Saturday Share - Valentine's Day Recipe

To celebrate Valentine's Day, I'm giving an easy recipe for a spectacular dessert. Even though it's composed of 4 layers, it's really easy to make.

A friend gave me this recipe long ago. It calls for Cool Whip which I stopped using decades ago. Instead, I use whipped cream.

It also uses Pistachio Jello Instant Pudding Mix. I've not found a suitable substitute for it. 

I don't make it often enough to be overly concerned about the ingredients in the pudding mix. Oh, and if you don't care for pistachio, you can substitue Instant Chocolate pudding instead.

PISTACHIO DELIGHT

Layer 1: The Cookie Base

Ingredients and Directions

1 1/2 cups of self-rising flour

1 stick of butter cut into pieces

2 tablespoons of sugar

1/4 cup chopped pecans

Prepare a 9 x 13 pretty baking dish from which you'll serve the dessert and preheat oven to 350º F. (175º C.). Mix all the ingredients well and press into the bottom of the baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes. When baked, cool it completely before adding the other layers.

Layer 2: The Cheesecake Filling

Ingredients and Directions

7 cups whipped cream, sweetened to taste (or 1 large tub of Cool Whip) reserve 2-3 cups for 4th layer

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese, softened at room temperature

2/3 cup powdered sugar

Beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar together until smooth and creamy. Gently fold in the whipped cream, reserving 2-3 cups of it for the 4th layer. When the cookie layer is completely cooled,  spread this mixture over the cookie layer.

Get a pretty casserole dish! (Amazon)

Layer 3: The Pistachio Layer

Ingredients and Directions

2 packages of Instant Pistachio Pudding and 2 1/2 cups cold milk.

Prepare according to package directions which basically means adding the pudding mixes to cold milk and beating with a hand mixer until thickened. Spread this mixture evenly over the previous layers in the dish.

Layer 4: The Finishing Layer

Ingredients and Directions

Spread the reserved whipped cream over the top as the finishing layer.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

This dessert is one that everyone in my family loves. It's light, delicious, and creamy. In fact, I've never found anyone who didn't like it. Happy Valentine's Day!

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

BLAME IT ON CHOCOLATE

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Friday Facts About Poldark

Poldark Books on Amazon

Poldark, the BBC series that was recently added to Netflix, is a train-wreck of a series that I simply can't get enough of!

The latest TV series was created and written by Debbie Horsfield, based on the book series by Winston Graham.

This 2015 offering of Poldark is not to be confused with the earlier Masterpiece series in 1975 which starred Robin Ellis as Ross Poldark and Angharad Rees as Demelza.

That production covered the first 7 of Graham’s novels, and it was a huge success on Masterpiece Theatre in the U.S.

The Netflix offering debuted in March 2015 and ran until August 2019 and was offered on PBS in the U.S. Like the 1975 production, this new version of Poldark was a huge success from the beginning.

TEASER

Aidan Turner is Capt. Ross Poldark, a redcoat returning to Cornwall after the American Revolutionary War. He discovers that his father is dead, his estate is in ruins, and his true love is engaged to marry his cousin. The action-packed series is full of drama, passion, and romance.

Rent or Buy Episodes on Amazon

But, I didn't actually sit down to write a review of Poldark.

I wanted to tell you about the YouTube channel LIFE AT THE MANOR, created by James Lowsley-Williams, the proud inheritor of Chavenage Estate, the 500 year-old Elizabethan Manor where Poldark 2015 was filmed.

I found the channel last year when I was doing a bit of research on historic mansions and castles.

James and his wife Emma reside at Chavenage and film their restoration and enhancement of the house and grounds, a 2,000-acre Cotswold estate that’s been in James’s family for 6 generations. The history of Chavenage is evident in every room.

The paintings that adorn the walls are breathtaking even to their frames. A centuries-old organ still works.

If you're a Poldark fan, you'll recognize the house as the family home where Poldark's uncle and family lived. Since he was the son of a second son, he didn't inherit the manor. 

If you watch James's channel, you'll recognize Elizabeth's bedroom, the window from which she gazed longingly at Poldark, the drawing room where she eavesdropped on her husband's conversations.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Be warned, Poldark is totally binge-worthy. If you like the historical series, you should watch Life at the Manor.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

BLAME IT ON CHOCOLATE

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10 Things NOT To Give Your Valentine

Since many men are gift-challenged especially when it comes to Valentine's Day, I thought I'd post a list of gifts NOT to give your sweetheart.

10 Things NOT to Give Your Valentine

1. A kitchen countertop appliance. No, she doesn't want a stick blender, espresso maker, coffee grinder, or any other kind of gadget for her kitchen. They all  equal work. (Unless of course she asked for one. Then it's okay.)

