Capresse Salad

Heat wave in the North East this week and this blogger is not enjoying it!! I like my Spring and Summer months but when the temperature is heating the mid 90s before June and the humidity is high, the last thing I want to do is be over a hot stove top or a grill. Here is my favorite dinner to make when it's too hot to cook but I still want to get the best flavors of the season. A Capresses Salad is simple, delicious, and healthy and requires no cooking! Just lay some fresh mozzarella, freshly sliced tomatoes, and fresh basil with a little drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you're set! Slice up some good crusty Italian bread and pour a nice glass of wine to go with it and this is the perfect dinner to beat the heat with. Of course it goes great with any movie too!!

1 fresh Mozzarella ball
2 fresh and ripe tomatoes
15-20 fresh basil leaves
Olive Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Salt and pepper
Italian Bread (Optional)

Easy, easy, easy recipe!!! It's hardly a recipe at all!! Slice the tomato as thin or as thick as you'd like. I like to season my tomatoes with salt and pepper. Slice of your fresh mozzarella ball into slice, be sure it's fresh and not the low moisture mozzarella that comes in a block. Tear a few basil leaves up and line the three on a platter neatly. Dress the trio with some extra virgin olive oil and a bit of balsamic vinegar.

Backyard Cheese Burgers and "Batman Begins"

I'm pretty sure I have a slight addiction to cheeseburgers. If a freshly grilled cheese burger isn't my favorite thing to eat it's, certainly in my top three. Though you can make a great burger indoors with a cast iron skillet, nothing beats the flavor you get from grilling. Through your favorite cheese on top, melt it to perfection, on a fresh bun with an toppings you desire and this is one quick lunch or dinner few will pass up. This weeks movie recommendation isn't quite as literal as some of my other pairings, but it still seems to fit for me. In fact, just the other night when I sat down to enjoy my burger I put the DVD of "Batman Begins" in to enjoy. It's the start to Christopher Nolan's Dark Knight Trilogy and whether you might believe it at first or not, they are three of the best films made in recent years. Lets get the burgers going before we start talking abou the film.


For 3 Cheese Burgers 
1¼ lb of Angus ground Beef 80/20
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper 
2 tablesoons of softend butter
¼ lb of sliced cheese (Always Cooper Sharp Cheese for me)
Burger Buns

Burgers are pretty simple to make, with that said there are a few easy mistakes that I think a lot of people make. Selecting good ground meat is essentially the first key to making a perfect cheese burger. Angus beef is always the best quality and you want to look for one with about an 80 to 20 ratio of lean meat and fat. Now you might have realized I don't add a bunch of spices to my burger and you'll never catch me with those generic grill spice mixtures either. Keeping the seasoning simple to just salt and pepper is another tip to making a great burger. Once you take the wrapping off your burger, season it with some salt and pepper.
 
Now the next tip to making a great burger is when you form the patties themselves. You want to be gentle in this process. Don't roll up the ground beef into a ball using your hands and then flatten them out into their shape. When you compact the burge down tightly like that, you're forming a very tough burger. Gently pull a part a handful of the ground meat and pat in gently with your hands to form your burgers. Once you've formed your burgers, season again with a bit of salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Now a little trick I think helps keep the burgers juicy is spreading a little bit of very soft butter on the outside. Place the burgers back in the fridge for until you are ready to grill.

Heat your grill to a high temperature and allow the grates to get nice and hot. Place the burgers on top of the grill giving them a few inches in between each other. Place the cover on your grill and allow the burgers to cook on one side for about 6 to 8 minutes until you can see the meat browning around the bottom edges. Turn your burgers carefully and allow them to cook for another 6 to 8 minutes. One final tip here, never take your spatula and press down on your burger while it's on the grill. You may think you're helping it cook quicker but all you are doing is pressing all those flavorful juices right out of the burgers. Top your burgers with the cheese and cover the grill until the cheese has melted.

