Dinner and Movie Monday – The Dressmaker

Tags

Australian, Judy Davis, Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, movies, reviews, The Dressmaker

When my sisters and I were little, sometimes my parents let us stay up late to watch an old black and white classic. Other times they took us to the drive-in. There we piled into the back seat in our pajamas with pillows and blankets, watching a double feature.

The three of us love to get sit back, get comfy and lose ourselves in a good flick. All kinds. So, when we had lunch together recently, one of my sisters recommended one she’d recently seen. She said it was great and loaned us her copy. She was right.

The Dressmaker is a 2015 Australian film written and directed by Jocelyn Moorhouse, based on the novel of the same name, written by Rosalie Hamm. Kate Winslet plays a dressmaker, Myrtle “Tilly” Dunnage, who returns to a small Australian town to take care of her mother. It’s a story of revenge and reckoning. Moorhouse has described the movie as “Clint Eastwood’s Unforgiven with a sewing machine.

After being accused of being responsible for the death of classmate Stewart Pettybone, Myrtle Dunnage is sent away from her hometown of Dungatar. Twenty-five years later, she returns to take care of her mother and ends up unraveling the mystery of Stewart’s death.

The whole town is buzzing about Tilly, especially handsome Teddy McSwiney. It only gets worse when she fashions a beautiful dress for one of the local girls who successfully uses it to catch a young man’s attention. Soon, every woman in town is wearing a “Tilly original”.

The film was filled with funny as well as touching scenes. Judy Davis played her mother, and she was a wonderful character. Liam Hemsworth was good as well. And when Tilly ends up getting her revenge, you’ll want to applaud.

Thanks for the heads up Jo Beth. This was a good one!

Lamingtons – In the movie, Tilly’s mother made Marijuana Brownies, which were a hit. However, this is an authentic Australian recipe I thought looked interesting.

Prepare time: 30 min

Cook: 60 min

Serves: 6

 Ingredients

•   Butter – 1 cup + 4 tbsps (unsalted and softened)
•   Sugar – 1 3/4 cups
•   Vanilla – 2 tsps
•   Eggs – 4
•   2 1/2 cups flour
•   Baking powder – 2 tsps
•   Baking soda – 1/2 tsp
•   Milk – 2/3 cup
•   Buttermilk – 1/3 cup
•   Salt – 1/2 tsp
•   Coconut – 2 cups, for coating
•   For Chocolate Sauce/Icing:
•   Butter – 2 tbsps, unsalted and softened
•   Milk – 1/2 cup
•   Sugar – 2 cups, powdered
•   1/3 cup, unsweetened cocoa powder
•   Hot water – 2 1/2 to 3 tbspsPreheat oven to 350° Grease and line two 8″ cake pans with baking/parchment paper. In a bowl, cream butter, castor sugar and vanilla on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the flour, a few tbsps at a time. Use a wooden spoon to combine. Next add a little milk and stir to combine. Repeat with remaining flour and milk, ending with the flour. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool down to room temperature and store in fridge. Next day, prepare the lamingtons. Stir the mixture until smooth and a bit thick. It should not be a thick liquid as the cake will not absorb the chocolate coating. Once the excess sauce is drained which takes about 2-3 minutes, place each chocolate coated cube on a plate of dried coconut. Lamingtons can be stored in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
• Sprinkle dried coconut all over the chocolate coated cake and allow to set for a couple of minutes and serve.
• Once the cake is firm on touch and not crumbly, cut into small 2 inch square pieces. Cut each square in half, sandwich with jam or chocolate sauce. Use a fork or wooden skewer and dip each sandwiched cake squares in the chocolate sauce and coat well on all sides. Place on a cooling rack and allow excess sauce to drain by placing a parchment paper below the rack.
• Prepare the chocolate icing. Place the icing sugar, cocoa powder, butter and milk in a stainless steel bowl over a pan of simmering water.
• Divide the cake batter equally into the two greased and lined pans. Bake for 55 mts to an hour or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Add the eggs, one at a time, beating to combine. Add the buttermilk and beat for 10 seconds.
• Sieve all purpose flour, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl. Add salt and whisk together. Keep aside.
• Method for making Lamingtons

Dinner And A Movie Monday – The Magnificent Seven

Tags

Dinner and Movie Monday, movies, The Magnificent Seven, Western

Every once in a while a good western comes along. And it’s even more surprising when it’s a remake. I don’t know how many of you have seen the 1960 version of The Magnificent Seven with Yul Brenner, but it’s a re-imagination of the 1954 Japanese film call Seven Samurai. That makes the 2016 version the third time around.

