Lady Sings the Blues

The last week I have been feeling so.... blah.  I do not know why I am unhappy - buyer's remorse maybe, or is it because I cannot get a job?  I often get the blues when things just don't seem to be happening for me and I am sure if I just kept my head led high I would see something wonderful coming up.

So this is a quick note to myself to keep going, smile and not to worry - whatever will be will be.

Menu Planning - But no photos - again!!!!!

Ok so I still cannot find the battery recharger and may just have to face facts this week and use the Beau's much harder to use older camera.

Last week I went so over budget that I only had half this weeks budget to do a shop - and I really felt it because we signed our mortgage documents this week and I saw how much bah blah blah.  I know everyone is in the same boat.

There does seem to be quite a few vintage people looking into kitchen design etc because they are moving or are doing up their kitchen's.  Our new kitchen has NO storage space or pantry, or dishwasher so I will have to come up with some clever ideas on how to make everything fit once we move. I love the ingenious hidey holes in the kitchen posts over at 50s Gal.

Last week's highlights were Giada's gnocchi (be sure to really mash up the potatoes into the finest mush possible) and the Food Safari Spanakopita which was delicious with the unexpected taste of fresh dill.  I also made a Dahl from the Food Safari book which was amazing and made of things I had in the store cupboard.  I think it even tasted better than the one I have from the Indian restaurant.

This picture is from Food Network and is Giada's Gnocchi with Thyme Butter Sauce

This week I am not really using any cookbooks as I am trying just to use what we have to keep costs down, however some of the recipes I have made before.

12/02/10

B: Soft Polenta

L: Leftover's

D: Pumpkin risotto with lamb chops (boys)

13/02/10

B: Porridge with soy milk and agave 

L: Miso soup and rice

D: Polenta crusted pie with salad

14/02/10

B: Fried polenta with tamari

L: Rice Paper Wraps (vietnamese style)

D: Seafood Paella (as my Valentines present) with mussels, calamari, bugs and prawns

15/02/10

B: Porridge and miso soup

L: Caesar salad

D: Mexcian Monday

16/02/10

B: Soy milk smoothie

L: Leftovers

D: Mum's

17/02/10

B: Fried polenta

L: Empanadas made with leftover mexican and puff pastry

D: Grandma's

18/02/10

B: Tea and Toast

L: Grandma's leftovers (always roast vegetables) in frittatas

D: Prawn toasts and asian style broth

PS.  I promise a vintage related post this week - I have found dome great handbags!

Menu Planning - But no photos

But I have a good excuse - while trying to be all environmentally friendly we purchased rechargeable batteries and now I cannot find the charger anywhere so until then....  sorry.

Last week's highlight was definitely the Welsh Rarebit from my Good Housekeeping book.  It was so easy but very delicious - made ten thousand times easier if you have an easily cleanable double boiler.

Here is a picture of someone else's - it looked the most like mine.  Unfortunately however, I did not make that much.

The books that I'm using this week are Everyday Pasta by Giada De Laurentiis; 

and Food Safari Cookbook which is the result of a TV show that I love.

  

There is a link to Giada's site on the left.  If you click here you will be taken to the SBS website and a lot of the Food Safari recipes are there.  I'm in love with the Crepe Suzette from the French episodes.  We even got a crepe pan for our engagement so I will have to give that one a go.   Actually I will do a link for all of Food Safari under Feast on the left so if you like it you don't have to hunt around for this post in the future.

5/02/10

B: Miso soup and fried polenta with breakfast mushrooms (Grandma's recipe)

L: Spanakopita and Greek Salad (Food Safari p 70 and 73 respectively)

D: Pork chops with apple sauce (the boys) and roast veggies for all

6/02/10

B: Porridge

L: Leftovers

D: Gnocchi with a tomato sauce (Gnocchi is from Everyday Pasta p 109)

7/02/10

B: Rice with gomashio and miso soup

L: Leftovers or go and get sushi

D: Baked fore quarter lamb chops (for the boys) - the same marinade on tofu for me and mash (will be interesting to try tofu and mash together)

8/02/10

B: Fried polenta

L: Roast vegetable and lentil salad

D: Mexican Monday

9/02/10

B: Tea and toast

L: Tomato Jelly with verjuice (based on a Maggie Beer idea - but going to use agar agar for the first time.  Fingers crossed) and avocado

D: Mum's

10/02/10

B: Boiled egg and toast fingers

L: Leftover's

D: Grandma's

11/02/10

B: Porridge

L: Cannelini Bean Soup with toast and a side salad

D: Baked penne with roasted veggies (Everyday Pasta p 89)

Daily Outfit

I know in really should not have titled this post "Daily Outfit" seeing that I do not post daily but that is the eventaul goal so I will keep it.

Here are a host of outfits that I have been wearing - and remembered to take pictures of.

It might we strange to start off a post with my legs but its the shoes that I love here.  They are from Nine West and despite the heel are actually really comfortable.

Here is the whole outfit:

Sunglasses: Specsavers (the most vintage prescription glasses I could find)

Shirt - Sussan's

Skirt - Target

Heels - Nine West

Handbag - Vintage Lanza

Pearls - from my Grandma

Ring - Drackis jewellers by way of my Beau! 

This is not really a vintage dress or anything special but I love the 60's inspired pattern on the dress and am going to use this colour combination to decorate our bar room in our new house.

This top is just from a small local shop but is made of the most beautiful, soft cotton.  It is one of the only things I can bear to wear when it's so hot.

The earring are from my Mum so I think from the 70's.  The are tiny pink roses in the most lovely shade of pink.  Someone once told me it looked like I was wearing lifesavers lollies for earring when I had these on and I'm glad that from this photo I know they don't look like Lifesavers.