Blogamole ›

By Chef Harry Pagancoss

The bananas were staring at me as if saying: "are you gonna eat us or not?" Since I was not in the mood to eat them as snacks or even make one of the many smoothies I prepare for breakfast, I decided to make something a little more decadent and lure my friends with it with pictures of the final product.

I certainly succeeded. Upon finishing what ended as a Chocolate Chip Banana Cake, I took a picture with my cellphone and spread the news via text to my friends. Immediately I received texts containing: "What is that?!?" and "I want some" and even a "You are so mean!!" Within two hours my apartment was filled with my friends and the cake disappeared in minutes.

I guess this is what the bananas would have wanted: to be eaten by a mob in a frenzy. The cake came out oh...so moist. The mini chocolate chips I used were perfectly melted and the sweetness of the bananas was balanced. Check out my recipe and invite some friends over for a treat!

Chocolate Chip Banana Cake

1/2 cup unsalted butter

3 large eggs

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 large bananas, peeled

1/2 cup milk or sour cream

dash of salt

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Now comes the fun part:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, mix the sugar and the butter until creamy. Then add the eggs one at time and mix well after adding each one.

Mash the bananas with a fork until very soft and pureed. Then add them into the egg and sugar mixture. Follow with the milk or the sour cream. I personally used sour cream this time, but milk will work as well.

Add a dash of salt. Measure one cup of the self-rising flour and using a colander, sift it over the mixture. This time combine the flour with the wet ingredients. I recommend not mixing too much but simply combine to get the flour wet. This helps the cake to be moist at the end.

Now comes the chocolate. I used mini chocolate chips. Fold them in the batter.

Using a well-greased round baking pan (I recommend butter to grease it), pour the batter and bake for 30 minutes. Bake in the middle rack of the oven and do not over cook it! Remove and let cool for a few minutes.

I like to eat banana cake or bread when it is warm. So, I served mine with a little creme fraîche and on top of some condensed milk I drizzled over the plate. No wonder my friends love me. Ñam!

What is you favorite dessert? Do you have any recipes you would like me to share in here? Tell me about it and write to harry (at) passiongourmet.net

Eat for Your Body and Cook for Your Soul

Tags bananas, blogger Harry Pagancoss, cake, cooking, Recipes

By Michael Lopez

We're starting to wonder if Enrique Iglesias may have had a little too much to drink before his infamous Sydney concert last week. First there were those reports about him shooting pictures of his junk and now video footage has surfaced of him announcing his penis size on stage!

For the record, Enrique didn’t flatter himself when talking about his "member."

"Maybe I have the Spanish looks", Iglesias exclaimed. "But I have the smallest penis in the world. I'm serious!"

Yikes! Does that mean he had to use the zoom lens when he stuffed that camera into his pants? Amazingly, the candid confessions didn't end there. Enrique went on to describe how he lost his virginity and his "terrible" bedroom habits.

"I grew up with a lot of my friends and all of them lost their virginity with hookers, not that there's anything wrong with that," he said. "They had to pay for it. I wanted to wait for the right girl so I waited until I was 25."

Later during the concert, Iglesias changed his story and his age when describing his first sexual encounter,

"Usually the first time is not the best. Let me be honest, I was 17-and-a-half, I was so nervous. It lasted ten seconds."

Well, you’ve got admire Enrique's honesty. Now all we need is a second opinion from Anna Kournikova.

What do you think about Enrique's latest revelations? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Chisme, Enrique Iglesias, Música, Sydney

By Michael Lopez

It's hard to believe that Metallica has been rocking the stage for over 30 years. Back in 1981, the Los Angeles quartet began playing their one-of-a-kind heavy riffs in local bars and clubs. Three decades later, their headbanging message has reached millions. And now the guys are ready to celebrate their entire catalog with some 30th anniversary shows in San Francisco.

"Thirty years of Metallica… can you believe it?” the band wrote on their site. "We think it's cause for a major celebration! These unique shows will include special guests and events, rare songs, varied set lists, odds and ends, and all the nutty stuff you expect from Metallica…fun for the entire family!"

