Gumbo/Beasts of the Southern Wild

Part one of Oscar season madness! Out of the three I have seen so far (Django  and Silver Linings included), I would put Beasts of the Southern Wild on top. I wouldn't necessarily say that I think it is going to win, but that would be my pick. I was able to find a RedBox copy, but I know a lot of the art house theaters are playing (look for a Landmark near you!), and I would recommend going that route because the film is so visually striking.

The people of New Orleans would probably be very upset with my sad attempt at making gumbo. It was my first time, and I didn't follow a recipe, so you can't fault me too much for that. Nonetheless, I think it turned out pretty good, and I will definitely make it again in the future. Maybe I will make a vegetarian version because this one is just chock full of MEAT.

Sorry Caitlin.

Veggie Stir Fry/The Last Emperor

No excuse for the lack of posting lately. I would say I'm going to try to be better about it, but that's probably a lie. Maybe some more guest posts coming up soon? Also, I'm starting to grow weary of the same 10 root vegetables I get in my farm share every week. Step up your game, Boston Organics!

This week's recipe is more about the sauce than anything else. These vegetables are great, but you can pretty much use any kind of vegetable in a stir fry (which is why they're so great). Except for beets. Don't use beets in anything. The trick is to add the vegetables that take the longest to cook first and progressively add the rest as they cook. Leafy greens are always wilted down last when the sauce is added. Feel free to experiment with other vegetables and share your experiences!

In other news, I'm going to try this month to watch every film that was nominated for best picture. Typically I see them all without trying this hard, but this year has been a slow one for me as far as new releases go. I have already seen Django Unchained (way underwhelmed) and Silver Linings Playbook (meh), so there will be no posting for those ones. I will try to make some good entries for the remaining films. In the meantime, enjoy this review from a film that won best picture for 1987!

Although I don't know how it beat out this one.

Biscuit Dunes Root Vegetable Pot Pie/Dune

We cancelled the beets! I just couldn't find any other use for them. That gnocchi sat in my fridge and did not get eaten. I would maybe be able to deal with it if they came once a month, but weekly was just too much. We had a good run, but it's time to move on.

That being said, I made a pretty damned good one this week. I challenge even the most carnivorous carnivores to say no to a helping of this stuff. The original recipe is posted here, but I made some tweaks to make it a bit healthier and to fit my pantry. I chose the movie Dune because it's the last of David Lynch's films I had to see, and the pot pie has "dunes" of biscuits on top.

He who controls the biscuits controls the universe.

Plus Sting + David Lynch + Sci-Fi? I figured I couldn't go wrong.

Oh baby.