DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY...

The Mavericks....Back in My Arms Again...they never left!!

I’ve just been enjoying a video clip of the eclectic US band, “The Mavericks” performing their 1998 huge hit single “Dance the Night Away”.   

The joyful clip was filmed in a supermarket, trumpets a-blaring, guitars a-twanging and drums a-beating; shoppers tripping the light fantastic, dancing up a storm up along the aisles - wriggling their rumps as they hoof it.  Be-bopping, doing the Shimmy-Shimmy-Shake like it never went out of Vogue.  Such fun!  Let’s face it!  We could do with a bit more fun and laughter – a lot more - these days.

I’m a long-time fan of “The Mavericks”, and have a couple of their CDS among my vast and varied collection.  

Next time I visit IGA, our major supermarket up here on the hill, I might just bust a few of moves to get the joint hopping as I Cha-Cha around the green-grocery section.  The ladies in that department already acknowledge the fact I’m a bit of a fruit loop, so they won’t take any notice. Knowing them, they’ll swing their heels and join me in the Mashed Potato. 

Maybe Neville, the boss butcher, is prepared to do The Chicken.   

As we only get a fleeting glimpse of his side-kick, Sir Loin nowadays because, even though he hasn’t given up his knighthood, Sir Loin has hung up his knives, and taken up a pick, a hoe and a shovel - “Hoe” as in garden tool - Neville might step up to the chopping block in his stead..  

Sir Loin, aka Nathan, the butcher, is elsewhere doing the Hully Gully down in the gully, 

Neville, even though we crack a few jokes between each other, many jokes, probably would chuck a wobbly, ordering me to stop mincing about and rack off if I ask him to do The Chicken with me.  It’s worth a try, though!

On the top side, I’m not sensitive about some things.  I can handle a rib or two. I enjoy a good belly laugh.

To increase the interest and attention in my performance, I’ll appear as mutton dressed up as lamb.  After which, I’ll shake a leg, Twist around, and then make a rapid escape...before I’m carted away to be served up as chopped liver to the authorities or an institution.

Of course, you do realise I’m writing this tongue in cheek.  I won’t be sticking my neck out by making more of a fool of myself than I usually do. 

Doing the Jitterbug up and down the supermarket aisles with James would be a lark, if I didn’t break something in the meantime...including, a bone or two of my own - and, if my complaining hips allowed me to be hip!  

Perhaps I should stick to Hand-Jiving.  It was always good fun.  And, you can be seated while doing it, which is a plus....when the hips refuse to be hip!

I Rockabilly, too, if I happen to stumble into him when I’m out on The Stroll I undertake every other day down along the Madison Line.  He likes a bit of Boogie Woogie, but he can be a bit of a Jerk at times. 

He Struts his stuff, and was doing so the day I saw the Bunny Hop. Alarmed, I watched the Fox Trot after it. 

I was trying to Hitch-Hike on the day in question, but I had to put that in Limbo while I applied the mechanisms of Loco-Motion. 

It was as if a Time Warp had come into play!  I morphed into the Running Man. 

Grabbing The Lawnmower, I turned on The Sprinkler in The Cabbage Patch, disturbing The Worm as I did so. 

However, I succeeded in chasing the fox away.  Off to the barn it danced!  Fortunately, The Pony didn't escape when the gate was left open. He wasn't thirsty so he didn't drink any of the water in the dam.

I loved to dance, and did so very often. 

Being not Hip these present days, I can barely Hop, which is fortunate, in one way.  If I attempted to do the above moves in the supermarket, with a Quick Step or three, they’d Hustle me out the front or back door - Two Steps at a time! 

Oh, well!  It’s a Rap!

Chicken Lettuce Wraps: Pre-heat oven 230C. Line baking tray with foil; grease lightly; put 2 chicken breasts in tray. In bowl, whisk 1/2c sweet chilli sauce, 2tbs soy sauce, 3 minced garlic cloves, 1tbs grated ginger, juice of 1 lime, and 1tsp sriracha, or to taste. Pour half of the sauce over chicken; bake 20-25mins.  Thinly slice ½ a red capsicum and ½ a yellow, 1 carrot and ½ Continental cucumber. Cut chicken into strips.  Evenly spread veggies between lettuce wraps; top with chicken; then chopped peanuts, chopped coriander and more sauce.

Left-over Roast Beef Wraps: Beat 450g cream cheese, 3-1/2tbs horseradish and 3tbs Dijon mustard together in until well blended. Spread a thin layer of the mixture over 12 soft tortillas. Arrange fresh spinach leaves evenly over the tortillas. Place two slices of thinly sliced roast beef over the cream cheese. Sprinkle with grated cheddar. Starting at one end, gently roll up each tortilla into a tight tube. Wrap with foil or cling film to keep wraps tight; store in fridge.

Boogie Woogie Mashed Potato: Place 6 garlic cloves on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Drizzle with 1tsp olive oil. Wrap foil around garlic. Bake at 218C, 15-20mins, until softened. Cool 10-15mins. Boil 1-1.2kg scrubbed red potatoes until tender.  Drain; transfer to a large bowl. Squeeze softened garlic into potatoes. Add 125g softened cream cheese, 1/2c cubed butter, 1/2c milk, 1/2tsp each salt and pepper. Mash potatoes until combined. Stir in about 113g Stilton cheese, 6 cooked and crumbled bacon rashers and 2tbs finely chopped parsley. Sprinkle with remaining parsley before serving.

Bacon Jalapeño Twists: Preheat oven 190C. Line 2 baking trays with paper. Gently roll out 1 thawed sheet of puff pastry, adding about 1-inch/2.5cm on each side. Spread 55g cream cheese across puff pastry. Sprinkle 1 diced jalapeño over cream cheese; press in gently so it sticks. Cut into 12 strips. Lay a slice of bacon on top of each pastry strip. Twist together each strip; put on prepared trays. Place 6 twists on each tray. Brush twists with barbecue sauce; sprinkle a little shredded cheddar or Parmesan over each one. Bake, 35-40mins until bacon is crispy.