Warm spring breezes carry the promise of rebirth and new life. Spread the spirit of loving kindness this Easter season by making an extra Easter basket. Give it to someone who's not expecting it, or drop it off at a local shelter, home or school where someone is in need. This simple act of kindness will inspire others to pass along their generosity too.
Spread the spirit of kindness
¦Get the kids into the Easter spirit. Encourage them to
  make baskets for the lunchroom
  monitors, the janitor or the crossing guard.
¦Throw an "Add A Basket" party. Your guests will
  make treat baskets to give away to local charities.
¦Send an Easter e-Basket. Create a beautiful, virtual
      e-Basket with a message of kindness to friends
  and family. They just might "spread it forward."
  Go to www.BrightIdeas.com/addabasket.
¦For e-Basket links, special basket tags, themed
  invitations for "Add A Basket" party
  and more creative ideas for an eggs-traordinary
  Easter, visit www.BrightIdeas.com.

                      Funny Bunny Cookies
Why not create these hilarious Easter bunnies
with your little ones -
and make up a story about them, too!
  Makes 18 bunnies
  Prep time: 20 minutes
  Baking time: 12 to 15 minutes
  Decoration time: 30 minutes
  Difficulty: Moderate
1 bag M&M'S Milk Chocolate Candies for
Easter
1 bag Starburst Fun Size Fruit Chews for
Easter, unwrapped
1 tube or bag M&M'S Minis (optional for the
bunny's basket)
Yellow and orange food coloring
1 18-ounce package refrigerated
cookie dough
1 16-ounce container white
frosting

1. Thinly roll cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Press out two sizes of cookies: 3-inch cookies for bunnies' bodies, and 1-inch cookies for bunnies' heads.

2. Arrange cookies on baking sheet, placing smaller cookies next to larger cookies. Press edges of two sets of cookies together. Bake in preheated 350°F oven 12 to 15 minutes, then cool.

3. Divide icing into 3 small bowls. Tint one bowl with a few drops of orange food coloring and one with yellow. Frost 1/3 of cookies orange, 1/3 yellow and 1/3 white.

4. Soften the Fruit Chews for Easter in microwave for 10 seconds. Mold candy into bunny ears and feet, then press into iced cookies to attach. Dot bunnies' faces with Milk Chocolate Candies for Easter for eyes, noses and mouths.

For the bunny's basket: Soften one unwrapped Fruit Chews for Easter piece in your hand (or for 5 seconds in the microwave) and divide into two equal parts. Shape half into 1-1/2 inch handle. Shape other half into semi-circle for basket body. Make diagonal marks across semi-circle with tip of knife. Press rope into two outside edges of semi-circle, making a basket. Place basket on frosted cookie and fill with several M&M'S Minis.

Cookie Garden

Fill a beautiful basket with yummy, homemade treats. Take the wonderful centerpiece to a special family gathering. Makes 12 cookies. Prep time: 15 minutes/ Bake time: 10 to 12 minis. /Decoration time: 30 minutes/ Difficulty: Moderate Assorted Starburst Jellybeans, M&M'S Milk

Chocolate Speckled Eggs and Dove Chocolate

Eggs

1 roll refrigerated sugar cookie dough

1 16-ounce container white frosting

Assorted food coloring 12 lollipop sticks Small basket, Styrofoam or green floral oasis

and Easter grass (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll cookie dough to 1/4-inch thickness.

2. Using your favorite holiday

cookie cutters, press out cookies

from each shape. Press lollipop

sticks into bottom half of cookies.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes; cool completely

on wire rack.

4. Color frosting with a variety of food coloring. Frost cookies and press on assorted jellybeans and speckled eggs.

5. For display, press Styrofoam into a basket and cover with Easter grass. Arrange cookie pops by pressing sticks into Styrofoam. D e c o r a t e grass with sprinkling of jellybeans and chocolate eggs.