Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner

… that is what we are

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Breaking news guys! No Donald Trump didn’t grab me by the pussy like the misogynistic turd that he is, my dear, dear, dearest friend Kenny Rogers called to see if I was free to catch-up and find some peace unknown.

But seriously, how adorable – my door is always open to Kenny! Back included.

Now while you probably assume I met Kenny via my best friend in the entire world, Dolly Parton, it was actually Kim Carnes who introduced us.

However it was Doll who convinced me to gamble on winning his heart.

It didn’t lead to true love, but still gave us a couple of passionate nights and inspired us to co-write his classic song The Gambler.

So what says know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold ‘em, know when to walk away, know when to run … culinarily speaking, of course?

Picture source: Still from a GEICO commercial.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

A-may-zing face

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

I know Kyle hates people talking about or hitting on her man, but let’s be honest, Mauricio Umansky is a total babe.

I mean, he is a-MAY-zing.

Plus, we briefly dated before they got together and I introduced them, so I am immune.

I met Mauricio through his mother, who I met while she was studying sexology at UCLA – I was a court-ordered volunteer at the clinic and we became fast friends.

Despite our relationship not exactly panning out, Mauricio and I stayed close and have been the closest of friends ever since.

What says I miss you, Kyle and the girls?

But mainly you.

Picture source: TMZ.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

All her losses

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Let’s be honest, there was never going to be anyone I’d rather catch-up with and roast after the Emmys than my dear friend and perennial loser – it is hard to beat a 1 from 21 record – Susan Lucci.

Yes, I know that herses were in the Daytime Categories but if you can’t roast your friends at any opportunity, what is the point of life?

Obviously Suze was free and very keen to hang – she loves a good roast and is angling for me to help her get one on Comedy Central – so I’ll drop in somewhere between In’n’Out and LAX – what do I make that is sweet enough to cut through my acidic barbs?

Picture source: Unknown but it makes me so happy.


As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

We just need to work through the ika bula title, ok?

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner, Survivor: Millennials vs. Gen X

Let’s all agree, calling the season Millennials vs. Gen X is probably the worst season naming since One World, World’s Apart or the questionable label of favourites – and fans for that matter – in Caramoan.

But we can work through that because (U.S.) Survivor is finally back and once again Probsty begged me to fly out to a tropical location to entertain him during his days off and comfort the cast as they roll through Loser Lodge.

Will the season continue the winning ways of Cambodia and Kaôh Rōng? Well I can’t spoil but I’m confident you’ll survive the wait to find out!

Join me Friday (and sometimes Saturday) after the episodes as  I comfort the losers and provide you with unprecedented post-boot coverage!

Picture source: Monty Brinton / CBS Entertainment.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

Another gold rush

Emmy Gold, Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

After the resounding success of my annual Oscar Gold celebrations – can you believe it just started as a way to bring down Elts? – Kimmel got in touch to ask for my assistance in scripting the show and to help, you know, make him funny.

Since I’ll be in town to help and will likely get called in to do some styling, I decided to round up some of my closest Emmy winning friends to help me decide who’s offer I should accept to attend as their date.

Obvs Kit Harrington is the current front runner but I’m open to the suggestions of my pals. I’m also open to their suggestions before I place my bets – you know I love to run the odds.

Who will be joining me for the most critically lauded online coverage with less than 1000 unique daily views of an Awards Season?

Just you wait, just you wait (sorry, peaking too soon for the Tonys) – join me Monday as we kick off Emmy Gold!

Image source: Emmy Awards.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

Clear eyes, full head of hair, can’t lose

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

There has been much talk in the last week about my dear friend Connie Britton’s reduced role in the upcoming season of Nashville and while I love Con dearly, I almost think I love Queen Ranya and her relationship with lil JuJu B-arnes more.

To put my mind at ease – I haven’t slept since I first caught wind of the rumours – I decided to pull her from the set to catch-up and fill me in on all of the goss from the upcoming season.

She knows I’d never spill a secret, so I don’t see it being a massive issue!

What can I make to soften her up while simultaneously paying tribute to her luscious, shampoo commercial-esque locks?

Image source: Frazer Harrison/Getty Images.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

Enchilada Nicodemou

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Oh Ada, how you fill my heart with so much love!

Ada was thankfully given the night off from her relentless Home and Away filming schedule – the only reason I have never taken up one of the many offers to appear on the show – to drop by, gab and devour something as nourishing as our friendship is for our souls.

I mean yes, as with most of my friendships we had our rough patches like when I forced her off Heartbreak High and onto my new series Breakers where I was casting Alex Dimitriades look alikes to fill the void that he left after finally getting a restraining order. Thankfully after the show tanked, she got Home and Away though and I got her a role in The Matrix, so she eventually had to forgive me.

I mean, she got to marry Ryan Kwanten … she couldn’t hold a grudge.

Despite the many lawsuits Channel 7 have brought against me in her past 16 years on Home and Away – the daily death threats to Kochie and Grant Denyer (back in the day – I forgive him after he tanked people I knew on Family Feud), the aggressive trolling of Tara Dennis’ design skills and my lecherous courting of Bruce McAvaney caused but a few – she has always demanded my presence on set to provide her with love and guidance.

