Mark's must see Movies - Love Actually

Love Actually is the 2003 holiday romantic comedy that was met with much admiration and praise by many critics and viewers at it's release and the film has only garnered more of the same as it's aged. An all star cast consisting of Liam Neeson, Hugh Grant, Collin Firth, Emma Thompson, Bill Nighy, Alan Rickman, and Kierra Knightly combined with a charming plot are what makes this movie the special film it is.

The film takes place in London and follows the lives of the multiple and very different characters in the film and their journeys in and out of love. Among the central characters in the film is the newly elected Prime Minister of England David (Hugh Grant) whose career in politics has left him a bachelor for far too long. Though he seems to grow and instant connection with one of his new assistants. Karen (Emma Thompson) plays the devoted wife and mother who grows increasingly concerned with her husbands flirtatious antics with his secretary. Liam Neeson is the recently widowed Daniel who is caught between his period of mourning and having to deal with his 10 year old step son dealing with his own love crisis. And the last major character is Collin Firth who plays a young writer named Jamie who flees to a isolated house in France after catching his wife cheating on him. During his stay, he meets a woman who doesn't speak English but may be the true love he's been searching for. No matter what kind of plot line you enjoy in a movie, you'll find interests and relate with at least a few of these well written and portrayed characters.

My only real complaint for the film is that at times there is quite a bit going. For the most part the film is made very well but naturally when you follow eight different stories at a time some are well explored and others only have time to be loosely touched on. Bill Nighy for example brings the most comedic value to this movie as the aged pop star Billy Mack and I could have watched his character on screen far longer than he actually is. Just about every time this seasoned actor takes the screen he drew a laugh from me and his performance was vastly underrated. Andrew Lincoln who plays Mark, a young photographer who secretly loves his best friends wife acts out one of the most romantic scenes in recent film memory and one that helped propel the movie into fame.

Love Actually is a holiday movie that won't leave you wanting to sing a bunch of Christmas carols but it will remind you of one of the most important things to remember this holiday season. Love is te most important thing in the wold, without it where would we be? Though we need to be aware of it throughout the entire year, the Christmas season is no better time to truly show someone just how much they mean to you. Love is abundant in the world. As it's said in the opening monologue, Love Actually will show you that love actually is all around.

Haven't done this in a while --- Click here for the trailer to Love Actually 

Thanksgiving Turkey and Cranberry Panini

The day before Thanksgiving, it's the eve of the meal we wait all year for. Oven roasted turkey and all the classic sides will fill our kitchen tables and our stomachs. They will also most likely fill our refrigerators for the next few days with more leftovers than we know what to do with. I'm always looking for new and creative ways to use up those delicious Thanksgiving leftovers and this Turkey and cranberry pannini is my favorite turkey sandwich ever! Fresh roasted turkey, sweet and tart cranberry mayo, sharp cheddar cheese, and peppery arugula blend perfectly sandwiched between two slices of ciabatta bread.


Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Ciabatta Bread
Fresh Roasted Turkey Breast
1/2 cup of baby Arugula
2 Tablespoons of Cranberry relish or Sauce
2 Tablespoons of Mayo
About 1/2 cup of Freshly Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Salt and Pepper

Slice a loaf of ciabatta bread in half length ways. In a small mixing bowl, combine together the cranberry relish and the mayo. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the cranberry mayo on both the top and bottom of the ciabatta bread.

Spread half of the cheddar cheese over top of the cranberry mayo. Take a few slices of turkey and place them over top of the cheese. Next add the arugula followed by a few more slices of turkey and the remaining cheddar.

Preheat your panini press or frying pan over medium heat. Drizzle a bit of olive oil on both the top and bottom of the bread and place the sandwich onto the panini press. Grill the sandwich until the bread is crisp and the cheese has melted - about 5 to 7 minutes. Rotate the sandwich 180 degrees half way through cooking to get criss cross grill marks. Cut the sandwich in half and enjoy!!

