Pirate Party Time: Sakau

April always begins our whirlwind, nonstop, birthday party season.  Last weekend was Little Pirate's birthday.

Can I tell you how much I love my friends?  They are so creative and the parties always are picture perfect.  Little Pirate's birthday was truck themed.  And Mrs. Pirate did not disappoint. 

 Little truck sippy cups dotted each table which was decorated with checkerboard flags.  And there were toy trucks everywhere.  Along with activities involving them, like paint in trays for creating car tracks.  Or a race track set up on a hill.

The kids gathered around the tables for a little bit of singing, and a lot of cupcake eating.

Thatkid is pretty happy Passover is over.  He sure loves his cupcakes!

After the kids were sugared up, the Pirates pulled out the pinata.  Last year, Thatkid was too shy/self conscious to take a swing in front of everyone.  This year he was more than happy to join in the fun.

And he jumped right in to fill up his bag with candy.  He has enough jolly ranchers to lastfor weeks.

The only problem with birthday parties is that it's hard to get some one on one time with the hosts.  Luckily, a couple weeks ago we had the Pirates over for dinner.  It was something we had been planning since January. 

We planned it to be a movie night, but the boys were more interested in running around outside and playing.  The grownups sat around catching up and chatting.  For dinner I ended up making Sakau - an eggplant dish which is a twist on the similar moussaka.  The boys ate the filling with pasta, while I rolled it in eggplant for those of us who aren't 3.   Mrs. Pirate brought rice pilaf with her and it went perfectly with this dish.

Sakau (From Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

 2 eggplants

3 eggs

1/2 cup canola oil

1 onion, chopped

2 Tbsp parsley, chopped

1 lb ground beef

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

2 Tbsp uncooked rice

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 cup water

3/4 cup tomato sauce

1 Tbsp margarine

1. Heat oil over medium high heat.  Peel and cut the eggplants lengthwise into slices about 1/2 inch thick.
2. Beat 2 eggs slightly.  
3. Dip the eggplant slices in the beaten egg and fry on both sides until brown.  Set aside.
4. Brown the onion in the same pan.  
5. Add the parsley and remove from heat
6. Combine the remaining egg with the ground beef, salt, pepper, and rice. Add to the onion and brown.
7. Preheat oven to 350.  Place a tsp of the meat mixture at each slice of the fried eggplant.  Roll the slices up and arrange them in a baking dish.
8. Sprinkle sugar over all.
9. Add the water, tomato sauce, and margarine.  Bake for 35 minutes.

Beers and Babies: Tomato Juice

With trial winding down, I ended up only spending half the weekend working instead of the whole weekend. Which meant I got to spend some time with my favorite boys!  I also tried to cater to Thatboy a little this weekend since he's been running single parent duty for the past month or so.

A couple of weeks ago, one of his coworkers, Brewgirl, texted me to see if we could plan a group outing in the near future.  The last group outing I missed out on when the ceiling came down in the guest room, and I ended up sending the boys without me.   We made plans for this weekend - and like usual, most of our "group outings" involve drinking.  Since there are kids in the group, we venture to different locations with fun things to for the kids - like hiking near a local brewery.

This time we headed to a new restaurant equipped with a great bar.  The kids ate chicken fingers and fish and chips.  The non-pregnant people drank lots of beer.  Those of us who were pregnant (Brewgirl and I) drank soda and homemade sasparilla.

And then we took the kids to the park.

And then we went back to the Brewer's house to partake in Brewguy's latest brew and lots of other beers while the kids did crafts.


I'll admit.  It's hard being pregnant and unable to drink.  Especially when everyone else is drinking.  I've taken to making a bunch of non-alcoholic beverages to drink while everyone else is sipping on brewskis.

Bloody Marys are not on my "to drink" list currently.  But tomato juice is!  And homemade tomato juice seems so fancy.  Like the kind of drink that gets an umbrella.  I didn't put an umbrella in this drink, but I definitely appreciated something other than water!

