What we did this Easter

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What we did this Easter
Apr 14, 2009 at 6:56 PM
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- go_romanovs
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Well, I tried to stay away from commercial candy as much as I can this year, so I went to Whole Foods to buy some all natural alternatives and to Etsy for some all natural organic Peeps.. We also have Yummy Earth candy drops, they'd fit inside the egg perfectly, but I forgot all about them! :(
So on Saturday we dyed eggs. I always cringe when my kids eat eggs that have brightly colored streaks on them... so this time we went for natural dyeing - using onion skins (brown), red cabbage (blue), and beets (pinkish). You can also do turmeric for a bright yellow but we didn't have it on hand :(

Look how pretty

I guess, I didn't do it right, and our blue and pink eggs didn't turn out too well. I saw other recipes and they said to prewipe the eggs with vinegar and use salt too together with vinegar as you dye, but the recipe I used didn't call for it, but it might have made a difference.. But the onion skins worked beautifully! The same 1 pot gave us all sorts of different shades of brown - I really liked the result!

And we also made some Easter cookies - something new this year. A friend shared the recipe with us and it was so much fun for the kids! I loved how it combines the fun with meaning.

> These cookies have become an Easter tradition. It is
> especially exciting when the older ones read
> the Scriptures. However,
> this is not a "quick" project (It usually takes
> us about an hour!). I suggest getting
everything ready, and be in no
> hurry! It will be more
> enjoyable! Have a happy Easter celebrating
> Jesus!
>
>>
> Easter Cookies
>
> To be made the night before Easter:
>
> 1 Cup whole pecans
>
> 1 tsp vinegar
>
> 3 egg whites

pinch salt
>
> 1 cup sugar
>
> zipper bag
>
> wooden spoon
>
> tape
>
> Bible
>
> Preheat oven to 300 degrees (this is important,
> don't wait till you're
> half done with the recipe!)
>
> Place the pecans in the zipper baggie and let
> children beat them with a
> wooden spoon to break into small pieces.
> Explain that after Jesus was
> arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.
> Read John 19:1-3.
>
> Let each child smell the vinegar. Put 1 tsp
> vinegar into mixing bowl.
> Explain that when Jesus was thirsty on the
> cross, He was given vinegar to
> drink. Read John 19:28-30.
>
> Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent
> life. Explain that Jesus gave
> His life to give us life. Read John 10:10-11.
>
> Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand.

> Let them taste it and
> brush the rest in the bowl. Explain that this
> represents the salty tears
> shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of
> our own sin. Read Luke
> 23:27.
>
> So far, the ingredients are not very
> appetizing. Add 1 cup sugar.
>
> Explain that the sweetest part of the story is
> that Jesus died because He
> loves us. He wants us to know and belong to
> Him. Read Psalm 34:8 and
> John 3:16.
>
> Beat with a mixer on high speed 12 to 15
> minutes until stiff peaks are
> formed. Explain that the color white
> represents the purity in God's eyes
> of those whose sins have been cleansed by
> Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18 and
> John 3:1-3.
>
> Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto a
> wax paper covered cookie
> sheet. Explain that each mound represents the
> rocky tomb where Jesus'
> body was laid. Read Matthew 27:57-60.
>
> Put the cookie sheet in the oven, close the
> door and turn the oven
> OFF!!! Give each child a piece of tape and
> "seal" the oven door.
> Explain that Jesus' tomb was sealed. Read
> Matthew 27: 65-66.
>
> GO TO BED!!! Explain that they may feel sad
> to leave the cookies in
> the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in
> despair when the tomb was
> sealed. Read John 16:20 and 22.
>
> On Easter morning, open the oven and give
> everyone a cookie. Notice the
> cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies
> are hollow!! On the first
> Easter, Jesus' followers were amazed to find
> the tomb open and empty.
> Matthew 28:1-9

The best part of it was in the morning! :) and it was a very nice beginning of Easter Sunday!

So on Sunday we eat some cookies, go to church, stop by MIL's and go home to have an egg hunt with our friends.. We stuffed the eggs with small animals, cereal, some money and some candy. I managed to cram some math into it - my oldest daughter had to buy peeps from me for 12c each ;0) since they didn't fit inside the eggs.

Here are some hunt pics :)

Hope you had fun too :)

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1

Apr. 14, 2009 at 7:31 PM

Wow the eggs turned out great! I have the recipe for those cookies. I've not tried them yet. I keep meaning to give it a go

SmileyMoo

Apr. 14, 2009 at 7:56 PM

i've never heard about the cookies, but it will be a neat tradition to start in the future. judging by the baskets, it looks like the Easter bunny really dropped some eggs at your house.

Tarable525

Apr. 14, 2009 at 9:12 PM

Didn't they? :) I LOVED them too. They are not you regular neon colors Easter eggs, but they sure did look nice! I am really looking forward to experimenting some more with cabagde and beets and tumeric next year - the pictures on line looked really good too!

The cookies I loved :) Kids weren't too crazy (which is great :) - the less sugar - the better), though they did eat some. But I just loved how they were light and crunchy on the outside and nice and chewy on the inside - and the nuts - MMMMM... Thinking about making some more :)

Tarable, no bunnies in this house :) I know we still do eggs, but this friend who came over she shared another idea - doing little bread balls that would represent sin - so kids hunt for them (search their sins out), gather them and present them to God (parents), then God gives them gifts of the spirit in exchange and parents give them small toys or treats. Something like this. I though it was cute and a neat idea. I will look into it for next year.

But yeah - we have a LOT of eggs! :) A couple of years ago I got a LOT of them from Freecycle. Gotta LOVE that web site. Do you Freecycle?