New Year's Dumpling Delight

These are a family favorite. With all of us putting them together, it doesn't take overly long and it is a fun time for family conversation. From "Cooking Light".

CHILIGARLIC
DIPPING SAUCE:
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons green onion, minced
1 hot red chile, minced

DUMPLINGS:
10 ounce ground pork
3 1/2 cups shredded Napa (Chinese) cabbage
1 1/4 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 large)
3/4 cup minced green onion
1 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 3 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 tablespoon low sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon sake (rice wine) or sherry
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
40 won ton wrappers
2 large carrots, thinly sliced

Preparation
To prepare dipping sauce, combine first 7 ingredients. Cover and refrigerate. To prepare dumplings, combine pork and next 10 ingredients (pork through black pepper) in a large bowl.

Working with 1 won ton wrapper at a time (cover remaining wrappers with a damp towel to keep from drying), spoon about 2 teaspoons pork mixture into center of each wrapper. Moisten edges of wrapper with water; bring 2 opposite corners to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center, pinching points to seal. Pinch 4 edges together to seal. Place dumplings, seam sides up, on carrot slices (cover loosely with a damp towel to keep them from drying). Arrange half of dumplings in a single layer in a bamboo or vegetable steamer. Steam dumplings, covered, for 10
minutes. Remove dumplings from steamer; place on a platter. Keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining dumplings. Serve with dipping sauce. Note: If you don't have a steamer, use a heat proof plate. Set it on top of a heatproof bowl placed in the bottom of a pot filled with 2 inches of water. Cover and steam.

The easiest bar cookies EVER!!!!

These taste kind of like Almond Joy bars. I melted the butter in the glass baking pan and then sprinkled the crumbs over the top and it worked fine. No mixing bowl so one less dish to wash! This is what my version of the recipe said. Also, my recipe called for 1 cup of choc. chips not 2 c. and they were WAY sweet enough. Cut these bars into small pieces - they are rich. Vary the type of candy chips, nuts and cookie crumbs to change the taste.


Magic Bar Cookies

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
1 (14-ounce) can EAGLE BRAND® Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
2 cups (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350°F (325°F for glass dish). In small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 13X9-inch baking pan. Pour EAGLE BRAND® evenly over crumb mixture. Layer evenly with remaining ingredients; press down firmly with fork. Bake 25 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool. Cut into bars or diamonds. Store leftovers covered at room temperature.

Nilla Wafers Tiramisu Bowl

Ingredients

* 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
* 3 cups cold milk
* 2 pkgs. 6 7/8 ounces Jello Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix
* 8 ounces Cool Whip, divided
* 48 vanilla wafers
* 1/2 cup brewed coffee, cooled and divided
* 2 baking chocolate squares, grated
* 1 cup fresh raspberries

Directions

1.Beat cream cheese in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy.
2.Gradually beat in milk. Add dry pudding mixes and mix well.
3.Stir in 2 cups of the whipped topping.
4.Place 24 of the wafers in a 2 1/2 quart bowl, and drizzle with half of the coffee.
5.Top with half each of the pudding mixture and chocolate. Repeat all layers.
6.Top with remaining whipped topping and fruit.
7.Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

**To easily grate chocolate, microwave unopened squares, one at a time, on high for ten seconds. Grate with large holes of a cheese shredder.

from east to west - fall '08

The fall '08 issue of from east to west: bicoastal verse (a free quarterly poetry journal) is packed full with 44 full color pages of featured poets, Patrick Carrington & Constance Pavliska, artists & photographers, Scott Davis, Constance Pavliska, Dave Wade & more, "time" poets, Brion Berkshire, Geraldine Cannon, Wendy Howe, Jim Knowles, Doug Knowlton, Ken Markee, Alice Persons, & Patricia Smith Ranzoni, and our "Best of the Net" nominations, Courtney Campbell, Laurel Dodge, Helmuth Filipowitsch, Gil Helmick, David Moreau, & Barton Smock.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin Salad

I made this at one of Ronda's get togethers one year-- raspberries, pork, greens, raspberry vinaigrette & easy! yum... Nicole asked for the recipe. I'd posted it before so click here for the recipe.

Zesty Black Bean and Corn Salad

LHS Potluck, Friday 10/24.

From Cooking Light:

6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

* 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
* Cooking spray
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (about 4 large ears)
* 1/4 cup fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
* 1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
* 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
* 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
* 1 cup diced red bell pepper
* 3/4 cup diced red onion
* 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 tablespoons minced seeded jalapeño pepper
* 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
* 1 (19-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained

Heat 2 teaspoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add corn; sauté 8 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan; cool completely.