Another little piece of trivia: It is the final film of composer James Horner. He died the previous year and his friend completed the music.

When one the locals in a mining town try to stand up to bad guy Bartholomew Bogue, he murders the man in cold blood. His wife rides to the nearest town for help where she encounters warrant officer Sam Chisom, played by Denzel Washington. Washington plays the perfect mix of cold-blooded determination and the desire to right a wrong.

Chisolm recruits a group of gunslingers. Chris Pratt plays Josh Faraday, a joker who is fast with the gun and cards. They are joined by an unlikely crew, sharpshooter Goodnight Robicheaux and friend, knife-wielding Billy Rocks, a notorious Mexican outlaw, a skilled tracker and a Comanche warrior.

They kill Bogue’s men and drive the corrupt sheriff away with a warning to leave Rose Creek alone. Certain that Bogue and reinforcements will return, they begin training townspeople to defend their home. Fighting side by side with ordinary people determined to take back their town, the cold, hard gunslingers find themselves feeling like a part of something good for the first time in a long time.

When Bogue returns, he brings an army and a Gatling Gun. Somehow the town manages to defeat them. But it is a costly victory.Those who did not survive are honored by the people of Rose Creek as heroes, while Chisolm rides off with the survivors.

Even though unlikely comrades, these men become friends who are willing to fight for a cause and die for each other. If you liked the l960s version, you’ll like this one. The music is perfect. The setting is perfect, and the characters have the same gritty appeal.

Pinto Beans

In every western I’ve ever watched, at some point in the movie you see a cowboy scraping beans out of a plate with a spoon and sopping up the juice with cornbread. I don’t know what spices they used or how they were cooked, but this is how my mama taught me.

1 lb dried pinto beans (washed, sorted and soaked in water for 24 hours. Rinse and add water to cover)

1 onion, finely chopped

1/4 c bacon grease.

Salt, pepper, garlic powder to taste

Brown the onions  in the bacon grease. Add to crockpot. Add Beans and water. Add spices. Cook on low heat for 6-8 hours. Serve with cornbread and jalapenos.

 

 

 

Dinner And A Movie Monday – Robin Hood

Tags

action, Cate Blanchett, Dinner and a movie monday, Ridley Scott, Robin Hood, romance, Russell Crowe

If you have read many of my movie reviews, you’re probably certain I’m a Russell Crowe fan. And I am, but mostly because I like the kind of movies he does.

Take Robin Hood. It’s a 2010 British-American film by Ridley Scott, based on the legend we all know. It takes place in 1199. Robin Longstride, played by Russell Crowe, is a common archer who fights for King Richard the Lionheart. The story opens during the siege of Chalus Castle. Robin and his comrades are disillusioned and weary of the war. So, when the King is killed during an attack, they decide it’s time to go home, so they desert.

On the way, they come across an ambush of the English royal guard returning to England with the King’s crown and news of his death. Too late to do anything but scare them away. Robin and his men impersonate the dead English knights so they can return to England. He promises a dying knight, Sir Robert Loxley to return his sword to his father in Nottingham.

In London, Robin assumes the identity of Loxley and informs the royal family of the King’s death. He witnesses the coronation of King John, who is swayed by Godfrey, who plans use French troops to stir up unrest and create an opening for Philip to invade England.

When Robin returns Loxley’s sword to his father, the man asks him to continue impersonating his son to prevent the family lands being taken by the Crown. He wants Loxley’s widow, Lady Marion, played by Cate Blanchette, to inherit instead. Robin agrees and in the process, he and Marion fall in love. What I liked about this is the way it happened. A glance, a smile, her hand in his when he helps her up on her horse, they way he studies her when she isn’t looking. They get to know each other and each of them like what they see. It tugs at the heartstrings.

After King John hears Robin’s plea to sign a charter of right and unite his country, a battle must be fought to stop the French marauders from taking over England. It takes place on the beach below the Cliffs of Dover and the cinematography is spectacular.

I enjoyed the movie and the twist at the end, giving us a new take on the story of Robin Hood and how “the legend began”. There’s comradeship. There’s action. And there’s romance. Definitely my kind of movie.

