Growing up, my mom always prepared our Easter egg dyes using food coloring. But you can also show your children how to make beautiful colors using non-toxic fresh ingredients such as beets, red cabbage, spinach, coffee, and turmeric. The pigments found in food is a simple, eco-friendly way to get just the right natural tint to your holiday eggs.  Get creative and experiment!

One of my favorite childhood memories is my Nanny’s Coconut Cake.  It was on our table for every special occasion.  Apparently, it was made very simply with a boxed white cake mix.  But the frosting is what makes this recipe special.  Nanny would add just enough red food coloring to the frosting so that it came out a pretty light pink.  She would then cover the entire cake in shredded angel coconut.

I was a Cub Scout den mother for 10 years.  Week after week I would have to come up with fun games and crafts to keep 8 rambunctious boys occupied.  If you don’t keep them actively engaged, well, they’ll quickly create their own harrowing entertainment.

My memories of Easter as a child are that of church and celebrating Christ risen, a big Sunday dinner with family, a beautiful Easter dress sewn by my Mother, coloring Easter eggs, the Easter egg hunt and let’s not forget the basket full of goodies. Those same traditions I have passed down to my sons.

One of my fondest memories as a child come Easter time was dyeing Easter Eggs with my brother. I remember the glass cups lined up with different vibrant hues, our fingers stained with the same colors that were in the cups. The slight smell of vinegar in the air and the warmth of the eggs still bring up happy thoughts.