Quick Shrimp Scampi

 Need a quick dinner idea that doesn't come from the freezer section or from a microwave? Shrimp Scampi is a delicious dish that can be done in under 30 minutes. It's a great meal for a special treat on a weeknight or as a homemade date night dinner.

 

3/4 of a pound wild caught gulf shrimp (peeled and vein removed)

1/4 cup of white wine

4 tablespoons of butter

1 tablespoon of Olive oil

4 cloves of garlic (Minced or grated)

1 Shallot (Diced)

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

Fresh basil and Parsley 

1 package of Linguine or angel hair pasta

Fill a large pot with water and season generously with some salt. Place over a medium high heat to bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, Cook the pasta according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, In a satue pan, melt the butter and olive oil together over medium heat. Add the diced shallot and cook until the shallot is tender but not brown - about 7 minutes. Next add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Garlic burns very quickly so keep a close eye. Pour the white wine into the pan and cook for a few moments to cook out the alcohol. Now add the shrimp to the pan and cook until the shrimp have turned pink - this will happen quickly as well (about 5 to 7 minutes).

 

Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice and the freshly chopped basil and parsley. Pour the shrimp and the sauce over the drained pasta and toss everything together. Serve hot will fresh Italian bred and a dry white wine.

Caribbean Marinated Skewers and Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

One of my favorite ways to experiment with new flavor combinations is by making a marinade.When I started thinking of a meal to go with one of my favorite movies, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, I came up with my Caribbean marinade recipe. The idea of this food and flick parring was actually the first idea that came to me when I thought of starting this blog. Flavored with pineapple juice, rum, and a ton of spices this marinade will infuse everything it touches with the key flavors of the Caribbean islands. I used boneless chicken and shrimp for mine but this marinade would also be great with pork. Meant to be grilled over an open flame, its a perfect dinner for a warm summer night. A plate of freshly grilled skewers, a refreshing drink, and Pirates of the Caribbean is one movie night the whole family will love. Yo ho, Yo ho! A pirates life for me!

1 and 1/2 pounds of boneless skinless Chicken breast (Cut into cubes)
1 pound of raw peeled and deveined shrimp
1 large Red onion
1 Mango
Fresh Pineapple
Bell Peppers

For the Marinade
1/4 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of pineapple juice
1/4 cup of dark rum
3 tablespoons of brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon of ginger
A pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon of freshly cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of Cayenne pepper
Juice and zest of one lime
2 cloves of minced or grated garlic
3 chopped scallions

In a medium sized mixing bowl - whisk together the oil, rum, pineapple juice, and the lime juice. Separately combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, salt and pepper, nutmeg, lime zest, and cayenne pepper together until the spices have been mixed together. Whisk into the liquids until the the combined and finally add the grated garlic and chopped scallions.

Place the chicken breast in a baking dish or a large Ziploc bag and pour just enough marinade over top to cover the meat. Toss together lightly to make sure the meat is mixed in with the marinade and allow the meat to soak up the flavors for at least 2 to 3 hours.

In a separate dish or Ziploc bag, pour the same amount of marinade over top of the shrimp. Again, cover and allow the shrimp to marinate for 2 to 3 hours.

Once the chicken and shrimp are soaking up our marinade, time to infuse our fruit and veggies as well. Peel the outer layer of the red onion and cut off both ends. To get nice big pieces for skewers - cut the onion in half, then into quarters, and then cut the quarters in halves.

You'll want to cut your bell pepper into pieces that are about the same size as your onion to help insure an even cooking time. Do the same with your Mango and pineapple. Once the tropical fruit and vegetables have been cut to size, allow them to soak up the Caribbean flavors using the remaining marinade.

Before we take a break and let our meat, fruit, and veggies marinate it's time to do one very quick but important step. If you're going to be grilling with bamboo skewers, we have to soak them in water so they don't burn on the grill. Lay the skewers in a flat dish and pour water over top for them to soak in. You really only have to let them soak for about 30 minutes but I find the longer they soak the better. Your bamboo skewers will burn on the grill if you forget this step so make sure you take the time to do so.

