Friday, May 29, 2020

Cuisine & Screen: Home Edition, Part 10

Hi y'all! I hope everyone was able to enjoy a safe Memorial Day weekend. I was grateful to go to the beach for a few days, and was even more grateful that it was practically vacant:

I suppose I could technically start dining out again, but I'm honestly in no rush to do so, and I'm having too much fun doing these home posts. And movie theatres are still closed, so I'm relying on my home screenings more than ever!

CUISINE
I bought a spiralizer to make noodles out of veggies a while ago, and then totally forgot about it. I whipped it out this week to make Zucchini Noodles (aka Zoodles), and tossed them with a jar of Green Curry Sauce from Trader Joe's, Sauteed Scallops, Cherry Tomatoes and Cilantro. It was a really light and satisfying dish, and I totally forgot I wasn't eating real pasta!
Zoodles with Scallops

My baked good for this week was a recipe from Taste of Home. I made these Cherry Coconut Treats and thankfully, halved the recipe, because they are impossible to stop eating. They are very sweet, but very delicious.
Cherry Coconut Treats

Finally, I have another way for you to use up ripe bananas - make quick Banana Pancakes! Take 1 banana, 1 egg and 2 TB flour. Mash together in a bowl, then cook in a skillet sprayed with non-stick spray (or melted butter). Cook for about 2-3 minutes on each side. It's really as simple as that, though you could choose to add a dash of cinnamon, a splash of vanilla, or even coconut and butterscotch chips. Go crazy!

SCREEN
Uncut Gems - Holy moly. My anxiety levels skyrocketed during this film. It's manic, with jarring music, close camera shots and a lot of tension. Constant dialogue. Adam Sandler is absolutely phenomenal, and unrecognizable as the comedy king he is. This is a tremendous film but it will get your blood racing.

And then I did a bit of a throwback to 2002...

The Pianist - I first saw this movie at the Stevens Center in Winston-Salem, when they had their "Films on Fourth" series. This film really moved me then, and it did again this week. Adrien Brody rightfully won the Oscar for Best Actor - his portrayal of a real-life World War 2 survivor is incredibly realistic and the ending will nearly break your heart. The score and cinematography are both great. Tuck in though - it's a long, emotional ride, clocking in at 2 and 1/2 hours.

The Hours - I remember suffering through this movie in high school, and was so disappointed in it back in the day. But when the 3 female leads (Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore) are 3 of your favorite actresses, I knew I should re-visit. I definitely enjoyed it more this time around - the score, the make-up effects, the performances - it all came together beautifully. While Nic won the Oscar for Best Actress (beating out Renee Zellweger in "Chicago") I really think the 3 leads were equal roles, and that her performance was the least remarkable. I can't believe I'm actually saying that. Julianne Moore's performance was utterly heart-wrenching, and Meryl is always perfection. But, the Academy will do what the Academy will do. Worth re-watching if you hated it the first time, like me.

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