Homemade Croutons

Ingredients:
Sourdough bread, cut into cubes
4 TBS butter, melted
1-2 tsp garlic salt
1-2 tsp oregano


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Cut sourdough bread into cubes and place in a large bowl. Melt butter. Add garlic salt and oregano to the butter. Pour over the bread cubes. Stir.
Place bread onto a cookie sheet. 
Bake for 15 minutes. Flip over bread and bake for another 15 minutes. 
These are so yummy!!!

Easter Cupcakes

Ingredients:


Box of any cupcake mix. (I chose confetti cupcake mix)
White icing
Coconut
Green food coloring
Bag of peanut M&M's


Directions:

Cook cupcakes according to box. Cool. 


While cooling place 1 cup of coconut in a Rubbermaid container. Add 5 drops of green food coloring, close and shake. 


Add green food coloring to white icing and mix. Place green icing on cupcakes. Add the green coconut. Place 3 M&M's. 


Enjoy!

Resurrection Rolls

My family loved making these. It is a great way to explain the resurrection to your children. My kids couldn't wait to see if Jesus resurrected from the roll. ;)


Ingredients:
Large marshmallows
Butter, melted
Cinnamon/sugar mixture
1 can of crescent rolls. 


Directions:


Separate the crescent rolls into triangles. The rolls represent the linen they used to wrap Jesus when he was dead. 


Dip the marshmallows in melted butter and then roll in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. The butter represents the oils they used to anoint Jesus' dead body.  The cinnamon/sugar mixture represents the spices they used in burials. 


Place the marshmallow in the center of the crescent roll. Fold and pinch the sides of the crescent roll. Place on a greased baking sheet. 


Bake rolls according to package directions. 


When cooked the marshmallow will melt and puff up the crescent roll. This demonstrates how Christ arose from the tomb and all that remained was the tomb and linen wrappings. My kids couldn't wait for me to cut into the roll. They scream with excitement "He arose!" when they saw the marshmallow was gone. So awesome.  I hope you enjoy this as much as we did. 

Pico de Gallo

We had fun making this tonight. Love fresh salsa. :)


Ingredients:


4 tomatoes diced
1/2 of red onion, diced
2-3 Tbsp. cilantro
1 green pepper, diced
jalapenos to taste
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lime


Directions:


Dice tomatoes, red onion, cilatntro, green pepper, and jalapenos. Add lime juice and salt and pepper. 
Serve with tortilla chips. 
Enjoy!

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Made these tonight for the fam. My husband loved them!


Ingredients:
Brussels sprouts
Olive oil
Salt and pepper


Directions:
Place brussels sprouts on a 9x13 pan. Drizzle with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. 
Bake at 350 for 40 mins. 
Enjoy!

Strawberry Shortcake in Mason Jars

These were so fun and easy to make. Great for company!

Ingredients:

Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

Cool Whip, 8 oz

Strawberries, 1 lb hulled and cut up

Directions:

Bake cake according to instructions. Cool and then cut up in small cubes. In each mason jar layer cake, cool whip, strawberries and then repeat. Top with lids and keep in refrigerator until ready to serve. 

Serves 8-10

Reese's Cup Chocolate Peanut Butter Cake (Annie's Eats)

This recipes is from http://annies-eats.com/2008/07/23/reese%E2%80%99s-cup-chocolate-peanut-butter-cake/

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ½ tsp. salt
• 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 ½ cups sugar

• 2 large eggs
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled (optional)
• 1 ½ - 2 batches peanut butter frosting
• miniature Reese’s cups, halved and/or chopped

Directions

•  Preheat the oven to 350°. Grease two 9×2” round cake pans and then dust the insides with flour, tap out the excess and line the bottoms with rounds of parchment paper.You definitely want to use parchment paper. I didn't and that was a huge mistake. 
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
• Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for about 2 minutes, until  blended into the butter. Add the eggs and yolks one at a time, beating for one minute after each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk; add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the buttermilk in 2 (beginning and ending with the dry ingredients). If using melted chocolate you can add now.  Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
• Bake for 26-30 minutes or until the cakes feel springy to the touch and start to pull away from the sides of the pans. Transfer to wire racks to cool for about 5 minutes, then run a knife around the sides of the cakes and peel off the paper liners. 
• Spread peanut butter frosting on top of the cake layer. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting. Frost the top and outside of the cake with remaining peanut butter frosting. Decorate with halved and chopped Reese’s cups as desired.

Peanut Butter Frosting

This recipe is from http://jmariediy.com/recipes/black-magic-cake-peanut-butter-frosting/

1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup creamy peanut butter
5 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
2/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt or regular salt
⅓ cup milk

In a large bowl, mix confectioner’s sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt.  Mix  until creamy.  Add milk and beat until the frosting is smooth.

Keep in refrigerator. 

I made this for Eli's school cake walk so I wasn't able to taste it. :(