Easter Traditions: A Jeruselum Dinner

This is my sisters family tradition, but I have been lucky enough to be included a couple of times.  As they Celebrate the week of Easter they try to have a meal that is something that Jesus might have eaten. In doing this they take the opportunity to talk about the life of Jesus and how it was different from out modern day life and how it was the same. 


If you are interested in participating in a similar activity, then here are a couple of suggestions: 

broiled fish & honeycomb Luke 24:42
barley bread, John 6:9 or a form of sourdough
pomegranates
figs
grapes
olives
celery
mint
lamb 

I found a very detailed and insightful description of the kind of food that people at a the time of Jesus at the blog:
Sabath Meals: http://sabbathmeals.typepad.com/sabbath_meals/2006/01/but_thats_ancie.html


A good list of food availabe at the time of Jesus with scriptural tie ins:
http://www.rhinebeck-episcopal.org/2009/03/biblical-foods-potluck-lunch-what-would-jesus-eat/

Copy Cat Recipe Using Food Storage: Betty Crocker Warm Delights

Okay this is not a great photo, but it is a delicious treat!

I love to have a warm chocolate treat.  When Betty Crocker came out with its Warm Delights line a few years ago I was excited.  We tried them and really liked them. The only problem was they are expensive.  I have recently been experimenting with THRIVE products in the microwave and have found that microwaving the brownie mix creates a decadent chocolate treat.   So all you need for you chocolate fix is brownie mix, water, and 30 seconds in the microwave.

Thrive Warm Brownie Delights
1/4 cup Thrive Brownie Mix
2 Tablespoons Water

Place mix and water in a microwave save mug.  Stir until combines.  Microwave on high for 30 seconds until the brownie is set.  Top with your choice of peanut butter, white chocolate chips, hot fudge, or caramel.  Stir slightly. Enjoy.

Easter Shout Outs

There are tons of fun things you can do with food at Easter. Here are a couple that I think are fun.

Peep Diorama: Pink and Green Mama

Van Gough Easter Eggs: No Time for Flash Cards

How to Make Cascarones: Prudent Baby

Vibrant Vegetable Dyed Easter Eggs: Twig and Toadstool

Easter Traditions: No Bake Nests

A few years a go my cute friend Kim brought me a no bake nest on the first day of spring.  It was so fun.  Ever since then we have been making around easter time.  This is a quick and easy and fun.   The following recipe is the no bake cookies recipe that I use, but I am sure that you could uses any no bake cookies recipe.  I have thought about making them with all bran cereal instead of oatmeal, but my family hates all bran so I never have.  I do think it would make darn cute nests.  

No Bake Cookies Nests
1-cup sugar
 ¼ cup Milk
2 TBS Cocoa
1/4 cup Butter
¼ cup peanut butter
½ tsp vanilla
1 ½ cup oatmeal

1.    Combined sugar, milk, cocoa and butter in a saucepan. Over medium high heat stirring constantly bring to a boil.
2.    2. Boil 1 minute
3.    Remove from heat and add peanut butter, vanilla, and oatmeal.  Stir until well mixed.
4.    Scoop up 1/4 cup of dough and form into a ball. Place on wax paper. Using a spoon form a hollow in the center of the cookies (this is where you will put the eggs). Allow cool.
5.  Place store bought robins egg candies in the center of the nest.

Copy Cat Recipe Using Food Storage: Chili's Southwest Eggrolls

We really like to dip these in Hidden Valley Ranch Spicy Ranch.  At Chili's they are served with an avocado ranch dipping sauce, but I don't love it so we use spicy ranch instead.

1 cup freeze dried chicken
2 tablespoons freeze dried onion
2 tablespoons dehydrated mixed bell peppers
1/3 cup Freeze dried corn
1/4 cup instant black beans
2 tablespoons freeze dried spinach
Water
pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup shredded Monterrey Jack cheese

Flour tortillas  (I used large tortillas because that is what I had but I think at the restaurant they use 5 inch tortillas)
oil, for frying

1.  Place the chicken, onion, pepper, corn, black beans, and spinach in a large microwavable bowl.   Cover generously with water.  Heat in microwave for 5 minutes.  Allow to sit in microwave for an additional 5 minutes. Drain and rinse. Return to the bowl.
2.  Add the cayenne pepper, parsley, cumin, chili powder, salt, and cheese to the chicken mixture.  Mix well.
3.  Place 1/4 to 1/2 cup of chicken mixture on a tortilla.  Roll up so the tortilla looks like a cigar (not like a burrito.
4. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large frying pan. When the oil is hot place 2-3 egg rolls in the hot oil. Be careful not to crowd the pan.  Fry egg rolls until golden brown.  Roll to the other side and fry until golden brown.  Remove from oil and drain on a paper towel.  
5.  Serve the egg rolls with store bought avocado ranch salad dressings or with spicy ranch.

Easter Traditions: Vanishing Breakfast Rolls

I love Easter time. There are so many fun traditions.  We try to have a good mix of fun and religious activities.  Most of our traditions in some way have food involved (are you shocked).  Over the next couple of days I will share some of our traditions.

In a former life I was a FACS (Family and Consumer Science Education) Teacher.  Now if you are thinking "What is that?"  Family and Consumer Sciences is what used to be called Home Economics.  This is one of the recipes that we made in ever year.  The kids loved it.  When I left teaching and had my we started making these rolls for Easter. As we make these rolls we talk about that on Easter Sunday the tomb was empty just like these rolls will be when they are baked. I find that as I am making these with my kids we are able to discuss the resurrection in terms they can understand.

When baked the marshmallows melt.  If the rolls are not sealed well the marshmallow melts out and onto the pan.  I make these with my kids and consequently we get a lot of rolls that are not quiet sealed.  If you are planning on making these with kids I would recommend lining your cookie sheet with parchment paper.  That way you don't have to spend Easter Sunday scrubbing pans.

Ingredients
1 pkg. canned biscuits
2 Tbsp. margarine
2 Tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
5 large marshmallows (cut in half)
Makes 5 servings (requires 2 biscuits per serving)
Instructions
Melt margarine in a custard cup in the microwave. In another custard cup, combine the sugar
and cinnamon. Roll the marshmallow halves in the melted margarine, completely coating the
marshmallows; then roll the marshmallows in the sugar/cinnamon mixture, coating all surfaces.
Wrap each marshmallow in a biscuit, hiding the marshmallow completely inside the biscuit.
Prepare a jelly roll pan or cookie sheet with aluminum foil, shiny side up, being careful to cover
the sides of the pan. Coat the foil with a nonstick vegetable spray. Place the rolls on the pan,
sealed edges down. Bake at 375º F for 11–13 minutes (set the timer). Remove rolls from pan
immediately after removing them from the oven.

LDS Cannery Prices Going Up, Shelf Reliance Prices are Not

LDS cannery prices are going up significantly.  Here is the link.
http://www.examiner.com/finance-examiner-in-national/prices-at-lds-canneries-show-inflation-for-food-up-between-11-and-49

Shelf Reliance prices are not going up.  On a recent company conference call this issue was discusses and Shelf Reliance has no plans to dramatically increase prices.