Friday 29 June 2012

Stuffed & baked ricotta shells

Stuffed & baked ricotta shells

These great-looking shells make a good alternative to stuffed cannelloni and look stylish in the dish


Difficulty and servings

Easy Serves 2

Preparation and cooking times

Preparation time Prep 10 mins
Cook time Cook 50 mins

Method

  1. Heat 1 tbsp olive oil in a pan. Add ½ the garlic, cook for a minute then add tomatoes. Simmer for 10-15 minutes until thickened.
  2. Cook the giant shells until almost tender. You want to slightly undercook them as you'll be baking them again later. Drain, rinse under cold water then drain completely.
  3. Heat another tbsp of oil in a large frying pan, add the rest of the garlic and the courgettes. It looks like a huge amount of courgette at the start, but it really wilts down. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the courgettes have reduced and all the liquid has cooked off. Cool then stir in the ricotta and zest and half the parmesan. Season well.
  4. Heat the oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Spoon the tomato sauce into the bottom of a shallow ovenproof baking dish. Stuff a spoonful of courgette mix into each shell then sit in the sauce in rows. Sprinkle over the rest of the parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes until bubbling and golden.

Thursday 28 June 2012

Top 10 Ghostwritten Books

by Scott Laming (or was it?)
 

No matter where you go on the planet you will find tales of the supernatural. Spirits, spooks and spectres are everywhere.  However, there is one reclusive mythical creature that particularly sparks fear in literary hearts – the ghostwriter.
They are the hired guns of the publishing world, paid to produce and then melt away unseen. Words for cash – no questions asked. The work is never-ending - there are the high profile celebrities who have not picked up a book since primary school but now need an autobiography and the estates of dead authors, like V.C. Andrews and Robert Ludlum, who wish to keep the novels coming.
Some ghostwriters have a place in history. Carolyn Keene is as fictional as the teen sleuth that she was supposed to have created, Nancy Drew.  In reality, Carolyn was a pseudonym for a series of ghostwriters who wrote book after book based on a template and an expected style.
James Patterson admits he is simply more proficient at dreaming up plots than crafting sentence after sentence.  He often credits his ghostwriters as “co-authors” on his covers.  Peter de Jonge is one author who used to ‘ghost’ for Patterson but has now published his novel, Shadows Still Remain.
Many ghostwriters sign non-disclosure agreements to ensure they stay in the shadows, but often the identity of the true author emerges. John F. Kennedy’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book Profiles in Courage was actually ghost-written by his speechwriter Theodore Sorenson.  This was denied for years but Sorenson admitted to writing large sections of the book in his 2009 autobiography, Counselor.

You might be surprised to see who else has been a ghostwriter.

Top 10 Ghostwritten Books

The Curse of Yig by Zealia Bishop - ghostwritten by H.P. Lovecraft

1. The Curse of Yig
Zealia Bishop - Ghosted by H.P. Lovecraft


Lovecraft did a large amount of ghostwriting for various patrons, including Under the Pyramids (also known as Imprisoned With the Pharaohs) for Harry Houdini.
Daughter of the Tejas by Ophelia Ray - ghostwritten by Larry McMurtry.

2. Daughter of the Tejas
Ophelia Ray
Ghosted by Larry McMurtry


Lonesome Dove author McMurtry was a frequent ghostwriter in his early career before winning Pulitzer and Academy awards.
Tennis As I Play it by Maurice McLoughlin - ghostwritten by Sinclair Lewis

3. Tennis As I Play It
Maurice McLoughlin
Ghosted by Sinclair Lewis

Lewis wrote this book for McLoughlin 15 years before winning the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Old-Soldier Sahib by Frank Richards - ghostwritten by Robert Graves

4. Old-Soldier Sahib
Frank Richards
Ghosted by Robert Graves

War poet Graves wrote the forward for Richards but it’s also believed he wrote the entire book.  Richards served with Graves in WWI.

Inside the Medium’s Cabinet by Joseph Dunninger

5. Inside the Medium’s Cabinet
Joseph Dunninger
Ghosted by Walter B. Gibson

Gibson had already created his best known character, The Shadow, but still took time to write a number of books and articles on magic for Dunninger, a famous American mystic.