Combine juice and next 4 ingredients (lime juice through salt), stirring with a whisk. Combine corn mixture, tomatoes, and remaining ingredients. Drizzle juice mixture over corn mixture, and toss gently to coat.

Beet-and-Lentil Salad on Cabbage Slaw

From Cooking Light


Beets may seem wintry, but in fact they're likely to be freshest in summer. Look for golden beets or Chioggia beets (a variety with red and white concentric circles) to add cheery color to this salad. But red beets work fine, too.


Pickled onion:
3/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup red wine vinegar

Dressing:
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
1/4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Salad:
2 pounds small golden, Chioggia, or red beets
1 cup dried green or brown lentils
1/4 cup finely diced carrot
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 bay leaf
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons capers
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Slaw:
7 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)

To prepare pickled onion, combine onion and vinegar in a bowl. Let stand 30 minutes; drain.

To prepare dressing, combine oil and next 8 ingredients (oil through minced garlic), stirring with a whisk.

To prepare salad, leave root and 1 inch stem on beets; scrub with a brush. Place in a medium saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; cool. Trim off beet roots; rub off skins. Cut beets into 1/2-inch cubes; place in a large bowl. Set aside. Place lentils, carrot, 2 garlic cloves, and bay leaf in a large saucepan; cover with water to 2 inches above lentils. Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender. Drain well. Discard garlic cloves and bay leaf. Add lentil mixture, pickled onion, dressing, 1/3 cup parsley, capers, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper to beets. Set aside.

To prepare slaw, toss cabbage with red wine vinegar and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Divide slaw evenly among 4 plates; top with salad. Garnish with chopped parsley, if desired.


Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups slaw and about 1 cup salad)

Sliders with Shallot-Dijon Relish

From Cooking Light - I add cheese to the burgers.

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound ground sirloin
Cooking spray
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons butter, softened
8 (1-ounce) Parker House rolls
16 dill pickle chips

1. Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and sirloin. Divide meat mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/4-inch-thick patty. Lightly coat both sides of patties with cooking spray. Place patties on grill rack; grill for 3 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Combine shallots, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and butter in a small bowl, stirring well. Cut rolls in half horizontally. Spread shallot mixture evenly over cut sides of rolls. Layer 1 patty and 2 pickle chips on bottom half of each roll; top with top halves of rolls.


Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 slider)

Layered Tortellini Pesto Chicken Salad

Cook 9 oz package of refrigerated cheese tortellini. Add a cup of peas during the last 4 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse with cold water.

Layer:

5 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 1/2 c. matchstick carrots
2 c. cooked, cubed chicken
tortellini and peas mixture (see above)
1 red bell pepper, cut into strips

Dressing:

1/2 c. light mayo
1/2 c. basil pesto
1/4 c. buttermilk

Top with fresh, chopped parsley or basil leaves. This is also good without the chicken if you'd like a vegetarian salad.

Caribbean Shrimp Spread

Mix: 1/2 t. Caribbean jerk seasoning or to taste into 8 oz whipped cream cheese.

Spread on plate and sprinkle with:

1/2 lb chopped shrimp
4 chopped green onions
2 T chopped red bell pepper
1/4 t. grated lime peel
2 T. shredded cheddar

Serve with crackers or crostini.

from east to west - summer '08

In the summer '08 issue of "from east to west:bicoastal verse", enjoy featured poets Helm Filipowitsch & David Moreau, featured artists Don Schaeffer & Linda Sienkiewicz, and our "grafitti" poets and photographers James Lineberger, Jim Knowles, Pris Campbell, Jim Deuchars, Gil Helmick, Courtney Campbell, Linda Sienkiewicz, Ray Sweatman, Jacob Robinson and more.

Hot-and-Sour Beef and Rice Noodle Salad

From Sunset. Better than Thai food from a restaurant...

Ingredients

1 beef flank steak (about 1 lb.)
8 ounces dried thin rice noodles
1/2 cup lime juice
1/4 cup Asian fish sauce (nuoc mam or nam pla) or soy sauce
1/4 cup sugar (2 tablespoons if using soy sauce)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
3 to 4 teaspoons minced fresh serrano chiles
2 quarts salad greens (5 oz.), rinsed and crisped
1 cup cherry tomatoes (8 oz.), rinsed, stemmed, and halved
1/2 cup thinly slivered red onion, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh mint leaves, rinsed
1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves, rinsed
Preparation
1. Rinse steak and pat dry. Lay on a grill 4 to 6 inches above a solid bed of hot coals or high heat on a gas grill (you can hold your hand at grill level only 2 to 3 seconds); close lid on gas grill. Cook steak, turning once, until browned on the outside but still pink in center of thickest part (cut to test), 9 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to a board and let rest at least 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat, bring 2 1/2 to 3 quarts water to a boil; add noodles and stir occasionally until barely tender to bite, 3 to 4 minutes. Drain, rinse with cold water until cool, and drain again thoroughly.

