Easter Egg Hunt 2011

We made our yearly pilgrimage down to the Amana colonies yesterday to partake in the annual Easter Egg hunt that the Amana Heritage Society holds every year.  Pilgrimage probably isn't the right word to use since it is all of a 20 minute drive but it makes it sound like a greater event than it actually is!

This year Christopher joined in the fun as well.  He wasn't too sure of everything that was going on and was most definitely NOT fond of the Easter Bunny but was quite pleased with the candy he received!

Petting the rabbits



Waiting for the hunt to begin



Meeting the Easter Bunny with Nana



We found our baskets







Spring!!!!

Aren't they beautiful and a sure sign that Spring is on the way?  I'll admit it - I cheated and bought then at our local grocery store, but I just couldn't resist having fresh cut flowers in the house.

Marinated Balsamic Bean Salad

I am going to go out on a limb here and say that Spring has officially arrived. The signs of Spring are popping up everywhere:  we had our yearly 'take cover' drill at work, my Irises are starting to poke through the ground on the side of the house, those nasty Asian beetles are moving into my house and twenty-something tornadoes were spotted in Iowa last night.  Thankfully of them were in our area but scary nonetheless.  As for the Asian beetles, I'll admit to having a bit of fun this weekend using the BugKwikZap.  You invade my house, you pay the price.

I am working on using up what I have in the freezer so I pulled out some boneless skinless chicken thighs.  I coated them this morning with this rub from Penzey's and let them sit in the refrigerator.  I was hoping to be able to use the grill but it didn't get cleaned, so I threw them into the oven and then with about 10 minutes to go, slathered them with barbecue sauce and broiled.  They really came out good.

It was pretty warm here today, with our thermometer measuring temps in the low 80's.  The house already seemed pretty stuffy (kids had the door to the porch open) so I wanted to make a side dish that wouldn't heat up the kitchen.  This bean salad is one that I have been making for a few years and it does get better as it sits in the refrigerator.  The only change I make to the original recipe is to cut the amount of thyme in half.  I think it overpowers quickly.  I was the only one who didn't pick out all the chickpeas, so I'll probably use a different white bean next time.

Marinated Balsamic Bean Salad
Cooking Light Magazine

1 cup frozen whole-kernel corn
1 cup frozen cut green beans
1 (16-ounce) can kidney beans
1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 (15-ounce) can black beans
1 cup diced red onion
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried basil
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a colander; rinse and drain. Combine onion and remaining ingredients in a bowl; add corn and beans, tossing gently to coat. Cover and marinate in refrigerator at least 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Serve with a slotted spoon.  Yield:   7 1-cup servings.