Wanna Wanna Wednesday... A KILLER Bollywood Collection!!!

Why am I JUST finding out that Amazon.com has a FABULOUS Bollywood collection, available for purchase?!?!? I feel like Rip Van Winkle!! LOL

So for this week's Wanna Wanna Wednesday, I thought I would share the handful of Bollywood movies I want to add to my collection. Because... I couldn't pick just one! :)

This collection includes old and new favorites, many I've featured in this blog in the past! Many of you have asked me for suggestions of Bollywood movies... I couldn't think of a better place to get started than here! I have promptly added each of these movies to my Amazon wish list, and I plan on investing in one movie a month until I have them all! So let's get started!

My Name Is Khan ($19.93, Amazon) Two of Bollywood's biggest superstars, Shah Rukh Khan and Kajol, deliver powerful performances in this epic romance that proves true love knows no boundaries. Rizwan (Khan), an Indian man with a unique way of looking at the world, moves to San Francisco and meets a vivacious single mother named Mandira (Kajol). They form a special bond and fall in love against all odds, but fate and tragedy conspire to tear them apart. That's when Rizwan embarks on a remarkable journey across America to win back the love of his life.

Ishq ($14.96, Amazon) Kajol (Kajol) and Ajay (Ajay Devgan) are very much in love. But since Kajol is a middle-class girl and Ajay is a rich boy, Ajay's uncle is determined to break them up. He uses Kajol's platonic friendship with a middle-class boy named Raja (Aamir Khan) to convince Ajay that she's unfaithful. But if Ajay is to find happiness, he must resist his uncle's manipulations. Indra Kumar directs this romantic comedy with music by Anu Malik.

Devdas (Single-Disc Edition) ($7.81, Amazon) The son of Zamindar Narayan Mukherjee, Devdas was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He grew up in the lush village of Taj Sonapur, where he spent his childhood with his playmate Paro. They grew up sharing a special relationship. Oblivious of all the differences of status and background, a bond that would never break grew between them. Soon, Devdas is sent to London for his education. Years later Devdas returns. Devdas besotted by Paro's stunning beauty longs to marry her. But Devdas father meets Paro's mother with condescending arrogance. It causes a rift between the families and even though Devdas tries to convince his father, his father doesn't relent. Paro then enters into a chaste marriage with a wealthy, much older man, Zamindar Bhuvan, while a shattered Devdas walks towards anguish, alcoholism and Chandramukhi, a stunning courtesan, who passionately loves him. Meanwhile, Paro, on the other hand, performs her worldly duties sincerely, but inside her, she could never forget Devdas. Strange was the fate of Devdas. Intensely loved by two women, who were never meant to be his. One whom he could never love and one whom he could never stop loving.

Om Shanti Om Bollywood DVD With English Subtitles ($12.50, Amazon) In the 1970s, small-time actor Om (Shah Rukh Khan) falls in love with superstar Shanti (Deepika Padukone), but the two of them are later killed in a suspicious on-set fire. When he's reincarnated 30 years later, Om is determined to punish the person who ignited the blaze. In his former life, he swears he saw Shanti's secret husband (Arjun Rampal) set fire to the set … which means his only chance to expose the truth is to have the movie remade.

Fanaa ($6.07, Amazon) When Rehan meets Zooni, sparks fly. Touched by the sightless but determined beauty, Rehan takes her on a sensory tour of Delhi. While Zooni's friends warn her away from the ladies' man, Rehan is genuinely falling in love -- but he's hiding a secret.

Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge ($6.59, Amazon) Wealthy, charming Raj meets working-class beauty Simran on a train, he's instantly smitten. She feels the same, but she's betrothed to another man. Raj isn't about to give up, so he follows Simran from London to India to win her over.

Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi ($10.78, Amazon) Suri, a mild-mannered office worker, sees his ordinary existence transform into an extraordinary love story when he falls for Taani, a vivacious young woman who lives life to the fullest.

