Grilled Spring Flatbread

My husband taught our 10-year-old son to mow the lawn two weeks ago. My son, Jackson, is eager to have his own money and has a mile-long list of things he would like to purchase.  As far as I can tell the list mostly consists of basketball shoes, baseball hats, sunflower seeds and slime. The kid needed a job and quick.

I came home from various kid-related activities last night and there was my son, dutifully mowing the lawn and even better, he was doing a great job. I feel like a new era is ushering into the life of our family. For so long, with three kids very close in age, our life felt like a never-ending cycle of diapers and naps, ear infections and snack cups. And it was good. So very good. I loved having a baby on my hip. For as hard as those years sometimes were, I know I’ll miss it for the rest of my life.

But big kids? They rock. They’re funny and sweet, tie their own shoes, tell weird stories, have opinions they can express without throwing a tantrum (most of the time). One day you wake up and the sweet baby you put to bed the night before is a fully-functioning human. The saying ‘the days are long but the years are short’ has never rung more true.

With Mother’s Day this weekend, my only request from my kids is to not do any dishes all day. If they throw some flowers and cards into the mix, that would be great, but really, I just don’t want to do any dishes.

This easy grilled flatbread is the perfect Mother’s Day dish. Full of fresh spring flavors, send the mom in your life out to the patio with a glass of wine while you throw this easy recipe together. The Downtown Yakima Farmer’s Market opens this weekend in front of the Capitol Theater. Swing through on Sunday and pick up the asparagus and peas you need for the recipe. The fresh ingredients will take the flavors to a whole new level. And to the mom’s out there: solidarity sisters. I hope you feel all the love in the universe this weekend.

Grilled Flatbread with Whipped Ricotta, Prosciutto and Peas

·         Naan Bread or Pizza Dough

·         ½ cup ricotta cheese, whipped

·         4 ounces sliced prosciutto

·         1/3 cup asparagus cut into 1-inch pieces

·         1/3 cup fresh peas

·         2 tablespoons shaved parmesan

·         Zest of half a lemon

·         Pinch of red pepper flakes

·         Fresh basil or mint minced

 Preheat outdoor grill to medium-high heat (about 400 degrees). You can also cook the flatbread in a conventional oven, preheat to 425 degrees.

Blend ricotta cheese in a food processer or blender for 30 seconds until creamy and smooth. Lightly spray a pizza pan or baking sheet with cooking oil, place prepared naan bread or rolled out pizza dough on pan.

Spread ricotta cheese evenly on the flatbread. Layer the prosciutto over the ricotta and top with asparagus, fresh peas, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper.

Bake flatbread for 8-10 minutes, watching closely, rotating pan halfway through cooking time. The flatbread is ready when the crust is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove flatbread from the heat and garnish with a shake of red pepper flakes and minced fresh basil. Slice into pieces to serve.

*If you can’t find fresh peas or they are out of season, briefly steam or sauté the peas and asparagus in a little water to bring out their bright green color and tender sweet flavor. Drain the vegetables from the water and continue with the instructions as called for.