Other Peoples Fridges

I know that this is a weird heading but don't you just love seeing how other people keep their fridge (or not).  I think it's very personal and telling about how someone lives.  I thought I would gather up some pictures of fridges that I find interesting or from people I admire.  Hope fully it will inspire me to clean and tidy my own - and finish replacing all the old number-filled products with home made ones (any good jam recipes without the sugar?)


The Glamorous Housewife

Yes, we all know I love her - the front of her fridge is almost as good as how it looks inside - click on here to visit her post.  My favourite part is the flowers in her fridge!  I managed to find similar baskets to hers but not in lovely colours - mine are maroon.

 

The Daily Connoisseur

Surely if there is someone with a grown up, perfect fridge it's Jennifer.  As the oracle on all things Frenchy-chic here is hers (its a video).

 

 A Bowl Full of Lemons

Have you seen how organised this lady is - OMG.  She has fridge coasters - I hadn't even heard of them before but they do certainly encourage you to keep your fridge clean.  You can find the post here.

The Pioneer Woman

Recently the Food channel has been playing episodes of the Pioneer Woman and she has two kitchens - one in her house and one in the lodge (where guests stay) - so that means two spaces to put food!  I would be in heaven.  Here is a post about how she stocks her fridge.

 

Here are some vintage fridges (all from here) that just look amazing and almost as full as mine.  I have been trying to clear out my top shelf of condiments (all those Asian jars you buy because they look good and then use once because you don;t know what else to make with it).  I am also trying to use my Thermomix to make everything that I might buy from scratch (which is pretty easy) but I cannot bring myself to trow anything away so it's taking awhile!

And finally the fridge that looks like it belongs on a ship.  One side is a fridge and the other is a temperature controlled pantry - apparently Nigella like them.  From here.

Nigella Lawson - Inspiration on a Monday

From here

As the weather begins to get cooler in Australia I start to look to Europeans for ideas on how to stay warm and comfortable but still look stylish.

From here

One of my favourite dressers is Nigella Lawson.  I love her pared back yet-still-interesting style.  Nigella clearly knows what she likes and isn't interested in changing to fit in with fashion.

From here

I was first introduced to Nigella when I was about 12 and my Mum bought her first cooking video.  It wasn't even on TV yet and it was just as the term celebrity chef was being bandied about - yet Nigella has always stated that she is a cook - not a chef.

From here

It was the images of her in her home, with a young family, living out everyday life that intrigued me.  The way the show was edited showed that Nigella was a working Mum, to two happy and energetic children, who was also doing her best to support her husband through a very difficult time.  I know a lot has already been written about that time, especially lately as she was in court.  I am not concerned really with the reality - as in everything my perception of her then is my reality and it is going to take a lot more to change my admiration for her.

From here

From here

Nigella's style has morphed over time to become more and more set.  In the first few episode Nigella wore more relaxed clothing but eventually settled on the combination of a long skirt (dark), fitted scoop-neck top and cardigan that was somehow held in place (sewn on?) in a variety of colours.

From here

Off- camera Nigella is still very classical in her dressing.  At red-carpet events Nigella sticks to scuplted pieces - often by Vivenee Westwood - that support and show off her figure.  Latley, Nigella has been wearing pants and blazers with cute printed tops underneath but still sticking to mainly dark colours.  Lately (and I have tried to show it in some of these photographs) Nigella has an element of vintage in her clothes too.  Cat's eye glasses, winged eyeliner, beautiful cascading hair. 

From here

Nigella Crazy

Just found this and had to share:

Click here for previews

Nigellissima

I have just finished reading the first chapter of Nigellissima and I have had it in the house for about 30 minutes!

For some reason I have been feeling like spaghetti almost day - I even made it for breakfast the other day - with a tomato-y sauce and the whole first chapter is dedicated to - as you would expect - pasta.  And even better news is that apart from one or two of the recipe's, being a pesce-tarian I can eat them all.  Not too heavy on the pancetta (unlike some other Italian books I have).


Go and get it!


Look out for my new menu which no doubt will heavily feature from this book.

As I read more of it (and put off doing the baby room) I will update you.

PS - If you are in Australia I got mine (and Mum's) for $28 from Big W - where they say the RRP is $49.95! I was going to post the link to buy it online but it doesn't seem to be available online yet.

