Rating:💋 💋 💋
Hello! I hope you all had a wonderful Labor Day Weekend. On my end, it was definitely much quieter, as can be expected, but that was okay.
Long weekends aside, my mom makes chicken for dinner pretty much every Monday night, like clockwork. On Mondays, we do not ask, "What's for dinner?" we ask, "What are we having with the chicken?" Hence the name, coined by my dad, 'Chicken Monday.' Recently, my mom blew our minds with the Chicken Monday concoction she cooked up.
The chef was not very cooperative for this photograph, but the meal she cooked was an incredible one. A simple salad of greens and fresh tomatoes with your choice of dressing, Italian or Ranch (I went Ranch), helped clear the palate from the decadent chicken and couscous. I am in love with this couscous. It is prepared from the brand Near East and it has such a strong, creamy herb flavor. My mom really outdid herself with the chicken though. She turned a bone-in chicken breast into a masterpiece, stuffing each with a slab of mozzarella cheese, a strip of prosciutto, and some fresh basil. Oh my holy.
The beauty was otherworldly. The meat was hot, tender, and juicy, with melted mozzarella running into it and salty prosciutto taking it to a new level of luxury. This should really be a Friday night meal, it felt so decadent. You can get creative with stuffing chicken breast too. Just pick any herb/cheese/spread and slip it under the skin of your chicken before roasting and you are in for a gourmet dinner! The dish was definitely salty, and I was drinking water all night long, but that is a choice you make when you have prosciutto. It was very worth it.
Too stuffed for dessert, I went to my room and watched The Notebook. For some reason, people tended to yell at me when they would find out I majored in film and had not seen it. I did not know it was a cinematic masterpiece, but, uh, okay. So I watched it. It was good. I am still not sure why I was getting yelled at, but it was good. At least I can now say that I have seen it.
Here is a list of some books I was in loooovvveeeeee with this summer that have not previously mentioned. The list is simply ordered by when I read them:
Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue - this was a riveting story that explored humanity in all of its raw grittiness. It was a great adventure in empathy and understanding.
In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez - I first read this my sophomore year of high school, and the story never gets old, or any less heartbreaking. Based off of a true story from the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic, Alvarez tells us about the a very inspiring set of sisters. I connect with Mate the most, but I love them all dearly. It is an especially galvanizing read for our current set of circumstances.
The Clearing: Poems by Allison Adair - I happen to be a huge lover of poetry, and this collection really made me think, and really inspired my own writing. Adair lays emotions raw so you can sink into their fragility and get to know yourself and the world around you on a new level.
Untamed by Glennon Doyle - This book made me feel so much in my chest. It was an emotional, empowering, enlightening read. I think the lessons in the book can really apply to all people, not just women, but oh, as a woman, how great did it feel to be seen! I feel like I need to keep this book on me at all times so I can refer back and remember the strength Doyle found in me and people everywhere.
The Shadow King by Maaza Mengiste - This book is heart-wrenching and beautiful. I was totally engrossed in the pages and lost track of whole hours. Mengiste's style is poetic and heroic, reminiscent of the Ancient Greek texts we read in school. I also really appreciated getting the Ethiopian perspective on World War II.
Dubliners by James Joyce - My parents raised me on Irish literature and history - mostly of the Potato Famine/Revolution persuasion - and this seemed the culmination of all that. It comforted me in that way. In it, Joyce explores the nuances of different people’s ordinary lives in Dublin following the famine. It transcended the humdrum of daily life. Seeing how Joyce makes the seemingly ordinary into something special, I understand why so many of my favorite writers idolize him.
The White Album by Joan Didion - Didion’s lean prose and cutting insights make every essay interesting, from large topics such as the Manson murders and the Movement to smaller stories about California’s infrastructure and the orchid industry. In all, Didion is unapologetically herself, offering unique perspectives that give the reader a new appreciation for the subject. I am also very into the time period she writes about, 1960s-70s America, so it was a very enjoyable read. It is important to note the time of The White Album as well, to understand how that era influenced Didion, and how we have made positive social progress in the years since. It is very much a product of its time, a time capsule of sorts.
In other news, I am very thankful to our family friends, the Terranovas, for this scrumptious homemade sea salt sourdough bread. It is outrageously delicious! I recently made a Provençal Egg Sandwich on it with avocado salad on the side, and it was a party. It serves as a great reminder: I still have not used quarantine to learn how to make bread, and perhaps I should.
As far as what I have learned in quarantine, I'm on step four of my headstand practice! Exciting! One day I will be able to stand on my head! This skill, undoubtedly, will increase my quality of life immensely, so every step is pretty big news! My Italian study is going pretty well, I’m refreshing my French too so my brain does not get languages mixed up, and this morning I learned how to say "I need you" and "I like you" in German. "Ich brauche dich." "Ich mag dich." How fun!
I apologize that this post was a bit of a menagerie of topics. I suppose that is just indicative of life at the moment. From my people to yours, we wish you a happy end of the summer and a smooth transition into Pumpkin Spice Latte and Sweater Season!
XX,
MK
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