What's For Dinner? Week 4

I have been looking forward to this time of year for MONTHS! On Saturday morning, I anxiously got up, got the kids breakfast (cottage cheese pancakes - batter made the night before) and left them with Craig for an hour while I ran out to the farmer's market. Sadly, it is still very sparse in the way of actual produce and herbs. Mostly some winter root vegetables, plants/flowers, homemade baked goods and soaps/candles. I had been hoping to snag some watercress to make an amazing dip that my cousin Nick and his husband J.T. brought to our family Christmas party this past year. Nick & J.T. live in San Francisco where everything is in season all the time. Meanwhile, I've been waiting patiently for the season of baby lettuces to arrive and was disappointed that they were still unavailable at our farmers market. So I cheated and picked up what I needed from Meijers, which, in turn, means my watercress probably came from California too ;). Ah, well. I will eat local when local is available!

You have to try this recipe! It's called Green Goddess Dip... not to be confused with Green Goddess salad dressing.

Nick and J.T. served it on a platter with an array of veggies including kohlrabi (which I hadn't had in forever)... and I couldn't keep my paws off the tray.

So we went to the zoo Saturday morning when I got back from the market and then to the park after that. But once we got the kids home and down for nap... this was my ME-time: whipping up this dip and sitting down to finally watch the first episode of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution on the DVR. LOVE, love, love that show!!! Though it's a little difficult to eat while watching a visual of the crap they put into school lunches... especially the allowance of animal by-products and chemicals in ground beef. Gag me.
Sorry for the lack of a pretty serving dish. I just scooped it into a tupperware that has probably seen one too many servings of dinner leftovers packed in my lunch bag.

I love kohlrabi! But broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, cucumbers, pita chips etc. go well with this dip too. I also had some cheese slices just cause that sounded good along side.

I also put a crock pot of BBQ beef stew (prepped the night before) on to simmer all day before we left for the zoo and we had that for an easy dinner in the evening.

Sunday was Easter and we had brunch at my sister-in-law's house. I brought along my electric griddle and a big bowl of lemon sour cream pancake batter. I also brought a big fruit salad and some buttermilk syrup to go with the pancakes.

We followed up that party with dinner at my grandma's house. Grandma served Swiss Steak and ham and everyone brough lots of sides and desserts. So again, I brought a fruit platter.

Also on the menu this week:

1) mini meatloaves with applesauce, green beans and bread & butter

2) strawberry spinach salads with pecans and raspberry vinegarette

3) big tossed salads (Will loves salads) with sauteed chicken strips and homemade balsamic and dijon vinegarette

You can always tell I'm restocking the freezer supply of mini meatloaves for the kids when I serve it for dinner, 'cause I double the recipe and prepare half of it into 1/8# portions to cook and freeze for go-to meals.

Next week, I'm trying a new Jamie Oliver tomato sauce that's LOADED with veggies. Can't wait! Can you believe it's going to be May on Sunday??

Till then...