Julie & Julia Movie

I just a trailer for a movie that I can't wait to see. It is about Julia Child and a girl, Julie, that decides to cook all the recipes from Julia's cookbook in one year and blog about it. It is based on a true story of which I'm super jealous of. Julie is a Texan too! Anyways the movie has Meryl Streep and Amy Adams which I both love.

Here is a link to Julie's Blog: http://blogs.salon.com/0001399/

Release Date Aug 7th



On another note I have decided to take my own advice and start using Tastebook again. I have split my recipes in two books. The first one is a collection of 60 recipes from my Texas Tech days and the second one is going to be for the Newlywed days. I have been using a binder for my recipes but they just get so messy in there. So, I worked a lot on that this weekend.

This week's new trial is homemade ranch dressing. Matt loves ranch at restaurants but not from the store. So, I'm going to take a stab at it.

More Movie Theme Ideas

I was surfing the web and came across this article on The Nest. It has some great ideas on pairing up movies with a meal. Here are some of my favorites:

Kill Bill: Vol. 1 and 2

Quentin Tarantino’s gruesome tale of a once-pregnant bride avenging the deaths of her fiance and friends doesn’t exactly lend itself to eating. But if one had to pair a meal with this movie, we recommend a Japanese-style tuna dish -- since a large portion of the film occurs in Tokyo (feel free to wield your knives like a ninja or dine wearing masks) -- and a nice blood orange martini as an homage to the film’s gore.

· Blood Orange Martini
· Pan-Seared Ahi Tuna With Wasabi Cream Sauce

Mr. & Mrs. Smith

The passive-aggressive dinner took on a whole new meaning when John and Jane Smith dine for the first time after becoming aware of each other’s profession. Both are on high alert, with John suspecting Jane slipped something deadly in his martini and poisoned the roast, and Jane wielding a carving knife like a professional. And who can forget the favorite “Did you do something different?”/“I added peas”/“Ah, peas” exchange? Dine like the Smiths, but leave the passive-aggression to Brad and Angelina.

· Roast Beef

Wedding Crashers

One of The Nest editors’ favorite movies, this one’s a no-brainer. Quoth crazy touch football player guy: “Crab cakes and football. That’s what Maryland does!” Make some crab-and-corn chowder and accompany it with a nice baba ghanoush and pitas. Why the odd combination, you ask? Owen Wilson’s character, John, lovingly refers to Jeremy (Vince Vaughn) as “baba ghanoush” throughout the film.

· Crab-and-Corn Chowder
· Baba Ghanoush
· Champagne

Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle

Ah, the touching tale of two friends on a daring adventure to score drugs and dine at a fast food establishment shaped like a castle. It’s almost straight out of Hans Christian Andersen! Or, you know, not at all. Either way, dine like Harold and Kumar on sliders (duh), fries, and a huge fountain soda (Mountain Dew is their beverage of choice in the movie). The best part is that you already have the recipes, so there’s no need to wander through New Jersey all night to eat what you desire.

· Sliders
· Fries

The Godfather (Parts I & II)

Time for some of our Italian favorites thanks to Francis Ford Coppola’s mafia epic. But leave the gun; eat a cannoli.

· Minestrone
· Veal Scallops in Cream Sauce
· Spaghetti
· Pick up some cannolis and red wine on your way home.

Movie Theme Night

Make you movie night extra special with a theme. For example, for a night with Finding Nemo you can make Fish Tacos. Just buy some fish sticks, heat them up and stuff them in a shell. Try to get inspired by the movie. Look at the location if it is filmed in NYC make Ruben Sandwiches and Cheesecake. If most of it takes place in a pizza parlor (like Mystic Pizza) make some pizza. Bite size is always fun during a movie b/c you can just snack on them the whole time.

Movie Popcorn

My second passion in life is movies. So, much that my family through me a backyard movie party for my last birthday. It was so much fun we watched a movie on a huge inflatable screen in my sisters backyard. My parents bought me a real live popcorn machine. I love it. You can find them at Costco. Movie rooms are all the rage in Dallas right now and pretty much every one has a popcorn machine to go with it. Matt and I love game night too. Almost as much as movie night. Our popcorn machine is great for both. One of my new favorite games is Pictionary Man. It just came out so we had to buy it and boy is it so much fun. There are 3 objects (one that looks like a man). Then they give you a word and you can draw on the objects and/or act out that word.

The Great Pumpkin

Awe one of my favorite traditions is Charlie Brown. Enjoy!

Date Night Friday: Strada

So, after watching The Family Stone with Sarah Jessica Parker I was dying to try the dish she made Strada. This dish was brand new to me. So, I searched and searched to find out how to make it and this is what I gathered. Feel free to add or take away any parts that you like or don't. A lot of recipes called for onions, but you don't have to add them if you don't like them.

1 lb breakfast sausage
12 oz frozen hash browns
3 tbsp butter
6 eggs
2 ½ C milk
salt and pepper to taste
1 C grated monterey jack cheese with jalapeno peppers

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In heavy skillet brown sausage. Once sausage in brown transfer to a plate with a paper towel on top to remove oil.
3. Melt butter in skillet with sausage fat. Add hash browns. Cook over medium high heat until golden brown.
4. In 2-quart baking dish layer sausage then hash browns.
5. Mix egg, milk, salt, and pepper in small bowl. Beat well.
6. Layer cheese on top of hash browns, then egg mixture.
7. Bake 50 minutes

2007 Movies with Food

No Reservations (2007)
Rotten Tomato Review: 39%
Ouch! So, this movie is great if you just want to chill. I must admit I did cry in the beginning. If you are the kind of person that will watch Sleepless in Seattle for the hundredth time, then this is for you. Plus there is cooking involved. Does anyone else think truffles is over played in cooking movies? I get they are super expensive and make dishes taste great, but why not try for something a little more original? Overall it is pretty yummy movie about a chef that has trouble letting people in.
Cast: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin

Ratatouille (2007)
Rotten Tomato Review: 96%
Boy was this movie amazing! I can't get enough of it. I think I've already watched it like 4 times. Set in Paris this cartoon is about an adorable rat that loves to cook. The tag line is that anyone can cook. Once you get past the fact of gross it's a rat cooking this movie truly is amazing.
Cast: Patton Oswalt, Brad Garrett, Ian Holm