Tomato Juice (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

3lbs tomatoes

1. Wash tomatoes and cut away the stem ends.  Cut into small pieces and simmer over low heat until very soft.
2. Strain through a sieve.  Reheat the juice to the boiling point.
3. Add salt and sugar to taste.

Crave Wednesday: Cobb Salad Pizza

Back when Thatboy and I were in college one of our regular "going out" places was California Pizza Kitchen.  We didn't have a huge selection of restaurants, and this one was easy.  We both had our favorites - Thatboy got a spicy pasta dish and I always got the Tricolore Pizza Salad - a thing crust pizza piled high with a green salad.

It was the beginning of a trend for me.  I adore salads on pizza.  I even love to take a pita, toast it, and top it with salad at home.  The combination is perfect, and a nice warm crust is a much nicer vehicle for food transmission than a fork.

This cobb salad pizza is right up my alley.  On top of being a salad atop a pizza, it is my all time favorite salad!  I love the cobb, with it's creamy avocado, tangy blue cheese, and smokey bacon.  Plus all the greens.  I just wish it made for leftovers!

Cobb Salad Pizza (From Cooking Light)

1 can refrigerated thin-crust pizza dough

cooking spray

3 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese, divided

3 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, divided

1 Tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp black pepper, divided

2 applewood-smoked bacon slices

8 oz skinless, boneless, chicken breast

1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

2 Tbsp chopped red onion

2 cups lightly packed mixed baby greens

1/2 cup diced, peeled avocado

1.  Preheat oven to 425. Unroll dough on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Pat dough into a 14x12 inch rectangle. Lightly coat dough with cooking spray.  Bake for 8 minutes.  
2. Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1 1/2 Tbsp cheese.
3. Whisk 1 Tbsp oil, vinegar, mustard, and 1/8 tsp pepper in a large bowl.
4. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp.  Remove bacon from pan.  Crumble into oil mixture.
5. Sprinkle chicken with pepper and add to the pan.  Cook 4 minutes on each side until done.  Remove chicken from pan and chop into 1/2 inch pieces. 
6. Add chicken, tomatoes, and onion to oil mixture.  Toss gently to combine.  
7. Add greens; toss gently.
8. Top crust evenly with chicken mixture, avocado, and 1 1/2 Tbsp cheese.  Cut into 8 pieces.

Mommy Mondays: 32 weeks!

I woke up on Saturday morning and realized there isn't much time left.  Of course, this past week hasn't been very helpful in making me feel like there's all the time in the world left. 

Monday: The judge asked me if there was a chance I was going to give birth in his courtroom.

Wednesday: Opposing counsel in another case mentioned I looked like I'm going to have this baby before June.

Friday: I am officially a pound over my total weight gain from the last pregnancy.  In the same breath that my doctor assured me that April was too early for this baby to come, she expressed relief that I wasn't alone in court in case "something happened."

I've developed nausea again this week - which I thought was over and done with during the second trimester.  AND sciatica on top of that.  Which means I'm often in a killer mood.   We kicked it into gear this weekend in terms of getting things done around the house and ordering things we need for the nursery.

And the baby?  Currently the size of a napa cabbage!  (Although I swear this kid feels bigger than that, or at least is more interested in making his/her presence known.)

Total weight gain/loss: +21

Next Appointment: April 20
Maternity clothes? Mostly maternity.  I still sometimes wear non-maternity bottoms with the bella band.
Stretch marks: Yup
Sleep: Nope

Best moment this week: Friday at 4pm.  The end of the week, a doctor's appointment and a chance to check on the babe, and then going out to dinner with my boys.

Movement: Yes, yes, and more yes.
Food cravings: Nothing

Food aversions: Nothing
Gender: Not finding out

Belly Button in or out: In.  But it never popped last time, so I'm not expecting it to this time.
What I miss: Sleep.

What I am looking forward to:  I think my trial should end this week!  And I've got a fun event planned for next Saturday.

Contractions: None this week

 Milestones: 

-Fingernails are fully developed.

