Easter is the time of springtime festivals, a time to welcome back the Tulips, the Crocuses and the Daffodils. Its a time of new suits, new dresses and patent leather shoes. A time for Christians to celebrate the life and resurrection of Christ. And a time of chocolate bunnies, marshmallow chicks, and colored eggs! Now here for your entertainment are some fun Holiday things for you and your family. There are Easter stories,  pictures to color and all kind of fun crafts ! So bring your kids and tell your friends. And please stop by again. Don't forget to sign my  Guestbook before you leave . The Story of Easter    Easter is a time of springtime festivals. In Christian countries Easter is celebrated as the religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God. But the celebrations of Easter have many customs and legends that are pagan in origin and have nothing to do with ChristianityScholars, accepting the derivation proposed by the 8th-century English scholar St. Bede, believe the name Easter is thought to come from the Scandinavian "Ostra" and the Teutonic "Ostern" or "Eastre," both Goddesses of mythology signifying spring and fertility whose festival was celebrated on the day of the vernal equinoxTraditions associated with the festival survive in the Easter rabbit, a symbol of fertility, and in colored easter eggs, originally painted with bright colors to represent the sunlight of spring, and used in Easter-egg rolling contests or given as giftsThe Christian celebration of Easter embodies a number of converging traditions with emphasis on the relation of Easter to the Jewish festival of Passover, or Pesach, from which is derived Pasch, another name used by Europeans for Easter. Passover is an important feast in the Jewish calendar which is celebrated for 8 days and commemorates the flight and freedom of the Israelites from slavery in EgyptThe early Christians, many of whom were of Jewish origin, were brought up in the Hebrew tradition and regarded Easter as a new feature of the Passover festival, a commemoration of the advent of the Messiah as foretold by the prophets. (For more information please visit our Passover celebration - Passover on the Net)Easter is observed by the churches of the West on the first Sunday following the full moon that occurs on or following the spring equinox (March 2I). So Easter became a "movable" feast which can occur as early as March 22 or as late as April 25Christian churches in the East which were closer to the birthplace of the new religion and in which old traditions were strong, observe Easter according to the date of the Passover festivalEaster is at the end of the Lenten season, which covers a forty-six-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter. The Lenten season itself comprises forty days, as the six Sundays in Lent are not actually a part of Lent. Sundays are considered a commemoration of Easter Sunday and have always been excluded from the Lenten fast. The Lenten season is a period of penitence in preparation for the highest festival of the church year, EasterHoly Week, the last week of Lent, begins its with the observance of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday takes its name from Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem where the crowds laid palms at his feet. Holy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, which was held the evening before the Crucifixion. Friday in Holy Week is the anniversary of the Crufixion, the day that Christ was crucified and died on the crossHoly week and the Lenten season end with Easter Sunday, the day of resurrection of Jesus Christ The Easter Bunny Story by M. Josephine Todd, 1909  There's a story quite funny, About a toy bunny, And the wonderful things she can do; Every bright Easter morning, Without warning, She colors eggs, red, green, or blue. Some she covers with spots, Some with quaint little dots, And some with strange mixed colors, too -- Red and green, blue and yellow, But each unlike his fellow Are eggs of every hue. And it's odd, as folks say, That on no other day In all of the whole year through, Does this wonderful bunny, So busy and funny, Color eggs of every hue. If this story you doubt She will soon find you out, And what do you think she will do? On the next Easter morning She'll bring you without warning, Those eggs of every hue.   