Leatherheads

Movie: Leatherheads
Like/Don't Like: Lame

I should say, to be fair, that it was not Renee Zellweger that ruined this movie for me. It had a lot of flaws that got in the way of me liking it. But she certainly didn't help it any.

I love George Clooney. And I love Jim from the Office. And I love movies about sports. And movies set in the 1930s. And movies with spunky girl reporters. See, I should have liked this movie, even with Renee's squishy drunken face in it. But the story was weak. An old timer football player who's trying to save the game so he hires on a young star who's too good to be true. That's all there was too it. But it was more than just a thin story. It was really lacking something. You know what it was? Rat-a-tat-tat. It was missing that fast talking rhythm that should be found in sports movies with spunky girl reporters set in the 1930s.

Maybe it's because I've seen it done better. If you're looking for a great girl reporter look at Jennifer Jason Leigh in the Hudsucker Proxy. George Clooney was better as the fast talking slickster in O Brother Where Art Thou. Jim is better in the Office. And Renee Zellwegger is better under a rock.

Pumpkin Soup

It was Pumpkin Party time last Saturday, which gave me a good reason to try out a new recipe. And it was a winner. The pumpkin party originated with Wendy's pumpkin soup but since Wendy left we haven't had soup at the party and I missed it. But I didn't want to make Wendy's soup because I didn't want to have to deal with an actual pumpkin. Soup should be easy and pumpkins are not anything like easy. This one has pumpkin puree and, bonus, tastes a little like pumpkin pie. I don't know about you but when I eat anything with pumpkin my mouth always enjoys it but my brain is confused if it tastes more like a gourd then a pie. It's not really sweet but it has all the same spices as pumpkin pie. It was extremely easy and warm and delicious. I can't remember where I got it from but I found a few variations on it and I changed it up a bit so why don't we just say it's the Yummy Pumpkin Soup Recipe:

1 (30 oz.) can pumpkin puree
1 quart chicken stock (low sodium)
1 cup half and half
1 shallot minced
3 Tbsp butter
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp clove
1/2 tsp all spice
1/2 ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp brown sugar
2 Tbsp molasses
6-8 strips of bacon cooked and chopped
blue cheese crumbled

Melt 1 Tbsp butter in large pot and cook shallots for about 2 minutes. Add stock, pumpkin, half and half, remaining 2 Tbsp of butter and all the spices and sugar and molasses. Combine and simmer on low for 10 minutes. While it's simmering you can cook your bacon. I added more spice as needed but it's mostly to your taste. Top with bacon and blue cheese. Bacon is an obvious topper, all things are better with bacon. But you may question the blue cheese. Don't. It totally works here. Even Katie, who doesn't like blue cheese, said it made the soup. I agree.