Humraaz ($8.49, Amazon) Karan (Akshaye Khanna) and Priya (Amisha Patel) are the lead performers of the upcoming musical dance troupe and are very much in love with each other. The troupe gets a contract to perform on a cruise ship owned by millionaire Raj Singhania (Bobby Deol). Raj is magnetically drawn to Priya and she too is totally swept off her feet as one of the richest eligible bachelors is wooing her in lavish style.Karan is unaware of the relationship between Priya and Raj. As the cruise comes to an end, besotted Raj proposed Priya and she agrees.Now begins a treacherous triangular love story, full of surprising twist and turns - both emotional and violent.Humraaz is a story of complex relationships, misplaced ambition and unmitigated greed.Humraaz reveals the darker side of us. You will be transfixed and wondering what will happen next.

There you have it! Are there any movies I missed out on? Be sure to leave a comment with your picks!!

DOPE: "Dekho Na" from "Fanaa"

Wow!! I haven't done a DOPE post in a super-long time, huh?!? There was a time where I would be so stressed out because I couldn't find poetry and other things that I wanted to share for this particular series of Miss Moon's Musings. After a while, I decided that I could very easily let it go.... and trusted in myself that when inspiration would strike then I will take advantage. Thus... this post!

Most of you should know that I am absolutely cuckoo for all things Bollywood. I recently saw a film that sent me on an emotional rollercoaster... I sighed, I swooned, I raged, I laughed, I cried. "Fanaa" is dope as hell!! It's also streaming on Netflix, so check it out!

Today I am sharing one of the most breathtaking scenes from the movie, and the song that accompanies it. I hope you all will swoon along with me (Aamir Khan.... yum!!) to "Dekho Na". I unfortunately couldn't find a subtitled video on YouTube, so I am including the lyrics in Hindi and English (Because I'm fancy like that! LOL). Lyrics courtesy of BollyWhat.com.




yeh saazish hai buundo.n kii
The raindrops are conspiring
koii khwaahish hai chup chup sii
with my hidden desire.
yeh saazish hai buundo.n kii
The raindrops are conspiring
koii khwaahish hai chup chup sii
with my hidden desire.
dekho na...
Just look...

hawaa kuchh haule haule
The soft, gentle breeze
zubaan se kya kuchh bole bole
is saying something extraordinary:
kyo.n duurii hai ab darmiyaan
why this distance between us?
dekho na...
Just look...

phir na hawaa'e.n ho.ngii itnii besharam
Never again will the winds be so impertinent,
phir na Dagmag Dagmag ho.nge ye qadam
or my feet so unsteady beneath me.
haay
Alas...
phir na hawaa'e.n ho.ngii itnii besharam
Never again will the winds be so impertinent,
phir na dag-mag dag-mag ho.nge ye qadam
or these steps so unsteady.
saawan yeh siidha nahii.n khufiyaa baRa
This isn't a straightforward rain; there's something secretive about it;
kuchh to baraste hu'e kah rahaa
it's saying something as it showers down.
samjho na...
Try to understand it...

hawaa kuchh haule haule
The soft, gentle breeze
zubaan se kya kuchh bole bole
is saying something extraordinary:
kyo.n duurii hai ab darmiyaan
why this distance between us?
dekho na...
Just look...

jugnuu.n jaisii chaahat dekho jale bujhe
Watch love, like fireflies, flare and fade away.
miiTHii sii mushkil hai koii kya kare
It's such a sweet difficulty; what can anyone do?
jugnuu.n jaisii chaahat dekho jale bujhe
Watch love, like fireflies, flare and fade away.
miiTHii sii mushkil hai koii kya kare
It's such a sweet difficulty; what can anyone do?
ho.nTHo.n kii arzii aisii THukaraa'o na
Don't rebuff the petition on my lips;
saa.nso.n kii marzii ko jhuTHlaa'o na
don't doubt the desire of my breath.
chhuu lo na...
Touch me...

hawaa kuchh haule haule
The soft, gentle breeze
zubaan se kya kuchh bole bole
is saying something extraordinary:
kyo.n duurii hai ab darmiyaan
why this distance between us?
dekho na...
Just look...

Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "Roman Holiday"

If you haven't watched the classic film, "Roman Holiday",what are you waiting for?!?! Funny, sweet, romantic, you will root for Gregory Peck & Audrey Hepburn, and you'll want to visit all of the places scene in the movie. Perhaps your first time watching the movie should be an event for all to enjoy, so I've put together an Italian feast that Princess Ann would've enjoyed during her stay!!

