Resurrection Cookies

Every year we make Resurrection cookies on the Saturday night before Resurrection Sunday. The kids love this tradition and every year, the process behind making these cookies makes all that happened to our Savior that much more real. It gives them something tangible to connect with as they hear the story of Jesus being crucified and how he rose from the grave conquering death. We would do these on Friday morning to make it all the more real, however the chances of me needing the oven before Sunday morning is most definite so Saturday night will have to do.




Below is how we do the story of Easter and the Resurrection Cookies. The beauty of this recipe/activity is that all the kids can be involved and do some sort of task during the process. And every year, they pick up something new.

Easter Tomb Cookies
(Resurrection Cookies)

Bible
1 c whole pecans
1 tsp. vinegar
3 egg whites
Pinch of salt
1 c granulated sugar
1 gallon size zip-top baggie
1 wooden spoon
1 piece of tape for each child



Preheat oven to 300 degrees. (Very important to do this first.)


Read: John 19:1-3.

Place pecans in Ziploc bag and let kids beat them with the wooden spoon to break into small pieces.

The night that Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers.

Read John 19:28-30

Let each child smell the vinegar. Add teaspoon of vinegar into the mixing bowl.

While Jesus was hanging on the cross he got thirsty. The solders put a sponge onto a piece of hyssop and soaked it in vinegar. They put that sponge to his mouth for him to drink. After he had some of the vinegar, he died.

Read John 1:29 & 10:10-11

Add egg whites to vinegar.

The egg represents new life. Jesus gave His life to give us life. On the Passover Seder plate the egg represents the Passover sacrifices that were made in the temple. Jesus is the ultimate sacrifice.

Read Luke 23:27

Sprinkle a little salt into each child's hand. Let them taste it and brush the rest into the bowl.

The salt represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers. A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and wailed for Him. It also represents the bitterness of our own sins.

So far the ingredients are not very appetizing.


Read Psalm 34:8 & John 3:16


Add 1 cup of sugar.

The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him. Without His death there is no life.

Read Psalm 51:7, Isaiah 1:18 & John 3:1-3

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed.

Almost Stiff Peaks

Explain that the color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. The only way we can become pure is through Jesus.

 Fold in carefully the broken nuts.


Read Matthew 27:57-60

Drop mixture by spoonfuls onto parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

A heaping tablespoon full seems to be perfect.

Each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27:65-66

Place 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. 

A piece of tape for each child to seal the door.

The guards sealed the tomb to make sure no one would come in and steal His body.

Read John 16:20 & John 16:22

GO TO BED.

Just as it is sad to leave the cookies in the oven all night Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.

On Easter morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. 

Take a bite. Notice the cookies are hollow!


Read Matthew 28:1-10

On the first Easter morning Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

The empty tomb.

Some of the cookies are more "empty" than others. It is fun to see inside each one and compare the size of the hole. This recipe makes a lot of little cookies. Prefect for sharing with friends or family. We have had the kids explain the meaning behind the cookies and what each step of the process represents when they give them out. A great way to reinforce the lesson.

Laundry Baskets

Did you know that laundry baskets could be track and field hurdles? I found this out tonight as my munchkins decided to do the hurdles in the hall with the laundry baskets.

So funny, laundry baskets have so many uses in this house from containing laundry or miscellaneous objects both inside and outside the house, to being a baby buggy (Gia loves being pushed around the living room in the basket like she is a race car driver), to being a transportation device for pies, cakes and other yumminess, to track hurdles. The kids worked up a sweat trying to see who could jump them the most. A most amusing night I had to share.

A Coffee Saga

I woke up this morning and proceeded to make myself a yummy latte. Or, at least that was the plan. I went through the normal routine of filling up my moka pot with water and the necessary amount of freshly ground beans. Assembled the unit and placed it on the stove. I then poured the milk into my great little milk frother. I frothed the milk and put it into the microwave to heat it up. Got my favorite latte mug ready for the yummy goodness that was being made with such care and love. Pulled out my Toffee Nut Creamer put just a touch of that on the bottom of the cup. Then I patiently waited for the coffee to brew. However, it was not brewing as it should. By this time, the pot should be finished and ready to pour but when I peaked into the top of the pot, it was not even close. The coffee was not coming up the little spout. It was just sputtering pitifully. So… I guess I overfilled the little cup that holds the coffee grounds. I did not think it was too full but I was so very wrong. A few minutes later, I was extremely determined to save my little latte that I add some more Toffee Nut to my latte cup and poured the pitifully sad amount of coffee that actually sputtered through the spout into the top of the moka pot into the cup of creamer. I added the frothy milk and then took an anticipatory sip. Hoping, wishing, optimistic that the precious coffee I just brewed even though it was equivalent of sludge (yes that is a technical term) would taste at least semi delectable. Like maybe one of the lattes you get from the vending machine at a gas station. No such luck. Sadly, it was bitter and frankly disgusting. I was ready to cry. I wasted precious coffee and did not get to enjoy my morning cup of delightful bliss that I was so eagerly anticipating. My wonderful hubby saw my sadness and offered to go get me a latte. Yeah! So, I got my yummy delightful cup of bliss, Pumpkin Spice to be precise. And with that, my day got a little better.

Starbucks has some very yummy Latte flavors here are my absolute favorite : Gingerbread, Pumpkin Spice, and Cinnamon Dolce.