Dinner And An Outfit -Monday Motivation

There’s just something about Monday. It can be tough, even when you love your job, to go from an unstructured and hopefully relaxing weekend, back to the daily routine of work and life. 

Or , we can look at it like it’s a fabulous new day , new week, full of new possibilities. 

Or, we can just put on an outfit we love, plan a delicious , easy dinner for later, and hope for the best! 

This is a total and absolute look for less , with the entire ensemble , including shoes, bag, and jewelry, costing less than $98.00! 

I found this Cache dress at http://www.thredup.com ($21)last year and I’ve worn it so many times. During the winter I wore it with an ivory scarf, black blazer, tights and knee high boots. 

I’m glad the weather is finally warm enough to wear it with just a few accessories and sandals. My pearls are from http://www.target.com ($8/necklace, $5/bracelet)and the snake bracelet is from http://www.d.alexandercollections.com ($12.00).

The sandals are quite old, but my most comfortable for work. I like to wear them because they are so durable out on the playground. The brand is http://www.mydeliciousshoes.com but I found them at http://www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com for $14.99. 

This bag was a recent purchase , which I bought with Kohl’s Cash , and still available at http://www.kohls.com ($35).

I like to save money when I can, because although I kind of agree with SJP “Carrie”- 

We do need money for other things , such as dinner. Right ? 

So , that brings us to another way to make your Monday not so Mondayish. 

Plan an easy but delicious meal that you can look forward to making and eating all day long. 

I am Italian , as some of you might remember, and I grew up with a mom that believed in simple food , but high quality ingredients. 

This is a super simple meal to create and even suitable for company when you choose ingredients mindfully , depending on tastes of guests.

Pasta Al Forno

You will need :

1 pound rigatoni pasta

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 large eggplant, cubed

10 large sundries tomatoes, chopped 

15 large infornate olives, pitted and chopped

2 dried chile peppers, crushed, optional 

2 cloves garlic, chopped 

1 jar (25 ounces) tomato puree 

Salt

12 ounces freshly grated mozzarella 

Smoked scamorza cheese, as much as desired, roughly chopped 

Freshly grated parmigiano cheese 

Easy steps:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook rigatoni in salted boiling water.

2. Prepare the sauce by heating up olive oil, eggplant, sundried tomatoes, olives, chili peppers, and garlic for a few minutes.

3. Add the puree and salt and let cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.

4. Drain rigatoni, add pasta to saucepan, sprinkle with parmigiano and cook for another 30 seconds. 

5. Place half the rigatoni in a baking dish, adding half the scamorza and another sprinkle of parmigiano cheese over the pasta. Add another layer and finish with final layer of all the cheeses. 

6. Bake for 30 minutes.

You could also add a loaf of bread , salad , grapes, cheese, antipasto favorites and wine to make the meal complete, especially if you have company. 

There’s only one problem with Italian food: 
 

Wishing you all a beautiful Monday and happiness throughout your week ! 

Hope this inspires you to make the most of each day and have fun with your wardrobe and meal selections ! 

Thanks so much , as always , for your time and attention. It is greatly appreciated! 

Yours truly,

Jennifer

Xoxoxo