3. In a small bowl, mix 1/2 cup (1/4 cup if substituting soy sauce for fish sauce) water, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, and garlic. Add chiles to taste.

4. Thinly slice meat across the grain at a 45° angle, then cut the slices into 3- to 4-inch lengths. On each of four dinner plates, layer equal portions of salad greens, noodles, tomatoes, onion, mint, and cilantro.

5. Top salads with slices of beef. Spoon half the dressing over salads; serve remaining to add to taste.

Artichoke and Arugula Pizza with Prosciutto

Cooking Light again! I LOVED this. Craig, the meat-eater, maybe thought it was a girly pizza??? The lemon and arugula on top was lovely...

Ingredients

Cooking spray
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 (13.8-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
2 tablespoons commercial pesto
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 (9-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and drained
1 ounce thinly sliced prosciutto
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1 1/2 cups arugula leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Preparation
Position oven rack to lowest setting. Preheat oven to 500°

Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; sprinkle with cornmeal. Unroll dough onto prepared baking sheet, and pat into a 14 x 10-inch rectangle. Spread the pesto evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over pesto. Place baking sheet on the bottom oven rack; bake at 500° for 5 minutes. Remove pizza from oven.

Coarsely chop artichokes. Arrange artichokes on pizza; top with sliced prosciutto. Sprinkle with Parmesan. Return pizza to the bottom oven rack; bake an additional 6 minutes or until crust is browned.

Place arugula in a bowl. Drizzle juice over arugula; toss gently. Top the pizza with arugula mixture. Cut the pizza into 4 (7 x 5-inch) rectangles; cut each rectangle diagonally into 2 wedges.

Almond Salsa Verde

This recipe is from Cooking Light and goes with spiedini of chicken and zucchini (which is basically just chicken and zucchini grilled on skewers), but I think this can go on grilled vegies and rice just as well. I love the combo of salty capers and zesty lemon - very fresh!

1 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped almonds, toasted
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons capers, chopped
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extravirgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced

Maine Speaks

My newest book purchase is a copy of Maine Speaks: An Anthology of Maine Literature, editor Jeff Fischer. This book is no longer in print, but it should be. It is a wonderful compilation of essays and poems about Maine, written by authors who have lived in Maine at some time during their lives. It is divided into 5 sections: Identity, Origins,Work, Nature, and Communities. I have decided to read it section by section, cover to cover, with a bit of skipping around thrown in for good measure .

My All-time Favorite Excerpt from Maine Speaks:

Lakes and Ponds: Some Blue Spots on the Maine Highway Map, by Kate Barnes

There's Blunder Pond and Bluffer Pond, Molasses Pond and Bean;

There's Scraggly Lake and Ragged Lake; there's Silver, Clear, and Green;

Bear Pond, Caribou, Beaver, Mink; Moose Pond and Eagle Lake.

White Horse Lake and Spider Lake; Panther Pond and Snake;

Hound and Otter, Togue and Salmon; Loon, and Swan, and Duck.

There's Hot Brook Lake and Cold Stream Pond; there's White Pond and there's Black;

Lobster Lake and Bean Pot Lake; Shin Pond for a stew;

(Toddy Pond will make you cheerful, Brandy Pond will too,)

Hay Lake, Harrow Lake, Chain of Ponds; Buttermilk and Mud;

White Oak, Cedar, Seven Tree, Elm; Mill Pond, Meadow, Flood;

Meddybemps and Pocomoonshine; Simsquish, Skitacook,

Syslodobsis, Nahinakanta; Ugh Lake and Ticook;

Indian Pond and Soldier Pond; Polly Pond and Jim;

Round Pond, Square Lake, Corner Pond; Cut Lake and Old Stream;

Endless Lake and Desolation; St. Froid in the snow;

Flying Pond and The Enchanted, its haunted stream below:-

Blue spots on the road map with their blue names printed by,

Many words for "water", many eyes that see the sky.

Soup

Laurie (et al) - this is an old post, but I think you'd really like this soup cookbook (although hopefully we are moving past soup season, haha).

