There’s nothing more welcoming to the tummy, just as the brisk of fall chill hits the air. I found a similar recipe a million years ago, (when the internet was first born), and can no longer find it, but have made enough of my own additions, that it’s simply perfect comfort food ala yours truly. This low-carb soup will keep you smiling through each spoonful~!
Always start with all your ingredients, prepared and measured out fully.
Even though you always want to measure everything out, be sure to put the cream base back in the refrigerator while the rest of the dish is cooking. Be sure you keep it on simmer for the 45 minute cook time, not a running boil.
Ingredients
6 slices of bacon, fully cooked, chopped into chips size portions. The bacon should be divided.
1 large white onion, chopped coarsely
4 stalks of celery, use the leaves, coarsely chopped
3 leeks of medium size, coarsely chopped
3 cups of chicken broth (either homemade or low to no salt)
2 teaspoons of sea salt
1 teaspoon of white pepper
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1/2 teaspoon of nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon of paprika
12 oz. Kielbasa sausage, (full horseshoe)
1/2 cup of heavy cream, (or whole milk)
1/2 cup of cashew milk, (or coconut milk)
Use the largest frying pan you have, I use a wok which works perfectly.
Directions
Make sure all ingredients are measured out, and be sure the bacon is chopped and divided.
With oil in the wok, heat over medium high heat until just about smoking. Carefully place the celery, leeks, and onion in the wok. Stir fry for about 10 minutes.
Pour in the chicken broth, the chopped 1st portion of the bacon, and the salt, peppers, nutmeg and paprika. Stir to incorporate.
Place the whole (in tact) Kielbasa sausage into wok and press it down.
Reduce the heat to low, there should be only small bubbles if any coming up. Set the timer to simmer for 45 minutes.
Once the 45 minutes are up, turn the burner off and take the Kielbasa out of the skillet, set on a butcher block to cool off.
Give it about 20 minutes to let the broth cool down and then start to put them in either a blender or a food processor. (May take several rounds). Puree the soup until thick and creamy. Pour back into the wok.
The Kielbasa should be cooled enough now to handle. Take a knife and gently cut the sausage until it pierces the skin – then cut towards you, one continuous length of the sausage. From the cut edge, start to peel off the skin from all of the sausage. (Note: my dogs go crazy for that outer shed~!)
Chop the Kielbasa in small rings. The thinner they are sliced, the more the soup will taste like it has lots of sausage in it.
Now take your 2nd portion of the chopped bacon and add it to the soup along with the chopped Kielbasa. Add the cream base and keep it under low heat for a few minutes until completely warmed up (do not boil).
Adjust with salt and pepper before serving. Walla~!
The Kielbasa sausage should be place ‘whole’ in the soup mixture to simmer for 45 minutes.
You slice just enough to break the skin all the way down, one length of the entire sausage. Then peel off the skin.
This is what your Kielbasa will look like after the skin is removed. Note, I should have chopped them even thinner~!
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
Publicity photo for movie “Rocketman” about Elton John’s early life/career.
The bio-epic film of Elton John hits cords you couldn’t even imagine as this story of a super star reveals his weakest and hardest times. The story starts with a young “Reggie” (his given name) in a broken household of a moderately poor family in England. A father who is mostly absent, and when he is around, treats his son like a bug on his shoe. A mother who over embellishes in a narcissism of ‘want’ and what ‘she deserves’, and a lovely and sweet grandmother who sees the special gem of what her grandson has to offer. A boy who could play songs pitch perfect, by ear, upon first listening, succeeds despite the family struggle, to get a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music. Not long after, a record producer (who despises most of his music) pushes a mail-order lyric writer, Bernie Taupin, to write the piano player’s music lyrics. The two meet, hitting it off as pals, and the music collaberation marriage is set, with their careers exploding onto the Troubadour in LA as an overnight success in the US and abroad.
The incredible Oscar worthy performance of Aaron Egerton, as Elton John, ‘Flying high as a kite…” at the LA famous Troubadour.
Still, the core of the story, is Elton at an AA rehab center. Narrating his story and how he came to be there. He visits and re-visits the painful exchanges he had with his father and mother and how they had an affect on him. At the core of it, his homosexuality and how he could not accept it for himself. One big reason, was when he finally musters up the courage to tell his mother (as an already successful adult Elton) her response is nonchalantly explaining, “I’ve known for years” (don’t all mothers?!), and that he ‘best keep that sort of thing to himself’ to sustain his success in the business. But, as a result of this ‘coming out’, this one line, this one scene, is pivotal to ALL his pain, as she says to him, “I hope you realize you’re choosing a life of being alone forever. After all….you’ll never be loved properly”.
Elton at the highlight of his early success.
Living as a gay man and hearing that line rings true, not only to Reggie in the early ‘70’s, but in 2019 as well. I have experienced first hand the affect of that remark, not in actual words, but in the silence. The silence of friends and family who ‘don’t want to ask about your relationship’ because they think ‘it will never last’. And after time, you begin to think it too, and the thoughts then manifests into reality. No one can actually know what kind of pain that inflects on a human, unless you experience it first hand. So, then we see it, from this pivotal line, ‘…never be loved properly’, told to Elton as he tries moving onward with his career, his success and his life, his overwhelming struggle to numb that pain, that line, those words, from his very existence. The excessive amount of drugs he took, the alcohol he would be drinking for breakfast, the cocaine, and the pills, sex, more drugs, and yet, all he was trying to do was to erase those lines, that one simple sentence and its meaning, from his life. It’s a miracle he ever even survived it all.
The movie in general takes a ‘musical’ approach to his real life events. While all this plays out, they actually break into song with many of his hits, sometimes the very young Elton singing, sometimes the superstar singing, sometimes those who were most influential in his life – all singing the actual hit songs. The mix of reality and struggle with the hit songs brinks on shear genius in the storytelling.
Elton at Alcoholic Anonymous, explaining what brought him there.
Actor Aaron Egerton’s performance is Oscar worthy. He truly encapsoles Elton John. And, Jamie Bell is absolutely true as Bernie Traupin, totally straight, but ‘loves Elton to his core’. Events like the people who used him for his money, Bernie, turning away from him “because he simply needed to take a break” and his own mortality to face his demons (he’s dressed in one of his devil performance costumes when he first enters rehab) all climax to showdown all that has haunted him through his career.
Jamie Bell as Bernie Taupin. Taron Egerton as Elton John. Showing their life-long friendship.
