Maundy Thursday....but Sunday's coming...
OK, this is a fun recipe for those of you with little ones...I made these when my kids were small. Don't you hate that holidays...esp Christian holidays...are so commercialized? And it's easy to get caught up in the trap. Yes, we do make Easter baskets every year. I've reused the same baskets and "grass" every year for at least 10 years now. I asked the kids if I should get new ones. They looked at me like I was crazy!! We like traditions. I buy on-sale candy the year before (the hard candy anyway) and fill in around the edges with other things. I try to put in a Christian book, CD or video. I pick these up used and because it's always been that way, the kids are cool with it. We always start Easter morning by playing Keith Green's "Easter Song" (He is risen...alleluia...) REALLY loud...another tradition. And over the past 4 years, we have started having Easter dinner with our chuch home group, since we are all away from other family. So the newest tradition is Steph's Blueberry Goo...which is marvelous! Can't wait! But the most important thing is to focus on the real reason we celebrate....
"Resurrection Cookies"
~Also known as Easter Story Cookies~
This is a great recipe to teach your Children the REAL story of Easter. That the Lord Jesus Christ
our Savior is not dead but has Risen. We serve a Risen Savior......
This activity can be done as a "family" or for Sunday School. Of course the Sunday School option might
be to hand it out to the class with a note to the parents. Grandparents might considering
doing this with their grandchildren this year too!!!
You will need:
1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites
a pinch salt
1 cup sugar
a zipper baggy
1 wooden spoon
scotch tape
Bible
Instructions:
These are to be made the evening before Easter. Preheat oven to 300F.
*** (this is very important --- don't wait until you are half done with the recipe).
Place pecans in zipper baggy and let children beat them with the 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 teaspoon 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
into 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 for 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 teaspoon onto 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 in despair when the tomb was sealed. Read: John 16:20&22
On Resurrection Sunday (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
I've never heard of this before. I'm going to have to print this out and give it a run through this year.
ReplyDeleteMy children and I do this as well as part of our yearly tradition. When they were preschool age, we simplified the recipe. We used cresent rolls representative of the linen cloth Jesus was wrapped in after his death for burial. Jesus was represented by a large marshmallow. A mixture of equal parts cinnamon and sugar represented the spices, and melted butter represented the oils used for embalming. So, you take the marshmallow, dip in butter, roll in spice mixture, and gently wrap in cresent roll. Place in your tomb/oven. Bake for 10 minutes or so on 350, and when you take the cresent rolls out to eat, you discover JESUS HAS RISEN (the marshmallow melts), to aid in your depiction of Christ's acension.
ReplyDeleteTrisha! Thank you...I can't wait to do this. My kids will have a ball with this. Paula
ReplyDelete