 Throw your burgers on your bun with your favorite toppings. I like a little freshly sliced red onion, a crispy dill pickle, and some ketchup and mustard. The burger should have a nice crispy outer crust and be moist and juicy on the inside. This to me folks is heaven on a bun! Now the Cheeseburger has a love affair with French Fries or Onion rings so click the links for my recipe for each. But sometimes I like to keep it simple with some good old potato chips. Now that dinner is at hand, time to dive into our movie of the week.

In 2005 Christopher Nolan took over the directing duties for the Batman movie franchise. While the first two movies directed by Tim Burton and starring Michael Keaton as Batman were widely popular hits with fans and critics, the franchise hit rock bottom with is horrid and comical sequels with "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin". It seem as though Batman would never again see the respected light of the silver screen. Christopher Nolan's "Batman Begins" changed all of that and not only did he set the bar for all movies based on comic book heroes, he made three of the most popular films of the past decade.

"Batman Begins" starts off with the story of how Bruce Wayne comes to be the mask hero of Gotham City. Christian Bale stars as Bruce Wayne/Batman, the young man who saw his parents murder with his own eyes when he was just a boy. Broken and lost, Wayne has buried himself far away from any signs of his former life and lives his life in hiding. Until a man named Ducard (Liam Neeson) discovers Wayne and promises him the means to seek the justice needed to get his revenge. Bruce soon finds himself back to the city her left years ago only find that Gotham has been completely corrupted by criminals and the rich thugs of the mobs.

With aide from his loyal butler Alfred (Michael Caine) and the head of the research and development department of the Wayne company Lucious Fox (Morgan Freeman), Bruce begins his double life as the masked vigilante known as Batman. While the entire city sees him as just another criminal, one cop named Jim Gordon (Gary Oldman) trusts that Batman may actually be trying to help. Together they will have to stop an unknown force that threatens to tear Gotham and it's people apart before there very eyes. Katie Holmes, Ken Watanabe, Tom Wilkinson, and Cillian Murphy co-star in the first installment of the Dark Knight Trilogy. Click here for the trailer of "Batman Begins"

DVD/Blu-Ray Special Features - Filmmakers Commentary

How many of you have ever watched one of your favorite movies with the commentary option turned on? I hope I'm not alone in doing this but I absolutely love it! Since you'll hear the commentary over top the actual dialogue of the movie, it's certainly not a way to watch the movie for the first time. For those of you with an extensive movie library, like myself, it's a different way to enjoy some of your favorite films

For those of you who might not be familiar with it, the commentary usually consists of the director of the film and either the producer or sometimes members of the film's cast. I find it so entertaining and interesting to hear about the making of the film first hand from the talented people behind it. It makes you appreciate the movie more when you hear the director talk about the difficulties or getting a certain scene shot perfectly or when you listen to the star of the film discuss their mind set as they prepared to get into character act a certain scene. 

One of my favorite movie commentaries is from the film "Something's Gotta Give" which features writer/director Nancy Meyers as well as the star of the movie, Jack Nicholson (There is also a second version of the commentary with Nancy Meyers and Diane Keaton). Hearing the two discuss the film they maid, especially Meyers since she also penned the script, is really enjoyable. Any commentary by J.J. Abrams and Christopher Nolan is also well worth checking out. They are two of the best directors working in film today and hearing about their experiences making their respected films is really amazing.

Maybe finding enjoyment in the commentary option on your DVD and Blu-Ray discs is only for the true movies buffs of the world; but I'd still urge you to check them out on some of your favorite movies if you're ever looking for a different perspective on film making. So tell me - am I alone here on this one? Do some of you already watch the commentary? If so I'd love to hear what some of your favorites are.

Grilling Tips - Perfect Steaks

 Memorial Day weekend, the unofficial start to summer and summer means one important thing to me - grilling! By this time of year I'm so eager to fire up my grill and cook just about anything I can think of on there. From breakfast, lunch, dinner, to desert - the grill is my main source of cooking in the summer months.