Menu Plan

 

 

Week 1

Friday
B - Baked beans
L - Wontons in broth
D - Chinese Chicken Wings/Tofu (Mums recipe) with fried rice

Saturday
B - Oatmeal with chia seeds
L - leftovers
D - Winter Lentils (Laura Calder - French Food at Home) with fresh cheese and brocollini

Sunday
B - Crepe Suzette
L - -
D - Roast chicken, creamy polenta and roast vegetables

Monday
B - Oatmeal with chia
L - Roast chicken sandwich/roast vegetable sandwich
D - Pumpkin soup with croutons and Lychee Kanteen

Tuesday
B - Baked beans
L - Pumpkin soup
D - Burritos

Wednesday
B - Avocado and tahini on toast
L - Brown rice bowl
D - Semolina gnocchi with a brown butter and almond sauce (Based on Maggie Beer recipe)

Thursday
B - Baked beans on toast
L - Brown rice sushi - tomago, pickled ginger and cucumber
D - leftovers

Week 2

Friday
B - Miso soup and brown rice
L - Sausage/Vegetable sausage sandwich
D - Dahl with naan (Food Safari)
Saturday
B - Baked beans
L - Miso soup
D - Lamb chops and roast vegetables

Sunday
B - Greek Eggs (Jill Dupleix - Lighten Up)
L - Mochi with sesame and ginger
D - Home made pizzas

Monday
B - Oatmeal with chia and blueberries
L - Melt
D - Prawn toast (based on a recipe from Practically Macrobiotic) with edamame and bean salad

Tuesday
B - Banana and nut muffin
L - Curried egg sandwich
D - Leftovers/Frozen meal

Wednesday
B - Avocado and tahini on toast
L - Salad box with cheese
D - Korean Calamari (Nigella Lawson - Nigella Kitchen)

Thursday
B - Peanut butter bread
L - Shopping day - out for lunch
D - Leftovers/Freezer meal

Menu Plan

This week has been a busy one of sailing for me so I thought that I would use the above image from a Menu for the Laquna Hotel.  I love how you can see which way the water is moving int he picture.


Here is the menu plan for the next two weeks.  This menu plan is one where I am trying not to buy to much as we have a few big expenses coming up and I am trying to stick to a budget.  I have also had a request from my Mum to include breakfast and lunches again, so they will make a comeback!


Thursday - sailing day
B - Bread with peanut butter
L - Provided on ship
D - leftovers

Friday

B - boiled egg with toast
L - miso soup and brown rice bowl
D - at a Hen's weekend!


Saturday

B - at hotel
L -still at Hen's
D - out - at a Hen's weekend!


Sunday

B - at hotel
L - miso and rice
D - Corn souffle (made with frozen corn) based on Nigella Lawson recipe from How to Eat - Pea souffle p159.  Make 4 - freeze 2.


Monday

B - oatmeal with umeboshi and almonds
L - salad
D - Mushroom/Beef Stroganoff - Nigella Lawson recipe from How to Eat - p188.  However I will be using some gravy beef that I have rather than fillet so it may be cooked for longer.


Tuesday

B - homemade museli with homemade yoghurt
L - bruschetta
D - Red Curry with green beans - add chicken for meat-eater


Wednesday

B - oatmeal with umeboshi and almonds
L - salad with ryvitas
D - Baked semolina gnocchi - a Maggie Beer recipe from the Cook and the Chef show. Salad

Thursday
B - baked beans and toast
L - leftover souffle
D - Rice paper rolls with satay sauce.


Friday
B - homemade muesli with homemade yoghurt
L - baked beans on toast with melted cheese
D - Sausages (Vegetarian and Beef) and cous cous with nuts.

Saturday
B - baked beans and toast
L - ryvitas with peanut butter
D - Roast vegetables with feta

Sunday
B - pancakes
L - leftovers or miss
D - Laksa

Monday
B - oatmeal with umeboshi and almonds
L - miso soup
D - Butternut and pasta soup - Nigella Lawson recipe from How to Eat - p160.  I will add leftover sausages for my husband.

