Week 5 - Catch Up Weekend

It was a nice week that seemed normal yet jam packed. I started the week in the dentist’s chair where I got the good news that I probably wouldn’t need a crown, just a filling. Yay! My evenings were what made the week feel so full. I knitted on Monday and then did water aerobics every other night. Four in a row is a record for me, which I survived just fine so I should make it a habit. While my exercising nixed any potential week night productivity, I finally had a productive weekend at home to finally catch up on things that have been on the to do list since break.

My weekend began with a Friends of the Library meeting at 9:30 on Saturday, which got me up and dressed ready to face the day. I had gone through my house that morning looking for things to include in door prize baskets for the Wine & Dine and came up with lots. I brought a few to the meeting to help get people thinking about what they could donate. From the library I ran a few errands and was home in time for lunch. I began my chores just as the sun came out for what felt like the first time in weeks. I put a chuck roast on to cook and got busy. By the time I sat down to supper, most of my chores were done. Helen was picking me up at 7:00 Sunday morning for my birthday breakfast at Mimi's so I went to bed early.

Helen arrived at 7:10 (earlier than I'd expected) and we had a nice breakfast of pain perdu (marmalade and cream cheese stuffed French toast.) Mimi's had always been on the must do list when I went to LA every year so it was fun to go again. We talked for a long time and still were home before 10:00, which meant I had the whole day and had already had some fun. I think this will have to become a birthday tradition. I spent Sunday reading in the sun (I had 200 pages yet to read on The People of the Book and book club was Monday night) and cooking.

I made banana cake for book club, cottage cheese dip for work and one of my new faves, polenta with chard, which I was inspired to try from this blog post. Now the original had a fried egg on top but I’d been making mine with sausage mixed with the chard and the whole thing topped with shredded cheese. Well, this time I didn’t have any sausage thawed so I tried it the original way, topping the chard with a fried egg and mixing the cheese in with the polenta. When the slightly runny egg yolk coated the chard? YUM! Try this recipe. And while you’re at it, try this recipe for cottage cheese dip. I found the idea for it on the web but it had no measurements so I’ve been playing with it and have it down. Everyone at work loves it too. Here goes….

Cottage Cheese Dip
12 oz. Cottage cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded muenster cheese
1 package onion soup mix w/o onions (put the soup mix through a sieve and discard the onions or save them for something else)
1/2 tsp. Cumin
1/4 tsp. Garlic powder
1 jalapeno, finely chopped
3 chopped green onions, white and green parts

Mix together and chill. It’s great with crackers.
P.S. The original recipe said to mix it in a mixer, which I’ve never done but it might give it a creamier texture. Maybe next time.