2. A diet book. (Are you insane? Give the lady some chocolate for heaven's sake.)

3. Music or a Blu-ray movie that's your taste, not hers.

4. Any piece of clothing that your mother would probably wear.

5. A nighty so slutty that she would feel ridiculous wearing it. (She's smart enough to know you saw it at one of those sleezy lingerie shows at a so-called gentlemen's club.)

6. An exercise machine. Seriously? That ranks right up there with a diet book. (Unless you know she really, really wants one.)

7. Dinner out at Hooter's or Twin Peaks. LOL. No, I'm just kidding. You're really not  that thick-headed, are you?

8. Two tickets to any sporting event that only you can really appreciate. (She'll know you know that she'd hate it—that way you go with your buddy.)

9. An I. O. U. and a note that says you couldn't think of anything. (Seriously? She'd respect you more if you just admit that you forgot.)

10. Any gift that hasn't been wrapped, or worse, it's in the cheap plastic shopping bag the clerk bagged it in. (Don't ever, give something in the store bag. What's the matter? Can't take a few minutes to buy a gift bag and drop the gift in it?)

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

You know when you give a gift, it's really the thought that counts. So what's the thought that's going to count when your Valentine receives your gift?

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My Biggest Complaint About Videos

No humor or inspiration today on Hump Day. I'm a little POd and feel like sounding off. Not about you, dear SlingWords readers and visitors.

My complaint is with YouTubers who aren't serving their audiences.

HERE WE GO

There is a lot of educational content on YouTube. In fact, you can learn how to do just about anything from replacing a hard drive in a computer to cleaning the foggy headlamp covers on a car.

Awesome, right?

What isn't awesome is that too many YouTubers are editing the sound on their videos—removing natural pauses in the video so everything becomes one continuous stream of dialogue with no breaks whatsoever.

Not only is that unnatural, it makes it difficult for the viewer to actually absorb the information being given.

Today, I watched a woman YouTuber describing how she bought an old computer including where she purchased it and what it contained.

Without so much as a nano break between those topics, she went into into the process of removing Windows from the computer and downloading Linux—in exquisite detail.

From what I grasped, it sounded easy enough that I could probably do it EXCEPT she did the entire presentaton at warp speed with not even a breath of a break in the avalanche of words coming out of her mouth.

This is typical of too many videos now. If it's information I want, I have to go back to the beginning, slow the speed to 75% of normal, get a notepad to take notes, and still have to stop and rewind many times to capture this detailed tech information.

Now, she claims her audience is composed of "normal" people, not tech experts. 

Lady—and other YouTubers who may read this—you are NOT serving your respective audiences.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Blog Readers, if you also hate this rushing river of dialogue, please leave a comment. I'd like to gather some stats on this.

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Review - Flipped - Family Friendly - Netflix

Flipped - BluRay from Amazon

If you look in vain for a family friendly movie, you can relax. I have one for you, and it's a true gem.

FLIPPED, a Rob Reiner film, is on Netflix now, and I loved it. If you don't have Netflix, I included a link to Amazon where you can pick up a Blu-ray copy for a low price. It's good enough that you may want to watch it again and again.

BLURB

When Juli Baker lays eyes on her new neighbor Bryce, she falls in love with him at first sight.

Bryce does not reciprocate that feeling. In fact, he doesn't like her at all. From that day forward, Bryce (Callan McAuliffe) tries his best to avoid her, but Juli (Madeline Carroll) is persistent in everything she undertakes.

Eventually, Juli realizes that Bryce does not return her feelings. Just as Bryce begins to see Juli's true worth, she decides he's an unfeeling jerk who isn't worth her time.

Billed as a young adult—the story begins at second grade and moves to junior high—the movie is based on Flipped, the book by Wendelin Van Draanen.

By Wendelin Van Draanen

Like the book, the movie is told in alternating viewpoints showing how each of the 2 protagonists viewed every interaction they had.

THE CAST 

The main cast is composed of Madeline Carroll as Julianna "Juli" Baker with Morgan Lily as young Juli, and Callan McAuliffe as Bryce Loski with Ryan Ketzner as young Bryce.

Rebecca De Mornay is Patsy Loski, Bryce's mother; Anthony Edwards is Steven Loski, Bryce's father; and John Mahoney is Chet Duncan, Bryce's grandfather. (Flipped was Mr.  Mahoney's final film before his death in 2018.)

Penelope Ann Miller is Trina Baker, Juli's mom; Aidan Quinn is Richard Baker, Juli's dad; and Kevin Weisman is Daniel Baker, Juli's uncle.

THE DETAILS

The movie was obviously a labor of love for Rob Reiner who served as Director, Screenplay writer along with Andrew Scheinman, and Producer with Alan Greisman also producing.

Cinematography was by Thomas Del Ruth. Editing by Robert Leighton, and Music by Marc Shaiman.

The companies involved were Castle Rock Entertainment and Reiner/Greisman Productions with distribution by Warner Bros. Pictures.