Easter Egg Decorating Craft Ideas    Homemade Mr. Egg Face Easter Eggs Hard Boiled Eggs Colored Markers Set the kids around the table - and the grown-ups too! Each person draws a face feature on the egg and passes it to the next, until you have each egg person done. Amazing Colored Easter Egg Craft Hard Boiled Eggs Colored Tissue Paper or Crepe Paper Wet the eggs and cover with strips of tissue or crepe paper. Set aside to dry. When the paper dries the color will stay behind. Voila!! Lazy Homemade Easter Egg Decorating Craft Hard Boiled Eggs Colored Plastic Wrap Colored Ribbon Wrap eggs in the plastic wrap and tie at the top with a ribbon. Makes a very attractive centre piece for Easter Breakfast Table. Try This Easter Egg ( No Egg ) Crafts Decoration For the little ones that can't have eggs but can have fun!! Paper Coffee Filters Food coloring (use yellow & blue for best results) Plastic Straws Precut egg shapes out of the coffee filters. Mix water and yellow coloring together and place in small jar; do the same with the blue. Set the kids around the table and let each have a straw. Then dip the straw into a jar and drip the color onto the paper. the colors will run together and make beautifilly decorated eggs. Easter Baskets Crafts   Fill 'Em Ideas: Make a favorite color basket, fill with small things all your childs favorite color Make a beauty basket, fill with things like barrettes. nail polish, jewelry pieces Make a barbie basket, loaded with barbie accessories Make a sports basket, fill with trading cards, baseball, cap Make a beach basket, fill with shovel, sand toys, sun hat, sun block, use a pail Make use of your imagination, what's your child's favorite thing - go with it!! Homemade is best!  Build 'Em Ideas Growing Easter Basket Crafts Empty 1/2 gal. Milk Cartons Potting Soil Grass Seed Decorating Stuff / paper / glue / glitter etc. Cut down carton to 5". Cover with decorations of choice - try covering with colored paper and gluing on sparkles, shapes, whatever. Fill 2/3 full with potting soil, cover soil with grass seed. Have the children water daily. Grass should be sprouting in 4 or 5 days. Use the top half for the handle. Cut the appropriate shape and staple to your basket. Fill with eggs! Easter Bunny Basket Crafts Empty Clean Milk Carton Construction Paper Glue Crayons or Markers Cotton Ball Use the bottom 1/3 of the carton. Staple a 1" strip across the top for a handle, cut from the unused part of the carton. Cut out a bunny shape - sitting up bunny with ears on top, round head and fat body, face front, glue onto one side of your carton. Make sure your shape is the same width as the carton you are using. Decorate the basket with paper pieces which have been cut and torn - or try this one: paint the basket with glue and dip in colored confetti pieces. Glue cotton ball (for tail) on opposite side of carton from face and ears. Easy homemade kid crafts idea! Easter Bunny Basket Craft #2 2 ltr. or 64oz. size Plastic Pop Bottle (clear plastic) Colored Pink Felt Piece Wiggle Eyes Glue Cotton Ball or Pom Pom If there is a bottom support attached to your bottle then remove it first. Cut the bottle in half, removing the top piece. Next cut down on the bottle on one side until there is 3" or 4" left - this will be the body. Move to the left or right side of your cut 4" or 5" and cut down the same distance as the first cut. Cut out the section that is loose. Move to the other side of the bottle and diagonally cut two pointed ears (be careful not to cut them off!). Cut out your pink felt and glue to the plastic ears. Glue on eyes (wiggle or paper), pink triangle felt nose (or paper) and