"The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances." ~Robert Flatt Fun Easter Egg Decorating Sites How to Decorate Easter Eggs - this site offers instructions and tips on how to do some intricate designs for Easter eggs Food Services of America - offers some great tips on how to boil and then design perfect Easter Eggs Easter Egg Decorating Studio - great interactive fun where you can first color and then hatch, smash, fry, or explode your creations Easter Egg-tivities - move your cursor over the magical eggs to select a fun activity Glazed Ham with Pineapple-Raisin Sauce 1 (5 pound) fully-cooked boneless ham 1 can (6 ounces) frozen pineapple-orange or pineapple juice concentrate 3 tablespoons maple syrup 3 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed 1/3 cup finely chopped onion 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/4 cups water 3/4 cup golden raisins 1/4 cup maple syrup 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar 4 teaspoons cornstarch Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Place ham on rack in shallow roasting pan. Bake, uncovered, for 1 1/4 hours, until internal temperature (measured with a meat thermometer) is 140 degrees F. (about 15-18 minutes per pound.) In small saucepan, combine half of the juice concentrate, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 3 tablespoons vinegar and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, simmer uncovered, for 5-10 minutes or until slightly thickened, stirring occasionally. Baste ham with glaze the last 15-20 minutes of baking. Remove ham from oven, slice and serve with Pineapple-Raisin Sauce. PINEAPPLE-RAISIN SAUCE: In a medium saucepan, sauté onion in butter until tender. Add remaining juice concentrate, water, raisins, maple syrup and mustard. Stir together 1/4 cup vinegar and cornstarch; stir into raisin mixture. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Source: The Recipe Link In this Issue: Fun Easter Egg Decorating Sites Glazed Ham with Pineapple Raisin Sauce Recipe The Empty Easter Egg (Inspirational Message) Scalloped Zucchini Recipe Easter Bread Recipe Inner Strength (Humor) Cup O' Fish Edible Aquarium Christian Bookstore   Favorite Blogs Busy Moms Recipes - Cooking articles along with quick and easy-to-prepare recipes Stained Glass Pickup - Glimpses of God's uncommon wisdom from author, Cathy Messecar Simply Recipes Food and Cooking Blog - Lots of great recipes and cooking tips Jacquelyn Lynn - Online consumer advice and commentary Relevant Blog - Relevant words, redemptive God, real faith Forkhead - Heather McPherson, Orlando Sentinel Food Columnist What's your favorite blog? Send me a note and I'll post it next month.   Back to Top   The Empty Easter Egg Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At the age of 12 he was still in second grade, seemingly unable to learn. His teacher, Doris Miller, often became exasperated with him. He would squirm in his seat, drool, and make grunting noises. At other times, he spoke clearly and distinctly, as if a spot of light had penetrated the darkness of his brain. Most of the time, however, Jeremy just irritated his teacher. One day she called his parents and asked them to come in for a consultation. As the Forresters entered the empty classroom, Doris said to them, "Jeremy really belongs in a special school. It isn't fair to him to be with younger children who don't have learning problems. Why, there is a five year gap between his age and that of the other students." Mrs. Forrester cried softly into a tissue, while her husband spoke. "Miss Miller," he said, "there is no school of that kind nearby. It would be a terrible shock for Jeremy if we had to take him out of this school. We know he really likes it here." NOTE: To view the rest of this moving inspirational message (includes special music and graphics), please click here. Back to Top Scalloped Zucchini 2 small zucchini, cut up and peeled 1 egg, beaten with one fourth cup whole milk 1 ounce pepper cheese 1 small onion, chopped 1 to 2 slices white bread, torn in pieces 1-4 ounce can mushrooms or 4 ounces fresh, sliced if large 1 ounce smoked sausage Mix all ingredients in a buttered casserole dish. Bake at 350F for about 30 minutes. Source: http://www.easterrecipes.org/   Back to Top Busy Moms Christian Bookstore Busy Moms Recipes has partnered with ChristianBook.com to bring you the best online selections for you and your family. I have personally used ChristianBook.com for years and have found them to be a very reliable source for cookbooks, devotions, Bibles, gifts, apparel, music and so much more. They also offer the best deals around the 'Net! Please stop by and browse around. Recommendations: The Case for Easter By Lee Strobel The What Would Jesus Eat Cookbook By Don Colbert, M.D. Quick Home-Cooked Meals: Letting Your Microwave Work for You By: Maryann Zepp Why Do I Always Feel Guilty? Breaking Free from the Superwoman Trap By Mary Whelchel Click here to see more selections!   Back to Top Easter Bread Recipe 1 cup butter or margarine 1 1/2 cups white sugar 2 cups warm water 2 cups milk (warm) 2 tsp salt 2 pkg yeast 8 eggs 12 to 14 cups of flour Glaze: 1 1/3 C confectioner's sugar 1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped lemon zest 1/2 tsp. lemon extract 1- 2 T milk   This is a good recipe for children to learn bread baking techniques. Kids especially enjoy measuring in the ingredients, punching the dough down and the glorious smell the baking dough makes in the house! Dissolve yeast in warm water. Beat eggs for 5 minutes, then add sugar very gradually, beating all the time. Beat 10 minutes longer. Add warmed milk, yeast and half the flour, mix into thick batter. Add melted butter or margarine, mix well. Continue adding flour until stiff like bun dough. Set aside, rise 1 hour, punch down and let rise again. Bake in large (apple juice tins, etc) well greased pans - fill about 1/5 can as it rises very high. May also be baked in loaf pans. Bake at 350 Fahrenheit until done. Ice with glaze (just mix all the glaze ingredients together and drizzle over bread). Source: DLTK's Holiday Activities for Kids Back to Top Inner Strength If you can start the day without caffeine, If you can get going without pep pills, If you can always be cheerful, ignoring aches and pains, If you can resist complaining and boring people with your troubles, If you can eat the same food every day and be grateful for it, If you can understand when your loved ones are too busy to give you any time, If you can take criticism and blame without resentment If you can ignore a friend's limited education and never correct him, If you can resist treating a rich friend better than a poor friend, If you can conquer tension without medical help, If you can relax without liquor, If you can sleep without the aid of drugs . . . . . . Then You Are Probably The Family Dog! Back to Top Cup O' Fish Edible Aquarium Make an edible aquarium in a cup. This is a great party treat you can make with your child. You will need: blue jello gummy fish (or fruit-flavored sharks) clear plastic cups. Make blue jello according to the directions on the box. Pour into clear plastic cups. Let them cool in the refrigerator until partially set - about an hour. When they're partially set, place a few gummy fish in each cup. Put them in the refrigerator until they're completely set. Eat and enjoy! Variations include: Frozen fish-popsicles (just freeze the jello in popsicle molds - add the gummy fish when they are partially set - unmold very gently when entirely frozen). These are really messy to eat and are best eaten outside. An entire punch bowl of fish jello (made like the cup o' fish)! Source: Enchanted Learning (Thanks Kat!)   Thank you! Copyright 2007 Busy Moms Recipes (TM). All rights reserved worldwide. Feel free to forward this mailing, in its entirety, to any and all family and friends. Any questions or comments? Please contact me!