Horsing Around: Friday Night Brisket

Passover is a hard time for kids.  Seeing all your friends eating things you can't have.  It wasn't such a big deal for Thatkid last year, he went to a school where everyone brought their own lunches, and he spent his non-school time with us.

This year was a different story.  This year Thatkid's preschool serves lunch.  And this week every meal was a no-go: hot dogs, spaghetti, bean burritos.  Which means I had to pack him a lunch to eat that wouldn't have him reaching for his neighbor's food. 

He also had to attend his first birthday party over Passover.  Do you know how hard it is to tell a kid they can't have cake?  It's hard. Luckily, the rest of the part was full of really fun things for him to partake in.

Like face painting:

I love the fact that the other boys painted their faces to resemble fearsome big cats, and my son chose a zebra. 

And since this was Little HW's birthday party, it should come as no surprise that there were horses to ride!

Thatkid loves riding horses.  As soon as he got off, he wanted to get on another one.

After the party we took Thatkid out for ice cream - to make up for the lack of cake.  He's such a good sport.  Passover has also taught us that brisket is on Thatkid's LOVE list.  He gobbles this stuff up.  I'm sure the ketchup doesn't hurt!  It's a cut of meat I don't make very often, but it seems so Passover appropriate.  And this preparation is easy and flavorful.  Creating a tender meat that falls apart at the touch of a fork.  I made this using a "Kosher for Passover" onion soup mix, but regular onion soup mix should work just as well.

Friday Night Brisket (From Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

6lb brisket

2 pkgs onion soup mix

6 cloves garlic

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1 1/2 lbs carrots

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Place the meat fatty side up in a baking dish.
2. Sprinkle the onion soup mix over the meat. 
3. Cover with ketchup and 2 cups water. 
4. Crush the garlic cloves and add to the liquid. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 3 1/2 hours.
5. While the meat is cooking, peel the carrots, and cut them lengthwise into thin sticks.  Cut the carrots in half.  Place them on top of brisket, cover, and bake for another hour.

Happy Easter and Passover!: Chicken Soup (with matzoh balls)

Due to my trial, this is the first Easter we've spent at home in years.  We usually head up to Thatboy's family to spend with them.  But I had to stay home and work all weekend, and Thatboy decided he didn't want to travel without me.

The bonus for me was actually having a very easy Passover celebration.  Despite the fact that Easter always falls during Passover (since the very first Easter...the last supper was a seder) my inlaws just never quite seem to grasp the fact.  Which is very difficult when spending time up there as there is nothing to eat. 

This year we had a perfect combination of the two holidays!  Thatkid woke up to an Easter basket filled with books (both Passover and Easter books) a sleeping bag, some candy and new sunglasses.

I made us the perfect Passover Easter breakfast.  Normally we either skip Easter breakfast because there is no food, or if we get there early enough, we do a supermarket run to pick up yogurt and hope my inlaws don't eat it before breakfast time.  Being at home meant I got to make breakfast for all of us - Passover blueberry muffins with cream cheese glaze, Passover pancakes, and fruit cups.

After breakfast, Thatkid went outside to find eggs the Easter Bunny had left.

And then the boys took off to the lake to scooter and skateboard so that I could get some work done.  I worked allllllll day, but still managed to throw together Easter dinner.  This is completely Thatboy's request.  For him, Easter is all about lamb and green beans (and polenta, which isn't Passover friendly.)  So I roasted a rack of lamb, made some green beans in bacon vinaigrette, and mashed potatoes.

 We went less fancy on Monday night.  And more traditional - matzoh ball soup!  I'm still working on my matzoh ball recipe.  Thatboy liked the density and consistency of these, but thought they needed some more flavor.  So I'll post a recipe once I have one worthy to share.  The soup on the other hand went over like hotcakes.  Thatboy thinks it's the best chicken soup he's had and Thatkid proclaimed it "yummy."  As a side note, Thatkid LOVES Passover food.  He's gobbled down his dinner every night and has been so into the lunches I've been packing him.
 

