How To

Ever wonder how to get that pesky garlic or onion smell off of your hands?

Well there are 2 solutions that work and do not require you buying ANYTHING:

1. You can rub your hands against anything that is stainless steel, like your sink, then wash and viola they don't smell anymore!

2. Wet your hands, shake some salt onto them, then wash with cold water!


Now, if only it was that easy to get your garlic breath fresh!

Reservations, PLEASE!!!

I don't watch cooking shows. For some reason I just cannot get into them. Either the host annoys me with their shrill voice or their food looks pretty gnarly. But I am obsessed with the man to your left and his show
"No Reservations."

If you have not seen this show which airs on Monday night on the Travel Channel then you should really make a point to one of these days. If you have seen the show then you probably know why I like it so much- food, travel, culture. These are 3 of my favorite things and these 3 things are what "No Reservations" focuses on... It also doesn't hurt that it is hosted by a handsome middle aged man that looks like he can teach you a few things. ;-)

But really, I think the reason I am so obsessed with the show is because it inspires me. I know, I know, on its face that sounds cheesey, but please let me explain. You have someone who each week goes to a different location in the world and immerses himself in the culture, the food, the people, and the sights. That is so fearless! (Even if he does have a crew there with him to help out). Most people I know, including myself (at this point in time), would never have the balls to do that. But this show makes me want
to do that. It makes me want to push myself. Crazy that a show has the possibility to change my life? Perhaps, but I like it!

Quick Meal: Fish

Tuesdays and Thursdays are extremely busy for me. I am in class literally all day and by the time I come home for both lunch and dinner I am usually too tired to make anything because I "think" it will take too long. In reality it is just an excuse to eat like sh*t and pick up some fast food. Thank God for Quick Meals that are healthy AND delish!!



My sister T introduced me to this fish recipe: Baked Lemon Cod. It is extremely easy to make and really yummy! If you don't like cod, you could substitute it for any white fish such as tilapia or sole.



2 pieces of Cod

2 tablespoons butter

1/8 cup of flour

2 tablespoons of lemon

salt

pepper

paprika

1. Preheat oven to 350
   
   
2. Toss the butter into the mikee (microwave) for about 40-45 seconds (until melted)



3. Add the juice of one whole lemon (usually one half of a lemon is a tblsp)
4. Mix these two in a bowl and set aside.

5. Add the flour, salt, and pepper into a bowl. I like to use a fork to mix the ingredients around. And use as much or as little S&P as you like.

6. Now take the Cod and place into the Lemon and Butter bowl.
   
   
7. Then place the cod in the Flour mixture. I like to tap the fish up and down because the last time I made this I rolled it around in the flour and it got clumpy and gross.

8. Next, place the cod in an ungreased baking pan. Add the remainder of the Butter and Lemon mixture and top it off with as much or little Paprika as you like!



9. Throw the tray into the oven and bake for 27 minutes!

I like to get some carbs and veggies in with every meal, but because I am on the go I need something fast; so no grilling summer veggies here!!!!



For my veggie on a quick day, I like green beans from a can. If you don't want extra sodium, they sell it "salt free". If you have a few extra minutes to spare, you can cut up some yellow onions and tomatoes, saute them in the pan, then dump the green beans in. It gives it a good flavor that isn't so mundane.



For carbs, I like Uncle Ben's Whole Grain Brown Rice. I never thought I would like brown rice, but seriously, it tastes better than white rice! This isn't really a recipe because you just follow the directions box if you are making instant rice how I am. To put it simply: Just take a package out, toss into a medium sized pan, and fill it up with water until about 1-2 inches from the top of the pan. (If you want to give the brown rice some flavor, u can always throw in 2 garlic cloves!) Bring it to a boil and then cook it for 10-12 minutes. When done, rinse off and cut open the package.



Enjoy!

Updates

three things:

1. comments are back.
2. blog is now "public" again because apparently i had to send out invites to people- LAME.
3. in january of this year, i think, i posted a blog about how i wish i could read a book that discussed where different words came from. well, i didnt find a book, but i did find an awesome podcast. its by NPR and it is called "A Way With Words". it is free and it is one of the most interesting podcasts i listen to. check it out!

What We Lost In Law School

as my law school career is coming to a close, ive already begun reflecting on everything i have learned while in it- about the law, about people, about myself. this blog entry is about myself- who would have thought, right?!?! HA!

overall in the past 3 years i have learned VOLUMES about myself. in law school, u are constantly analyzing everything- the why's, the who's, the how come's. it is inevitable that this process will bleed into every area of your life. for someone like me, this is a God send. let me briefly explain why:

a few months before i graduated from college, back in 2005, i didnt know what i wanted to do and i was barely coming into my own. i was @ a crossroad of sorts.... i remember lying in the living room with my mom and telling her that i hated that i didnt know whether i could think for myself. i didnt know if i "believed" what i "believed" because i was taught it, because the people around me believed it, or because i really did believe. i was not referring to religion because after re-reading that sentence it can imply that. what i was referring to was EVERYTHING! i told her that i didnt even know if my favorite color was really mine or someone else's that i claimed as my own.

cut to present day: i am a completely different person than i was back in that memory. i know what i believe in and think about things and i can tell you exactly why. i love that about myself, especially when i think about how just 4 years ago i was the exact opposite.

however, we dont always come out of every experience loving every part of it. hence, the reason for writing this blog. given that law school is extremely, brutally, incredibly difficult, it is super hard (at least for me) to balance everything: classes, homework, family, friends, your health, your sanity, and YOUR SENSE OF STYLE.

i feel like i lost my sense of style in law school. and that sucks. before law school, i used to really care about what i looked like from my hair, to my makeup, to my clothes, to my shoes, to everything... and not for some dumb reason like i cared what others thought of me, but rather because it was just something i loved. it came easy for me... but now, it seems like one more thing to cross off on the "to do" list. its a chore. its a chore to get ready in the morning and do my hair, and my makeup, and find a cute outfit with the right shoes, especially when there are other things that are more important like school work. but are they really?! i mean in order for me to function at my maximum potential i have to take care of myself and be happy. but as we all do when we have more pressing things to worry about, i shove that thought out of my head as quickly as it came in. i HATE that ive allowed this to happen to myself. i mean i honestly dont even care what i look like when i leave the house anymore. wearing the same pair of jeans, flip flops, and white or grey american apparel shirt everyday with my hair pulled up in an ugly ponytail might bother some, but it doesnt bother me and THAT bothers me. i want to take pride in how i look, but i dont want it to be a chore..... how does that happen when you havent paid yourself any mind for so long??