Medieval spiced beef stew

1.5kg lean braising steak, chopped into bite-size chunks
3 tbsp plain flour
Oil for frying
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground mace
1/8 tsp (small pinch) ground cloves
4 black peppercorns, crushed
1/2 tsp cardamom pods, crushed and green pods discarded
1 large onion, finely chopped
6 large sprigs parsley, stalks and leaves finely chopped, plus extra to garnish
900ml beef stock
50g stale wholemeal bread, torn into small pieces
3 tbsp cider vinegar
Pinch of saffron threads

1 Toss the beef with the flour to coat. Cover the base of a large casserole dish with a thin layer of oil and place over a medium high heat. Add the beef in batches and fry, stirring occasionally, until browned.

2 Return any browned beef to the pan with its juices. Add the spices, onion and parsley with a splash of the stock and fry, stirring frequently and scrapping up the crusty layer from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, for about 5 minutes until the onions have started to soften. Add the rest of the stock with a pinch of salt and bring to a gentle boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 2 hours, until the beef is tender.

3 Meanwhile, soak the bread in the vinegar with the saffron. Stir into the stew and simmer, uncovered, for about 20 minutes until the bread has broken down and the stew is thick. Taste and season with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve with bread and buttered green vegetables, garnished with chopped fresh parsley

Dinner And A Movie Monday – Big Stone Gap

Tags

Ashlyey Judd, Big Stone Gap, chick flick, Fried Chicken, romantic comedy, Whoopi Goldberg

Big Stone Gap was one of those movies my sister and I love to watch. I guess you could call them chick flicks, but to us, there’s more to it. Movies like this tell the kind of story that makes us laugh and cry…and sometimes all in the same scene.

The story takes place circa the 1970s in a small town in Virginia. Big Stone Gap considers Ave Marie Mulligan a spinster. After all, she’s forty and never been close to considering marriage, even though it’s apparent that childhood friend Jack is in love with her and has been for years. She claims the only thing he loves is his brand new truck.

She’s far too busy running the family pharmacy, being involved in her community, volunteering on the coal mining town’s Emergency Response Team, and directing the town’s annual production of “Trail of the Lonesome Pine”.

When Ave’s mother dies suddenly, she discovers Fred Mulligan is not really her father. Her mother was pregnant with another man’s child when they married. She left Ave’s father behind in Italy, but she never stopped loving him. She even kept his letters. That explains why Fred’s sister doesn’t think she should inherit the pharmacy or the house that’s been in the family for years.

Jack admits to Ave he has always had a crush on the little Italian girl that sat beside him in elementary school, and she realizes she has feelings for him. But when he blurts out they ought to get married, she’s offended.

Ashley Judd plays an independent woman who is a romantic at heart. I admire her passion for life. Whoopi Goldberg’s character is every bit as funny as her character in Ghosts. I love her sarcasm. Jenna Elfman is perfect as her wacky, off-the-wall friend. The movie depicts small-town living as only someone who’s been there can pull off. Great little movie.

Fried Chicken

Nothing says southern small town cooking like fried chicken, does it? There’s an amusing scene involving fried chicken in the movie. Elizabeth Taylor and her husband, John Warner, make a stop in town while on a campaign tour because she wants to try the friend chicken they serve at the diner.

When my family was young and we were on a tight budget, a friend taught me how to cut up a fryer without hacking it into unrecognizable pieces. We each had our favorite pieces. My youngest always ate the legs, my oldest the thighs, and my daughter and I fought over the wishbone.

These days I don’t fry chicken very often, and when I do, I only cook tenders. However, I still use the same recipe. It’s messy, but simple and yummy.

1 lb chicken tenders

1 cup flour

kosher salt and large grain pepper

one or two eggs, whipped

1 cup milk

Salt and pepper the tenders. Coat them with milk, salt and pepper. Dip each tender in a bowl of egg and milk mixture. Return them to the flour mixture one more time and fry in a cast iron skillet using vegetable oil. Cook until golden brown.

Makes the crispiest homemade chicken I’ve ever eaten.

 

 

Dinner and a Movie Monday – The Water Diviner

Tags

ANZAC, movies, turkish coffee

 

My sister and I watched The Water Diviner  last week, and it was one of those movies that stays with you. An Australian historical war drama, it starred Russell Crowe and was also his first time directing. The film opened in Australia and New Zealand in December of 2014, with a limited release in the United States the following spring.

