One of the shining lights in the "I wish spring would get here" season is the Academy Awards. I love the movies! Check out this link to the Oscars site. I'll be watching, hoping that Million Dollar Baby wins best picture.
OSCAR.com - 77th Annual Academy Awards - Sunday, February 27, 2005, 8e/5p
Friday, February 25, 2005
Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Costco Woes
I used to like Costco, even though I have to pay $45 for a membership each year. It was great to be able to just pull my printer cartridges out of a box instead of asking the Staples worker to unlock the little case and get the cartridge for me. And how great that I could get a box of 30 Luna bars for $25....that's less than a dollar each.....good deal.
Yeah, well, today my like for Costco is waning. I DID save 10 cents per photo. But there were NO printer cartridges for an Epson 777. Every other Epson cartridge was there. Have they discontinued my product or was it just an off week when they didn't have them in stock? And what about the Luna Bars? They barely had Powerbars or Cliff bars on the shelf, and there were no Luna bars to be found.
I tell you, I may not renew my membership. I don't want to pay $45 for bulk groceries. Hmmm.....
Yeah, well, today my like for Costco is waning. I DID save 10 cents per photo. But there were NO printer cartridges for an Epson 777. Every other Epson cartridge was there. Have they discontinued my product or was it just an off week when they didn't have them in stock? And what about the Luna Bars? They barely had Powerbars or Cliff bars on the shelf, and there were no Luna bars to be found.
I tell you, I may not renew my membership. I don't want to pay $45 for bulk groceries. Hmmm.....
Sunday, February 20, 2005
Biscotti
I had some biscotti on Friday when I went for coffee with my friend Denise and decided I wanted to learn how to make it. So, I looked on a great website called AllRecipes.com and found this. I have adapted the baking instructions a bit (my adaptation is in ALL CAPS so you still get the original recipe).
It's a good one!
-----------------------
Chocolate Nut Biscotti
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (4 ounce) package bittersweet chocolate bar with almond nougat, chopped (I JUST USED A 3.5 OZ DARK CHOCOLATE BAR)
1 cup chopped hazelnuts (I OMITTED THESE BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE NUTS IN DESSERT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour cookie sheet.
2. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
4. Divide dough into two equal parts. On floured surface, shape dough into two logs, 14 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Place two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. (INSTEAD, I SHAPED THE DOUGH INTO ONE LOG, ABOUT 8" X 11" AND 1 INCH THICK AND BAKED IT IN ONE SECTION)
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a cutting board. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 3/4 inch thick diagonal slices and return to cookie sheet, standing upright. (INSTEAD OF STANDING UPRIGHT, I JUST FLIPPED THEM ON THEIR SIDES SO THE CUT PART WAS EITHER ON THE PAN OR FACING UP IN THE AIR)
6. Bake 10 minutes more or until slightly dry. Cool completely on wire racks.
FOR BEST TASTE, DIP IN COFFEE OR COCOA. YOU COULD PROBABLY MELT DARK CHOCOLATE ON THE TOP, TOO, FOR ADDED CHOCOLATE TASTE.
IT MAKES ABOUT 14 TO 18 PIECES, DEPENDING HOW NARROW YOU CUT THEM.
It's a good one!
-----------------------
Chocolate Nut Biscotti
INGREDIENTS:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (4 ounce) package bittersweet chocolate bar with almond nougat, chopped (I JUST USED A 3.5 OZ DARK CHOCOLATE BAR)
1 cup chopped hazelnuts (I OMITTED THESE BECAUSE I DON'T LIKE NUTS IN DESSERT)
------------------------------------------------------------------------
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Grease and lightly flour cookie sheet.
2. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt.
3. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well after each addition. Stir in chocolate and nuts.
4. Divide dough into two equal parts. On floured surface, shape dough into two logs, 14 inches long, 1-1/2 inches wide and 1 inch thick. Place two inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. (INSTEAD, I SHAPED THE DOUGH INTO ONE LOG, ABOUT 8" X 11" AND 1 INCH THICK AND BAKED IT IN ONE SECTION)
5. Bake for 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to a cutting board. Let cool 5 minutes. Cut into 3/4 inch thick diagonal slices and return to cookie sheet, standing upright. (INSTEAD OF STANDING UPRIGHT, I JUST FLIPPED THEM ON THEIR SIDES SO THE CUT PART WAS EITHER ON THE PAN OR FACING UP IN THE AIR)
6. Bake 10 minutes more or until slightly dry. Cool completely on wire racks.
FOR BEST TASTE, DIP IN COFFEE OR COCOA. YOU COULD PROBABLY MELT DARK CHOCOLATE ON THE TOP, TOO, FOR ADDED CHOCOLATE TASTE.
IT MAKES ABOUT 14 TO 18 PIECES, DEPENDING HOW NARROW YOU CUT THEM.
Thursday, February 10, 2005
Hotel Rwanda
A friend sent me this article about Hotel Rwanda. The author states that all Christians should see this movie. It's interesting.
