Rachel Rose @rachelrosecruz - Tumblr Blog

2016: The (Golden) Year of (TV Drama) That Was

If there’s something that would mark 2016 for me besides our life-changing move to the land down under, it would be the countless of hours spent in front of the tube while breastfeeding my daughter. Eventhough I agree with successful businessmen who say that watching TV is for losers while reading books is for winners, I have to acknowledge the fact that these TV shows saved me from losing my sanity countless of times during my second year of motherhood when I had to live even farther from my family and friends. So, to save you the trouble of going through every good show there is, here is a recap of the best drama series I have witnessed and loved this year. Feel free to share your thoughts about other shows, too, like The Crown or Mr. Robot, both of which I haven't seen.

1. Game of Thrones Season 6

This season was bigger than ever before. Thanks to the bigger budget and brilliant directors and the fact that even book readers couldn’t predict what was gonna happen since the show has already surpassed the books. Battle of the Bastards, its penultimate episode this season, gained praises both from critics and viewers for being one of the finest hours on TV history. It enjoyed a rating of 10/10 from IMDB for several weeks, a feat enjoyed solely by Breaking Bad’s Ozymandias, before dropping to 9.9. (Ozymandias, of course, still has a perfect 10/10 rating). The season's finale, The Winds of Winter, was equally exciting, thanks to the perfectly played Light of the Seven music during Cersei’s explosive execution (pun intended) of all her enemies in King’s Landing. The Door, an earlier episode this season, was another wonderfully narrated story that explained Hodor’s heroic purpose, something not yet revealed in the books. This year also gave us a fierce but loveable young character in the person of Lyanna Mormont who paved the way for resurrected Jon Snow to rise as King in the North. Daenerys and her fleet is on her way to Westeros with ships from new-found allies: Yara Greyjoy, Martels and Tyrells. We also witnessed a beautiful Queen-Hand relationship starting to form between her and Tyrion. Another favorite, Arya Stark, meanwhile, has gone full Colombiana as she starts changing faces and gutting people in her kill list. Overall, GoT continues to reign as one of the most popular and most expensive TV drama. With only 13 episodes left for seasons 7 and 8, the end is awfully near for a lot of fans.

2. Westworld Season 1

Well, what can I say? HBO outdid itself once again with this one. Budget-wise and cast-wise, they have finally come up with a show that can rival GoT and will probably make the end of GoT less painful for the company and for the viewers. Though very different in many aspects, both shows feature oppressed followers overthrowing their abusive rulers (or am I just thinking too much?). However, while GoT has a lot of complicated characters who can be good or bad depending on one’s morality, Westworld has outright heroes and villains because you know, robots are less complicated than humans. We might think we know where this is going, men having too much fun on playing God.But before you think that this show is just an AI-movie adapted to TV, wait until the last episodes when you’re gonna wonder what makes a human being conscious and what makes something real or programmed. You’ll probably find yourself in one of the character’s shoes looking at himself for signs of being a host (a robot). Viewers found the first season as out-of-this-world and are praying that Season 2 still includes Anthony Hopkins even just for that intoxicating Hannibal-like voiceover. Evan Rachel Wood and Thandie Newton are gaining recognition in different award-giving bodies left and right for their superb performances as robots programmed to be capable of improvisations (and having free will?).

