Friday Comfort Food

After the long work week, the last thing I want to do is cook. However, since our friend Murphy was our house guest last night and I was craving some good old comfort food, I decided to put on the apron. I love homemade lasagna, but I hate the work and time that goes into it. Thanks to Trader Joes and a little creativity, I whipped up this last minute lasagna in about 60 minutes. I know the golden rule of cooking for guests is not to make something you haven't tried before, but since Murphy is a good sport, why not?

After Work Lasagna

1 Box Barilla Lasagna (the kind you have to boil)
2 jars Trader Joe's Marinara Sauce
1 container Ricotta
1 ball of mozzarella (sliced)
2 eggs (lightly beaten)
Trader Joe's Spicy Italian Chicken Sausage (I used 2)
1/2 minced onion

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil water and cook noodles until al dente. Saute onion and set aside. Mix sauteed onion with ricotta and mix in eggs. Slice sausages and saute, chopping gently to small pieces. Once sausage is cooked and in small pieces, add marinara sauce.

In a large rectangular pan, spray lightly with non-stick spray and add a little marinara sauce to the bottom of pan. Layer noodles with ricotta mixture, another layer of noodles with sausage/sauce mixture and sliced mozzarella, and so on. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake for 10 minutes.

Holly Go Lightly

Shoe mavens rejoice! Holly Dunlap, Creative Director of oh-so-fab classy shoe goodness, Hollywould, is coming to a Target near you! Hollywould is known for classic designs, sexy heels, and signature ankle bows. How cool is it that through October-December, I won't have to shell out $200+ for a pair of her shoes, but only $29.99??! Yes, that's right, $30 bucks. To top it off, there is a line of matching bags (how ladylike). I am eyeing this tote, as well as a pair of red satin heels.

Hollywould Fifi Tote, $49.99

Bringing SexyBack to SacTown

Boy, that Justin Timberlake has an insane effect on females. Following up to my previous post, my concert-bud Clau got some last minute tickets to the JT show at Arco Arena so after work I rushed over to Forever 21 to get some non-stuffy-sequined attire and off I went. Sacramento was the last stop on JT's tour and he and his crew really put on a good show. We started out in nosebleed section 218, but were able to take over our friend's much-better seats about 5 songs into the show. The new seats were in the middle of skankville, as girlfights erupted, obnoxious comments yelled, relationships were consumated, and lightweight drinkers over-indulged to the point of sickness. However, Clau and I had a great time and danced like we were 20 year old clubbers again. All this on a Tuesday night in Sactown...

This Just In...

As of 4:30pm this afternoon, I am going to the (rescheduled) Justin Timberlake concert at Arco Arena tonight! This was entirely unexpected, as I did not bring extra clothes, makeup, anything with me, but I guess that is an excuse to do some power shopping before he hits the stage at 8:30pm. Thanks to my friend Clau and her fairy godmother, dreams do come true!

Emmytime (Spoiler Alert)

Of all awards shows, the Emmy's are my favorite. The Oscars are a little too austere for my taste (even with Jon Stewart and other comedian hosts), Golden Globes are a nice preview to the Oscars but its spontanaiety is overplayed, SAG awards are mainly a popularity contest (only Screen Actors Guild members vote for their faves), and anything MTV awards is just fluff programming for MTV to give itself a little ratings boost. I'm a TV-girl at heart so I really enjoy seeing talented people get their due. I pretty much agreed with most of the winners. However, I didn't quite agree with Ryan Seacrest as host (why did he have to dress up in a costume from "the Tudors?" come ON.), the whole Jersey Boys/Sopranos tribute (their Jersey roots is the only thing they had in common. 50's pop and Mob families just don't mix), the theatre "in the round" staging, and the creepy Neil Patrick Harris/Hayden Paneterie banter ("so you're 18 now...").

Random Winners and Commentary:

