Eataly

Located on 200 5th avenue in New York City, Eataly is a must see destination for any food lover. Owned by famous chefs Mario Batali, Lidia Bastianich, and Joe Bastianich the atmosphere in the store feels every bit how I imagine a European food market would be. A store front that spands over 50,000 square feet, it's jam packed with high quality Italian and specialty food items. 

The moment you walk into to Eataly, you'll realize what kind of shopping experience you're in for. Every where you look you'll see Freshly baked breads, gorgeous produce, fresh butcher counter, an impressive sea food counter, and shelves stocked full of other Italian ingredients. On top of the grocery section there is an expresso bar, a gelato stand, fresh Italian meat and cheese counter, and a cafe to enjoy. Eataly's motto is "we sell what we cook and we cook what we sell." There truly isn't one thing I could think of that this store didn't have.

I enjoyed a tasting board of some of the meats and the fresh cheeses and can say I have never tasted any better. Take my word for it, Eataly alone is worth a trip to NYC.

In addition to today's post I'd love to hear some feedback from my readers. What you like about the blog, what you don't like, anything you'd like to have on the blog in the future? Any comments are greatly appreciated!

Tomato Basil Panini with the film The Giant Mechanical Man

I've been making panini sandwiches for years now and they're by far one of my favorite things to make and eat. If you don't know, a panini is a sandwich that has been pressed and toasted. While there are many variations to a panini sandwich, my favorite remains the capresse style panini filled with fresh basil, fresh tomatoes, and fresh mozzarella. Now is the best time of year to take advantage of fresh garden tomatoes and the basil is aromatic and plentiful as well. It's the perfect combination of flavors for the end of summer and nothing beats the "crisp" of a perfectly grilled panini. Quick, easy, delicious, and the perfect snack for any movie night! A feel good food requires a feel good movie and I've got just the right flick to go with our sandwiches.

Yields 6-8 panini sandwiches 

16 ounces of Fresh Mozzarella
20 fresh basil leaves
2 fresh Roma tomatoes sliced thinly
1 loaf of crispy Italian bread cut into medium sized slices
salt and pepper
Olive oil

Using fresh ingredients here is the key to getting that perfect flavor we are going for. You'll want to spend the time to find a ball of fresh mozzarella, which you can find in just abut any grocery store these days. The flavor really doesn't compare to the low moisture mozzarella that I always thought sort of tasted like rubber. Fresh basil as well is so important, don't even think about just sprinkling some dried on your sandwich and expecting it to taste the same. First part in assembling the paninis is of course our mise en place. Wash and slice your tomatoes, get your basil leaves, slice the mozzarella (relatively thin so that it melts quickly), and slice your bread. Once you've sliced your tomatoes, I like to season them with a little salt and pepper to bring out their flavor.

Preheat your panini press to about medium to medium high heat. If you don't have a panini press, heat a non stick pan on your stove over the same heat. To press your panini down as it grills, just find a plate that will fit into the pan you're using. Once you place your paninis in the pan, place the plate on top of the sandwich with a can or something to add weight to help press the panini down. Essentially, all a panini press is is an electric grill pan with a top and a bottom element that allows your to grill the sandwiches on both sides at the same time while also applying the pressure to flatten the sandwich.

Next step is to build the sandwiches themselves. Drizzle some olive oil on one side of each slice of bread. On the side of the bread that doesn't have the oil, place two slices of mozzarella on the bread followed by 3 slices of tomato and 4 basil leaves. Add two more slices of mozzarella and place one more slice of bread on top, the side with the olive oil on top.

Grill the paninis for about 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until the bread has turned golden brown. If you're using a panini press there is no need to flip but still check to make sure you're also getting the golden brown color we're looking for. All in all the sandwiches will take about 8 to 10 minutes. Once the paninis are cooked, cut in half and serve hot.

Writer and directer Lee Kirk reminds us why independent and low budget films are so enjoyable. Jenna Fischer plays Janice, a young woman struggling to find consistent work and is having trouble making ends meet. When she's forced to move in with her sister and brother-in-law, Janice is subjected to their harsh criticism and their relentless efforts to set Janice up with their friend Doug, self-help book author. When Janice finds work at a zoo, she meets the handsome and charming Tim (Chris Messina) who finds himself in very similar circumstances as Janice. Tim however leads somewhat of a double as he's a street performer who takes on the persona of a silver painted robotic man.