In the years since their formation, Metallica has switched up their lineup quite a few times. And if you ask us, this current roster is undoubtedly the best. There's the loud thumping drums of Lars Ulrich, James Hetfield’s growling vocals, Kirk Hammet's killer guitar, and Mexican-American bass player Robert Trujillo!

Tickets for the anniversary shows are being offered on the band's website and, if you're in the fan club, you can grab them for an incredible price! Special four-packs are currently going at a rate of just $19.81 (in honor of the year that everything started).

Have you ever seen Metallica live? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Hot Stuff, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammet, Lars Ulrich, Música, Metallica, Robert Trujillo

By Michael Lopez

Movie and TV fans can expect to see a lot more of Ana de la Reguera in the next few years. With a role in the new Cowboys & Aliens flick and recurring appearances on HBO's Eastbound & Down, she's on the fast track to superstardom. But, as she explained in a candid interview with Wonderwall Latino, adjusting to life in Hollywood isn't as easy as it seems.

De la Reguera revealed that she spent three years going to castings, and confessed:

"No sé cuantas veces me han dicho que no, 100 o 150 veces me dijeron que no."

At some point, she even considered going back to Mexico.

"Justamente, hace 2 años, cuando no estaba consiguiendo nada acá, un día tuve una crisis," she explained. "Dije: ‘No sirvo para nada, ¿para qué vine? ¿Para qué compré una casa aquí? ¿Para qué dejé mi vida allá? ¿Para qué hice todo esto, si a lo mejor no soy buena? A lo mejor no tuve que haber tomado esta decisión y fue una tontería".

De la Reguera first made her mark in Mexican cinema and only started getting noticed by American audiences after her role in Jack Black's Nacho Libre. Obviously relocating to a new country with a new language can be quite difficult. But she persevered and eventually began attracting more high-profile roles.

Speaking out about her Hollywood career, she said,

"Mira, estamos en una industria americana. El tema es que soy latina. Ni modo que acepte el papel de la alemana. Lo que a mí me parece es que ha habido un avance muy grande en Estados Unidos, ya en el casting hay actores de distintas razas. Este es un país multirracial."

And if all goes according to plan, her progress as a movie star will increase dramatically very soon. Many are predicting that Cowboys & Aliens will break box office records this weekend, which means A LOT more exposure for Ana.

Are you an Ana de la Reguera fan? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Ana de la Reguera, Blogger: Michael Lopez, Celebrities, Cowboys & Aliens, Movies & CineMás

By Larry Yepez Jr.

Well, maybe not Uday Hussain himself, but perhaps Mama Mia's baby face, Domenic Cooper, will get an Oscar nomination for his performance in The Devil's Double, where his double interpretation of Saddam's sadistic psychopath son, as well as an Iraqi Lieutenant tortured into service as Uday's body double, is simply a magnificent performance.

The buzz going around is that Cooper's performance is the first serious contender for an Academy Award in 2012.

In 1987 Iraqi soldier Latif Yahia was given an ultimatum by his former schoolmate Uday Hussein: You have to become my body double or you and your entire family will die! I don't know about you, but if the powerful evil offspring of  one of the most crazy and evil dictators in world history tells me that he will kill my family and myself if I don't do as he says, you better believe that I will do the impossible to obey and save my family, as I'm sure a majority of us would!

"The Devil's Double" is based on Yahia's autobiographical novel. Director Lee Tamahori uses some real footage, including shots of President George W. Bush and film of live combat and dead bodies. But the most disturbing scene recreates a party where Uday savagely attacks a man who has insulted him. The film was shot in a Radisson Resort in the island of Malta.

Produced by Lion's Gate Film, The Devil's Double opens this Friday. Will you go to see it?

Tags Blogger: Larry Yepez Jr, Domenic Cooper, Lee Tamahori, Lion's Gate, Saddam Hussein, the devil's double, Uday Hussein

By Michael Lopez

It looks like George Lopez and Eva Longoria can expect a lot of top notch Latino talent when they host this year's ALMA Awards. The nominee list was finally released today and it's chock full of your favorite entertainers from the movie, TV, and music world.

The great thing about the ALMAS is that they don't just honor the same group of A-listers you see at every awards show. Here, many talented supporting players are recognized too. Actors like Constance Marie, Aubrey Plaza, and Oscar Nuñez have all scored nominations this year, and deservedly so!