Drama Series: "The Sopranos," HBO. AGREE, this show is so well written that I don't mind the grit and gore.
Comedy Series: "30 Rock," NBC. AGREE. Tina Fey reminds me of my smarty-pants friends. This show reminds me of working at a network and the insane dysfunction that prevails. Love it!
Miniseries: "Broken Trail," AMC. Westerns always win. But I still heart Robert Duvall.
Variety, Music or Comedy Series: "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart," Comedy Central. I admit that I am part of the generation that gets my news from "The Daily Show." Infotainment is key to our multitasking age group.
Made-for-TV Movie: "Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee," HBO. I watched about 15 minutes of this is a heartwrencher of a movie. I can't stand watching movies about the topic.
Reality-Competition Program: "The Amazing Race," CBS. No surprise, this wins every year.
Actor, Drama Series: James Spader, "Boston Legal," ABC. Good, Creepy, Actor. Every time I see him, I think of "Secretary."
Actor, Comedy Series: Ricky Gervais, "Extras," HBO. AGREE, HILARIOUS. I thought it was great that Steve Carell from the other "Office" accepted it on his behalf.
Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Robert Duvall, "Broken Trail," AMC. AGREE, he's so good at playing old, hardened, cowboys.
Actress, Drama Series: Sally Field, "Brothers & Sisters," ABC. Hmmm, I didn't see the series, but I do like Sally Field. We like her, we really like her.
Actress, Comedy Series: America Ferrera, "Ugly Betty," ABC. Good for her. I remember her in "Real Women Have Curves" and I think she's a great role model for aspiring actresses.
Actress, Miniseries or Movie: Helen Mirren, "Prime Suspect: The Final Act (Masterpiece Theatre)," PBS. Who doesn't like Helen Mirren?
Supporting Actor, Comedy Series: Jeremy Piven, "Entourage," HBO. I wouldn't say he's comedic, just nuts. Too bad that he is the only talented one in the entire show.
Supporting Actor, Miniseries or Movie: Thomas Haden Church, "Broken Trail," AMC. From "Wings" to "Sideways," Love him!
Supporting Actress, Drama Series: Katherine Heigl, "Grey's Anatomy," ABC. I liked that she corrected the announcer-lady about her name pronounciation and how she announced that her mom told her she wasn't going to win. Her mother must have been so proud at that moment.
Supporting Actress, Comedy Series: Jaime Pressly, "My Name Is Earl," NBC. She's pretty good at playing white trash. However, I didn't like that she called herself "the little engine that could." That just seems egotistical.
Directing, Drama Series: "The Sopranos: Kennedy and Heidi," HBO. That was an awesome episode.
Writing, Comedy Series: "The Office: Gay Witch Hunt," NBC. Classic "Office"!

Wish List Of My Own

The seasons are changing and you know what that means...FALL FASHION! This is probably my favorite season of the year because 1. whatever body flaws you might have can be covered with a beautiful cashmere coat or sweater. 2. gorgeous leather boots make me feel oh-so-sexy (very Mod Squad). and 3. I don't have to fret about perfect pedicures every other week.

I was not thrilled about many trends the past few seasons (its just too 80's for me), but I am LOVING fall so far. Here's my wish list for the Fall:


1. All Things J Crew


I like preppy, but I usually don't like their "I-go-to-the-Hamptons-house-every-weekend-look-preppy." However, I love this argyle sweater dress($175), wool "Bella" coat ($350), and PETITE (yessssss) Herringbone pants ($135).




















2. Mary Janes and T-Straps
Ever since I could fit a pair of shoes, I have always worn Mary Janes, and T-Straps make me feel like dancing! I just bought these Linea Paolo's at Nordies the other day ("La Rue") and they are not only comfortable and stylish, but they come in red! These will look adorable peaking out under black suit pants!














3. Shiny Things

I am a self-described rodent, as I love all things shiny. I love fall because it is a precursor to dressy holiday fashion and luxurious things like velvets, sequins, and light-up holiday sweatshirts (j/k). I recently bought a black sequined tank top from Forever 21 to wear to the JT concert and it will rock on this season under a velvet blazer, paired with black satin pants, or even paired down with a pair of jeans for a night on the town. The gunmetal gray shiny whatever is next on my list. I love the color: it reminds me of a car. Not only would it be a preferred automobile color, but it is definitely a wearable color as well.

4. Oliver People's Nora Sunglasses

Since I pretty much don't have a bridge to my nose, it is really hard to find trendy sunglasses that fit. However, I solved a 28 year old problem last year while visiting Neiman's and tried on a pair of Oliver People's Makeda style frames. Lightweight, big enough, and complete UVA/UVB protection, I was sold. This year I'm dying to get the second generation Makeda's, this time titled the "Nora" which is a little larger and more square, but a perfect fit.








5. Mac Viva Glam VI
If you liked the sparkly pinkish neutral of Glam V, you'll love the slightly more dramatic VI. I tried it on the other day and this is perfect for fall. Match it with a neutral lip liner (like MAC's ever-popular "Spice" or "Whirl") or a darker one for evening (maybe mixed with "Vino"), this warm, plummy color should go well with all skin shades. Additionally, all of its proceeds go to toward HIV/AIDS research, so that's reason enough to buy it now!

Mr. Biscuit's Wish List

For those of you who know me fairly well, you know that I get a kick out of really really stupid cat paraphanalia. Ever since I became a cat-mommy of a 18 pound tuxedo cat named Mr. Biscuits in March, all things kitty make me giggle like a school girl. He is a cat, but acts like a dog, as he responds to his name, needs constant affection, and loves to play. If I were to give him a human voice, I think it would sound something like James Earl Jones. He sits around the house all day and entertains himself with his feather toys and when we come home, he sits by his little cat door window and watches us come into the house. But I won't bore you with any more cat stories...once you see me in full-on cat t-shirts and other feline fashionables, you can tell me I've officially lost it.

Until then I will have to giggle at the following:


CAT DUSTER SLIPPERS

Mr. Biscuit can now make himself useful around the house!

CITIKITTY TOILET TRAINING KIT


Now if we can only teach him how to flush.

MEWVIES....as seen on 20/20!


http://www.mewvies.com/
Something to keep Mr. Biscuits occupied during the day. He can watch episodes like "Backyard Buffet," "Birdland Bonanza" or "Bug Brigade," all which feature "Animals in their natural habitat." I can get the complete set for $29.95.