Meringues OR Easter Story Cookies

These are a great fat free dessert and are delicious. They are also a terrific Easter idea, but have them any time of year. They’re wonderful.
I've had this recipe for at least 10 years. It's fun to make and eat! I've seen it posted on a number of blogs this year. Here's my version. Enjoy.

1 cup whole pecans
1 teaspoon vinegar
3 egg whites, room temperature (use the yolks for something else)
1 pinch of salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1 quart or gallon size zipper bag, big enough for the pecans to spread out inside
1 wooden spoon
Tape

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Place the pecans in a zipper bag  beat them with the wooden spoon to break them into small

pieces. Set them aside for later. After Jesus was arrested, He was beaten by the Roman soldiers. Read: John 19:1-3. "Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and scourged him.  And the soldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe,  And said, Hail, King of the Jews! and they smote him with their hands."

Smell the vinegar. Put the teaspoon of vinegar into the mixing bowl. When Jesus was thirsty on the cross He was given vinegar to drink. Read John 19:28-30..."After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst.  Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.  When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."

Add the egg whites to the vinegar. Eggs represent life. Jesus gave His life to give us life.
Read John 10:10-11. "The thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy; I have come that they may have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. I am the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd giveth his life for the sheep."

Sprinkle a little salt (just a pinch between your thumb and finger) into your hand. Taste it and brush the rest into the bowl. This represents the salty tears shed by Jesus' followers, and the bitterness of our own sins. Read Luke 23:27 "And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him."

 So far the ingredients are not very appetizing. Taste a bit of the sugar; then add the sugar to the bowl. The sweetest part of the story is that Jesus died because He loves us. He wants us to know and belong to Him.
Read Psalms 34:8--"O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." and John 3:16--"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosever believeth in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life."

Beat with a mixer on high speed for 12-15 minutes until stiff peaks are formed. The peaks will stay and not droop even when the beaters are raised. The color white represents the purity in God's eyes of those whose sins have been cleansed by Jesus. Read Isaiah 1:18--"Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool." And John 3:1-3 "There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:  The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."

 Fold in the nuts that you beat up earlier.
Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Drop mixture by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper.
Each mound or cookie represents the rocky tomb where Jesus' body was laid.

Read Matthew 27:57-60 "When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple: He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.  And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,  And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed."

 Place the cookie sheet in the oven, close the door and turn OFF the oven. Take a piece of tape and seal the oven door. Jesus' tomb was sealed.
Read Matthew 27:65-66  "Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can.

So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch."

GO TO BED. You may feel sad to leave the cookies in the oven overnight. Jesus' followers were in despair when the tomb was sealed.
Read John 16:20 "Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy." And John 16:22  "And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you."

In the morning, open the oven and remove the cookies. Take a bite. Notice – the cookies are hollow!
On the first Easter Jesus' followers were amazed to find the tomb open and empty.

Read Matthew 28:1-9  "In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.  And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.  His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:  And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.  He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.  And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.  And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.  And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.