Valentine’s Day Movies on Netflix Instant Part One

I am always trying to find a good movie list for those only found on Netflix Instant. These are hard to find, so I am slowly making my own lists and I hope this helps other people who only have the Instant subscription.The Roku I have linked with my Netflix Instant account might be the best Valentine’s Day gift to ourselves that my husband and I have ever gotten. Searching for a genre is a little  difficult on the Roku and sometimes you just don’t feel like searching a specific title by clicking one letter at a time. Tedious.

Here is my list that as of January 2014 can be found on Netflix Instant. The titles in bold are those I have seen before. Those not in bold are movies I want to watch soonish and maybe you’ll enjoy them too.  It’s a little out of season, but I made a (shorter) list of Halloween-y movies found on Netflix Instant.
All pictures belong to IMDb unless otherwise stated.

Romantic-ish/Valentine’s Day movies on Netflix Instant–Part One:

1. 13 Going on 30 (2004)--Girl wishes to be 30 with perfect BF/Job/life but when her dreams come true they fall short. Girly romance with boy next door theme. 
2. African Queen (1951)–A unlikely team, Bogart and Hepburn, strike out on an adventure to blow up an enemy boat.
3. America’s Sweethearts (2001)–Movie publicist deals with very public celebrity split up. Love triangles galore, give the set up some time.
4. Blue Hawaii (1961)–Elvis music and Hawaiian scenery. Elvis has just gotten out of the army and wants to enjoy island life again.
   
   
5. I Hate Valentine’s Day (2009)–Woman avoids falling in love by sticking to dating rules, until love moves in next door to her florist shop.
6. Dorfman in Love (2011)–Woman wants life outside of caring for her family. Looks like two new loves fall in her lap.
7. Emma (1996)–She loves meddling and setting up marriages until her plans backfire. Period film version of Clueless.
8. See girl Run (2012)–Young woman revisits her old relationships to seek guidance in her life.
   
9. Footloose (1984)–Rebellious teen who loves to dance moves to a small town where dancing is banned. I prefer the 2011 movie simply for the updated music.
10. About Adam (2000)–Guy seduces two sisters and possibly more characters. There are some poor reviews, but at least sniff test it.
11. Get Over it (2001)–Love triangles every which way, allusions to Midsummer Night’s Dream. This might make me sound like a mom, but this is definitely a movie for older teens. Kinda surprised it was PG-13.
12. Time Traveller (2010)–Girl tries to go back in time to find information to save her mother who went into a coma. She lands in the wrong year. (Foreign–Based on the anime The Girl Who Leapt Through Time).
13. Grease (1978)–Good girl Sandy falls for the bad boy at school. Music, Travolta, fashions, euphemisms, and teen drama.
14. Not Suitable for Children (2012)–Man who finds out he will soon become infertile sets out to procreate. Obviously rated R.

15. Pretty in Pink (1986)–Teen must decide between her dream boy or the boy next door.

16. Ondine  (2009)–Irish fisherman discovers a beautiful water nymph (selke) caught in his net. (Colin Farrell)

17. She’s All That (1999)–Jock takes a bet he can take the ugliest girl at school and turn her into the prom queen.
    Transformation romance. 

18. Daddy Long Legs (1955)–Fred Astaire plays a wealthy man who sponsors an orphan to go to college. They accidentally fall in love.
19. One for the Money (2012)–Unemployed divorcee takes on a job as a bounty hunter and searches for an old flame. Based on the Stephanie Plum books.
20. Outsourced (2006)–American goes to India to train people in his job that recently got outsourced.
21. Some Like it Hot (1959)–Two musicians running from the mob join a band of all female musicians. Very beautiful females–hilarious.
22. Strictly Ballroom (1992)–Classically trained dancer wants to dance his own style and risks his reputation on a new partner. Ugly duckling transformation, dancing and music.
23. Somewhere in Time (1980)–Playwright hypnotizes himself so he can meet the woman in an old portrait in his hotel. Weepy of course. 

Last Night’s Dinner: Broccoli Alfredo

I sorta followed this recipe I found on Pinterest: Fettuccine alfredo.
By sorta you can probably guess that I kinda fudged some measurements.

