Monday, February 29, 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

Monday, February 29, 2016

What the Beck???


Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Grilled Chicken and Strawberry Salad Wrap
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime
Pages: 43 - 45   Copyright:  2015 Harper Collins


I figured out that there are 188 calories,  if 8 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

I really liked this wrap, except I took out a main ingredient.  I am allergic to strawberries, so this dramatically changed the recipe. Mine lacked sweetness, which the strawberries would have added. Ree's is also beautiful because the red color just makes the wrap pop.

 Here are the ingredients that I used 
to create this recipe.

 I made the marinate first because 
the chicken needed to be covered in the 
fridge for at least an hour.

 I just used a baggie to marinate the chicken

 I browned the chicken on a griddle


I cut the chicken into bite size pieces


I poured some of the marinate on the salad


The time has come to start building the wrap


 I added the grilled meat
It wasn't cloudy when I made it! Geez!

 On went the goat cheese
I never would have liked it before I began
cooking Ree's food.  My taste
buds have changed so much
(for the better)
I owe you so much, Ree!

 I used toothpicks to hold them together

They tasted so wonderful.
Of course, strawberries would have
given it the sweetness it was lacking.



Bucket List Update
Academy Award Nominated Movies


1939    Wuthering Heights
         starring:  Merle Oberon, Laurence Olivier, David Niven
           plot –  Emily Bronte’s story set in England of a hired hand                       and a wealthy girl who are separated by personal                         weaknesses and choices.
         Bronte was a wonderful writer and the story takes you to a              different time and place. I loved this movie.

1940    The Philadelphia Story
         starring: Katharine Hepburn, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart
         plot – A divorcee is looking forward to remarrying, but her                     ex-husband (Grant) and a reporter (Stewart) begin                       causing her problems.
           This was one of my favorites this month. Katharine                   Hepburn is wonderful as are Grant and Stewart.

1941     Blossoms in the Dust
         starring: Greer Garson, Walter Pidgeon
         plot – a based in fact story about a woman whose                         illegitimate sister commits suicide when she learns                     she is a foundling. The woman marries and her child                     dies. She sets up a daycare center for working                           mothers, and then her husband dies. GEEZ! She then                     opens a foundling center and strives to get the kids                     adopted. She convinces the Texas lawmakers to                           remove the word illegitimate from legal documents.                     This was a caring woman who makes real, positive               changes in the world.
          This was an OUTSTANDING movie. It really made me                   question I am doing now to make a difference in the world.              I thought about this woman for weeks. 

1942     The Maltese Falcon
          starring: Humphrey Bogart, Mary Astor, Peter Lorre, Gladys                       George, Ward Bond, and Sydney Greenstreet
          plot – Bogart plays Sam Spade who is hired by Astor to find                    the Maltese Falcon which is a valuable artifact.
          I had heard of Sam Spade, but never seen the movie before             now. I thought the premise was well done.

1943     For Whom the Bell Tolls
          starring: Gary Cooper, Ingrid Bergman
          plot – This film is set during the Spanish Civil War. Cooper                    fights with the guerillas in the mountains. Their goal                    is to blow up a bridge
          This was a long, slow movie.  I wasn’t really interested in                the movie at all. A snoozer for me.


Saturday, February 27, 2016

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Saturday, February 27, 2016

What the Beck???


Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Pawhuska Cheesesteaks
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime
Pages: 269 - 271   Copyright:  2015 Harper Collins


I figured out that there are 925 calories,  if 6 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

These cheesesteaks had so much wonderful flavor, that I really wanted them to last all night.  The peppers and onions smothered in the spicy cheese made a wonderful dinner. You would think it came directly from Philadelphia, not that I have ever had one in that location.  Another huge success, Ree.


Here are the ingredients that I used to create this dish


First I sauteed the peppers and onions


 I warmed up the cheese, milk, and spices until combined


 Toasting the bread is a must on a cheesesteak

 I added so much meat and cheese sauce that 
you can't even see the bottom bun!