Once marinated, it's time to skewer the meat and veggies to get ready for the grill. The chicken, shrimp, and fruit and vegetables will all have slightly different cooking times so even though it looks nice for presentation, it's best to not mix the vegetables with the meat. Skewer the pineapple, mango, onions and peppers together, the shrimp on it's own, and skewer the chicken separately also.

Prepare either your gas or charcoal grill - if you're using gas turn your burners to about medium heat. The shrimp will only take a few minutes to cook so we'll place them on the grill last. Place the chicken and vegetable and fruit skewers on first. Cook the chicken and veggie skewers for about 5 to 7 minutes on each side until grill marks start to appear. Flip and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes.

Once the chicken is just about done cooking and the vegetable and fruit has become tender, place the shrimp skewers onto the grill. They will cook very fast, about 3 minutes on each side until the shrimp turns pink. Once the shrimp is done, remove the skewers from the grill and serve. I like to serve these with just a side of white rice with some freshly chopped scallions mixed in at the end. Eat up me hearties, it's time to start our movie of the week.

The Pirates of the Caribbean movie franchise has become one of the most popular movies series over the last decade. Originally created from the attraction by the same name at Disney World, we have now seen four Pirate movies since the 2003 release of first installment, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl, and a fifth movie set to start filming next year. It's safe to say the world simply can't get enough of the outrageous Captain Jack Sparrow.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl came out the gates with a bang. Being an instant hit with critics and fans, Johnny Depp brought the character of Jack Sparrow to life, earning an Oscar nomination for best actor in 2004 in the process. When the notorious pirate Captain Jack Sparrow arrives at the island town of Port Royal, it doesn't take him long to find his way into trouble. While trying to escape capture, Sparrow meets and duels with a young blacksmith named William Turner (Orlando Bloom) who hates all pirates. William is especially aggressive towards Jack when he learns that Jack threatened harm to his childhood friend and secret love Elisabeth Swan (Keira Knightly).

The same night that Sparrow arrives in town, a ghostly ship called The Black Pearl arrives off shore of Port royal and begins attacking. The crew of the Pearl have searched the entire Caribbean Sea for the final missing piece to their stolen treasure and their search finally comes to a conclusion. The last piece of Aztec gold they seek is in the hands of the governor's daughter, Elisabeth. Elisabeth is captured by the attacking pirates and soon comes face to face with Captain Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush).

Now desperate to rescue Elisabeth from Barbossa, William goes off on his own and turns to Jack for help. Though William's hatred towards pirates couldn't be greater, he knows his only chance to find Barbossa and rescue Elisabeth is with Jack Sparrow's help. Of course, Jack Sparrow isn't just along to help save the day as he has his own personal vendetta for Barbossa and his crew. The two will soon discover that rescuing Elisabeth and defeating Barbossa will be more difficult than they had expected.

Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is really just a fun movie to watch and can be enjoyed by movie fans of all ages. It's a solid film that's filled with action, humor, and romance from start to finish. While Johnny Depp and his larger than life character are the star of the film, I think Geoffrey Rush's performance was widely underrated. One of the most talented actors in the industry, he brings his A game in this movie. Playing the evil Captain Barbossa, he excels at the part and makes you believe you're actually seeing a real life pirate lord carrying out his plans. Though all of the films in the series are enjoyable, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl is far and away to best of the bunch. If by some chance you overlooked this film, I can't urge you enough to get a hold of a copy as soon as possible. Click here to watch the trailer and catch a glimpse of the excitement.

Grilled Swordfish and JAWS

Last week I had the taste to try something new and broaden my culinary horizons. As a kid growing up I was never much of a fan of seafood. Over the past few years, my tastes have changed and I've begun to enjoy more and more of the types of seafood available. Along with wanting to come up with a meal to pair with one of my all time favorite films, Jaws, my new found taste for seafood brought me to the idea of making myself a swordfish steak out on the grill and I was more than pleased with the results.

