Easter Coconut Macaroon Nests

Coconut macaroons shaped like a bird's nest, filled with mini chocolate Cadbury eggs for Easter/Springtime. Theme them with black and orange jelly beans at Halloween or green and red M & M’s at Christmas. COCONUT MACAROON EASTER NESTS 14 oz. sweetened flaked coconut 7 oz. sweetened condensed milk 1 tsp. almond extract 3 large egg whites at room temperature 1/4 tsp salt 2 oz. chocolate candy melts, melted according to package instructions Candy coated chocolate easter eggs or Jelly beans Peeps marshmallow Chicks Instructions Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl add the coconut, sweetened condensed milk and almond extract, stirring until evenly combined. Place the egg whites in the bowl of your stand mixer (a regular bowl and hand mixer will work too) fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat the egg whites until medium peaks form. DO NOT OVER BEAT. Gently fold the egg whites into the coconut mixture and use an ice cream scoop (about 4 tbsp) to scoop out balls. Place the balls on the parchment lined baking sheet at least 2 inches apart and gently press your thumb in the center to create a nest. Bake for 25 to 27 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Remove from baking sheet immediately to a cooling rack. Let cool completely. Dip the bottoms of the coconut macaroon nests into the chocolate and place on a sheet of parchment paper to dry. Fill each nest with the chocolate eggs (or jelly beans) and top with a Peeps marshmallow chick. Enjoy! chickabug Thanks For Visiting

Lenten Pretzels

Did you know that the pretzel is a traditional food for lent
Soft Pretzel Recipe along with a Pretzel Prayer and Activity

The pretzel might be served on each plate for each evening meal until Easter.

 Added to the grace before meals, is the following "pretzel prayer":

PRAYER 

We beg you, O Lord, to bless these breads which are to remind us that Lent is a sacred season of penance and prayer. For this very reason, the early Christians started the custom of making these breads in the form of arms crossed in prayer. Thus they kept the holy purpose of Lent alive in their hearts from day to day, and increased in their souls the love of Christ, even unto death, if necessary.Grant us, we pray, that we too, may be reminded by the daily sight of these pretzels to observe the holy season of Lent with true devotion and great spiritual fruit. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Activity — Pretzel Making — Fun Project for Families

Pretzel making can be a project for the family or youth group to do. The pretzels can be made into gifts for friends.

You might make a bag of pretzels for a friend during Lent. An idea for an attractive presentation is to use a plastic bag, tied with a purple ribbon, which would include a Pretzel Leaflet, Prayer Cards (about five) and a note which may read:

"Pretzels for God" Sharing Custom

Dear Friend:

Please take these Pretzels for God as a token of love. We happily share with you and your family this beautiful pretzel custom. It will bear much spiritual fruit, serving to remind each of your dear ones of the true purpose of Lent.

See the recipes section below for a variety of pretzel recipes to use, and the Activity Pretzels for God for the prayer to attach.
Activity Source: Pretzels for God by Unknown, Pretzels for God, St. Francis Xavier Church, 4715 N. Central, Phoenix, AZ 85012

Aunt Annie's Soft Pretzels

Serves/Makes: 12    |   Ready In: 1-2 hrs


***Pretzel Dough***
1 1/2 cup warm water
1 1/8 teaspoon active dry yeast
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup bread flour
3 cups regular flour

***Water Bath***
2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda

***Toppings***
to taste coarse salt
4 tablespoons sweet butter (melted)**

Directions:
Sprinkle yeast on lukewarm water in mixing bowl and stir to dissolve. Add sugar, salt and stir to dissolve. Add flour and knead dough until smooth and elastic. Let rise at least 1/2 hour. 

While dough is rising, prepare a baking soda water bath with 2 cups warm water and 2 Tbsp baking soda. Be certain to stir often. 

After dough has risen, pinch off bits of dough and roll into a long rope* (about 1/2 inch or less thick) and shape. Dip pretzel in soda solution and place on greased baking sheet. Allow pretzels to rise again. Bake in 450 degrees F oven for about 10 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter and enjoy! 

