and who's beats is phat)
Nah, my man, this some next level junk
(Like when we discussed if Tiger Woods could dunk)
Just meet me there, seven o'clock, rain or shine
With a fat cup of bean and a wide open mind
Monday, 4 April 2011
Monday Movies.
THE YOUNG VICTORIA.
Victoria's (Emily Blunt) mother and her consort, Conroy have tried to dominate her life since childhood, however as a teenager she refuses to let them act as her regent in the last days of her uncle William IV's rule. Her German cousin Albert (Ruper Friend) is encouraged to court her for political reasons, but after her succession to the throne, at age 18, he finds himself falling for her, but does not approve of her reliance on premier Melbourne (Paul Bettany). Victoria is impressed by Albert's philanthropy as she wants to help her subjects. But her loyalty to Melbourne who is a self-seeker, almost causes a crisis of the constitution. Albert is the one who the helps Victoria get back her self-conficence. Victoria proposes to Albert and they marry. He proves that he is not only a devoted husband, who even takes a bullet for his wife, but also an agent of reform.
I really enjoyed this movie, and I would reccomend it to everyone, especially people interested in the History of the UK and the Royal Family.
Victoria's (Emily Blunt) mother and her consort, Conroy have tried to dominate her life since childhood, however as a teenager she refuses to let them act as her regent in the last days of her uncle William IV's rule. Her German cousin Albert (Ruper Friend) is encouraged to court her for political reasons, but after her succession to the throne, at age 18, he finds himself falling for her, but does not approve of her reliance on premier Melbourne (Paul Bettany). Victoria is impressed by Albert's philanthropy as she wants to help her subjects. But her loyalty to Melbourne who is a self-seeker, almost causes a crisis of the constitution. Albert is the one who the helps Victoria get back her self-conficence. Victoria proposes to Albert and they marry. He proves that he is not only a devoted husband, who even takes a bullet for his wife, but also an agent of reform.
I really enjoyed this movie, and I would reccomend it to everyone, especially people interested in the History of the UK and the Royal Family.
Friday, 1 April 2011
Food on Fridays
CHICKEN PEPPERONATA
Serves 4
8 skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove crushed
1 each large red yellow and green capsicums, sliced thinly
400 g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
fresh oregano leaves to garnish
1. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and toss in the flour.
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2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add chicken and fry until browned. Remove from the pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Add the garlic, capsicums, tomatoes and oregano. Bring to the boil stirring.
3. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper, then cover the pan tightly and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
4. Season to taste then transfer the chicken to a large serving dish, garnish with oregano leaves and serve.
Serves 4
8 skinless chicken thighs
2 tbsp wholemeal flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, sliced thinly
1 garlic clove crushed
1 each large red yellow and green capsicums, sliced thinly
400 g can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp chopped fresh oregano
salt and pepper
fresh oregano leaves to garnish
1. Remove the skin from the chicken thighs and toss in the flour.
re
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Add chicken and fry until browned. Remove from the pan. Add the onion and fry until soft. Add the garlic, capsicums, tomatoes and oregano. Bring to the boil stirring.
3. Arrange the chicken over the vegetables. Season well with salt and pepper, then cover the pan tightly and simmer for 20 - 25 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and the juices run clear when a skewer is inserted into the thickest part of the meat.
4. Season to taste then transfer the chicken to a large serving dish, garnish with oregano leaves and serve.
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