Swordfish has a very mild flavor to it and holds up great out on the grill. With a very meaty texture and a slight fish taste to it, I can best describe swordfish as a cross between a steak and a boneless chicken breast. The downfall to swordfish is it's price, usually running around $20 per pound. The silver lining here is that the piece of swordfish pictured was just over 1/2 pound and easily fed two people. The price may turn some away but it's nice to splurge once in a while and a fresh swordfish steak is a great item to do so with.With a side of fresh cut french fries and a crisp summery salad, this is a perfect summertime dinner to enjoy with a classic summertime film, Steven Spielberg's iconic and timeless 1975 film Jaws.

1 Swordfish steak
The zest and the juice of 1 Lemon
1/8 cup of Vegetable oil
2 cloves are Garlic (grated or finely minced)
1 small shallot (finely diced)
1 tablespoon of Dijon Mustard
Kosher salt and black pepper

To assemble to marinade for our swordfish, first start by using a zester or a microplane and removing the zest from the lemon. While we have out microplane out, grate the two cloves of garlic and add the garlic and the zest into a mixing bowl or a liquid measuring cup. Once the lemon has been zested, use the palm of your hand to apply pressure and roll the lemon along your cutting board or counter. This will help get the maximum amount of juice out of our lemon. Add the juice of the lemon to the mixing bowl and pour in the vegetable oil.

To the oil and lemon juice, add the diced shallot and a pinch of kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Next whisk into the mixture the tablespoon of Dijon mustard until the oil and lemon juice emulsify into each other to form our marinade.

In a shallow glass dish (A pie plate or something similar works well), pour a little less than half of our marinade into the bottom. Place the swordfish steak in the dish and pour the remaining marinade over top of the swordfish. You want to let the swordfish marinade for about 3 to 4 hours in the refrigerator but you don't want it to sit in the marinade much longer than that. The swordfish will get mushy if it's been in the marinade for too long so be sure to avoid that. Not only do we want to fish to remain firm for eating, it's essential that the swordfish stays meaty so that we can grill it with ease.


Once the fish is allowed to soak up the flavors of the marinade, it's time to grill! Preheat your grill so that it's at a medium high temperature. Using a grill brush, very carefully grease the grill grates with a bit of vegetable oil to help prevent the swordfish from sticking. Place the swordfish down onto the grill and season with a bit more salt and pepper. Swordfish will cook very fast so be sure to keep your eye on it at all times. Grill the fish for only about 6-7 minutes on each side depending on thickness. Swordfish will dry out quickly so make sure you don't overcook. Once the cooking time is up, remove the swordfish from the grill and serve hot. Once dinner is on the plate, pour a glass of dry white wine, and enjoy your freshly grilled swordfish dinner with this weeks movie, Jaws.

When a monstrous Great White Shark finds it's way to the Northern Atlantic ocean off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, a quiet beach thrown into a nightmare.The number of victims continues to increase as the Shark terrorizes Amity's waters. Newly hired and new resident of the island Chief Brody (Roy Scheider) has to find a way to stop the shark before it attacks again. To make matters more difficult, with the 4th of July on hand the mayor of Amity (Murray Hamilton) refuses to close the beaches. With the help of a marine biologist Matt Hooper (Richard Dreyfuss) and a seasoned fisherman Quint (Robert Shaw), Brody has to stop the shark before it takes another life, including their own. Lorraine Gary also co-stars as Chief Brody's wife.

Steven Spielberg's Jaws is without question one of the most recognized films ever made. It was one of the first motion pictures I truly fell in love with and helped me discover my love and passion for film making. You hear one note from John Williams' timeless and flawless score and you instantly think Jaws and about a shark attack. I mean really will there ever be a better or more iconic piece of music composed for a film? The answer is "No."

The 1975 classic is known to just about every person on the face of the planet and every one of them is lying if they tell you they haven't wondered what was swimming underneath the last time they went to the beach. Jaws was the first movie of it's time to truly be a smash hit at the theaters and drove movie goers to the theaters in massive numbers. The film terrified the world and launched the career of it's stars and it's talented young director.

Jaws was not an easy movie to film by any standard and, on more than one occasion, the crew were ready to call it quits. Between filming on the unpredictable Atlantic Ocean, going beyond the scheduled shooting time, going over budget, and most importantly a shark that wasn't working - it's a true testament to Spielberg and his crew that Jaws ever made it to the theaters. The biggest issue they crew faced, a mechanical shark which was slated to be the star of the movie that broke down nearly every single day. The film quickly went over schedule and over budget and Spielberg believed Jaws would mark the end of his career before it ever truly began.

While the crew thought the malfunctioning mechanical shark Spielberg named Bruce (named after his lawyer) would be the nail on the coffin for the film, their young director would use it to his advantage. In the original storyboards and concepts for the film, the shark is featured in almost every attack scene. Steven Spielberg would take inspiration from his own fear of the deep dark water and not knowing what could be swimming underneath you to scare the audiences without ever catching a glimpse of the monstrous fish. It was this concept and genius direction by Spielberg that truly made Jaws a horrifying movie to watch.

Jaws became an overnight success and nearly 40 years later, the film hasn't lost it's allure or horrifying nature to audiences. While many movie critics consider Citizen Kane, Casablanca, or Gone With the Wind to be the greatest movie ever made, Jaws equally deserves to be in consideration for that honor in my eyes. Though I'm willing to bet 99% of my readers have seen Jaws, I still urge you to watch it again in the near future and take note at all the tiny details that make this film the masterpiece that is. Instead of a link to a trailer for the film like I usually post, here is an hour and half documentary with interviews with the cast and crew about the making of Jaws.

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.

Roasted Shimp and Asparagus with Pasta and "Something's Gotta Give"

Spring has sprung, and with it the abundant season of fresh produce is about to begin. April is the best time of year to get fresh asparagus and it tastes so good when you roast it at a high temperature. Tossed together with some sweet shrimp, cherry tomatoes, and a creamy sauce with a hint of lemon and this dish screams to me the tastes of spring.To go with this pasta dish, I have the film "Something's Gotta Give". Whenever I think of this film I think of the location that the film takes place in, the gorgeous Hamptons in New York. Though I've never been to the Hamptons, I know they have access to fresh seafood and great local and fresh produce. The sauce itself also has routes from the Hamptons as it's a variation of a recipe I learned from Ina Garten's cooking show, The Barefoot Contessa. It's a simple and elegant meal that you can make in about 35 minutes and you won't believe how delicious it tastes.

Serves 4-5

1 Pound of raw Shrimp (peeled and deveined)
1 Large shallot (diced)
2 cloves of Garlic (minced or grated)
1 bunch of fresh Asparagus
½ pound of Cherry Tomatoes 
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup of Heavy Cream
Juice and the Zest of one Lemon
Freshly Chopped Parsley
Penne Pasta (Or whatever you prefer)
Kosher Salt and freshly cracked black pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

Fill a large pot about ¾ of the way full with water. Salt the water heavily and turn the heat up to high to bring the water to a boil.

In a medium sauce pan, coat the bottom of the pan with about a tablespoon  of olive oil. Place the pan on the stove top over medium low heat. Add the diced shallot to the olive oil and cook the shallot for about 5 to 7 minutes - stirring occasionally. The shallot will be very aromatic and begin to get tender. Add the the two cloves of garlic and cook for another minute being sure to stir constantly so the garlic doesn't burn. Add the cup of heavy cream, the lemon zest, the lemon juice, and salt and pepper. If you're skeptic about adding lemon to the cream, I have to tell you that I've had people who hate lemon love this sauce. The lemon doesn't over power the dish at all, just gives it a nice subtle background flavor. Simmer the sauce over low heat giving a stir every few minutes. Season the sauce to taste.
 

