Easter Sunday is this week. Easter always falls on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the spring equinox. Easter, therefore, can fall on any Sunday between March 22 and April 25. How crazy is that?! Easter is a Christian holiday that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth three days after he died. Easter is really so much more than just one day though. Churches around the world lead up to Easter weekend with sermons, plays and movie showings depicting his last months of teaching, betrayal, torture and crucifixion leading up to death but culminating on Easter Sunday with the celebration of resurrection and what that means for mankind. The resurrection is considered the most important event in Jesus’ life.

Easter Liturgy was developed by the churches as both a memorial and a reenactment. The liturgy is taken from the gospel and highlights the suffering of Jesus during his last days. Passion Week begins on the Sunday before Easter and is a re-enactment of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem when the people welcomed Jesus as the descendant of King David. Holy Thursday recognizes a story found in the fourth gospel of John, the ‘washing of the feet ritual’. It celebrates the setting for the Last Supper. Today, churches celebrate by eating bread and drinking wine or grape juice as symbols of the body and blood of Jesus as a reenactment of the Last Supper. Good Friday is the Friday before Easter and symbolizes the crucifixion of Christ. It is observed with fasting and penance. Holy Saturday recognizes the time Jesus was in the tomb. It is sometimes marked with Easter vigil services at midnight. Easter Sunday celebrates the empty tomb and the angels’ declaration ‘He is Risen!’

Lent is part of Easter and is observed 40 days before with prayer, penance, charity, and self-denial. This is to help identify with the suffering of Christ leading up to death. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday as a day of fasting. Easter services officially conclude 40 days after Easter on Ascension Day when Luke reported Jesus ascended into heaven.

I know not everyone believes, but I know Jesus died for me and for you. He loves us ALL even though we don’t deserve it. This weekend as you hunt eggs and talk of bunnies, give a thought to the reason Easter is a thing in the first place. Maybe find a friend and go to church together. Hear the message with an open mind. You never know how it might change your heart and uplift your soul. Remember, someone loves you, today and always. Make your list and meet me in the kitchen for some fun desserts easy to make so you can focus on other things this weekend!

Easter Egg Cookie Dough Truffles

½ cup unsalted sweet cream butter

¾ cup packed brown sugar

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 tsps. pure vanilla extract

14oz sweetened condensed milk

1 cup mini chocolate chips

Chocolate melting wafers

Or white chocolate wafers and candy melts in your choice of colors for colored eggs

In bowl of stand mixer, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Slowly add flour, scraping down sides as needed. With mixer still running on medium, slowly add in the sweetened condensed milk. Stop the mixer if you need to scrape down sides. Once fully combined, stir in chocolate chips. To make eggs, I used an egg shaped mold. Layer melted chocolate in mold and allow to harden. Place dough in mold and press to form. Top with more melted chocolate and allow to harden again. Remove from mold and repeat as needed. IF you don’t have a mold though, you can still make these. Form dough into one inch balls using cookie scoop. Shape into eggs. Place on baking sheet lined with parchment paper and loosely cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate overnight. Melt chocolate. Remove truffles from fridge only 4 at a time. Dip truffles one at a time in melted chocolate with fork. Tap to remove excess chocolate. Lay on parchment paper lined table to harden. Repeat until all truffles are covered. Now, if you want to add color, melt colored candy melts one color at a time and you can drizzle over truffle or even use the fork to make designs on eggs. So fun! Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Cinnamon Roll Bunnies

1 16oz pkg cinnamon roll dough of choosing, I used Pillsbury Raisins or other dried fruit, if you want eyes-I left

Raisins or other dried fruit, if you want eyes-I left this off

Preheat oven based on package directions. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Use 1 roll for the body. Place on prepared baking sheet to assemble. (This way you don’t have to move anything later.) Use a second roll for the head, ears and tail. The head needs to be smaller so cut a piece off all the way around. From this piece, remove a small piece and roll it into a ball for the tail. Cut the remaining piece in half and use it for two ears. To attach the extra pieces, lightly wet dough where you are going to connect it and press pieces together. Spread out ears and shape as desired. Repeat with remaining rolls leaving plenty of space between each bunny. Bake in preheated oven according to package directions. Pillsbury is 400°F for 10-12 minutes. Remove parchment paper from baking sheet when done. Allow to cool on wire rack 2-3 minutes. Spread glaze on warm bunnies as desired. Use dried fruit for eyes if desired. Serve immediately. YUM!

Recipe adapted from allrecipes.com

Easter No Bake Mini Cheesecakes

3 graham crackers or 6 shortbread cookies or Nilla wafers, for these I used gluten free graham crackers

2 8oz blocks cream cheese, softened

½ cup granulated sugar

3 cups heavy whipping cream, divided

11 Tbsps. powdered sugar, divided

3 or 4 gel food colors-I used blue, pink and purple. You can also use green or yellow for Easter

Easter themed sprinkles, if desired

Individual cups for serving Use food processor to pulverize graham crackers or

Use food processor to pulverize graham crackers or cookies. If you don’t have a food processor, place them in sandwich baggie and crush with rolling pin or something heavy. Set aside. In bowl of stand mixer, whip 1 cup heavy cream for 1 minute. Add 4 tablespoons powdered sugar. Whip until stiff peaks form. Remove from bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use. This is a topping. Add remaining heavy cream to bowl and whip for 1 minute. Add remaining powdered sugar and whip until stiff peaks form. In separate bowl, cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Gently fold in whipped cream until just combined. Separate into 3 or 4 smaller bowls depending on how many colors you want to use. Add one or two drops of blue food color to one bowl of separated cheesecake filling and mix after each addition until it reaches the color you want. Repeat with the other colors. To assemble cheesecakes, place crushed cracker in each individual cup (how much will depend on size of cup). Take first color and place an even amount in each cup. Spread into smooth layer with back of spoon. Repeat with each color filling leaving some space at the top if you want to add the extra whipped cream you made and sprinkles. Cover and refrigerate overnight. Add whipped topping and sprinkles just before serving. Note: I used 5.5oz cups. It took 1 Tbsp. of crust,

Note: I used 5.5oz cups. It took 1 Tbsp. of crust, about 1.5 Tbsps. for each color of filling and then had room for the whipped cream on top.

Recipe adapted from sugarhero.com

Egg Nest Brownies

1 box brownie mix of choice

Oil and water as called for on box

Mini candy eggs-I did a mix of Robin’s Eggs and Hershey’s Cookies & Cream Polka Dot Eggs Mix brownie mix according to package directions.

Mix brownie mix according to package directions. Spray mini muffin tin with non-stick spray. Fill each tin with 1 teaspoon brownie batter. Bake at 350°F degrees for 11 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 2 minutes. Press an unwrapped egg into center of each brownie bite. Let cool another 2 minutes. Place on wire rack and let cool completely. Feel free to make it more festive by covering with frosting, dying coconut green and sprinkling around it or even using edible grass to make it look more like a nest.