Only 4 more days until Christmas and I’m STILL knitting mittens!
It has been a full week starting off with an eventful Day Camp committee meeting on Monday.
The day started off well as I prepped and started the Sweet and Sour Cabbage Soup in my slow cooker but at 3pm the power went off. AGH!!! Subsequently it cut out 6 more times before finally being restored around 10pm😊 Needless to say this made both dinner and the meeting a bit complicated. The soup was okay because the power was going off and on and there was enough heat maintained in the slow cooker to finish cooking but most of dinner and the meeting took place with only candlelight causing havoc with our internet connections with the two members in Halifax who were trying to join us via Zoom. It was amazing that we still managed to cover quite a bit of territory!
Wednesday the weather turned bitterly cold with snow, and by Thursday it was -31ºC however some former neighbours still bundled up and joined me for dinner and then Thursday evening Jessica (former committee member and dear friend) also came for dinner while her husband attended choir practice at their church.
Each day, after finishing up office work before the Christmas hiatus, I have been frantically knitting during every waking moment and have also squeezed in some more Christmas baking and wrapping of baked goods to deliver as gifts to neighbours and friends.
Today is the last round of pre-Christmas baking with Cinnamon Buns and Mince Pies on the agenda. This is also the day on which, Brian, a long time family friend, is going to bring me a Christmas tree. I almost suggested that I not have one his year since I have grave doubts it will remain intact with a puppy in the house but the temptation to open up the box of tree ornaments containing family treasures stretching back to one made by my great grandmother was too much for me to miss so I plan to tie the tree with rope to a nearby radiator and hope and pray for a positive outcome 😊
Meanwhile I’m also expecting a visit either today or tomorrow from my Godsons and their Mum who are back in Ottawa with family for Christmas (they are living in Manitoba at present) and plan to drive down to visit me this weekend. I haven’t seen the boys since last summer and so am looking forward to some little boy hugs!
I must say the thought of the tree and the three boys all arriving at the same time is slightly daunting but I will take whatever comes as a small adventure!
I guess I should at least get my baking underway now, ahead of the impending chaos so I’ll close with a recipe and wish all my readers a joyful Christmastide!
Smoked Salmon Rösti
- 4 cups grated potatoes
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 tsp. sea salt
- 4oz. smoked salmon, julienned
- ½ cup Greek yoghurt
Melt the butter in a large cast iron frying pan over medium heat. Add the grated potatoes, sprinkle with the salt and press down evenly. Cook for 15 minutes. Loosen the “cake” with a large spatula, place a dinner plate over the pan and carefully flip the rösti onto the plate, then slide it back into the pan. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes or until the potatoes are well browned and cooked through. Garnish the top of the rösti with the smoked salmon and spoonfuls of Greek yoghurt. Serve immediately directly from the pan.
Serves 2-3