For the perfect steak, the seasoning is going to be key. Now every spice company under the sun seems to sell there own "grill mix" to sprinkle on steaks but you won't find any of that in my kitchen. For me a good steak only needs a generous season of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Salt and pepper will really bring out the delicious flavor of the beef. These New York strips we grilled for dinner a few nights ago were gorgeous so why cover up the natural flavor of them?

Once you season the steaks, let them sit out at room temperature for about 10 minutes or so. Another good tip is right before you place the steaks on the grill is to pat them dry a bit with a paper towel. Removing any excess moisture on the outside of the steak will help us get a better crust. Once the steaks hit the grill grates, leave them be. Don't go flipping them around ever 2 minutes and sliding them from one spot to another. If you leave the steaks motionless over the grill as the cook, you'll get gorgeous grill marks on your steaks like you'd see at a restaurant. I like my steaks still nice and pink in the center for I cook mine for about 8 to 10 minutes on each side (depending on thickness of the steak) when I grill them over medium high heat.

Once the steak has been grilled, remove from the heat and be sure to let the steak rest for a good 10 minutes before you cut into the meat. If you slice the steak as soon as it comes off the grill, you'll loose all the juices inside the steak and that is a cardinal sin of grilling. Follow these simple rules and you're on you way to being a grill master!

Fish Tacos and "I Love You, Man"

A coastal favorite for years now, fish tacos are becoming increasingly common on menus everywhere. Using a mild flavored and meaty fish like tilapia is the perfect choice for these tacos. They hold up great and compliment the flavors perfectly. Coating in panko bread crumbs and frying them in a skillet gives the fish a great crispy coating. Pile the crispy fillets with an avocado creme, fresh cut veggies, and shredded cheese and this is a great meal to enjoy with friends and family. Even if you're not a big fan of seafood, I think you'll find tilapia's mild flavor to be really delicious and perfect for fish tacos! This weeks movie, the 2009 comedy, "I love you, Man" is a great film to enjoy while dinning on this meal. Not only will the Southern California setting put you in mind of all the flavors, but Peter and Sydney even enjoy some fish tacos themselves in the one scene.

1lb of Tilapia
2 cups of flour
2 eggs
2 cups of Panko bread crumbs
Flour or Corn Tortillas
1 Avocado
½ cup of sour cream
2 limes
Kosher Salt and Black Pepper
Ice berg Lettuce
Shredded Cheese
1 Fresh Tomato
1 Fresh Red Bell Pepper
1 Fresh red onion
Fresh Cilantro

To make the avocado creme, scoop the avocado into a mixing bowl and add the juice of a haf of lime over top. The lime adds great flavor and of course will keep the avocado from browning. Season with a pinch of salt and pepper, about a teaspoon of freshly cut cilantro(optional), and add the sour cream. Mix together until the avocado is completely mashed into the sour cream - we want this to be a very smooth mixture. If you have any half and half or heavy cream, add about a tablespoon or two.

Before you stat cooking your fish, now is a perfect time to get the rest of your toppings ready. Just finely dice your red onions and your tomato and slice the lettuce as thinly as you can. I like the slice the bell pepper into strips and cut the limes into wedges. Shred whatever cheese you desire.

To prep the fish, season the fillets with pinch of salt and pepper. Get three shallow dishes and place them in a row on your counter top near your stove. In the first bowl, add the 2 cups of flour. In the second bowl crack in the two eggs and whisk the eggs together. Finally in the last bowl add your panko bread crumbs. Make sure you dip the fish in this order. The flour helps the egg stick to the fillet better and the egg will help the pankos stick. Dipping the fish fillets in the flour, then egg, and then the bread crumbs will provide us with a perfectly coated fillet. Make sure you get a nice coating on each piece.

Once the fillets are coated, heat about 2 tablespoon of olive oil and tablespoon of butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Preheat your oven to 225 degrees and add your tortillas in the oven wrapped in tin foil. Place the fish in the skillet and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on both sides until the breading is crispy and golden brown. Put the tilapia in the oven on a baking tray to keep warm while you continue to cook the rest of the fish. Add more olive oil as need when frying the next batch of fish.