Tuscan Sausage and Potato Soup

In the chilly months of the year, nothing is more comforting for dinner than a bowl of homemade soup for dinner. In addition, a bowl of soup is the perfect meal for a movie night. This is a recipe I came up with after many attempts to duplicate the soup at a very popular chain of Italian restaurants. A blend of flavorful Italian sausage, tender red potatoes, with bright and crisp blanched kale in a creamy broth is an irresistible combination. Easy to make and flavor beyond belief, this is a recipe I'm sure will easily find it's way onto your dinner table frequently. quintessential

1 and 1/4 pound of Sweet Italian Sausage
1 large Onion
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves of garlic
6 cups of Chicken stock
1 bay leaf
About 6 Red potatoes
1 and 1/2 cups of Heavy Cream
Kosher Salt
Freshly Cracked black pepper
1/4 cup of freshly grated Parmesan
8 leaves of Fresh Basil

Place a large pot over medium heat drizzle a touch of olive oil in the bottom. If using a link of sausage, cut down the center and remove the sausage from the casing. Place the sausage into the hot pan with a pinch f crushed red pepper and crumble the sausage as you saute. Once the sausage is browned, carefully remove some of the excess fat.

Next, dice the onion and place it into the hot pan with the sausage and cook until the onions are beginning to become tender. Mince the garlic and add to the sausage and onions and cook for another minute or two but making sure to stir so that the garlic doesn't burn. Add the 6 cups of chicken stock to the pot and add the bay leaf as well.

Thoroughly wash your potatoes until cold water and peel if desired. Carefully slice the potato in half length ways and cut the halves into 1/2 inch slices. Add the potatoes into the pot to allow them to cook.

Fill a medium sized pot with water and place over high heat to bring the water to a boil. While the water boils, add some ice to a large bowl and add very cold tap water. We're going to blanch the kale quickly for a minute or two and then transfer to kale right away to the ice water. this will shock the kale and lock in the beautiful green color.

To remove the kale from the stem, firmly hold the stem of the kale with one hand and wrap your other hand around it just behind the leaves. Pull your one hand down while still griping the top of the steam and the kale will quickly and easily be removed. Give the kale leaves a rough chop.

Once the water has come to a boil, add the kale and cook for only a minute or two. Remove the kale from the water and immediately plunge the kale into the ice water bath and allow the kale to cool. Drain the kale and pat dry with a kitchen towel and add into the hot broth.

Once the potatoes in the soup are tender, add the heavy cream, freshly cut basil, and grated parmesan to the broth and stir. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with an extra grating of parmesan cheese. Perfect soup for a chilly movie night and one that all your friends and family will enjoy.

Mark's Must See Movies - Chinatown

In mid 1940s Los Angeles, Jake Gittes (Jack Nicholson) is a private detective who specializes mostly in catching husbands and wives committing adultery. When a woman named Eveyln Mulwray hires Jake to follow her husband Hollis, the case presents itself to him like any other. After finding Mr. Mulwray keeping company with a younger woman, Gittes believes that his job is done and yet another one of his cases has been closed. Jake soon discovers though that the woman who hired him to follow Hollis Mulwray as an imposter and to complicate things even more, Hollis has been found dead.

What started off as a simple investigation for Jake has now led him into a web of lies and murder. Jake soon finds that finding the truth will be far dangerous and disturbing than expected.

Chinatown is widely considered one of the true classics of Hollywood. Jack Nicholson and Faye Dunway portray their characters perfectly and give some of the best performances of their careers. With plenty of twists and turns, Chinatowns greatest strength is in it's screenplay. Now almost 40 years old, this movie is solidly in my must see category.

Jalapeno Popper Panini

A deep fried Jalapeno Popper is almost irresistible to me. Problem is being breaded, deep fried, and filled with cheese I only allow myself to have one or two on very rare occasions. My love for a popper left me looking for a way to get everything I loved about them but in a slightly more figure friendly package. Transforming a pub favorite finger food into a panini was an experiment of mine and I was thrilled with the results. I guarantee you won't miss the classic version of a popper once you try this sandwich with crunchy ciabatta bread, oven roasted jalapenos, and sharp cheddar cheese.

Yields two Paninis

4 Jalapeno Peppers
Kosher Salt and Freshly cracked Black Pepper
5 slices of Cheddar Cheese
1 small loaf of Ciabatta bread (look for a take and bake)


Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Take jalapeno peppers and cut off the tops and slice them in half. Place them on a small baking tray lined with a piece of tin foil. Sprinkle the peppers with a pinch of kosher salt, freshly cracked black pepper, and a drizzle of olive oil. Roast in the oven for about 12-15 minutes or until the skins of the peppers are tender.