Tuesday
B - homemade muesli with homemade yoghurt
L - ryvitas with tomato and cheese
D - leftovers

Wednesday
B - baked beans and toast
L - buckwheat soba
D - zucchini and feta crostini and salad.  Lemon Tart

Menu Plan

 Here is my menu plan for the next two weeks (my menu now starts on a Thursday as that is my shopping day):

Week 1

Thursday: Vegetable cous cous and sausages (regular and vegetarian)

Friday: French Onion Soup and Croutons

Saturday: Hot smoked salmon gratin (husband cooking) from Annabel Langbien: Free Range in the City

Sunday: Burritos

Monday: In town for a concert - dinner out

Tuesday: Garlic and chilli prawns with turkish bread and salad

Wednesday: Lamb shanks and roast veg (with feta for me)

Week 2

Thursday: Quiche with leftover veggies.

Friday: Pasta Carbonara

Saturday: Beef stew - based on Nigella's Greek Lamb Stew from How to Eat

Sunday: leftovers

Monday: Prawn toasts - based on Macrobiotic recipe from Practically Macrobiotic

Tuesday: Carrot and Almond soup

Wednesday: chicken wings/tofu with fried rice

New Years

I know that this post is a bit late but I have just arrived back from my honeymoon to discover some nice surpirses in my inbox - not just bills. It was a selection of photos from New Years Eve. These photos have been taken by the photographer extraordinaire who did all our wedding photos.

For New Years Eve it's traditional in my family to head to my Grandma and Grandpa's to watch the 9 pm family fireworks from their balcony overlooking Manly. There is always a great buzz in the air with people camping out almost the whole day to get a good view from the beach - however as my family is obsessive about real estate and having views - I am lucky enough to get to watch the fireworks with the best view, without camping out, with air conditioning and a lovely bathroom.

I think that the city out did themselves as usual - with our family fireworks going on for almost 20 minutes. I do feel a bit sorry for all the bats and Lorikeets though that hate the noise.

For dinner it's usually salad, BBQ (rotisserie) chicken and buttered bread. My Mum made a pavlova for sweets - it's Nigella's and always turns out delicious. I made the same one for my husband to take to work on Christmas Day as he worked and it was a big hit.

The Pavlova

Before I started to get ready Mum and I were watching the 2005 Pride and Prejudice and I have fallen in love with another red head - Kelly Reilly. In the film she play Caroline Bingley and I just love the hair and skin and how they work it beautifully with the clothes. I also think the soft hair and flowing lengths of the gown really show that underneath her ice-cool exterior and acid tongue she has a softer side. I also wish my lips were as full as hers.



I tried to model my hair on the style that she wears during the day and the parting that she has at the ball.

Finally here is my Mum and I before dinner looking very glamorous.

Menu Planning and a Celebration

This week coming the Beau an I will have settlement on our first home.  I am so excited to have our own place and be able to have privacy and be free to do whatever we like.  At the moment we live in a noisy building in a popular spot.  For example, even though it's 11 am on a Tuesday I can hear building works, cars, people walking past, lifeguards on a megaphone and a garbage truck.  So it's good bye to to all that - though I will miss the view and the spectacular weather changes we get to see coming in from out at sea.

Here are some pictures that we have taken from our time here:

This is the view from the kitchen

This is Dee Why Beach at sunset.

An amazing storm front moving out to sea

This is the crowd we get on a public holiday

This is Beau with the other end of the beach in view - Long Reef

A beautiful rainbow after a quick sun shower.

I am back to menu planning this week so here we go:

18/3/10

B: Brown rice, gomashio and miso soup

L: Lunch out - shopping day - probably sushi

D: Greek salad (from Nigella's Forever Summer p 62), Pumpkin and Red Lentil Soup (Vegetarian Cooking)

19/3/10

B: Porridge with pear 

L: Falafel (from a box mix) with salad on whole-wheat pita bread.

D: Pappardelle with zucchini, sultanas and pine nuts (Nigella's Forever Summer p 32)

20/3/10

B: Toast with peanut butter

L: Leftover soup and bread

D: Grilled eggplant with feta, mint and chilli (Nigella Summer p 7), Cacik (Nigella's Forever Summer p 57) and lamp chops (for the boys)

21/3/10

B: Brown rice, gomashio and miso soup

L: Leftover eggplant and Cacik on pita

D: Prawn Curry (Nigella's Forever Summer p 73) - chickpeas for me and brown rice

22/3/10 - Settlement Day

B: Fruit salad with yoghurt

L: Leftover curry and rice

D: Celebration dinner

Bloody Mary and Oyster shooters Rouille

Avocado and verjuice jellies (Maggie's Kitchen p 83)