The Player on the Other Side by Ellery Queen ghostwritten by Theodore Sturgeon

6. The Player on the Other Side
Ellery Queen
Ghosted by Theodore Sturgeon

Sturgeon’s Ellery Queen (a pseudonym for Frederic Dannay & Manfred B. Lee) contribution has been described as one of the best in the series.  Sturgeon apparently said: “90 per cent of everything is crud.”

The Madman Theory by Ellery Queen ghostwritten by Jack Vance

7. The Madman Theory
Ellery Queen
Ghosted by Jack Vance

Vance wrote three contributions to the Ellery Queen series.  The other two Vance works were The Four Johns and A Room To Die In.

My Chinese Marriage by Mae T Franking - ghostwritten by Katherine Anne Porter

8. My Chinese Marriage
Mae T. Franking
Ghosted by Katherine Anne Porter


Porter’s first published book, in a career that would eventually lead to a Pulitzer Prize and a National Book Award, was this biography.
Tiger of the Snows (later called Man of Everest) by Tenzing Norgay - ghostwritten by James Ramsey Ullman

9. Tiger of the Snows (later called Man of Everest)
Tenzing Norgay
Ghosted by James Ramsey Ullman

Ramsey Ullman was a mountaineer who wrote Sherpa Tenzing’s autobiography in the same year as he won the Newbery Award for Banner in the Sky.  

Ecstasy and Me: My Life as a Woman by Hedy Lamarr - ghostwritten by Leo Guild

10. Ecstasy and Me: My Life As a Woman
Hedy Lamarr
Ghosted by Leo Guild

Leo Guild has been labelled the worst pulp novelist ever.  His artistic liberties caused Lamarr to sue her publisher over inaccuracies in her own autobiography.

In Other Works: Lesser-known Titles from Famous Authors

by Beth Carswell
Pirates of Venus by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Pirates of Venus
by Edgar Rice Burroughs
Some authors, such as To Kill a Mockingbird author Harper Lee, are legitimately literary one-hit wonders, in the truest sense of the word, and never publish another book. But even in the case of successful and prolific authors, it's generally true that one or two of their books get most of the attention, while others fade into comparative obscurity. In some cases, that may be for good reason - perhaps a writer blows his whole stake on one excellent book, and spends the rest of his career chasing the dream of another like the first. But oftentimes, word of mouth and bestseller lists help to fan the flames for one title, while others, still deserving of attention, languish.
This is for those lesser-known titles, dwarfed by the magnum opus from the same author, waiting patiently, forever in shadow, for their turn in the sun. An excellent example is J.D. Salinger. Salinger’s famed reclusiveness and only novel The Catcher in the Rye steal the vast majority of Salinger-themed headlines, but many readers feel that Salinger’s other works, including Franny and Zooey, were actually literarily stronger than Catcher. To stop one's Salinger education before encountering the Glass family would be a travesty and a shame. And the same is true of so many authors, whose best book may not always be their bestselling book.
Read on for a list of titles you may not have heard of, from authors you definitely have, and get to know the writers behind the blockbusters a little bit better.

Lesser-known But Worthwhile

John Goldfarb, Please Come Home by William Peter Blatty
John Goldfarb, Please Come Home
by William Peter Blatty

A far cry from the terror and dry-mouth inducing chills of The Exorcist, this comedic Cold War spoof has some of William Peter Blatty’s finest writing and was adapted to a film starring Shirley MacLaine.
The Story of Sylvie and Bruno by Lewis Carroll
The Story of Sylvie and Bruno
by Lewis Carroll

One Miss Alice undoubtedly hogs the Lewis Carroll limelight, but for those who liked Carroll’s style of eloquent nonsense, riddle, rhyme and strange character, Sylvie and Bruno is a further treat not to be missed.
The Island by Peter Benchley
The Island
by Peter Benchley

If you loved the spine-tingling, campy, edge-of-your-seat horror of Jaws, then The Island, Benchley’s novel about the Bermuda Triangle and pirates, is sure to be right up your alley. It’s a lot of fun.
The Dragon in the Sea by Frank Herbert
The Dragon in the Sea
by Frank Herbert

Many fans of the Dune books have never ventured beyond them into Herbert’s other work, but they’re missing out. Start with this futuristic tale of oil, psychology and religion from 1956.
A Man of the People by Chinua Achebe
A Man of the People
by Chinua Achebe

Achebe’s first novel, Things Fall Apart, is the best-known book of African literature in the world. His fourth novel, A Man of the People is equally powerful, and a first-person account of a school teacher in a fictional African country.
The Girl in a Swing by Richard Adams
The Girl in a Swing
by Richard Adams

