Monday 16 May 2011

All in fun . . .



When I was 11 years old, I fell in love with The Monkees. Yes, those 4 brash young lads that used to grace our home television screens for half an hour every Sunday evening! Well, they were on television where I lived on Sunday evenings at any rate.

They were probably one of the first ever manufactured pop bands, but that didn't matter to me, nor to millions of other teens! I used to buy up any teen magazine that I could get my hands on with pictures of them in it. I'd carefully rip out their pictures and tape them onto the mirror in my bedroom. I would devour every scrap of information I could get about them. I think I had it all memorized. I also had all of their albums and knew all of the words to every one of their songs.



I was, in particular, completely enamoured with Davy Jones. He was so cute, much cuter than the others in my mind, although I did think they were all pretty dishy. But he had that lovely British Accent that just melted my heart every time I heard it. Sigh . . . I even wanted to marry him when I grew up. Oh the innocent child/girl fantasies I used to have about that guy were nobodies business!! He was a complete dream to me. He broke my heart when he started to date the Flying Nun and, of course, like most other teen girls at the time, I was devastated when the Monkees broke up!!



This is my friend Anna and yes that IS Davy Jones! Just this past weekend she got to go to a Monkees concert in Manchester! (minus Mike Nesbitt) Does she look happy or what! That lucky woman! I'd have been smiling all over the place as well! She says he is a really nice bloke and very tiny! I bet he smelled great too! Sigh . . .

When I was about 15 1/2, I graduated from being a fan of pop groups to being a groupie. Oh no, not in the way you are thinking! There were a group of local lads that had a little band that they had formed and I used to go with my friends to all of their practices. At one point I was even dating one . . . if you can call it that. We went to one movie together and held hands, and he invited me to his house to hang out with them all on one Sunday afternoon. All completely innocent.

What I didn't know however was, that I was also the "other" woman. Yes, this young lad had a girl in every port . . . or school . . . as it were! His other girlfriend went to the local middle school and so it was quite easy for him to see us both at different times. She was his real girlfriend, I guess. He only took me to the movies that one time because she was away on holidays, and he could get away with it. Sigh . . . heart broken I was when the whole truth came out.

He was not even all that good looking, really . . . but he did play a guitar. I think that was the main attraction really. That and the fact that he had long hair when not a lot of boys did, which was another plus. Thank goodness I grew up and became a little more discerning!



I no longer fall for the guitars or the long hair, although to be sure . . . I am still a sucker for a cute British Accent. ☺ This one also happens to be very sweet, kind, spiritual, intelligent, easy going and has a wicked sense of humour. Plus he also does windows and dishes and gives great back massages!!

I know . . . I am one heck of a lucky woman!

Here's a delicious chicken dish that we love around here. I tend to bake mine in the oven more than cook them on the grill. We only have a charcoal grill and it is a lot of faff to get it out. You can do it in a grill pan as well, although to be on the safe side, after the initial grilling, you should actually finish them off in the oven as well to make sure they are cooked through.




*Tandoori Chicken*
Serves 4
Printable Recipe

Delicously spicy chicken, grilled to perfection. Finger lickin good!

1 cup plain low fat yogurt
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
1 TBS grated fresh ginger
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 tsp ground tumeric
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
8 bone in, skin on, chicken thighs
a bit of oil to grease the grill

Whisk together the yoghurt, lemon juice, ginger and all of the spices in a large shallow dish. Add the chicken thighs, tossing them to coat completely in the marinade. Cover and then chill in the refrigerator for about an hour.

Heat up your grill, grill pan, barbeque grill, or gas grill. Brush with some oil. Take the chicken out of the refrigerator and remove from the marinade, allowing most of it to drip off, and wiping off any excess.

Place the thighs onto the grill, skin side down, and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes, before flipping over and cooking them on the other side for a further 10 to 15 minutes, covered. Cook until all the juices run clear.

If you like they can also be cooked in your oven. Place onto a lightly oiled baking sheet and bake in a 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 5. oven for 35 to 40 minutes until done and the juices run clear.



Cooking over in The English Kitchen today, a delicious Berry Slump!

