ATC- Serves 6

I made this ATC because I liked the old women making a meal. It brought back pleasant thoughts of childhood foods.

My Mother didn't cook for pleasure. She enjoyed all the benefits of the food "inventions" of the 1950s and 60s. Sunday may have included a pot roast and over-cooked veggies, but the rest of the week came out of the freezer.

Thank goodness for my Grandmother and her sister my Great Aunt Edithe. They both had a head full of family recipes and baked goods that were unrivaled. I looked forward to a stay at their houses for the delights that awaited behind the oven door. Of course being taught as a girl to make bread or a buttery pie crust was fun but I didn't then have the understanding of the importance of food to family life and memories until I had my own children.

As the Lenten Season comes to a close and His Resurrection Celebration day is a hand- enjoy a home cooked meal and try something made from scratch. 

                                          Nana's Crust for pies
1 1/3 cup flour
1 stick of good quality butter - very cold + cut into 1" pieces
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup of ice cold water
  (Now here is the good part- you can take this and mix it in your food processor if you dont want to use a pastry cutter.)

So add the flour, butter + salt into work bowl with the metal blade. Process until the consistency of course meal 8-10 seconds.
With processor running add cold water slowly until dough becomes a ball.
Turn out onto plastic wrap and smooth into a flat disk. Let sit in refrigerator to rest about 2 hours and then bring to room temperature before rolling out.
Then follow whatever the fruit or meat pie recipe you are using.
  

Do Rabbits lay Eggs?

Not coming from a religious family Easter had little spiritual significance. Our celebration centered around the basket + the Dress.
I of course believed in the Easter Bunny ( I didn't find out till High School biology that rabbits don't lay eggs).
But I liked the Easter Bunny. He was much easier to please than Santa because I didn't have to worry if I'd been naughty or nice.
He just hopped in with a basket overflowing with candy and weird synthetic grass. He left the Dress hanging properly with shoes + purse and was gone.

So each year through the mid 1960's the Dress was the main event.
It was always pink or some Spring pastel, loaded down with flowery trim, rough scratchy petticoat or other lavish decoration.
To complete the ensemble - patent leather shoes  (usually white), matching purse,white gloves + some kind of hat or bow.

My sister and I would spend Easter morning giggling, twirling and admiring one another.

But the Big Reveal usually became the Big Disappointment.
Easter dresses are stiff and itchy.
The shoes are new and tight.
The gloves made my hands sweat and I could never think of anything to put in my purse!

That was a long time ago and Im so glad Ive come to understand that I dont have to be naughty or nice, have the perfect dress or a purse full of interesting objects to celebrate God's gracious love for me and all the world. His sacrifice on the Cross clothes me forever in garments that dont decay, fills my emptiness and never disappoints.  This is the Joy and Promise of Easter.