While extremely different from Watership Down, (ghosts, no rabbits) Adams’ The Girl in a Swing is a riveting and affecting story the reader won’t soon forget, reminding us that Adams' talent was widely varied.
The Trumpet of the Swan by E.B. White
The Trumpet of the Swan
by E.B. White

White is most famous for his fictional tale of farmyard courage and his exploration of language with William Strunk. But fans of excellent kids' literature would be remiss to not read The Trumpet of the Swan, about a mute cygnet.
Jailbird by Kurt Vonnegut
Jailbird
by Kurt Vonnegut

Vonnegut was lucky and talented enough to have several well-known novels: Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse-Five, Breakfast of Champions and more. But lesser-known titles like 1979’s Jailbird should not be overlooked.
Coming Up for Air by George Orwell
Coming Up for Air
by George Orwell

While some were put off by its negativity and bitter, weary tone, many Orwell fans consider Coming Up For Air among his finest literary works – nearly on par with 1984 or Animal Farm.
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency by Douglas Adams
Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency
by Douglas Adams

This won’t be news to true connoisseurs of Adams, but in case you’ve only delved into the Hitchhiker books, Adams also wrote a mean detective novel, chock full of the silly, clever wit that makes his readers happy.
The Diamond Smugglers by Ian Fleming
The Diamond Smugglers
by Ian Fleming

Fleming. Ian Fleming. Yes, that Ian Fleming, the creator of 007 himself. But Fleming was a talented and versatile writer.  This is his first non-fiction book, a detailed and expertly-outlined account of the diamond smuggling trade in South Africa.
Farmer Giles of Ham by J.R.R. Tolkien
Farmer Giles of Ham
by J.R.R. Tolkien

Best known by far for The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings trilogy, Tolkien’s creative and imaginative writing extended far beyond Middle-earth. Farmer Giles of Ham is the delightful story of a most unlikely would-be dragonslayer.
The Golden Age by Kenneth Grahame
The Golden Age
by Kenneth Grahame

Before there was Badger, Ratty or Toad, Kenneth Grahame wrote The Golden Age, a loose, Ancient Greece-themed compilation of his childhood memories. Excellently creative and an adventure for children.
A Case of Need by Michael Crichton
A Case of Need
by Michael Crichton (as Jeffrey Hudson)

While it’s tough to beat the concept of genetic meddling resulting in a dinosaur theme park, there was much more to Crichton. His earlier works such as A Case of Need may show less polish than Jurassic Park, but the creative genius is alive and well.
Bend Sinister by Vladimir Nabokov
Bend Sinister
by Vladimir Nabokov

Nabokov’s magnum opus was certainly his third English-language novel Lolita. But Bend Sinister, his grueling dystopian novel written eight years earlier is beautiful, worthy prose.
The Fortunate Pilgrim by Mario Puzo
The Fortunate Pilgrim
by Mario Puzo

Clearly the exploits of the Corleone family captured the public’s interest more than any other of Puzo’s works, but Puzo fervently believed that The Fortunate Pilgrim was his finest work and far outshone The Godfather.
That Was Then, This is Now by S.E. Hinton
That Was Then, This is Now
by S.E. Hinton

Most famous for The Outsiders, Hinton set several of her books in Oklahoma, in the same universe as that first novel. That Was Then This is Now, published four years after The Outsiders, retains the same dramatic teen style.
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach
Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah
by Richard Bach

People remember Bach's feel-good 1970 fable Jonathan Livingston Seagull, whose messages of self-acceptance and perseverance were well worth celebrating. But  thirsty souls looking for inspiration and affirmation should explore Bach’s other works, such as Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah.
The Shoulder of Shasta by Bram Stoker
The Shoulder of Shasta
by Bram Stoker

By far most famous for his eponymous fanged fiend Dracula, Bram Stoker was actually quite prolific. The Shoulder of Shasta, published two years before Dracula, is a gripping and well-written romance, which arguably never received the acclaim it deserved.
The Host by Stephenie Meyer
The Host
by Stephenie Meyer

Most people either love or hate Meyer’s staggeringly popular Twilight series. But The Host, her 2008 novel, was aimed at a more adult audience, and the writing shows it – it’s more sophisticated, less angsty, and even has a hefty dose of good science fiction. Well worth a read.
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
In the Night Kitchen
by Maurice Sendak