Once the fish has all been fried and your tortillas have been warmed through you can stat building your tacos anyway you'd like. There is no wrong way to do this step so have fun with it and add as much of anything!! This is a great early summer meal to enjoy on a weekend with your special someone or it's a great dinner idea to invite a bunch of friends over, enjoy some fish tacos, a few cold beers, and watch a great movie. With this meal I recommend "I love you, Man" starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, and Rashida Jones.

Paul Rudd plays Peter Klaven, a young real estate agent who has just popped the big question to his girlfriend Zooey (Rashida Jones). Excited to spend the rest of their lives together, Zooey is quick to go down her long list of close friends to tell them the great news. When it's Peter's turn to spread the word, they both realize he really doesn't have any close male companions. While having dinner with Peter's family, they can't recall any good friends Peter has had and conclude he's always been closer to his girlfriends.

Now trying to find a "man friend", Peter searches the internet and asks his family to try and set him up with some guys. The task at hand isn't quite as easy as it sounds. Peter finds it hard to connect with some of the guys he's set up with and one friend his mother tried to set him up with wasn't looking to just make a causal friend to grab a beer after work. When Peter seems destined to be the only man in his wedding party, he meets Sydney (Jason Segel) at an open house Peter was hosting.

After a few awkward attempts to ask Sydney to grab a few drinks one night. Soon after, the two become close friends and spend as much time as possible together. Zooey may have gotten more than she wished for as she soon sees that Pete is spending more time with Sydney than he spends with her. "I love you, Man" is a laugh out loud comedy with strong performances by Rudd and Segel. Check out the trailer by clicking here.

Summer Blockbuster Season

The summer months are when the movie studios release some of the most anticipated films of the year. Big budget action and special effect films, stunning animated and CGI family films, and star filled comedies, and sequels to well known franchises will the marque lights throughout the dog days of summer. You might not think of going to the movies to be a popular summer activity, but come those 90 degree and humid days you can't bare to step outside and away to the air conditioning - a movie theater is a great place to spend a few hours.

Movies like "Iron Man 3", "Star Trek Into Darkness", and "The Great Gatsby" were some of the early blockbusters to hit theaters, each racking in big crowds and ticket sales for their opening weekends. With heavy hitters like "The Man of Steel", "The Hangover part 3", "Fast and the Furious 6", "The Internship", "Monsters University", "Grown Ups 2", and "The Wolverine" still to come, the summer of 2013 surely has a film that will appeal to anyone. So I'm curious what movies you're all looking forward to seeing the most this summer?

Fresh herb Gardens

Spring is upon us, and while I love the colder months I'm always eager to plant my fresh herb garden once the snow has melted. Fresh basil, parsley, chives, rosemary, dill, and thyme are just a few herbs you'll be sure to get a ton of use out off. 

Basil is fantastic with chopped over fresh tomatoes, rosemary will take homemade marinades and vinaigrettes to the next level, and I have to say I put dill in everything from cucumber salad to grilled chicken breasts. 

It won't take long and it doesn't require a large plot, but an herb garden is really worth putting together. Green thumb or not, your own herb garden is sure to take  off and add great flavor to your summer cooking!! It's a great little project to do on a sunny Saturday afternoon! 