3. Better Call Saul Season 2

This season of the prequel to the phenomenal Breaking Bad series included two additional BB characters: a walking Hector Salamanca and, in a cameo role, Krazy 8. With that, who can say that Walter White and Jesse Pinkman are far from showing up? Vince Gilligan has become a pro in introducing frightening characters (like Mike and Nacho) and giving them back stories that humanize them to us and make us love them unconditionally. We see a glimpse of Jimmy’s childhood and think that we finally understand why he chooses to be a wolf rather than a sheep in this world. Jimmy McGill aka Saul Goodman definitely puts “criminal” in criminal lawyer. During the first half of the season, I was hoping that he would accept and value his new job and work well and honestly and not screw things up. But of course, he couldn’t help but turn back into the “colorful" lawyer that he was. He would break rules as simple as “Cucumber water is for customers” and as grave as laws against forgery and burying of evidences. He was so hard not to love and believe that we non-lawyers would easily be convinced that his means were justified by the ends. Kim Wexler, Jimmy’s love interest, was very reminiscent of Skyler White’s character. They were both trying to be moral at first despite their beloved’s propensity to commit crime. But like Skyler, we could see where Kim’s character was heading to. Little by little, Kim was corrupted by her boyfriend’s ways because she was finally seeing her own efforts doing good for the company go to waste.

4. The Walking Dead Season 7 (first half)

The risk about that cliffhanger from last season’s finale eventually paid off. The show did not disappoint by giving us the deaths of not just one loveable character but two (I’m not counting Spencer, sorry). We would have loved to save both of them or one of them at the least, but their deaths were actually important in the build-up of the new status quo and the rise of the kick-ass women in their lives. I was starting to feel depressed with the turnout of the first seven episodes, but the final minutes of the mid-season finale justified all the heaviness felt throughout this season. Abraham Lincoln was in his best performance from the first episode to that heart-warming scene on the eighth, and Jeffrey Dean Morgan just showed us that it’s actually possible to hate a character but fail to hate the actor behind it. The gore and hopelessness of the team in Alexandria were somehow embalmed by the good nature of the Kingdom’s people under its leader Ezekiel. The second half of the season will kick off in February, and from it we can only expect the tension to rise further as Negan finds out about Daryl’s escape and the possible teaming up of Alexandria, the Kingdom and the Seaside Community (this is highly possible according to TWD comic followers.) Overall, it has been a slow-paced season, but all was necessary in highlighting the paralysis of Rick’s Team. But as they say, when you’re all the way down there’s no way but up. The remaining protagonists, even the new ones like Jesus and Aaron, just get stronger and more fearless as they face the most evil character to ever walk in this zombie apocalypse since the Governor.

5. Orange is the New Black Season 4

OiTNB’s Season 4 brings us to the complications arising from the new problem in the Litchfield Penitentiary: overpopulation. Since Season 3’s direction was towards the prison’s privatization, this season shows us how bad (and tragic) it can go for the inmates. OiTNB does not easily kill off characters like TWD or GoT or How to Get Away with Murder, and that makes the death of Poussey even more painful to watch. Her group, which gives the best comic relief to the show, can no longer go back to that comedic tone in their conversations without a pinch in their guts. Caputo continues to be a confusing character that you sometimes love for being kind and considerate and you sometimes hate for falling hard for the wrong women. Counsellor Sam Healy, on the other hand, made a 180 degree turn from his despicable character in the previous seasons. After we hated him for failing to help a depressed Soso, mentally ill Lolly redeemed his character to us viewers. Boo also helped Pennsatucky’s character, who got raped but was still disappointingly in-love with her rapist. Meanwhile, the relatively kind guards were replaced by maximum-security officers who were more strict but abusive. Though categorized as comedy until we don’t know when, OiTNB is starting to be what it really is, a drama series about the real injustices taking place not just in prison but in the real world. Since each episode focuses on one or two characters’ back stories, everyone in the show is relatable and most are, I dare say, likeable. I think this show makes us see that the real evils are not in prison (everyone in Litchfield seems like just a victim of the system of society) but in the corporate world (or those with much greater power and wealth as for Alex Vauze’s boss, Kubra).

