But somehow, kids seem to be over joyed with the idea of the Easter Bunny! Good thing they don’t over-think things like adults do or the jig would be up.
I do like Easter though and all the traditions that go along with it. It usually begins with a trip to the garden center to pick up a spring planter of flowers for my mom. Typically I go for spring bulbs because as a rule she doesn’t plant them in her garden because she feels they are “hideous after they’re done blooming and mess up the garden.” I wouldn’t want her to miss out on the grace and glory of the almighty tulip and hyacinth just because of their post bloom lack of tidiness, so I typically go for bulbs in the planter.
Since I’m usually just going to pick 1 thing up (the planter) I always go in to the garden center without taking a cart. I eye the perfect planter, pick it up and realize it’s almost, but not quite too heavy to carry. I think about running to grab a cart but then that would leave my perfect, not over or under bloomed planter vulnerable and open for the taking by other bloom life cycle savvy shoppers. So I carry it. Of course then I see a small potted lily that has to fulfill it’s destiny of gracing my kitchen table. It would be ridiculous if I didn’t snatch it up. So I carry it.
The unreasonably long line up feels like a Survivor challenge. “Who can hold their arms out in the most awkward way possible and bear several pounds of oddly shaped planter while using only their thumb and index finger to squeeze onto the lip of another pot for the longest amount of time”? “You wanna know what you’re playing for”? A Happy Easter.
Luckily babies are still young enough for us to hold off on filling them in on tales of massive, mutant, gift giving bunnies. Instead we have some extra time to enjoy baby and family’s company and perhaps whip up this easy homemade baby food recipe.
Dreamy Red Pepper & Basil Orzo
Age – 8 months +
Ingredients
· 2 tbsps. butter
· ½ cup of diced onion
· ½ cup of diced red pepper
· 1 cup of orzo pasta
· 2 cups of low sodium or homemade chicken or vegetable broth
· 2 basil leaves chopped or ½ tsp. of dried basil
· ½ cup of milk
· ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese
Baby Steps
1. Chop and dice onion and pepper and set aside.
2. Melt 1 tbsp. of butter in large sauté pan over medium high heat.
3. Add onion and pepper to pan and cook for approx. 5 minutes, reducing heat as necessary.
4. Add orzo to pan, stir and cook for another 3 minutes.
5. Add chicken broth and basil and bring to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium/low, cover and simmer for approx. 20 minutes stirring often.
6. When there is about 7 minutes left to cook you can add ½ cup of water to the pan and re-cover and continue to cook for the remaining time. This will make sure the pasta isn’t too dry by the time it’s done.
7. Remove from heat. Add 1 tbsp. of butter, ½ cup of milk and ¼ cup of parmesan cheese and stir until well combined.
8. Let cool and then transfer to freezing trays to be used within 3 months or a food storage container in the fridge to be used within 48 hours.
Note – If baby is a bit older you can try adding 1 clove of minced garlic at the stage when you add the onion and red pepper. I found when Carter was young he didn’t like the taste of garlic but as he grew to over 12 months he began to like it. It’s always a bit of trial and error discovering what baby’s favourite tastes are.
Makes – Approx. 12 servings (1 serving = 2 tbsps.)
Whether you’re egging on the fictitious (he’s not real right??) monstrous bunny, or just spending some long over-due time with family, I hope you all have a very happy Easter.
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