This 2013 Riesling at a cost of $9.99 was very good.
4/5 stars on the Linda Scale
The following notes are short and tend to be quickly taken after a quick sampling in the evening.
Overall Dr. Heidemanns-Bergweiler is a very good Riesling. It has nice apple tones to it. The taste is quite rich. It smells good, very pleasant.
This is an easy wine to drink. I would be willing to serve this to guests.
Alfie, 2005
Jude Law plays Alfie an English man living in America and loving as many women as possible. It is all about relationships and recklessness.
This movie is utterly disappointing every time I watch it. A movie about a man and his multiple relationships and nothing about it is remotely sexy. The climax comes late in the end and falls a bit short, just like the rest of the film.
If you like Jude Law I guess check it out. If you want a great film you can skip this one.
3.5/5 and the extra .5 is only because of the cast. The story leaves a lot to be desired, like emotion.
If you are interested check out more on this film at IMDB.
Spaghetti Casserole – almost like mom’s
Whenever I made mom’s spaghetti casserole it just did not get the praise that hers does, so I made a few modifications.
Gather the following ingredients:
New York Strip – 3/4 lb. or more
2 tbsp. Olive Oil
Spaghetti
Marinara Sauce
Can of Artichoke Hearts
Shredded Mozzarella 2 cups
Large frying pan
Large pot
Large glass pan
Slice the New York Strip into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat the Olive Oil in the frying pan. Sear the outside of the steak to seal in the flavor, maybe 5 minutes on medium heat.
– The meat should not be cooked through. It will finish cooking in the oven.
Fill the large pot with water and heat on medium high until it boils. Take a large handful of spaghetti and break it over the sink. Add to the pot and cook as directed.
– I bite one of the noodles to check to see if it is done. It should be the same color all the way through and not taste pasty.
Drain the spaghetti and add the cooked noodles to the bottom of the glass pan.
Pour 1/3 of the marinara sauce over the noodles and stir. You just want to color the noodles slightly.
Drain the artichoke hearts and pour them over the noodles evenly.
Spread the cubes of steak over the top of the noodles evenly.
Cover all with the rest of the marinara sauce. Spread the sauce as evenly as possible.
Sprinkle the mozzarella over the top.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cook for 30 minutes. The cheese should melt and turn slightly golden.
I like to sprinkle garlic salt over the top before eating if I do not have garlic bread or French bread to eat with it. This dish is very good the next day.
Proof, 2005
This is a fine performance by Gwyneth Paltrow. Anthony Hopkins and Jake Gyllenhaal do their parts, but Gwyneth really nails this roll.
Gwyneth Paltrow plays Cathrine who just lost her father and needs to face her owns demons. There are lots of flash backs and you need to pay attention.
This is an intellectual movie centered around a math proof, but in reality it is a lot more. This is a drama so it can be slow at times. There are also math jokes.
4/5 for this one. Overall this is a well directed movie, the story is interesting, the acting is good, it isn’t great, but it is better than average. Keep in mind it is a drama.
If you want to know more check out the information at IMDB.
Girl, Interrupted 1999, staring Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie
Excellent Film, highly suggested.
Susanna (Winona Ryder) checks into a mental hospital for a little rest, a break from life. She gets swept up by the charismatic Lisa (Angelina Jolie). Angelina plays crazy well.
This film has a great cast, not only Winona and Angelina, but Whoopi Goldberg and a few other gems. You get to see a full array of crazy. You also get to watch a young woman literally choose between crazy and insane. Which way will she go?
5/5 on this film. Girl, Interrupted is well directed with excellent acting. The storyline flows nicely. You find yourself swept up in it. You get a dash of history. I highly suggest watching this film for anyone over 13.
Want to know more? Check out IMBD.
Doritos, Peppers, and Cheese
Having a party, or just a after school or work snack and you need this little treat.
Gather the following ingredients:
Doritos
Cheddar Cheese
Hot Peppers
Cookie sheet
Arrange the Doritos upon the cookie sheet without too much overlapping.
Sprinkle the Cheddar Cheese over the top.
Spoon hot peppers over the top as desired.
– I got mine at Pot Belly, but they sell jars of peppers, cauliflower, carrots, etc. at the grocers as well. You can also use jalapenos.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Cook the chips for 3-4 minutes until the cheese melts. Any longer and the chips will burn.
Three items for a full breakfast: Hash browns, scrambled eggs, and bacon.
Gather the following ingredients:
Bacon
Fresh hash browns (not frozen)
Eggs
Milk
Toppings:
Ketchup
Cayenne pepper
Cheddar cheese
1-2 frying pans, medium or large depending on how much you make
Fry the bacon over a medium heat for about 10 minutes or until cooked. Remove the bacon from the pan and place in a bowl for later. I used a medium pan to cook half the bacon as I needed the other half for a Basque Chicken Stew recipe.
Use that huge spoon that comes with your silverware and seems to have no purpose to spoon out most of the bacon grease into a container for later. Leave a few tablespoons worth in the pan.
I only cook half of the hash browns so the medium sized pan works well. Add the potatoes and cook them for 6 minutes on a slightly over medium heat. Spoon some of the bacon grease over the top near the 2 minutes to go mark. Do not stir the hash browns or check them during the first 6 minutes. Turn them and cook an additional 5 minutes. Start the eggs after you flip the hash browns and set the timer.
Crack eggs into a bowl. Crack the egg on the table or edge of the bowl and carefully pull apart the shell. Make sure none of the shell gets into the bowl. Add fresh ground pepper.
Add a dash of milk and mix with a fork.
Spoon about 2 tbsp. bacon grease into a second pan. Heat the pan over a medium-low heat and then add the eggs.
