This is a delicious mix of vegetables:

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cans asparagus
• 2 cans peas
• 1 8-ounce can water chestnuts
• 1 4-ounce can mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 cup cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 can cream of chicken soup
• Buttered bread crumbs OR Chinese noodles

Layer 1 can asparagus, 1 can peas, 1/2 of the water chestnuts, 1/2 of the mushrooms, 1 tablespoon onion, and 1/2 cup cheese.  Add 1/2 of the soup.  Repeat layers.  Top with bread crumbs or noodles.  Bake for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Easter is a joyful time of year, when many people remember how Jesus, God’s only son, died on the cross for our sins, was resurrected  from the dead and came back to life on the third day.  It is a happy time for Christians on Easter and every day because of the relationship they have with  Jesus.

Easter eggs have symbolized new life for hundreds of years.  They make me think of how we have new life when we become a Christian.  This is something I think about often and not just at Easter.

Easter is a time when a lot of families get together for Easter dinner, to hunt Easter eggs, and to enjoy being together.  In case you need to refer to any of these Easter posts, here they are for easy access:

• Cute Easter Cupcakes
• How to Save Dyed Easter Eggs
• Oreo Truffle Easter Eggs (easy recipe)
• Sweet Potato Easter Eggs
• Holiday Sweet Potatoes
• Never Fail Pie Crust (make ahead of time)
• Mix in the Plate Pie Crust
• Graham Cracker Pie Crust
• Ribbon Jello Dessert for Spring
• Pineapple Delight Dessert
• Mother’s Holiday Fruit Salad
• Peach Pie Salad

If you’re looking for some children’s books about Easter or a children’s Easter DVD, then you might want to check out How to Teach Kids for a few ideas.  Some interesting facts about the origin of Easter are given as well, such as how did the Easter bunny and Easter eggs originate.  I thought I knew about the eggs, but what I thought wasn’t accurate.

Our daughter and I had so much fun making these cupcakes a few years ago for the Easter egg hunt at church.  (She was in college at the time.)  We used cake mixes, canned frosting, green food coloring to dye half of the frosting green, and Easter candy.  We had some cute Easter marshmallow flowers that we stuck on colored toothpicks.  The flowers added dimension to the cupcakes, which needless to say, were a hit!

How do you like the dyed Easter eggs in the picture?  My kids decorated those!   Our daughter, s-i-l, and son had so much fun coloring these eggs several years ago.  But… I didn’t boil the eggs and instead blew out the insides so we could save their eggs.  I’m SO glad I did that!   I just wish I had put their initials on the eggs so I would know who decorated each egg.

I store the eggs in an egg carton during the year, and then we enjoy them every Easter.  They make a pretty centerpiece!

Here’s how to blow the insides out of an egg:

• Let the eggs sit out for half an hour or so.  Make sure they don’t have any cracks, etc.
  
• Hold the egg over a clean bowl and gently poke the smaller end of the egg with a straight pin and then made the hole a little larger with a sharp knife until the hole is about 1/16 of an inch in diameter.  Make sure to puncture the membrane inside the egg.
  
• Then gently poke the larger end of the egg with a sharp knife until the hole is about 1/4 inch in diameter but no larger.  Again, make sure to puncture the membrane inside the egg.    Insert a toothpick into the hole and gently stir to loosen the inside of the egg.
  
• Hold the egg over the bowl with the smaller end on top.  Gently wipe the outside of the egg to clean it, and then blow into the smaller hole.  The inside of the egg should drip out of the larger hole into the bowl.
• After the eggs are completely emptied, add a drop of dishwashing detergent and water inside each egg.  Cover the ends and gently shake the egg.  Then rinse out the egg with water.
• Let eggs dry and then decorate as usual.  (We used an Easter egg kit.)

(TRUFFLES CAN BE MADE INTO EASTER EGGS)

Here’s an easy recipe that looks impressive:

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 package Oreo cookies, crumbled
  
• 8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
  
• White chocolate bark
• 1 chocolate candy bar or chocolate chips

Using a food processor or by hand, mix the crumbled Oreos with the cream cheese.  When mixed well,  form into balls or Easter egg shapes.   Chill in the fridge.  Melt white chocolate bark and dip each ball/egg into the white chocolate, securing the ball/egg  from underneath with toothpicks when dipping.  Cool on waxed paper.  Melt the candy bar/chocolate chips and then drizzle over the tops of the truffles.  Let cool again.  Enjoy!

Ideas for serving:

• Fill a pretty, glass canister with truffles.  Tie a fabric ribbon around the top and tie a bow.
• Place truffles on pretty glass plate with a paper doily.
• Place truffle eggs on a “grassy field” of coconut dyed green. (place coconut in a plastic bag with a couple of drops of green food coloring, close the bag securely, and shake until coconut is colored)
• Decorate the top of an empty egg carton and place truffle eggs inside the carton.
• Put truffles in Easter paper cupcake liners.  Place inside an Easter basket that is low and wide so the “eggs” can be seen easily.

I have not tried this recipe, but it sounds fun for Easter dinner:

• 2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes – warm
• 1/4 cup pineapple juice
• crushed corn flakes
• shredded lettuce
  

Mix potatoes and juice with a mixer until smooth. Shape into small eggs and roll in corn flakes. Place on a greased shallow baking dish and bake @ 325 degrees for 25 minutes. Serve on a bed of shredded lettuce so it will look like eggs in the grass.

This delicious recipe is from Michelle:

• 1/2 cup margarine
• 6 sweet potatoes, cooked
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup flour
• 1/2 cup melted margarine
  

Add margarine to hot potatoes. Combine with vanilla, eggs, sugar, and cinnamon with mixer. Pour into baking dish.

For the topping, blend the pecans, brown sugar, flour, and margarine together. Add topping to top of potatoes. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately one hour.

Here are some time-saving recipes for pie crusts:

• Never Fail Pie Crust (can make ahead of time)
• In a Hurry?….”Mix in the Plate” Pie Crust
• Graham Cracker Pie Crust
  

Most people are so busy and some find it hard to find the time to roll out a pie crust while they are making all the other dishes for their Easter dinner. Here are some helpful recipes!

FIRST LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of lime Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add cold water and pour into loaf pan. Let it sit until firm.

SECOND LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of lemon Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 1 small can crushed pineapple with the juice
• 1 teaspoon vinegar

Dissolve Jello in boiling water. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Cool. Add pineapple with the juice and the vinegar. Pour on top of the first layer. Let sit until firm.

THIRD LAYER:

• 3 ounce package of cherry or raspberry Jello
• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup cold water
• Whipped cream

Dissolve Jello in boiling water, then add cold water. Let cool. Pour over the second layer. Let sit in fridge until firm. Top with whipped cream.