Cougarrrr

Really? This is Cougar Town's bumper-sticker slogan?

I haven't seen the show, and if this is any indication of what it's like, it's staying that way.

Chef-Inspired

I was on my own for dinner last week, as Jody had embarked on a "code sprint" with a worldwide network of volunteer techies. As I meandered through my cupboards, with no idea of what to make, MasterChef was on... I must admit that I've been following it. Not every single episode, but enough that I was very interested to know who'd make it through.

This particular episode featured a two-hour challenge in which the amateur chefs had to create a savoury and a sweet pie. I had high hopes for Julie Goodwin, the home cook, and unfortunately her nerves got the better of her and one of her pies was instead a puddle of ingredients on a plate. Poh Ling Yeow, on the other hand, came out of the gate with an original dessert (rhubarb with hazelnut-chocolate crust) that didn't even look like a pie, and a tiny blue-cheese-and-veg pie -- and she won! Chris made a fish pie that sounded tasty, and Tahitian lime pie with meringue. Mmmmm.....

All these pies reminded me that I had two new medium-sized Corningwares in the cupboard, and puff pastry sheets in the freezer. So I whipped up my oft-used curry paste & coconut milk in a saucepan, added some steamed asparagus and a spring onion, and browned some chicken. I put the lot into the pastry-filled Corningware and folded the pastry edges in. To add a little gloss, I brushed a beaten egg over the pastry.

While this was cooking I chopped two apples and finished off a bag of frozen mixed berries. I sauteed the fruit in butter, brown sugar & cinnamon, and poured it into the second dish. Again I folded the pastry around the filling, and brushed it with egg before popping it in the oven.
It might not have been MasterChef worthy, but it was very tasty!

Speaking of great chefs, I can't wait for this film with Amy Adams and Meryl Streep!

I apologize if the photos aren't great - I used the camera on my phone.

So You Think You Can Dance - Highlights

Reality TV shows are in no danger of disappearing, and Australia has no shortage of them. Thankfully they aren't all as cringe-inducing as Hell's Kitchen or as insipid as The Hills - reality? fiction? who cares?

Dance. Scores of Australians thought they could, and battled it out in couples, singles, groups and constantly changing pairs every week - sometimes with more than one routine to show off per episode. If a dancer found themselves at the bottom of the list, they had to perform what the judges called "Dance for your Life," which was always nerve-racking and sometimes surprising. Without a "Simon" type judge I liked this show a lot more than American Idol. The blonde host is singer Natalie Bassingthwaighte (Alive; Someday Soon). I'm a little behind in posting this, but I wanted to highlight a few of the best routines of the two-hour finale. The Final Fours' performances are embedded from YouTube, with the judges' thoughts and favourite clips of each dancer's progression throughout the show.

All I can say is, Go Talia! The 18 year old ballerina shone every week, proving she could do much more than plié when she put her mind to it. That girl worked it, and she came out the winner.

Her duet with Loredo, to Taylor Swift's "Love Story," had viewers clamouring for more - it was voted "favourite moment." Here she is with her final performance.




Another standout was the "suitcase routine" done by Top 3 contender Amy and her partner Damien. And I must mention how much I want her outfit...




The group routine inspired by the movie Kill Bill was awesome. So much is going on, but every dancer breathes purpose into their role, without taking away from the ensemble piece.




In the end, the Final 4 became the Final Two, and just behind Talia was Charlie. Charlie was always a character, and you could tell how much he loved dancing and entertaining the crowd. In this number, Single Ladies, he teams up with Penny from the Top 20 - and you can see how she's a frame for his incredibly charismatic performance.



And finally, Ben - who now thinks he'll go on to be a choreographer. Ben nearly sold himself short in the auditions, but fortunately the judges sensed there were things he could do that he hadn't shown them in his audition piece - and, just like that, he got a ticket to Top 100 week. I didn't really like his final performance, so here's his duet to Beyonce's "Diva" with Talia instead.



There was also a guest spot that left me breathless: New York dance company Pilobolus' (shortened) duo routine known as "Symbiosis." It showcases strength, grace, and awe-inspiring trust. Disclaimer: Pilobolus often performs in little or no clothing, so any content on their website - or YouTube for that matter - may be unsafe for work or a home office with curious small people nearby. This clip is work-safe.



Wow. That was a lot of good dancing. Hope you enjoyed it!