The Easter lily, correctly lilium longiflorum, has a long association with the Easter holiday. Legend maintains that there were lilies in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed before he was arrested and killed. It is said that lilies grew up from the spots where Jesus’ tears fell.

Other facts about the Easter Lily include:

* The lily is native to Japan’s Ryukyu Islands

* During the 1880s, this lily was widely cultivated in Bermuda and is sometimes called the Bermuda Lily.

* Prior to World War II, the majority of Easter Lilies were imported from Japan. That ceased after Pearl Harbor and today more than 95% of Easter Lilies are grown in the United States, primarily along the Northern California and Oregon coastlines.

(photo credit: Newscom)

Last year I made my first batch of Easter bread. The recipe I used made two very large loaves, which I didn’t realize ahead of time and had a lot left over for just our family of five! I was able to freeze one loaf and we used it again later.

I didn’t think to take a picture of my own batch at the time (I didn’t have a food blog yet!), but the picture above from flickr looks pretty much how my own did, and they were also that big!

Anyway, the recipe below can be halved, which I’d recommend if you don’t have a big crowd to feed this Easter Sunday!

Braided Easter Bread

2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 cups hot milk
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup water
5 eggs
11 cups all-purpose flour

1 egg
2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Proof yeast and 1/2 cup warm water in a large mixing bowl. Combine hot milk, sugar, butter, salt, and 1/2 cup water in a medium bowl. Cool to 110 degrees.

In small bowl, slightly beat 5 eggs, then add to cooled milk mixture. Add milk mixture to yeast mixture. Add 2 cups flour and beat until smooth. Slowly add remaining flour until it forms a stiff dough. Knead on a floured board for 10 minutes (5 minutes with a bread hook). Place in a large glass or plastic bowl lightly greased. Turn dough over to grease both sides. Cover and let rise in a warm, dark place until doubled in volume, approximately 60 minutes.

Punch down, cover, and let rise again until double, approximately 30 minutes. Punch again, and form into three parts. Form each part into a 20-inch roll. Braid rolls on a large, greased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled.

Lightly beat remaining egg and brush loaf. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake in preheated 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for about 55 minutes until nicely browned. May be made into two regular sized loaves. (Reduce baking time slightly.)

[image: flickr]

With the holiday here, sometimes we forget about safety when we are having a ton of fun. Here’s a few quick things to think about before you head out for Easter.

IMG: The Life of a Home Mom

If you plan on using real eggs:
-  Make sure they are well boiled and refrigerated before.
-  Never leave the found Easter eggs in a room for over a few hours. Once found eat them, use them or put them back in the refrigerator.
-  Toddlers should be watched if you allow them to eat an egg. A child can easily choke if they put the whole thing in the mouth or eats too much yolk at once.

If you opt to use plastic eggs:

-  always be sure to never leave a plastic egg with a baby. Believe it or not they can and probably will stick it in their mouth. (choking)
-  Plastic eggs can crack and have sharp edges, watch out for it.

Easter Toys are often overlooked because they are just items tossed inside the Easter basket. You should always be sure to check and make sure all of them are age appropriate. Some of those baskets can have tiny pieces in them, ie, marbles would be bad for a baby. A Barbie or baby doll may not be something a teen wants. For a family that has a dog/cat/etc you will want to watch out for the grass that is placed inside the Easter baskets. If a dog or cat gets it this can choke them.

These are just a few ways to be safe this Easter. Is there any other ways you can be safe this holiday season?

As a nice Jewish girl, I won’t actually be “celebrating” Easter beyond the requisite pink peeps - however, I am - and remain - a fan of bunny love, and can’t think of a better season to embrace it!

I was recently told that the Easter bunny is itself a sign of fertility - thus the eggs - and we all know fertility is basically all about sex. So, why not celebrate Easter with…the best bunny of all time?

Everyone’s favorite sex toy is the Rabbit, which was made popular years ago on Sex and the City. What you may not know is that since then, it’s gone down a long and winding road of improvements, and now, if you walk into my favorite toy store, Babeland, you’ll see dozens! Just check out the variety they offer here.

Now, what is it that makes the rabbit so popular? It may be the dual action - it’s simultaneously a really powerful vibrator and tickles your most sensitive spots for super potency. Or maybe it’s just that, thanks to SATC, it became the first toy to go mainstream - and thus brought something we all enjoy, “out of the closet”.

Whatever the reason…we all love the rabbit! And, it’s the season of bunny love - so go give yours some extra attention today!

Image: Babeland

Easter is in just a few days but are you prepared for it? While many ar saying yes or that they will be the day before keep a few things in mind:

- Get all the items needed BEFORE Easter
- Have everything ready for the big day
- Keep a list

IMG: Sxc.hu

I’m probably sure you are wondering about a few of these things but I think they’ll be very useful, especially the lists. Items can be bought the night before Easter yes, but that’s only if they aren’t all sold out. Keep in mind you may get something broken or downright ugly. You may get it cheaper but is it what you really want?

When it comes to being ready I like to make sure I have all the ingredients that will be needed.

- eggs
- dye kits for eggs (Paas)
- baskets
- plastic eggs
- grass for baskets
- whatever I’m making for dinner
- toys or trinkets for eggs

The big one though are my lists. I like to dye my eggs and hide them, this of course is done early in the morning so the sun doesn’t bake them too much. But having a list of where all the eggs are can really save you. Why? You can locate it quickly and you won’t have that horrible egg smell. Yes, it has happened but that’s all I’ll sayon the matter. It wasn’t my fault….well not entirely, but I keep a list now. Trust me, you want to find ALL the eggs.

Yes, Easter lilies are lovely, especially this time of year, but if you have pets, it’s best to leave those lilies at church. In addition to the Easter lily, avoid tiger lilies, star-gazer lilies, and many kinds of day lilies. Instead, use pet-friendly plants, such as orchids, daisies, tulips, or violets in your spring arrangements.

Any type of lily can be toxic to pets, especially cats. The first signs of poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to two hours of ingestion and include vomiting, loss of appetite, blindness, paralysis, kidney failure. If you suspect your pet has come into any sort of contact with a lily, you should seek medical care immediately.

(photo credit: newscom)