400 Best-Ever Soups

almond-crusted chicken tender salad

I found this in an ad in a magazine, but wow, it was good and easy. Don't substitute regular breadcrumbs - the panko (in the international foods aisle at the supermarket) makes the chicken really crispy.

Whisk together for dressing:

1/4 c. Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce
1/4 c. olive oil
2 T. honey
2 T. vinegar
1 t. grated orange peel

For salad:

6 c. mixed baby salad greens
2 oranges, peeled and segmented

For chicken:

1 lb chicken breast tenders
freshly ground pepper
1 egg
1 T. Kikkoman Teriyaki sauce
1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. panko bread crumbs
1/2 c. smoked almonds, finely chopped (I put them in the mini food processor)
2-3 T. vegetable oil

Pepper chicken. Whisk together egg and teriyaki. Mix almonds and panko. Coat chicken in flour, then egg mixture, then almond/panko mixture. Heat oil. Add chicken and cook 6-7 minutes, turning once. Serve chicken on salad and pass the dressing.

Within the Stone

 I purchased a new book titled, Within The Stone, by Bill Atkinson. It is the most beautiful book I've ever owned. If you are into rocks and minerals, you will love this book. I find myself catching my breath when gazing upon the stunning photos of specimens of polished rocks. WOW! I get transported directly into the stone, into the patterns, into the colors...This book is unreal. And, to top it all off, Mr. Atkinson commissioned seven writers to compose a total of 70 phenomenal literary pieces about the rocks they were assigned to free-associate about. There will be hours, upon hours of enjoyment given to me when cuddled up with this book (and a piece of that lemon yogurt cake). I am in awe...
Click to see the book at BillAtkinson.com. More of Bill's fantastic images can be seen HERE.

Barefoot Contessa at Home

Ina Garten has created a work of art with this cookbook. Not only does it have stunning food photos, but many of the recipes are simple, yet divine.

One of my favorite recipes in this book is Lemon Yogurt Cake as I am a lemon lover from way back, and this cake satisfies my lemony taste buds as few lemon-based foods ever have.

Lemon Yogurt Cake

1-1/2 Cups all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 Cup vanilla lowfat  yogurt

1-1/3 Cup sugar, divided

3 extra-large eggs

2 tsp. grated lemon zest (1 large lemon)

1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract

1/2 Cup vegetable Oil

1/2 Cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from the lemon)

For the Glaze:

1 Cup confectioners' sugar

2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 8.5 x 4.25 x 2.5 inch loaf pan. Line the bottom with parchment paper. Grease and flour the pan.

Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt into one bowl. In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, 1 cup sugar, the eggs, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. With a rubber spatula, fold the vegetable oil into the batter, making sure it is all incorporated. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for about 50 minutes, or until a cake tester placed in the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Meanwhile, cook the 1/3 lemon juice and the remaining 1/3 cup sugar in a small pan until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is clear. Set aside.

When the cake is done, allow it to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully pour the lemon-sugar mixture over the cake (while it is still in the pan) and allow it to soak in. Cool.

For the glaze,  combine the confectioners' sugar and lemon juice and pour over the cake.

Portable Kisses

by Tess Gallagher

I'm thoroughly enjoying Portable Kisses - very charming and quirky.




Blurbs:

* "Ideally, a reader should finish this book, then find somebody to kiss." T.G. [The Author]
* "This is the best book of love poems since Neruda's." Bill Knott, Emerson College
* "I've always been fascinated by Tess Gallagher's poetry. In Portable Kisses, she convincingly provides condensed librettos of lovers' patterns of approach and retreat. The poems sometimes have a mythic quality, while at other times the poet all but steps aside to wink at us and to acknowledge the power of mind over matter as it intrudes itself into even the most romantic of myths. It's a book filled with beauty, energy, and surprise." Ann Beattie

Pasta Primavera

I made this on Good Friday. Buy a good cheese (you aren't paying for meat!) and the fresh basil is especially important. This is a great dish to serve company.


2 cups green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup (1-inch) slices asparagus (about 2 ounces)
6 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese


Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and sauté for 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; sauté 3 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add peas, and sauté 1 minute. Add tomatoes; sauté 2 minutes. Combine half-and-half and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half-and-half mixture and salt to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately.

Pork Medallions with Red Currant Sauce

From Cooking Light - so easy!!!! I didn't have red currant jelly at the moment so I used seedless blackberry jam (the editors say any fruit jelly can be used). And I substituted red wine vinegar & scallions for the cider vinegar and chives, haha. The smoked paprika makes it...