Remove the peppers from the oven and remove the seeds. The seeds are what gives the peppers there heat so leave some in if you want your panini to be a bit spicier. Use any oil left on the pan to spread on the inside of the ciabatta bread for extra flavor as well.

Take the the ciabatta bread and carefully slice it in half length ways. Lay 5 slices of cheddar cheese down and top with the roasted jalapenos.Top with the remaining cheese and cap the sandwich off with the other half of ciabatta bread.

Drizzle a touch of olive oil on the top and bottom and place the sandwich onto a preheated panini press and grill for about 3-5 minutes or until the outside is crisp and the cheese has melted. Rotate the panini slightly half way through the cooking time to achieve a cross hatched grill mark look. Cut the sandwich on an angel and serve hot. Perfect snack for a movie!!!

PS - busier schedule now than I've had recently so I hope you"ll all bare with me if I'm later than normal with my posts or even miss a few here and there! I'll be writing as much as I can! Thanks all :)

A good set of Knives goes a long way

One of your best friends in a kitchen is a good set of cooking knives. Their is nothing more difficult, dangerous, and frustrating than trying to prepare a meal and having work with dull and poorly crafted knives.

If you've looked online or through your local department stores, I'm sure you've noticed how knives range in price to extremely cheap to outrageously expensive. Like all things, you get what you pay for but that doesn't mean you have to break the bank to get a good quality collection of cooking knives. Here are a few key things to look for when trying to select whats right for you.

-Make sure the knifes are full tang. The tang is the how far the steel of the blade runs though the handle of the knife. If the steel doesn't run through the entire handle, you risk breaking the knife when applying a lot of force. Not only will this ruin your knife, it could cause injury as well.

-Be sure you get a wide selection from a good chefs knife, a chopping knife,a boning knife, a serrated edged knife, and a pairing knife. Kitchen shears and a set of steak knives are also a huge plus.

-A wooden block to store them in comes in handy. It protects the knives and gives them easy access.

-A sharping steel is also something you'll want to be included in with your knife set. Knives dull, even if they tell you they don't. Keeping your knives sharp is the key

-And finally -- stay in your budget!! Buy the best equipment you can afford, and take care of them.

Rosemary Parmesan Puff Pastry bites

Looking for a great finger food to serve at your movie night or your next cocktail party? Puff Pastry sheets with flavorful rosemary and parmesan are quick to assemble, quick to bake, and you and your guests are sure to enjoy them. Chances are you already have most of the ingredients needed for this recipe. Serve with your favorite glass of wine for a great pairing.

1 sheet of Puff Pastry Dough
2 Tablespoons of melted butter
Fresh or dried Rosemary
Grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly cracked Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Lightly flour a clean and flat work surface. Unfold the puff pastry sheet and brush the top with the melted butter.



Next, crack a bit of freshly ground black pepper over top and then sprinkle some parmesan cheese. Evenly distribute the rosemary over the cheese and the pepper.

Carefully roll the dough into a log shape and slice the dough into slices that are about 1/2 inch thick or so. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent them from stick. Lay the bites out along the pan leaving room in between them because they will spread out. Brush the tops of the cut puff pastry with some of the remaining melted butter and sprinkle with a touch more cheese, rosemary, and a pinch of kosher salt. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the tops and the edges have turned golden brown. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Puff Pastry Sheets - Frozen layers of deliciousness

Puff Pastry sheets are gifts from pastry heaven and you'll find them in just about every grocery store's freezer section these days. Making your own puff pastry isn't the easiest thing to do and it's certainly a very time consuming process. When you're in a pinch to make a quick appetizer or desert, these sheets of buttery and flaky pastry are a life saver!

Possibilities are pretty much endless! Simply sprinkle cinnamon and sugar over top, roll the pastry into a log, and cut into one inch segments for a quick desert or swap out the cinnamon and sugar for some freshly grated cheese and herbs for a quick and easy appetizer. I've been developing a lot of tasty treats with puff pastry sheets so on your trip to the grocery store this weekend, pick up a box or two to have on hand in the freezer. They'll certainly come in handy for the upcoming holiday season!