The Tricycle Brigade

During the winter months here Iowa, the weekly play group we attend is held at the church gym. It is one of the highlights of the week for Isaac because he has tons of space to ride his tricycle with his friends. Today I got a few pictures of them chasing each other. They aren't the greatest photos, but at least show how they congregate together and follow each other around. Isaac and Maddie are really lucky to have so many kids their age to play with.

Ike, Ike, rides a trike...

Maddie loves to steal Benton's car, even though she has one that is almost identical. He is very good about sharing with her.

Good Riddance

January is my least-favorite month of the year and I have never been happier to be at the end of it! Aside from New Years day and a couple of family birthdays, it is just a cold and bitter month, especially here in Iowa. February, while only 3 days shorter, always seems to fly by much faster. So goodbye January, and good riddance!

Here's Ryan cleaning off the windshield of our car after it had been heating up for over 20 minutes. Is it any wonder why I'm glad to say farewell to the past 31 days?

Thai Chicken Pizza

This is a recipe I got over a year ago from my friend, Trieste (who got it from Rachel Ray's 30 min. meals), and I wish I hadn't taken so long to try it! If your like us and you like Thai food, you'll probably love this. We made it last week and we sure did.

Ingredients

1 pizza dough, any brand--I use this fast and easy recipe.

1/2 cup duck sauce or plum sauce (both can be found in the international section at Walmart)

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 package (2 cups) shredded provolone or Monterey Jack cheese (we used Mozzarella)

1/2 red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 rounded tablespoonful peanut butter

2 teaspoons hot sauce (any kind)

2 teaspoons grill seasoning (recommended: Montreal Steak Seasoning) eyeball it

4 chicken breast cutlets, 1/2 pound (my sister used shrimp instead and said it was amazing--we are going to try that next time we make it)

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or cider vinegar

1/4 seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into matchsticks

4 scallions, chopped

1 cup bean spouts, a couple of handfuls

Palm full cilantro leaves, chopped

1/4 cup chopped peanuts, 2 ounces

lime wedges

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Form pizza crust on pizza pan or cookie sheet. Top with duck or plum sauce - spread it around like you would pizza sauce. Sprinkle the pizza with some crushed red pepper flakes then top with cheese and peppers (omit this step if you don't want much spice). Bake until golden and bubbly, 15 to 17 minutes.

Preheat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine vegetable oil, soy sauce and peanut butter with hot sauce and grill seasoning. Use the microwave to loosen up peanut butter if it is too cold to blend into sauce, 10 seconds ought to do it. Add chicken and coat evenly with mixture. Let stand 10 minutes (or more) then grill chicken cutlets 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until firm. Slice chicken into very thin strips.

While chicken cooks, mix honey and vinegar and add the cucumber. Turn to coat evenly.

Top the hot, cooked pizza with chicken, scallions, sprouts and cilantro. Drain cucumbers and scatter over the pizza. Garnish pizza with peanuts and lime wedges, cut into slices and serve.

When Rain is Worse than Snow

Alas, another post about the weather in Iowa.

Rain is worse than snow when it freezes upon hitting the ground. And this is what happens to your windshield when you try to chip the 1/2 thick sheet off ice off of it:

It's a little hard to succeed. Anyone have a chisel we can borrow?

Our entire city is a skating rink right now. Since we don't own any ice skakes, we are staying inside.

Please tell me your children do this, too.

Isaac eating breakfast this morning, insisting that his favorite inanimate objects need breakfast as well so they don't go hungry.