Emma

Emma: A True Masterpiece Classic

“People – their hopes, their dreams, their aspirations – there I am the expert.” -Emma Woodhouse in Emma

Now I have always been a fan of Jane Austen classics. When the latest version of Pride and Prejudice came out (the one with Kiera Knightley) I fell in love with the story and then was finally able to get through Austen’s novel. This was followed by watching the mini-series Sense and Sensibility and then reading the book, finishing it on my flight to France in the summer of 2009.

The Jane Austen bug has hit me again, and I may have a new favorite Austen novel. Kirstin and I were looking for Fantastic Mr. Fox the other day at the locally awesome Cosmos Videos and stumbled upon the BBC mini-series Emma that neither of us had seen. We decided to get it and loved every minute of it.

From PBS: Emma Woodhouse (Romola Garai, Atonement) was born with the sun shining down on her. The radiant, privileged girl grows into a remarkable talent for matchmaking, as observed by her loving but disapproving father (Michael Gambon, Cranford) and childhood friend Mr. Knightley (Jonny Lee Miller, Endgame). When the decidedly less privileged Harriet Smith arrives, Emma meddles with fate to find her a match, until her flawless intuition is called into question. Dissuaded from more matrimonial predictions, Emma nonetheless continues to cheerfully contemplate superior men — and meets one of her own in the handsome, gleaming Frank Churchill. But after being so busy managing everyone else's heart, does Emma know her own? A fiercely funny new version of the Jane Austen novel, Emma was adapted by Sandy Welch (Jane Eyre).

The music was fantastic, the scenes were charming, the story line enthralling, and the cast was endearing: Romola Garai played the adorable Emma who reminded us of a softer Drew Barrymore in Ever After and of course the charming father figure, our favorite wizard, Michael Gambon as Mr. Woodhouse. Several other studs are included in this mini-series that will keep you envying their wardrobe and wishing your life had a soundtrack such as theirs.

I started reading the novel this week and am enjoying it, but not as much as I enjoyed this charming film that is a must-see for anyone who likes Austen, romance, or period films. This Emma was much better than the 1996 film with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Emma just might be my new favorite Jane Austen character, seeing as we share some of the same feelings as of late. I must say, it may be a bad thing that I enjoy meddling in my friends’ love lives. Move over Mr. Darcy, Mr. Knightley is my man now! Oh, and if I ever have a child named Emma, you’ll now know why.

recipe:: vegetarian cassoulet

Kirstin and I were at home hungry one night and we decided to make this recipe for cassoulet that I had been wanting to try for a month or so. It turned out amazing even though it was vegetarian style. It took some coaxing to get Mark to try it since it didn't have meat, but I convinced him it was for athletes since the recipe was from Runner's World and he loved it once he tried it. He even had the left-overs the next day.
Cassoulet (French), noun: meat and bean stew

Vegetarian Cassoulet

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon garlic, chopped

1 onion, sliced

2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch lengths

3 celery stalks, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

2 medium yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch pieces

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon Kirkland Organic no-salt seasoning

1/4 teaspoon crushed red peppers

4 cups canned tomatoes (and juice), chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

2 bay leaves

1 can garbanzo beans

1 can black beans

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic, onions, carrots, celery, and squash; season with salt and pepper and other seasoning. Cook five minutes, or until softened. Add tomatoes and juice, meat, and herbs. Bring to a boil. Add beans and boil again, stirring occasionally; reduce heat so mixture bubbles gently. Cook for 20 minutes, and then enjoy with some hearty bread.

Here is the link to the original recipe from Runner's World, a non-herbivore friendly version.

recipe:: spiced pear cake

Spiced Pear Cake

• 1 large can (29 ounces) Bartlett pear halves in syrup (used a bottle of home canned pears)
  
• 1 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation:

Drain pears and reserve 1 1/4 cups of the syrup. In a saucepan, heat pear syrup to the boiling point. Pour hot syrup over oats in a bowl and let stand for 20 minutes.

In a mixing bowl cream 1/2 cup butter with 1 cup brown sugar and the granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Blend in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg. Add to the creamed mixture along with oat mixture. Blend well. Pour batter into a greased and floured 9-inch square baking pan. Bake at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cut each pear half lengthwise into 4 wedges. Arrange pear wedges on top of the baked cake. Combine the 3 tablespoons melted butter with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg; spread over the pears Place cake under broiler for about 2 minutes or until pears are hot and glazed. Serve warm with ice cream.

recipe:: cupcakes

This recipe is based off a recipe from my dear sweet friend Windy in France. These homemade cupcakes are amazing! I will never be making a boxed cake again!

Better than Betty’s Cupcakes

¾ c. softened butter ½ tsp. salt

1 ¾ c. sugar 3 tsp. baking powder

2 eggs 2 ½ c. flour

2 tsp. vanilla 1 ¼ c. milk

Beat butter and sugar together. Mix in eggs, one at a time, blending well after each egg. Add in vanilla and mix. Add salt and baking powder. Mix. Add part of the milk and flour while mixing. Add the remaining milk and flour to the mixture, beating until fluffy.

Bake at 350F for 17-20 minutes until golden.

For almond cupcakes add 1 ½ tsp. almond extract (and only ½ tsp. vanilla).

For chocolate cupcakes replace ¼ c. flour with cocoa powder.

Buttercream Frosting

3 C powdered sugar 1/3 C butter, softened

3-4 TB milk 1 tsp vanilla

Combine powdered sugar, butter, 2 tablespoons milk and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at low speed until blended. Beat at high speed until light and fluffy, adding more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed for good spreading consistency.