1/2 t dried thyme
1/2 t salt
1/4 t smoked paprika
1/4 t dried rubbed sage
1/2 t black pepper
1 (1 lb) pork tenderloin
cooking spray
1/3 c red currant jelly
3 T cider vinegar
2 T chopped chives

Cut pork loin into 1" slices. Pound to 1/2" thick. Brown in nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray about 3 min per side. Remove pork to platter. Add jelly - cook 30 sec. Remove from heat & stir in vinegar. Sprinkle pork with chives and serve with sauce.

Kettle Corn

This is so simple but good - the original recipe calls for maple sugar, but I couldn't find any so I used brown sugar.

2 T canola oil
1/2 c. unpopped popcorn kernels
1/4 c. maple or brown sugar
1/2 t. salt

Heat oil. Add popcorn, sugar and salt. Cook until popping slows down, shaking pan continuously to avoid burning.

Chicken Saltimbucca - yum!

Pound chicken breasts - dip in egg and then flour, salt & pepper. Brown in olive oil about 2 min per side (depending on thickness of cutlets). Put chicken on a cooking sheet with chopped garlic. Top each piece of chicken with a slice of prosciutto, basil or sage leaf, and a slice of fresh mozzarella and broil.

Saute sliced assorted mushrooms (shitaake, oyster, baby bella, etc) in marsala wine. Saute baby spinach in olive oil and garlic.

Serve chicken on a bed of spinach, topped with the mushrooms and marsala.

Movies & Music

I loved the exploration of musical creativity and human interaction in the movie Once. Quirky how we never even find out the names of the male and female leads! I think I'll get the soundtrack for my ipod...

"Amazon.com
Winner of the World Audience Award at Sundance, Once starts out as a small-scale romance, like Before Sunrise, before arriving somewhere unexpected. An Irish busker (Glen Hansard, the Frames and The Commitments) meets a Czech flower seller (Markéta Irglová) while singing on the streets of Dublin. (In the credits, they're listed as Guy and Girl.) She likes what she hears and lets him know. Turns out she's a musician, too. They work on a few songs together and a friendship is forged. She lives with her widowed mother, who doesn't speak English. He lives with his widowed father, who owns a repair shop. Since he broke up with his girlfriend, the guy has been drifting, unable and unwilling to get his life in order. The girl encourages him to pursue a record deal, and the guy emerges from his funk. Then he makes a move on the girl, who rejects his advances. He's confused, but as he comes to find, there's a reason she’s keeping her distance. Though Once is filled with appealing folk-pop by Hansard and Irglová (released on CD as The Swell Season), the movie isn't a traditional musical, but rather a more optimistic Brief Encounter. Filmmaker John Carney, Hansard's former bandmate, captures the real city--in all its affluence and poverty--rather than the picture postcard version. His beautifully shot film serves as a heartfelt ballad about all the underclass Guys and Girls swept aside amidst Ireland's economic miracle. --Kathleen C. Fennessy "

What happens to the flower children?

I just finished Jimi Hendrix Turns Eighty by Tim Sandlin. It takes place in an assisted living facility in the year 2022. Residents may have copped out and joined the corporate world, etc. midlife, but they are reliving the 60's now. I found the book hilarious (with scenes like getting naked and throwing pants, panties, adult diapers at the band), but a bit scary because of the vivid descriptions about what it might feel like to live without full control of your own life and body. Still - I'd recommend the book highly.

"After crafting uproarious tales about fatherhood (Social Blunders, 1995) and Washington sleaze (Honey Don't, 2003), Sandlin asks, What will the age of assisted living be like for boomers who longed for the Age of Aquarius? It's 2022, and Guy Fontaine, a widower from Oklahoma, finds himself committed to a California old-folks facility where the flamboyant residents have reverted to the pursuits of their glory days, the late 1960s. Pot smoking, group sex, a rock band called Acid Reflux, cliques formed according to where you were during the Summer of Love, and the motto "don't trust anyone under sixty" all make for a wild, sometimes grotesque milieu overseen by a bitchy director who treats the oldsters like idiot children and a staff doctor who overmedicates them. When Guy inadvertently jump-starts an insurrection, the old hippies, old hands at civil disobedience, take over the compound. Hilarious in the fine-tuned details and rapid-fire dialogue, Sandlin's antic yet precision-aimed and unfailingly entertaining novel is a mordantly witty, covertly poignant, and genuinely insightful dissection of our fear and loathing of old age. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved"