Quick review: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Very good!  Dark and depressing, but touching at the same time.  I give it an 8.5 out of 10.

I took away a 1/2 a point because I hated the fact that it is in two parts and they are making us wait.

Even at 2.5 hours (that went by fast), I could have easily sat through another couple of hours.  Mark my words, when they release Part 2, a lot of theaters will probably do a double-feature (remember those?) and everyone who goes to see it is going to happily sit through it.

I took off a full point because: (spoiler follows)

Heart’s Guardian – Chapter 5

Author’s Note: Since most of you are doing something else today (in the States, that is) I can go ahead and get the posting of Chapter 5 out of the way.  I think this is the last (or second to the last) of the sneak peek chapters, so you may have already read it.

Make it tonight: Shrimp & Cavatappi Pesto Alfredo

Or, since I am the only one in the world who eats dinner this late, make it tomorrow night.

This recipe is really for two (or one plus enough to take for your lunch tomorrow).  I stole this recipe from *Pascal’s Bistro in Peachtree City, Georgia (near Atlanta), and by stole, I mean I merely watched them prepare it, while probably angering the people in the “Pasta to order” line behind me.

Also, no concrete, carved- in-stone measurements are used.  Just go with the flow and pretend that you are my pretend boyfriend, Bobby Flay!

What you’ll need:

Cavatappi (about 3/4 cup)
A small courgette/zucchini
Cremini or baby bella mushrooms (a handful)
Garlic
Alfredo sauce (I used Classico Light… and yes, I cannot tell the difference)
Pesto sauce (again, Classico brand as Harris Teeter was having a buy 2 get 3 free sale a while back and I loaded up!)
Parmesan cheese (the REAL kind, not that powdered crap)
Medium to large fresh shrimp (6 or 7)

Next, get that pasta to boiling (al dente… don’t even think about adding salt to this dish – it has plenty already)

In olive oil, saute your (sliced or quartered) veg and garlic til lightly browned and only just cooked through.

Add the shrimp and saute until just pink.

When the pasta is done, toss it in the pan. Add only two or three tablespoons of Alfredo sauce. Add a heaping teaspoon of pesto. That’s it! All the sauce you should need.

Stir it up, for about one minute.

Serve. At this point I like mine with a little Parmesan and red pepper flake!

Now, wasn’t that easy?  Compare it to similar dishes at your favorite pasta place.

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*Author’s note: This restaurant is not the same as Paschal’s in Atlanta or the one on Concourse C in the Hartsfield Airport)

*And when I say tablespoon or teaspoon, I mean the flatware variety.  If you pull out the measuring spoons I will come to your house and taunt you. 😉

Heart’s Guardian – Chapter 4

Author’s note: my lucky day becomes your lucky day!

Apparently, November 19th is my lucky day!

This is an excerpt taken from my monthly horoscope over at AstrologyZone.

I must now take a moment to show Dwayne some love

I have seriously neglected my one true love in recent months (my bad) but now that he has a new film coming out, there’s no better time than now to rekindle the romance.

I’m just a little worried about this film and/or career direction of his, though.

First, the filmmakers were setting him up to be the next big action star (ala Arnold), but the great Terminator type roles just weren’t there for him.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed The Scorpion King just as much as any fangirl, but admittedly, it was perilously close to Cheese Island.

Then, he started to make these “kid” movies (which I REFUSED to see) and now he’s back to action star.  OK, so it’s a violent action star… I’d personally prefer more ‘heroic’ type roles (um, Johnny Quest, anyone) to shooting people in the head, but what do I know?

I do know one thing FOR. SURE. Dwayne NEEDS to be in a romantic comedy.  I just don’t understand why Hollywood can”t see this like I can see this.  That Queen Latifah film, Just Wright (the one that I whined about a few months ago)… the male lead,  played by the actor, Common, would have been a perfect vehicle for Dwayne.

Why am I not a casting director?

Heart’s Guardian – Chapter 3

Author’s note: I have decided not to give the chapters titles anymore.  They just don’t suit me or this story.

Do you know how much trouble it would be to add an apostrophe?

And quite frankly, if you have read any of my previous work, you know that missing apostrophes are the least of my problems.

So, without further ado, Heart’s Guardian now has a cover.

Jane Eyre Trailer (2011)…

Here… It looks REALLY good!

And speaking of damp passages, dark, narrow stairs, and Gothic horror (that is NOT Harry Potter related) check out Daniel Radcliff in The Woman in Black. (He looks like Hugh Jackman) 🙂

Heart’s Guardian – Chapter 2

Author’s note: Yada, yada, yada; on with the show.