Pot Pie Goodness

I got an idea to make a pot pie for Thanksgiving this year because last year I went all out and made a traditional Thanksgiving meal, but I had so many leftovers and I don't even like turkey! I took my recipe from Joy of Cooking so here is my process in making a pot pie over two days!

Day 1

I baked my chicken instead of poaching it, it just seemed easier 

I added frozen corn and peas just because I love them in pot pies

Combined with the soup and chicken mixture

Day 2

This is the puff pastry I then rolled out

I folded the sides into the pot pie mix

After baking it for 30 minutes it was ready to dig in to

And ready to be served!

Hope you had a relaxing day and have a great weekend!

Midge xoxo

My Thanksgiving Essentials

A well stocked fridge is always needed on Thanksgiving

Hey Everyone! Its almost Thanksgiving and just this morning I went shopping for my Thanksgiving day needs. I am making a pot pie for the first time (chicken because I'm not crazy about turkey) with a light salad, possible sweet potato side and an apple pie a la mode for desert. 

I also bought my Thanksgiving day/colder month needs. 

Mums are just too cute to pass up in the grocery store, they add a nice pop of color to my dining room

Bagels on the ready. For brunch I'm going to pair those with lox, cream cheese, capers, red onion, and lemon juice.  One of my favorite all time meals during the holiday seasons.

I am serving apple pie for my guests, but I am a die hard pumpkin pie kind of girl so that little gem in there is all mine for a treat in the coming weeks.

Clementines are an essential cold season necessity for me. Not only are they cute, but I can stash them in my bag for work and have a pop of Vit. C wherever I am. 



Hope your Thanksgiving is relaxing and filled with yummy food!

Midge xoxo

New Purchase Alert!

I have been searching high and low for the perfect crossbody purse and I think I found it at the sale inside my local Urban Outfitters. The purse struck me at first because of the crazy green color it is, but when looking up close and opening all the zippers I realized it will be really helpful with all the stuff I lug into and out of the city everyday. 

Close up of the detail

The first big zipper pocket holds my wallet, makeup bag, sunglasses, and little notes to remind me of things

2nd pocket is long enough for my umbrella, mittens, pen, and traveling case holding:Advil, calendar, lip gloss, and tissues

The 2 little pockets hold cell phone and keys and ipod touch

I purchased the bag for $34.00 from $60 and they had SO much other stuff on sale too, check it out especially around Black Friday (30% off sale items on Black Friday!)

Midge xoxo

Healthy Eating Baked Potato Style!

I'm a big fan of cheese and usually its not the healthiest food group to reach for when you plan to make something for dinner. While roaming around on recipe websites online last Friday I found this healthy dinner idea that incorporated my love for cheese from Foodnetwork.com. I knew right away when I saw the picture of the Loaded Twice-Baked Potato that I wanted to eat NOW. 

The recipe calls for warming of the potato in the microwave, I had NO idea my microwave even had a potato setting...gimmie a break people, I'm learning here!

The broccoli was a nice bonus to the potato, I got some green in!

The recipe calls for me to scoop out the insides. At first I was horrible at this (as the picture shows) but the last two potatoes I got the hang of it, slow and gentle was the name of the game.

I realized I did not have the cheese, but I had fat free cheese sticks and cut those up. I also made 4 potatoes, which the recipe calls for. It made a great dish to grab and microwave at work.

I paired it with a healthy salad and was full enough without feeling too full and was pleasantly surprised, the baked potato was complete comfort food for only 274 calories!

Midge xoxo

Free shipping at Athleta!

I realized while starting my squats in front of the large mirror at my gym, that I look pretty frumpy in my gym attire. I am a total t-shirt and suto-pajama pant kind of girl if I am working out (no rubber duckies, but I have seen it before on others), so I decided I was going to look around online and see if I could find anything cute and not too expensive to wear to the gym. I have never really browsed on the site Athleta, which is part of the Gap franchise. Pretty cute stuff and if you spend over $50 its free shipping and handling!

A complete outfit I would wear is:

The Udaya tank, $59.00

Long Sleeve Tattoo Top by YellowMan, $98.00

Punch Pant, $79.00

Also, Athleta carries plus size styles and you can shop for the spot you would be needing the clothing for. Check it out!