6. Stranger Things Season 1

Netflix has a winner in this show. The child actors and actress have turned into instant superstars and we understand why: they are just beaming with so much talent and charm! We couldn’t have cast a better group of kids for this show! The bonding among them just feels so old and deep. Millie Bobby Brown who plays Eleven reminds us of a young Natalie Portman. And it does not hurt that these kids can sing in real life that makes them more adorable. The overall feel of the show was like a tribute to Stephen King’s novels and Steven Spielberg’s films. The 80’s cinema feel, the geeky conversations and the references on Lord of the Rings make the kids in us love the show even more. Winona Ryder played her role like no other, and even the teenage characters Nancy Wheeler, Jonathan Byers and Steve Harrington were so convincing that we could only hope for a second season to see what will happen to their love triangle now that Steve has jumped fence to the good side. I don’t know how the show can keep up with the mysteriousness of the first season. This will probably be like Hunger Games and Divergent whose succeeding seasons would never be as thrilling and refreshing as the first, but seeing the kids again will surely make up for the decline in marginal utility. How will they bring Eleven back from the upside down? Will Will Byers survive the stranger things happening inside him? What services is Hopper rendering the officials of Hawkins National Laboratory? We can only wait for the Duffer brothers to unravel this 2017 the bigger mythology that they have been hiding in their sleeves for their series.

7. Suits Season 6

The first episode this season shows Mike Ross’s first day in prison, and we cannot help but remember Michael Scofield in a similar scene. Here is another smart kid trying to fit in an unfamiliar place and later does some Shawshank not in the form of a hole in the wall this time but in the form of a deal with the DA’s office. Mike as always does not easily agree to the deal especially if it involves betrayal of a friend. But true to his intelligent and good character, he is able to both go back to Rachel’s loving arms and get his friend Kevin’s ass out of prison. If there’s anything good out of this season, it is Mike’s manning up to face the consequences of his actions. Though Harvey did his part, it was still Mike who saved himself at the end of the day and kicked Harvey’s enemy in the face. Donna was still Donna, and Louis was Louis but this time capable of loving someone and her child (who’s not even his), but Jessica Pearson showed a different side of her this season. The seemingly heartless and powerful managing partner of Pearson Specter Litt suddenly was reminded on why she wanted to take up Law in the first place. After saving Leonard Bailey from the death row and getting him out of prison, Jessica realized her priorities and decided to quit PSL and move to Chicago with her ex-boyfriend, Jeff Malone. Fans will surely miss Jessica Pearson and will wonder what’s gonna happen to the two remaining partners/enemies Harvey and Louis. What gives us hope about the next season is Donna and Harvey’s HHWLITF (holding hands while looking into the future) moment that will probably be that start of something wonderful besides Mike’s new profession and Louis’s “instant” family. With Gina Lopez’s departure from the show and Meghan Markle’s busy schedule as World Vision global ambassador and Prince Harry’s girlfriend, Suits can be heading to its end for all we know. But that all depends on the writers if they can still keep us on our seats with Harvey and Louis’s conflicts as they save their firm and their respective romance stories.

8. The Good Wife Season 7

There was a lot to love and hate about this season. Lucca Quinn and Jason Crouse, for example, were only introduced in this final season of the show and yet we all fell in love with their characters so much that we almost forgot about the loss of Kalinda and Will Gardner in the earlier seasons. Alicia was really lucky to have good people around her. However, the falling apart between her and Diane Lockhart prompted us to choose a side and it wasn’t Alicia’s. We finally saw her for the real person that she was: someone who doesn’t give a damn is she fakes her relationship with her husband in public if that will advance her career. She found herself unhappy in the end losing both Will Gardner and Jason Crouse whom she loved but she had no one to blame, not even Eli, but herself. Alicia Florrick’s character is not that far from Walter White’s character. They both used their families to justified the things they did at first but later on revealed that they did them for themselves, "because it felt good", as Cersei Lannister would put it. This show brilliantly started and ended with similar scenes, but in the finale, Alicia chose to leave Peter’s side and run after Jason, whom she did not find, but got a slap from Diane instead. A spin-off series, The Good Fight, is set to start next year, but it will only star the characters of Diane Lockhart and Lucca Quinn. It better be as good as Better Call Saul in filling the hole in our hearts left by its fantastic predecessor.