The Menu:
Stuffed Mushrooms
Italian Wedding Soup
Limoncello Gelato
Sangiovese

Stuffed Mushrooms

Recipe Courtesy of Italian Chef Blog

Ingredients:

24 (two 8 ounce packages) large white stuffing mushrooms
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 tablespoons olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Clean the mushrooms, then remove and finely chop the stems. Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion to the pan and sauté until onion is soft and translucent. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook until tender, another 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Combine bread crumbs, Parmagiano-Reggiano cheese, parsley, minced garic, salt, pepper, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium bowl. Add the cooked mushroom stems and onion and mix together well.

Stuff the mushrooms with the filling and place in an oiled baking pan. Drizzle the tops of the mushrooms with olive oil.

Place pan in oven and bake until the mushrooms are tender about 25-30 minutes and serve.

Italian Wedding Soup

Recipe Courtesy of Cooks.com

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. meat loaf mix (ground beef and pork)
2 tablespoons fresh parsley
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 c. bread crumbs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. basil
1/4 c. milk

Combine the ingredients above. Form small 1/2 inch balls. Drop into boiling salted water or broth. Simmer for 10 minutes, remove with a straining spoon, place on paper towels to drain briefly, then refrigerate.

1 stewing chicken
1 onion, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, thickly sliced
2 stalks celery, with leaves, cut up
1/3 teaspoon oregano
4 peppercorns
2 tsp. salt
6 quarts water or broth

Simmer chicken with the remaining ingredients in the 6 quarts of water or chicken broth for about 2 1/2 hours or until tender. Remove skin and bones, cut up and refrigerate. Strain broth and return to pot.
Add 1 head escarole, torn into bite sized pieces, black pepper, and red pepper flakes, to taste. Simmer 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, break spaghetti into 4 inch long pieces and cook according to package directions; drain.

Add 1 1/2 cups prepared chicken and meatballs to broth. Simmer 10 minutes more. Serve with warm Italian bread.

Limoncello Gelato

Recipe Courtesy of Epicurious

Ingredients:

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup whole milk
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup mascarpone cheese*
4 coffee beans
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup limoncello or other lemon liqueur plus additional for serving

Directions:

Whisk first 6 ingredients in large saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Cook over medium-high heat until bubbles form at edges, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, cover, and let steep 15 minutes.

Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and lemon juice in large bowl until thick and smooth. Slowly whisk warm cream mixture into yolk mixture. Return custard to same saucepan. Stir over medium heat until custard thickens enough to coat spoon and thermometer registers 180°F, about 6 minutes; do not boil. Pour custard into medium bowl. Stir in 1/4 cup limoncello. Chill custard until cold, stirring occasionally, at least 4 hours. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep chilled.

Process custard in ice cream maker according to instructions. Transfer to container; cover and freeze up to 2 days. S coop gelato into glasses. Drizzle with additional limoncello and serve. * An Italian cream cheese; sold at many supermarkets and at Italian markets.

Cinema Couture: Death Proof (2007)

Here's a little peek into my mind and how it works, as it relates to recreating looks for this blog: I saw a terrific photo of Rosario Dawson in the June issue of People: Style Watch and thought that it would be a great outfit to remake for plus size fashionistas. I love Rosario Dawson and since I've never done a fashion post inspired by her, I figured now was the perfect time. Unfortunately, I hit a dead end in putting together that particular look.

I decided to switch gears and look for other photos of Rosario Dawson that I maybe could use and I stumbled across this photo of Rosario from the movie "Death Proof":



I LOVE "Death Proof"... No disrespect to Robert Rodriguez, but it's my favorite of The Grindhouse movies (And I own them both!). What's more, I've always loved what Rosario was wearing in her portrayal of Abernathy. It's a super-fun, unique look that's perfect for a day chillin' with your homegirls.



Lunch, movie, shopping, spa day, maybe!?!? Why not be cute AND ready to kick ass?



