EASTER COOKIES

Easter with the kids 

Easter

New Life!

EASTER STORY COOKIES

From Judi Troyer

To be made the evening before Easter

You will need:

1 cup whole pecans

1 t. vinegar

3 egg whites

pinch salt

1 cup sugar

zipper baggie

wooden spoon

tape

Bible

Preheat oven to 300. Important not to wait until half-way through making your recipe.  Preheat oven first!

Place pecans in zipper baggie and let children beat them with the wooden spoon to break them 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 teaspoon vinegar into a 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 the 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.  (Add a pinch to 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 to the bowl.  Explain that the sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us.  He wants us to know Him and belong to Him.  Read Psalm 34:8 and John 3:16.

Beat mixture on high speed for 12-15 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, forgiven by Jesus.  Read Isaiah 1:18 and John 3:1-3.

Fold in the broken pecans, then drop by teaspoon onto a waxed 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 very sad when the tomb was sealed.  Read John 16:20-22.

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.  Read Matthew 28:1-9.

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

Dan and Angie

CHEESEBURGER SOUP

From Angie Reid

1/2 lb. ground beef

3/4 cup onion, chopped

3/4 cup carrots, shredded

3/4 cup celery, diced

1 t. dried basil*

1 t. dried parsley*

4 T. butter

3 cups chicken broth*

4 cups diced potatoes

1/4 cup all purpose flour

8 oz. American cheese

1 1/2 cups milk

3/4 t. salt

1/4 to 1/2 t. pepper

1/4 cup sour cream

Brown beef.

Saute veggies in 1 T. butter for 10 minutes.

Add broth, potatoes, beef.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat.

Cover and simmer for ten minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, melt remaining butter.

Add flour; cook and stir for 3-5 minutes, or until bubbly.

Add flour/butter mixture to soup and bring to a boil.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes.

Reduce heat to low.

Add cheese, milk, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese melts.

Remove from the heat and  blend in sour cream.

*Note:  Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc.  I use Italian seasoning rather than basil and parsley. And, if you like, you can substitute or add beef broth as well.

APPLE MALLOW YAM YUMS

APPLE MALLOW YAM YUMS

From Judi Troyer

This dish is a Thanksgiving tradition in our family. The first year we made these was about 1978. We really liked the recipe and made them every year after that. It was from a recipe in a magazine. We changed from using canned yams to cooking fresh yams. It makes the taste so much better.

2-3 yams, cooked, sliced or quartered

2 apples, sliced

1/3 cup pecan pieces

1/4 - 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 t. cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, cubed

2 cups mini marshmallows

Toss apples together with pecans. Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Layer apple-pecan mix alternately with yams in casserole dish.  

Add butter cubes all around evenly.

Bake 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. 

During the last 3-5 minutes, top the dish with mini marshmallows and brown tops.  Watch closely. They can burn easily. 

CHEESE BALL

CHEESE BALL
From Grandma, Pearl Holmes

1 8-oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese
1 8-oz. Philadelphia cream cheese
1 T. mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 cup finely chopped pecans

Let cheeses get to room temperature and mix together until smooth.  

Add remaining ingredients and roll in additional pecans.  Chill.

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

HAPPY FALL EVERYONE!!

PUMPKIN CINNAMON STREUSEL PANCAKES

From Rachel (Reid) Brown

Make the cinnamon streusel:

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

1 t. ground cinnamon

6 T. unsalted butter, cut into chunks

Set aside.

Pancake batter:  

3/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 T. light brown sugar

2 t. baking powder

1/4 t. salt

1 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/8 t. ground ginger

1/8 t. ground cloves

1 cup milk

1/2 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 large egg

2 T. canola oil

1 t. vanilla extract

Instructions:

First, make the cinnamon streusel.  In medium bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter.  

Mix streusel mixture together with your hands or a fork til crumbly.  Set aside.

Now make the pancakes:

In a large bowl, whisk together flours, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves.  Set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg, pumpkin, canola oil and vanilla extract.  Add wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk until combined.

Heat a griddle or pan to medium-low. Coat with cooking spray.  Drop 1/3 cup of batter onto heated skillet.  Add 2 T. of cinnamon streusel.  Cook on the first side until bubbles begin to form, about 2-3 minutes.  Carefully flip pancake over and cover generously with cinnamon streusel. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. 

Continue this process to make the rest of the pancakes.

Serve warm with maple syrup and butter.

Note from Rachel:   for another variation:  skip all of the streusel and add dark chocolate chips to the pancake batter. We LOVE pumpkin-chocolate-chip pancakes!!

SPICED TEA

SPICED TEA

From Lyn Sewell (from Janis Weedman)

1 gallon water

2 ½ cups sugar

6 teabags

1 t. whole cloves

1 stick cinnamon

½ c. lemon juice

6 oz. can concentrated orange juice

Heat sugar and water.  

Just before boiling, add spices.  

When boils, add tea bags.  

Let steep for 30 minutes.  Take out tea bags and spices.  

Mix in lemon juice and orange juice.  Yummmmm!  

JAPANESE FRUIT PIE

JAPANESE FRUIT PIE
From Angie Reid  (recipe from Mary Gilliam)

2 eggs
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 T. vinegar
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Mix all ingredients well and place in unbaked pie shell.

Bake at 300 degrees for one hour or at 325 for 30-40 minutes.

Pie will be very brown.

Top with whipped cream.