#the walking dead #game of thrones #the good wife #better call saul #stranger things #suits #orange is the new black #westworld

Pointers on Breastfeeding by Mec Arevalo

This is the response of Ms. Mec Arevalo to my long post on Breastfeeding Pinays about my friend who shared her concern on my breastfeeding in public. L 1) Breastfeeding rooms exist to make moms more comfortable while they breastfeed. Imagine if you have bags or another child and you have to nurse a baby. They exist as a public service to breastfeeding moms who may feel shy or unable to breastfeed in public (say, a Muslim woman). Breastfeeding rooms were not lobbied for and aren't provided by establishments to HIDE nursing moms from the public or PROTECT the public from POTENTIALLY seeing a nursing mom's boob. 2) Not everyone who see nursing moms will feel uncomfortable. Some will be curious. Some will be dedma. Some will be intrigued. Some will salivate and think about you when they wank off (because they're perverts). Some will feel self-righteous. Some will feel you're doing such a beautiful thing. So, to say that you have to do it in private so others won't feel uncomfy is illogical. Especially since people tend to mind their own business anyway, and strangers who don't ARE overstepping their boundaries. 3) You cannot say "I support breastfeeding" and follow it with "but everyone should breastfeed where others can't see/I shouldn't be made to watch it/you moms should wear covers in public." Sorry. Why? Because believing that breastfeeding should be a private matter and nursing in public without a cover as immodest/disrespectful IS sexualizing the breasts (when it's primary function is for nursing). Because it disempowers a mother from engaging socially. Because it denies a mother rights to be somewhere. Because we live in a tropical country where even tank tops are stifling. And because it doesn't take into consideration the fact that YOU CAN CHOOSE TO MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND LOOK ELSEWHERE. 4) We can't (and shouldn't) deny that breasts are attractive to males because males do respond to them in a primal way: it's a sign of being able to provide. It tells the man unconsciously that if he were to impregnate this woman, their baby will have something to latch on. Their baby will survive. His kind will prevail. That is anthropology/biology/human psychology. But modern men have sexualized this in consumeristic Western cultures. That isn't the case for indigenous tribes, which is how we know that breasts as sin-inspiring body parts is a perversion of how breasts were originally thought of. In fact, before clothes, toplessness in women is as old as the history of man (for places that are hot, of course). Muslim invasion in various places put clothes on women... And then a very conservative stance on Christian doctrine (in the case of England). But these changing mores are just that, changing mores. And because they were hidden/made taboo, they could be now made into a commodity. What, you think breasts can sell beer if everyone in society sees breasts feeding babies all the time? Opkorsnat! It's the "hiding" them that created the obsession for them eh. So, the less breastfeeding in public we see, the more breasts selling sex we will see. 5) To cover or not is for you to decide (and maybe only strictly observe in the presence of Muslims/in Muslim places out of respect for their religion) to do. Same way you shouldn't ask mothers to breastfeed the way you do. 6) Do you expose your breasts and just let it dangle there waiting and hoping for your child to approach and feed from it? Do you call everyone's attention before you whip out a breast? Do you whip out both breasts in order to feed from one... Because for some reason you don't want the other breast to feel unappreciated and forgotten? Do you play an anthem song and lasciviously gyrate as you pop buttons, pull down zips or push aside clothing to give access to your boobs to your child? Do you hold up a Fan Sign saying "Watch Me" while you nurse? Do you shake a can asking for coins while nursing and threaten to squirt milk at strangers if they don't give you coins? No? Then I don't see how you can possibly bother the world. I'd imagine a crying baby calls more attention than a nursing one. 7) Self-respect is "pride and confidence in oneself; feeling that one is behaving with honor and dignity" so again, refer to Number 6. For, if you only whip out a breast to feed, then you are doing an honorable and dignified thing. The ones who will leer and sneer are the ones without self-respect. 