At one point, Elton overdoses on drugs and alcohol during a house party of hundreds, throws himself, in a suicide attempt, into his pool. Suddenly, time stops and as he slowly floats to the bottom (literally he is hitting bottom in the metaphor of the story) he sees himself as a child, at a small piano at the bottom, softly singing, “She packed my bags last night pre-flight” and then he hits the bottom somberly singing, “I miss the earth so much, I miss my life…” the metaphor of his loss, loneliness and his drowning in booze, and sorrow, as the realization of his pure youth, and what all this has done to him, is truly a visually stunning and a deeply moving scene.
During all this, I suddenly had this realization of how so many performers kill themselves intentional or otherwise. Whether consciously or unconsciously, they simply try too hard to drown themselves in drugs, alcohol anything that will take away the pain of a lack of having any real love (not ‘love’ based on the motive of their success). Elton even states, “real love is hard to come by, you have to learn to cope without it”. Though I have seen interviews with Elton, saying that in the 30 plus years of working with Bernie, they have ‘never gotten into an argument’ (and is stated at the end of the film). They do depict several scenes of big blow-outs between them in this film, but it had to have been Elton projecting what he thought was happening to them psychologically rather than a shouting match. After all, Elton produced this film, and gave his blessing to the incredible Aaron Egerton who portrays Elton and sang Elton’s songs using his own voice.
Seeing the child version of himself, at the bottom of the pool, playing Rocketman.
After ditching his Madison Square performance, whilst still in devil costume, he takes a cab to the AA meeting, with a triumphant rendition of, “…I finally decided my future lies, beyond the yellow brick rode…”
As with Elton’s case, when those you love the most (his mother/father) project that they don’t believe in you having ‘proper love’ because it threatens their own hetero identity, the effect is that you are feeling helpless of ever having any love at all. And that is fundamentally wrong. Elton realizes this, through his AA recovery meetings. He confronts his demons, his mother, and father, telling them, “I’m not going to allow you to talk to me like this anymore”, his grandmother, for the unconditional love she always gave/shown him, and even the child Elton/Reggie, who asks, “when are you going to hug me?”, and he does, in so letting him accept himself for who he is.
Crocodile Rock
Suddenly now, Elton has control of those demons. And, for those who have suffered demons, once you can forgive yourself, and let them go, let them fester in their own judge-mental-ness, then you can become truly free and live your life as you should and be who you are thanks to a lot of bravery. At one point Bernie goes to visit him in rehab just before Elton is released and Elton says to him, “I’m scared.” Bernie smugs a smile and says, “You’re scared to feel again.” And, ain’t that the truth? It’s scary to start anew, with such pride, acceptance, and to know you will have to gain the vulnerability to ‘feel again’. That’s what he was trying to numb with all the drugs, the horrible feelings of self loathing projected on him by his parents and himself. But, now comes a new sense of self, and those horrible feelings no longer are the new reality.
Elton John and his lifelong friend and lyricist Bernie Taupin.
The movie gave such an honest approach to struggle and addition and what comes from it’s core, “You’ll never be loved properly” and the need for just that. At one point, the song and lyrics ping so painfully honest when he repeats, “…and I think it’s gonna be a long, long time…”
The acting, the music storytelling, the brutal honesty and the triumphant ending with lyrics “You will wind up like the wreck you hide, behind that mask you use”, from “I’m still standing” ring true to the heart of the story. The ending makes note of a 28 year, and counting, sober Elton John, brings nothing but cheer and happiness to your heart. Truly, this success story in all it’s raw pureness is perfectly balanced, with realism, and the triumphant songs of Elton/Bernie. This film is a must see, one that personally says, “This one’s for you….”
Elton John publicity photo for one of his early LP’s.
Movie review by Brion Dinges
Production companies: Marv Films, Rocket Pictures, Paramount Pictures, New Republic Pictures Distributor: Paramount Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Gemma Jones, Bryce Dallas Howard, Stephen Graham, Steven Mackintosh, Tate Donovan, Charlie Rowe, Matthew Illesley, Kit Connor Director: Dexter Fletcher Screenwriter: Lee Hall Producers: Matthew Vaughn, David Furnish, Adam Bohling, David Reid Executive producers: Elton John, Claudia Vaughn, Brian Oliver, Steve Hamilton Shaw, Michael Gracey Director of photography: George Richmond Production designer: Marcus Rowland Costume designer: Julian Day Music: Matthew Margeson Music producer: Giles Martin Editor: Chris Dickens Choreography: Adam Murray Casting: Reg Poerscout-Edgerton Venue: Cannes Film Festival (Out of Competition)
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
The third highly anticipated film marking the 50th anniversary of the Manson ordeal is Quentin Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. Much anticipation is stirred on what exactly he would do with this story mixing fictional and real life characters along with one of the most infamous Hollywood murders ever committed. Given Tarantino’s previous films and his lust for violence, it was anyone’s guess on how this film would turn out.
I saw this on the eve of it’s premier with a pretty full audience in the movie theater. The film follows the main character of Rick Dalton, played by Leonardo DiCaprio, an over-the-hill actor in the ‘Westerns’ of both film and television and his stunt double Cliff Booth, played by Brad Pitt. Quentin sets Dalton’s home as the next door neighbor to real life actress Sharon Tate and her ‘A’ list director, husband, Roman Polanski. Thus, the drama begins.
Leonardo DiCaprio as Rick Dalton, ‘B’ star of Western films and television.
I found a true excitement at seeing the visuals of Hollywood, and what it looked like, sounded like (the songs are stellar), and behaved like in 1969. We start off being introduced to Cliff driving a yellow Cadillac as Rick’s ‘driver’. Once we get a flare for both characters and their budding friendship, we see that Cliff, takes Rick home to his mansion in the Hollywood hills, and then switches to his own, smaller, more run down vehicle to return to his tiny trailer that he lives in. The contrast truly is stunning to see how the wealthy live in LA juxtapose to the less fortunate.
In typical Tarantino style, the film starts off with narration, but only briefly. The bulk of the remaining film has no further narration until the end, when it seems he wants to jump 6 months ahead to the night of August 8th, 1969 (the night of the Tate murders). Oddly enough, we are then quickly filled in with a lot of narration (and I swear it was a different actor’s voiceovers doing it – something only Tarantino could get away with), about what happened during those 6 months and set-up for the final act of the film.
