Rainy Sunday Vibes

Rainy spring days have me waking up foggier than usual so brunch this morning with good friends and strong coffee was perfect. When I read that the egg sandwich was made with local english muffins, it was a total “you had me at hello” moment. You can eat this amazing food at Bee’s Knees Supply Company while enjoying the greatest decor. Shiny white subway tiles, rustic wood, and old stoves… c’mon could it get any better?

The rest of the day has consisted of a lazy nap, lunch food prep (it involves replicating a Sweetgreen recipe- hope it turns out good enough to share), and listening to the newest Yuna album. I think Poor Heart is my favorite track on this album. I had the opportunity to see her perform in Boston a couple months ago, and she’s simply radiant.

SB

Hi! Long time no see! I’m currently on the tail end of my spring break and just wanted to catch up. Spring break’s been pretty uneventful… mainly me trying to get work done ahead of time! With my internship and course load, I really should be more on top of it, but I am one of many that seem to get their best work done under a bit of pressure. It’s terrible, but you all have the same sentiments, yes? As I’m always on my iPhone toying with Instagram, I thought I’d follow with some pictures from life lately. Enjoy!

OOTN for the fundraising event the CAC had in February! Forever21 dress from 2 years ago! Love the chantilly lace action going on at the shoulders.

In addition to my internship, I’ve been working part-time with an archiving company and currently working on a family archive.

Bday staff lunch: First time having chicken n’ waffles! I am happy to report it is AMAZING.

Early bday dinner: Convincing a friend to try Korean food. One word– BULGOGI! Loved all the banchan :)

The day of the big 2-2: Mommy and daddy brought cupcakes!

Graduation is nearing, and I try not to get consumed in my thoughts. However, it’s really difficult not to, with the pressure of finding a job that satisfies my desires to make an impact in the biggest way I can. I’m one of those idealistic, “I wanna save the world” types that people make fun of. Sometimes, I find that I’m unrealistic in my expectations– I want to have the nice salary to feed my shopping habit AND do non-profit work. Is there something out there?? I feel like I have so much to offer and experiences that have prepared me, but I keep finding myself at dead ends. I have so many interests– art, fashion, women’s rights, community engagement & outreach, social media, capacity building initiatives, food, public radio, archiving, the list is endless…

Basically, I’m so over the school emails telling me how many days until graduation… it’s like rubbing the wound with salt!!

Summer in a photographic manner.

5/23 - My favourite burrito place closed abruptly. It was a sad day, hence the rain.

5/26 - This has become a frequent scene outside the summer dorms (3x already). People don't know how to use the vents when cooking, and the fire alarms go off. A bit of a bother since it's bloody mid-90s outside even in the evening nowadays!

5/28 - Nothing like cheating the system by not paying entrance fees on the grounds which the fireworks are being set off and going off to a cozier, quieter place to watch from afar.

5/30 - This one's a smidge out of focus! I think this picture is self-explanatory. Museum adventures = extremely educational!

5/31 - I've eaten a lot of fro yo this summer. It does not help that it's 5 minutes from campus. On the left is mine and on the left is steamroller's. He likes full-fattiness in his frozen confections, while slightly lactose intolerant me enjoys the lighter versions of iced dairy. If I remember correctly, his is coconut macaroon and mine is California tart with splotches of pink lemonade garnished with fruits and sprinkles galore!

5/30 - I made something really American for dinner one night- meatloaf. It wasn't as scary as I imagined it was going to be, and served with a side of roasted rosemary parm potatoes, it was delicious!

6/22 - Did you know there's Hello Kitty duct tape in existence? Well it exists at your local Target and is just as handy as regular ole' duct tape.

6/4 - Macaroni and cheese and garlic oil asparagus. Nourishing comfort food.

6/4, 6/9, 6/9 - This little guy just hangs out by the door on hot summer days. Poor guy's so hot that people being so close to him does't even give him the slightest fright!

6/19 - The mighty Mississippi.

6/19 - The barge gently passes us by, with the waters lapping at it. Standing by the riverside, everything just becomes a little slower and the air smells like moist and full of life. One of the best days so far this summer.

6/25 - This image is a reiteration of how hot it is outside. Poor little lemon cupcake :( .

Chicken Parmesan. We cook like Italians.

So first summer cooking adventure of the summer was chicken parmesan. We knew standards would be low since our experience with the Rat’s chicken parm has never been the best. We questioned ourselves on whether this dish was too difficult to tackle so early on in the summer and what would happen if we screwed up royally. However, we discovered this chicken parm is easy-peasy to make! The chicken turned out super tender and stayed the slightest crispy even when baked smothered in the sauce. The only gross part was touching and smelling raw chicken. Bleck. With the help of my Best Supporting Cook, we definitely succeeded on our first cooking adventure. This recipe is easy to follow, and you can tweek it to your tastes if needed, because we did :) We also served it with some pasta tossed in garlic oil (because that kid’s not a fan of red sauce except on chicken parm?), which was also super easy to make. Recipes and notes will be linked/provided after the photo.

P.S. We definitely cooked enough for four people. There are only two of us. We still suck at gauging servings. Two chicken breasts pounded flat and cut in quarters = big pieces of chicken. I suck at explaining this, so feel free to ask what I mean haha.

P.P.S. Definitely used store-bought sauce. Marinara. It was a lazy and delicious choice. We’re college kids okay? Plus- onions make me cry!

Chicken Parm recipe here.

• Definitely used the entire 1 cup parm with the breadcrumb mixture. Still tasty.
• Threw in some herbs and spices into the breadcrumb mixture. What was it? We just bought this pre-mixed bottle of Italian spice. I think this is a preference move, so your call.
• We ended up using 3 eggs, because we double dipped the breasts in the egg and breadcrumbs. This made a crispier crust. We both like breading, but you might not. Your call… again ha.
• Cheese overload definitely happened… It was yum.

Garlic Olive Oil for pasta here.

• We smashed our cloves of garlic, because I didn’t follow directions. I left the oil on the stove for maybe 5 minutes instead? I got scared of it burning. Tasting the oil is your best bet. Cool it on a spoon first though!
• Leftover oil (and garlic cloves) was poured into a cup, covered and placed in the fridge for later use.