Menu Plan Saturday

Because of aforementioned Mean Reds, my menu plan didn't get posted.  So here it is along with a review of last week:

Last week I followed my menu plan pretty well the whole way through.  The best dish was Giada's Tomato Soup with lemon and rosemary.  Only Sunday didn't get cooked because my best friend invited me around for dinner.

This week the menu plan looks like this:

Monday:  Pea risotto (Nigella Express)

Tuesday: Mum's

Wednesday: Grandma's

Thursday: Egyptian Tomato Salad (Nigella Bites) with Guacamole and Corn chips

Friday: Pea and Pesto soup with Garlic bread

Saturday: Involtini with salad 

Sunday: Out to dinner

The Mean Reds

We al know that line from Breakfast at Tiffany's when Hollie says something like  "The blues is because you're getting fat or something like that but when you're down or angry and don't know why that's the mean red's".

That pretty much sums up my attitude at the moment.  I think that I have always had a tendency towards being easily depressed by things.  I thought that I would share the ways that I usually pull myself out or put a stop to them taking over:

• A walk along the beach (except it has to early or late and preferably stormy)
• Watching Oklahoma or Seven Brides for Seven Brothers
• Doing the worst bit of university work I have at the moment
• Reading cook books
• Cleaning
• Going to the gym
• Seeing my friend's for a chat (though not necessarily about anything).

Looking at this list, it doesn't seem like it should be very hard to get happy again, but for some reason these things aren't part of my everyday routine.  While I do understand that to someone people watching Gordon McRae every day might not be so heart-lifting - I'm going to try and do one of these things every day.

Pixiwoo-ed

I have found the best set of make-up tutorials through a  Time Warp Wives link. 

Pixiwoo is a channel on You Tube.

The You Tube posts feature sister (Sam and Vic) who are make-up artists based in London.

The sisters have done a whole series on Hollywood Legends (8 videos in all) featuring Marilyn, Sophia and Audrey.  Her are some of their results

Sam as Audrey Hepburn

Vic as Sophia Loren

Vic as Brigitte Bardot

Warning: Viewing is addictive and you may be encouraged to spend 30 minutes doing your make-up in the morning.

I will post photos of my attempts at following their wisdom!

The girls also have a joint blog: Pixiwoo - Sisters are doin it for themselves

I'm a Marilyn

I response to Porcelain Blonde's post about the quiz:

Are you a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else?  Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz:

I'm a Marilyn

Marilyn's are responsible, trustworthy, and value loyalty to family, friends, groups, and causes.  Their personalities range broadly from reserved and timid to outspoken and confrontative.

How to Get Along with Me

• Be direct and clear
• Listen to me carefully
• Don't judge me for my anxiety
• Work things through with me
• Reassure me that everything is OK between us
• Laugh an make jokes with me
• Gently push me towards new experiences
• Try not to overreact to my overreacting.

What I Like About Being a Marilyn

• Being committed and faithful to family and friends
• being responsible and hardworking
• being compassionate toward others
• having intellect and wit
• being a nonconformist
• confronting danger gravely
• being direct and assertive

What's Hard About Being a Marilyn

• The constant push and pull involved in trying to make up my mind
• Procrastinating because of fear pf failure;having little confidence in myself
• Fearing being abandoned or taken advantage of
• exhausting myself by worrying and scanning for danger
• Wishing I had a rule book at work so I could do everything right
• Being too critical of myself when I haven't lived up to y expectations

Marilyn's as Children Often:

• Are friendly, likable, and dependable, and/or sarcastic, bossy and stubborn
• are anxious and hyper-vigilant; anticipate danger
• form a team of "us against them" with a best friend or parents
• look to groups or authorities to protect hem and/or question authority and rebel
• are neglected or abused, come from unpredictable or alcoholic families, and/or take on  a fearfull-ness of an overly anxious parent

Marilyn's as Parents:

• Are often loving, nurturing, and have a strong sense of duty
• Are sometimes reluctant to give their child independence
• Worry more than most that their children will get hurt
• Sometimes have trouble saying no and setting boundaries. 
  

University

What is going on with my university (University of New England)?

Here I am ready to go with all my textbooks, my practicums booked in and trying to find out what the hell I'm supposed to be doing and....nothing!

Last year when we had to sign on for group work online I ended up being a group with a few other people but I mainly chatted with myself about the assignments. I do not want to be in the same boat this year (as I am determined to have my best uni year ever - this being hopefully my last). So, I have been logging on every day to try and sign on for my group but it hasn't happened yet.

If it doesn't hyappen soon I'm going to have to watch all my getting in the mood for study movies again: Little Women, You've Got Mail and Mona Lisa Smile.

Not that it would be a bad thing...

Menu Plan Monday

Last week not all went as planned!

Quick review:

Nigella Lawson's Penne Alla Vodka was divine.  My beau didn't even realise he was eating a vegetarian meal!  Perfect.  And.. I didn't make anythong else listed on the menu! Ha!  