Movie Stills of Rick Dalton and his B movies
Once you get past the excitement of a 1969 Hollywood, the middle of the film starts to slow down almost to a snail pace. We are presented with these long scenes showing us what a ‘B’ actor Rick Dolton is, and how it’s affecting him emotionally. It is crucial to the story, but Tarantino wants to show it over and over and over again, and frankly, I got bored. So bored, I actually thought of pulling out my cell phone to check for email (an act that should be illegal during a movie). One scene in particular played with a young girl seems to last an eternity just to make the one, repeated, point. Another thing I was surprised about was DiCaprio’s accent as a man with a strong twang to his voice. I had a hard time believing he actually grew up somewhere where people talked like that, and then transitioned into Hollywood. Instead, I kept thinking it was someone who grew up in Hollywood and was doing a ‘bad Western accent’. Only mentioning this because it did disconnect me somewhat from the character of Rick Dalton simply by association of DiCaprio playing him that way.
The group ominously watches Cliff Booth’s every move as he visits Spahn Ranch, the original ‘home’ of the ‘Manson family’.
Interestingly, there is a lengthy amount of time the story takes us to Spahn ranch (where the actual Manson ‘family’ lived). It was necessary to establish the foreboding of what was to come. Pitt plays these scenes to perfection and we get a real sense of how brooding the clan was. People in the audience even let out a few ‘uh-ohs’ as it played out. Bruce Dern (who replaced Bert Reynolds who died before he could film his scenes, and who, some say, the Rick Dolton character was based off of) does a memorable job as George Spahn given the short scene that plays out.
Left: Robbie as Tate. Right: Sharon in her last film “Twelve + One” that she just finished filming in Italy before returning to her LA home in July of 1969.
Margot Robbie plays Sharon Tate, and is almost an identical match to her her looks, voice and mannerisms. I say almost, because, and one might take this as being too nit picky, but the make-up designer simply didn’t get it right. The real Sharon Tate had a distinct outline of her eyes which gave it a very smoky 60’s look. (She actually copied it from the French actress Catherine Deneuve of that time period). If they had actually done her make-up like that – it would have looked identical to Tate, instead, there were only some hints and a few scenes with no make-up (which totally took me out of the character and made me think I was watching Margot Robbie). He does not give Robbie a lot to do in the film but to smile, dance and enjoy watching herself in Tate’s real movie The Wrecking Crew, all of which Robbie plays to perfection. I don’t think Tarantino needed to explain a lot about her, as we all know what her fate was and dread it as the movie climaxes to the night of the actual killings.
Margot Robbie as Sharon Tate going to see the movie release of The Wrecking Crew.Robbie as Tate at The Playboy Mansion party dancing her heart away.
*MAJOR SPOILER ALERT NEXT*
After we suddenly skip 6 months to the night of August 8th, we learn (only through narration) that Dalton and Booth are returning from Italy, after making spaghetti westerns there, and their work relationship is coming to an end (Rick fires him out of lack of work). As a means to celebrate ‘one last time’ they go to Dalton’s home, along with Dalton’s new Italian wife, and plan to party amongst themselves. The three Manson girls and Tex Watson arrive in a very run-down noisy car just outside Tate’s and Dalton’s residence. Annoyed by the sound of the car, Rick comes out and confronts the ‘hippies’ demanding that they leave the property immediately. The car drives back down the embankment and here starts some clever plot twist writing that Tarantino puts into motion. The Manson girl representing Susan Atkins explains that Cliff Dalton is a Hollywood legend in the Western TV shows. She says that those shows, “taught that killing was acceptable and that is what we should do” then states, “We should kill him!” as a result of this bizarre logic, all agree. This is the type of twisted thinking that Manson actually perpetuated and would make total sense that they would concur given they were just cursed off the property by Rick.
Rick Dalton in his pool on his Hollywood hill mansion.
Meanwhile, Dalton takes to his pool on a float with headphones, his wife goes to bed, and Cliff takes an acid laced cigarette and starts to feed his hilarious dog (who is there with him though you have to wonder why). Back in the car the quartet leave it at the bottom of the embankment to walk up the hill and committee their murderous deeds. One girl (which would logically fit the description of Linda Kasabian who was the car look-out and never committed the crimes and even made a have baked attempt to stop them in the real life event) says she ‘forgot her knife’ and has to go back to the car to retrieve it. Instead, she goes back to the car and drives off, of which the other three hear it speeding away. Still sticking to their plan, they head up the hill to kill.
Much like a Tarantino surprise, the door of Rick Dolton’s mansion flies open and the murderous three start their attack on his household, instead of Tate’s. Things happen very fast and truly this is where the brilliance of Quentin’s writing comes to play out. The household fights back with vicious furor and take down the murderous three. Cliff gets a stab wound and an ambulance comes to whisk him off. Just before he leaves he assures Rick that he’s going to be ok and everything will be fine. Tate’s ex lover and hairstylist to the stars comes down to the gate to see ‘what all the commotion was’ – meeting Rick for the first time and then we hear Sharon’s voice over the gate intercom inviting Rick over (for the first time) for a drink. All ends happy and well and you certainly have a satisfaction that things did not play out like the real life event.
Still, the movie bills itself as “A Hollywood that is no more” and honestly, I didn’t get any sense of what that was. Hollywood changed in real life when the Tate murders spread across LA ‘like wildfire’. But, in his version, that does not happen, in fact, the murderers are themselves murdered in self defense. I would have liked to have seen more of Rick’s story develop on how Hollywood changed and the affect that had on him. If we are left to believe Quentin’s ending, Rick might have befriended Tate and Polanski and gotten another ‘come-back’ to his screen career.
The real entertainment of this story and fascination I found to be with Pitt’s impeccable character as Cliff Booth. Although, that also left more questions, like, why does this man show complete and utter devotion to Rick Dalton who has basically leaned on and ends up firing him from his employ? One would think there would have been some bitterness with Cliff and that situation but we are only left to believe his devotion does not cease after Rick ‘lets him go’. Cliff was living a life of poverty and not going anywhere with his own career so I never really understood why he was so devoted even after he found himself with no more work to look forward to. Still, Pitt delivered some of the best lines and clearly offers the most comic relief. I left thinking more about his character than I did Rick Dalton’s.
Brad Pitt as Cliff Booth, steals the show.
This film was a mix of things and the first time I actually watched a Tarantino movie where I got bored in parts. I did get a sense of Tarantino’s ‘taking back’ a time that was cut short by a vicious assault on Hollywood when the Manson murders happened. I certainly think he could have shaved off 1/2 hour of this film by deleting some of the Dalton insecurity B scenes. In this version, we are not left with a “Hollywood that has changed” but instead a Hollywood that has a very happy ending. Something most Hollywood movies offer as a tidy conclusion tailored to our satisfaction.
