Monday, April 25, 2011

Joyous Pascha!

Christ is Risen!!

I have so enjoyed reading all of my beloved

Orthodox blog friends entries

and pictures on Pascha!

How can we not express our joy at the Feast of Feasts

and of Christ's Death and Resurrection which

secured our salvation!

*

This Pascha was beautiful...

such precious times for us.

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I only pray that we can deepen in Pascha,

keep it in us,

have it meld into our bones, our soul.

*

Beautiful moments for me included...

putting my baskets in the church hall,

with about 4 extra containers with cookies;

having my Pascha (the bread) from my Ukrainian

family;

seeing the children wave their candles;

little babies miraculously sleeping amidst the

joy-filled proclamations of

Christ is Risen! in numerous languages;

a short walk outside with a dear friend and her

young daughter

enjoying the weather being good despite

the forecast;

and the processions -

lots of wind though candles were blown out,

relit and then all over again;

the brilliant blaze of light of Pascha when reentering the church;

singing the Angel cried;

the bells of Pascha;

wishing to be there forever and wanting only

a bit more of it to get within me;

looking at the icon of the Resurrection in all the glory and

whiteness;

nothing can compare and no one save Christ is worthy

of such a glorious feast!

*

Here is what I did to prepare for the earthly food,

which comes after the heavenly food of Christ

in His Holy Eucharist on Pascha.

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I baked almost 200 cookies!

Yep!

In my small apartment with no counter space!

My coffee table worked just fine:


(Notice the spray bottle by the cookies?


it is the only thing that kept Cleo away from them!)


It was a mad dash all day,


with a trip to the store in the middle of it.


I made...


Chocolate chip cookies (4 batches)


Molasses cookies (1 batch)


I tried to make meringue cookies but it was my first try


so they were not whipped enough but it was still fun!


*


Since I don't have a car and walk to church


but was wearing my once a year


pretty Pascha white outfit


and my suit case with about 180 cookies at least


and Pascha basket things


was heavy:



So I took a taxi with all my cookies to church!


(mind you I live near to church so it did not cost much;


it's only a 30 minute walk so about 5-8 minute drive)

*


Here's my Pascha breakfast the next day...


hot chocolate


my Pascha (the bread)


cheese


eggs


homemade beef jerky


chocolate chip cookie


thick yogurt with honey


and another smaller bread...



After this yummy feast


I made a new chocolate cake recipe


called Velvet Chocolate Cake,


a very moist soft cake!


And I tried making an egg, milk, butter and Cinnamon with raisins


with egg noodles (Ukrainian) casserole;


it was good but I have to figure out how to make it look


nicer next time as while the taste was lovely,


it did not look as nice.


These I shared with various church family members...


*

I still don't know if I am staying or leaving Ottawa


for work


so baking all these things for Pascha


(I got a big basket for 5.00 used and put two batches of the


chocolate chip cookies in it to


give out on Pascha after the liturgy and basket blessing)


was even more important to me.


*


Wish I could of shared all the cookies with you my blog friends!


Joyous Bright Week to you all!


Christ is Risen!

12 comments:

Kiernan said...

Indeed He is Risen!! So glad to hear about your Pascha! May its light burn brightly in our hearts.

. said...

Indeed He is risen! You were a busy little baker! Loved the pic with the spray bottle...too funny! Glad your Pascha was joyous!

Peacocks and Sunflowers said...

He is risen indeed! Glad to hear you had such a joyous Pascha. Have fun cooking and baking through Bright Week :) My house is (finally) being blessed on Thursday so I'll be baking up a storm too.

DebD said...

Indeed He Is Risen! I enjoyed all your photos too.

Janelle thegeekywife said...

Truly He is Risen!

200 COOKIES?! I would have loved to have seen them all!

RW said...

Indeed He is Risen!
I have no photos - my digital camera is still out of commission. I used a film camera but need to get them developed.

We have had a good weekend.

Beth said...

Indeed He is Risen. A joyous and blessed Bright Week for you. Some day we will get our Holy Week and Pascha pictures up. Sounds like you had a blessed time.

elizabeth said...

Thanks everyone!! Christ is Risen!

margaret said...

Christos voskrese! I am imagining you with a suitcase full of cookies :) is your Ukrainian noodle casserole the same as kugel made with noodles? I find it hard to get that to look appetising too.
And lol @ the spray bottle, I need an automatic one beside my spare room bed to keep Miss Tilney off it before my visitor comes.

elizabeth said...

Indeed He is Risen!! Yeah, that suitcase was heavy! I am glad I took the taxi! :) I am not sure about if the recipe is the same as I don't know what Kugel is... will email you the recipe which I have scanned :)

elizabeth said...

Cleo by the way wishes I had a spare bedroom sans the spray bottle of course :)

elizabeth said...

oh wait, I see that I emailed you this already - see the PDF I sent you a bit ago - it is one of the last recipes with the one that is called macaroni recipe :)