Stir the eggs occasionally to make sure they do not burn. This will also break them up.
Place the bacon, eggs, and hash browns on a plate and serve.
I like ketchup on my hash browns. I also like a little cayenne pepper on my eggs. You can also add cheddar cheese by removing the pan from the heat, sprinkling the cheese over the top, and covering the pan with a lid so it can melt on its own.
*If you do not have bacon you can use butter instead of bacon grease. The hash browns will be crisper with the butter. Melt 1/4 stick in the pan for the hash browns, place another 1/4 stick on the top of the cooking hash browns so it melt onto the second side. Use 1 tab of butter for the eggs.
Basque Chicken Stew is one of my favorite stews. It is very light.
Gather the following ingredients:
1 red pepper
1 green pepper
1 lb. tomatoes
1 lb. Yukon potatoes
1/2 lb. of bacon
3-6 chicken breasts
3 tbsp. garlic
2-3 fresh parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 celery stalk cut into 3 or 4 pieces
salt
fresh ground pepper
cayenne pepper
1 1/2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup chicken broth (you can use stock)
Large frying pan
Large stew pot with lid
Cooking string
Cut the red pepper and green pepper into 1/2 inch slices and then cut them in half. Deseed the tomato and chop it up. Peel the potatoes and cut them into halves or quarters.
– I chop the tomatoes into large pieces.
Cut the bacon into 1/2 inch wide pieces. Separate the chunks and place them into a large frying pan.
Cut the chicken breasts into 1/2 or 1/3 pieces.
Heat the bacon on a medium high heat for 10 minutes. Transfer the cooked bacon with a slotted spoon into a large stew pot. Add the 3 tbsp. of garlic to the stew pot. Add all of the vegetables to the stew pot.
– Keep the bacon grease in the frying pan.
Add the chicken pieces to the frying pan. Cook on a medium heat for 5-6 minutes per side to brown the outside. Transfer the browned chicken into the pot.
– Do not drop the chicken into the bacon. If it splashes it will burn you.
– I use tongs to turn the pieces at 5 minutes and transfer them into the pot. It will cook in the pot.
While the chicken is cooking tie the parsley, thyme, and bay leaf onto the celery.
– I also like to measure out the wine, chicken broth, and flour.
Once the chicken is removed spoon out all of the grease in the frying pan until you have about 1 tbsp. of fat left in the pan, a light coating. Add the flour and cook on a medium heat blending the flour and bacon fat. Stir constantly for 1 minute. Add the wine and the chicken broth and continue to stir for another 2-3 minutes. It should thicken. Drizzle the mixture over the chicken.
Add salt, fresh pepper, and cayenne pepper for taste to the pot. Put the tied celery stocks on top.
Cover the stew pot and turn on the heat to simmer (2). Cook for 25 minutes.
Remove the tied celery and keep to the side. Stir the pot. Replace the tied celery and cook for another 25 minutes.
Discard the tied celery and serve.
Biscuits and gravy can taste good at breakfast or at dinner. I prefer them later in the day myself.
Gather the following ingredients:
Grands Biscuits, frozen or in the tube. Buttermilk is the best if you can stomach them, personally I can’t
Meat department sausage, preferably
McCormick Sausage Flavor Country Gravy mix
Medium sized pot
Frying pan
Pizza pan
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees or whatever the package states.
Brown the sausage and try to get it into the smallest chucks possible. Cook it until the pink is gone and then cook it another four minutes. This is pork, you want to make sure it is really done.
Start to heat up two cups of water and add the gravy mix. Wisk the mixture and when it boils cook it for another minute.
Transfer as much of the sausage as you want into the gravy mix.
When you pull out the biscuits they should be a golden brown. Get them off unstuck from the pan as soon as you can or you will lose the bottoms.
Spoon the sausage and gravy mixture over the biscuit and serve.
Turkey Pot Pie – an all in one main course
A great use of that extra Thanksgiving turkey.
Gather the following ingredients:
Frozen turkey from Thanksgiving (I am pretty sure that is the only way to get turkey)
2 packets of turkey gravy
Stove Top Stuffing
Extra Sweet Nibblets (Corn)
Any other vegetable of your choice
1/2 stick of butter
Pie Crust
Medium pot with lid
Medium pot
Pie pan
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Remove the turkey leftovers from the freezer and allow them to thaw for about a day in the fridge.
Cook the Stove Top Stuffing according to the packet. Cook it on the stove rather than the microwave. It takes almost as long and actually taste better.
Set the stuffing aside while you prepare the gravy.
Prepare the 2 packets of turkey gravy on the stove according to the packet.
When it is bubbly gravy turn off the heat.
Add the turkey. Mix well.
Add in some of the corn (drain), not too much. Maybe half a can. Add any other vegetables that you want. I like to add a chopped up boiled potato. Use the mashed potato recipe and stop at 30 minutes no matter how done, a little underdone is preferable. Add some of the stuffing. Not a lot, just around a 5th of what you made.
Place one of the pie crusts in the pie pan and poor the mixture into the pie. If you add too much to the pie it will overflow. Take some out if it is heaping over the top.
Cover the pie with the second crust. Fold the crust under to hide the edges. Pinch the side all the way around to seal it and make the cool pie crust edges.
Place foil over the edges. Do two opposing sides and then the last two sides. Remove the foil carefully. You will need to put it back on once you cook it 15 minutes and you do not want to be forming the foil while the pan hot.
Use a knife or fork to poke holes in the pie crust. If you don’t it will crack on its own and boil over.
Cook the pie 15 minutes. Pull it out and place the foil back over the crust. This is to protect the edge of the crust from burning. Carefully return the pie to the oven and cook another 30 minutes. Pull the pie out. Let it cool down 5-10 minutes and serve.
