Mini-Review – The Guardian

Synopsis: What do you get when you put An Officer and a Gentleman, The Perfect Storm and Top Gun in a blender? The Guardian.

Don't get me wrong: I loved all those movies, so I am not totally panning this one. Despite it's formulaic nature, I was on the edge of my seat during the action sequences, which are pretty dramatic. Kevin Costner plays Ben Randall, a legendary rescue swimmer who becomes an instructor at the U.S. Coast Guard’s "A" school. Ashton Kutcher plays a former high school swim team champ, who wants to make it big, but has a lot to learn. It’s rated PG-13 – some of the action scenes could be pretty upsetting to kids. I recommend this film for what it is. Not overly original, but well made, exciting and entertaining.

Quick and easy crochet craft – cozy neck warmer

I have become unusually preocccupied with scarves. I can't seem to get enough of them. They're just that little finishing touch that makes the "outside outfit" work. Combine that with my mid-winter need to be crafty, and this is what happens.

This is actually the second neck warmer I have made. A friend liked the first one I made so much I gave it to her, and made myself another one. This time I used Lion brand Homespun yarn. I love the cushy, bouclé texture of this yarn, and the very subtle gradient color. If you need to brush up on stitches, here's a site that will help you.

This project took about 1/2 of the 6 oz. ball. Any yarn you like would work, it just may take more or less to get the size you need.

Here's how I made mine. With a size K hook, I chained 22. I then made one single crochet in each chain, skipping the first chain from the hook, 21 stitches. Chain 2 and turn. Double crochet in each single crochet across. Chain 1 and turn. Continue alternating single and double crochet rows until you get the total length you need. Mine measured about 23 inches long. Fold the rectangle in half, lining up the short ends. Then insert the hook through both layers and single crochet across to join. That's it!

I think you could experiment with any stitches you like, and just alternate rows to create a pleasing pattern. When you pop it on with your coat or jacket, it creates a very neat cowl effect, and it's very cozy and warm. Give this one a try!

I did it! I made Hollandaise!

The Bob isn't a huge vegetable fan (with the exception of mashed potatoes), but he will eat his veggies if they are smothered in a luscious sauce. One night he suggested asparagus with Hollandaise sauce and I shuddered.

Hollandaise. The Holy Grail of sauces. Eggs. Butter. Whisking. Double boilers. The danger of separation. Very scary.

So, I will start by describing my first attempt at "egg sauce," which was a disaster. I had read a recipe in The Joy of Cooking for "blender Hollandaise." Well, blenders don't scare me, so I thought I would try that. You were to put two egg yolks in the blender (I used my mini-chopper), with salt, a pinch of cayenne and a couple of tablespoons of lemon juice. Then you were supposed to stream in 1/2 cup of melted butter. My chopper lid is designed to stream in liquids, so I thought this would totally work. And it may have. The problem was I let the butter cool too much and it didn't incorporate. I was devastated.

But Hollandaise is versatile. The ingredients are on hand and cheap. And The Bob requested it. So, I thought I would give it another try.

This morning I had the cookbook at the ready, a pot of coffee made, and the house to myself so that no one would be a witness if it failed again. This time I decided to give the old-fashioned technique a try. The recipe came from "The American Woman's Cookbook," published in 1949.

Here's what you'll need:
2 egg yolks (separating eggs is easy, don't sweat it)
1/2 cup butter – 1 stick
1/4 t salt
Pinch of cayenne (red) pepper

Here's how you do it:
I don't own a double boiler and I don't know many people who do. Put hot water in a saucepan and set a heat-proof bowl over it, making sure the water does't touch the bottom of the pan. Turned on the flame very low. The idea is to have the water hot, but not boiling. Just lift up the bowl every now and then to make sure it's not boiling, and adjust the flame/heat if you need to. Now take your two egg yolks and a couple of tablespoons of the butter and put them in the bowl. Whisk, whisk, whisk. The butter will melt slowly. Keep whisking. When the first bit of butter melts, plop in the next two-tablespoon hunk. Do this with all four bits of butter. When all the butter is in, it should be pretty thick. Now add the salt and cayenne and whisk them in.

I left the bowl over the pan, with the flame turned down VERY low to keep the sauce warm while I made my breakfast. I just gave it a whisk every now and then to make sure it didn't separate. It was a wonderful, lemony yellow color, and the taste was rich, but bright from the lemon juice.

I did it. I made Hollandaise. It wasn't overly difficult, you just neet time, some patience and a careful eye on the heat. The Bob will get a treat the next time I serve asparagus!

Mini-Review – The Illusionist (2006)

Synopsis: Ho, ho, ho, it's magic, you know. Never believe it's not so.


