Weekends are always so short, aren't they?
I started the weekend with a list. I didn't get it all done, but pretty close, so I'm calling this weekend an organizational success!
1. The usual - dust, laundry, iron, floors, bathrooms.
2. Make a potato salad to bring to Jared and Katie's - this may be a "Dennis task".
3. Get my oil changed.
4. Go to the car wash and vacuum my truck.
5. Get in some serious viola practice time - my first New Hampshire Philharmonic rehearsal is coming up quick.
6. Make a weekly menu and grocery shop.
OK, not bad. I made an effort to get the oil changed! Honest! We drove to the dealership "express" area to get the oil change (I got the service plan when I got my RAV4 - so I have to go to the dealership...) but there was an hour wait, and I'm sorry, I don't have that kind of time. I'm calling tomorrow and getting an appointment next week, and we'll bring two cars so we can hang around (Barnes & Noble please?) while we wait.
Saturday was great! We washed my truck at the slowest car wash on the planet, and vacuumed the RAV! So, now I have a new item on my daily checklist. "Remove extra items from the RAV". This is huge for me, because I love my truck, and it always ends up a total pit. I spend way too much time in there. Does anyone else have this problem? Any ideas on keeping your car clean? I'm all ears, I need all the help I can get!
Dennis made a delicious potato salad for JJ and Katie's. He has hinted at a blog post to share it with you... I took a picture of it and everything. We shall see!
Sunday was productive as well. I slept in super late - after 10!!! I read my book for awhile and then we cleaned the house. The house is dusted, floors are steam mopped, laundry done, sheets changed. (As I wrote this, no joke, I saw my cat try to jump onto my dining room hutch and totally slide across the whole thing! I guess the "Pledge" works!)
We took a little drive to Lawrence, MA (aka - the "armpit" of the world, according to my Dad). My Grandparents and my Mother grew up in Lawrence, when it was "nice". Not so much anymore. However, Dennis found this place called Wichit - a totally cool coffee shop/sandwich shop. It was delicious!!!! If you live in the area you should check this place out. It's a real "hidden jewel" in Lawrence - the food is fantastic, the coffee is good, and they're all about organic products!
Since we were in Lawrence, we made a bad decision. There's this place called the "Italian Kitchen". They sell two things. Rice balls, and Crispelli. Crispelli are basically fried dough with a ricotta center. They are delightful. So we stopped in. And made a bad decision - actually five bad decisions in my case, and I feel like I have a brick sitting in the bottom of my stomach. Ugh. They were soooooo good though. I told my husband when we're setting the alarm for tomorrow morning and I waver on getting up at 4:30 to go to the gym or not he needs to look at me and say "Crispelli". I think it will work.
Speaking of going to the gym, that makes me think of packing my gym bag, which will be a snap because for the second week in a row I have picked out my clothes for the week in advance. I tried this last Sunday, and I have to say it worked wonders. I think I looked cute all week :) and my mornings were a lot less stressful!
So, I started cooking this evening. I decided that Crispelli would have to do it for dinner. Dennis agreed. So, I made a chicken soup for myself to take to work for lunch. I recommend this - I've done it the past few weeks. I make something on Sunday night and divide it in 5 Tupperware containers. Lunch is taken care of! Once again, makes my days a lot less stressful to not have to remember to pack lunch!
Here's the "how-to" on the Chicken Soup. I got the recipe from a fantastic book called "Bride & Groom, First and Forever Cookbook" by Mary Corpening Barber and Sara Corpening Whiteford. You should try to get your hands on this cookbook - everything in it is fabulous!
1 tablespoon vegetable oil1 medium yellow onion,m coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon powdered chicken bouillon, or 1 small chicken bouillon cube
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 cups shredded purchased roasted chicken
2 medium carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 celery stalk, roughly chopped
2 oz (about 1 cup) egg noodles
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley
Heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, thyme, and (if using) powdered bouillon. Stir frequently and cook until the onion is translucent, about 5-7 minutes.
Add the wine and cook for about 2 minutes.
Add the broth, bouillon cube (if using), chicken, carrot, and celery.
Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 25-30 minutes or until veggies are tender.
Add the egg noodles and cook another 5 minutes.
Stir in the parsley and a tablespoon of roasted garlic (optional - I don't use it to bring to work... kids don't like a teacher with garlic breath!)
Salt and pepper to taste.
So. Good.
I then tried to make a batch of chicken fried rice - but did not read the directions as closely. Apparently I need an eye for detail. I missed the word "cooked" next to the rice. So I have all my chicken, veggies, etc. mixed in with uncooked rice. Doh. I will retry tomorrow.
Enjoy your last few hours of freedom before returning to work!
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