SojoNet: Faith, Politics, and Culture
SojoNet: Faith, Politics, and Culture
in 45-ish days
I just checked my hotmail because I haven't logged in for a few days and I got the best news of my life....aside from if I get a job in the next 6 months. :) My friends Tammy, Lara, and Amy are heading to the northwest right after Easter! Woohoo!! They're going to be in Spokane for a few days at the end of March. I am sooooooo excited!!! I need to start planning all the fabulous things we can do while they are here. Yay for good friends coming to see my Whitworth home!!!
Whew, I'm not going to be able to sleep now!
Whew, I'm not going to be able to sleep now!
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Film Recommendations
It's February and you know what that means....no, silly, not Valentine's Day....THE OSCARS! Since the nominations came out a few weeks ago, I have made it my mission to try to see as many of the nominated films as possible.
Movies viewed in the past 5 days: 4
Movies viewed that are nominated for an Oscar: 3
Movies viewed that won an award at Sundance: 1
I would recommend all 4 movies I have seen in the past few days. Here's my brief take on them:
Million Dollar Baby. This is a Clint Eastwood film and in my opinion, Clint is an amazing director. He acts alongside Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, who are both amazing. The general plot is that Hilary's character seeks out Clint's character to train her as a boxer. Interesting, yes, but why is it nominated? Well, there's a lot more to it than just a boxing movie. This may be the best picture in my book, though I still need to see Aviator and Sideways. Oh, and I'm not a member of the Academy, so it doesn't really matter what I think.
Smoke Signals. This is an older movie but I've wanted to see it since a peer used it for movie clips in a seminary class. The movie is about a Couer d'Alene indian and his story, especially his relationship with his father. It's a good flick. And it was filmed just across the border in Cd'A, ID.
Ray. Good movie, good music, GREAT acting. I had no idea much about the life of Ray Charles...what a great story of personal drive and wrestling with demons and an honest portrayal of the sadness that can come with success if you don't sort out your emotional stuff in life. Jamie Foxx was A-MA-ZING.
Hotel Rwanda. Everyone must see this movie. Don Cheadle does an amazing acting job but the story is what is so important....we need to know more about the things that have happened and are occurring in this world. Genocide is horrible, and it is happening today....it didn't end with the holocaust. We live in our cushy homes in America and we have no idea how tough life is in other countries. One of the students I went to this movie with said it's interesting that America cares if genocide happens to whites but if you are black, America won't help out. And I guess she has a point--we hear about the holocaust a ton but how many people know about the genocide that happened in Rwanda? Or that's happening in Darfur. And what are we doing to help stop it? Anything? I am so glad they made this film, and I hope you all go to see it so that you can ask me what I'm doing to help make change in the world.
OK, I'll let you know what I think about the Aviator and Sideways if I see them. Finding Neverland is another film I'd recommend, but I saw it a while ago so it doesn't make it in this post. :)
Movies viewed in the past 5 days: 4
Movies viewed that are nominated for an Oscar: 3
Movies viewed that won an award at Sundance: 1
I would recommend all 4 movies I have seen in the past few days. Here's my brief take on them:
Million Dollar Baby. This is a Clint Eastwood film and in my opinion, Clint is an amazing director. He acts alongside Hilary Swank and Morgan Freeman, who are both amazing. The general plot is that Hilary's character seeks out Clint's character to train her as a boxer. Interesting, yes, but why is it nominated? Well, there's a lot more to it than just a boxing movie. This may be the best picture in my book, though I still need to see Aviator and Sideways. Oh, and I'm not a member of the Academy, so it doesn't really matter what I think.
Smoke Signals. This is an older movie but I've wanted to see it since a peer used it for movie clips in a seminary class. The movie is about a Couer d'Alene indian and his story, especially his relationship with his father. It's a good flick. And it was filmed just across the border in Cd'A, ID.
Ray. Good movie, good music, GREAT acting. I had no idea much about the life of Ray Charles...what a great story of personal drive and wrestling with demons and an honest portrayal of the sadness that can come with success if you don't sort out your emotional stuff in life. Jamie Foxx was A-MA-ZING.
Hotel Rwanda. Everyone must see this movie. Don Cheadle does an amazing acting job but the story is what is so important....we need to know more about the things that have happened and are occurring in this world. Genocide is horrible, and it is happening today....it didn't end with the holocaust. We live in our cushy homes in America and we have no idea how tough life is in other countries. One of the students I went to this movie with said it's interesting that America cares if genocide happens to whites but if you are black, America won't help out. And I guess she has a point--we hear about the holocaust a ton but how many people know about the genocide that happened in Rwanda? Or that's happening in Darfur. And what are we doing to help stop it? Anything? I am so glad they made this film, and I hope you all go to see it so that you can ask me what I'm doing to help make change in the world.
OK, I'll let you know what I think about the Aviator and Sideways if I see them. Finding Neverland is another film I'd recommend, but I saw it a while ago so it doesn't make it in this post. :)
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