Cary, NC – White Plains Children’s Center is celebrating 30 years of service to the children of Western Wake this Saturday, May 19, and you’re invited.

White Plains Children’s Center Celebrates 30 Years

The 30th anniversary celebration, hosted by the Board of Directors, is scheduled for Saturday, May 19^th at 10am on the campus of White Plains UMC.

White Plains Children’s Center in Cary offers unique programs, serving children with and without disabilities. It is a non-profit, state-rated, 5-Star program.

Mayor Harold Weinbrecht will greet former parents, students, board members, employees and current families.  Town Council representative Don Frantz and Chair of the Cary Chamber, Tom Huff, will be among those to honor the school’s Founders.

Returning students, college age through elementary school, will conduct the honor ceremony.  Nearly 200 guests are expected.

Event Details

White Plains Children’s Center 30th Anniversary Celebration
Saturday, May 19, 2012
10 AM

White Plains UMC
313 SE Maynard Road
Cary, 27511
Cost: free

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Photo from White Plains Children’s Center.

Story by Neha Rai and Jayana Saldanha. Edited by Matt Young. 

Cary, NC – Did you know that the second most commonly spoken language in Cary is Hindi? For those of you not familiar with Indian Holidays, we have a report direct from India on the spring festivals of Basakhi and Ugadi.

Ugadi – New Year’s Day in Bangalore – March 23

The city of Bangalore is the capital of the state Karnataka, which is located in Southern India. The people of this state predominantly speak the language Kannada and consequently are referred to as Kannadigas.

Ugadi, which is on March 23 this year, is a very important festival for the Kannadiga’s and it is celebrated with much pomp and religious fervor.

The word “Ugadi” comes from an amalgamation of two words in the Kannada language - ”Yuga” (era) and “Adi” (beginning). It is celebrated on the first day of Spring.

It is very auspicious to the Hindus as it is considered as the start of the Hindu Lunar Calendar  and it  is considered the day on which the Creator – Lord Brahma created the universe.

Pujas and New Beginnings

This day is started with a special Puja (service/devotion) and rituals and as all celebrations in India go – with lots of food, decorations and other festivities.

Pujas are performed to invoke and worship the Hindu gods for health, wealth ,peace and prosperity an, success in every venture. New ventures are said to be prosperous if started on this day. It is the season for new life to bloom everywhere and this signifies new beginnings.

The rituals followed are many and vary from region to region and family to family.

Spring Clean

In preparation for Ugadi, Spring cleaning of the house is done. A new coat of paint applied and decorations are put up. Some of the common decorations are stringing together of mango and neem leaves and putting this up on doorways of homes. Decorating the house with flowers is common – especially the puja room and, the tulsi plant in the front yard of the home. The jasmine flower is used in decorations as this is the time for the flowers to be in bloom.

Decorating the front yard with rangoli is done using traditional designs and coloured powders. This can also be done using flower petals, leaves or even lentils and grain.

On the Day of Ugadi

All family members wake up early in the morning  apply oil all over their body and have a shower. They wear new clothes and ornaments. It is important to wake up before the sunrise so that they are ready to be blessed by the rays of the sun.

Thereafter they gather for the Puja which is done by the head of the family. Gold ornaments, new clothes and fruits are placed before the idols of the gods in the puja room to be blessed.

The women prepare a festive meal consisting of obattu – a type of sweet flat bread prepared with jaggery (unrefined sugar made from palm sap), all-purpose flour and gram flour; masala vada ( savoury cutlets of chana dhal or lentils - deep fried in oil), kosambari ( salad of cucumber and lentils);  payasa ( made with milk/coconut milk, jaggery, new shoots of cashew nuts and lentils), rice, sambhar and, much more!

The meal is eaten on Banana leaves in the traditional way.

Bevu (neem) and bella (jaggery) is given to the family members. This symbolizes that life is filled with both sadness and joy signified by the bitter neem and the sweet jaggery and we should take on both without complaint. It represents the basic Hindu philosophy of accepting your “Karma” and appeasing the gods for decreasing your bad karma and increasing your good karma - so that you can attain moksha, reversing the cycle of rebirth.

Here’s wishing everyone an Auspicious Ugadi!

