A Light Summer Meal

I wrote a few essays today, so I'm not much into words. So here's two recipes. You're welcome.

Baked Feta 
- Throw some crumbled feta in a baking thing.
-Zest a bit of orange zest over top
-Broil for a couple minutes until softened (just a couple of mins)
- Drizzle with honey
-Broil for two more minutes
- Serve with melba toast or crackers
[This was a big hit!]







Sweet and Spicy Tilapia Filets

Marinate two tilapia filets in the following for 15 minutes:
- Two minced garlic cloves
- Juice of one orange
-Juice of one lime
-Grated ginger - about a 1/2 inch
-A tablespoon or so of soy sauce
-Two tablespoons rice vinegar
-1 tsp ground cumin
-Two tbsp brown sugar
-1/2 tsp paprika
-Salt and pepper

Broil for 15 mins until cooked and tender.
I served with arugula with lime and olive oil and some simple ancient grains (quinoa, millet, amaranth).

Yay.
Now sleep.
And yes, I know, it's only 8pm.

Gone Fishin' (Plus Beer-Poached Salmon)

I need the next few days to recenter, so I'll keep this brief. Yesterday, I made dinner for Jacy: beer-poached salmon with a cream sauce and lemon garlic aioli and a sweet potato-feta-chickpea salad with a honey mustard dressing. (Recipe below.)

Then Jacy, Ellie and I checked out Chinatown After Dark, which are the Third Thursday of every month during the summer. Jacy and I bought some stellar rings and then we hit up Harvard and Stone for a quick drink before calling it a night.


This morning, Evan, Jacy and I went hiking at Elysian, grabbed some coffee at the Square One Boathouse. I am just about to hop in the shower and then off to meet Larissa and her new baby, Penelope! More fun things to follow, but I wanted to check in with a recipe. I have never poached salmon before and definitely not in beer. Generally, I just bake it, but it always ends up a bit dry. The poaching kept the lovely tenderness of the salmon and I was happy with this spring time meal, although it definitely needs a bit of green. But one makes do with what they have, amiright?













Beer-Poached Salmon:

• Fill a pot (with a lid) with a can/bottle of a beer (I used a lager, but a hef would work too). Throw in some olive oil (2-3 tbsp), a spoonful of capers, a sliced lemon a couple of crushed garlic cloves plus salt and pepper.
• Bring to a simmer. 
• Throw in two defrosted salmon fillets that have a bit of mustard, skin down, in the pot. 
• Cover and cook for 15 mins.

I then removed the salmon and made a roux to thicken the beer sauce and served with my lemon garlic aioli.

Sweet Potato-Chickpea Salad with Feta:

• Two roast sweet potatoes, chopped
• One can rinsed garbanzo beans
• 4 ox of crumbled feta
• salt, pepper 
• honey mustard dressing (homemade with dijon and clover honey)
• Combine
• Inhale

Americana - Fig Style

We threw an amazing Fourth of July party - complete with carne asada, slow roasted pork shoulder, spanish potatoes, chips, salsa, guac, hot wings, beans, chocolate cake, smores, sangria, every beer imaginable, fruit, themed cupcakes, etc.

I didn't make it to the fireworks, but the party was fun!

Also, it was Sophie's birthday so we had some furry friends over :-)

Whaaaaat???

Dude. I usually don't get overwhelmed. This time, I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew...

JK.

But I am seriously busy. Between LAFLA consulting, legislative duties, editing an international jurisprudence book, getting into my law review E-board position, failed dates, nights out, shopping, tanning, pool days, and reuniting with old friends and training Sophie to give me a kiss on demand, I wasn't sure I could handle much more.

Then finals happened. I have my first one WEdnesday and I am about to take a practice exam.

And then, oh whoops, my new job starts tomorrow. I am working at Hadsell Stormer, a human rights firm in Pasadena. I am so crazily excited that I think the adrenaline has kept me going. WOOOOOALSHDLKAJSLNGODISGOSLDKN! Yeah, I'm crazy. Deal.

Things I am grateful for:

- hiking with Sophie (even though we are about to turn those early afternoon hikes into early morning ones.)
- listening to jason's new songs
- Ann Taylor's major sale and Aline for coming with me to sift through the sales racks so I look decent tomorrow.
- For my mom's chicken curry and her finally finished kitchen.
- the fact that I have another two hours before i have to force myself to sleep, which means time for laundry, cleaning my room and that practice exam I am avoiding.
- All the love and support I get on a daily basis. Love x infinity.

Also listen to this bomb cover of Daft Punk's Get Lucky by Daughter.