"The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" with Indian spiced Grilled Chicken andFresh Mango relish

My top movie of 2012 is "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". When a group of British retirees relocate to India to spend their golden years living a life of leisure in a lavishly restored hotel, they soon find there is more to life, love, and happiness than they believed. I enjoyed the film so much that it even inspired me to try my hand at cooking with some commonly used spices in Indian cuisine. Marinating boneless chicken in a sweet and spicy marinade of orange juice, turmeric, garam masala, and a few other spices turned out to be the perfect flavor combination. Served over grilled Naan bread and topped with a fresh mango relish - it's the perfect dish to enjoy with my favorite movie of 2012  that's filmed with heart and humor.
Serves 4

About 1½ pounds of boneless chicken cut into strips
2 Naan flat breads
For the Marinade
The juice and the zest of one Orange
½ cup of vegetable oil
½ teaspoon of Garam Masala
¼ teaspoon of Turmeric
½ teaspoon of parika
¼ teaspoon of black pepper
A pinch of Cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon of kosher salt
For the relish
1 Mango
1 large shallot
1 medium sized bell pepper (any color)
A pinch of Garam Masala
A splash of red wine vinegar
A drizzle of vegetable oil
salt and pepper

First step is to combine the spices with our citrus juice and oil to make our marinade. Use a microplane to zest the orange and then extract the juice from the orange into a mixing bowl. Add the vegetable oil and all of the spices. Whisk the contents together until combined and add the boneless chicken strips into the marinade. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for at least an hour or two.

While the chicken marinates, we can take a few moments to make the relish. Peel the mango and chop the flesh of the fruit. You'll want to select Mangoes that have a fruity smell and that have a slight give to them when you gently squeeze them. Don't use color as an indicator of ripeness. Use a vegetable peeler to remove the skin and then use a sharp knife to cut around the Mango's pit. Finely dice the shallot and chop up the bell pepper. Add the chopped mango, shallot, and pepper into a mixing bowl and toss together with the garam masala, and the vinegar. Season the relish to taste with a bit of salt and pepper.

Once the chicken has marinated, prepare your charcoal grill with an even layer of coals or preheat your gas grill to about medium heat. Place the chicken strips on the grill with room in between each piece. Grill for about 8-12 minutes on each side until fully cooked. Once the chicken is almost through cooking, add the Naan bread to the grill to just enough to warm the bread and give it a slightly crispy exterior.

Once the Naan is heated and the chicken is fully cooked, it's time to plate the dish. I like to cut the Naan bread in half (or whole for a large portion) and lay the bread on a plate. Lay a few strips of chicken over top the Naan and add our fresh mango relish. Make sure to get a little bit of the Naan bread, the spiced chicken, and the relish in each bite!

"The best Exotic Marigold Hotel" didn't get the recognition it deserved when it came to movie fans and critics discussing the best films of the year. A strong cast, a well written script, a beautifully filmed movie, and an entertaining story are only a few of this films strengths. A group of British retirees coming from different backgrounds are on their way to India to stay at the newly renovated Marigold Hotel. Judi Dench stars as Evelyn Greenslade, recently widowed and struggling to maintain the lifestyle she shared with her husband do to the substantial debt he's left behind.

When she finds an ad online to come retire at a gorgeous and lavish hotel in India, she's quick to decide that her retirement should be outsourced. She joins an interesting group consisting of  a cranky and judgmental woman in need of a hip replacement named Muriel (Maggie Smith), a married couple Douglas and Jean (Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton) who lost their life savings in an investment, a high court judge named Graham (Tom Wilkinson) leaving his career behind to rediscover himself, Madge (Celia Imrie) who is searching for a rich husband, and Norman (Ronald Pickup) who is searching for any attractive woman under the age of 40. Indian turns out not to be at all what they had imagined, especially the hotel they planned on staying at. Through the bonds they form and the experiences they share, they all may find the true joys life holds.

You won't find dazzling special effects, just a group of veteran actors proving that they're all skilled at their craft. Maggie Smith's performance as the cranky and yet loveable Muriel Donnelly will surely stand out and deliver a few chuckles. Dev Patel adds a wonderful supporting role as the young and enthusiastic hotel owner/manager. "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" made it to number one on my list because of the films loveable characters, the gorgeous setting, and the fantastic performances given by the all-star cast. Here is the trailer for the film and I really hope you all see this movie as soon as possible.

