Pecked by Ducks

I took Quinn and Max to the pool today from 10:30 until 1:30. I was rockin’ the granny swim dress and thinking I need some new board shorts and a tankini top instead. We had a great time at the pool with two other moms we know from our neighborhood and then headed home for some lunch.

The boys are on this “how much do I have to eat before I can have a treat”, or “how much do I have to eat before I can be excused” kick. We were all tired and a little sun burnt (apparently sunscreen looses its potency when it’s been sitting in the heat and sun – duh) and the boys were tag-teaming me with the “how much do I have to eat” when I snapped just a wee bit.

“Just eat your damn lunch!” Silence… two sets of wide blue eyes were staring at me, not even half eaten, chicken salad filled tortillas half way to their mouths. Crap…I needed to back-peddle, and fast! My shoulders drooped; I sighed, apologized and gave myself a time-out in the black chair in the living room (where time-outs are served).

Generally, the going wisdom is that kids should receive one minute of time-out for each of their years. Quinn gets 5, Max gets 3. And if my boys are super naughty they serve their time-outs in their room. So I was just thinking, while I was sitting there in the black time-out chair… does this mean I get 34 minutes alone in my room? I was just wondering… ‘cause I’m thinking I could be really naughty right about now! <sigh>

Now that I have shared my exemplary mothering skills lets move on to my exemplary cooking skills:) Hopefully the cooking is better than the mothering today.

So the Garden Goodies: Green Bean Fest is going on at Dinner Tonight and I promised Deb a prosciutto-wrapped appetizer. So here it is.

Prosciutto Wrapped Green Beans

I like to use French green beans (haricot verts), but garden variety work just as well.

Preheat the oven to 450*

Wash, trim and blot dry your beans. Then depending on how many beans you have, mix a one part balsamic vinegar to 2 parts olive oil and 1 or 2 Tbsp of dried or fine chopped fresh basil in a large ziplock, just enough to coat all the beans. Seal the ziplock and shake well.

Take one very thin slice of prosciutto (keeping it in the fridge until the last minute helps separate the pieces, also ask the deli person to put paper between each slice.) and cut it in half long ways into 2 long strips.

Take 5 French or 3 regular green beans and wrap one piece of the prosciutto around the center. If one strip is not enough, use two You may secure the prosciutto with a wooden toothpick if needed.

Make as many or as few bundles as you want.

Place the bundles on a rimmed baking sheet and roast, flipping halfway through, for 15-20 minutes until the beans wilt and the prosciutto is getting crispy/brown.