Our Picnic Lunch, Books, and Pea-nuts!

For some reason ham and cheese, goldfish, fruit, and grahm cracker cookies just taste better at a picnic!

It was hot.. but very worth it.
Caroline chilled in her stroller under the table (it was the only shade). I think she was happy!



After we ate our lunch I fed Caroline and Anna took Casey up to the top of the hills.



Ever heard the expression.. You are what you eat!..?
Well-



My child is definitely a ham!!

In other "blog news" I have a few things for you to try.
I've been on a reading kick lately and here are my suggestions for ya- If you haven't read Heaven is for REAL get it today... you will not be sorry!
Also.. before the end of summer and the movie comes out you must read The Help.. I loved it.
Something Borrowed followed by Something Blue are both wonderful beach reads.
Right now I'm reading In the Sanctuary of Outcasts by Neil White. It is really good too. It's a memoir of a man (Neil White) that had to go to a federal prison that doubled as prison and leper colony in Carville, Louisianna for bank fraud. - I'll let you know how it is but so far it's really good!

ALSO-
I have a recipe for you. If you know me at all you know I hate all peas BUT when I'm trying to convince my two year old to eat green veggies I have to suck it up and eat them too. I thought I would just mix my few spoonfuls in with my pasta...which I did.. but they weren't so bad. Then when I was cleaning up afterward I decided not to let the rest of the peas go to waste so I decided to try and roast them.



I poured the peas in a mixing bowl with oil and various seasonings and roasted them for about 30 minutes..



They were actually pretty good. But OBVIOUSLY I'm no chef.. they were a bit salty. But, it occured to me that kids will eat anything from a ziploc =)
Anna loved them!

Today when the girls wake up from naps I'm off to the grocery store to get more peas and some different spices for this recipe I found on Google:

I figured if I thought to roast peas and make a sort of "Pea-nut-snack" then someone else had thought of it and made it better! I'll let you know- this recipe is for roasted spicey peas:

2 Cups green peas
2.5 Tbsp oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp white pepper

375 degrees

Line sheet pan with parchment paper.
Thaw green peas. Pour off any water. Pat dry.

Put in bowl. Coat with oil.
Add spices. Toss until evenly coated.

Place in single layer on sheet pan.

Place on center rack for 1hr- or longer depending on how crunchy you want them.

Let dry completely.

Keep covered. Last 2-3 weeks.

Well, the girls are up so we're headed to the store.

I'll let you know how our taste test goes!

Y'all have a good rest of the day!