 Whoa baby!  Now add the onions and beautiful peppers,
and don't be ashamed if you start to drool!

Lions, and tigers, and bears, OH MY!
Now that is a cheesesteak to die for!





Bucket List Update
Academy Award Nominated Movies


1931         Cimarron
             starring: Richard Dix, Irene Dunne, Estelle Taylor,                                 Nance O’Neil
             plot – This movie shows the settling of Oklahoma. It                          was a story of violence as people struggled to                            build a home in the west. This one won the                              Academy Award!
             This was a good movie!

1933         She Done Him Wrong
             starring: Mae West, Cary Grant, Owen Moore, Gilbert                             Roland.
              plot – Grant plays a missionary in the Bowery.                   He was really an undercover cop. It                            was a story about counterfeiting.
             I liked this movie a lot. Cary Grant played a different                     character than I expected.

1936         The Story of Louis Pasteur
             starring: Paul Muni, Josephine Hutchinson, Anita Louise,                           and Donald Woods
             plot – Pasteur, a chemist, shared radical ideas for the                           times. His ideas were accurate, even though                               doctors fought him. He had success at curing                             rabies, creating an anthrax vaccine, and the                               importance of sterilizing instruments. This                               man's work revolutionized medicine.
             This was a great movie. I learned so much about how                    Pasteur made his discoveries. He was so tenacious and                  brilliant and his work is still valuable today!

1937         The Life of Emile Zola
               starring: Paul Muni, Joseph Schildkraut
              plot – Set in Paris in 1862, this was a based in truth                            story of the life of author Emile Zola who wrote                          about a military cover-up.  A man was                                    innocent, but convicted of treason. 
              This was a frustrating movie.  People did not “do the                     right thing.”  How could they live with themselves                       when someone was rotting away in prison, because                       they couldn’t take responsibility for their mistakes?

1937         The Awful Truth
               starring: Cary Grant, Irene Dunne
              plot – Grant and Dunne were a couple who argued                              constantly until they finally filed divorce                                papers. They did reunite before the divorce                              became official.

                This was a very predicable movie, yet the stars were                      great actors and made it fun to watch.

Monday, February 22, 2016

Monday, February 22, 2016

Monday, February 22, 2016

What the Beck???


Bucket List Update
Academy Award Nominated Movies


1933       I Am A Fugitive From a Chain Gang
              starring: Paul Muni, Glenda Farrell
              plot – a based in fact story of a man wrongly accused of a crime.                           He ends up on a Louisiana chain gang. His life is forever                    ruined.
              This was a good movie, and I truly felt badly for the condemned                      man. The idea that it was based in truth was bothersome.

1934       The Gay Divorcee
              starring: Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable
              plot – A woman wants a divorce and hires a man to pretend to be                           her lover to make her husband jealous.
              This was a good movie. I got tired of all of the dancing, because it                    delayed the storyline.  The dancing was outstanding, however.

1934       Viva Villa!
              starring: Wallace Beery, Fay Wray, Leo Carrillo
              plot – the story of Poncho Villa during the Mexican Revolution. He                         began as a hero, but turned into an outlaw, and then                           returned to goodness to help his mentor.
              This was a really good movie, but ran a little long. I did learn a lot,                  because I didn’t know that much about Poncho Villa.

1938       Test Pilot
              starring: Clark Gable, Myrna Loy, Spencer Tracy, Lionel Barrymore
              plot – Gable plays an arrogant, womanizing, test pilot who meets                           and marries a Midwestern farm girl. Tracy is his best friend                           and supporter. Great story with a variety of emotions.
             This was a great movie. Gable was truly believable in this role, and I                  enjoyed the entire thing.

1940       Foreign Correspondent
              starring: Joel McCrea, Laraine Day
              plot – a reporter from the USA is overseas to gather facts bout the                         war. This story contains murder and betrayal.
              It was a little dry for me, but it had a good story line.



Sunday, February 21, 2016

Sunday, February 21, 2016

Sunday, February 21, 2016

What the Beck???