However can carry over to this week which is using two Giada de Laurentis books: Giada's Kitchen and Everyday Italian.

Monday - Zatar Chicken (and Tofu), Greek Salad and Macaroons

Tuesday - Mum's

Wednesday - Grandma's

Thursday - Tomato soup with lemon and rosemary

Friday - Chicken Scallopini with Saffron cream Sauce (I will have the sauce over polenta) and Rockmelon (Cantaloupe), Red Onion and Walnuts

Saturday - Baked lamb chops and Swiss Chard and Sweet Pea Manacotti

Sunday - Steak (Tofu) and Potato and Zucchini baked with a parmesan crust.

I am attempting to add a bake item to my week like so many others do on their so mine will be Giada's Garlic and Corn Muffins.

In the interest of tracking my spending and wasted food etc but at the expense of being vulgur my shopping this week came to $154.  Is this similar to other people (for 2 adults and 1 cat for the week food and groceries).

The Weekly Round Up

I have had a full on first week back at work (the same as everyone else - I know) so have been slack on reporting and photographing things daily for my blog.

Fisrt of alll: Menu Plan Monday

I think that I followed my menu plan for the week quite well.  Actully looking at it, I did an atrocious job!

On Thursdau day I actually bough sushi and chanmpange and hot chocloate for dinner as I was out at a wedding expo.

Friday I was perfect and as you can see from my photo this dinner turned out to be lovely.  

I made the pastry from scrtach and although I kow it is not everyone's idea of relaxing I find cooking of Friday - witha glass of wine - to be just what I need.  

The wine we had was from a Hunter Valley winery called Cruickshanks and it was their 2000 Two Cabernets.  Divine.  I also cooked a scotch fillet for the beau as he believed he will strave if he doesn't eat meat at every meal.

I didn't end up doing Saturday's Pilaf and pumpkin curry as I went out for a birthday to the Shore Club with is kind of like being in a thirties sea side resort (upstairs anyway) but the food was hideous, as it often is with trendy places (margarita pizza and pizza crusts with undetectable garlic and rosemary).

Tonight is Sunday and my lovely best friend has invited the beau and I for dinner.  I will still make macaroons to take.

However that means that I bought some stuff for the menu that didn't get used so dinner from Sat and Sunday will happen this week.

Monday: Penne Alla Vodka, Ricotta and Pinenut salad and Macaroons.

Tuesday: Marmee's

Wednesday: Grandma's

Thursday: Brown Rice Pilaf and Pumpkin Curry.

Friday: Greek Salad and Tofu Enchiladas (for me) and Meat for the Beau

Saturday: Stuffed capsicums (using spare pilaf) and BBQ tofu (for me) and steak (for Beau)

Sunday: Za'atar Chicken and Fattoush (a la Lawson) and BBQ tofu. Petits Pots De Creme (from: The Food of France)

Here is a photo of what I had to throw out this week.  Much better than last week!

• Dolmades
• Disgusting Pepsi Max (bough over by a friend)
• Satay Tofu
• Hard Goats Cheese
• 1 Lentil Patty

Here are my bento's for this week.  Some are for me and some are for the beau.

Maki's Fried Rice with snowpeas and a lentil ball.  Sweet chili chicken.  Apricot delight coconut things and chips.

Maki's Fried Rice and Lentil Ball.  Snow peas. Cucumber.  My first attempt at tamago (egg omelette with soy)

This will be a turkey, cranberry and cheese sandwich with an apricot and mango fruit strap and chips

Flowers:

With this crazy heat (not so bad as Melbourne) my beautiful plants which struggle to grow, due to the salt, have come out in full force:

Biblical Jasmine

Geranium

Biblical Jasmine

Biblical Jasmine

Biblical Jasmine

Lavender

Menu Plan Monday

To stop the enormous amount of food I throw away I have decided not only to continue on the Bento challenge but also to complete a menu plan Monday.  I actually do not cook that many meals at home because my family catch up a few nights a week over dinner so this should help to reduce the amount of food that I buy.

Her is my menu plan:

Monday: Nann Pizza's (A Nigella Lawson reciepe from Express).  Fruit Salad

Tuesday: Dinner at Mum's

Wednesday: Dinner at Grandma's

Thursday: Veggie Soup and Bread

Friday: Vegetable Quiche with Salad (add chicken for the meat eaters).  Hazelnut Ice-cream

Saturday: Brown Rice Pilaf with Pumpkin Curry.  Macaroons.

Sunday: Penne Alla Vodka (Nigella's FEAST) and Vegetarian Nachos.

As you can see from the graphic at the top this idea comes for Menu Plan Monday comes from a blog called: "I'm an organizing Junkie".  This sit has also induced me to do some filing!

Here is a picture of my latest Bento.  It has curried egg and crackers, a chef's salad with coppa and haloumi and spicy lentil snake (from Just Bento) with some nut crunch.

This is my outfit for today.  The little bolero is new and from Review (I love these style prints).  The skirt is wool and boy was it hot!