And really... how much of a pick-me-up is a Pink Unicorn Tee? It just makes my Grew-up-in-the-80s-and-played-with-My-Little-Ponys spirit go "Whoooooo!".I can't imagine anyone being bummed rocking this shirt... except maybe the Grim Reaper, I guess. LOL



So inspired (And excited to bring back the Cinema Couture series!), I set off to put together the outfit. It was... remarkably easy!!!! Here's what I came up with:



Necklace: Colorful Rainbow Necklace ($19.50, Etsy Shop sillychic)
Tee: Grindhouse Tee ($22.98, Spreadshirt)
Skirt: Joe Browns Sacred Spirit Flirt Flippy Skirt ($65.00, SimplyBe)
Boots: Steve Madden Troopa Boots ($99.95, Zappos)
Bag: Metallic Chain Strap Hobo ($41.99, Gap)
Belt: Black Basic Belt ($20.00, Torrid)

I have to say, when watching "Death Proof", I always thought that Rosario was rocking combat boots, not cowboy boots. I have a preference for combat boots (Plus, have you SEEN how expensive cowboy boots are?!?!), so I opted to choose those instead. LOL

Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "The Hangover"

"The Hangover" was one of those movies that I initially didn't want to see. I like "Dude Flicks" as much as the next girl, but you've seen one, you've seem 'em all, ya know? I was sadly mistaken, the movie was hysterical, and I know I'm not the only one who will be going to see "The Hangover 2",which opens later this month.







To celebrate the sequel, I have crafted a menu that the sizzling, succulent and with an alcohol content that could possibly get you sauced!

The Menu:
Bourbon-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp
Roast Salmon with Pinot Noir Syrup
Penne alla Vodka
Frozen Cocktail Pops- Margaritas, Mango Daiquiri, Blue Martini

Bourbon-Grilled Jumbo Shrimp

Recipe Courtesy of Monkey Dish


Ingredients:

1 tbsp. minced garlic
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
1 1⁄2 tsp. ground black pepper
1⁄2 cup olive oil
36 jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. bourbon
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Combine garlic, basil, pepper, and oil; add shrimp. Marinate 1 hr. refrigerated.
Melt butter, add brown sugar, bourbon, salt, and pepper and cook 3-5 min., or until the mixture foams; set aside.
Working with six shrimp at a time, lay the shrimp flat, side by side, and all turned the same way. Push 2 soaked wooden skewers through each set of six, sliding one skewer through at the point where the meat and tail meet and the second skewer through at the other end. This will keep the shrimp from twisting.
Grill shrimp 2-3 min. per side, basting with bourbon butter, and again when they come off of the grill. Serve immediately

Roast Salmon with Pinot Noir Syrup

Recipe Courtesy of the Pittsburgh Post Gazette

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
2 cups pinot noir wine
1 fresh rosemary sprig, plus 1 teaspoon chopped
4 salmon steaks (about 1/2 pound each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon butter

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Put the sugar in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick and with rounded sides, and turn the heat to medium. Cook, without stirring (just shake the pan occasionally to redistribute the sugar) until the sugar liquefies and begins to turn brown, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and carefully add the wine.

Turn the heat to high and cook, stirring, until the caramel dissolves again. Then add the rosemary sprig and reduce over high heat, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is syrupy and reduced to just over 1/2 cup, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Heat a nonstick ovenproof skillet over high heat until it begins to smoke. Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper, then put it in the pan; immediately put the pan in the oven. Cook for 3 minutes, then turn the salmon and cook for another 3 minutes. Check to see that the salmon is medium rare or thereabouts (it should be), remove it and keep it warm, or cook for another minute or two if you like.

When the sauce is reduced, stir in the balsamic vinegar and butter and turn the heat to medium-low. Cook until the butter melts, add some salt and pepper and remove the rosemary sprig. Taste and adjust the seasoning, then serve over the fish, garnished with the chopped rosemary.

Penne alla Vodka

Recipe Courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis, Food Network

Ingredients
1 quart Simple Tomato Sauce, recipe follows, or store-bought marinara sauce, blended until smooth
1 cup vodka
1/2 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 pound penne

Directions
Simmer the tomato sauce and vodka in a heavy large skillet over low heat until the mixture reduces by 1/4, stirring often, about 20 minutes. Stir the cream into the tomato and vodka sauce. Simmer over low heat until the sauce is heated through. Stir in the Parmesan cheese until melted and well blended.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Drain the pasta and transfer it to the pan with the sauce, and toss to coat.