Shortly after the end of World War I an Australian farmer named Joshua Conner travels to Turkey where his three sons died serving in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC). He travels to Gallipolli where they died so he can find them and bring them home so they can be buried beside their mother. In the end he learns far more than the location of his sons’ bodies.

What happened to his sons is told through a series of flashbacks. The battle scenes are stark and realistic. Rather than glorifying one side or the other, they show brief glimpses of humanity along with the cruelties of war. In every battle and on both sides there are young men fighting for their country, their ideals and what they believe to be right.

I couldn’t help but admire Russell Crowe’s first attempt at directing. The movie was very touching and it made me think.

 

Turkish coffee is a method of preparing unfiltered coffee. Coffee beans are roast and finely ground and then they are simmered (not boiled) in a pot. They can be served with or without with sugar and poured into a cup where the grounds are allowed to settle. Turkish coffee has a significant part in this movie.

Batteries Not Included

Tags

*batteries not included, Dinner and a movie monday, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, movies, Stephen Spielberg

Over the weekend, my grandson and I watched an old Netflix movie I hadn’t seen in ages. *batteries Not Included is a 1987 movie directed by Matthew Robbins. The first time I watched the movie was when my kids were little. I rented it because it looked like something they’d enjoy. Turns out the whole family loved it.  I found out was originally intended to be featured in the TV series Amazing Stories, but Stephen Spielberg liked the idea so much that he decided to expand it and make it a movie.

It was memorable to me because of the characters. Real life husband and wife, Hume Cronyn and Jessica Tandy play an elderly couple, the Rileys, who run an apartment building and café in a rundown neighborhood. A development manager wants to tear it down to make room for skyscrapers. He hires a neighborhood thug to bribe the couple and their tenants to move out. When they resist, Carlos and his thugs punch through artist Mason Baylor’s door, intimidate pregnant single mother Marisa Esteval and break retired boxer Harry Noble’s jar of tiles. Frank Riley refuses to move, so Carlos vandalizes his café.

Things look bleak until the appearance of a pair of small living space ships descend into the Rileys’ apartment that evening. They have the ability to repair anything that’s broken in a matter of seconds, making it look brand new. They even restore the vandalized cafe, putting Frank and Faye back in business. The two extraterrestrials take up residence in the shed at the top of the apartment building, and are dubbed “The Fix-Its” by the residents. Carlos comes back to threaten the tenants once again, but the Fix-Its lure him to the top of the building and into the shed where they scare him away.

I love the interaction between the Rileys. The story is touching and funny and a delight to watch. It reminds me of all the stories we watched on the television series, Amazing Stories. Cronyn and Tandy were such good actors. They rediscover their love for each other. The artist and the single mother grow closer and Harry Noble opens up and communicates for the first time in years. You felt like they believed the little space ships were actually real and they make you want to believe it too. Even Carlos becomes a believer.

I’m so glad I got to see it again. And with my grandson this time!

 

Hamburgers

Whenever I think of eating at a café, one thing in particular springs to my mind…a hamburger. There are about a million ways to cook and serve a hamburger, but only one way to enjoy it like they do at your favorite greasy spoon! Cooked on the grill with melted cheese on top and served on toasted buns with mustard, mayo, lettuce, tomatoes and grilled onions. Makes my mouth water just to think about it. In fact, I think I’ll get a hamburger for lunch!

 

Dinner And A Movie Monday – Legends of the Fall

Tags

adventure, Dinner and Movie Monday, romance

LEGENDS OF THE FALL is a film is about life in Montana in the early 20th century and how nature, history, war and love affect the lives of the Ludlow family. The film begins the decade before WWI, takes us through Prohibition era and into the 30s. Along with his three sons, Colonel William Ludlow, played by Anthony Hopkins who is one of my favorite actors, retires and takes up ranching. Alfred, the eldest, is responsible and cautious; Tristan, the Colonel’s favorite son, is wild and well versed in American Indian traditions; Samuel, the youngest, is educated but naive and constantly watched over by his brothers. Susannah is the young woman who loves each of them.

When Samuel returns from the east with his fiancée Susannah, she is captivated by the land and the Ludlow family. She loves Samuel but finds Tristan captivating. Before they can marry, Samuel joins the army, along with Alfred. Tristan does as well, but only to protect his brothers.