Herkimer Chicken Soup (From Joan Nathan's Jewish Holiday Cookbook)

4 quarts water

1 onion, peeled

4 parsnips, peeled

1 chicken, cut into pieces

1/2 cup celery leaves

2 Tbsp flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp fresh dill

1 Tbsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

6 peeled carrots,5 cut into 1 inch chunks and 1 left whole

1. Bring all the ingredients except the carrots to a boil.  Cover and simmer gently for 3 hours.
2. Skim off the skin that forms at the top.
3. Add the caarrots and simmer 1 hour or more.
4. Strain and serve with matzoh balls. 
5. Cut the whole carrot into slices and serve in the soup.

Crave Wednesday: Beefy Caprese Burger

Happy Passover!  I know, it's a little late.  But we've been "celebrating" since Friday night at our annual family seder.

Passover always means a little change in routine.  This year it's meant I have to pack lunch for Thatkid since his school usually provides.  And the menu this week includes hot dogs, spaghetti, and bean burritos.  All of which contain things he can't have during Passover.

Passover also means a bit of a change in Crave Wednesdays, which, as of late, has been featuring pizza recipes.  Pizza isn't terribly Passover friendly, and although I could adapt a pizza recipe to involve matzah, it's just not the same.

So instead I'm skipping over to the burger chapter.  Because burgers are just as delicious without the bun.  This burger is a take on the classic caprese - mozzarella and tomatoes topped with basil and a drizzle of olive oil.  It's a family favorite.  Thatbrother still uses it as his go-to appetizer and the thing he brings to every party.  Even Thatboy, who is not a fan of tomatoes, loves some fresh heirloom tomatoes and cheese.  So putting it atop a burger makes everyone happy.  Thatkid even peeled off his tomatoes to eat them first - and asked for more!

Beefy Caprese Burger (From Cooking Light)

1 lb ground beef

4 oz fresh buffalo mozzarella

2 tsp olive oil

1 heirloom tomato

fresh basil

1.  Heat a grill pan over medium high heat.  Season ground beef with salt and pepper and form into 4 patties.  Grill for 4 minutes per side.
2. Slice mozzarella and place a slice on top of each burger, cook for another minute.
3. Remove burgers from heat.  Slice tomato and place 2 slices of tomato on each burger.
4. Top each burger with basil and a drizzle of olive oil.

Mommy Mondays: 31 Weeks

I was at a party this weekend when one of the older women asked me if I knew what we were having.  I told her I was waiting and her response was "Good for you.  When I was pregnant that's the way it had to be.  We never knew until the baby was born, and we managed just fine."

That's the opposite of the response I usually get when we tell people we're not finding out the sex before birth.  Even my doctor made a remark that I needed to find out because "If they don't tell you, they don't tell me!"  and "Don't you want to go through Thatkid's stuff and determine whether you need to go shopping?"  When we were pregnant with Thatkid, Thatboy's office made a big point of not throwing a party to celebrate because he wouldn't find out the sex.  They threw one for his coworker due the same week who knew a girl would be arriving.

The comment I get most, and the one that really gets under my skin is “Oh I could never do that – I’m a planner.”   Really?  YOU'RE a planner?  If you look up Type-A personality in the dictionary you'll probably find a picture of me.  But why can't you plan for a baby without knowing the sex?

A baby's needs are very basic.  A place to sleep, food to eat, clothes to wear, and a safe way to travel.  

A Place to Sleep - So I get the idea that you want to decorate the nursery, and even though I roll my eyes at pink pink pink for girls and shotguns on the wall for boys, I even understand wanting to decorate based on the sex of your child.  But almost everyone I know doesn't use the nursery at first.  Since the whole "room sharing decreases SIDS" thing, most people room share at first.  Which means that nursery that HAD to be done before the baby comes isn't even getting used.  Meanwhile, me, the woman who can't plan because I don't know the sex of my child, uses the nursery from the first night home and has no problem decorating it in a gender-neutral style.  (Although I may also be a lot open minded about what gender neutral means since this kid is getting a rainbow colored nursery no matter the sex.)