Director: Quentin Tarantino
With: Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio, Margot Robbie, Dakota Fanning, Damon Herriman, Austin Butler, Emile Hirsch, Scoot McNairy, Luke Perry, Al Pacino, Nicholas Hammond, Spencer Garrett, Mike Moh, Lena Dunham, Damian Lewis, Bruce Dern, Kurt Russell, Timothy Olyphant, Zoë Bell, James Marsden, Michael Madsen, James Remar, Brenda Vaccaro.
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
188 minutes. German language with subtitles. Director, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck
Never Look Away ~ Official Trailer
The film opens in early Nazi occupied East Germany. A young boy, Kurt is escorted by his beautiful aunt, Elisabeth, a 21 year old, to a museum labeled “Degenerate Art”. As the museum tour guide explains ~ ‘art made without meaning to its people is senseless and stupid’, hence nothing abstract is worthy. Both Kurt and Elisabeth find beauty in the paintings, and little Kurt expresses that, “maybe he shouldn’t become a painter after all” because of the nonsense the tour guide is projecting. Elisabeth tells him to “never look away” because “everything that is true holds beauty in it”.
Young Kurt, with his beautiful aunt Elisabeth, played by Saskia Rosendahl.
Upon their return home, Elisabeth displays an eccentricity of stopping at a bus stop and having the bus drivers all honk their horns in unison as she relishes in the sound. Later, she strips nude and plays the family piano, as little Kurt watches, memorized. The family comes home to find her actually harming herself and take her to see a doctor. The doctor, clearly a Nazi sympathizer, says he must report her to the “SS medial corps”. The family begs him not to do it, he agrees, they leave, and in true Nazi fashion, he picks up the phone and reports her.
Exquisite acting by Saskia Rosendahl as Kurt’s aunt.
Elizabeth is picked up against her will from the medical staff and transported to a hospital where a Nazi, Dr. Seeband, the director of the clinic, signs off for her to be “euthanized” as all people marked with “mental illness” were murdered by the Nazis to “cleanse” their people of bad blood. Elizabeth begs him to let her go, but he cold heartily ignores her and she is gassed to death. Back home, the family has no idea what has happened to her, and they presume her dead after World War II ends.
Young Kurt, admiring the “Degenerate Art”.
After WWII ends, Dr. Seeband is arrested by the Russians for his crimes, and placed in a prison camp where he saves the life of a Russian officer’s child during a complicated birth. The grateful Russian officer protects Dr. Seeband from his atrocities by releasing him, destroying the records of his crimes against humanity.
With the war now over and Germany in ruins, Kurt, a young art student is immersed in painting classes, standing out to his teachers and moving ahead quickly. He meets a girl that reminds him of Elisabeth, a young fashion design student named Ellie. They fall in love and he soon rents a room in her father’s boarding house to be closer to her. Unbeknownst to him, Ellie’s father is the former Nazi, Dr. Seeband, the Dr. who ordered Kurt’s aunt Elisabeth’s murder. Dr Seeband is against his daughters romance with an ‘artist’. Ellie soon becomes pregnant by Kurt, and the Dr. convinces them that she has a birth defect that will cause her to die in childbirth. He quickly performs an abortion on his daughter, damaging her birth canal. Thinking this will end their relationship – it instead only makes Kurt and Ellie closer and they marry.
Paula Beer as Kurt’s wife Ellie and daughter to Dr. Seeband.
The film jumps, decade by decade. Kurt’s father, who was a teacher during Nazi reign (but not a Nazi himself) was reduced to cleaning stairs at the hospital where Dr. Seeband worked. As time goes on, the father commits suicide by hanging, another sign of struggling mental illness in Kurt’s family. The Russian officer who was protecting the Dr. is suddenly transferred back to Moscow and he informs the Dr. that he can “no longer protect him”.
Kurt, though a successful artist in Eastern Germany, is not satisfied with his art work. Ellie and he make a bold choice to move to the non-communist controlled West Germany, “before it becomes impossible to do”. He chooses the most eccentric art school at Dusseldorf Art Academy and begins a bold new study of expressing himself.
Adult Kurt, brilliantly portrayed by Tom Schilling.
Still struggling to find his artistic identity, Kurt’s new teacher, uncharacteristically asks to view his work. Upon doing this, he explains how he himself became an artist and teacher, basically letting Kurt know that his art has to come from his own life experiences, not something ‘to impress’. Kurt burns all his current work and starts anew – struggling with painters block – he finally sees a picture of his aunt Elisabeth and him as a little boy and paints it in black and white – then blurring the entire canvas. Now inspired by this artistic awaking he starts painting pictures of many faces that are in his life, and unconsciously, imposes the Dr.’s (his father-in-law’s) face over his aunts, still not realizing the connection the Dr. had to her fate.
As time goes on, you are hoping and wishing both Kurt and his wife Ellie would find out about her father, the Dr., and what a horrible man he was. Ellie despises him because of the abortion he preformed on her and blaming him for her lack of being able to get pregnant again. Soon, the Dr. wants Kurt to make extra money to support his artistic life, and enlists him to work part-time at the hospital – cleaning stairs – just like he did with Kurt’s father.
One day, the Dr. stops by Kurt’s studio and sees the painting of him and Kurt’s aunt. Completely taken back, disturbed, and upset, he flees from he studio with Kurt stumped on why. The Dr. now thinks Kurt has exposed his secret of who he was, the cause of his aunt’s death, and the atrocities he committed by ordering the death of so many people, and he flees in ridicule.
Kurt and Ellie eventually are able to get pregnant and have a child. Kurt’s work of art becomes famous and when interviewed at his gallery he denies ‘knowing the people in the paintings’. He realizes that when you are true to your artistic instinct, you can reach a truth your intellect could never hope to attain, and, that was the undoing of his father-in-law.
The double exposure of the Dr. and young Kurt with his aunt Elisabeth he creates into a work of art.
The film is 3 hours long, but as I watched it, I kept thinking, I didn’t want it to end. I was hoping for more of a Hollywood ending, where the Nazi hunters find the Dr. and expose him and throw him into prison. But, knowing that his character was destroyed by his son-in-law, by no other means than artistry that was completely unprovoked by Kurt, has it’s own satisfaction of redemption. This is a story told from a view point of Germans trying to make a life out of a destroyed country and the coming-of-age artist whose life was tangled up in its history. It shows how Nazisum didn’t just destroy and harm the lives of people it rejected, but how it affected those who were also just trying to live their lives through the horrors of war and its aftermath as German citizens.
