Easter Weekend

I forgot how much I love the springtime here in Mesa.  Well I am not exactly sure you can call it Spring because it doesn't last very long, but the middle of March to the middle of May is the best.  You can smell the orange blossoms in the air and the weather is nearly perfect.  And it is Easter time and that means the Easter Pageant.  We went Friday night and had a lot of fun.  I haven't been in a few years and even though I have seen it dozens and dozens of times growing up, it is still amazing each time.

Here is Stacie and her cute boyfriend Jesse.  The funny thing is I grew up with Jesse and have known him since like 7th grade and it is fun to see him and Stacie together.  They make a great couple.

This picture and the next is awesome.  I went to take a picture of the stage, and this boy smiled for my pictures.  He is no dummy.  So funny. 

And here he is again...Love it!

And then we hit up Applebees after of course

During Priesthood session, we always go and get icecream with Rachel and the boys.  Here is cute baby Nixon.  He is 5 months now.  Isn't that amazing??

Jack...we love him

My cute sister Rachel

Kaden

Me and baby Nixon

Sunday after dinner we went to the park for an easter egg hunt.  A few other neighborhood kids joined and it didn't really last very long but it was nice to get outside.  The weather was beautiful!

I am loving Kaden's face in this picture

For dinner I made a peach crisp with maple cream sauce.  It was good (well the pan is empty) and pretty easy. Sorry for the lack of pictures.  While I was making it, I didn't have my camera and then I got to serving and totally forgot to take a picture.  You would think I would be better at this picture thing...but I am not. I would recommend cutting the butter in really small pieces when you mix it with the flour mixture.  Even though the cream sauce doesn't seem like it would be enough, it is.  I doubled it to be sure and it was too much which meant I had to stir for a straight 35 minutes instead of 20.  But here ya go....

Cream Sauce Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

5 tablespoons pure maple syrup

3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Peach crisp:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

dash of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 stick of cold butter

6 peaches peeled and sliced

grated zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Begin my making the cream sauce because it will need to chill in the fridge for at least an hour.  Pour cream into a heavy saucepan.  Add the maple syrup and corn syrup.  Cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the sauce is thickened and reduced by a third.  This is where the 20 mintues comes in.  Chill in fridge for at least an hour. 

To prepare the crisp, preheat oven to 350.  Start with the crumb mixture.  In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and salt.  Cut the cold butter into small pieces.  Add the butter to the bowl and use a fork to cut into the flour mixture.  The mixture should resemble a moist, coarse meal.  Place the peeled and sliced peaches in a bowl and add the lemon zest to the peaches.  Mix in the lemon juice and the maple syrup and gently stir to combine.  Pour the peaches into a 9 or 8x12 baking dish.  Top with the crumb mixture and cover tightly with foil and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the foil and bake for 30 more, or until the topping is crisp and golden brown.  Spoon the warm crisp onto a plate and drizzle the chilled maple cream sauce over the top.  I served with vanilla ice cream and love....

I hope you all had a great Easter too.  I am so grateful when conference falls on Easter Sunday.  I love conference and am so grateful for a living prophet is who the mouthpiece of our Savior.  What wonderful counsel they gave us and much needed in a world that is becoming more and more evil.  I always look forward to the May and November Ensigns so I can pack it around and study the talks.  The church is true!! 

Happy Easter!