Resurrection cookies tell Easter story

smcclanahan

With this Sunday being Easter I wanted to share with you once again the Easter resurrection cookie recipe. I have had several people ask me to share it again as they have misplaced their copy from last year.

We have made these cookies the past two years with our children and will again this year to continue the tradition. It is a wonderful way to share the Easter story with the children in a fun activity and get away from focusing so much on the Easter bunny and hunting eggs.

I hope you will have the opportunity to make these cookies with your children or grandchildren and that it adds joy to your Easter celebration.

Be sure to read all the way through the recipe before you begin to see that you have all the supplies and ingredients you will need.

Resurrection Cookies

You will need:

Bible

Wooden spoon

Zip-top plastic bag

Tape

Ingredients for cookies:

1 cup whole pecans

3 egg whites

1 cup sugar

1 tsp. vinegar

Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place pecans in a zipper baggie and let the 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 children smell the vinegar. Put 1 teaspoon 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 child's hand. Let the children 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 aren't 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 11-15 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 3:13.

Fold in the 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; 65-66.

Put 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 John 16:20 and 22.

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 and 22. On Resurrection morning, open the oven and give everyone a cookie! Notice the cracked surface and take a bite. The cookies are hollow! On the first Resurrection Day, Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty. Read Matthew 28:1-9. HE HAS RISEN! HALLELUJAH!

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At church last Sunday I had two women ask me if I had a good glaze to put on their ham for Easter. As I told them some of the ingredients I wondered if others might enjoy a new ham glaze for their Easter ham. I have used both of these and find both of them quite satisfactory.

Baked Ham

1 (8 pound) smoked ham half

2 cups orange juice

2 cups ginger ale

Whole cloves

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup orange marmalade

2 tablespoons honey mustard

1 teaspoon ground ginger

Marinate ham overnight in orange juice and ginger ale in a large zip-top plastic bag. Turn occasionally. Remove from marinade, reserving marinade.

Slice skin away from ham; score fat on ham and stud with cloves. Place ham, fat side up, on a rack in a roasting pan. Pour reserved marinade over ham.

Cover and bake at 325 degrees for 2 1/2 hours, basting frequently. Mix remaining ingredients and coat exposed portion of ham. Bake uncovered, 30 additional minutes. Serves about 16.

This next baked ham recipe uses a very nice spice blend that flavors and seasons the ham nicely. The cola drink makes the ham so tender. If you prefer using another flavor of jam, that will work nicely, too.

Baked Glazed Ham

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoons paprika

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

1 (8 pound) smoked, fully cooked ham, trimmed

1 (12 ounce) can cola soft drink

1 (8 ounce) jar plum or apricot preserves

1/3 cup orange juice

Combine first 6 ingredients. Score fat on ham in diamond pattern. Sprinkle ham with sugar and spice mixture and place in a lightly greased, shallow roast pan. Pour cola in pan. Bake, covered, at 325 degrees for 1 hour.

Uncover and bake 15 minutes more. Stir together preserves and orange juice.

Spoon 3/4 cup glaze over ham and bake 15 minutes more until meat thermometer inserted in thickest portion registers 140 degrees. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Serve with remaining glaze. Makes 16 servings.

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Rhonda Bramlett of Cape Girardeau was looking for a popular salad recipe that uses broccoli, bacon and raisins. I have many different recipes, and you can play with each one of them adding shredded cheese, golden raisins, or sunflower seeds. I have also eaten it with pecans, and it was quite tasty, too. Be creative and adventurous to come up with your favorite combination of ingredients.

Broccoli Salad

2 large bunch broccoli, broken into florets

1/2 pound bacon, fried crisp and crumbled

1 small red onion, diced

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raisins

2 1/2 teaspoons wine vinegar

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup sugar

Mix and toss the first 5 ingredients. Mix the vinegar, mayonnaise and sugar together. Pour over tossed salad ingredients and chill until served. Yields 6 to 8 servings.

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Barb Kinsey of Cape Girardeau would like recipes using fresh mushrooms. Her boyfriend lives in the Sedgewickville, Mo., area and he has Morel mushrooms available on his farm. With fresh mushroom season right around the corner, they would like recipe to help use these delicious mushrooms.

Have a wonderful Easter celebration. I hope you can take time to reflect on the true meaning of this important day and the events surrounding it. And as always, until next time, happy cooking.

Susan McClanahan is administrator at the Cape Girardeau Senior Center. Send recipes to her at smcclanahan@semissourian.com or by mail at P.O. Box 699; Cape Girardeau, Mo. 63701. Recipes published have not been kitchen-tested by the Southeast Missourian staff.