😎 While I appreciate a more modest way of dressing up now, one's choice to show less skin is related to sexuality and intimacy and maybe a desire not to be judged by one's looks only. But that is a separate issue from breastfeeding because the goal of breastfeeding isn't to draw attention to oneself, or define how one feels according to what she wears... It is about feeding a hungry baby. There is nothing sexual in that. It's actually very un-exciting and supposedly not news-worthy. 9) I've said this many times... Objectification is the choice of the one doing it. Otherwise, there wouldn't be infant rape or pedophilia. Or heck, even bestiality. 10) Unless you have humongous boobs, you don't really show a lot of skin when a baby is suckling from you. So, a person saying he can see your boobs when you nurse is working hard to look and find flesh. That's a pervert and feel free to call attention to him! 11) 6 Months is the exclusive breastfeeding timeframe because of physiologic/developmental reasons. It takes into account a child's readiness and future immunity. The appearance of teeth (or lack of it) should not dictate (but may slightly influence) when/what food is given (remember, some infants are born with teeth? And there are 1 year olds without teeth yet). While teeth is for chewing food to aid in digestion, it does not automatically preclude breastfeeding. Fact check: mothers enjoy reduced cancer risks the longer they breastfeed. If women aren't supposed to breastfeed a long time, there wouldn't be this (and similar) health benefits. 12) Breastfeeding is NOT just a feeding issue. In fact, nourishment is its least function (because the human race has prevailed even if cavemen and ancient civilizations fed their infants water, honey or whatever else). Its main function is protection (the best ways to reduce child mortality and avoid diseases is hand washing AND breastfeeding. Vaccination's impact, while huge, is not even close to how much those two contribute). The mom passes on antibodies and good bacteria. Then development, as the milk provides protein necessary for brain development... Then later on, the suckling facilitates verbal and cognitive development as well as socioemotional/psychological flowering. As baby grows, nourishment becomes a lesser goal. And again, the mother benefits too. So, it is downright wrong to reduce breastfeeding to a feeding/nourishment issue. It's actually more correct to say, "excuse me, I am reducing my cancer risks, it's just that I need my child to help me with it." Now... On her parenting remarks. 1) You do not force a child to be socially confident. Yes, you teach and you coax but there is a right time for that training and it happens over time. Toddlerhood IS marked by anxieties and fears as babies make the transition farther and farther away from Mommy. Fulfilling their need for comfort and assurance is eliminating that need in the future, which is how they will turn out to be confident and secure people. With no/limited trust issues. 2) Bringing a child with you helps a child learn more about the world and adapt to certain scenarios. It is equally important as establishing routines and boundaries. 3) Yes, you are the parent and should discipline your child. But as the parent, you are duty-bound to meet your child's needs. An infant (1 year and below) being hungry or upset and wanting to nurse is a need you should meet. A 3-year old who suckles on you for 1 second, runs away, suckles again, runs away again, puts sandwich spread on your nipples, etc is just playing and can either be made to wait/choose which activity she will do at the present moment. You alone know where your child is at developmentally and rules/the way of doing things will vary accdg to age/need (like a 3 year old upset by a clown will want to nurse as his way to self-soothe). 4) I would say that if the child was already 8 years old, she can maybe be pacified and comforted and whatever else some other way/without nursing her. But if we're talking about a preschooler/toddler (so around age 5 below), then there is nothing dysfunctional about them turning to Mom for comfort, support, solace, protection. Ultimately, you know if you're calling attention to yourself when you breastfeed or not. You know if you're being indecent about it or not. But there is nothing immodest, indecent with breastfeeding per se, even if it is done in public without cover.

