Resurrection Rolls

As Catholics, we celebrate Easter longer than most people.  For us it is not just one day then we return to life as normal.  Our churches stay decorated, our homilies and songs still have the Easter theme, and our readings are related to the days following His resurrection. 

Children especially need to hear how the Lord rose from the dead.  We focus a lot on the Passion and Suffering but also need to put as much emphasis on His rising.  He beat death, something no mere mortal can do.  He is truly human and truly divine. 

To help children understand, I found a wonderful article about Resurrection Rolls.  The article can be found at http://beautyandbedlam.com/resurrection-rolls-easter-recipe/.  This is a marvelous idea to help children visually see "the tomb was empty". 

For smaller children, they are especially amazed at how when you open the “tomb,” it is empty. He has risen!
Enjoy the simple, yet profound truth that can be shared through this memorable hands on cooking tradition experience.
Share the truth of how Jesus was placed into the tomb (crescent rolls), and then explain how they prepared his body by putting oil and herbs on him (cinnamon and sugar represents the oils and spices).  As you wrap the marshmallow, you can explain how this represents the wrapping of Jesus body after His death.  Then after waiting three long day (or twelve minutes, which feels like days to the children), we know that death could not hold Him in the grave, and He was alive. (The marshmallow melts and the cresent roll is all puffed up, BUT empty!!
The tomb is empty! He is risen. He is Risen Indeed. Matthew 28:1-8

Resurrection Rolls

Ingredients

• 1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
• 8 large marshmallows
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 2 tablespoons white sugar

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.  Lightly grease a baking sheet.
3. Separate crescent rolls into individual triangles.If you can fin the big and flaky ones, the marshmallows will fit better)
   
4. In a small bowl, mix together cinnamon and sugar.
5. Dip a marshmallow into melted butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Place marshmallow into the center of a dough triangle. Carefully wrap the dough around the marshmallow. Pinch the seams together very tightly to seal in the marshmallow as it melts (or cut a bit of the marshmallow off to fit). Place on a baking sheet. Repeat.
6. Bake in a preheated oven until golden brown, about 15 minutes.
7. Makes Eight Resurrection Rolls
8. ** I have made these without dipping them in any butter, cinnamon/sugar mixture and they are still delicious. The butter just makes them an extra special treat.
   

Make sure you seal the seams really well. If you don’t, the marshmallow will ooze out the sides, which is just fine in our home. You have the option of making the rolls bigger by using two crescent roll, but still use one marshmallow. This way, the marshmallow won’t come out at all. Have the kids play around with making these. On some of them we wanted the empty tomb effect, so we left a little part of the roll open but made sure the side had a little lip to contain the melted mallow.