Max and his wild rumpus are hard to top. But fans of Where the Wild Things Are may find their best bet for more Sendak is In the Night Kitchen, another magical story about a little boy’s night-time adventure.
Lost Laysen by Margaret Mitchell
Lost Laysen
by Margaret Mitchell

Many people aren’t even aware that Margaret Mitchell wrote anything besides Gone with the Wind, but her earlier romantic novella Lost Laysen, written when she was only a teenager, is worth exploring especially for Mitchell fans.
Good as Gold by Joseph Heller
Good as Gold
by Joseph Heller

Most famous for his darkly funny debut novel Catch-22, Joseph Heller was extremely talented at satirical writing.  Good As Gold was his third novel, and adored by fans as being among his best and most engaging works.
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Witches
by Roald Dahl

While Charlie and the Chocolate Factory may be Roald Dahl’s best-known book, it is not necessarily his best. The Witches, about a little boy, his dear grandmamma with the missing thumb, and their fight against evil is fantastic.
Franny and Zooey by J.D . Salinger
Franny and Zooey
by J.D . Salinger

Salinger’s famed reclusiveness and only novel The Catcher in the Rye steal the vast majority of Salinger-themed headlines, but many readers feel that Salinger’s other works, including Franny and Zooey, were actually literarily stronger than Catcher.

Ripples in the sky: Space Station astronaut captures mysterious 'night shining' clouds over Tibetan plateau

By Rob Waugh
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Space Station astronauts captured images of rare 'night shining' clouds as the craft passed over the Tibetan Plateau - high-altitude clouds which appear as delicate, shining threads against the darkness of space.
The clouds can only be seen from aircraft in flight, from the Space Station, or rarely from the ground at twilight - and shine at night because the ice crystals are lit up by the sun from beneath the visible horizon.
The clouds can only be seen from aircraft in flight, from the Space Station, or rarely from the ground at twilight - and shine at night because the ice crystals are lit up by the sun from beneath the visible horizon
The clouds can only be seen from aircraft in flight, from the Space Station, or rarely from the ground at twilight - and shine at night because the ice crystals are lit up by the sun from beneath the visible horizon
The clouds - called 'polar mesospheric' clouds or 'noctilucent', night-shining clouds were photographed on June 13 by the crew of the ISS using a Nikon D2X.
In both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, during their respective late spring and early summer seasons, polar mesospheric clouds are at the peak of their visibility.

On June 13, 2012, when this image was taken from the ISS as it passed over the Tibetan Plateau, polar mesospheric clouds were also visible to aircraft flying over Canada.
In addition to the still image above, the ISS crew took a time-lapse image sequence of polar mesospheric clouds several days earlier (June 5) while passing over western Asia. It is first such sequence of images of the phenomena taken from orbit.
In both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, during their respective late spring and early summer seasons, polar mesospheric clouds are at the peak of their visibility
Night-shining clouds seen from County Kerry, Ireland: In both the Northern and Southern Hemisphere, during their respective late spring and early summer seasons, polar mesospheric clouds are at the peak of their visibility
The clouds can only be seen from aircraft in flight, from the Space Station, or rarely from the ground at twilight - and shine at night because the ice crystals are lit up by the sun from beneath the visible horizon
The clouds can only be seen from aircraft in flight, from the Space Station, or rarely from the ground at twilight - and shine at night because the ice crystals are lit up by the sun from beneath the visible horizon

Polar mesospheric clouds form between 47 to 53 miles above Earth’s surface when there is sufficient water vapour at these high altitudes to freeze into ice crystals.
The clouds are illuminated by the Sun when it is just below the visible horizon, lending them their night-shining properties. In addition to the polar mesospheric clouds trending across the center of the image, lower layers of the atmosphere are also illuminated. The lowest layer of the atmosphere visible in this image—the stratosphere—is indicated by dim orange and red tones near the horizon.

While the exact cause for the formation of polar mesospheric clouds is still debated—dust from meteors, global warming, and rocket exhaust have all been suggested as contributors—recent research suggests that changes in atmospheric gas composition or temperature has caused the clouds to become brighter over time.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2165940/Ripples-sky-Space-Station-astronaut-captures-mysterious-night-shining-clouds-Tibetan-plateau.html#ixzz1z7XphkH5