Sautéed Veggies

Ingredients: 1/2 kilo small shrimps, peeled 1 block tofu, cubed 1/2 kilo Baguio Beans, cut into diagonals 2 carrots, cut into strips 1/2 kilo togue 1/8 kilo celery 1 cabbage, cut into strips 1/2 half club garlic 1 onion Knorr cubes/fish sauce

Procedure: Fry the tofu and set aside. Saute garlic and onion. Add fish sauce. Add the shrimps. Cook well. Add the Baguio Beans. Mix and cook. Add the carrots, togue, celery, cabbage. Add the tofu on top.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Chicken Barbecue

Ingredients:

1 cup barbecue sauce 1/2 cup oyster sauce 250 ml pineapple juice 250 grams pineapple tidbits 6 pcs calamansi 1/2 club garlic, crushed pepper salt brown sugar 1 kilo chicken, cut into bite sizes cooking oil (about two cups) 2 tbsps flour/cornstarch dissolved in water

Procedure: Marinate chicken in barbecue sauce, oyster sauce, pineapple juice, tidbits, garlic, pepper, salt, and sugar for two hours or more Boil chicken until half-cooked (10 mins). Remove the chicken and continue boiling the sauce. On a separate pan, fry the chicken until golden brown. Taste the sauce if desired taste is achieved. Add the chicken and boil for 10 minutes. Add flour to thicken sauce.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Dinuguan

Ingredients:

1 club garlic, crushed 2 onions chopped finely pepper salt 2 cups water 2 cups vinegar 1 bay leaf 1 kilo pork kasim, cut into cubes pork blood (amount depends on preference) 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 long green chilli

Procedure: Marinate pork kasim in half of the garlic, half of the onion, vinegar, salt, pepper and bay leaf. Boil without cover until vinegar loses odor. Add water. Let boil for 5 minutes. Cover and simmer until a bit tender (15 minutes). Saute the garlic and onions left. Add fish sauce. Add the pork first and cook before adding the sauce. Add the chilli. Add the blood. Let boil and cover until the pork is tender.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Sinigang sa Kamatis

Ingredients: 1 kilo pork liempo or buto-buto, cut into strips 1/2 kilo tomatoes, cut into cubes 5 cloves garlic, crushed 1 big red onion, chopped finely 2 tbsp fish sauce 5 cups of water 1/2 kilo cabbage 1/2 kilo mustard leaves/pechay 1 raddish, sliced into circles Salt

Procedure: Saute garlic and onion. Add tomatoes. Stir. Add fish sauce. Add the pork and saute well. Add the water and let boil. Cover and simmer until tender. (about 30 minutes) Add the raddish. Once cooked, add the cabbage and mustard leaves/pechay. Add salt

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Beef Steak

Ingredients: half bulb garlic 2 big white onions, sliced into circles 3/4 kilo beef kasim, cut into thin strip 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/2 cup oyster sauce 8 pieces calamansi 2 tbsps flour/cornstarch, dissolved in little water 1 cup water salt, pepper

Procedure: Marinate beef kasim in soy sauce, calamansi, pepper, salt, oyster sauce for an hour Fry white onions. Set aside. On the same pan, fry the beef (drain the sauce). Set aside. Saute garlic. Add the fried beef. Cook well. Add the sauce. Let boil. Add water. Cover and cook over low fire. Add more water if it has evaporated and the beef is still not tender. Add the dissolved flour/cornstarch to thicken the sauce. Add the white onions on top once the beef steak is cooked.

Sampelot/Ginataang Bilo-bilo (makes 10 servings)

Ingredients: 1/4 kilo galapong (ground lkatan or malagkit rice), rounded coconut milk from 1 whole coconut 1/4 kilo rice flour 1 cup sago 3 saba, cut into bite sizes 3 kamote, cut into bite sizes langka (optional) 1/4 kilo sugar

Procedure: Shape galapong into balls. Boil coconut milk in a large pot. Put the bananas. Cook for 5 minutes Add the kamote and sago. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the galapong balls. When they surface, add the rice flour and sugar. Mix well. Cover and simmer over low fire.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Nilagang Baka

Ingredients: 1 kilo beef kasim, cut into cubes peppercorn 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 native pechay 4 potatoes 1 small cabbage 1 liter water, (or add more water if needed) 1 big red onion 2 stems spring onion