little strips of white paper to resemble whiskers. Don't forget the cotton ball or pom pom for the tail. Fill with colored Easter grass. Add your colored Easter Eggs, Easter Candy etc. There's nothing like homemade crafts! Easter Egg Hunt Ideas   Place a plastic egg with a clue inside, under your child's pillow. Let it lead to 3 or 4 more clues, before finally finding the Easter Basket of goodies. Leave a trail of jelly beans from the bedroom door to the Easter Basket. Using tape or paper, make tiny little rabbit foot prints from the back door to run to the refrigerator, to the couch, to the fireplace, to the bedroom, all over, until they finally run out the front door. Vernalisa's Easter Cake Recipes Easter Cake Recipes including Easter Daffodil Cake, Easter Bunny Cake, Easter Bunny Cup Cakes ,Easter Yogurt Cake Easter Daffodil Cake  1/2 c Sifted cake flour 1/2 c Sifted powdered sugar 6 Egg whites 1/2 ts Cream of tartar 1/2 ts Vanilla 1/8 ts Salt 1/2 c Granulated sugar 3/4 c Sifted cake flour 3/4 ts Baking powder 6 Egg yolks 2 tb Lemon juice 1 tb Cold water 1/2 c Granulated sugar Powdered sugar White part of cake: Sift 1/2 cup cake flour and 1/2 cup powdered sugar together three times. Beat egg whites till frothy; add cream of tartar, vanilla, and salt. Beat till soft peaks form. Gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over top; fold in. Yellow part of cake: Sift 3/4 cup cake flour and baking powder together three times. Beat yolks with juice and water until thick, 5 to 7 minutes; gradually beat in 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Sift a fourth of the flour mixture at a time over top; fold in. Alternately spoon yellow and white mixtures into an ungreased 9- or 10-inch tube pan. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes. Invert and cool. Dust cake with powdered sugar. Easter Baskets & Bunnies Cupcakes Recipe 2 c Sugar 1 3/4 c All-purpose flour 3/4 c Cocoa 1 1/2 ts Baking powder 1 1/2 ts Baking soda 1 ts Salt 2 Eggs 1 c Milk 1/2 c Vegetable oil 2 ts Vanilla extract 1 c Boiling water CREAMY VANILLA FROSTING 1/3 c Butter or margarine - softened 3 1/2 c Powdered sugar 1 1/2 ts vanilla extract 1/4 c Milk 10 oz Sweetened Coconut SUGGESTED GARNISHES Marshmallows Hershey's Mini Kisses Licorice Jelly beans Heat oven to 350 F. Line muffin cups (2-1/2 inches in diameter) with paper bake cups. In large bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely. Prepare CREAMY VANILLA FROSTING; frost cupcakes. Immediately press desired color tinted coconut onto each cupcake. Garnish as desired to resemble Easter basket or bunny. CREAMY VANILLA FROSTING: In medium bowl, beat 1/3 cup softened butter or margarine. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract; beat well. Add 2-1/2 cups powdered sugar alternately with 1/4 cup milk, beating to spreading consistency. About 2 cups frosting. NOTE: To tint coconut, combine several drops desired color food color with 3/4 teaspoon water; add to 1-1/2 cups coconut. Stir until evenly tinted. Copyright 1995 Hershey Foods Corporation. Recipe may be reprinted courtesy of the Hershey Kitchens. Easter Bunny Cakes 4 oz Soft Margarine 4 oz Caster Sugar 4 oz Self-Raising flour 2 Eggs, Beaten Grated Rind and juice of 1 orange DECORATION 4 oz Slightly Salted Butter 8 oz Sifted Icing Sugar 4 oz Dessicated Coconut Blanched Almonds(for ears) Glace Cherries, halved(for noses) Angelica Strips (Whiskers) Currants (for eyes) Preheat oven to 350F. Grease individual castle-pudding moulds. Put margarine, sugar, flour and eggs in a bowl. Combine ingredients, then beat well until mixture is light in colour and texture. Stir in orange rind and juice. Divide mixture between moulds, filling each about halfway (tap tins so mixture reaches bottom). Stand tins on a baking tray and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until golden brown and well risen. Turn on to a wire tray and leave to cool. Beat butter until soft, then gradually add icing sugar, beating ingredients