Here’s my version–Mostly eyeballed

Cut 6 tablespoons butter into a soup pot on medium low heat. Saute a diced onion and 3-4 tablespoons of minced garlic in the butter. I added salt and pepper periodically through the cooking stages–To the onion stage and after the cream had thickened a bit. Grate 1 1/2 or 2 cups parmesan and set aside. 

While you’re waiting for the onions to go translucent, start boiling a large pot of water with an eyeballed amount of salt in it. Once the water began to warm I threw in a bag of frozen, chopped broccoli pieces. When the water comes to a boil add a whole box of fettuccine or whatever pasta your darn well feel like eating! Screw the rules of a specific pasta to a specific sauce. I almost made it with bow ties. Set a timer for al dente recommended on the box. Otherwise you’ll forget about it and overcook it….Not that I would ever do that.

Once the onions are ready, add 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. Bring to a super soft boil. Make sure you get tiny bubbles but that can be calmed by stirring, which I did almost constantly. I was terrified that I would burn it. All the recipes and cooks will tell you that the cream will reduce.  Folks, unless I had dumped it back into a measuring cup, I would not have been able to tell at all. And who dumps cream into a measuring cup to check? I  had my on a soft boil for about five minutes and the cream did seem thicker.

I turned the heat off but left the pot on the electric stove top–It was getting some residual heat. Slowly stir in the grated parmesan little handfuls at a time. When each little handful melts down, add another until your 1 1/2 cups are in the sauce. If you don’t think it will be too thick go ahead and add the extra half cup. I reserved mine as a topping for when I served my pasta.

Next, I used a smallish sieve to scoop the broccoli out of the pasta pot. Mostly the broccoli floated to the top and the pasta to the bottom so it worked out nicely. You may want to test a piece of broccoli for tenderness. Mine was done about four minutes before my pasta timer went off. I threw the broccoli straight into the sauce because it was ready just a couple minutes before my broccoli.

When the pasta timer buzzes, drain it and add it to the alfredo. Stir it around and serve as you like. I didn’t even notice any troubles reheating this on the stove later. There are so many fats in the sauce that I didn’t need to add anything extra. Heat on low with a lid to keep from scorching the pasta.

A quick tip on the parm. I bought a block and grated it myself. Typically store bought pre-grated cheese has added flour (or probably some evil chemicals) to keep it from sticking back together. This also means it can be harder to melt into a sauce. Use pre-grated at your own risk. I’m sure it would work in a pinch. Don’t use the foot-cheese AKA powdered parm tho. For real, just don’t.

Okay, I realize how irritating it is to read a recipe in the middle of shitty narrative. So, for those who are simply skimming for a recipe:

Broccoli alfredo

6 tablespoons butter
1 diced onion
3-4 tablespoons of minced garlic
2 cups heavy whipping cream
2 cups parmesan, grated (Grate it yourself!)
bag of chopped, frozen broccoli
1 box of fettuccine/pasta 

-Saute onions and garlic in butter.
-Cook broccoli and pasta (al dente) in a pasta pot together.
-Soft boil and keep stirring cream until slightly thickened approx 5 min.
-Turn off heat and add 1 1/2 cups parm at a time. Stir in until melted.
-When tender, add broccoli to sauce.
-Drain al dente pasta and add to sauce.
-Scarf it down!

It is ridonkulous that that is all it takes to make this amazing pasta.

It Takes a Village

In this case it doesn’t take a village of people to raise a child, but a community to help me get fit. My mum was reading my blog and noticed me mention I wanted to get in shape in the new year.

My biggest issues are starting a routine and to be held accountable for working out. It is very, very easy for me to talk myself out of going to the gym or doing some sit ups. It is much easier to put a kettle on for a cup of tea.

So my mom is sponsoring me at the local YMCA.  She added me to her membership plan–Just so long as I use it. Which I fully intend to do!
I don’t so much have a plan yet or a routine. I’m trying to figure out which machines I prefer, the times I can go and when certain classes are being held.

So far, I am really enjoying the general vibe of the gym. There are people like me that are out of shape and just doing their best. There are also folks there that are already in shape and are extremely friendly. That is not something I felt when I went to my university gym. It is nice to think others are happy you are trying rather than trying to show you up or boot you out.

Today makes day three of my membership and day three in a row I will have gone to the gym. So far my plan is working because each time I go I have a buddy to come with me–I am being held accountable for showing up. My mom is an old pro and goes either swimming or lifting about everyday. My arm muscles are sore today from lifting yesterday. Love it and I can’t wait to lift some more on Monday.