Janice and Tim can't help but fall for each other but Janice's overbearing sister and her antics may keep the two apart. This offbeat romantic comedy is one of the hidden gems of 2012 and one I really think could have been a hit if more people knew about it.

Jenna Fischer and Tim Messina both give strong performances and they make their characters stand out on screen and you can't help but love both Tim and Janice. The Giant Mechanical Man isn't exactly a ground breaking film so to speak, but writer/director Lee Kirk has written a strong script that avoids many of the cliche romantic comedy elements. The cast of actors here is very well rounded and Topher Grace in particular does a great job playing the annoying self help guy who you just keep wishing would disappear and leave our Janice alone.  Fischer and Messina really deliver the goods in The Giant Mechanical Man and it's because they make their characters so likeable this really film stood out to me. This movie is on instant stream for Netflix subscribers so make your sandwiches and log on and watch this film tonight!! Here is the trailer for a sneak peak.

Movie Review - The Big Wedding

Wedding bells are ringing in the Griffin family. Ellie Girffin (Diane Keaton) returns back to the home where she and her no ex-husband Don (Robert De Niro) raised their family. Ellie and Don were married for 20 years and have three children, a son Jared (Topher Grace), their daughter Lyla (Katherine Heigl), and their adopted son Alejandro (Ben Barnes). Now separated for 10 years, Don is in a long term relationship with Ellie's former best friend Bebe (Sarandon).

It's the first time the three have seen each other since the split but Alejandro's weeding has brought them back under one roof. Though there are clear differences and family tension between the gang, they all prepare for a relaxing and romantic weekend. That is until Alejandro realizes that his biological mother from Columbia will be attending the wedding and due to he strict Catholic upbringing sees divorce as a horrible sin. Ellie and Don are asked by their song to pretend for the weekend that they are still married so that his mother doesn't discover that he's been lying to her for years. Robin Williams and Amanda Seyfried round out the all star cast.

The Big Wedding is made up of a lot of different components - some working better than others. The films strength is obviously in it's star filled cast. Diane Keaton especially gives a strong performance and I found her scenes offering the most laughs. Her on screen chemistry with Susan Saradon is great in this movie as they play estranged best friends.There are also a few great father and daughter moments between Robert De Niro and Katherine Heigl that I found to be one of the strengths of the movie.

All in all I can't credit The Big Wedding with being a bad movie. It's a lighthearted comedy, with a couple heart to heart moments, that delivers a few laughs along the way. There is an old saying in Hollywood that goes, you can't make a great movie out of a bad script but you can make a bad movie out of a great script. The expression holds true when it comes to The Big Wedding. The script is often predictable and there are a few too many story lines that don't really need to be told. I couldn't help but feel like this movie should have been so much more given the marquee names in the credits. The Big Wedding isn't quite a home run, but it's star filled cast and their great performances helped keep this film enjoyable for me and give it my recommendation. The Big Wedding is no available on DVD and Bluray. Click here to watch the trailer for the film.

Busy Day

Evening folks, sorry I didn't post today....I hope somebody noticed ha ha. Had an unexpected busy day and didn't have time to get anything written. See you all back here Monday. Have a great weekend!

Grilled Peach Salad with the film Driving Miss Daisy

If you've never tried grilling fruit, you might be surprised at the results. Peaches are particularly great after a few minutes on the grill and are a great way to enjoy them while they are in season. That's where I got the idea to use them over top of a salad for a nice light lunch or dinner idea. Juicy grilled peaches, sweet and salty candied pecans, crumbled goat cheese, and a grilled peach dressing over a bed of fresh greens. The balance of creamy goat cheese, the salty candied pecans, and the fresh peaches combines the summertime flavors of Georgia all on one plate. Since the ingredients on this salad remind me of the great state of Georgia, I paired this with one of my favorite movies that take place there as well.

Recipe yields 2-3 servings 

1/2 cup of Pecans
3 Ripe Peaches
8oz of plain Goat Cheese
1 tablespoon of Brown Sugar
1 tablespoon of water
2 tablespoon of melted butter
1/2 cup of vegetable or olive oil
3 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
Kosher salt and Black Pepper
8 ounces of Spring Mix salad Greens

In a small saute' pan, add the pecans and toast them over medium heat for about 3 minutes. Toasting the pecans in the dry pan will bring out their natural oils and heighten their flavor.  Add one tablespoon of  brown sugar and the water to the pan and stir together until all the pecans are coated. Add a pinch of kosher salt to the pecans and set aside.