On the TV side of things, we were thrilled to see that Sarah Shahi got a nod for Favorite Actress. She'll be competing against quite a few Tr3s faves for the honor, including Cote de Pablo, Francia Raisa, and Sara Ramirez.

Stars like Adam Rodriguez and Chuck’s Joshua Gomez scored noms in the Favorite TV Actor category. And several Latino reality stars were honored with a nomination too, including Mario Lopez for Extra, Christina Aguilera for The Voice, and even Dog Whisperer Cesar Millan!

In the movie department, Michael Peña scored a much-deserved nomination for his work in Battle: Los Angeles, as did A Better Life’s Demián Bichir. Even Danny Trejo has a shot at Favorite Movie Actor for his starring role in Machete.

Speaking of Machete, it also got Jessica Alba a nom for Favorite Movie Actress. She'll be competing against Pirates of the Caribbean’s Penélope Cruz, Unstoppable’s Rosario Dawson, and Zoe Saldana for Takers.

But that's only part of the fun. The ALMAs also extend into the music world. This year , they've nominated Taio Cruz, Enrique Iglesias, Bruno Mars, Pitbull, and Ricky Martin for their Favorite Male Music Artist. On the female side, it will be Shakira, Christina Aguilera, Selena Gomez, Jennifer Lopez, and Glee’s Naya Rivera competing for the title.

As you can imagine, with all of this talent it promises to be an incredible show. You can see the full list of ALMA nominees by visiting their home page and don't miss the broadcast of the big ceremony on September 16!

Who are you rooting for at this year's ALMA Awards? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags 2011 Alma Awards, Adam Rodriguez, ALMA Awards, Award Shows, Christina Aguilera, Cultura, Demian Bichir, Música, Michael Peña, Naya Rivera, Sarah Shahi, Taio Cruz, Television

By Michael Lopez

We all know that the recession is in full effect, but who knew it was hitting the video game world so hard? Several of the industry's most popular companies have reported major losses in the past few months, forcing layoffs and price reductions to help get people back into "the game."

Interestingly, former console king Nintendo seems to have been impacted the most. 2011 profits for the Japanese game-maker are now predicted to be 82 percent lower than originally anticipated. Not only that, the company has been forced to slash the price of its handheld 3DS system by 40 percent.

That's actually not a horrible thing for consumers, since the 3DS will now be priced at $169. But for the company, it's just another component of the ongoing bad news. The development of its newest system, the Wii U, is also costing a pretty penny. Nintendo has blamed its research and marketing costs for the recent tumble in its stock price.

But don't think that Nintendo has been the only firm hit. Capcom, which produces the popular Street Fighter series, reported that its profits were down nearly 40 percent too. THQ, a major sports game developer, claimed a net loss of $38.4 million since the year started.

We know what you're thinking, are there any successful video games out there at the moment? Believe it or not, it's Sony that looks to be the 2011 champ so far. Their PS3 and PSP have proved to be the best-selling systems of the quarter, with over 1.8 million units sold since April.

Do you still buy as many video games as you used to? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Capcom, Nintendo, Nintendo 3DS, Sony, THQ, video games, Wii U

By Michael Lopez

Have you heard the term "popcorn flick" before? What it basically means is, you sit in front of the TV, grab a bucket of your favorite kernels, and watch two hours of escapist entertainment. Forgot convoluted plot twists, political messages, or complicated storylines, these are the pelis full of big explosions, cool effects, and hot actors. And guess what? This week's P and P film encapsulates that perfectly!

Ultraviolet is the kind of movie that was made for a phat plasma screen and extra loud speakers. Set in a futuristic world, it's got elements of The Matrix, Total Recall, and even Blade thrown in for good measure. And best of all, it stars Milla Jovovich, who we all know can kick some major onscreen ass!

Though she started as a fashion model, Jovovich has actually built up quite the action hero film career. She's already starred in four Resident Evil movies (with a fifth on the way) and had a great turn in the cult classic, The Fifth Element. For Ultraviolet, she's firing on all cylinders, tearing apart bad guys one by one.

Released back in 2006, Ultraviolet has got a lot of interesting components mixed into its plot. There are vampire-like characters (called "hemophages"), evil militant groups, and one woman with a long blade who's ready to lead the resistance. Milla's Violet character is actually one of the infected "hemophages," who's now fighting against her own extinction.

