It's that time of year again! Spring is here and that means a trip to New Jersey to visit my family. And to meet at my mother-in-laws house on Good Friday to make the Easter Bread.

Now, we don't make it with colored eggs (it gets the bread too messy) and my eggs usually don't crack, but the picture shows loafs in the style we bake. We've had this tradition in my late husband's family for almost 20 years. My then FUTURE mother-in-law Vicky invited me over to bake the bread for the first time on Good Friday of 1989 I believe. And although I moved away in the mid- 1990's, I still make the trip home to be part of the festivities.

It's usually Vicky, myself, Michelle (my now Ex-sister-in-law) and the kids, but we've had cousins and aunts and friends take part as well. Last year Charlie was part of the baking too! We start gathering ingredients early in the morning...though "early" has gotten a bit later as the years have passed! Then there is the frantic hunt for the recipe, which always seems to get lost from year to year. Then the mixing and kneading begins. Once the dough is safely deposited in it's massive oiled bowl (each "recipe" calls for more than 5 lbs. of flour and 14 eggs!) we clean up so we can eat.

Mom always makes a special spread for Good Friday. Even though non of us (especially me!) are good practicing Catholics, it's always a meatless meal. But she always goes out of her way to make some of our favorites: stuffed baked artichokes, cavatelli and broccoli, homemade cole slaw and egg salad and whatever else tickles her fancy from year to year.

After lunch it's time for punch down one, which the kids still love to do. Then if we have time...shopping at the mall while waiting for punch down two. Once that happens, we're ready to shape and bake. Shaping the ropes of dough is always fun (for you potters, think about pulling handles) and then the intricate dance of rising loaves, baking loaves and finished loaves begins. My mom doesn't have a very big kitchen, so we end up with bread everywhere! The best part? The sacrificial First Loaf. The first loaf out gets immediately sliced and buttered while it's still hot...and quickly consumed by everyone in the house. Sometimes there's even a sacrificial Second Loaf.

It's usually dinnertime or later when we finish. Then it's wrapping and packing up all the loaves, saving the best one out for the Easter Sunday breakfast that Vicky makes every year. I'm proud to say it's almost always been one of mine!