It is that time of year again when the daffodils will soon bloom, the trees will sprout, and many people will be eager to get out and work in their flower beds. It’s called spring! And with spring comes the Easter bunny. An exciting and fun time for both children and parents.

My all-time favorite Easter treats were those marshmallow peeps. Every spring (to this day), I indulge in a packet or two. I love you so much.

There are many fun activities for children on this special spring break. Go beyond decorating eggs and help your little ones decorate cute things for the house. Maybe some homemade crayon pictures to display on the windows or maybe create an Easter tree. Egg relays are great fun too. Do you know the game with the egg and the spoon where the teams are paired and the winners are the ones who carry the eggs from point A to point B? This game can be mixed with kids and parents for even more fun!

Cookie decorating can also be a fun activity. Bake the cookies ahead of time and bake them any way. Shaped like an egg, bunny shape or whatever you want. Make sure you have enough pastel food coloring for the frosting along with lots of sprinkles. Another great idea … have your kids help you prepare the Easter meal. Put on a special homemade apron and they will feel like a real chef. It is quite traditional to prepare a ham for lunch. But what can you do as side dishes and desserts?

Let’s explore a couple of ideas …

Easter Cupcakes

Ingredients

(for the basic cake recipe, about 12 cupcakes)

1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 cup yeast flour
1/2 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of milk
2 large eggs
12 Easter-themed cupcake liners
Cream
Food coloring
sprinkle
cupcake or muffin tin
little chocolate bunnies

Addresses

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Using wooden spoon, mix butter and sugar until smooth (about 2 min). Add the eggs and milk and stir well.

Gently fold in the flour and mix until completely mixed. Divide batter evenly in cupcake pans. Place pan of cupcakes on a shelf just above center for 15 minutes.

After cooling, freeze the cupcakes in the color of your choice. Children will have fun decorating the cupcakes with the chocolate sprinkles and bunnies.

Family Favorite Potato Salad

Ingredients

2 pounds small red potatoes, unpeeled
6 eggs
3 stalks of celery
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped

For the Dressing:

1/2 cup of mayonnaise
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 green onion, including the tender green tips, finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon dry mustard
salt and pepper to taste

Addresses

Boil the potatoes and eggs. I always keep them in the fridge overnight to prevent the potato salad from going mushy. Peel the potatoes and eggs, cut them into small pieces and add them to a large bowl. Add the celery and red onion and stir briefly to combine. Set aside.

For the dressing: In a small bowl and with a fork, combine the mayonnaise, mustard seeds, green onion, parsley, dry mustard, salt and pepper, mixing well. Pour the dressing over the potato and egg mixture and mix well.

For best flavor, cover and chill for up to 2 hours before serving. Sprinkle the parsley on top and serve.

Extra family activity

With today’s global economic conditions … there are many children and families in need. Why not come up with some special baskets that you can donate? This is something that children can help with, too. You will be putting smiles on many faces. Share the joy of giving this Easter.