easter

Easter Cut-Out Cookies

1	cup	butter (2 sticks)	softened
1	cup	sugar
1		egg
2	tbls.	milk
1	tsp.	vanilla
2 1/2	cups	all purpose flour
1	cup	oats	quick or old fashioned
1	tsp.	baking soda
1/2	tsp.	salt
		GLAZE FOR COOKIES
1		egg yolk
1/4	tsp.	water
		food coloring
		assorted small candies
		colored sugars
		pre made tubes of glaze or icing	easter colors of course

Beat together butter and sugar until creamy. Add egg, milk and

vanilla. Beat well. Mix together flour, oats, baking soda and

salt. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Blend well. Divide dough into 2 portions. Cover. Chill 2-3 hours. Preheat oven to 350. Roll out dough to 1/8 inch thick on lightly floured board.

Cut dough with assorted "Easter" cookie cutters ...bunnies,

eggs, chicks, carrots, etc...(dip cutters in flour as needed to

keep dough from sticking). Place on ungreased cookie sheets.

Glaze:

Mix together egg yolk and 1/4 teaspoon water. Divide among three small bowls. Tint each with food color. Using a small paint brush, paint glazes on cookies as desired. Decorate with colored sugars and small candies. Bake 8-10 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet. Remove to wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with tubes of glazes and icings as desired for great Easter cookies.

Easter Nests

Serving Size : 3

7	oz	marshmallow cream
1/4	cup	peanut butter
2	tbls.	margarine	melted
5	oz	chow mein noodles
1	cup	M & M's plain chocolate candy	pastels

In a mixing bowl, combine marshmallow cream, peanut butter, and margarine until smooth. Fold in noodles and M&M's. Chill until easy to handle. On waxed paper, form mixture by 1/3 cupfuls into 3" nests. Chill for 30 minutes. Place several M&M's in each nest.

Calla Lilies

MAKES 8 LILIES

3		eggs
3/4	cup	sugar
1	cup	cake flour	sifted
1	tsp.	baking powder
1	tsp.	vanilla
1	cup	freshly whipped cream	sweetened
		candied orange peel

Beat eggs to a stiff froth in a large bowl. Add sugar and beat. Mix flour and baking powder and blend in. Add vanilla and beat for 2 minutes. Drop by spoonfuls on a greased cookie sheet 3 inches apart. Bake at 375. Remove from oven and roll each cookie while hot, into a horn shape and place seam side down to cool. I find I need to secure with a toothpick at the tight end or base of the "flower". When ready to serve fill the horn with whipped cream and add a sliver of candied orange peel in center to look like a flower stamen.

Chocolate Covered Easter Eggs

Serving Size : 12

1/4	cup	butter or margarine
5 1/4	oz	pkg. chocolate pudding
1/2	cup	milk
1	lb.	confectioner's sugar
1	tbls.	vanilla
1	cup	walnuts	chopped (optional)
5	squares	unsweetened chocolate	melted and cooled
20		miniature marshmallows
		assorted colored sugars

Melt butter in a 3 qt. saucepan. Stir in pudding mix; blend until smooth. Gradually stir in mild. 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 Tbls. 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 marshmallow flowers, place on egg before the chocolate sets. *To make flowers, cut mini marshmallows in thirds crosswise. Dip cut side of each piece in colored sugar. Arrange 5 pieces, sugared side up, on each egg to resemble flowers. Store in the fridge.

Peter Cottontail Cake

1	9 inch	cake layer	pre made, white, chocolate, yellow
1	7 oz pkg.	fluffy white frosting mix	prepared as directed on package
2	cups	shredded coconut	(divided, 1 cup plus 1 cup)
		jelly beans or	small gumdrops
		green food coloring
		pink construction paper
1	8 x 12 inch	cardboard	covered with foil

Cut cake layer in half to make two semicircles. Place halves,

cut side down, together on board or tray. Frost between pieces to hold them together. (This is the body of the bunny.) Cut a notch about 1/3 of the way up one edge of "body" to

form head of bunny. Take cut out piece & attach at other end of "body", using toothpicks, to form a "tail".

Frost over all around body with frosting to give it a bunny shape. Sprinkle with 1 cup coconut. Cut bunny ears out of pink construction paper. Press into top of cake to make ears. Use toothpicks to attach if necessary. Make eyes using jelly beans and a nose with a gumdrop. Put remaining 1 cup coconut into a plastic bag and add a few drops green food coloring. Shake until coconut is "grass" colored. Surround "peter cottontail" with coconut "grass". Place Extra jelly beans around bunny in the grass for Easter eggs