Simple Tomato Sauce:

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
2 (32-ounce) cans crushed tomatoes
4 to 6 basil leaves
2 dried bay leaves
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

In a large casserole pot, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until soft and translucent, about 2 minutes. Add celery and carrot and season with salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, basil, and bay leaves and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pot and simmer for 1 hour or until thick. Remove bay leaves and taste for seasoning. If sauce tastes too acidic, add unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, to round out the flavor.

Pour half the tomato sauce into the bowl of a food processor. Process until smooth. Continue with remaining tomato sauce.

If not using all the sauce, allow it to cool completely and then pour 1 to 2 cup portions into plastic freezer bags. Freeze for up to 6 months.

Frozen Cocktail Pops


Margarita Popsicles - Recipe Courtesy of Hostess with the Mostess

Ingredients:
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons tequila
2 tablespoons orange liqueur (recommended: Grand Marnier)
Kosher salt, for garnish

Special Equipment:
4 small cups (recommended: Dixie), 4 popsicle sticks

Directions:
Combine sugar, lime juice, water, lemon juice and orange juice in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Once cool transfer to a blender with tequila, orange liqueur, and lime wedge and process until smooth. Pour into the cups and cover the top of each cup with foil. Place the popsicle stick in center of cup (down through foil, which will hold it in place). Freeze until hard, preferably overnight. Remove from freezer and run cup under warm water to loosen popsicle. Garnish with kosher salt and serve.

Mango Daiquiri Ice Pops - Recipe Courtesy of Yummly

Ingredients:
3 cup mangoes (chopped peeled, 2)
6 tbsp light rum
1/2 cup granulated sugar (superfine)
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp fresh lime juice

Directions:

Blend all ingredients in a blender until smooth, then force through a fine sieve into a large glass measuring cup
Pour into molds and add sticks
Freeze at least 24 hours

Blue Martini Ice Pops - Recipe Courtesy of Epicurious

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup sugar
6 strips fresh lemon zest (1/2 lemon)
3 tablespoons gin
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
1 tablespoon blue Curaçao

Special equipment: 5 (1/3-cup) ice pop molds and 5 wooden sticks

Directions
Simmer water, sugar, and zest in a small saucepan, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Cool syrup, then stir in gin, vermouth, and Curaçao. Discard zest. Pour into molds and freeze at least 24 hours. Add sticks when mixture is slushy, about 1 hour.

Miss Moon Renames the Movie "Someone's Knocking on the Door"*

* This was a feature from my old blog over on MySpace, that I've never done here yet. It's my attempt at humor. LOL

Synopsis of the film from IMDB:

Returning to the medical school where they were test subjects decades ago, a pair of outrageously twisted serial killers use shockingly brutal sex acts to start killing off a group of drugged-out med students.

"Someone's Knocking on the Door" will now and forever be known (by me) as



No sequence of words in English and/or any other language can be used. This was LITERALLY my face throughout the entire movie!!! LMAO

Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "Rhinestone"

Okay, huddle up everybody... I am about to share a big secret: I LOOOOOOOOOVE this movie! LMAO

Rhinestone is one of those movies that intellectually you know is a) Dumb as hell. b) 0% believable (Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone is more based in reality!) and c) Obviously a huge income-tax write off for some Hollywood executives.... but still it makes you laugh!

While I don't own the movie (do they even have it on DVD?), I've seen it every single time I've managed to catch it on cable, and I always laugh hysterically (sometimes at the actual jokes in the movie.. but mostly at Sylvester Stallone's singing.)

As a way to come out of the bejeweled "Rhinestone" closet, I've decided to create a very special Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail post in honor of the wonderfully ridiculous stinkburger of a film! It also served as a great challenge: A movie that pairs the Italian Stallion with the Queen of Dollywood? It had to be Italian cuisine... with a Soulful Southern influence. What in the barbecue cannoli hell kind of recipes could I possibly come up with? Fortunately, I was off to a great start when I went to my good friend (in my head) Paula "Hey Y'all" Deen.

