Dinner & A Movie Jan. 12, 2013

Grease is the Word!

Tonight's offering is one of my favorites. Toward the end of my pregnancy with my son, I was confined to bed for a few months. My friends would come over and we'd pop Grease into the VHS (yes, I'm that old) and sing all the songs and they'd do all the crazy dances. We each had our assigned roles. I got to be Rizzo because I was the crazy and ornery one. I also still have the ORIGINAL vinyl from when the movie released in 1978.

This movie features a very young John Travolta as Danny Zucko, high school bad boy and Olivia Newton-John as the ultimate good girl Sandy Olsen. Sandy is a transfer student from Australia who happens to meet up with Danny over the summer. They're just two kids who never expect to see each other again. As if. The next hour and a half is a frolicking ride filled with catchy tunes, smarmy set-ups and Frankie Avalon as the guardian angel of Beauty School Students. If you've never seen Grease, take a couple of hours and have a good time with it.

On the menu:
Healthy Shrimp Scampi

1 teaspoon unsalted butter
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled, raw
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Melt butter and oil then add garlic. Saute 1 minute. Add shrimp, saute 1 minute. Add wine, lemon juice and pepper. Saute until sauce reduces and shrimp turns pink.

Tastes awesome with:
Mushroom Rice

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon minced onion
1 tablespoon parsley
1 1/2 cups uncooked rice (I love using Jasmine)
2 cups chicken broth
1 1/3 cups water

Saute mushrooms in the butter until brown. Add spices and rice and cook until the rice begins to brown, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken broth and water. Cover and return to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until rice is tender and liquid absorbed.

These recipes are from one of the greatest cookbooks I've ever been lucky to find: 500 Low Glycemic Index Recipes by Dick Logue and available from Fair Winds Press. It's pretty much the only I use now. If you're interested, here's a link. Go buy the book!

Happy reading,
Jennifer

Happy Birthday, Elvis!

The king of rock and roll would have been 78 years old today. The mind boggles. I grew up with Elvis in my house. My parents were huge fans and passed that appreciation on to me. I was just seven when he passed away but I remember being as shocked as the rest of the world. I have all of his movies, almost every song he's ever recorded and even the Elvis Pez Dispenser set (I know you're jealous!).

When I was a kid he was handsome and intriguing but most of all he reminded me of my dad. Seriously! On-screen Elvis was fun and adorable and quite often vulnerable. My dad, while rarely vulnerable, was also fun and adorable. He had a wit that could not be beat.

My handsome dad

Elvis Presley

As I grew up, I appreciated his music more. The way he switched from rock and roll to country to pop to blues to gospel. I get shivers when I hear him sing How Great Thou Art and revved up listening to Steamroller Blues.

Please don't ever ask me what my favorite Elvis song is. There are more songs on that list than my top three movie list (which, as we all know, has like 100 movies on it!). Off the top of my head, I'd say American Trilogy, Suspicious Minds, Silver Bells, Amazing Grace, Devil in Disguise and T-R-O-U-B-L-E are just a few on my favorited list.

I also adore his movies (except for Love Me Tender). Again I'm torn between Blue Hawaii and G.I. Blues. It's kind of funny though. In Blue Hawaii, the fabulous Angela Lansbury played his mom and she was only ten years older than him while Juliet Prowse was a year younger in GI Blues and looks way older (in my opinion). 

All in all, I'd say Elvis had a profound on me growing up and to this day. I will often listen to his music and think about my dad. It's a sweet way to remember both men for me.

So, happy birthday, Elvis. I hope you're rocking it in heaven.

Happy reading,

Jennifer

The Sunday Quote