Pit and slice the three peaches into wedges. Cut the wedges just large enough so that they won't fall through the grates on your grill. Melt the butter and toss in with the peaches.

Preheat your grill to a medium high heat and arrange the peach slices onto your grill. Grill the peaches for about 3 to 5 minutes on each side or just until you can see grill marks. We aren't looking to cook the peaches all the way through here.

To make our dressing, put enough of the sliced peaches to amount to one whole peach into a food processor. Add the oil, vinegar, Dijon mustard, 3 tablespoons of brown sugar and pulse together until the peaches are pulsed and the dressing is smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Now to assemble to salad. Place the bed of greens onto you plate. Add a few of the freshly grilled peach slices over top. Add our candied pecans and crumbled goat cheese and then dress the salad with our grilled peach vinaigrette. The tender grilled peaches, the sweet and salty pecans, and the creamy goat cheese are a great combo with the sweet and savory peach dressing.

The 1989 Oscar winner for Best Picture, Driving Miss Daisy is now considered a classic in the film world. Starring Jessica Tandy as Miss Daisy, and elderly woman who has reached the age where she can longer drive herself. Though she insists she doesn't need a personal driver, her son Boolie (Dan Aykroyd) hires Hoke Colburn (Morgan Freeman).

Despite Hoke's willingness to escort Miss Daisy to drive her where ever she likes, she refuses to be taken anywhere by him. The stubborn woman soon lets her pride go and her and Hoke begin to form a unique and special bond.

Driving Miss Daisy is a film that tells a story about friendship and setting differences aside. Comical and heart warming, this is little left to the imagination of why this movie has remained highly thought of for over two decades. Whether you've never seen it before or have watched it a few times over, Driving Miss Daisy is one of the best stories ever told. Click here to watch the trailer for the film.

Movie Review - Mud

When two young friends Ellis (Tye Sheridan) and Neckbone (Jacob Lofland) go to investigate a boat suspended high in a tree that Neckbone and his uncle discovered. The two teens claim the boat as their own until they quickly discover signs that someone is living inside the boat. On their way back to the river, they see a mysterious man (Matthew McConaughey) standing by shore. The man who wears dirty clothes and appears to have been in hiding for sometime asks the two young boys for help, the unknown factor gets the best of the boys. They soon find out the mans name is Mud and that he's waiting for the right time to escape off the island and reunite with his girlfriend Juniper (Reese Witherspoon).

Not all is as it seems when Ellis finds out the state troopers are searching for Mud because he had killed a man in Texas. Events begin to escalate as Mud sees his window of opportunity to reunite with Juniper and get to safety begin to close. Ellis and Neckbone begin to question whether or not Mud is who he says he is as their own safety becomes a factor as they risk everything to help him. Sam Shepard, Michael Shannon, and Ray McKinnon costar is the gripping drama that keeps you guessing and waiting for the next twist.

Mud is a classic coming of age story at it's core. The added mystery of who Mud really is will keep you guessing until the end. It's not without it's slow moments here and there but the suspense of the film holds the audience tight and never allows you to stop wondering how things will end. Matthew McConaughey may be a long shot when it comes to movie award season, mostly because they tend to forget about movies released earlier in the year, but his performance is worth the praise. If anyone questioned his acting talent, Mud will reassure you that McConaughey is a better actor than some of his films he stars in show him to be.

The two young actors Tye Sheridan and Jacob Lofland are by no means hidden in the shadows of Matthew McConaughey and the other well known stars in the film. The young actors strive in their roles as two young Southern boys not only battling through adolescence but also the continued mystery and danger surrounded by their mysterious friend. Tye Sheridan especially is truly outstanding in his role and we may witness the rise of an upcoming grade A actor. Writer and director Jeff Nichols also should garner attention for both an excellent screenplay and his artful direction.

Bottom line is, Mud was not commercialized upon it's release and wasn't sent to many of the movie theaters around the world. Released at the Cannes film festival, it was an immediate hit and the praise for this film is not overrated. It's a movie that's heartfelt at it's core and suspenseful and gritty the whole way through. Click here to watch the trailer for Mud and be sure to be see this movie for yourself in the very near future.

Freshly Popped Pop Corn

The ultimate food for flick. Who doesn't love a bowl of pop corn while watching a movie? There is a reason why every movie theater around the globe has this tasty snack at their concessions stand. There are plenty of brands of packaged popcorn and microwaveable pouches but none of them can come close to the taste of popping it fresh on the stove top. It's quick, it's easy, and  it's delicious.

