My mom has been experimenting with the cooking a bit lately. (Note that experimenting in this household usually means something other than meat, potatoes and veggies. This is due to the fact that my siblings are fussy eaters). What she’s been making is nice, but I still like one of her classics best.
This recipe is for Clem especially, as I promised it to her ages ago.

Red Macaroni

This recipe is suitable for 3 large eaters and 2 small eaters. I think that about evens out to 4 normal eaters.
Ingredients:
3 paprikas: 1 red, 1 yellow, 1 green
1 large onion
500 grams minced meat
(approximately) 80 grams Tomato Purée
Italian Herbs
400 grams of Pasta (preferably a whole wheat or corn version, the white flour ones don’t have enough texture in my experience)

1. It’s best to use a large pan, that way you can add the pasta to it when it’s cooked. Fry minced meat (in olive oil) until brown. Chop onions, finely. Add. Chop paprikas in to pieces (not slices). Don’t forget to remove the seads! Add to pan.
2. Let it simmer on medium heat until the paprikas are cooked. Don’t forget to stir occasionally! Add the tomato purée and stir it through. (Our tomato pure comes in cans, and usually some sticks to the side, so if you want you can put a bit of water in it, swirl it, and add it with water to the pan. This makes sure you have all the tomato purée.) If it has a slightly bitter after taste add a small spoon of sugar. It helps to even out the taste. Add the italian herbs, some salt and some pepper. Let it simmer for about 15 more minutes on a low heat.
3. Cook the pasta, following the guidelines on the packet.
4. Add the cooked pasta to the pan, and stir it through. I prefer to let the pasta sit for about a minute or two before I eat it, but you can eat it immediately.

The sauce itself is also very freezable. I actually prefer it when my mum makes the sauce the night before we’re going to eat it. That allows all the herbs to really infuse everything with its taste. When you decided to eat it, all you have to do is put the sauce on a low heat, and cook the pasta.

I hope you enjoyed this recipe! Let me know if you make it, then I can tell my mum, I’m sure she’d like that.
On a different food related note: Do you guys know of any recipes with eggs? We got loads from my grandmother, and one can only eat so much boiled and fried eggs.

Yes people, it’s bulleted list time! A lot of things have been going on in my live lately, especially school, so here goes:

• My final project (which you’ll be hearing a lot more of) is setting off.. We have two months to complete it and so far we have done a lot of research, but nothing that actually involves something in a lab or a workplan for doing stuff in a lab…
  For example: I spent my afternoon researching various anti conception pills…
• I have a researching dossier due next week. (We are supposed to write an essay on the topic of that dossier two weeks from now) Only I haven’t got the article I’m supposed to research because I’ve been ill on Tuesday and Wednesday and the girl that has my article was ill Thursday and Friday… It’s going to be a rush job.. >.<
• Due to me being sick on Tuesday I missed my chemlab, and now I have to do it some other time.. Very inconvenient…

And then on a brighter note:
It’s my birthday next week! Wednesday to be precise, I turn seventeen Feel free to send me gifts .

Because we are a small country, not much of our music gets outside of Europe, or even outside of Holland. Which is a shame really, because we have some really good artists. Until I run out I’m going to tell you about three every time I feel like it (in other words, when I have nothing better to do or to blog about ).

Dennis
Taken from her website:
From raving party girl to rising pop star – Dennis is one of a new and talented breed of edgy young singers. She has a very promising career ahead of her, so remember her name!
Personally I just like her because she can sing beautifully, and most of her songs are very upbeat and summery. Something I always like .
Song I like best: Own Little Bubble.

Anouk
Very talented singer. She makes all kinds of different songs, but I think she’s best at songs that are a bit faster. Even though her ballads are really beautiful, it seems as if they get whinier the more I hear them.
Songs I like best: Modern World and Jerusalem.

Ilse de Lange�
She has a beautiful voice and sings beautiful songs. She is great at both ballads and more upbeat songs and is just an alround great singer.
Songs I like the most: (these are all live performance videos)  Flying Blind, I’m Not So Tough and The Great Escape

This is an update on my school life and my schedule, which can be found below, the gaps in the times are breaks, the empty squares are gap hours. 

As you can see, someone really enjoyed themselve making my schedule. I don’t have that many gap hours this year, but I still don’t like it.

Biology – Is and ok-ish subject I’ve had the teacher for the past two years, and she likes me, so I’m not immediately punished if I don’t finish my homework (which doesn’t happen too often )
Maths – Same teacher as last year, she likes me (I think) and she knows what to expect of me. The subject itself isn’t great, but that’s mainly because I can’t grasp some things at all.
Physics – Is kinda hard. Fortunately I’m in the advanced class because I chose to, and the teacher likes all the people there . She also thinks we’re smart, which is really useful.
Chemistry – Is ok so far. It’ll get harder though >.<. Fortunately I’m here in the advanced class as well, and I’ve had this teacher for two years before, as well as last year. He likes me, and I like him and his teaching methods, so I’ll be alright.
Dutch – I like the teacher, otherwise I don’t really care for the subject. It’s mainly boring and telling me things I already know, or don’t want to know.
Greek – The translating can be hard sometimes, but because we have a small class we get a lot of attention from the teacher . I’ve had her for 3 years know (not in a row) and I like her. She knows my strenghts and weaknesses and she can point out things I might do wrong. She’s cool .
English – This marking period we’re doing Hamlet, and so far I like it. I have a different teacher than last year, and I like her teaching style. She writes things we have to copy on the blackboard, in stead of rambling on and on and on like last years teacher sometimes would.
PE – Don’t much care for it, but we can address the teacher with his first name, and he’s nice, so that’s ok. Also we get to choose three different sports this year. I got Rowing, Karate or some other fighting sport and Streetdance.
Economics – The teacher is a change from the ones I previously had for this subject. He addresses the entire class with ‘u’ (‘vous’ en français) and he’s really nice. Our class is small as well, and as far as I’ve seen I’m the only girl… 

So these are my subjects this year, and the ones I’ll have final exams for at the end of the year.. I’m nervous already! Lets hope all goes according to plan…

If you’ve been reading Dutch newspapers (which I doubt you have, but anyway) you must have come across the article about the Muslim lawyer who refuses to rise for the judge.

He refuses to rise for the judge because he says that according to the Koran everyone is equal. When the court ruled that he doesn’t have to rise because of his religious believes, all hell broke loose.
Several political parties yelled ‘disgrace’ and the Minister of Justice, Ernst Hirsch Ballin said that when you rise for the judge you don’t rise for the person, but for the profession.

Wanna know the ironic part? The guy didn’t get a job with the social services because he refuses to shake womens hands. So much for all humans are equal I guess.