Food to Eat - Come on.  Someone give me an argument as to why you need to know the sex for this?

Clothes to Wear- This is the big reason I hear people NEEED to know the sex.  Because "white clothing is so boring."  (This again may be related to me not being closed off in the terms of gender neutral) I had no problem filling Thatkid's wardrobe before he was born without knowing his sex.  The only color that was really off limits was pink.  Reds, oranges, yellows, greens, blues, purples, browns, blacks, greys, and whites hung side-by-side in his closet, just waiting for a little boy or little girl to fill them.  Sure I couldn't buy any tutus before birth, but trust me, you're not dressing your baby in tutus the first week or so anyway.

Safe Way to Travel - Even if we had known the sex, because I'm such a planner, we wanted a gender neutral car seat and stroller anyway.  I know too many people who threw themselves second showers because they got all pink things the first time around that they didn't want to use for their precious baby boy coming along next.

Plus there are all the benefits of not finding out:

• The nurses in L&D love couples who don't find out.  At least they did in our case.  Granted we were in the hospital for days and days during my induction, but every nurse wanted us to give birth on their shift so they could find out.  They were all so excited for us and we were the talk of the floor.  And when they came on again for their next shift, they came up and visited us and Thatkid, to find out the sex and the name.

• Finding out at birth is really really dramatic and emotional.  It is very exciting to find out at 18/20 weeks, but when you give birth, your body surges with adrenaline, oxytocin, and other hormones which makes hearing the news much more....climatic?  I want you to think about the best day of your life, and all the happy emotions you felt.  Now imagine that right after, you get a phone call saying you've won the lottery.  It's great to win the lottery whenever, but since you're already so happy, finding out just pushes that excitement over-the-top.

• I'm a far from a romantic, except, for some reason when it comes to this topic.  For me, it was also a really emotional thing to have Thatboy "know" something first.  I was the first to know we were pregnant.  I was the first to feel a connection to the baby.  I was the first to feel kicks.  I was the one experiencing everything while he waited by the sidelines for 9 months.  But finding out the sex at birth meant he got to experience something first.  He got to tell me something really important about our child that I didn't know.

Total weight gain/loss: +18

Next Appointment: April 10
Maternity clothes? I was in court all week, so maternity all week - I'm making so much use of my maternity suit jacket!  Pairing it with maternity suit skirts, suit pants, and even dresses!
Stretch marks: Thatboy pointed out today that he thinks I've got some on the front of my stomach.
Sleep: Not so much.  Next month!

Best moment this week: I was in the bathroom at court when a woman washing her hands next to me told me I have an adorable belly.  Which felt good because I feel gigantic and hardly adorable.

Movement: This kid is crazy crazy crazy. I actually got called out in court by the judge because I was trying to move the kid away from the spot on my side where I am sure I even have an internal bruise.
Food cravings: Nothing

Food aversions: Nothing
Gender: Not finding out

Belly Button in or out: In.  But it never popped last time, so I'm not expecting it to this time.
What I miss: Sleep.

What I am looking forward to:  Friday's appointment means I get a little early night at work!

Contractions: None this week

 Milestones: 

- Baby has reached the length s/he will be at birth!
- Skin is beginning to look pink instead of red.
- Head control is improving.
- More complex and stronger movements are possible.  (No joke)

Sunday Runday: Maternity Running Clothes

I mentioned earlier that I was going to do a little write up about my switch to maternity running clothes.  Mostly because I was at a complete loss when I needed to find something to wear.  During my first pregnancy I did okay with wearing my regular running clothes, with race shirts in a large instead of a medium.  Except during the end, when even those larges didn't do a great job of covering my stomach.

This time, I've had more problems with my running pants being uncomfortable and my shirts riding up.  Given the amount of races I've been doing/have planned, I thought investing in a maternity running wardrobe would be a good idea.  I now have two "outfits" I rotate between.  One cheap, and the other expensive.