Rinse off your asparagus and gently bend the stalk of the asparagus. Where the asparagus snaps is it's natural breaking point and the bottom part of the vegetable that breaks off should be discarded. An easy way to get through doing this for a large amount of asparagus is break abut 6 or 7 of them and use where they broke as guide on where to cut the rest with a knife.

Next, rinse the cherry tomatoes and slice them into halves. Place the asparagus on a baking sheet along with the cherry tomatoes and toss them together with a tablespoon of olive oil and some kosher salt and pepper. Roast the vegetables in the oven at 425 for about 20 minutes. 

Prepare the shrimp by removing the peels and the veins. For presentation I sometimes like the to leave the tails of the shrimp on but you can certainly remove them if you wish. Place the shrimp on a cookie sheet and season them with about a ½ teaspoon of kosher salt, ½ teaspoon of black pepper, and just a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes. Drizzle about a tablespoon of olive oil over the shrimp and toss the shrimp together to coat them with the oil and seasons.

Place the shrimp in the oven and roast for about for about 7 to 10 minutes until the shrimp are just pink. The shrimp will also be firm to the touch. You want to be careful to not overcook seafood which is rather easy to do so keep a close eye on them. I usually try to time it where I add my shrimp to the oven about half-way through the cooking time for the asparagus and the tomatoes so they get done at just about the same time.

By now the water should be coming to a nice rolling boil, add your pasta and cook to the directions according to the package. While the pasta boils and the shrimp and veggies finishing roasting, chop the fresh parsley that we'll add right before we serve the dish.

Once the veggies and shrimp are roasted, remove from the oven. Drain the cooked pasta and pour the pasta into a large serving bowl. Add the roasted asparagus and the tomatoes to the pasta. Next, scrape the shrimp into the bowl. Be sure to add any juices that have accumulated on either of the sheet pans. Pour our cream sauce over top the pasta, shrimp, and veggies and mix everything together. Shower the dish with some freshly chopped parsley and freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Serve the pasta hot with a fresh and crusty bread! A nice chilled glass of Pinot Grigio is the perfect wine to go along with this pasta dish. Grab a bowl of pasta, a glass of wine, and lets get started with this weeks movie.

"Something's Gotta Give" is the 2003 romantic comedy starring two of films most iconic faces, Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton. Written and directed by Nancy Meyers, the film was a popular hit among audiences and critics and Diane Keaton earned an Oscar Nomination for her role as Erika Barry.

Nicholson plays Harry Sanborn, a mid-sixties Hip-Hop music executive with an eye for women much younger than himself. His latest catch is the young and beautiful Maren (Amanda Peet) who has invited Harry to spend the weekend with her at her mothers lavish beach house in the Hamptons. The two arrive at the gorgeous and impressive piece of real estate and prepare for a romantic weekend alone - that is until Marin's mother Erika (Diane Keaton) and her aunt Zoe (Francis McDormand) surprisingly walk in on Harry standing in her kitchen in his underwear. 

Appalled by her daughter's choice to date Harry, Erika wants nothing more for Harry to head back to the city and leave the three of them to enjoy their weekend. No such luck however as Zoe suggest they all act like adults and enjoy their time there together. Erika sucks it up, thinking it would only be for a day or two. That is until Harry has a sudden heart attack and is forced to stay bed ridden until his doctor clears him healthy enough to travel. Refusing to stay in a hospital, Marin convinces her mother Erika to allow Harry to recover at her home. Keaue Reeves costars as Harry's doctor who soon takes his own romantic interest in Erika while caring for Harry. 

Forced to spend more time together than they both wish, their personalities clash at first but the two begin to grow and unlikely bond. Erika and Harry soon begin to let their guards down and realize they may actually enjoy each others company more than the could ever imagine. The results lead the two on a journey of humor and heartbreak. "Something's Gotta Give" doesn't reinvent the genre of the romantic comedy movie but it does bring a sense of freshness to it and shows that love can happen for anyone. Whether you've seen this film before or let this one slip under your radar, "Something's Gotta Give" is a fantastic movie to enjoy over and over again. Here is the preview for a quick look at what most consider Nancy Meyer's best film to date.