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Skillet Lasagna
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime
Pages: 194 - 195   Copyright:  2015 Harper Collins  


I figured out that there are 386 calories,  if 7 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

This is a wonderful, creamy dish.  I had it for dinner last night, and was quite satisfied for hours. It was a quick dish to make, and could all be done right on the stove. 


Here are the ingredients that I used to create this recipe.
As you can see, I began cooking the meat and sauce before I
took this photo.  OOPS!

I began by cooking the ground beef and garlic,
and then added in the marinara.

The pasta was cooked and ready to go in the skillet


 I love fresh basil!!!


I chopped it up!

 In went the sour cream


A blurry photo of the cheese!


 The bow ties are added

 I mixed it together well

 The final wonderful dish




Friday, February 19, 2016

Friday, February 19, 2016

Friday, February 19, 2016

What the Beck???

Gas Prices??
Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, Oh My!!


I was so excited when the gas prices went to 142.9

Who knew they would keep going down?
I was happy, but it is hurting people's lives.
It's on its way back up, yesterday I paid $1.75.



Bucket List Update
Academy Award Nominated Movies

 1929       The Broadway Melody
             starring: Anita Page, Bessie Love, Jack Benny,                                        Eleanor Powell, Robert Taylor, Buddy Ebsen
             plot – A small town girl comes to NY to enter show biz, but comes                         between a feuding director and columnist.
              This was a good movie. I never knew Jack Benny was a serious                        actor. Both he and Buddy Ebsen were very young in this movie. This                  one won the Academy Award!!

1930      The Love Parade
            starring: Maurice Chevalier, Jeanette McDonald
           plot – a very young Chevalier plays a Frenchman who marries a                             Queen. Unfortunately, he has nothing to do all day. He                               pretends to want a divorce until she gives in and lets him                             help rule the country.
            I liked this one, but it did get a little slow in the middle.

1931       Skippy
             starring: Jackie Cooper and Robert Coogan
            plot – A cute movie about two kids from different sides of the                             track bonding over saving a dog that was caught by the                    dogcatcher. 
            This was a GREAT movie!  I loved the acting and the premise of the                  movie. ALL animals touch my heart!!

1932       Five Star Final
           starring: Edward G. Robinson, Marian Marsh, H.B. Warner, Boris                                 Karloff
           plot – Robinson plays an editor who pursues an old murder story. The                      paper spills a sensational story that leads to two suicides and a                      young girl’s devastation.
           This was a magnificent movie!!  The storyline was well done, as was                 the acting. It was obvious what was going to happen, but that didn’t                 matter, because it was SO WELL DONE!!!

1932       The Smiling Lieutenant
           starring: Maurice Chevalier, Claudette Colbert, Charles Ruggles
           plot – A lieutenant flirts himself into marrying the wrong girl. It is                          called a comedy, but it had a different type ofhumor than we                        have now.
            It was okay, but I really didn’t enjoy it at all.


Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

What the Beck???

Recipe Review

Today’s Recipe and Location: Frittata
Found in: The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Dinnertime
Pages: 10 - 12   Copyright:  2015 Harper Collins  OR


I figured out that there are 224 calories, if 8 servings are made. (Please note that the calorie counts vary depending on the specific brands of ingredients that you choose to use.)

Another fabulous breakfast!  I am so happy that I bought this book. The breakfasts have been so amazing, so I spent my money wisely. This book is one of her very best. Try this one, too.


 Here are the ingredients that I used to create this recipe.

 I began by mixing the eggs, salt and pepper


 Now, the good stuff goes in - the cheeses
 and the Siracha.  Yummy!!!


I melted the butter to cook the 
onions and potatoes.  
I love onions, and the flavor that 
they add to the dish.

 I used red onions in this fritata. 
Ree didn't specify which type of onion, 
so this is what I chose to use.


 Next, the potatoes were added in to the pan.


The last step was to mix it all together.

Here is the cooked frittata.
Gosh, was it wonderful.


This plate is actually 6 x 6 inches.
When I use a plate this size, it seems like more food.


It was a great breakfast.