together to give a soft, creamy consistency. Trim bases of cakes so they stand level. Holding each cake on a fork, spread buttercream over the top and sides, then roll cake in dessicated coconut to coat. Use blanched almonds, glace cherries, angelica strips and currants to mae bunnies' ears, noses, whiskers and eyes. Easter Yogurt Cake  TOPPING 1 c Walnuts or Pecans coarsely chopped 1/4 c Brown sugar, packed 1/2 ts Ground nutmeg 1/2 ts Ground allspice CAKE 2 c All-purpose flour 1 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Baking soda 1 c Butter, softened 1 1/4 c Brown sugar, packed 2 Eggs 1 c Nonfat plain yogurt 1 ts Vanilla Combine topping ingredients and set aside. Heat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-cup tube pan. Stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda; set aside. With electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, yogurt and vanilla. Gradually beat flour mixture into the batter until well blended. Sprinkle one-fourth of the topping into the prepared pan. Spoon on one-third of the batter. Continue layering. Bake in a 350F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 15 minutes in pan; remove from pan to a rack; serve warm. Easter Mini Cakes Yield: 6 Mini cakes 1 pk frozen pound cake, thawed 2 c Powdered sugar 3 -4 tbs. milk Food coloring 3 oz Jelly beans (blue, lime, yellow, orange, pink) Paper Cup Cake Baking Cups Color plastic wrap Trim dark crust from top and sides of cake. Cut cake in half horizontally. Using a 3 1/2 inch cookie cutter, cut 3 mini-cakes from each half of pound cake. Place cakes on a wire rack over a large bowl, stir powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Tint with food coloring and flavor with extract as desired. Spoon icing over mini-cakes allowing excess to drip into bowl. When icing bowl is empty, place rack of mini cakes over empty icing bowl. Spoon icing collected in first bowl over cakes to finish icing. Decorate mini cakes with gourmet jelly beans. Refrigerate until icing is set, about 20 minutes. Place mini-cakes in bake cups and wrap in plastic wrap. Easter Basket  Bread Recipes Vernalisa's Easter Baskets presents Easter Breads, Featuring Easter Babka , Easter Hot Cross Buns ,Easter Biscuits , Greek Easter Bread,Italian Easter Bread , Easter Egg Bread  and  Easter Funny  Bunny Bread Easter  Polish Babka  Makes 3 Breads 2 c Milk 1/2 lb (2 sticks) unsalted butter 2 pk (2 T) dry yeast 1/4 c Warm water 4 lg Eggs 4 lg Egg yolks 1 c Sugar 1 ts Salt Zest of 2 oranges Zest of 1 lemon 1 ts Vanilla extract 1 tb Orange-flavored liqueur 9 c Sifted unbleached flour 1 c Slivered almonds, chopped 1 c Muscat raisins 1 c Golden raisins 3 tb Confectioners' sugar 1 1/4 c Confectioners' sugar mixed -WITH 1/4 c Lemon juice AND 1 ts Water, for glaze In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, scald milk. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove pan from heat and let mixture cool to lukewarm. In a small bowl, stir yeast into warm water; let sit for 5 to 10 minutes, or until foamy. In a large bowl, beat eggs, yolks, and sugar until thick. Add salt, zests, vanilla, and liqueur. Stir to combine. Stir in milk mixture, then yeast. Add flour, a cupful at a time, until dough is moist but not sticky, mixing with a wooden spoon or your hands. Stir in almonds and raisins. Knead dough on a floured board, adding more flour if dough is too sticky, until dough comes away from your hands, about 6 minutes. Place dough in a very large buttered bowl. Cover dough with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Punch down and let rise again until doubled, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Heat oven to 350'. Butter three 9-or 10-inch kugelhopf or angel-food-cake pans. Sprinkle pans with a tablespoon of confec- tioners' sugar, if desired. Divide dough into 3 portions and form into balls; arrange in pans and cover loosely. Let dough rise to tops of pans, about 30 minutes. