My Favorite, and Most Demanding, Client

Fat Baby never lets me get any work done while he is awake. My clients have learned to put up with not knowing my work schedule. I work when Fat Baby naps, and I'm never quite sure exactly when the nap will happen, nor how long it will last.

Since I can't work in the mornings, and since I'm full of energy at that time of day, I sometimes try to get a head start on dinner, or throw together a dip to keep on hand for snacktime. This morning, I was hoping to get busy chopping the vegetables for tonight's squash chowder. Fat Baby is full of mischief though, and doesn't appear at all interested in letting me get things done.

A few days ago, I sat him on the kitchen counter and let him "help" me assemble a spread for crackers, using a recipe I clipped from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Food Section a few months ago. According to the article, this dip won first place out of 489 entries in an appetizer dip contest. We ate this for lunch on Sunday and loved it.

ANNE HAMILTON'S RADISH DIP

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup margarine, softened
• 1/2 tsp celery salt (I didn't have any of this, so I used 1/4 tsp celery seed and 1/4 tsp kosher salt in its place)
• Dash of paprika
• 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup finely chopped radishes
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions

1. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.
2. Chill and serve with crackers or vegetables.