"The Town" and New England Clam Chowder

When I think of the New England region, especially the city of Boston, I think of creamy and delicious "New England Clam Chowdah." It's the unofficial dish of the region and it's one of my favorite soups to enjoy on a chilly day. Using freshly steamed clams and the liquid we steam them in really enhances the flavor of the chowder. The combo of tender clams and vegetables in a creamy broth has made this version of clam chowder so popular. It's such a hearty soup and one that's relatively easy to make. Since we're making a dinner that will make us feel like we're in Boston, this weeks movie will help take us there too. Ben Affleck's 2010 film "The Town" is one of the best movies I've ever seen and I'm confident you'll all enjoy this pairing. Call up your friends over, maybe have a few Boston lagers, a nice bowl of "Chowdah", "The Town" on the TV, and you'll feel like you're in the heart of Boston.

Serves 5-7

50 little neck clams
1 medium sized onion (Diced)
1 celery stalk (Diced)
1 carrot (peeled and finely diced)
6 red skinned potatoes
3 tablespoons of butter
¼ of flour
2 bay leaves
2 cups of heavy cream
14oz can of Vegetable or Chicken broth 
Salt and Pepper
Freshly chopped parsley and scallions (optional)

Rinse the clams under running water to get any sand or dirt off that may be on their shells. Place the clams in a large soup pot and cover them with a cup and half of water. Put a lid of the pot and place on the stove top over high heat. Steam the clams for 5 to 7 minutes. Remove the clams that have opened and set them aside. Some clams will take longer to open than others so put the lid back on the pot and steam them for a few more minutes. At this point any clams that haven't opened should be discarded.

Now that we've steamed our clams and removed them from the pot, we're going to strain the liquid left in the pot. The water we steamed the clams in has turned into flavorful clam juice so don't even think about just pouring this down the drain. We do want to take extra care though to make sure we don't have any sand or dirt that may have been inside the clams. To do this, use a mesh strainer and a coffee filter. Fit the strainer above a bowl or a large measuring cup and carefully pour the hot clam broth through the strainer.

Give the pot you steamed the clams in a quick rinse and melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion, celery, and carrots to the melted butter and cook the vegetables together for about 10 minutes. Next, add the flour right into the pot over top the vegetables and stir together. What we're doing here is making a roux which will help thicken our chowder. Cook the vegetables with the flour for 2 minutes to get rid of the raw flour taste - stirring constantly. Mix in the reserved clam juice and the can of broth. Stir the contents of the pot together and toss in the 2 bay leaves. Add the heavy cream to the broth and vegetables and bring the liquid to a simmer - remember a simmer is steam rising from the top but no bubbles. Cover the pot and allow the chowder to simmer for about 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

While the soup simmers, remove the meat of the clams from the shells and chop the clam meat into very small pieces. Rinse the potatoes and cut out any rough spots on the skin. You can use another type of potato like a Yukon gold but I prefer using red skinned both for their flavor and the fact you don't have to peel them. Dice the potatoes into fairly small and evenly cut pieces.

Remove the lid from the pot and add both the potatoes and the clam meat into the chowder. Bring the chowder to a boil. Stir the chowder occasionally and cook until the potatoes in the chowder are tender. Season with salt and pepper.



Finish off the chowder by adding the freshly chopped parsley and scallions. Serve the chowder with some freshly bake biscuits (I'll share my recipe for buttermilk biscuits on Friday) and that's what I call dinner! Now that our chowder is done and dinner is served, it's movie time!

Ben Affleck has recently become one of the top directors in the film business, and rightfully so. His most recent film "Argo" took home the prize for best picture and his 2010 film "The Town" was just as deserving of that honor. Affleck starred in and directed a near perfect movie in my eyes and will one day be considered a classic film from it's time. It's a gripping story from start to finish and if you haven't seen it yet, you really don't know what you're missing.