Given how busy I’ve been the last year, travelling the globe to provide culinary coverage of multiple Survivor seasons while managing HRC’s campaign, hosting brunch with the All Stars of Drag Race and my usual weekly guests, our relationship has regretfully been on the backburner. Thankfully Ada jumped at the chance to come up and reconnect – but really, who would want to miss out on a batch of my Enchiladas Nicodemou.

 

enchilada-nicodemou-1

 

Make no mistake, these enchiladas are less Mexican than Tex Mex but to a Australian Greek Cypriot and an Australian of questionable origins it does the trick – smokey, sweet and packing a nice kick of heat, they keep you coming back for more despite the complete bastardisation of a culinary history.

Enjoy!

 

enchilada-nicodemou-2

 

Enchilada Nicodemou
Serves: 4, heartily.

Ingredients
olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, chopped
800g chicken breast, diced
1 capsicum, diced
1 tbsp paprika
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 ½ tsp dried oregano
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground coriander seeds
½ tsp turmeric
400g can chopped tomatoes
400g can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 tbsp tomato paste
hot sauce, to taste
salt and pepper, to season
8 tortillas
1 cup tasty cheese
guacamole, extra hot sauce and sour cream, to serve

Method
Heat a lug of olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Sweat the onion and garlic for a couple of minutes before adding the chicken and cooking, stirring occasionally, for about five minutes. Add the capsicum and the shit tonne of spices and cook for a minute to release the flavours before stirring in the tin tomatoes and kidney beans, tomato paste and hot sauce. Season to taste and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, half covered and stirring occasionally, for about ten minutes.

Preheat the oven 180°C.

Once the mixture is ready, get out a large baking dish – one you’d use for lasagne etc. – and layer out your tortillas. Place about a half a cup of mixture on the middle of the tortilla, tightly roll up and place into the pan. Repeat the process until the tortillas are gone and the pan burst with deliciousness.

Pour any remaining meat mixture over the top of the enchiladas, top with the cheese and bake for about half an hour, or until golden, bubbly and moreish.

Allow to rest for ten minutes before devouring, slathered in gauc, hot sauce and sour cream.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

You’re my guiding star

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

Stone the flamin’ crows and get lil VJ on the blower, my dear friend Ada Nicodemou is dropping by!

With all of the Australiana action thanks to Australian Survivor – which thanks to the non-elimination episode gave me the night off from cooking – I’ve been feeling quite patriotic so wanted to get in touch with one of my closest friends, national treasure and Gold Logie winner in 2023.

We first met in the mid-90s while working on Heartbreak High – and by working, I was stalking Alex Dimitriades. Needing a way to get closer to the set without spooking him, I needed to befriend a cast member and Ada seemed as good as any. I mean, we’ve been friends ever since so I clearly made the right choice.

What says thanks for unwittingly helping me get closer to Al all those years ago, be he at home or away?

Picture source: Mamamia.com.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

Just a ride

Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

What a ride the last few weeks have been!?

The Australian Olympic team have spent a large portion of the competition choking, I spent a large portion of my viewing pleasure choking the chicken and then dove straight into the launch of Australian Survivor.

Obviously I’m exhausted but like a Kardashian, I am committed to forcing myself upon any audience I can get and can finally talk about this week’s guest. You didn’t think I’d forgotten about our regularly scheduled programming, right?

Given my fatigued state, I was in desperate need of someone kind and relaxing with a good singing voice to pander to my every demand for the measly payment of one meal. As such, I got Jem straight on the blower.

I first met Jem in the mid-00s while filming the second greatest TV wedding of all time The OC’s Cooper-Nichol extravaganza – Scott and Charlene’s is obvs number one. I worked as a writer, showrunner, body and stunt double for Seth and Marissa, Kirstin’s drinking coach, musical producer and Sandy’s brow stand in at the time. I had been listening to a shit tonne of Jem, which was the style at the time and we connected after an extensive period of stalking to woo her on to the show.

It has been a while since we’ve seen each other but Jem couldn’t refuse the man who was the self-proclaimed reason she hit fame. Maybe I’m more like Kanye than I thought.

What do I make to say your welcome, now help me re-Cooper-ate?

Get it. Classic! Julie would have hated that joke.

Picture source: Daily Post Wales.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.

Keep on survivin’

Australian Survivor, Australian Survivor (2016), Guess Who's Coming to Dinner

You sleep with one LaPaglia when trying to get a role in Looking for Alibrandi (why they didn’t agree to gender flip the lead and make it a teen version of Brokeback is beyond me) and it seems you’re constantly doing favours for the family.

I can finally announce that yes, I will be covering Australian Survivor!

Jon gave me a call a few months back after landing the plum gig, hoping that I’d hook him up with Probsty in preparation for the hosting role. While I was outraged that Channel 10 hadn’t given me the job, I graciously helped Jon as part of a plea deal I took after he caught me trying to torch his car.

Jon and the network are really hoping to make the show a hit, so of course asked me to head out on location and cook for the castaways. While I normally don’t like people using my fame to further themselves – that is my schtick – I agreed as I am a close personal friend of all of the contestants. Can you believe it?

Check back the day after each episode for my exclusive culinary, coverage!

Picture source: Publicity shot from Channel 10.

 

As you can probably tell, we are very social but the fun isn’t only limited to celebrities! You can follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr and Google+.