The evil Vice-Cardinal Daxus wants Violet and her people destroyed and may be able to do it, thanks to a mysterious boy named "Six." Now, we could go all into "Six's" real mission and the symbolism about extermination but, like we said, this is a popcorn flick.

It almost seems like the filmmakers agree, choosing not to take the plot points too seriously. There are sly moments when Ultraviolet even makes fun of itself, but one thing's for sure: iIt delivers the action-packed goods! So all you sci-fi fans, have fun with the apocalyptic plot. And all you sexy Jovovich fans, well just wait until you see the tight outfits her Violet character slides into. Either way, it's win win!

Catch Ultraviolet this Saturday at 11pm on Tr3s!

What's your favorite Milla Jovovich movie? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Milla Jovovich, Movies & CineMás, Pelis and Popcorn, Resident Evil, Ultraviolet

By Michael Lopez

It seems like Paz de la Huerta has been quite busy these days (and not just with her TV and film projects). The Boardwalk Empire star recently pled guilty to some violent harassment charges stemming from a drunken encounter in New York City.

Back in April, Paz was charged with assault and criminal possession of a weapon after an intense confrontation with reality star Samantha Swetra. There were rumors about a punch to the face and broken glass injuries, all of which de la Huerta refused to comment on.

All Paz did say in court was that she was "extremely glad it was all over." Of course, there were still be penalties for her actions. De la Huerta was sentenced to community service and 12 weeks of alcohol counseling.

In the meantime, Paz is keeping busy with a variety of projects, including an untitled film she's planning to direct. Speaking to the New York Observer about the movie, she said,

"I'm finishing directing a film of mine. [It's] a very important story to tell."

Do you think Paz got too light of a sentence? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Boardwalk Empire, Chisme, Paz de la Huerta, Samantha Swetra

By Michael Lopez

Ever wonder why you don't see many Western movies these days? Is it because modern-day moviegoers have lost respect for the art of gunslinging or is it because people find them to be just plain boring. Possibly a little of both and, for better or worse, Cowboys & Aliens suffers quite a bit from the latter.

Looking at the credits, you can imagine great things from a movie like Cowboys. And perhaps that's part of its downfall. With such a rich pedigree behind it, expectations for this film are incredibly high. But sadly, talented names like Steven Spielberg, Harrison Ford, Ron Howard, and Jon Favreau can't save Cowboys from its own clichés.

Every character in this movie feels a little too familiar. There's the unknown stranger (Daniel Craig) who may have a villainous past, the salty veteran (Ford) who we soon find out has a heart of gold, and the frightened kid (Noah Ringer) who learns to be a man. Yes the concept of spaceships in the old west is fresh, but everything in between seems to feel uninspired.

The story also moves at a rather slow pace. There is much more emphasis put on cowboy sunsets and horse riding than on the Aliens and their backstory. And we imagine all of you sci-fi fans may find that to be a bit of a disappointment.

An hour or so in, the mysterious space creatures are finally revealed. But their reason for coming to Earth seems both far-fetched and just plain silly. That being said, the creepy alien designs are well executed and the spaceship action sequences deliver carnage very reminiscent of Favreau's Iron Man movies.

But too many elements of the plot come off stale. Characters popping in at just the right moment to save the day, sappy death scenes that are way too predictable, and a confusing subplot with Olivia Wilde that may need more explaining in the Director's Cut. Though the performances, the effects, and the action are all top notch, the Cowboys story feels like it got up and rode off into the sunset.

Bottom line: There is no denying that Western movies are tough to pull off in this day and age. And though the makers of Cowboys & Aliens obviously love the genre, they seem to have ignored the characters and dialogue that goes along with it. Yes there are great horse riding sequences, sunsets, and bow-and-arrow battles, but let's not forget the Aliens! If you really want to get your modern-day Western fix on, we recommend checking out Rango.

Are you planning on watching Cowboys & Aliens? Sound off in the comments or @MTV3.

Tags Blogger: Michael Lopez, Cowboys & Aliens, Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Jon Favreau, Movie Reviews, Movies & CineMás, Olivia Wilde, Ron Howard