Fried Ravioli with Marinara Cream Sauce

Recipe courtesy Paula "Hey Y'all" Deen, Food Network

Ingredients
9-ounce package frozen 4-cheese ravioli
2 cups ground pecans
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup milk
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Oil
Marinara Cream Sauce, recipe follows
Directions
Cook ravioli for 2 minutes. Place cooked ravioli on paper towels to drain; set aside.

Combine pecans and cheese in a shallow dish. Whisk together milk, eggs, salt and pepper in a bowl. Dip ravioli in egg mixture then dredge in pecan mixture. Pour oil to a depth of 1/2-inch in a skillet or Dutch oven; heat to 360 degrees F. Fry ravioli, in batches, 2 minutes on each side, or until golden. Drain on paper towels. Serve with Marinara Cream Sauce.

Marinara Cream Sauce:

1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce

1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

In a large saucepan, combine sauce and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

Yield: 2 cups

Cook Time: 2 to 3 minutes

Ease of preparation: easy

Neelys Baked Ziti

Recipe courtesy The Neelys, Food Network

Ingredients
Salt
1 pound ziti
1 pound hot Italian turkey sausage, casing removed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 ounces pesto
15 ounces ricotta cheese
1 (9-ounce) package washed spinach
Butter, for baking dish
2 cups shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add ziti and cook until al dente. Drain in a colander.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute turkey sausage. Add onion and garlic and saute until the sausage is cooked through. Use your spoon to break up the sausage while it cooks. Add the can of diced tomatoes and pesto and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the ricotta cheese, spinach, Parmesan and mozzarella to a large bowl, and stir to combine.

Butter a 4-quart baking dish, add the cooked pasta, then sausage mixture and cheese mixture. Top with a sprinkling of mozzarella and Parmesan.

Bake until completely heated through and golden and crisp on top, about 20 minutes.

Bling Bling Cocktail (What's Rhinestone without the bling!?!)

Recipe Courtesy of Alex's Cocktail Recipes

Ingredients

2 chambord
1 cointreau
.25 lime juice
2.5 cranberry juice

Instructions

Mix all ingredients in a shaker with ice and shake. Pour into sugar rimmed cocktail glasses. And adorn glass with Apple slices.

Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail: "The Color Purple"

I've always wondered why "The Color Purple" doesn't have the following a movie like "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" has. Can you imagine? People going to Midnight Showings of the movie dressed like Shug Avery, Celie, Sophia..... People spraying water guns in the air when the little boy tells Harpo, "It's gonna rain on your head!"... And of course a theatre full of women reciting Sophia's speech to Celie with Oprah.

I've always wanted to have a "Purple Party"... invite my nearest and dearest over, everyone dressed in purple, while we enjoy a great meal and watch "The Color Purple". Of course, the meal would have to have a purple theme, too!!! So here's my menu...

Provençal Herb-Marinated Roast Chicken

Recipe Courtesy of My Recipe

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 4 1/2 ounces meat)

Ingredients

2 (3-pound) roasting chickens
1/4 cup chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 garlic cloves, minced
Cooking spray

Preparation

Remove and discard giblets and necks from chickens. Rinse chickens with cold water; pat dry. Trim excess fat. Place chickens on a cutting surface. Split chickens in half lengthwise. Starting at neck cavity, loosen skin from breasts and drumsticks by inserting fingers, gently pushing between skin and meat.

Combine rosemary and remaining ingredients except cooking spray. Rub mixture under loosened skin and over breasts and drumsticks. Place chicken halves in large zip-top plastic bags; seal and marinate in refrigerator 4 hours or up to 2 days.

Preheat oven to 500°.

Remove chicken halves from bags. Place chicken halves, skin sides up, on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 500° for 30 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into meaty part of thigh registers 175°. Remove chicken halves from pan; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Discard skin.