Once I settle on a routine I am hoping to incorporate swimming, toning with the weight machines, cardio on the elliptical. I am keen to get into the zumba and yoga classes. Everyone tells me that the spinning classes are done, but I’m still not entirely convinced. I will try.

So can I get some likes to keep it up?
I promise not to share every single detail of my workouts, but if I reach some milestones I’ll share, or if need some encouragement it would be wonderful to find some here from my readers. Besides, over-sharing is for Facebook. I can’t promise I won’t share a gym selfie. hehehe.

New Hairdo!

I have been a bum about updating my blog to my biggest changes, but seeing as I have rendered myself useless [bleach in my hair], I may as well blog about  it. Before you start getting worried, I’m just talking about changing my hair.

I recently cut most of my hair off. I mean for realz, most of my hair is gone-zo, but I love it. Let’s review some photo history:
Check out the hair I used to have. I was pretty much at mermaid length hair.
The trouble was with hair this long, if I washed it in the morning and put it up it would be wet all day. Things that don’t do well in winter. I loved my long hair, but have been planning a change for a long time now. Yes, I will likely grow out my hair again someday.

Even though my hair had been bleached, I decided to try and donate it to a wig making charity. The requirements page listed that they would be able to sell the hair for profits (to make more wigs) if they couldn’t use my hair. So my hair stylist braided it into four sections and started whacking off hair!Pretty soon I was left with four braids in hand and a really awkward bob. I was excited to keep moving on from this weird hair length. She pinned up bits of my hair and cut sections at a time. Our goal was to have short sides, very short back, bangs and enough hair on top to spike up and play with. M cut on cut on my hair for almost two hours!! I am very high maintenance I think.
This is just a little bit of the hair that was ultimately cut off. Keep in mind it doesn’t include the heavy braids nor the final 30 minutes of trimming and fudging to make it perfect.

This was the end result! It is very very different from my usual loooong hair and no bangs. And yes, I am still getting used to my bangs.

I know you’re shocked but I still wasn’t pleased exactly with the length. So I got more cut off and I bleached it out.
Just freshly cut off some more.
Bleached, washed, cut and styled. This crazy spiky look is exactly what I want. I may wear my bangs down over my forehead if I want a slightly less spikey hairdo.
What do you think of my epic transformation?

Pumpkin Quinoa Soup–The Results

Let me start by saying–my hubbster is picky and I haven’t had anyone else over to the house to be on my side about this soup. I loved it!
If you’re a picky eater or not fond of weird foods then perhaps continue your google searching because you may not like this recipe. My hubbster might have liked it if I had included chunks of ham or chicken. However, as the recipe is below, Kit had no seconds nor leftovers.

You may recall that I posted a blog talking about how I make up recipes and end up a trial Franken-recipe once I get to the kitchen. Here is what I changed once I actually got into the kitchen to cook this soup.

Ingredients
1 sweet onion, chopped
2 TBSP garlic to taste (I never measure this)
2 TBSP olive oil (never measure)
2 TBSP curry powder (you can continually taste and add more/less as you cook because soups are wonderfully forgiving)
salt and pepper
A couple of shakes of red pepper flakes
3 medium sized carrots, peeled and chopped
3 small/medium sized yellow squash, washed and chopped

2 cups chicken broth
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz)
1 can pure pumpkin (15 oz)
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 cup uncooked quinoa

Toppings–Grated cheese. I tried both cheddar and mozz.

Directions
Saute onions, garlic and spices in olive oil until translucent. Then add carrots and squash. Cover and allow to cook on low medium until veggies are a bit more tender–Remember you don’t want them super mushy because you want some texture to the soup.
Add broth, coconut milk, pumpkin, diced tomatoes and quinoa. Stir and bring to a boil. Reduce heat the low and cook until quinoa pops open and liquid is absorbed. It took perhaps 30 minutes to make sure the quinoa was popped open and delicious.

What did it taste like?
It was awesome! The pumpkin was prominent and the coconut milk made it creamy and comforting. The curry powder did NOT make this soup hot but added a little kick and more complexity to the soup itself. I thought the veggies gave it just enough goodness to munch on.
If you please, you could reduce the quinoa amount at 1/3 of a cup and chicken broth by 1 cup. You would end up with about the same amount of broth/fluids.