The brilliance in the filming is in its theme told through action and imagery, as a truly good film should do, but also paying homage to artistry and images. Never Look Away is beautifully filmed, with a delicious soundtrack, and top rate acting, it’s no wonder this film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign film and Best Cinematography. The story is loosely based off German artist Gerhard Richter and his art work as ‘unconsciously’ related to his life during Nazi reign. The film is complicated in its storytelling, but never was I bored for a moment and truly moved by the story of young man finding himself as an artist.
Kurt painting his father-in-law, Dr. Seeband.
You can rent Never Look Away by clicking on this link.
Note: Five popcorns are the highest rating. And, there will be spoilers in this review.
The second installment film release for the 50th anniversary of the Manson murders is Charlie Says. The film opens taking the point of view of the murderous group, namely Leslie Van Houten and her introduction and manipulation into ‘the Manson family’.
The Manson story facts in a nutshell; in the late 60’s, Manson, a life-long career criminal, took in young drifters – namely women, squandering on an old western abandon movie set, who he could easily manipulate into doing whatever he wanted for him. Wanting a career as a musician, Charlie gets a studio producer, Terry Melcher (Doris Day’s son) to listen to his music through The Beach Boys, Dennis Wilson. Terry, unimpressed with Charlie’s music and unwilling to sign him, sets Manson off on a tirade because of the rejection. Knowing where Melcher’s previous mansion was located, in the Hollywood hills, he sends three women and a man up to the home, now occupied by Sharon Tate and her friends, to murder everyone in the house. After this is accomplished, the next night, he takes a band of them to Leo and Rosemary LaBianca’s home and orders their murders in similar style. Manson used a concocted story of a ‘race war’ trying to pin the murders on African Americans so that he could rise, with his family, to power and take over the earth. Apparently, the drug induced, heavily influenced young white thugs bought it, and carried out Manson’s devious deeds of murder, which was only based on his jealousy of those who lead a successful life, and his lack of breaking into the music industry.
The movie short changes us by not giving us a background of where the girls came from, but rather, ‘who they became’. It’s hard to have any sympathy for them, they simply show up wanting ‘a new life’ and gave themselves up to a crazy little man who supplied them with endless drugs and sex.
It also fails to give a real context of what the late 60’s was like, had this happened early on in the film, there might be some believability to why these woman were so easily influenced into a life of vagrancy. At one point they ask their teacher in prison, “Didn’t you think, in the late 60’s that something big was going to happen, that there would be a big change?” In which the teacher replies, “Yes. I did. Most of us did. But, we didn’t go out and kill strangers.” Watching it with today’s eyes, it seems almost unbelievable that these people would live in such squander just to have endless drugs and sex and believe in a tiny man who says, “Helter Skelter is coming – go kill” hence – it needed to set the tone of the late 60’s first.
Poster for Charlie Says
The film jumps back and forth from the teacher who works with the three woman while they are in prison to find out who they were ‘before’ they became a part of the murderous Manson family. But, it fails to ever show us anything about who they were before they joined the family. It simply shows them with ‘the Manson family’. Then it jumps back with such snips of life as a woman giving birth with no mid-wife or doctor present, at the filthy ranch, and one of the girls biting off the umbilical cord. You still have to wonder why anyone would think that was ok for ‘their baby’. Then back again to the desensitizing them from their brainwash while (already 3 years) in prison. I don’t think these woman really had to be brought back to reality. Years of sitting in prison already did that for most of them.
The point is driven home with the fact that prior to the murders, Manson was able to convenience them to go on ‘creepy crawls’ where the group would break into an occupied home, with the occupants asleep, and they would walk about the house moving furniture and hiding things, so when the occupants awoke, they would know someone was in their home. It paints the picture of just how manipulated these people were by him.
From left to right; Marianne Rendon as Susan Atkins, Hannah Murray as Leslie Van Houten and Sosie Bacon as Patricia Krenwinkel.
It even goes so far as to say, the woman helping teach them in prison, has guilt of making them understand what their crimes were and that they would then have to live with that ‘nightmare the rest of their lives’. Of which, I say, “Yes! When you terrorize, stab and mutilate another human being, you have to face what you did and the consequences for the rest of your life! It’s called PRISON!” The whole idea of ‘feeling sorry for the murderers’ just leaves a bad taste in your stomach as this movie snails along.
Grace Van Dien as Sharon Tate.
Annoyingly, they also depict Charlie going to Tate’s mansion, while a ‘party’ was going on (there were no parties happening when Sharon returned from shooting a film in Italy, only weeks away from giving birth, when all this happened) where Charlie knocks on the door and Sharon answers. That never happened. Charlie did go the property and stalked around it while Sharon was having some professional photos taken, with her photographer confronting him, telling Charlie that Melcher no longer lived there and to leave the property (with Sharon looking over the photographers shoulder and wanting to know who that ‘creepy guy was’). Still, these movies want to make it more dramatic so I can only guess that’s why they presented it that way.
Matt Smith as Charles Manson.
The movie has a dull pace to it, and an odd sepia tone to the color, almost like we are watching some bad hippie western play out. Then there’s the weepy violin music as the horror of the LaBianca murders take place (are we suppose to feel sad for the murderers during this?). You struggle with wanting to see it from ‘their’ point of view, but, it’s very hard to sympathize and think of them as victims. As they start to come to a ‘realization’ of what their horrible crimes were – the tears start falling, but it all seems a bit futile and late by the time the credits roll.
This movie was hard to sit through, it just lacked a focus on what exactly it was trying to say. And, if you start to buy into feeling sorry for the murderers, you certainly know something is wrong, maybe it’s Helter Skelter.
I have always loved brownies. I eat them slowly over time and I really don’t like when they start to turn hard. I perfected this recipe which will keep your brownies soft and moist for weeks, whether you keep them covered on the counter or covered in the refrigerator. The tip is not to use any flour – at all. Enjoy this with a delicious peanut butter/chocolate topping or a German Chocolate frosting.
Ingredients
For the basic brownie bake:
3 large eggs at room temperature
1 can of pumpkin puree
1 cup of Swerve (or sugar substitute of your choice)
2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons of unrefined coconut oil, melted
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1 cup sugar free dark chocolate powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 cup of dark sugar free chocolate chips (Lily’s brand that is sugar free)
1/4 cup of 85% coco bar, chopped
Directions
Preheat your oven to 350 Fahrenheit and line an 8×8 baking dish with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, eggs, coconut oil, Swerve sugar substitute, Maple syrup, and vanilla.
In a separate bowl, sift the cacao powder, baking soda and salt, whisk to combine.
Slowly stir in the dry ingredients into the wet until well combined (do not use a mixer).
Fold in the chocolate chips and the chopped chocolate bar to the wet ingredients until well combined.