The movie was released September 10, 2010 in the USA. It had a budget of $14M, but brought in only $4.3M at the box office. 

This kind of movie will never be a box office blockbuster, but it will be a big hit with families looking for intelligent family-friendly movies. 

MY THOUGHTS

This movie is emotional, heartwarming, funny, and poignant. It made me remember what it was like to be in elementary and junior high and having all those feelings that come with growing up. Feelings a kid doesn't really know what to do with.

As an adult, it makes you understand how awkward boys and girls of that age are and how they don't really understand what's going on in their parents' lives because everything is still all about them. If you have kids, it may help you understand that too.

It's the kind of film you could watch with your kids and discuss what's happeneing and why it's happening—especially with the scene involving Juli's uncle who was brain-damaged at birth.

Yes, that's a bit heavy, but it's something must families never talk about—and they should. Maybe it would help kids develop understanding and compassion for others.

This coming-of-age story explores the sacrifices families make, how others may misunderstand their life situaiton, and the themes of first love, personal growth, and how opinions can change with insights.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

I hope you watch it if you have a Netflix subscription—rent it or buy it if you don't. It's worth the price.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Love to read? Subscribe to Joan's free newsletter, I LOVE READING, and receive exclusive content and news about book bargains and new releases. Next issue goes out Friday.

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Post Super Bowl - Thank Goodness

I don't know about you, but I'm tired after nearly 3 days of Super Bowl celebrations, commercials, and reports.

I'll admit I don't watch much football so I didn't have a "dog in the game" so to speak.

I mainly watch the commercials or the puppy bowl on other channels. This time I didn't watch the half-time show at the game or the alternative show.

Instead, I read Judgment of Paris: California vs. France and the Historic 1976 Paris Tasting That Revolutionized Wine by George M. Taber.

We'd had dinner with daughter Adina and son-in-law Mike yesterday, and Mike gave us a copy of the book because he knew how much we'd loved the movie Bottle Shock which was based on the Paris Tasting in 1976.

(By the way, I highly recommend Bottle Shock, the movie which starred Alan Rickman, Chris Pine, and Bill Pullman. If you love wine and underdog stories, you'll really love this flick.)

I hope you enjoyed your Super Bowl event as much as I enjoyed mine.

MONDAY, MONDAY

Like you, I'm back in the office. So far, it's been a frustrating day. I spent 4 hours looking for the page proofs for one of my backlist books. Finally found it—persistence pays off—so I think I'll take a coffee break before I tackle the rest of the items on my TO DO list.

Here's a quote for you to guide your week—especially if you're pronE to insomnia as I often am.

"If you can't sleep, then get up and do something instead of lying there worrying. It's the worry that gets you, not the lack of sleep." —Dale Carnegie

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

If you work at night instead of staring at the ceiling, you may be yawning through the next day, but you may get a lot accomplished too. What do you think?

 

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.

Love to read? Subscribe to Joan's free newsletter, I LOVE READING, and receive exclusive content and news about book bargains and new releases. Next issue goes out Friday.

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Friday Facts - Bridgerton - Netflix

Bridgerton Poster from Printerval.com

I'm having such fun watching the new Bridgerton series. This makes the 4th installment of the Regency series and is based on An Offer From a Gentlemen, Book 4, by Julia Quinn.

As always I try to connect movies and TV series with the actual historical backgound. I know that sounds a bit pedantic, but it gives an added depth to the story to know what is accurate and what is fiction—at least it does for me.

Now, I'm talking about Bridgerton, the TV series, NOT the book series by Julia Quinn  on which the series is based.

FRIDAY FACTS ABOUT BRIDGERTON

1. Bridgerton is not a documentary, but it is historically inspired. The series combines real elements of the Regency with fantasy.

2. The production smartly chooses to adhere to contemporary tastes in romance, music, and expectations. Thus, it has wide appeal for today's viewers.

3. The series depicts a racially-integrated high society that didn't exist historically, but I like the fact that it does this. Why shouldn't actors of any color or ethnicity have the chance to act in any story they wish?

4. The Queen in the series is Queen Charlotte who was the Queen during the Regency period, but her portrayal in the series is for entertainment value, not historically accurate.

Image by Calla Negra - Pixabay

5. Young unmarried women of the aristocracy were pressured to make good marriages for status, family connections and wealth, and had little choice but to comply. 

They had to strictly adhere to the protocols for young ladies of that era, and the list of restrictions was onerous.

6. Scandal sheets like Lady Whistledown's gossip sheet did exist.

7. The dresses the women wear in the series were inspired by the high empire waist of the Regency, but the colors and materials used are far from traditional.

TAKEAWAY TRUTH

Having said all that, it is obvious that something doesn't have to be historically accurate to be delightful and entertaining.

Joan participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising designed to help websites earn advertising fees by linking to products on Amazon. If you click an Amazon link in her post, she may receive a small commision at no extra cost to you.