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.

Chocolate Recipe Resource

Mmmmmm Chocolate

I just picked this up at Target today.
Food Network Magazine's Chocolate Issue.
Because you know Chocolate is essential and I really need... ahem... um... want more chocolate recipes. Here is just a few that caught my eye.

Chocolate Waffles

Turkey Mole

Chocolate Cheesecake

Candy Bar Cake

3 - yes 3 - Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

Chocolate Ice Cubes

and of course 

50 different Brownie Recipes!

One really can't have enough chocolate can they?

 I foresee a lot of baking in my near future.

Junk Mail Can Be Essential

I have spent the last couple of weeks packing for our move. With all the breakable items, I of course am wrapping it all in newspapers. But, here is the kicker - we do not get the paper. We did not ask anyone for extra newspapers and we did not have any stashed away for this occasion but we have plenty of newspaper to wrap everything in. Why? you ask. Because the wonderful US postal service delivers daily so many junk ads that, we have enough to pack the entire house.

With that, I must say thank-you to all the grocery stores and value shopper add people for delivering all the packing material I need for my move.

6 days and counting.

Very Important Resource

Okay, this is very important. Fisher-Price just recalled so many toys due to lead paint it is really frightening. I can imagine that there is some poor 4 year old somewhere who just had his entire toy collection removed from his room due to this recall. Earlier this summer Thomas The Train toys were recalled due to lead paint. Much to my son's sadness he had to give up one engine out of his collection. Pacifiers were recalled just last week. Okay but these pacifiers should NEVER have been sold in the first place. People are buying normal safe pacifiers and then sticking on the little crystals all over them and then selling them online and at flea marts and craft fairs and such. These are so dangerous! Really what are people thinking? So here is the point of this little rant. You need to be very careful and make wise safe choices when it comes to your kids but even then, something you think would be safe like Fisher Price toys or Thomas the Train can turn out to be not so safe.
I sign up for recall alerts and strongly suggest that every one not just parents do too. So many items get recalled now days it is sickening. It makes me think of what my grandparents say, "They don't make things like they used to." But then again even some really old items are dangerous, like old chests that can automatically close and latch shut while a kids is in it and cribs with slats too far apart that a baby can become trapped.
Here are the links to the recall information sites I use. Sign up for their emails you will not be sorry. Many times you won't have to worry but then there are the recalls you see that you are very thankful you signed up.

http://www.cpsc.gov/index.html

http://www.recalls.gov/