12 comments:

  1. I have smiled throughout the reading of your reminicenses this morning !! I well remember them as well....altho I am a wee bitty older than you so ca't rememberbeing an actual "fan"..now Tommy Steele....there's my HUNK xx
    I did see one of my first "boy" friends at Sarah's funeral..he was a friend of Sarah and John and used to be there when I cam home from college for the weekend and he took me back to the station on the back of his MOTORBIKE !! As he approached I thought tomyslef whos'e this old fella comming smiling towards me !! cor time certainly changed him a lot more than Davy Jones to be sure!!!
    lucky escape I thought to myself !!!!!
    Have a good day, hope the sun is still shining for you, My friend in Norfolk has rain first time in 8 weeks I think she said...In wilts. here we are beeing asked to wet the ground so that te swifts can get mud for their nest
    Love Sybil x

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  2. VERY fun post, Marie... haha! Oh, my sister & I love the Monkees too. Must confess Davy and Mike were my faves. ;o) We loved their TV and sad when it was no longer on...boo-hoo... Still a fan though! I get happy when a Monkees song pops on the radio.Love me an English accent, too...*swoon*... GREAT tandoori chicken... must try. Hope you had a lovely weekend, my friend. Wishing you a very happy day--LOVE YOU LOTS ((BIG HUGS))

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  3. You did bring back some memories that were tucked away here too. So many years ago now yet it seems like yesterday. I hope you have a happy Monday!

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  4. I think you made a wise choice,, can't beat a man who does windows and dishes!

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  5. The memories of trying to walk Monkee style in roller skates just came flooding back. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

    My daughter is kind of a groupy. Her school has a terrific music program. Some of the children are already signign contracts and working with huge orchestras straight out of school. A few days ago there was a record release. I always loved music but these kids make it.

    Love the recipes too.

    I also think an English accent is to die for.

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  6. Bonjour Marie! Hope you are well -am just catching up on your posts and delicious recipes - looking for some inspiration for the tea Salon and certainly finding lots on your blog as ever :-) I have just bid farewell to my mum this morning, she has been over in France for five days visiting and is on her way back to the North West now - I hope Chester is treating you well. Just spotted the Malteaser brownies!!!! Yum will give these a try - love Kitty xxx

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  7. I also am of the Monkee Generation and I was totally in love with Micky. I use to live in CA (just 5 months ago).

    Rob Zombie was making his movie Halloween in 2007. They filmed a portion of it at my husbands business. Anytime they filmed I was there to help with anything they needed and also to keep an eye on the business.

    I just about fell over when in walks the actors and one of them was Micky Dolenz. Now they have filmed many times at our business and big names too I have meet Donald Sutherland, Pierce Brosnan and Colin Firth. But Micky Dolenz was my childhood crush I barely could get out hello I'm pleased to meet you and shake his hand. I didn't even think to get a photo with him but I did get a photo of my daughter with Rob Zombie.

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  8. What a fantastic post to start the week, Marie. I wasn't a Monkees fan at all, although I'm of the right generation and their music was on the radio constantly. They had a tv show as well, but I preferred The Banana Splits to The Monkees. However, I do recognise the teenage infatuation with a pop star. For me it was Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin. I think I spent all of my high school maths lessons practicing writing my name as Mrs Robert Plant instead of listening to the teacher :-) And sending him (or his agent) letters full of hearts. I cringe every time I think of it - ha, ha!

    But like you, in the end I got a solid gold man, worth far more to me than anything in the world. Have a lovely week!

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  9. I think Todd is as cute as Davy Jones any day! I need a back message....please send him over any time.
    I plan to call you today.... I need to get my Marie fix.
    Hugs, Lura

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  10. I also loved the Monkees when I was young; but your love is safe -- Micky Dolance was the guy for me.

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  11. Wow, that took me back a ways. I met my husband in driver's training but didn't date him until we were Juniors in High School. I remember dancing to the Monkey's. I loved the mellow voices of Bobby Vinton.We love the song, Blue Velvet. Thanks for the memories. It's fun to go back to those crazy years.
    I guess I say; enjoy the moments!

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  12. Oh, I had it bad for the Monkees and Davy Jones, too!! I was almost rabid about them, my walls plastered with their images. No other group since has gotten my attention in the same way, for sure! And, I love tandoori chicken! Yum!

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