Samuel dies during a reconnaissance mission. Tristan tries to save him, but he’s too late. He cannot forgive himself. Susannah comforts him, and they become lovers. A jealous Alfred leaves home to make his name. Tristan leaves Montana for several years. Susannah patiently waits for him, only to receive a letter coldly telling her to marry someone else. She settles for Alford.

This story is about three brothers’ love for the same woman and how everyone has to learn to live with the choices they make. The scenery is gorgeous and the acting is wonderful, but the story always leaves me feeling less than satisfied. Maybe it’s because none of the characters seem to be able to decide what they really want out of life.

~ BAKED BEANS~

Baked Beans and Potato Salad are summer staples at our house. We serve them with grilled steak, hot dogs, burgers and barbecue.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes

Total Time: 2 hours

Yield: Makes about 16 servings.

• ½ pound bacon, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 medium to large red bell pepper, diced
• ½ cup chopped green onions
• 3 (16-ounce) Pork and Beans
• Kosher salt & fresh coarse ground black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup BBQ Sauce
• ¾ cup ketchup
• ¾ cup unsulphured molasses
• ¾ cup firmly packed light or dark brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons Dijon or spicy grain mustard
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon dried cilantro or 1 tablespoon fresh
• ¼ teaspoon chili powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• For the Optional Topping
• 8 slices bacon
• 4 tablespoons light or dark brown sugarIn a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until browned and just about crispy, about 5 minutes. Reserve rendered bacon fat in pan. Add onion and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in chopped red bell pepper and green onions; sauté until crisp-tender, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside. Add all of the sauce ingredients to the bowl or stock pot with the bean mixture. Stir well to incorporate. Using rubber spatula, scrap and pour mixture, evenly dividing, into baking dishes.
• Bake in preheated oven until sauce has thickened, is bubbling and cooked through, about 90 minutes. If desired, top each with four bacon slices and sprinkle light brown sugar over the bacon after 30 minutes of baking. Remove from oven and transfer to cooling rack to rest before serving, about 5 minutes.
• Combine beans in large bowl or stock pot; season with salt and pepper. Scrape bacon and vegetable mixture into beans. Season with salt and pepper; stir well to incorporate.
• Preparation

 

Dinner And A Movie Monday – Sabrina

Tags

Dinner and Movie Monday, French Toast, romance, Sabrina

The 1995 movie Sabrina, starring Harrison Ford, Julia Ormond and Greg Kinnear, is a remake of a 1954 film of the same name co-written and directed by Billy Wilder. I’ve seen the earlier version that starred Humphrey Bogart, Audrey Hepburn and William Holden, and the choice of actors in both versions was really spot on I think.

The story is your typical ugly duckling turned into swan story. Sabrina, the daughter of the Larrabee family’s chauffeur, Thomas, has been in love with David Larrabee all her life. David’s a rich playboy. He never pays any attention to Sabrina until she returns from Paris after doing a fashion internship. She’s grown up into an attractive, sophisticated woman who immediately attracts David’s attention in spite of the fact that he’s engaged.

If the wedding doesn’t happen as planned, David’s workaholic older brother, Linus, worries a merger with the bride’s family business might be endangered. This could cost the Larrabee a lot of money. Linus mistakenly assumes Sabrina is a gold digger and tries to redirect her affections. His ruse works, but he falls in love with her as well. Things go downhill from there.

My sister and I recently watched this movie. It’s a nice little movie with some wonderful supporting characters like Linus and David’s mother, and when it ends you go away feeling everything worked out the way it should.

~FRENCH TOAST~

This is one of my favorite breakfasts to make on the weekend or when family comes to visit. It’s quick. It’s easy and it’s yummy. I like to top it with bananas, strawberries, or cherries, but any fruit will do.

Ingredients

1. 4 eggs
2. 2/3 cup milk
3. 1/4 cup flour
4. 1/4 cup granulated sugar
5. 1/4 tsp salt
6. 3/4 tsp cinnamon
7. 1 tsp vanilla
8. 8 thick slices of bread

Instructions

1. Preheat griddle or skillet over medium heat. Grease well with butter.
2. Add all ingredients, except the bread, to a shallow dish and whisk well to combine. Dip bread slices into the egg mixture, coating both sides, and place on hot griddle. Cook for a few minutes on both sides, until golden brown. Serve warm, sprinkled with powdered sugar and syrup

 

Dinner And A Movie Monday – Message In a Bottle

Tags

Dinner and Movie Monday, grab a tissue movie, romance

While vacationing in Cape Cod, Theresa, played by Robin Wright, finds a mysterious, intriguing love letter in a bottle in the sand, addressed from Garret to Catherine. Fascinated by it, she uncovers more letters and eventually tracks down the man who wrote them. Garret, played by Kevin Costner, lives quietly on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. He’s the strong, silent type of guy. The kind who keeps his emotions private. Theresa finds out the story behind the letters and, little by little, she falls in love with him.