My top 10 movies of 2012

This post may seem a bit past due since we are already almost to the halfway point of 2013. However I've finally seen the majority of the films that were released in 2012 to finalize my list of the top 10 movies of the year. Unlike some of the award shows, this is an honest list from a movie fan and critic and my number one film may surprise you. Without further delay lets start! Let me know what you guys think of my list.

10.) The Woman in Black - The year saw many fantastic movies released but this spooky little ghost story still remained near the top of the list for me. Daniel Radcliffe plays Arthur Kipps, a young widowed lawyer who's struggling to prove his worth at the office where he works. When he's assigned to travel to a remote village to settle estate and organize the affairs of a deceased woman. Upon his arrival, Arthur is keen to pick up on the mysterious aura the town and he's instantly met with residents who will do whatever they can to stop him from going to the estate where he must work. Arthur soon discovers the tragic and horrid history of the town as he finds that the woman still haunts the house and the town - searching for what she lost. "The Woman in Black" is really a solid film and one I thoroughly enjoyed. It provides scenes of fright and suspense and it just may make your own mind play tricks on you in the dark.

9.) The Sessions - The first thing I can say about this movie is that despite Helen Hunt receiving an Oscar nomination, it was horribly underrated. The film is based off the true story of Mark O'Brien. John Hawkes plays O'Brien, a 38 year old poet who, after getting polio at the age of six, is paralyzed from the neck down. In addition to his crippled spine, Mark can spend but only a few short hours outside of an iron lung in order to survive. When Mark searches for a way to finally know what it's like to be intimate with a woman, he searches for a professional sex surrogate. Helen Hunt plays Cheryl Cohen-Greene, Cheryl has never quite had a client in Mark's condition and welcomes the the task to help achieve his desires. Throughout the sessions between Cheryl and Mark, the two begin to learn more about each other and themselves then they had imagined. Fine performances by Hawkes, Hunt, and supporting role by William H. Macy make what would have been a good film ,solely based on content, into a great film. You'll laugh and want to cry in one of the very best films of 2012.

8.) Zero Dark Thirty - This was one of the heavy hitters of the year and Oscar buzz began to "buzz" the minute people heard this film was being made.  Jessica Chastain plays Maya, the devoted CIA agent who spent the better part of ten years searching for the worlds most wanted man, Osama Bi Laden. The film documents the real life events leading up to the CIA obtaining the information that helped them discover the location of the terrorist and the operation that occurred the night our climatic search concluded. "Zero Dark Thirty" didn't quite live up to the hype for me but it was still a great movie that deserves it's ranking among the best of 2012. Chastain's performance is wonderful at times and Jason Clarke and Kyle Chandler offer strong supporting performances.

7.) Butter - I've got to be honest, when I saw the title for this film I first thought - Paula Dean Biopic?? Then when I read the movie's plot I thought, wow that sounds dumb - a movie about butter carving? Well I couldn't have been more wrong and this was one of the most original films I've seen in years! When Bob (Ty Burrell), the champion at butter carving in at the Iowa State fair, is told by the judges he should refrain from entering this years competition to someone else a chance, his wife Laura (Jennifer Garner) is the one to take the news the worst. She then enters the contest herself, thinking she'd easily mow over anyone who tried to steal the place she feels someone in the family deserves. That is until young Destiny (Yara Shahidi) enters the spotlight and wows the judges with her sculpting skills. "Butter" is a very original comedy and one that provided me with a lot of laughs, especially from Olivia Wilde as Brooke - the outrageous stripper Bob mistakenly gets involved with one night.

6.) The Giant Mechanical Man - 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 Janet 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.

5.) Trouble With the Curve - In "trouble with the curve", Clint Eastwood plays Gus - a baseball scout for the Atlanta Braves. When Gus can no longer see as well as he use to, he refuses to acknowledge he has deteriorating vision. Many in the Braves organization begin to doubt Gus and his ability to scout useful players and decided to see him to North Carolina to scout a promising young player. Loyal to his friend Gus, Peter (John Goodman) advises his daughter Mickey (Amy Adams) to possibly accompany her father. Despite her busy schedule as a lawyer, Mickey decides to travel with her father in hopes to patch their somewhat rocky relationship. With help from a young former baseball phenom turned scout Johnny (Justin Timberlake), Mickey and Gus are able to see that the two share more in common than they may have thought. "Trouble with the Curve" is a great movie with one of the best feel good endings I've ever seen.