Homemade gnocchi with pumpkin, ricotta and spinach

Grilled octopus with (Maggie's Kitchen p 84)

Baked yoghurt tart with figs and hazelnuts (Cooking deserts p 125)

24/3/10

B: Summer Bircher

L: something leftover or a meal from the freezer

D: Mum's

25/3/10

B: Miso soup and fruit

L: Caponata (Nigella's Forever Summer p 152) and Zucchini Fritters (Nigella's Forever Summer p 156)

D: Grandma's

The books this week are some I have used before (click titles for more information):

Nigella's Forever Summer

Maggie's Kitchen by Maggie Beer

Vegetarian Cooking - A Commonsense Guide

Cooking Deserts

   

Menu Planning

This picture comes from: Arkiva Tropica

This last week I have mostly stuck to my menu planning but I have had to make a few extra meals or servings because this week it seems like we have had people for dinner every night! Which I like because when they all say everything is delicious it's all worth it.

I really enjoyed a lot of the new recipes that I tried last week so some of them are making a comeback.  So I am still using the two macrobiotic books from last week but I am also using Nigella Express this week.

I have also been trying to stick to a food budget which is hard for me as normally that's what I would spend my money on - not clothes, or going out - just ingredients.  So with my shop for the following week I have come under budget but now I just have to not buy anything else until 14/1/10.  I will have to do with what I have (which is not inconsiderable) and I have to use it before we move anyway!

For my menu this week starting on Friday:

8/1/10

B: Fried mushrooms on sourdough toast (same as last week - they were delicious, easy and filling)

L: Brown Rice Ramen in broth (from a sachet).  Or plain ramen in leftover soup.

D: Prawn Toast, Miso soup, Noodles and Edamame.

9/1/10

B: Brown rice with umeboshi

L: Vegetable soup with miso

D: Green vegetable curry with Pilaf rice

10/1/10

B: Miso soup and polenta

L: Sesame peanut noodles (Nigella Express recipe)

D: Burgers with "fast" fries (Nigella Express recipe) and salad.

11/1/10

B: Tofu scramble

L: Butternut and sweet potato soup (Nigella Express Recipe) and toast with hummus.

D: Mexican Monday (boys decide)

12/1/10

B: Fired polenta, miso soup and yoghurt

L:Crunchy salad with hour and sour dressing (Nigella Express recipe) and leftover soup

D: Mum's

13/1/10

B: Toast and tea

L: Miso soup, brown rice and leftovers

D: Grandma's

14/1/10

B: Bannocks with tahini and marmalade,  Miso soup

L: Leftover's or lunch out while shopping.

D: Naan pizza (with vegan cheese for me) and salad (Nigella Express recipe)

Menu Plan Monday

For the month of February Organizing Junkie had a recipe challenge.  The idea was to organise all recipe books, binders and floating around bits of paper.  

I took up this challenge and even though I forgot to take photos of the before mess, here are the after shots:

This my whole bookcase of beautifully ordered cookbooks.  My vintage collection is middle shelf on the right.

These are the books that will be going to Vinnie's.  I probably bought most of them there for a few dollars so it's not too hard to give them back!

This has inspired me to use all the cookbooks that I have kept in my collection.  So, from now on each week will feature menu's from one specific cookbook, with some of my own reciepes thrown in - if needed.

This week's reciepe's come from A Treasury of Australia Cooking , published in 1962.

Monday: Baked stuffed Peppers (p 179).  With extra veggies.

Tuesday: Mum's

Wednesday: Grandma's

Thursday: Leek and poatao Creme Soup (p 25)

Friday: Potato Cakes (p81) with a piece of fish for the Beau.  Waldorf Salad (p 95)

Saturday Roast veggie quiche with feta (my reciepe).  And steak for Beau.

Sunday: Cheeseburgers (p 216).  Lentil burger for me. And Salad.

Last week's menu went quite well except I couldn't be bothered to make Involtini as it would have been just for me and I had too many wines before I decided to get dinner ready!  Also pea and pesto soup was not nice (sorry Nigella - it's the first ting I have made of her's that is not to my tast - sadly).  Also did not make Pasta e fagoli as couldn't be bothered when Beau saw the picture and said he wouldn't eat it.

I am going to endevour to take more pictures of what I make as most of the receiepe books I use do not have pictures.  Here is the dreamy Penne Alla Vodka (from Ms Lawson) - but with bow-tie pasta.