Purple Potato Salad

Recipe & Photo Courtesy of Adventuresome Kitchen Blog

Ingredients

2 lbs baby purple potatoes (any color will do, really)

1 lb bacon, fried crispy (reserve 3 tbs bacon fat to saute kale)

4 cups kale, finely diced

1 cup chives, diced (if you harvest with the purple flowers, reserve the flowers for garnish)

Mustard- to taste- approximately 1/3 cup

Mayonnaise- to-taste- approximately 3/4 cup

Directions

In a large pot, boil potatoes until they are tender and can be pierced by a fork- approximately 15-20 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. If you have potatoes that are golf-ball sized or larger, halve and quarter them. Place all the potatoes in a large serving bowl. Add crumbled crispy bacon. In the pan you fried the bacon, toss the kale until it turns bright green- about 2 minutes. Pull the kale from the heat before you think it’s ready- it will keep cooking. Toss ingredients gently with a large spatula or spoon. Add mayonnaise and mustard to taste, gently tossing until all potatoes are uniformly covered. When adding ingredients to taste the idea is to add enough of the ingredient that you can taste it, but still taste all the other flavors in the dish- this will be a different amount for each person. Add chives and toss gently again. Garnish with purple chive flowers and serve.

Beet-Orange Salad

Recipe Courtesy of Food Network Magazine

Directions

Boil 1 pound beets in salted water until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Drain, then peel and slice into wedges. Toss in a serving bowl with 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar, 2 tablespoons chopped chives or scallions, and salt and pepper. Add 1 bunch arugula and 2 segmented blood oranges and toss.

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

Blackberry Martini

Recipe Courtesy of Food.com

Ingredients:Servings:
4

For the Simple Syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup water

For the berry puree
2 cups blackberries
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup creme de cassis (or berry brandy)

For the garnish
1 tablespoon superfine sugar
4 lemon wedges

For the Cocktail

1 cup gin (or vodka)
2 tablespoons triple sec
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:Prep Time: 15 minsTotal Time: 35 mins

1 In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water.
2 Bring to a boil and stir until sugar is dissolved.
3 Remove from heat and cool.
4 In a food processor or blender, combine 1 tablespoon sugar, the berries and the cassis (or brandy) and process till smooth.
5 Rub the rims of 4 martini glasses with lemon.
6 Spread the superfine sugar on a saucer.
7 Twirl the rims of the glasses in the sugar.
8 Place glasses in freezer.
9 Add gin (or vodka), Triple Sec, lemon juice, 2 tablespoons of the cooled simple syrup and 1/4 cup of the berry puree to a shaker filled with ice.
10 Shake vigorously.
11 Strain into chilled glasses and garnish with lemon and, if you like, a whole berry in each glass.

DOPE: Tyler Perry's "For Colored Girls" Trailer Premiere

Say what you want about Tyler Perry... but he is getting us talking about Ntozake Shange and getting excited about seeing her work once again. And that is a tremendous blessing.



All I know was the preview gave me chills and I am so happy that it will be released a few short days before my 33rd birthday!!



If you have never read "For Colored Girls...." or never had the opportunity to see the televised stage version from the 70s (With a very young Alfre Woodard and Lynn Whitfield) be sure to check out them both before seeing this movie!!

Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail : "Om Shanti Om"

I haven't had the pleasure of watching "Om Shanti Om" yet, but it's currently on my Netflix queue and should be in my possession in a matter of weeks. Several of my bollywood-loving friends have assured me that I too will fall head-over-heels in love with it, and when I found out Shahrukh Khan (from one of my favorite Bollywood flicks, "Devdas") was in it, I didn't need much more persuasion.

Since my hubby-to-be and I love Indian food (In fact, some of my favorite memories of our time in Corning was eating at Thali of India on Market Street), I thought that this particular film would be a perfect candidate for a Cinema, Cuisine and Cocktail post.

Chicken Tikka Masala

Recipe Courtesy of Indian Food Forever

Ingredients:

Part A:
2 lbs. boneless chicken breast
1/4 cup yogurt
3 tsp minced ginger
3 tsp crushed garlic
1/4 tsp white pepper
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp mace
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp green cardamom powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
3 tbsp lemon juice
4 tbsp vegetable oil
Melted margarine (for basting)

Part B:
5 oz. tomato paste
10 oz. tomato puree
2 lbs. tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp ginger paste
2 tsp garlic paste
2 tsp green chilies
1 tbsp red chili powder
2 tsp cloves
8 green cardamoms
Salt To Taste
3 tbsp butter
2/3 cup cream
1 tsp fenugreek
2 tsp ginger, julienned
honey to taste

Preparation:

Whisk all of the ingredients in Part A together in a large bowl. Add the chicken breast, cut into 2 inch cubes.