4.) Argo - The 2012 Oscar winner for best picture makes it's way to number four on my list. Director Ben Affleck also stars in this intense film about the secret mission to safely save Americans that were trapped in Iran. After the US embassy was invaded by rioters, a handful of workers were able to escape being held captivate and found refuge at the Canadian ambassador's home. Unable to leave the country without being noticed, they're trapped and it's only a matter of time before the Iranians find them. Tony Mendez (Ben Affleck) enters the country as a Canadian film maker looking for location to film a fictional sci-fi movie "Argo" and plans on creating fake identities for the the six as his film crew and leave the country before they're found. "Argo" is a high intensity film and one that will make your heart beat faster and your palm sweat as the dram unfolds. Out of all the films the academy awarded nominations for the best picture of 2012, "Argo" certainly rose above them all.

3.) Skyfall - The most famous spy in films, James Bond returns. A hard drive containing the identities of every NATO agent has just been stolen and James Bond (Daniel Craig) is believed to be KIA during an attempt to retrieve it. Now in the hands of an unknown terrorist, the leader of MI6 "M" (Judi Dench) is being haunted by her past and the safety of all her agents is in jeopardy. When Bond returns from the dead, it's up to her best agent to stop an enemy that she once trusted. "Skyfall" is by far the best James Bond film in my eyes. Daniel Craig owns the role as Bond and the the script of "Skyfall" is top notch. Why this film wasn't in the running for best picture is a mystery to me. Even if you're not a fan of past James Bond movies, I'd still recommend "Skyfall" to anyone looking for watch a well crafted and solid film.

2.) The Dark Knight Rises - Christopher Nolan's epic conclusion to his Dark Knight Trilogy was one of the years most anticipated films and it certainly didn't disappoint. Set eight years after the even of "The Dark Knight", the city still mourns the death of Harvey Dent and Batman is being framed for the death of Gotham's District attorney. Commissioner Jim Gordon is the only one who knows the truth and is waiting for the right time to tell the city that Dent was no better than the criminals he put in jail and that Batman is the true hero. His body feeling the affects of the years of fighting the scum of Gotham, Bruce Wayne (Christian Bale) goes into retreat and helplessly sees the city take steps backwards. When a terrorist named Bane (Tom Hardy), comes to Gotham claiming to be the new leader of the league of shadows and takes the entire city hostage. With a new force of evil threatening the city, Batman resurfaces to save the city that has turned it's back on him. Anne Hathaway, Michael Cane, Gary Oldman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Morgan Freeman, and Marion Cotillard compile an all star cast. This film is exciting, emotional, and a true masterpiece work of art.

1.) My favorite movie of 2012 was "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel". Click here for my review and a recipe to accompany!

Weekend Breakfast!

 I sure hope none of you have forgotten about Mother's day this Sunday! It's their special day when they shouldn't have to worry about getting up early and tackling their "to do list". Why not start your mom, grandma, or wife's day off with a special breakfast! Nothing shows someone that you care more than a home cooked meal and I've got some great breakfast recipes your mom will love!

Maybe she'd enjoy a nice stack of light and fluffy buttermilk pancakes or a healthy and delicious fruit and yogurt parfait with homemade granola. You can really impress her with some stuffed French Toast or even a basket filled with freshly baked scones! Of course you can't go wrong with Wednesday's recipe for Pain Perdu - your mom will be impressed with your cooking and your French!

All my breakfast recipes you see pictured here can be found by clicking on "Breakfast" underneath my recipe index in the side column. Hope you all have a great weekend and a very happy Mothers day to all the special Moms and Grandmas out there - especially mine!! :)