Some people probably already have their Easter dresses, baskets, and maybe even personalized gifts for Easter.  I miss those days when we had young kids at home and had Easter egg hunts, made an Easter bunny cake, and I had the fun of fixing up their Easter baskets (I still fix a small basket for our son who is in college.)  For those of you who have wondered how the egg is associated with Easter, this is why:  The egg is a symbol for rebirth, and so at Easter the egg symbolizes the rebirth of man because of Jesus dying on the cross for our sins and rising from the grave on Easter Sunday.

I remember these little Easter bunnies which belonged to our kids and bring back happy memories.  The bunny in blue is a Boyd’s Bunny.   Isn’t it adorable how it’s dressed in overalls?  The “bunny” dressed in lavender is actually an Old Navy dog dressed up in a bunny costume.  Old Navy was really clever that year to come up with a dog in a bunny disguise.  These are just two of the bunnies we have at our house.  We have some more bunnies my mother gave the kids years ago, and they really have special memories now that she’s no longer with us.   We also have Easter eggs the kids dyed when they were younger.  I saved those eggs and use them to decorate with every year and can remember back to when we were sitting around the table having so much fun being together!

I also remember that Easter is a special holiday for remembering and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection after He died on the cross.  It gives me joy to know that God’s power that raised Jesus from the dead is at work in the lives of Christians…is at work in my life. God gives me strength when I am completely drained.  He gives me peace when life gets crazy.  He gives me hope when I can’t see the light at the end of the tunnel.  He gives me joy that the world can’t take away!

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 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

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.)

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.

• 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.

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INGREDIENTS:

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

TOPPING INGREDIENTS:

• 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.