Director Ben Affleck stars as Doug MacRay, a professional bank robber from the Charlestown region of Boston. Along with his team consisting of his best friend Jim (Jeremy Renner) they look ahead at planning their next job but first have to deal with a complication on their last. When police respond to one of their robberies before they had planned, Jim decides to take the terrified bank manager Claire (Rebbecca Hall) as a temporary hostage. After they're confident they've made it safely back to their protective grounds of Charlestown, they release Claire but soon find out she won't be going very far.

Jim discovers from Claire's drivers license that Claire lives only a few blocks from where Doug and the rest of the crew reside and though she was blinded folded, they fear she's still too close for comfort. Doug takes it upon himself to follow Claire to make sure she doesn't have any information that could lead to the robbery being traced back to them. After a not so random meeting between the two, Doug gets closer to Claire than he had planned and begins to develop strong feelings for the innocent woman he recently held at gun point.To make matters worse, Special agent Adam Frawley (John Hamm) is close behind Doug, Jim, and the rest of the gang's trail and is only a few steps away from having enough evidence to bring them all down.

Though Doug is still in the midst of planning the next heist, he sees the chance to make a change in his life for the better. Jim soon becomes aware of Doug and Claire's relationship and is fearful that she may be the missing link the FBI needs to put them all away for life. Now torn between his loyalty to his friends and the love he begins to feel for Claire, Doug struggles with the truth he has hidden from the woman he's fallen in love with and looks for a way to leave his life of crime behind for good.

"The Town" is both an action packed heist movie and a dramatic story between a man's life in crime and his desire to make a better future for himself. It's a film filled with incredible performances from the entire cast which also includes Chris Cooper, Pete Postlethwaite, and Blake Lively in supporting roles. Jeremy Renner's performance in particular is truly mesmerizing and his role earned him a well deserved Oscar nomination for best actor in a supporting role. If "The Town" is a movie you may have missed, It's certainly one that I'd recommend to anyone looking to watch a great film. Here is the trailer for "The Town", truly a favorite film of mine and I think you'll enjoy it too!

Shrimp fettuccine and "When Harry Met Sally"

You can mix just about anything with some pasta and it's going to be delicious. One of my favorite ways to come up with a new recipe or an idea for dinner is just going to the grocery store, seeing what items are fresh or on sale that week, and letting that be my inspiration. Some nice green scallions, red bell peppers, and some wild caught Atlantic shrimp mixed with some fettuccine in a white wine cream sauce was a quick, easy, and elegant meal that would be perfect for a dinner and a movie date night for two or for the whole family.

Serves 2-4

3 Tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 Large Shallot diced
1lb of wild caught Shrimp (peeled and cleaned) 
½ cup of Chopped fresh Scallions
1 large Red Bell Pepper chopped 
½ cup of dry white wine (Pino Grigio)
1 pint of Heavy cream
Freshly Squeezed Juice of 1 Lemon
1 box of dried fettuccine or any kind of pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese for serving

Fill a large pot with water, salt the water heavily, and add a drop of olive oil. The salt will flavor the pasta and the oil will keep it from sticking together. Once the water is boiled, drop the pasta in and cook as the box instructs. While you're waiting for the water to boil, start the sauce.

Start by sautéing the diced shallot and bell pepper in a large skillet with the butter and olive oil for about 7-10 minutes. Add the white wine and cook for an additional 5 minutes to let some of the alcohol cook off. Next add the shrimp and the scallions and stir together. The shrimp will cook very quickly, as soon as they have no translucency left to them they're coooked. To finish the sauce, pour in the heavy cream and the fresh lemon juice and stir together. Season with salt and pepper.

Once the pasta is cooked, drain the pasta, and transfer directly into the sauce pan and mix together with sauce so that all the pasta coated. Serve the pasta with a slice of fresh Italian bread and a generous topping of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and dinner is served.