Procedure: Boil beef with big red onion and peppercorn (high fire at first then lower the fire after first boil) until tender (about 45 minutes). Add potatoes. Cook until tender. Add cabbage, pechay, spring onions. Cook until desired (half-cooked or well-cooked). Add fish sauce and salt to taste.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Kilaing

Ingredients: 1 cup vinegar bay leaf 1 kilo pork kasim, pork’s heart, and liver, cubed 1/4 kilo pork lungs 1 bulb garlic 1 medium-sized onion fish sauce

Procedure: Saute garlic and onion. Add fish saucepork lungs and fry well until they pop. Add other pork kasim, cook. Add heart then liver. Add vinegar. Don’t mix or cover. Let boil until vinegar’s odor evaporates. Cover and let cook until pork is tender. Add bay leaf, salt and pepper to taste.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Misua con Patola

Misua con Patola

Ingredients: 2 bigkis misua 5 cloves garlic crushed 1 onion 1 tbsp fish sauce 1 kilo patola, sliced 1/4 chicken cuts 4 cups water malunggay leaves

Procedure: Saute garlic and onion. Add fish sauce and chicken and cook until brown. Add patola. Cook for a minute. Pour water. Boil. Add misua. Boil and add malunggay. Add salt to taste. Add egg. Boil and serve.

Tita Beng’s Recipes: Adobong Manok

Ingredients:

1 garlic crushed 2 onions sliced 1 kilo chicken, cut by part 4 potatoes, cut into quarters half cup oyster sauce 3/4 cup vinegar 2 tbsp soy sauce salt and pepper

Procedure: Marinate chicken in oyster sauce with vinegar and soy sauce. Add 1 onion, salt and pepper. Boil without cover until vinegar loses odor. Simmer with cover for 10 mins. Saute garlic and onion. Pour in chicken with marinade. Boil and simmer until tender.

Twice Cooked Shrimp

FROM THE INTERNET:

Twice Cooked Shrimp

Ingredients

Cooking spray $ 24 jumbo (21-25) shrimp (about 1 pound), peeled and deveined 1 teaspoon toasted walnut oil 4 garlic cloves, slivered $$ 1/2 tablespoon butter $ 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice $ 1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley chiffonade A pinch kosher salt Preparation

Spray a cool, 12-inch skillet with cooking spray. Lay the shrimp in a single layer in the pan.

Turn the fire on the lowest flame/heat setting possible. Let the pan get progressively hot to the touch. If you want to work like a chef, tap the bottom of the pan with the tip of your finger. It'll burn a little, but not a lot. Slowly raise the heat to medium-low. Controlling the heat is critical here. Don't let the shrimp sizzle. Watch the edges of the shrimp gradually brighten in color.

When the edges of the shrimp turn from gray to bright orange (after about 6 minutes), turn them over, one by one, maintaining the soldier-like layout in the pan.

Similarly cook the other side of the shrimp until the bottom edges brighten in color, about 4 minutes.

Turn off the heat. Transfer the shrimp to a mixing bowl. Allow them to mingle and "carry over."

Make sure all remaining ingredients are within arm's reach.

Bring the pan, unwashed, back to the flame. Swirl in the walnut oil. Bring the heat to medium-high. Get the oil hot, but don't let it smoke. There's not much fat in the pan, and you don't want it to scorch. Now, pour in the shrimp, and sauté like a rock star, facilitating the "jump".

Cook for 45 seconds. Lower the heat all the way to low. In fact, depending on what "low" looks like on your cooktop, you might be able to turn the heat off at this point. It all depends on the quality of your cookware and the nature of your cooktop.

Add the garlic. Toss the mixture a few times. Let the garlic soften, but not brown. Add the butter, lemon juice, and parsley. Now taste. You might not need the salt. If you do, add it now.

