Movie Monday – Apollo 18, Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Apollo 18. Blech. Don’t bother. Just my opinion but I thought it was a total waste of time. I actually didn’t even stay focused on the film. Rather I was up, putting away the dinner leftovers, cleaning the kitchen, and watching with only half my attention. Just that much was painful. My lack of interest was partly due to the found footage film style again. As soon as it started out with found footage I physically felt my interest and enthusiasm for the movie drop. My bad for not taking a closer look at the description. I knew it was about going to the moon and I knew that Don wanted to see it so I was being agreeable. I’m thinking as I write this (last Wednesday) that I think he owes me a night of something like Crazy, Stupid, Love. (Even though the movie was a disappointment for him too. But it was his pick – my turn! lol) If the found footage film style doesn’t bother you or adds to the experience for you, then perhaps you might enjoy the movie. It’s just not for me.

Saturday, I got my wish! We watched Crazy, Stupid, Love. and it was fun, for me. Mostly. (Don talks way too much during chick flicks, maybe something to remember next time.) For those that don’t know, Crazy, Stupid, Love. is about a middle-age couple who have grown apart and are going through a divorce. A young, alpha male (as Don put it) approaches the husband at a bar and offers to help him re-discover his manhood, in order to either find a way to move on or rekindle things with the wife. I enjoyed it. I laughed my ass off at the surprises and shockers when the parallel stories collided. I was impressed that I didn’t see it coming. (Those of you who have seen it I’m sure know what I’m talking about and those that haven’t, well I don’t want to spoil it for you.) It was a fun, light, chick movie. Don was a good sport and tolerated it but felt that it was not very realistic and certainly not something he would have chosen to watch on his own. LOL  So ladies, if you haven’t seen it, I say check it out and have some fun.

The bags under your eyes looks like Hugh Hefner’s ball sack.
~ Jacob, Crazy, Stupid, Love.

Reading Corner – In the Company of the Courtesan

In the Company of the Courtesan, Sarah Dunant

Oh my, this book was fantastic! Definitely a top fave. Maybe even something I could read again someday. (I have yet to ever re-read anything.) I was hesitant when I first started reading; I’ve tried so many books lately that failed me and I have read Dunant before and wasn’t overly impressed. So I was uncertain when I started. But I quickly fell into the story with it’s rich descriptions of first, Rome, and then Venice, in the 1500′s. The action ebbs and flows, much like the water in the canals of Venice. It was a pleasure to be along for the ride. In the Company of the Courtesan, is decadent, delightful, suspenseful, seductive, tragic…all these and more. If you are a fan of historical fiction, strong female protagonists, the period of the 16th century, or the history of Venice, then I heartily recommend this novel to you. You won’t be disappointed.

The more you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.
~ Dr. Seuss, “I Can Read With My Eyes Shut!” 

Sweet Potato Chips

This were not hugely successful but they were still tasty so I thought I’d share this experiment with you.

I got the recipe from Juli over at paleOMG. I swear I’m not stalking her. I just subscribe to her blog and she posts a LOT of interesting recipes. This recipe for Sweet Potato Chips came out before the superbowl as a paleo food munchie option for game time. She had a lot of other great game day snacks if you want to pop over to her site and check them out.

For my attempt at the chips, I used one fairly large sweet potato I had hanging around. I sliced it up and laid the chips out on the cookie sheet as described. I had so much that I had to do two batches. The first I brushed with a healthy amount of coconut oil and sprinkled with salt.

I baked them as suggested for 10 minutes at 400 degrees, took the tray out and flipped the chips (that’s a tedious process) and then baked for another 5 minutes. They didn’t look quite done (although I wasn’t exactly sure what I was looking for to be “done”) so I left them in for another couple of minutes. I took them out and set them aside to cool and laid out the second batch. I noticed the baked batch seemed soggy so I went with a much lighter brushing of the coconut oil on the second batch. Then, those went in the oven for about 12 minutes before I flipped. Back in the oven for another 5 minutes. Again, they seemed soft so I kept checking them at 2-3 minute intervals and ended up leaving them in for 10+ more minutes waiting for the edges to curl and the chips to become chip-like. My signal that they had to come out was when two of the chips were actually starting to burn. So, I took them out and added them to my bowl.

The second batch definitely came out a little more crispy than the first which were so soggy I’m surprised any of us ate them. But they still tasted like sweet potatoes with a little salt which really it’s awful, it was just unfortunate that they didn’t come out more like a chip. Even my second batch were not crispy enough to have scooped any dip like those pictured on Juli’s post. I can only surmise that I used too much coconut oil, that perhaps they need to be cut thinner, or baked longer on both sides in my oven. I may try them again someday, I may not. If this looks tasty to you, give it a try and let me know how it goes in case you have better luck.

Food should be fun.
~ Thomas Keller