For this weeks movie, I chose one of my favorites that I love to kick back and enjoy on a quiet evening. I know we could all use a laid back movies since we're all still tired from the hustle and bustle of the holiday season. "When Harry Met Sally" is the classic 1989 romantic comedy starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan. The film follows the two characters, Harry and Sally, and how their friendship grows over the many years the two know each other. Their first meeting doesn't go very well at all as the two drive from Chicago to New York together. Trying to make small talk, they can't seem to agree on any topic at all.  Once arriving in New York, the two go their separate ways and don't see each other for years. After a few random meetings over the years, and realizing they enjoyed each others company more than either would admit, the two grow into close friend. Nothing in their lives stay the same and the two friends are always there for each other- as all good friends should. One night when their relationship goes to the next step, it could either be the beginning or a romance everyone on the outside knew was in the making or it could be the end of the friendship Harry and Sally have depended on for years. Carrie Fisher and Bruno Kirby co-star in this film that's full of heart and laughs for both men and woman. Here is the preview for "When Harry Met Sally"

Baked Haddock and Old Bay roasted Red Potatoes and "The Blind Side"

Most of us wait 365 days a year for Thanksgiving dinner and are still enjoying its leftovers the day after. Come the weekend after Thanksgiving the last thing I want to cook or eat is anything resembling a turkey. Baked haddock is about as far from poultry as you can get and is a quick and easy dinner for any night of the week. Haddock is very mild fish so even if you're typically not a fan of seafood you might really enjoy this dish. Roasted red potatoes with old bay seasoning is the perfect side dish.

2 Haddock fillets (If frozen allow them to thaw completely before baking)

¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

2 tablespoons of softened butter

Juice of half of a lemon

About a ½ of a cup of seasoned Panko Bread crumbs

Freshly chopped Parsley

4-5 small red potaoes

¼ teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning

Kosher Salt

Olive oil

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees

The potatoes will take longer to cook than the fish so we'll start with them. Scrub the potatoes under cold water and cut into quarters. In a mixing bowl - toss the potatoes with the olive oil and the old bay. Arrange on a baking sheet and sprinkle with just a little bit of kosher salt. Bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and have browned.

While the potatoes are baking prepare the fish. Mix together the softened butter, old bay, lemon juice, panko bread crumbs, and parsley. Drizzle just enough olive oil on the bottom of a baking dish to coat. Place the haddock fillets in the baking dish and evenly spread the butter and panko mixture over the two fillets. Bake the fillets in the 425 degree oven for 20 minutes. Test the fish by gently pulling at the side with a fork, when done it should easily come apart and be flaky. Serve hot along side the roasted potatoes.

A few weeks back, a reader asked if I knew any movies based on kindness. In spirit of Thanksgiving and the start of the holiday season I felt that it was a great time to suggest this week’s movie “The Blind Side”. Based of the incredible true story of Michael Oher, “The Blind Side” is the 2009 film starring Sandra Bullock, Quinton Aaron, and Tim McGraw. Sandra Bullock plays Leigh Anne Tuohy, an interior designer in Tennessee. When Leigh Anne and her husband Sean (Tim McGraw) find Michael walking alone at night in the cold, they invite him into their home. Michael was homeless at the time with his father dead and his drug addict mother no where to be found. The Tuohy’s take in the young man and treat him like a member of their family. Michael Oher soon changes the life of the Tuohy family in ways they never imagined. Sandra Bullock gives a heart felt performance and would go on to win the academy award as best actress for her portrayal of Mrs. Tuohy.

“The Blind Side” is truly an extraordinary story and one that will pull on the heart strings on more than one occasion. Though part of the movies plot is Michael’s ability to play football and the success he earns doing so, you do not have to be a fan or know anything about the game of football to enjoy this film. It’s a story about kindness, love, and family. Something we all need to appreciate every day, not just around the holidays. With that, I hope you enjoy today’s recipe and movie – Happy Thanksgiving everybody! Here is the trailer for "The Blind Side"