I’m not sure how I did it, but I’ve managed to make it twenty-six years in southern California without going to the river.

But this weekend, I’m popping my river cherry thanks to some close friends who invited me and Wesley to join them on their weekend river trip.

Beers and boats! Here we come!

Hopefully I continue my streak of NOT hurting myself.

If you are going to spend the weekend enjoying some beverages by some body of water, here is just the little snack to take along for the ride.

You will need…

1 mango, peeled and diced

½ cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small jalapeno, diced

½ red onion, diced

Juice of 1 lime

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro

3 green onions, finely chopped

5 mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Here comes the really hard part. Combine all your ingredients in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Wish me luck on my river adventure!

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

Minty Mango Salsa

1 mango, peeled and diced

½ cucumber, peeled and diced

1 small jalapeno, diced

½ red onion, diced

Juice of 1 lime

1/3 cup roughly chopped cilantro

3 green onions, finely chopped

5 mint leaves, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Here comes the really hard part. Combine all your ingredients in a bowl.

Season with salt and pepper and serve. 

Well friends, I survived the Fourth of July celebrations this year with out causing myself any bodily harm.

Don’t get me wrong, I was still hungover this morning but I am bruiseless, scrapeless and stingless. In my world, that is considered a major win.

We spent most of the day watching the crazy people of southern California drunkenly wander through the beach streets of Newport Beach and hoping the sun would come out.

Which it did not. Boo.

Without any mangled limbs or sun burnt shoulders, there was nothing stopping me from killing it in the kitchen tonight!

After all the hot dogs and hamburgers, I was ready to mix it up with some lamb. And as usual, it totally hit the spot.

You will need…

2 racks of lamb

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1 green onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven 450 degrees F.

While your oven is preheating, season the lamb well on both sides with salt and pepper and rub them down with the rosemary.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, add the lamb to the pan and sear it till it is lightly browned on all sides. About 5 minutes.

Place the lamb in the preheated oven and cook 12 minutes for medium rare.

While the lamb is cooking, make your salsa.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, red pepper, green onions, mint, Dijon and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. 

Toss the salsa well and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

When the lamb has finished in the oven, remove the pan and carefully (your pan will be really hot) take the lamb out of the pan and cover it with foil to rest.

After the lamb has rested for 8 to 10 minutes, slice the lamb and serve it with a big helping of salsa.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela

P.S. Wes really knows how to get all the meat off that bone!

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Red Pepper Salsa

2 racks of lamb

1 tablespoon dried rosemary

3 tablespoons lemon juice

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 red bell pepper, chopped

½ cup chopped fresh mint leaves

1 green onion, finely chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

Start by preheating your oven 450 degrees F.

While your oven is preheating, season the lamb well on both sides with salt and pepper and rub them down with the rosemary.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.

When the oil is nice and hot, add the lamb to the pan and sear it till it is lightly browned on all sides. About 5 minutes.

Place the lamb in the preheated oven and cook 12 minutes for medium rare.

While the lamb is cooking, make your salsa.

In a small bowl, combine the lemon juice, red pepper, green onions, mint, Dijon and remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Toss the salsa well and season it with salt and pepper to taste.

When the lamb has finished in the oven, remove the pan and carefully (your pan will be really hot) take the lamb out of the pan and cover it with foil to rest.

After the lamb has rested for 8 to 10 minutes, slice the lamb and serve it with a big helping of salsa.