Continuing on my horror movie and TV kick (see also Halloween and Halloween II, here are some more recent watches:
Phantasm (1979)*
Prom Night (1980)
The Funhouse (1981)
Chopping Mall (1986)*
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)*
Sleepaway Camp II (1988)
Sleepaway Camp III (1989)
Body Bags (1993)
Hereditary (2018)
Lovecraft Country (2020)*
*Currently watching or started
I’ve slowed down a bit on the scary stuff as Die Hard and Home Alone season is in full gear. Maybe it’s time to fill in some of my Christmas/horror flick gaps!
Continuing on my previous post, I’ve watched even more horror films. With Halloween and a Friday the 13th so close together, it seemed only appropriate to watch a certain franchise (plus a few others) to stick with horror films.
I’ve been on a bit of a thriller/horror kick lately, given the season. I’m normally not a huge horror fan, though I like it when it’s done well. There are a few more I will probably try to squeeze in over the next few days. Anything I need to watch? Right now I’m curious about Overlord – seems like a good combo of WWII and zombies!
Over the last few weeks I’ve watched the following movies and TV shows:
At some point during the quarantine, I came to the realization that I wanted a steak night once a week. With that, I’ve been trying different cuts and experimenting with what works. Marinating flank steak was one that just didn’t work (maybe it does for you, but it didn’t for me). I found this recipe randomly and, as I often do, I made a couple of quick substitutions, noted below. The original recipe suggests some side options, including a horseradish sauce or tomato and arugula.
I don’t really do reality TV. I watched The Real World when it started in the ‘90s because it was a new thing, something different from the norm. That said, I have a bit of an obsession with the original Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares that was broadcast in the UK starting in 2004.
If you’re unfamiliar, the show is hosted by chef Gordon Ramsay as he visits struggling restaurants in Britain and Europe. I find the UK version far superior to the US version (in the sense that the US version is unwatchable). Each episode of the original series is shot like a documentary and, while things get heated between presenter and restauranteur(s), the final product is much more reasonable than its American counterpart. The music is better, the filming is better, the editing is better. It feels like a thing that really happened, as opposed to an exploitative TV show.
Haven’t seen it? Almost every episode is on YouTube for free!
A playlist of all free episodes
I’ve only cooked one recipe from chef Ramsay from another show of his, F Word, and it was years ago… sea bass with pepper sauce (see video below). I paired it with baked rice with star anise (I can’t find the recipe now). It stands as not on one of the best thing I’ve ever cooked, but maybe eaten, too!
Other than using dairy free cheese for these and occasionally using jarred sauce, I have no alterations for this recipe. I’ve been making it for years and highly recommend it!
It didn’t feel right posting about my experience talking to Rayshard Brooks on this blog. Having it mixed in with recipes, random photos, and movie lists wasn’t the right fit. Head on over to Medium to read about my experience.
We tried to order Chinese food the other night and failed. A friend mentioned that deliveries to area Chinese restaurants from their suppliers have stopped. That made me want Chinese food even more than usual. I made a version of this tonight, though I didn’t quite get the color/crisp in the picture on the recipe and it’s not the battered and fried version. I made my own dark soy sauce and cooked fresh green beans instead of doing the cabbage listed. While it wasn’t quite what I was expecting, it was still delicious! For sure more akin to chicken and green beans than any version of General Tso’s I’ve had in a restaurant. I blame Saoirse Ronan!
I used chili paste to get a little of the chili flavor where I didn’t have the correct chilis.
I cooked green beans in water in a separate pan and tossed them in after everything else was cooked.
I used corn starch instead of potato starch.
I didn’t have green onions, so I used white and caramelized them after the chicken was cooked, then tossed in grated garlic and ginger.
Now I know golden caster sugar is the same / similar to brown sugar!
To make the dark soy sauce, I found a recipe that was 1 cup soy sauce, 3/4 cup brown sugar, and corn starch dissolved in water. Stir over low heat in a pan until thickened. It probably would have been better a little thicker, so keep an eye out for a better recipe or, you know, buy dark soy sauce!
I served this with basmati rice cooked in a Ninja Foodi following the recipe in the Ninja cookbook.
Had I followed the directions in the recipe I could have maybe achieved the correct doneness, but I agree I couldn’t get the wok hot enough to do it with one pan.
Videos
This video helps fill in why it’s called Soirse Ronan’s General Tso’s chicken and also includes the video on how to make the dish. Having eaten Chinese food in the UK and Ireland, I agree it’s not the same!
Did you know there’s a documentary about General Tso’s?
I watch a lot of movies and love lists and connections.
Get ready for archive footage of Margaret Thatcher and songs by The Clash!
Billy Elliot (2000): Jamie Bell, Julie Walters, Gary Lewis Billy learns to dance while his brother and family are on strike. Features a great period soundtrack.
Pride (2014): Joe Gilgun, Dominic West, Andrew Scott, George MacKay, Imelda Staunton, Liz White, Bill Nighy, Paddy Considine An LGBT organization supports the striking miners and find commonality between the two groups. You may not recognize all the cast members’ names, but if you’re a fan of UK film and TV (or ‘The Wire’), you’ll recognize some faces.
Brassed Off (1996): Pete Postlethwaite, Ewan McGregor Ten years after the miner strike, now out of work miners form a brass band.