Bake in preheated over for 22-45 minutes or until center appears set. Do not over-bake the brownies.
Let the brownies cool for 1 hour at room temperature.
Ingredients
For the Peanut Butter/Chocolate topping
1/2 cup of natural, low sugar peanut butter
1/4 cup of unrefined coconut oil
1 teaspoon of Vanilla flavored liquid Stevia and dash for chocolate
1/2 cup of sugar-free dark chocolate powder
1/4 cup of unrefined coconut oil (melted)
Directions
In a microwave safe bowl (or double broiler) heat the peanut butter and 1/4 cup of coconut oil until peanut butter is soft to work with.
Add the Liquid Stevia and whisk until all is well combined.
Make sure the brownies have been fully baked and cooled for at least 1 hour. Add the peanut butter mixture on top. You can even poke holes in the brownies and then add the peanut butter mixture to incorporate more directly into the brownies. Fully cover the top of the brownies with all the peanut butter mixture and set the brownies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
In a bowl, mix together the 1/4 cup melted coconut oil and the powder chocolate until well combined. For extra sweetness, add a dash of liquid vanilla Stevia.
Once the brownies have chilled for 15 minutes, take them out of the refrigerator and pour the chocolate mixture over the top of the peanut butter to fully cover. Now cover the brownies, sealing with tin foil and put in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes – the top chocolate will form a firm shell with peanut butter under it and the moist brownies below all.
Ingredients
For the German Chocolate topping
1/2 cup half and half
1/4 cup butter
3/4 cup of Swerve (or your desired sugar substitute)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
1/2 tablespoon of cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon of sea salt
3/4 cup of shredded, sugar free, coconut
1/2 cup of chopped, toasted, peacans
Directions
Once the brownies have cooled to room temperature, in a medium saucepan, combine the half and half, butter, sugar substitute, vanilla extract, egg yolks, cornstarch and sea salt. Whisk until well blended. Bring it to a boil over medium heat. Once it starts boiling, remove it from the heat, stir in the shredded coconut and pecans. Allow the mixture to cool slightly.
Spread frosting mixture over the top of the brownies, cover in tin foil and let it set in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Triple Chocolate Keto Brownies ~ with the German Chocolate Frosting topping.
This brownie recipe will stay moist for weeks, whether you refrigerate or keep at room temperature, all you have to do is keep it covered. Enjoy~!
That’s easy ~ do Clicker Training with your dog. Here I will give you step-by-step instructions~!
Marcel and Gaspard are my boys who learned Clicker Training
What is a ‘clicker’ and what is ‘Clicker Training’?
A ‘clicker’ is a small device, usually disc shaped that fits into the palm of your hand. It has a button, usually in the center of it, and when you press the button it makes a distinct ‘click’ sound.
‘Clicker Training’ is a process in which you give your dog visual and vocal cues, and when your dog does the command, you click and give them a training-treat on every click sound.
This is what the clicker looks like, you can click on the picture for more information.
How much time should I spend Clicker Training with my dog in a day?
This is a very good question. Dogs, especially puppies, can get mentally worn out very quickly. You only want to spend 15 minutes training an adult dog (hence the timer). Once your 15 minutes are up – give it a two or three hour rest. Don’t do it more than 3 times in a day, it’s too much for their little minds. For puppies, only do 10 minute increments.
Note: It’s very important to note two things about your furry love;
First, if they are just a puppy (under 1 year old) their little brains are still developing, like a child infant’s, and you can’t epect them to get it right all the time and always do exactly as you say. A lot of patience is needed during the puppy stage, but it can be very rewarding and have a big payoff if you do it correctly.
Second, always keep in mind the size of your furry love. For example, my dogs are 15 pounds each. I’m a much, much bigger person than them. When I give them a treat, I may think in my mind, “oh, that’s just a little treat” but the size of that little chew bone you gave them is actually the size of a regular hotdog sandwich for us. You have to keep their ratio size in account to the amount of treats you give them, which is why, ‘training treats’ are always the way to go, not larger treats.
Gaspard and Marcel as puppies, 3 months.
These are the training treats we use. You can click on the photo for more information.
Training treats, it’s the size that counts, small so you can give multiple in a training session.
INSTRUCTIONS:
First the basics;
Do not let your furry love see your bag of treats, otherwise, the focus will constantly be on that bag. It’s best to either keep a palm-full in your pocket, where you will pick one out at a time (when they are not looking) or in a zip-lock bag in a carry item. Try to grab the treat when your furry love is not looking, this takes the focus off the ‘treat location’.
Sit with your furry love in a quiet environment, and show them the clicker, let them sniff it (as they do with all things). Start by just giving one click. Their little eyes and ears will perk up, at that moment they hear that click ~ give them 1 training treat. Wait now, until they get distract and are not looking at you (or smelling your pocket). Once they are distracted, click the clicker again. They will look, give them a treat. Only do this for your first training session. It will be the only time they will not have to ‘work’ for that treat.
Important note: As you use the clicker you absolutely must always give them a treat when you click it. Even if you accidentally click the clicker, you must still give them a treat. This way they begin to understand they will always get a treat when they hear this sound.
Throughout the day, have your bag of treats very close by. I kept them in my pocket because, during this part, you don’t want to click and then wait and go get the treat – that will defeat the purpose, keep your clicker and treats on you. As shown in the photo above, those clickers come with a wrist band, so you can literally have it around your wrist during your training period or through out a day you are hoping to catch them doing something good. If you happen to see your furry love do something right, for example, they go and pee on the wee-wee pad, (you have to actually see them doing this), as they are just finishing give them a ‘cue’ word and very quickly say; ‘wee-wee’, and a visual – point to the wee-wee pad and then say, “good boy/girl”, click the clicker, than give them a treat.
During a new training session, lets say you want to train them to lay-down. Take a treat out. Let them sniff it and slowly back-up. This a ‘lure’ method and the dog will follow the scent. Place your hand with the treat low to the ground. Now with your free hand, point to them and then point to the ground, this is a visual cue (visual cues and verbal cues are very important in the training process), and give a cue word saying, “lay-down” at the same time. They might just stand there and try to sniff the treat out of your hand. Keep repeating the visual cue (pointing at them and pointing to the ground) while holding the treat to the ground and saying the cue word “lay-down”. The minute your furry love does this, click immediately and give them a treat. Now repeat this over and over no longer than 15 minutes. For the early training, stick with only this one learning pattern during one training session, it’s too overwhelming for them being taught one thing and then instantly changing to another. You will have to do this one training step over and over again before moving onto a new small step. Only after they have mastered some commands can your training sessions be varied.
