Cookie-and-roll recipes help tell resurrection story

By Susan McClanahan

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!

Happy Easter on this glorious resurrection Sunday. I hope you are gathering today with friends and family to celebrate our risen Lord and savior, Jesus Christ.

At our house, the family gathering includes a variety of delicious foods shared with people I love. I shared side-dish recipes with you last week, so this week I am passing along some recipes that really bring the true Easter story to a visible example, especially for children.

Enjoy this wonderful day and spend some time reflecting on the real meaning and purpose of the holiday.

Easter Story Resurrection Cookies

• 1 cup whole pecans
• 1 teaspoon vinegar
• 3 egg whites
• Pinch salt
• 1 cup sugar
• Zipper baggie
• Wooden spoon
• Tape
• Most important of all, your Bible

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place pecans in zipper baggie 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: [1] "Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. [2] The soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head. They clothed him in a purple robe [3] and went up to him again and again, saying, 'Hail, king of the Jews!' And they struck him in the face."

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: [28] "Later, knowing that all was now completed, and so that the Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, 'I am thirsty.' [29] A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus' lips. [30] When he had received the drink, Jesus said, 'It is finished.' With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit." Add egg whites to vinegar. Eggs represent life. Explain that Jesus gave his life to give us life.

Read John 10:10-11: [10] "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." 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: "A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed for him." 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: "Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him;" and John 3:16: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." 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: "Come now, let us reason together, says the LORD. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool;" and John 3:1-3: "[1] Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a member of the Jewish ruling council. [2] He came to Jesus at night and said, 'Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.' [3] In reply, Jesus declared, 'I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.'"

Fold in broken nuts. Drop by teaspoons onto wax-paper-covered cookie sheet. Explain that each mound represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27: 57- 60: [57] "As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. [58] Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. [59] Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, [60] and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away." 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: [65] "'Take a guard,' Pilate answered. 'Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.' [66] So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

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: "I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy;" and John 16: 22: "So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy."

On 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: "[1]After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. [2] There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. [3] His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. [4] The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. [5] The angel said to the women, 'Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. [6] He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. [7] Then go quickly and tell his disciples: He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him. Now I have told you.' [8] So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. [9] Suddenly Jesus met them. 'Greetings,' he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him."

Resurrection Rolls

• 1 package refrigerated crescent rolls
• 8 large marshmallows
• 3 tablespoons melted butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix cinnamon and sugar together ahead of time. Melt butter in microwave ahead of time.

Preheat oven to 375. Turn oven on just before beginning to assemble rolls. Separate crescent rolls and lay individual triangle on workspace. Dip marshmallow in butter and roll to thoroughly coat. Roll buttered marshmallow in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place marshmallow on narrow tip of crescent dough and roll toward the large end. Pinch dough together firmly at edges and any thin spots. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 15 minutes until golden brown.

When removed from oven, the middle of the roll will be empty.

Resurrection Cookies

You may enjoy making these cookies with your children and talking about how the marshmallow was like Jesus' body. After three days (represented by 8 minutes in the oven), his body was there no longer... he had risen! Although the cookies didn't stay "fluffed" in the middle like the resurrection rolls do, you could see a little bit of the white in the center of the cookie because it represented the empty burial cloths.

• Soften 1/2 cup of butter and 1/2 cup of shortening. Cream butter, shortening, 2 eggs and 1 1/2 cups of sugar. Set aside.
• Mix (in a separate bowl) 2 3/4 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
• Mix wet and dry ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour. In the meantime, mix 2 tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl.
• Get a scoop of dough using a cookie dough scoop. Use your finger to make a deep hole in which to place the miniature marshmallow. Let your child roll it into a ball. Roll cookie dough in cinnamon mixture. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 8 to 9 minutes.

Enjoy making these cookies with your children. This recipe is just a tasty, everyday way that we can instill the story of Jesus into our day.

Easter Bird Nests

This recipe is not an Easter story recipe; it is just a fun activity for children to help with. Making it an interactive activity creates family fun and memories.

Bring to boil and remove from heat:

• 1 cup light Karo syrup
• 1 cup sugar

Add:

• 1 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 4 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• Coconut, jelly beans, marshmallow chicks
• Green food coloring

Tint coconut in a mixture of a tiny bit of water and drops of green food coloring. Place coconut and green liquid in a bag and turn and toss around until completely tinted green. Pour out onto a tray to dry completely.

Bring to boil: 1 cup light Karo syrup and 1 cup sugar. Remove from heat and add 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter, 1 cup chocolate chips and 4 cups of Rice Krispies, mixing well.

Shape about 1/2 cup or less of the mixture into a nest by making a ball and then pressing in the center to make depression for nest. Set on waxed paper.

Fill with coconut that has been tinted with green food coloring and a little water and air dried first. Note: Make sure the coconut has been dried enough and won't rub off on hands when touched.

Fill with jelly beans, chocolate eggs or other egg-shaped candies and top off with a marshmallow Peep if desired.

Have a great week and, until next time, happy cooking!