Happy Easter & "Bunny Buns" For Your Holiday Table

It’s Spring time on Long Island. You can see the trees budding, the flowers are blooming, the sun is getting warmer, and the air has that hint of freshness that only Spring can bring. Easter falls in the Spring, which is when the earth renews itself after winter. With that being said, I want to wish a Happy Easter to all of my readers and a Happy Passover to my Jewish friends as well.

Christians all over the world celebrate Easter as a religious holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the son of God. In Italy, the church bells stop ringing on Holy Thursday and Good Friday, to remember the death of Jesus on the cross. Then on Easter Sunday morning, the church bells ring out once again, telling people that Jesus has risen. Easter or “La Pasqua” is a day to dress in your Sunday best, go to church above all, celebrate life, enjoy with your family and of course eat way too much. Italian children wake up on Easter morning and find eggs scattered in their rooms.

In my family we always had an Easter egg hunt for the small children. I recall back, taking those plastic colored eggs and filling them with some change plus candy or chocolate eggs. Then we would go outside in my parent’s yard and hide them. My nieces, nephews and my son would all go out and see who could find the most. It was so funny to watch the really small children find the eggs; they would get so excited when they found one.

Easter celebrations have many customs and legends that have nothing to do with the religious Christian celebration of Christ’s rising. Did you ever think of where and how these traditional celebrations of colored eggs, cute little bunnies, leg of Lamb dinners and Easter Lilies come from? They are all symbols of rebirth, fertility, and the lamb was a traditional religious sacrifice in pagan ritual beliefs.

Molly--My niece Lauren's bunny 

Let’s start with the Easter Bunny, which was a symbol of Spring and fertility, due to the rapid reproduction habits of the rabbit. This custom originated in Germany and brought to America particularly to Pennsylvania. The German children would eagerly await the arrival of the Oschter Haws, a rabbit who delighted children on Easter morning by laying colored eggs in nests. The German’s baked cakes for Easter in the shape of bunnies they spread the tradition of chocolate bunnies and eggs across the country. The practice of making nests for the rabbits to lay its eggs in became decorated baskets and colorful eggs which were swapped for candy, treats and small other gifts. The white Easter Lily has come to symbolize the spiritual values of Easter; purity, life, and renewal. The flower’s trumpet shape is a reminder of the heralding of Jesus, returning to Jerusalem. Christians consider eggs to be “the seed of life” and so they are symbolic of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Easter eggs are colored and decorated to represent the sunlight of Spring. Different cultures have developed their own ways of decorating Easter eggs. The most celebrated workshops are Faberge. They create exquisite jeweled Easter eggs for the Russian Imperial Court.

My recipe this week is called “Bunny Buns” by Rhodes Bake and Serve Rolls. This is an easy recipe and the children can help make these little delicious warm rolls for your Easter table.

Bunny Buns

Ingredients:
12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed but still cold

Directions:
Cut a small piece off of one roll for a tail. Roll remaining piece into a 12-inch rope with pointed ends. Twist top of rope together. Place on a large sprayed baking sheet and pull pointed ends apart for ears. Roll small cut off piece into a ball for the tail. Make an indentation with your finger at the spot for the tail. Moisten the tail with water and place in the indentation. Repeat the above steps with remaining rolls. Cover with sprayed plastic wrap and allow to rise 30-45 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350° F 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Enjoy with butter for your Easter Dinner. Serves: 6

Till Next Time……………….

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