Midge xoxo

Fall in New Jersey

This is what I see when I walk outside my front door

I don't know what kind of tree this is, but to be greeted by such a strong red color every morning really brightens my day

Its like a sea of red!

And then when you close the door...

Midge xoxo

Makeup 102

(Before)

Yesterday while at work my friend Amy came to find me after seeing the blog I wrote. She said "Have you ever thought of doing your eyebrows?" Obviously I said no and had no idea what she was really talking about. Amy does makeup for the show I work on, so she is pretty down with all things makeup wise. 

On my break Amy brought me into her room and she tried some eyebrow shades on me. We both agreed we liked this eye color from MAC: (sorry I don't remember the name and cant read what it says by the sticker haha)

(Top left color)

Amy hooked me up and taught me how to use the brush and place the color properly. Here are my eyebrows after Amy did them:

(After, and that is Amy in the back!)

I am REALLY digging the color on the eyebrows, it wasn't too dark but I defiantly saw a difference in my overall face. Amy also taught me how to do eyeliner from MAC. Its not called eyeliner, its actually called Fluidline in the color Dipdown

She taught me to keep it close to the lash line and she even winged it at the edge. Also, she added this maroon color from Chanel (discontinued) to the last line and the crease of my eye. She applied it very light but you could still tell I had a lil' somethin somethin on. 

The final look! Thanks Amy, I love it!

Midge xoxo

Makeup 101

When putting together my inspiration board (seen here) I included makeup and hair styles I liked. Just so you know, I suck at doing anything different then my usual routine with makeup. Trust me, I tried doing a smokey eye for a concert and looking at pictures now I know I should just leave my makeup to professionals. But since I have been trying to update my look and figure out my personal style, I wanted to see if I could really get this makeup thing down. 

I cut out the above picture with all intentions to come out looking like that model. 

These are the products I used:

Olay Advanced Radiance Ivory Cream Foundation around the eyes and cheeks

Bare Minerals Foundation in Fairly Light

Bare Minerals Mineral Vail

No blush

Laura Mercier Black Ebony Eye Liner

Covergirl Lash Blast Volume in Very Black

and Covergirl Roseberry Lipstick (seen here)

I am not sure if I did this look right but from looking at the model, it was all about the lips. 

What do you guys think? I don't mind advice or criticism!

Midge xoxo

Leather Jacket Shopping Numero 2

OK so I promised my long and lean women and my petite women some help in finding a leather jacket. 

Lets start with Jessica Alba, who is very lean and seems to be tall from pictures. There are many pictures of Jessica in leather jackets, but I feel this jacket suits her best. The length of the jacket doesn't make her look any longer, but it adds to a slim waist line and smoothes her look down to an easy and casual vibe. The hint of wrist shows a little skin so the jacket doesn't take over her body and where the jacket is hemmed doesn't cut off any of the length of the leg.

This jacket from Sachin + Babi is being sold for $438. Unlike Jessica's jacket, this jacket has a draping effect which works really well for tall thin women. It gives their bodies some curves and usually hangs really well. Because there is a full length arm I would keep the jacket open and allow some skin to show. We don't want the look to feel stuffy or not allow the jacket to hang in its natural shape.

If you are long and lean and worried you have too much of a boyish figure and want some curves I really like this jacket for you. Its by Anthropologie and is $298. 

It will provide the curve at the waist you may be looking for and have a great deep v neck that I could seen worn with an button down opened at the neck to provide a little skin to be shown. Very easy and classic for an everyday kind of wear. 

Now onto the petites. I really like the cropped leather jacket on petite women. When you have a short torso, a jacket that hits you just above you hips wont drown you in length. Its cool to add some detail on the sides (like Megan Fox's jacket) or back to provide you with some edge to take away from possibly short legs or add some curve.   

I am loving this jacket from Express for $68.60. It has the cool belt detail around the bottom and the sharp lines around the neck and bust area. The pockets would sit well on a petite women, not looking like they were too high as some coats tend to do. 

Petite women can also get away with hoods on their jackets. Typically women with small torsos can add more embellishments and a hood is a fun way to do so. This jacket from Joie is $798. The jacket is kind of an athletic shape and as long as the added bulk at the bottom wasn't overwhelming, a petite women could rock this jacket well. 

Well I hope I helped you find what you may have been looking for :)

Midge xoxo