Vegetable Oil
Whole Popping Corn Kernels
Melted Butter (optional)
Kosher Salt (Optional)

To be honest, I don't have an exact recipe for making pop corn but it always comes out perfectly when I stick with this method. In a medium or large pot (Choose a larger pot when you want to make more pop corn) pour just enough of the vegetable oil to coat the bottom. Next, add just enough of the popping corn to also coat the bottom of the pan so that you have a complete layer of popping corn.

Place the pan on the on the stove over medium to medium high heat. Place a lid on top of the pot but leave the lid off just slightly so that steam can escape. Shake the pot around over top the burner a few times while the oil heats up. After about 5 minutes, you should start to hear (And see if your lid is glass) the kernels beginning to pop.

Once they've started to pop, continuously shake the pot over the heat to keep the popping kernels moving so that they don't burn. Continue this process until the popping slows down and remove from the heat. Add melted butter and kosher salt, as much or as little as desired.

Wimpies AKA Sloppy Joes with the movie Billy Madison

A classic meal from our childhood done without the help of anything where the instructions simply read, "Add to browned ground beef". This is my mom's famous wimpie recipe, with a few changes of my own to bring a little heat, that all of our friends and family go nuts over. Perfect for a busy weeknight or a Summer get together, they can be made ahead and heated just before you need them. Of course they're a great last minute dinner idea when you just want to relax with your feet up watching a movie. The amounts listed will be enough for about 8-10 sandwiches.

2 pounds of ground Chuck
1 small Green Bell Pepper
1 small Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves of Garlic
1 medium sized Red Onion
A 16oz can of Tomato Sauce
1/3 cup of Chilli Sauce
1 teaspoon of Asian Chilli paste
1/2 cup of Ketchup
2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
4 dashes of worcestershire sauce
Buns

Wash your bell peppers and finely dice them along with the red onion.

Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season your ground beef with salt and pepper and brown the burger in your skillet. Break the burger up as it browns and cook until burger is browned. Drain off any excess grease and moisture that has accumulated in your skillet. The best way I've found to do this is by using a turkey baster. Don't worry about getting it all, leaving some won't hurt/

Now add the onions and peppers and stir in with the beef. Use your microplane to grate the cloves of garlic into a paste and stir that into the beef and peppers. Next, add the can of tomato sauce along with the chili sauce, chili paste, ketchup, brown sugar, and worcestershire sauce. Mix well to combine and bring everything to a simmer.

Simmer the Wimpies for at least 30 minutes stirring often to ensure they aren't sticking. The longer you let them simmer the better if you ask me so if you're not in a huge rush, give them a bit more time to cook.

Once you're ready to eat, grab a fresh bun and add a generous amount of wimpie filling. Serve with you're favorite side an a lot of napkins, they don't call them sloppy Joes for nothing folks.

Billy Madison was Adam Sandler's 1995 comedy that has remained one of his fan favorites for nearly 20 years. Sandler's style of comedy doesn't suite all, and I myself am very hit and miss with his movies but I've been a fan of Billy Madison for years.

Billy is a 27 year old rich boy with no life, no job, and no education. He spends his days drunk by a swimming pool, chasing penguins that don't exist, and waiting for his dirty magazines to arrive in the mail. One night at dinner, his father who is a successful business man and the owner of Maison Hotels informs Billy that he won't inherit the company when he retires. Instead the company would be handed to the back stabbing weasel Eric (Bradley Whitford).

Billy is upset with his fathers choice and when he asks why, Billy is informed by his father that he could never leave the company to someone who couldn't even get through grade school. Billy finds out that his father paid his teachers to give Billy good grades all his life just so he could graduate. Billy comes up with the idea that if he could go back to school and graduate on his own, that his father should give him the company instead of Eric. His father agrees and so begins the unrealistic but hilarious adventures of 27 year old Billy Madison going back to school.

Between spelling Bees, eating sloppy joes from the creepy lunch lady, and having a relationship with his 3rd grade teacher Miss Vaughn (Bridgette Wilson-Sampras) - this is an off beat comedy for sure. It's one that only Sandler could pull off. There is no real moral to this story at all, but it's a film that was made just to make you laugh and that it does. Here is the trailer to Billy Madison.