Important note: So, to re-cap, keep your treats hidden with you during the day and your clicker on your body to easily get to it. Watch to see if your dog does something during the day that is rewardable, say the word, click and give them a treat. You will use these steps for anything you want to train them to do. By giving visual cues (your finger pointing), and vocal cues, “come here”, clicking and rewarding you are giving them continual positive reinforcement as they learn the new behavior. Be patient, at first it will take them a while to figure it out, but once they figure it out, it will be very rewarding for both of you.
‘Sit’ training
During a 15 minute training, get their attention, point to them (visual cue), and say, (vocal cue), “sit” and point downward with your finger as you say it. When they sit, click and give them a treat.
Repeat this process, keep saying the cue word, “sit” and pointing your finger at them and then down to the ground as you say it. Remember that after they do it, you click, you give them the reward, you can also give positive reinforcement by saying, “good boy/girl” very enthusiastically.
Marcel ‘sitting’ like a good boy~!
‘Bathroom’ training
I trained my dogs to use the wee-wee-pads. Most people want to train their dog to go outdoors. Keep in mind, dogs typically like to go to the bathroom during these times; 1) when they wake up in the AM, 2) when they have just finished breakfast, 3) when they just finished dinner, and just before they go to bed. During these times, start using a cue word like, “let’s go wee-wee”. If your dog has just eaten breakfast, give the cue word, “let’s go wee-wee” and take them outside. As they sniff around, the first few seconds you notice, just as they are about to do their business, and give the cue word “wee-wee~!” Just as they finish, click the clicker, and give them a treat. They will start to associate the cue word with going outside, going to the bathroom and getting a treat for it. All a win-win~!
If your furry love does not go or does not get it right, do not scold, or berate them. Just ignore the bad behavior and continue to reward the good behavior.
While doing this training, if you catch them going on a wee-wee pad or they do it first thing on command outside, give them a ‘jack-pot’ reward. Have a small canister with a bunch of training-treats in it and give it to them at once. But, try not to over-use the ‘jack-pot’ award – it should only be used as a special step where you didn’t have to repeat it or they did exceptionally well.
‘Stay’ training
Hopefully you have taught your furry love, by now, how to sit. Have them sit and then say the cue word ‘stay’. Slowly back up, you can repeat the cue word ‘stay’ as you do it and I use the visual cue of pointing my finger at them directly as I back up. If your furry loves gets up and starts to come to you, take them back to the spot, have them sit and repeat.
Once you get a good distance away, go back to them (you don’t want to be a distance away and say, “good boy/girl and click” they will come running and defeat the lesson of “stay”. Once you are close to them repeat the word ‘stay’, click, then give them the treat. You’ll want to keep repeating this, making the distance you step away longer and longer, you may even try going into another room and then coming back out to see if they are still in the same spot. If so, walk up to them, say, “good stay!”, click, and give them the reward.
Gaspard on his favorite bed.
‘Come here’ training
The command, ‘come here’ is very important to teach your furry love. There may be a time they get too far away from you and you need to command them to come back. For the training purpose make sure you can get a good distance from you dog but be in a safe environment, like a very large room, or fenced-in back yard.
Give them the ‘sit’ and ‘stay’ command. Reward them when they do that with the clicker sound and treats.
Back up a good distance and then give a visual cue, point your finger at them and then point it at your feet as you say the verbal cue ‘come here’. Keep repeating until your furry love comes to you, and the minute they come to you, click the clicker and give them their treat with lots of vocal ‘good boy/girl’.
Teaching fun tricks, like ‘roll-over’
Have your dog do these tricks first, ‘sit’ (visual cue and vocal cue, click, give treat). Then, ‘lay-down’ (visual cue, vocal cue, click, give treat).
Now that they are laying down, point your finger at them and do a rolling with the finger in a circular motion. Without hesitation, take the treat, put it by their nose, then move it slowly in a circular way over their head, they will be looking at it and most likely start to go into the position of rolling-over to follow it. Once they do the full roll-over, you can click and reward them. Repeat the cue word so they get to associate your finger roll, the word ‘roll-over’ with doing the action. Once they learn it, you will say, “roll-over” and twirl your finger, and they will roll over. Pending the ‘click’ and the ‘treat giving’.
Marcel’s favorite trick is to roll-over. He loves his rewards too, if you haven’t noticed by the photo.
Question: Once I’ve taught my dog the things I want him/her to learn, do I always have to use the clicker?
Great question. The answer is ‘no’. As time goes on, you give them the command, “roll-over”, visual ‘point finger at them and twirl it’, (and make sure this is well after they have learned the command) don’t use the clicker, just say, “Good boy/girl” and give them a training treat. Then the next day, try it again, always giving the visual cue (finger point) and vocal cue (‘sit down’) and then when they do it ~ “GOOD BOY/GIRL”, but this time, don’t give them a treat. Just pet them and give them a nice scratch under their chin. They will probably look at you like, “hey, where’s my treat?” but the positive tone of your voice and the quick pat, will eventually be enough – because – all dogs want to please their owners. It still doesn’t hurt, once in a while, to do the clicker as a brush-up training and/or to give training treats, just so they always remember there’s some type of reward.
This pretty much sums up the basics on clicker training. Once you and your furry love understand the ‘visual cue’, ‘vocal cue’, ‘click’ and then ‘giving them the treat’ – you can virtually teach them anything. Remember to keep training to only 15 minutes and no more than 3 times in one day. Good luck and let me know how your clicker training went~!
Please keep in mind that all dog tips should first be consulted with your vet to make sure they fit the needs and special instructions your furry love’s Dr. advises. Especially with food that you give them.
A delicious thick stew with lively curry taste in the tradition of Japanese Beef Curry. A perfect, delicious meal in a bowl.
It’s important to have all ingredients measured out and ready to go before you start.
Ingredients
2 pounds of beef cubes (brisket, short ribs or other desired cuts), cut into bite-sized cubes
3 tablespoons of cornstarch
2 teaspoons of salt
1 teaspoon of black pepper
1 teaspoon of white pepper
1 teaspoon of Old Bay
2 tablespoons of bacon grease (best for flavoring the beef)
3 Tablespoons of butter
2 large onions, thinly sliced
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into wedges
1 large red bell pepper, cut into 3/4 inch strips
1 tablespoon of fresh ginger, minced and finely grated
2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
5 cups of beef stock (if you buy a 32oz container, you can add 1 cup of chicken stock or 1 cup of water to make a total of 5 cups)
1 large apple (Macintosh or Gala)
1 tablespoon salt
1 large potato (Idaho), cut into bite-sized pieces
For the roux:
1/2 cup of butter
7 tablespoons of coconut flour (you can use regular flour for non-Keto)(Link at bottom of page where you can find coconut flour)
1 1/2 teaspoons of Xantham powder (omit if you used regular flour) (Link at bottom of page where you can find it)
2 tablespoons of Madras curry powder (needs to be this curry) (Link at bottom of page where you can find it)
2 tablespoons of Garam Masala (needs to be this spice) (Link at bottom of page where you can find it)
Directions
In a large bowl , place the cornstarch, salt, black and white peppers, Old Bay and mix to combine.