Crispy Fish with Lemon-Dill Sauce

FROM THE INTERNET

Ingredients

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten $ 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs) 1/2 teaspoon paprika 3/4 teaspoon onion powder 3/4 teaspoon garlic powder 4 (6-ounce) skinless cod fillets $ 1 teaspoon black pepper $ 3/8 teaspoon salt $ Cooking spray $ 1/4 cup canola mayonnaise (such as Hellmann's) $ 2 tablespoons finely chopped dill pickle $ 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice $ 1 teaspoon chopped fresh dill Lemon wedges $ Preparation

Preheat broiler to high. Place egg whites in a shallow dish. Combine panko, paprika, onion powder, and garlic powder in a shallow dish. Sprinkle fish evenly with pepper and salt. Dip each fillet in egg white, then dredge in panko mixture; place on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil 4 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Combine mayonnaise, pickle, lemon juice, and dill. Serve with fish and lemon wedges. Wine note: This dish requires a wine with acidity to cut through the breading and also to act like a final spritz of lemon.

Potato Soup

FROM THE INTERNET

Ingredients

4 (6-ounce) red potatoes 2 teaspoons olive oil 1/2 cup prechopped onion 1 1/4 cups fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour 2 cups 1% low-fat milk, divided 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3 bacon slices, halved 1.5 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (about 1/3 cup) 4 teaspoons thinly sliced green onions Preparation

Pierce potatoes with a fork. Microwave on HIGH 13 minutes or until tender. Cut in half; cool slightly. While potatoes cook, heat oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 3 minutes. Add broth. Combine flour and 1/2 cup milk; Add to pan with 1 1/2 cups milk. Bring to a boil; stir often. Cook 1 minute. Remove from heat Stir in sour cream, salt, and pepper. Arrange bacon on a paper towel on a microwave-safe plate. Cover with a paper towel; microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Crumble bacon. Discard potato skins. Coarsely mash potatoes into soup. Top with cheese, green onions, and bacon.

Sausage, Tomato and Arugula Fettuccine

FROM THE INTERNET

Sausage, Tomato and Arugula Fettuccine

Ingredients

1 (9-ounce) package refrigerated fettuccine 1 tablespoon olive oil 6 ounces Italian turkey sausage or seasoned ground beef 2 teaspoons minced garlic $ 1 pint cherry tomatoes 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper $ 3 cups baby arugula leaves $ 2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, shaved Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain in a colander over a bowl, reserving 2/3 cup cooking liquid. While pasta cooks, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Remove casings from sausage. Break sausage into bite-sized pieces and add to pan. Cook sausage or ground beef for 3 minutes or until browned, stirring frequently to crumble. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add tomatoes and pepper; cover and cook 2 minutes. Mash tomatoes with the back of a wooden spoon to break them up. Cover pan; reduce heat to low, and cook 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Add pasta, reserved 2/3 cup cooking liquid, and arugula; toss well. Sprinkle with pecorino Romano.

Buffalo Wings

FROM THE INTERNET

Buffalo Wings (makes 8 servings)

Ingredients: 8 chicken wings hot sauce 6 tablespoons butter salt and pepper 1 cup flour sugar or honey 1/4 cup garlic powder 1/2 litter of oil cheese whiz/spread mayonnaise

Procedure: Cut chicken wings at the joints into three parts each. Dry well with a kitchen towel. Season with 4 tablespoons of hot sauce, salt and pepper. Mix flour and garlic powder in a plastic bag or tupperware. Then mix with the chicken wings until well-coated. Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry chicken wings (six cuts at a time) over medium heat for fifteen minutes (or until sizzling stops). Put cooked wings on a plate with kitchen towel and air-dry. In a smaller pan, heat butter, 8 tablespoons of hot sauce, 2 tablespoons of honey/sugar, salt, and pepper. Stir until well-blended. Coat the chicken wings with the sauce. For the dip, mix cheese spread with mayo.

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Rachel Rose