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until cakes are golden brown and tops make a hollow sound when tapped with knuckles. Cool for 5 minutes in pans; turn out onto racks and cool for 20 minutes more. Spoon glaze onto babka, allowing it to drip over sides. Easter Biscuit  3 oz Margarine 3 oz Sugar, plus extra -for dredging Finely grated rind of 1 -lemon 6 oz Plain Flour, Sifted 1/2 ts Mixed Spice 2 oz Currants 1 Egg, Beaten Preheat oven to 375F. Cream together margarine and sugar until soft and fluffy. Add lemon rind, then fold in flour and mixed spice with currants and enough egg to bind mixture to a stiff dough (about same consistency as shortcrust pastry). Roll out biscuit dough to approximately half-inch thick and press out rounds with a 4 inch cutter. Place on greased baking trays. reroll any leftover pastry to make more biscuits. Bake biscuits in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle with extra caster sugar, then transfer to a wire tray. Allow to cool before serving. Easter Funny Bunny Breads 2 pk Yeast, quick rise 1/2 c Sugar 1 1/2 ts Salt 4 1/2 c Flour 6 tb Margarine 2 Eggs 8 chocolate candy kisses 1 tb Sugar, confectioners About 2 hours before serving or early in the day. In bowl, combine yeast, sugar, salt, and 1 cup flour. In saucepan over medium heat, heat margarine and 1 cup water until very warm (125 degrees). With mixer at low speed, beat liquid into dry ingredients. At medium speed, beat 2 minutes. Reserve 1 egg white; beat in egg and egg yolk with 1 cup flour; beat 2 minutes. Stir in 2 1/4 cups flour. Turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, working in about 1/4 cup flour while kneading. Shape dough into ball; cover and let rest 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Cut dough into eighths. For 1 bunny; cut 1 piece dough in half; shape half into ball, with a kiss in center, for body. Place on cookie sheet. Cut other half in half; shape half into ball; brush with egg white; place next to large ball, tucking slightly under it for head. From remaining half, pinch off 3/4-indh piece for tail and shape 2 ears. Brush tail and ears with egg white; tuck slightly under bunny. Brush body with egg white. Make 3 more bunnies. Bake 15 minutes or until browned. Cool on rack. Repeat to make 4 more. Mix confectioners' sugar with about 1/4 teaspoon water and a hint of red food coloring (for pink); use to draw face on bunnies. If you like, tie bows around bunnies' necks.    Easter Egg Bread 3 c Flour, unsifted 1/4 c Sugar 1 ts Salt 1 pk Active Dry Yeast 2/3 c Milk 2 tb Margarine 2 Eggs, room temperature 1/2 c Mixed Candied Fruits 1/4 c Blanched Almonds, chopped 1/2 ts Anise Seeds Melted Margarine 5 Colored RAW Eggs Powdered Sugar Colored Sprinkles In a large bowl, mix 1 cup flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Combine milk and 2 tablespoons margarine in a sauce pan and heat over low heat until warm. (Margarine does not need to be melted). Gradually add to the dry ingredients and beat 2 minutes on medium speed, scraping side occasionally. Add the eggs and / cup of flour, beat on high speed for 2 minutes. Stir in enough flour to make a soft dough. Put on a floured board and kneak until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl and turn one to coat. Cover and let rise for 1 hours. Combine fruit, nuts and seeds. Punch down dough and knead in fruit mixture. Divide in half and roll each into a 24" long rope and braid loosely to form a ring on a greased cookie sheet. Put the raw eggs in the spaces, cover and let rise until double about 1 hour. Bake 30-35 minutes in a preheated 350F oven. Cool on rack, frost with powdered sugar and sprinkles. Easter Hot Cross Buns 1/4 c Water, lukewarm 1/2 c Granulated sugar 1 pk Active dry yeast [1 tb] 3 1/2 c All-purpose flour 2 tb Cinnamon 1 ts Nutmeg 1/2 ts Salt 1/4 ts Ground cloves 3/4 c Milk, warm 1/4 c Butter, melted 1 Egg 1 Egg yolk 1/2 c Currants 1/4 c Mixed candied peel, chopped GLAZE-------- 2 tb Granulated sugar 2 tb Water ICING--------- 1/2 c Icing sugar 2 ts Water Combine warm water with 1 tb of the sugar; sprinkle yeast over top. Let stand for 10 minutes or until frothy. Meanwhile, in large bowl, blend together remaining sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cloves; make a well in centre. In small bowl, whisk together milk, butter, egg and egg yolk; pour into well. Pour in yeast mixture. Using wooden spoon, stir until soft dough forms. Turn out onto lightly floured surface; knead for 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease all over. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise in warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in bulk. Punch down; turn out onto floured surface; knead in currants and peel. Shape into 12-inch log; cut into 9 even pieces. Stretch, tuck and pinch sides of dough all around to meet underneath. Using cupped hand, roll into seamless ball. Place 2 inches apart on greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise for 35 minutes or until impression remains when dough is poked. Bake buns in 400F 200C oven for about 16 minutes or until golden brown. Glaze: In saucepan, stir sugar with water over medium heat until dissolved. Brush over buns. Let cool. Icing: Stir together icing sugar and water. Using piping bag fitted with round tip, pipe cross on top of each cooled bun. Italian Easter Bread 1/4 c Sugar 1 ts Salt 1 pk Dry yeast 2 1/2 To 3-1/2 cups unbleached -flour 2/3 c Milk 2 tb Butter 2 Eggs, at room temperature 1/2 c Mixed candied fruit 1/3 c Chopped blanched almonds. 1/2 ts Anise seed 2 tb Melted shortening 5 Uncooked eggs colored with -Easter Egg Dye ICING: 1 c Confectioner's sugar 1 tb Milk 1/8 ts Vanilla colored sprinkles In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, salt, and yeast well with 1 cup of the flour. In a saucepan, combine milk and butter, heating slowly until liquid is warm and butter is melted. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients and beat 125 strokes with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and 1/2 cup flour or enough to make a thick batter. beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Then stir in enough flour to make a ball of dough that draws away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, working in additional flour to overcome stickiness. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk about 1 hour. Meanwhile, combine the fruit,nuts, and anise seed. Punch down the dough and return it to a lightly floured board. Knead in the fruit mixture, keeping the syrupy pieces dusted with flour until they are worked into the dough. Divide the dough in half. Carefully roll each piece into a 24 inch rope - the fruit and nuts will make this slightly difficult. Loosely twist the two ropes together and form a ring on a greased baking sheet. Pinch the ends together well. Brush the dough with melted shortening. Push aside the twist to make a place for each egg. Push eggs down carefully as far as possible. Cover the bread with wax paper and let rise in a warm,draft-free place until double in bulk, about 1 hour. Bake the bread in a preheated 350 F oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a twist comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool. Once the bread is cool, drizzle the icing on top between the eggs, and decorate with colored sprinkles. Greek Easter Bread  Makes 2 Loaves 1 pk Dry yeast 1/2 c Warm water 1/2 c Boiling water 1 ts Cinnamon 3/4 c Sugar 3 Eggs 1/4 c Butter; melted 1/2 c Warm milk 1 ts Baking powder 1/2 ts Salt 5 c Flour (all-purpose) 1 Egg yolk; beaten Sesame seeds 5 Eggs; hard-cooked; unshelled -and dyed red Soften yeast in warm water and set aside. Combine boiling water and cinnamon; set aside. Combine sugar and eggs; beat well. Add melted butter to egg mixture and beat again. Skim off 1/4 cup clear cinnamon water and add along with yeast and milk to egg mixture, blending well. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter; knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Shape dough to fit into 2 greased 8 inch round pans; crisscross 2 strips of dough over each loaf. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk. Brush loaves with beaten egg yolk and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until brown. Push dyed eggs into bread immediately when loaves are removed from oven.      Easter Candy Recipes Oh so good!! Easter Candy Recipes, Easter Chocolate Recipes, Easter Fudge Recipes a plenty. Many different Easter Egg Recipes to choose from. Great ideas to fill the Easter Basket. Sinfully Delicious!! Special Easter Eggs - 3 lb confectioners sugar 2 sticks margarine or butter (solid, not whipped) 3/4 cup white corn syrup Add to the base mixture one of the variations below: Coconut: to basic mixture, add 1/2 cup coconut Peanut Butter: to basic mixture add 1/2 peanut butter and 1 tsp vanilla Cherry Nut: to basic mixture add 1/2 cup English walnuts and 1/4 cup crushed maraschino cherries Maple Nut: to basic mixture add 1/2 cup English walnuts and 1 tsp maple flavor Mix together well, and form into egg shapes. Amazing Fudge Candy Recipe 2 cups granulated white sugar 2 cups brown sugar 3/4 cup margarine 1 cup evaporated milk (canned) 1 tsp vanilla 3/4 cup all purpose flour 1 cup dark or milk chocolate chips &/or 1/2 cup peanut butter &/or 1/2 cup chopped nuts of choice Mix first 5 ingredients together in large Microwave Safe bowl. Microwave on high for 15 minutes. Remove from Microwave Oven and quickly, while hot, beat in vanilla and flour. Add remaining ingredients. Mix well and quickly before the mixture cools. Pour into well greased Bunny Molds - or pan of any shap. Refrigerate. This fudge sets up beautifully. Choco-Peanut Butter Easter Eggs 1 lb icing sugar 6 oz semisweet chocolate coating 3 oz Cream cheese softened 1 ts Vanilla 2 tb Hot water (2 or 3) Dash of salt 2 lb Real milk chocolate melted Blend confectioners sugar, semisweet chocolate flavored compound coating, cream cheese, vanilla, hot water, and salt together with mixer. Divide mixture in half. To one half add 2 TBS. peanut butter and form into small eggs. Repeat with remaining half or leave plain for basic Chocolate Easter Eggs. Dip in melted chocolate; decorate if desired.      Chocolate Easter Eggs 3/4 c Chunky peanut butter 1/4 c Butter 1 c Flaked coconut 1/2 c Finely chopped walnuts 2 c Powdered sugar divided 2 c Chocolate chips 2 tb Shortening In a mixing bowl cream peanut butter and butter until well mixed. Fold in coconut, nuts and one cup sugar; mix well. Sprinkle some of the remaining sugar on a board. Turn peanut butter mixture onto board, knead in enough of the remaining sugar until mixture holds its shape when formed. Shape into small egg-shaped pieces. Cover and chill 1 hour. In a double boiler over hot water, melt chocolate chips and shortening, stirring until smooth. Dip eggs; place on waxed paper to harden. Chill. Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs 1/4 c Butter or marg. 5 1/4 oz Pkg. chocolate pudding 1/2 c Milk 1 lb Powdered sugar 1 ts Vanilla 1 c Walnuts;chopped 5 Squares unsweetened choc -melted and cooled 20 Miniature marshmellows Assorted colored sugars Melt butter in a 3 qt. saucepan. Stir in pudding mix; blend until smooth.Gradually stir in milk. Cook over med. heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is very thick and starts to boil. Cook until mixture leaves the sides of the pan. Remove from heat. Stir in confectioners sugar and vanilla. Mix until smooth. Stir in walnuts. Cool until mixture is stiff enough to hold its shape. Shape mixture into 12 eggs, using about 2 T. for each. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 min. Dip each egg in cooled chocolate. Place on a cooling rack over waxed paper. If you wish to decorate with marshmellow flowers, place on egg before the chocolate sets. *To make flowers, cut mini marshmellows in thirds crosswisw. Dip cut side of each piece in colored sugar. Arrange 5 pieces, sugared side up, on each egg to resemble flowers. Store in the refrigerator. Special Chocolate Easter Eggs Makes 32 Eggs 1 c Butter; softened 3 lb Icing sugar 2/3 c Condensed milk 1 tb Vanilla 1/2 ts Salt 1 lb Semisweet chocolate,chopped 2 tb Vegetable shortening ICING 2 lb Icing sugar 1 c Vegetable shortening 1/2 c Milk Food colouring (optl) To increase variety, divide dough into four portions and use extra flavors. In a large bowl, beat butter until fluffy; gradually beat in icing sugar, milk, vanilla and salt. On work surface, knead until smooth. Shape into 32 eggs. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. In a bowl over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with shortening; remove from heat. Using 2 forks, dip 1 egg into chocolate to coat; shake off excess. Repeat with remaining eggs. Place on waxed paper-lined baking sheets; refrigerate until chocolate is set. Icing: In a large bowl, gradually beat sugar into shortening until fluffy. Beat in milk until smooth. Divide into batches; beat in food colouring (if using). Decorate eggs. Extra Flavors: (per one-quarter of egg mixture) Chocolate: beat in 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder Maple Walnut: add 2 tbsp chopped walnuts and 1/2 tsp maple extract Citrus: beat in 1 tbsp grated orange rind. A little work, but well worth the effort. The Marshmallow Easter Egg Recipe 2 Envelopes Unflavored -Gelatin 2 tb -Cold Water 1/2 c -Boiling Water 2 c Sugar 1/2 ts Salt 1/2 ts Vanilla Flour for Dipping 3/4 lb Chocolate Regal Icing Put gelatin in top of double boiler; add cold water. When gelatin softens, add boiling water and stil well. Add sugar and salt. Put over boiling water and stir until sugar dissolves completely. Pour into large bowl of electric mixer and beat at high speed until misture is thick but not as stiff as beaten egg whites. Add vanilla. Meanwhile, spread flour 2" deep in a large pan. Push an egg (in shell) into the flour at intervals, making hollow spaces in which to mold the marshmallow mixture. Drop marshmallow mixture into the flour molds. Sprinkle flour lightly over top and put in cold place until set. Remove mixture from one mold and you have a half-egg. Trim the flat side of marshmallow half-egg to make it even. You can dip it in melted chocolate to cover and decorate with Regal Icing. Or you can put two halves together to make an egg, as follows: Dip the rounded part of a half-egg in melted chocolate; set aside to cool, flat (uncoated) side down. Trim flat side of second half-egg (to make it even), lift from mold and completely coat with chocolate. Quickly press its flat side against the flat side of the cooled half-egg and you have a whole egg. The chocolate will hold it together. When chocolate-coated eggs are cool, trim with Regal Icing put through cake decorator tube. Make ruffles around them to cover seam where the two halves join and to provide decoration. Write names of children on their eggs with the icing, or decorate with tiny designs pressed through fine tips of a cake decorator tube. Frosting my be left white or tinted in pastel colors. Makes 13 eggs (or 26 half-eggs).   Tri-Flavor Easter Egg Recipe 1 c Graham cracker crumbs 1 c Flaked coconut 3 c Confectioners sugar 1 c Crunchy peanut butter 1/2 c Butter or margarine, melted 1 ts Vanilla 1/8 ts Salt 1/2 lb Flavored compound counting Note:You can use either butterscotch or chocolate flavored compound . Mix crumbs, coconut and 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar together in bowl. Work in peanut butter, butter, vanilla and salt. Work in enough remaining confectioners sugar by hand to shape centers easily. Shape into small eggs; dip in melted compound coating. JELLYBEAN SOUP We're camping out, What a lucky group. We're going to dine On jelly bean soup. We'll cook those beans Till they're red hot. Add M&Ms To fill up the pot. We'll eat that soup And when we're through, We'll have our tasty Marshmallow stew. We'll pick our teeth With a Tootsie Roll. Tomorrow it's Chocolate casserole! Back To My Index Page