Rinse the beef in cold water and pat dry with paper towels (don’t skip this step).
Add the beef to the cornstarch mixture and fully cover all chucks so they have an even distribution of the cornstarch mixture (I use two large spoons to scoop and toss, like a salad).
Place 1 tablespoon of the bacon grease in a large frying pan, and heat on medium heat until very hot and just about smoking.
Place the cubes of beef in the frying pan and fry for 3 to 4 minutes turning frequently to get a good char on all sides of the cube, when done, place in a large bowl lined with paper towels to absorb the oil. Note: This will have to be done in batches. When pan becomes dry, add the second tablespoon of bacon grease. You are not trying to ‘cook’ the beef through, you just want a good char on the outside, the beef will cook in the stew).(See photo A below).
Melt the butter in a stockpot large enough to hold 5 quarts of liquid, over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots and red bell pepper strips. Stir and cook for about 5 minutes until the onions become translucent. (See photo B below).
Now add the ginger and garlic, stirring until fragrant, about 1 minute.
Add the beef cubes, beef stock, apple, and salt, bring it to a boil over high heat and then turn the burner down and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally (Be sure to stir and scraping the bottom of the sauce pan to make sure nothing is sticking to it).
Meanwhile make the roux; In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour. Stir, (constantly stirring) until the butter and flour fuse and swell. Don’t stop stirring, or the roux will burn! After about 8 minutes of whisking, turn the burner down to medium low. After about 20 minutes of continual whisking, the roux will become a deep tan color. At this point, add the Madras Curry and Garam Masala, and cook, stirring for 30 seconds, until the spices release their aroma. (See photo C below). Turn off the heat. Add a ladleful or two of the cooking liquid from the stock and mix into a paste in the pan stirring to combine.
Add the roux paste into the stockpot, and stir to combine. Add the potato. Simmer uncovered on low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook, simmering, for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, including the bottom, until the beef becomes tender and the curry thick. (See photo D below).
Enjoy~!
Photo A: Coating the beef with starch and frying in bacon grease ‘holds’ the curry sauce to it.Photo B: Stir the veggies over medium heat for 5 minutes or until onions become translucent. Photo C: Once you’ve mixed the flour mixture with butter, stirred for 20 minutes on low heat, add the two curry spices and stir for about 1 minute, turn off heat, add two ladles of broth and mix well – then add to the curry paste to the pot and stir well.Photo D: Finished version, note the dark curry thick stew. Enjoy~!
A delicious, no taste compromised, creamy chocolate delight~! All the wonderful taste, none of the sugar~!
Ingredients
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup of unsweetened almond milk
1/4 cup dark chocolate cocoa powder
1 large egg
3/4 cup of Swerve (or your choice of sugar substitute)
2 teaspoons of xanthan gum
2 avocados, pealed and chopped
1 ounce of Grand Marnier (optional – but adds a nice tang to it)
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
1 teaspoon of Stevia vanilla cream liquid
2 teaspoons of sea salt and dash for garnish
shaved 80% cocoa bar for garnish
sugar free whipped topping
Directions
In a medium sauce pan over medium low heat, combine the heavy cream, almond milk, cocoa, egg and the two teaspoons of sea salt. Whisk until well combined.
In a small bowl add the Swerve (or whichever sugar substitute you are using) and the Xantham gum. Mix well. (Do this first before adding to the liquid to prevent clumping).
While whisking the cream, slowly add the Swerve/Xantham gum. Whisk it vigorously until all is combined. Keep whisking over heat, but do not bring it to a boil, it should get to a consistency that is thick and sticks to the back of a wooden spoon. Turn off heat and let it slightly cool.
In a food processor, add the 2 chopped avocados, make sure they are at the bottom on the blades as the avocado tends to rise to the top and you’ll have to constantly push them back down.
Add the pudding to the processor and top with the Grand Marnier (if using) the vanilla extract, and the Liquid Stevia. Pulse until all is well combined. You may need to use a spatula to push the sides down to combine. It will ultimately be a thick pudding mixture with no visual bits of avocado when finished.
Taste the pudding to see if it needs more salt and/or sugar substitute. If so, add and blend. Pour into individual bowls and top with one, or all three, of these; shaved chocolate bar, sea salt, whip cream, and serve. Or, chill in the fridge for 2-4 hours to have a more ‘set’ pudding and then serve with toppings.
I absolutely love the bitter taste of Broccoli Rabe and it almost always complements a main dish. This recipe uses roasted garlic and roasted red peppers (recipe link for them below). Enjoy~!
Ingredients
1 bunch (usually comes as 1lb in grocery store) of fresh Broccoli Rabe
3 tablespoons of good quality extra virgin olive oil
1 head of Roasted Garlic (see link for my recipe below)
1/2 cup of Roasted Red Peppers (see link for my recipe below) cut into 1/4 strips – 1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper
1/2 cup of no salt chicken broth (for best flavor, or you can use water)
Sea salt
Directions
Trim the very ends of the broccoli rabe stems and discard. Using a sharp knife, split the stem in half and then again to make a cross (the stem will be split out in 4 sections) – cut down about an inch on each stem.
Wash the broccoli rabe in a colander with cold water. Let it set a few minutes so the water washes off any dirt. Set the broccoli rabe aside in a bowl.
Using a large frying pan, fill the pan with the olive oil. Set burner to medium high heat and let it get hot, until just about smoking, and then add the teaspoon of garlic and fry for only about a minute (watch this step closely – garlic can burn very easily).
Add the broth (or water) and turn the burn down to a simmer.
Add the roasted garlic and the roasted red peppers, then carefully lay the broccoli rabe in the pan (be careful the contact may spatter).
Spread the crushed red pepper over the top and lightly salt it all. You may have some of the broccoli rabe spilling over the pan, just tuck it all in and place a lid over the frying pan. Be sure your burner is set to simmer.
Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes – stirring occasionally, until desired consistency – broccoli rabe should have a slight firmness to the stem.
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Brion's Cupboard 