My cheap outfit comes from Old Navy, who seems to have a great corner on the maternity active wear market.

Old Navy Tank

What I like about this shirt is the fit in terms of comfort.  It's soft and doesn't ride up in the slightest.  There have been complaints that the built in bra isn't terribly supportive, but honestly, I've never been able to get away with relying solely on the built in bra for shirts, so that doesn't bother me too much.  The only thing I dislike about the shirt is that it isn't more tailored.  So when I wear it, sometimes I feel like I look more fat and less pregnant.

Old Navy Active Roll-Panel Yoga Capris

 I was reading that sometimes yoga pants are a better option than running pants during pregnancy because the cotton is more comfortable and breatheable.  I don't know if that's true, but I decided to go with it and grab a pair of these yoga capris.  The roll panel is nice because it can adjust to varying points of the pregnancy, although I got these late enough that the panel is always rolled allll the way up.  They're incredibly comfortable, and I think supportive enough that I haven't been dealing with bounce of discomfort while running.


With running clothes I've found that often you get what you pay for.  More expensive clothes tend to fit better, more comfortably, and last longer.  So I thought the same might be true for the maternity version.  With that in mind, I got a couple pieces from some higher end brands.

For Two Fitness Tank

For Two Fitness has been around long enough that almost every pregnant runner I know has a tank.  Which speaks well of the quality.  Personally, I really like the fit of it, which is more tailored than the Old Navy counterpart.  As far as comfort, the two run neck and neck.  Between you and I, I don't love the "running for two" saying in general, but it definitely helps with the fat/pregnant debate.

Ingrid and Isabel Active Long Pants with Crossover Panel

This was a recommendation from a runner friend.  And recommendations are my favorite way to find out about good products.  She told me she loved the Ingrid and Isabel pants, but they were a little pricey.  That being said, she was wearing a pair from her last pregnancy at the time, which bodes well for longevity.  These aren't compression pants, they are more compression-like than the Old Navy version.  Which I actually like.  I do regret a little getting the pants instead of the capris, because people, it's getting hot here! 

Any other pregnant runners out there with recommendations for maternity running clothes?  I've got 3 races in the next two months!

Neck Candy: Bread and Butter Pickles

Back when I was pregnant with Thatkid, I was looking for something else when I stumbled upon these mother/baby bird necklaces.  I fell instantly in love and knew I had to have it.

I love the symbolism of it, and it fit so well with the bird-themed nursery I had for Thatkid.  I still wear it pretty religiously, but recently I decided I needed to upgrade.  After all there's only one baby bird on this necklace, and soon I'll be having two under my wing.

I asked for a 2-baby option for the holidays, but when it didn't materialize as a gift, I decided to take matters into my own hands.  Except, the whole symbolism of the birds isn't as meaningful this time around because Oppo-baby isn't getting a bird nursery.  The nursery this time is going to revolve around rockets.  And so I went looking for a rocket necklace. 

I wasn't finding anything that really fit the bill, so I contacted an Zealous Bee on Etsy and asked if they could help make my vision a reality.  They agreed, and together, after several back and forths, we designed exactly what I was looking for:

Pregnancy is a fun time to splurge.  On things like necklaces or things like ice cream sundaes.  Personally, I'm always a fan of vinegary things when pregnant.  Like salad dressing.  And pickles.  And while I prefer dill pickles, I've been really enjoying the mustardy tang of bread and butter.  I can eat them by the jar.  Which is why I thought it might be a good idea to make my own.

Bread and Butter Pickles (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)

6 cups thinly sliced cucumbers

1 lb onions

1 green pepper, shredded

1/4  cup salt

2 cups brown sugar

1/2 tsp tumeric

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 Tbsp mustard seed

1 tsp celery seed

2 cups cider vinegar

1. Mix the cumbers, onions, green pepper, and salt.  Cover and let stand for 3 hours.
2. Mix the remaining ingredients in a large pot, bring slowly to the boiling point, and boil for 5 minutes.
3. Drain the vegetables in a colander and rinse them well with cold water.
4. Add them to the hot syrup and heat to just below the boiling point.  Spoon into hot sterilized jars, fill with cooking syrup leaving 1/8 inch headspace, and seal.