Upcoming Movie - The Couselor

What do you get when you combine the talents of director Ridley Scott, screenwriter Cormac McCarthy, and high caliber actors such as Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz, Penelope Cruz, and Javier Bardem? The answer seems to be one of the years most anticipated films called The Counselor. 

Little  is known about the secretive film and it's plot. We finally are given a small glimpse with the release of The Counselor with first full length trailer, that can be seen here on YouTube. Fassbender is a lawyer known as the Counselor who gets caught in the middle of drug trafficking. Like any bad situation, it doesn't take long for things to escalate and the Counselor soon finds himself over his head. In with a band of criminals and drug lords, he has little places to turn if he wishes to return to his once ordinary life.

With Ridley Scott at the helm and an all star cast, The Counselor is quickly building up anticipation and seems to have a great deal of potential. Michael Fassbender is probably one of the more underrated actors of recent years and I'm excited to see him in more of a leading role. The Counselor is still a little more than two months away from release date, but I for one am intrigued and have this film on my must see list this fall.

Chai Tea Ice Cream

Chai Tea Latte's are one of the most popular items in Coffee houses around the world. Sweet and cream with exotic spices, it's the perfect pick me up treat. I got the idea once to turn that into an ice cream recipe and I've been very happy with the results. It's everything you love about Chai and Ice cream all in one!

6 Vanilla or Spiced Chai Tea bags
1 cup of Sugar
1/2 teaspoon of pure Vanilla extract
Small pinch each of Nutmeg and Cinnamon
1/2 cup of half and half
4 cups of heavy cream

Begin my measuring out 1/2 cup of the heavy and cream and add it to a small sauce pan. Add the 1/2 cup of heavy cream and a pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon. Unwrap the tea bags and place them into the half and half and cream mixture. Heat the cream over a medium low heat and stir gently nce the cream begins to steam. If at any point the cream begins to boil, reduce the heat. Continue stirring until the mixture becomes tan and the tea has released it's flavors.

Remove from the heat. Carefully take the tea bags out and squeeze to get all the moisture out of them. While the cream is still hot, add 1 cup of sugar. Stir the sugar in until it's dissolved. Add our sweetened Chai spiced cream to the remaining heavy cream and set in the refrigerator to cool.

Once the mixture has cooled, place in your prepared ice cream maker and churn for about 20-25 minutes depending on your unit. Place the ice cream in a container and freeze for another hour or two until the ice cream is a bit firmer for serving.

Down Home BBQ Rib Dinner with the film Crazy Heart

Head on down to the Southern region of the United States and you're guaranteed to find more BBQ shacks than you can image. All of them have their own secret sauce, spice combinations, and cooking methods to help set them apart from their competition. Though these BBQ shacks truly do have the world's best, good barbecue can be made in your own kitchen. Throw in some classic side dishes of buttermilk biscuits and crispy onion rings and we'll be bringing the South right to our own kitchens. Of course the only thing more loved in the Southern states than barbecue may be country music. In 2009, the world was told the emotional story of the fictional Country Music singer Bad Blake in the outstanding film Crazy Heart. A fantastic story, superb acting, and great music make this movie one of the best films made in recent years.

1 rack of Pork Ribs
1 cup of Ketchup
1/8 cup of Apple Cider Vinegar
1/8 cup of Light Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons of Honey
2 Tablespoons of Mesquite Grill spice
2 teaspoons of dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon of worcestershire sauce
1 Tablespoon of Siracha Chilli Paste
1 Shallot (Grated)
1 clove of Garlic (Grated)
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper

Preheat your oven to 250 degrees. Generously season the ribs with salt and pepper and sprinkle on a bit of our grill seasoning. Tightly wrap the ribs in aluminum foil and place them in the oven to bake for 2 hours.

Whisk together the ketchup, vinegar, brown sugar, honey, grill spice, mustard, chilli paste, worcestershire sauce, shallot, and garlic in a medium sized sauce pan. Simmer the sauce over medium low heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand until ready to baste our ribs on the grill.

Onion rings are a great side dish to go with these ribs. Here is the link to my full recipe for the onion rings. While the ribs continue to bake, slice the onions and get them soaking in the buttermilk. Before you pour the buttermilk over the onions, pre measure out 1/2 cup that we'll need for our biscuits.

To make our biscuits. We'll need 1 cup of flour, 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder, 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 cup of buttermilk, 3 tablespoons of very cold butter, 1/4 cup of freshly grated cheddar, 2 chopped scallions, and 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt. Start by combing the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl.

