Fancy Grilled Cheese

Posted by amisampat

Grilled cheese sandwiches were my favorite growing up (along with peanut butter and jelly sandwiches). I still enjoy eating one, but like to think my tastes have refined a little. Now with gourmet grilled cheese all the rage (like at The Melt) it inspired me to experiment with a classic.

As with last time, I used ingredients that were already in the fridge to create a unique and flavorful sandwich.

The spread: Trader Joe’s sourdough bread, pepper jack cheese, pesto, and an onion

The assembly: I like making pieces of cheese so that it spread all over the bread, getting all gooey and oozes cheese.

The finished product.

Do you like grilled cheese? What is your favorite variation on the sandwich staple?

Favorite New Shows

Posted by amisampat

As a follow up to this post, I thought I would share two of my favorite new shows from this TV season.

Once Upon a Time, Sundays on ABC at 8 PM

The premise: the small town of Storybrooke is occupied from characters of fairy tales, only they do not know their real identity due to a

curse casted by the Evil Queen. Snow White’s daughter, Emma Swan, is the only person who can put and end to the curse or so her biological son says. She does not believe him. The best thing about this show is how the fairy tale world and the real world are so thoughtfully woven together. It is so great to see Snow White in her castle in the fairy tale world and to see the reality Snow White as an elementary school teacher. The little details are what make this show so fun to watch.

Revenge, Wednesdays on ABC at 10 PM

This show is my guilty pleasure. It is soapy, but honestly so addicting. Amanda Clarke moves back to the Hamptons to seek revenge on all those that wrongfully accused her (late) father of being a terrorist. It is so entertaining to see her taking down her filthy rich neighbors, one by one, in such elaborate schemes. The best part is that no one knows she is Amanda Clarke or that she is the one reeking havoc. I fully cannot wait until both of those things are revealed, which according to sources should be this season. Although I have to wonder how the show will go on after the big reveal. I am looking forward to finding out!

What are your favorite shows from this year? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!

Thai Red Curry

Posted by amisampat

I am a huge fan of Thai food. Like huge. If I was having a “last meal” of sorts, Thai food would definitely be on that list (so would CPK’s tostada pizza.)

It’s only until recently (the last 10 years) that I really started my love affair with Thai food and only until very recently (the past year) that I started cooking it.

I was intimidated at first, but it is actually pretty easy. All you really need are two things: coconut milk and red curry paste, which you can pick up at any grocery store or Asian supermarket. You can add vegetables and/or tofu to the mix.

Here is a good detailed recipe.

Do you like Thai food? What is your favorite dish and have you made it at home?

Beauty Products

Posted by amisampat

I have been lucky enough to be blessed with some good skin. Other than the occasional pimples every once in a while, I have no problems or complaints. I still used MAC’s StudioFix as a way to give my skin a uniform look. But it wasn’t until last month when I discovered tinted moisturizer.

What is tinted moisturizer? It is a lightweight formula that adapts to the color of your skin, giving you a finished and glowy look. They also have SPF, to help with anti-aging.

I am currently using Origins’ Vita Zing tinted moisturizer. I have recently become a big fan of Origins products as they are all natural.

I use Vita Zing Moisturizer for days when I am out and about, running errands, or get togethers with family and friends. I apply MAC Studio Fix for work, birthdays, parties, and nights out. Revlon ColorStay is for special occasions such as weddings, engagements, etc.

Do you use tinted moisturizer? What is your favorite brand?

(P.S. Some of my other favorite Origins products are Cheeks and Balances face wash and Modern Friction. If you don’t want to buy their products right away, go to your nearest store and ask for a sample. They are very generous!)

Movie Review: The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

Posted by amisampat

My thoughts on books turned to movies are quite clear – but once in a while, a movie comes out that lives up to the book’s hype.

I saw The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo over the holidays. I had no real expectations of the movie; my sister-in-law and I wanted to see it because we both read the books. But once I began looking for showtimes and came across the ratings (4 stars average) I began to get excited. Maybe this movie won’t be awful!

We were not disappointed. A few scenes were quite graphic and disturbing (I could barely read those paragraphs in the book, so you can imagine my state in the theater). The movie itself was a bit long (2 hours and 40 minutes), as they tried their hardest to fit all the details of the book. Of course this meant a few things were changed in the movie, but that is to be expected.

The real star of the movie was the girl with the dragon tattoo- Rooney Mara. She played the role of Lisabeth Salander so incredibly well. From the make-up to the acting, she was the shining star. I think she is well on her way to becoming one of the best actresses in Hollywood.

Did you see the movie? What did you think?