Garden Picnic: Rhubarb Conserve

I've been spending the weekends working.  Which I don't relish, but it's a necessary evil.  Thatboy has been more than understanding in filling the role of both parents and keeping Thatkid entertained.  On Sunday however, I decided to take a break from the grind and grab a meal with my boys - all of them.

With the beautiful weather, I thought we could go on a picnic, and eating outside means Thatdog can come with us.  As far as venue, Thatkid had spent the week studying gardens, so I thought taking a trip to a place with a bunch of gardens would be a fun way to end his studies.  We headed to Balboa Park where the rose garden is conveniently right beside the cactus garden.

We found a nice shady bench and settled down to eat our lunches. 

Thatkid requested a special lunch - cinnamon toast with cream cheese, peanut butter, and jelly sandwich.  Yeah, he wanted something super stacked.  As for the jelly, it should come as no surprise that we went with something homemade.  Spring has sprung, so in addition to flowers, it is rhubarb season!  And rhubarb conserve is the perfect spring jam.

Rhubarb Conserve

2 lbs rhubarb

2 1/2 lbs sugar

1/2 lb raisins

grated rind and juice of 1 orange

grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon

1. Cut the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces.  Place all ingredients in a pot.  Cover and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 45 minutes.  
3. Pour into hot sterilized jars and seal.

After lunch, we went and explored the roses in the rose garden.  It was the perfect time, because the buds, they were a bloomin'

Thatkid wanted to smell every different variety of rose.

A young man came up and asked me to take his photo in front of the flowers.  "Why did he want his picture?" Thatkid asked me.  I told him it was because the flowers were pretty and he wanted to remember them.  And so then Thatkid asked me to take his picture in front of the flowers too.

The boys also spent quite a bit of time just running around being boys.  Which Thatdog could join in on.

After we dragged Thatkid from the rose garden, we headed to the cactus garden.  Pro tip - want to keep your 3 year old out of the cacti?  Put him up somewhere high.

While not as classically beautiful as the roses, cacti have their own special kind of unique beauty.

I may not be able to see my boys much lately, but we do make the most of the time we have!

Crave Wednesday: Chicken and Herb White Pizza

Do you have any weird mental blocks?  I do and I'm willing to admit it.  The idea of chicken on pizza seems really weird to me.  Want to know why that's a weird mental block?  (Oh come on, you know you're dying to find out).  It's because I actually love chicken on pizza.  BBQ chicken pizza, buffalo chicken pizza, even Thai chicken pizza.

But for some reason my mind divorces the actual deliciousness of chicken on pizza with the idea of it.  So I was a little skeptical of this white chicken pizza.  Do you know what white chicken pizza really is?  CHICKEN ALFREDO PIZZA!  Think about it, a thick, creamy, cheesy, white sauce and juicy chunks of chicken. It's just as good as you would imagine. 

Chicken and Herb White Pizza (From Cooking Light)

1 lb refrigerated pizza dough

cooking spray

1 Tbsp butter

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp flour

pepper

3/4 cup milk

1/2 cup grated pecorino Romanao cheese

1 Tbsp cornmeal

1 1/2 cups shredded boneless, skinless roasted chicken breast

1/4 cup diced red onion

1 Tbsp chopped oregano

1 Tbsp chopped chives

1 Tbsp chopped parsley

1. Preheat oven to 450.  Let dough stand 30 minutes, or until it reaches room temperature.  Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.
3. Add flour and pepper, cook 1 minute, stirring with a whisk.
4. Gradually add milk, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Cook 3 minutes or until thick and bubbly.  Remove from heat.
5. Add cheese, stirring until cheese melts.
6. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal and roll dough into a 12-inch circle.  Spread white sauce over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border.
7.  Top with chicken and onion.  Bake for 17 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with herbs, cut into 6 wedges.