Using a pastry cutter, a fork, or even a food processor - cut the cold butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is very coarse. Add the buttermilk, scallions, and cheddar cheese and mix together just until the dough has formed. Flour a cutting board or your counter top and gently pat the dough ball flat. Use a large glass or a biscuit cutter to cut out the biscuits and place them on an un greased  cookie sheet. Place the biscuits in the fridge until we're ready to bake them off.

Once the ribs have finished baking, remove them from the tinfoil. Heat your grill to a medium high temperature and transfer the ribs to the grill. Using a silicon barbecue brush, load up our ribs with our homemade sauce on both sides. Grill the ribs for about 15 minutes on each side, keeping a close eye on them and adding more sauce throughout the grilling process. Once the ribs have about 10 minutes left, heat your oven to 400 degrees and bake our biscuits for about 10-12 minutes until they're golden brown on top.

By now our ribs are grilled perfectly and because we baked them for low and slow before we grilled them, they'll be nice and tender. Cut the rack of ribs up into portions. Serve next to our southern style buttermilk biscuits, and our crispy friend onion rings. I'm hungry now just thinking about it!!

Crazy Heart was instantly hailed by audiences and critics as one of the best movies of the year in 2009. Jeff Bridges earned himself an Academy Award for his complex performances as the the fictional country singer Bad Blake. Bad was once on top of the industry as one of the best singer/songwriters in all of music. His fall from grace now has him struggling to make ends meet. Life on the road has taken it's toll on Bad's personal life and his health. Failed marriages, a distant son he has no connection with, and the once sold out crowds he'd play too are now a handful of people in bowling alley's and side bars.

Bad can't help himself but reach for the light and a reserection of his life and his career when journalist Jean Craddock (Maggie Gyllenhaal) asks to interview him. Despite the apparent differences between the two, they begin a romantic relationship and soon Bad has the closest thing to a family. Jean and her four year old son Buddy may be what Bad needs if he can only free himself of the demons he still battles and the grip they have on him. Robert Duvall and Collin Farrell costar in one of great American films that I think a lot of people missed.

Jeff Bridges gave the performance of a lifetime in Crazy Heart and his Oscar award was well deserved to say the least. His role as Bad Blake was one he was destined to portray and he makes what would have been just another ordinary movie into something truly spectacular. Click here to watch the trailer on YouTube to Crazy Heart.

Comming Soon - Saving Mr. Banks

This Christmas, Disney plans to release a film telling the behind the scenes story how Marry Poppins, one of the most memorable and well known movies of all time, was made from a book to a Hollywood Classic. Tom Hanks appears to be in top from as he portrays Walt Disney, who after promising his daughters that he'd turn their favorite book into a movie has finally arranged a meeting with the writer of "Marry Poppins", P.L Travers (Emma Thompson).

Mrs. Travers is reluctant to sell Disney the rights to her book fearing the film adaption will ruin the character she cares so deeply for. Disney of course goes to every measure possible to assure P.L Travers that his film will do her story and the character of Mary Poppins justice. In the end, both Walt Disney and P.L Travers will have to look back at their childhoods and Mrs. Travers real life connection with the character that they are able to see the magical nanny free from the pages.

Though we all know the story will end with Marry Poppins being made into with of Disney's most Iconic films, the journey on how the beloved character arrived on the silver screen appears to be a wonderful and heartfelt story of it's own. Believe it or not, Oscar buzz is already swarming around both Tom Hanks and Emma Thompson as they portray Disney and Travers. Click here for the official movie trailer for Saving Mr. Banks.

Helpful Tip - Making Garlic Paste

A lot of my recipes call for grated garlic. This is really easy to do if you have a fine microplane but it could be a bit harder if you don't have that helpful little tool handy. Fear not, there is another easy way to get similar consistency of garlic by using just a large chefs knife, a cutting board, and a little bit of coarse Kosher salt.

Place a clove of garlic, peel and all, on your cutting board. Take the side of your knife, and forcefully and carefully press down on the garlic to crush it. Discard the papery skin of the garlic and sprinkle a little bit of kosher salt over top of the garlic. Continue to use the side of your knife and press the garlic and salt together upward on to your cutting board. The rough salt acts almost like sand paper and helps break the garlic down into a paste like form.

Gather the mashed up garlic together and add to your sauces and marinades. It's perfect for getting garlic flavor without having big chunks of garlic floating around.