Set in turn-of-the-century Vienna, this film runs the gamut from love story to mystery to suspense and back again. Edward Norton plays Eisenheim, a boy who meets and loses a girl who is way out of his league. Years later he returns to Vienna as Eisenheim the successful, master Illusionist. He is reunited with his true love Sophie (Jessica Biel) during one of his performances, when her fiance the villanous Crown Prince Leopold volunteers her for an illusion. Soon enough Eisenheim is under suspicion, and Leopold assigns Inspector Uhl, played by Paul Giamatti, to investigate him. The effects in this film are spectacular, creating the perfect atmosphere to surrender all disbelief. It's a terrific looking film, very rich. The Bob loved this film, so don't worry guys, it's not strictly a "chick flick." It's rated PG-13 for some sexuality and violence, so probably not for kids.

Shoes, Glorious Shoes!

I love shoes. Some people might call it an obsession. Heels, flats, boots, thongs, mary janes, tennis shoes, hiking boots, ballerinas, mules, pumps, my awesome Chuck Taylor® Converse All Stars – you name them, I love them. I have quite a selection.

But here's the thing:

I keep all my shoes in their original boxes.

Despite the ribbing I have taken about this over the years, I consider this one of my best time-, space- and money-saving tips.

• It saves time. Years ago, like a lot of people, I threw my shoes on the floor of my closet, and lost precious time every morning trying to locate two shoes that matched.
• It saves space. Boxes stack easily on a closet shelf or the floor if need be. You can also stack by style, color and season.
• It saves money. That may seem like a stretch, but think about it. Taking care of your shoes keeps them newer looking longer. They keep from getting scuffed because they are safe in their boxes. Stuffing the toes with tissue helps absorb any oils that can eventually cause the insoles to deteriorate.

If for some reason a box breaks down and I'm forced to throw it away, I replace it with a clear plastic shoe box with a lid. Although I usually remember what shoes came in what box, I try to stack the boxes with the label side out, which frequently has an illustration of the shoes, so that makes it easy for me to scan for the pair I want. I personally like the box system better than hanging shoe bags. I have tried them and find that they take up too much hanging space in my closet, and my shoes tended to get scuffed or squashed too easily.

I have a passion for my shoes, and I want to keep them looking good as long as I can. I encourage you to try this and see if it doesn't help you save time, space and money in the long run!

Mini-Review – Over the Hedge (2006)

Synopsis: Some days you eat the bear's food. Some days the bear tries to eat you.


RJ is a very naughty raccoon. But he's also pretty clever. He enlists the help of some gullible animals to help him repay his sizeable food debt to Vincent, the bear he stole from. Where do they go to get all this food but over the hedge in a perfect suburban neighborhood. It's good shopping because, as RJ points out to his friends, human's lives revolve around food.

There are some laugh-out-loud hilarious moments with Hammy (voice of Steve Carrell) the squirrel. And William Shatner lends his voice to Ozzie, an over-acting oppossum. Typecasting? I wonder.

There was one scene when the exterminator is demonstrating the killing apparatus that got me a bit squirmy, but I honestly think it would go right by a kid. It's PG for some "rude humor" and comic action.

The Bob and I recommend this film – kids will like it, parents will get all the jokes.

Change a light bulb, change the planet

Happy New Year! I posted this on Shopping Tips Online, but I thought it bore repeating here, since this is definitely something I do, and believe in!

I'm not the greenest person around. I'm more of a shade of green, really. But there is one way I am doing my part to save the world – I use compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs). The bonus? It saves me money, too.

This morning I heard that Wal-Mart, in an effort to help out, is on a mission to sell 100 million CFLs. The official news release, dated November 29th, quoted Wal-Mart Vice President of Corporate Strategy and Sustainability Andy Ruben as saying, “We have a fundamental belief that all families should have access to affordable, sustainable goods, and compact fluorescent lightbulbs are a great way for our customers to save money."

The retail giant has developed a multi-faceted approach to encourage more people to switch to CFLS, including interactive and educational displays that will help you choose the right bulb, and an online savings calculator here on the Sam's Club site. I tried the calculator myself, and found that if I replace just 5 incandescent bulbs with GE Compact Fluorescent 13 Watt bulbs, I save about $35 a year on my electric bill (at 10¢ per Kilowatt hour, the national average). The 8-pack of bulbs on Sam's Club's site sells for $10.88. So, the savings more than pays for the bulbs themselves in just one year.

You save money, but what are the benefits to the planet? According to ENERGY STAR, a government-backed program dedicated to helping us save money and protect the environment through energy efficient products and practices, every CFL used keeps 450 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions out of the atmosphere over its lifetime. "If every American home replaced just one light bulb with an ENERGY STAR, we would save enough energy to light more than 2.5 million homes for a year and prevent greenhouse gases equivalent to the emissions of nearly 800,000 cars."

But, if all that doesn't seem like enough incentive, consider this. These bulbs last ten times longer than an incandescent bulb. So, even though they cost a little more to begin with, you won't be replacing them more than once every five years or so!

It's the simplest and cheapest way to save money, and save the planet. Just change a light bulb!