Bunnies, Carrots, Cakes and Candies!

Photo by Kari Robins Photography

 I haven't blogged in over four months. This little guy is part of the reason. He and his parents arrived from Hungary on home leave in November. They return to Budapest within the next month. Every moment with them is a gift to savor. Blogging has taken a backseat to everything else.
An Easter-themed tea for 12 ladies spurred me to share a few ideas with you. I kept the food simple, but added a few touches to make it special. Many of my ideas came from Pinterest. You can find the directions for the Bunny napkin fold and Easter Bunny Bread on my Holiday board.

I set the dining room table with a pink tablecloth and multi-colored runner.

I even learned how to fold my napkin like a bunny.

A mixture of M&M's, Vanilla Rice Chex, Cupcake Goldfish and
rabbit pretzels (from Target) became my Bunny Bait! 

Which I poured into carrot-shaped bags and placed  in a decorative container

Clipped with a decorative clothespin made by
my friend, Marilyn, everyone had a party favor!

A clear vase filled with Peeps and jellybeans
held more Peeps and Little Debbie Tulips
and Butterflies. I gave it away at the end of the
tea to a lady with three small children! 

For my bunny, I substituted molasses for honey in my
Wheat Bread, raisins for eyes, and two little almond slivers
for teeth.

After baking, I removed the tummy and placed my dip in the
middle. A tray lined with kale made the perfect backdrop
for colorful veggies. Leftovers made their way into
vegetable soup!

My favorite cheese log became a carrot festooned with parsley!

Preparation is so easy I made another one for my
women's bible study. Wrapped in plastic wrap
it was easily portable. Recipe below!

Softened marshmallow cream and cream cheese blended together
with a dash of almond flavoring makes a yummy fruit dip.
(It's good on fingers too!)

Carrot Cake Cupcakes took center stage as dessert!

I posted my carrot cake recipe earlier in the year. Here is the recipe for my cheese roll.
Ingredients:
3/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. cajun seasoning (opt.)
1 cup finely chopped pecans (opt.)
2 (8 oz) blocks sharp Cheddar Cheese, finely grated (I used 4 cups of already shredded cheese and saved myself some trouble)
Directions:
Stir together mayonnaise, hot sauce, garlic, and seasoning.
Blend in pecans and cheese.
Spoon mixture into plastic wrap and shape as desired. Leave an indentation at the top for parsley. Cover and chill 2 hours.

When ready to serve, turn out onto tray. Add additional cheese and parsley for garnish. Serve with crackers. Leftovers make an amazing grilled cheese sandwich on homemade bread!

I've had fun decorating with bunnies, carrots, cakes, and candies. I haven't forgotten for one minute what Easter is really about--the death and resurrection of Jesus. As a mother I understand God's love for us, but I'll never really grasp the depth of that love. He sacrificed His only son for us. I couldn't and wouldn't sacrifice my child for anyone. He did. That's why He is my God.