He’s shattered by his wife’s untimely death and cannot forgive her for leaving. One of my favorite scenes in the movie is when he finally makes peace with her brother after years of blame. Neither man says much, but the emotions are there and once they’ve finished their conversation, each has let the other know it’s okay. Paul Newman plays his father, Dodge. Another of my favorites is the emotional scene is when he talks about his son.

This is a beautiful movie with wonderful acting. Beautiful scenery, emotional music, wonderful acting. I adore the kind of characters Kevin Costner always plays. Robin Wright and Paul Newman were perfect in their roles. Make sure you have plenty of tissues. If you need a good cry, this is one to watch.

Lobster Tails

 I’ve never cooked lobster before, but it is just about my favorite seafood and seems so simple I just might get brave enough to try it sometime.

If the lobster tails are frozen, thaw them in the refrigerator. Be sure to plan ahead, as this takes 8 to 10 hours. Uncooked tails have a mottled appearance with a green-blue-brown cast. To cook four 8-ounce tails, bring 6 cups water to boiling in a 3-quart saucepan. Add the lobster tails. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 12 minutes or until shells turn bright red and the meat is tender when poked with a fork. For larger or smaller tails, adjust the cooking time as needed. Drain in a colander

To serve, place one lobster tail, shell side down, on each plate. You can use kitchen scissors to cut each tail lengthwise through the meat for easier eating. Serve with butter for dipping.

 

 

Dinner And A Movie Monday – The Last of the Mohicans

Tags

action, adventure, fantastic music, romance, spectacular scenery, The Last Of The Mohicans

The Last of the Mohicans, starring Daniel Day-Lewis is one of my all time favorite movies. If I’m channel surfing and happen across it, I always stop. It has all the ingredients of a good movie. Action, adventure, romance. Not to mention handsome men. The strong, silent type.

It takes place in 1757 during the French and Indian War. The last living chief of the Mohican tribe, Chingachgook, travels west with his sons Uncas and Hawkeye, a white man he adopted. They rescue Major Heyward, along with Colonel Munro’s daughters, Cora and Alice, from an ambush and accompany them to Fort William Henry so they can join their father. While they travel, Cora forms a bond with Hawkeye.

When they arrive, the French hold the foot under siege. Without reinforcements, it falls. The French general promises them safe passage to Albany, but on the way they are attacked by Magua and his Huron army, because he wants revenge for the death of his family. Hawkeye and the Mohicans fight their way through, leading Cora, Alice, and Heyward from the battle, but Magua later captures the major and the women, and takes them prisoner.

The scenery in this movie is spectacular and the music is moving. I’ve read where Day-Lewis immersed himself in the part to the point where he carried a musket around for months. My favorite scenes in the movie have little or no dialogue. Subtle nuance speaks a thousand words. The scene where Hawkeye searches for Cora at the fort and his expression when he finds her and realizes she’s been looking for him, the scene at the waterfall, and the silent moments shared between Uncas and Alice at the end.

Sausage-Venison Stew

Nothing says frontier life like venison stew. I grew up eating deer meat, and since my husband was a deer hunter, I learned to cook it as well. Since it has very little fat, the trick is to find techniques to cook it so it won’t end up being tough as a boot! I found this recipe many years ago. It’s still a family favorite.

1 lb venison, cubed

1 lb kiolbassa sausage, cubed

1/2 bag Italian Green Beans

2 c new potatoes or peeled and cubed potatoes

1 onion, sliced

2 T chopped garlic

2 beef bouillon cubes

Salt and Pepper to taste

Parsley for garnish

Put sausage and venison in a skillet. Brown it with onions and garlic. Add green beans and potatoes. Add bouillon, salt, pepper and water to cover vegetable. Cook on top of stove or in oven at 350 degrees for about an hour. Garnish with parsley. Serves 4