August Adventures
- bethchartnett
- Aug 28, 2015
- 5 min read
Good friendships are chicken noodle soup for the soul.
...and somehow I make everything about food.
It's a running joke in my family; my dad gets a particular kick out of it. My parents are preparing for a trip to Italy this fall and, as I studied abroad there in the summer of 2010, recently asked me for some advice on how to plan their trip. My immediate reaction was to give them a list of my Top 10 gelato and panini shops. Hey, eating is an important thing to consider in the Land of Flowing Wine and Pasta! Ask any Italian.
[Priorities]
But getting back on track, I have been so overwhelmed as of late with how fortunate I am to call some pretty amazing people my friends. This month my cup runneth over... with good times and friend's birthdays, for that matter. How do I know so many Leos!?
I celebrated an extra special, belated birthday celebration with my other half, Kaitlin. Ole Kaitlang and I have been friends since age 2 and have been inseperable ever since. What can I say, she's my soul sister (and the fact that her birthday is shared with Harry Potter only serves to confirm this). She has been there through every stage of life and I couldn't have asked for a better partner in crime. At 90 we will likely still be found, flanked by walkers, giggling and watching Hoarders. I expect nothing less.
Kaitlin is kicking ass at life—with a new degree and recent promotion—and, as a result, in need of a vacation. With sunblock and oreos in tow (because you can't commemorate Kaitlin's birthday without them), we traded city life for the sun and sand at Huntington Beach for a little daycation. It was the perfect beach day. It began with the usual coastal fog as we headed in for breakfast at HB's Cafe Cup breakfast joint. A little hole-in-the-wall joint that only accepts cash, Cafe Cup is fantastic. They are known for their cinnamon rolls, which are generously sized and slathered with butter and sugar. We split one, in a rare moment of restraint. It was amazing. We followed our decadent appetizer with an omelette for her and a chorizo breakfast burrito for me. The portion sizes were ridiculous, and in a good way. I had enough food to fill me to the brim, and enough to make a whole other meal.
By the time we rolled out of breakfast at Cafe Cup (I mean this quite literally as we ate to our heart's content), the fog had cleared and made way for a beautiful sunshiney day. The water was pleasantly warm, not a common occurance in So Cal beaches, and we enjoyed hours of intermittedly tanning and splashing around in the water. It was glorious.
I made my way to the coast again the following weekend to celebrate the birth of another dear friend, my Courier comrade Jessica. I like to call her "Miss Claremont" because I swear nobody is more connected in town than this gal. And for a reason. She has a heart of gold and it's impossible to not absolutely adore her. Zack, you're a lucky man.
Jessica's parents just moved into a beautiful new home in Ventura, with an indoor pool and bar area to boot. We were thrilled to have the chance to see the new place and have the opportunity to make use of that awesome pool, not to mention indulge in their cooking. My life was changed with one bite of Ron Gustin's oreo-crust cheesecake. The man is a god. We were wined and dined by Ron and Anne with Panzanella, a Tuscan treat with cubed bread, tomatoes, olives, greens, and olive oil; jalapeno popper dip (my Pinterest dreams came true); and grilled sausage with a series of dipping sauces that included a mouthwatering homemade BBQ sauce (Ron, what can't you do!?). The day's merriment was brought to the perfect close with Ron's legendary creme brule, Jessica's favorite dessert. I will be completely honest in saying that after a full day of eating, I still managed to scrape my bowl clean and eat the remainder of Jessica's dessert. I'm more than happy to take one for the team.
[Fed and happy]
Anne sent us off in royal fashion with a traditional country breakfast the next morning—bacon, homemade biscuits with jam, cheesey eggs, and the works. I'm thinking I need to take up permanent residence at the Gustin house.
Rounding out my August birthday bonzanza was a special adventure for my dear friend, Emily.
Miss Em has been my sidekick since college. She has been an incredible support system for me, and I even somehow tricked her into living down the street for me. Ok, in all fairness, I was the one that followed her. She can't keep me away!
The birthday adventure was packed with activities, but it was honestly one of the most relaxing and enjoyable Saturdays. We hiked Potato Mountain, took silly pictures on logs, stopped by a local brewery on a whim for a beer, and ate a delicious "linner" cooked by yours truly. It was delightful.
I was pretty pleased with my cooking chops that day. Emily wanted something tasty, but light, and I found the perfect thing: Grilled Lemon Chicken with Lemon Pepper Feta Rice. In my opinion, you can never go wrong with a good lemon chicken. Plus, it's easy. Take four skinless pieces of chicken, your choice on cut, and put it in a ziplock back or Tupperware along with two tablespoons lemon, one teaspoon olive oil, and two teaspoons of minched garlic (or more for garlic lovers, like Emily). I stock up on the jumbo tubs of minced garlic from Coscto because everything needs minced garlic. My father taught me well.
Let the chicken marinate for five minutes, sprinkle each piece with sald and pepper, and either pan sear it or cook at 375 for 25 minutes (flip after 15 minutes).
While the chicken is delicious, the side dish is really the star here. That lemon and feta rice is seriously scrumptious and something I plan to make over and over again now that I know such a delicious combination exists. This recipe is for three cups of rice, multiply as necessary. First, whisk together two tablespoons of lemon juice and two teaspoons of olive oil. Pour the mixture over the rice with a dash of salt and pepper and 3/4 cup of feta. Mix it all together and viola! Heaven. Slice up some green olives or add some sauteed mushrooms, and I bet the result would be equally delicious.
Set your rice cooker, make your protein ahead of time, or add pre-cooked meat to the mixture, and you have a healthy, filling meal without a hot kitchen. With the current heat wave Southern California is experiencing, this is essential. That and a bowl of ice cream. With the healthy meal, you've earned it.
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