Marinate overnight in the refrigerator. Preheat oven to 350º F. Bake the chicken for 8 minutes, basting with margarine twice. Drain excess marinade and bake for another 2 minutes.

While doing this, make the sauce in Part B. Deseed and chop green chilies. Put tomatoes, tomato paste and tomato puree in a pot and add approximately 4-1/4 cups of water.

Add ginger and garlic paste, green chilies, red chili powder, cloves, cardamoms, and salt. Cook over low heat until reduced to a thick sauce. Strain through a strainer and bring to a boil. Add butter and cream. Stir.

If the sauce tastes sour, add honey to taste. Add fenugreek and ginger juliennes, stir, and serve with the chicken tikka masala

Palak Paneer

Recipe Courtesy of AllRecipes.com

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
2 dried red chile peppers
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
3/4 cup sour cream
3 pounds fresh spinach, torn
1 large tomato, quartered
4 sprigs fresh cilantro leaves
8 ounces paneer (you can use ricotta cheese as an alternative)
coarse sea salt to taste

Directions

In a large saucepan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil and saute garlic, 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, red chilies (optional ingredient) and onion until brown. Mix in the cumin, coriander, turmeric and sour cream (add more or less to achieve desired creaminess). Add the spinach, handfuls at a time until it is cooked down, about 15 minutes total. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.

Pour spinach mixture into a blender or food processor and add the tomato, the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of ginger, and cilantro (add more or less according to taste). Blend for 15 to 30 seconds, or until the spinach is finely chopped. Pour back into the saucepan and keep warm over low heat.

In a medium frying pan heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, and fry cheese until browned; drain and add to spinach. Cook for 10 minutes on low heat. Season with salt to taste.

Naan

Recipe Courtesy of Indian Food About.com

Ingredients:

1 1/2 tsps dry yeast
1 cup warm water
1 1/2 tsps sugar
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
6 tbsps ghee (clarified butter)
3 tbsps yoghurt
3 teaspoons onion seeds

Preparation:

Add the dry yeast and sugar to the warm water and stir till the yeast is dissolved. Cover and leave aside for 10 minutes or until the mixture begins to froth. This indicates the yeast is active. Keep aside.

Mix the flour and salt to taste and sift through a very fine seive. Put it into a large mixing bowl and now add the yeast mixture, 3 tbsps of ghee and all the yogurt.

Use your fingertips to mix all this into a soft dough. Once mixed, flour a clean, flat surface (like your kitchen counter) and knead the dough till it is smooth and stretchy (elastic).
Grease a large bowl with a few drops of cooking oil and put the dough in it. Cover and allow to rest for about 90 minutes or till the dough doubles in volume.

Punch the dough down and knead again for 10 minutes.

Equally divide the dough and roll between your palms to form 8 round balls.

Lightly flour the same surface on which you kneaded the dough and roll out each ball until you have a circle, 7-8 inches in diameter (1/2 "thick). Gently pull on one edge of the circle to form the Naan into a teardrop shape. Do not pull too hard or you may tear the Naan. Instead of rolling the dough out (with a rolling pin) you can also pat it into a circle with your hands.
Preheat your oven 200 C/ 400 F or Gas Mark 6.

Lay a piece of aluminum foil in an oven tray (to cover) and grease it lightly with a few drops of cooking oil.

Place as many Naans as will fit without touching each other, on the tray.

Brush each Naan with some ghee and sprinkle a pinch of onion seeds all over its surface.

Put the tray into the oven and cook till the Naan begins to puff out and get lightly brown. Flip the Naan and repeat.

Remove from oven and serve hot in a foil-lined basket.

Mango Lassi Cocktail

Recipe Courtesy of Sandra Lee, FoodNetwork.com

Ingredients:

1 cup fresh pre-cut or canned mango
1 cup non-fat vanilla yogurt
1/2 cup mango nectar
1 cup vanilla vodka
Ice

Put all ingredients in a blender and whir until frothy. Serve.