For Toppings: After you brush with butter try sprinkling with coarse salt. Or for Auntie Anne's famous Cinnamon Sugar, try melting a stick of butter in a shallow bowl (big enough to fit the entire pretzel) and in another shallow bowl make a mixture of cinnamon and sugar. 

Dip the pretzel into the butter, coating both sides generously. Then dip again into the cinnamon mixture. Enjoy! 

* The longer and thinner you can make the dough rope, the more like Auntie Anne's they will be. 

** Sweet butter, not regular butter, is one of her secrets!

Aunt Annie's copycat recipe 

I don't know how easy these are, but it's a copycat on Aunt Annie's pretzels, which are my favorite in the world.
another Aunt Annie's copycat recipe 
Here's another that gives good instruction as you make them  soft pretzel recipe  and this one that seems pretty simple too!

Hope these help!

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Coborns - White Chicken Chili

Ingredients 1 lb (2-1/4 cups) dried large white beans or 3 cans (15 oz each) white beans 2 large onions, chopped 2 tsp minced garlic 2 celery stalks, chopped 1 tbsp New Mexico chile powder 1-1/2 tsp ground cumin 1-1/2 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp red pepper flakes 1 (7oz) can chopped green chiles, drained 6 to 8 cups chicken stock or water 1-1/2 lbs coarsely ground chicken 1/2 tsp salt Black pepper to taste Toppings: Shredded Monterey Jack cheese Chopped fresh cilantro Chopped green or white onions Finely minced jalapeño chiles Preparation If using dried beans, pick over the beans, then place in a colander and rinse well. Place the beans in a large saucepan, add water to cover by 1 inch, bring to a boil, and boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat, cover, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain. If using canned beans, drain, rinse, drain again, place in a large saucepan, and proceed with recipe. Add the onions, garlic, celery, chile powder, cumin, oregano, whole anchos or red pepper flakes, and enough stock or water to cover the beans. Bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the beans begin to soften, about 1 hour. Meanwhile, in a skillet, sauté the chicken over high heat, sprinkling with the salt and pepper, until no longer pink, 5 to 7 minutes. When the beans have cooked about 1 hour (or 30 minutes, if using canned), add the sautéed chicken to the chili pot and simmer until the chicken and beans are done, about 20 minutes longer. Set out the garnishes in separate bowls. Ladle the chili into warm bowls and let the diners add the garnishes to taste. image here Served in the warming tent for the Annual "Sunny Zwilling Memorial Ice Carousel Extravaganza" I.C.E. Fest Recipe from https://www.coborns.com/recipe?id=39214 Thanks For Visiting

Hot Cross Muffins

For all the gluten free mamas out there - We made these this year and they were VERY tasty. They remind me more of a carrot cake with a cream cheese icing. They are wheat and sugar free and no one in my family noticed. I think the sweetness of the carrots really did the trick. Ingredients: 2 medium/large carrots (about 2 shredded rounded cups, not packed) 1 small zucchini (optional strips for cross on top) 1 cup ground almonds or almond flour Raisins (raisins are not officially on the weight loss part of the plan but if you cut them in half and use just a few, they can squeeze in for this special easter occasion) Grated rind of 1 unwaxed orange 2 large organic eggs (extra large) 2 tblsps extra virgin olive oil or warmed coconut oil THM Sweetener to taste (the original recipe calls for 1/3 cup of honey, which is not on plan & could spike your blood sugar, so we preferred to use the powdered stevia to taste and you will need to play with the consistency depending on your sweetener of choice and the amount) 1 tblsp organic cider vinegar 1 tsp baking soda 2 rounded tsps cinnamon ½ rounded tsp ground ginger ½ rounded tsp nutmeg ¼ rounded tsp allspice ¼ tsp sea salt Directions: ,,,, read more: Thanks For Visiting