Basakhi – The Harvest Festival of Spring – April 13

Baisakhi is one of the major festivals of Sikhs and is celebrated with lot of enthusiasm  in the state of Punjab - and all throughout the world where there is a significant Sikh population.

People of North India, particularly Punjab, thank God for the good harvest. For the large farming community of Punjab, Baisakhi Festival marks the time for harvest of rabi (end of winter) crops and they celebrate the day by performing joyful bhangra and gidda dances.

For the Sikh community, Baisakhi Festival has tremendous religious significance as it was on a Baisakhi Day in 1699, that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth Sikh Guru laid the foundation of Panth Khalsa-the Order of the Pure Ones.

According to English calendar, the date of Baisakhi corresponds to April 13 every year and April 14 once in every 36 years.  This year it falls on the 13th of April. This difference in Baisakhi dates is due to the fact that the day of Baisakhi is reckoned according to the solar calendar and not the lunar calendar. Baisakhi is celebrated all over India under different names and different set of rituals and celebrations. Baisakhi date coincides with Rongali Bihu in Assam, Naba Barsha in Bengal, Puthandu in Tamil Nadu and Pooram Vishu in Kerala.

How Baisakhi is Celebrated

As the festival has tremendous importance in Sikh religion, major activities of the day are organized in Gurdwaras (places of worship).

People wake up early to prepare for the day. Many also take bath in the holy river to mark the auspicious occasion. After getting ready people pay a visit to their neighbourhood gurdwara and take part in the special prayer meeting organized for the day. The congregation receives specially prepared kara prasad (sacred pudding) or sweetened semolina. This is followed by a guru ka langar (community lunch).

Later, there is a Baisakhi procession under the leadership of Panj piaras. At the head of the procession are the Panj Piaras, symbolizing the journey made by the five fearless devotees from their homes to Anandpur, to be baptised by Guru Gobind Singh. Baisakhi processions are attended by men, women and children alike with faith and enthusiasm. The procession moves through major localities of the city and is welcomed by citizens and members of social and cultural societies. Colourful bhangra and gidda dance and there are mock duels are performed during Baisakhi processions. Another fascinating part of Baisakhi celebrations is the accompaniment of drummers, bands playing  and devotees singing religious songs and men swinging swords.

Loud Sikh chants of “Bole so nihal”, “Deg teg fateh” and rhythmic chants of “Sat nam” and “Wahe guru”  ring out from the middle of the singing and drumming. Some men may wear the headgear (bana) of Guru Nanak, others that of Guru Gobind Singh. At the end of the ceremony, Sikh religious leaders strive to promote the feeling of charity amongst people, especially children, in honor of Guru Gobind Singh.

In some places, especially Punjab, there are celebrations leading up to Baisakhi.

Celebrations in the Fields

Since Baisakhi is also celebrated as a harvest festival, farmers in Punjab celebrate Baisakhi with energetic performance of bhangra and gidda dance. Men and women clad themselves in their traditional Bhangra dress and dance to the beat of dhol in a joyful festive atmosphere.

Thanksgiving Day

Festival of Baisakhi is celebrated as a Thanksgiving Day by the farmers. People wake up early on the day and take bath in rivers or pond water and pay a visit to the temple or gurdwara (Sikh worship place). Farmers thank god for the bountiful harvest and pray for prosperity in future also. Many people also perform charity on the day as a custom.

Baisakhi Fairs

Colourful Baisakhi Fairs are organized at several places in Punjab to mark the harvest festival of Baisakhi. Performance of bhangra and gidda dance besides other recreational activities make Baisakhi melas (gatherings) major crowd favorites. People also indulge in shopping and eating spree in the numerous stalls set up in the fairs.

The Date’s Significance

The date of Baisakhi is significant as it marks the sun’s entry into Mesh Rashi (astrological term). For this very reason, many people also know Baisakhi as Mesha Sankranti. The auspicious date of Baisakhi is celebrated all over India under many different names

For the agriculturally rich state of Punjab and Haryana, Baisakhi marks the time for harvest of rabi crops and is therefore extremely significant for the farmers. Baisakhi Festival is also celebrated as a Thanksgiving Day festival in these states.

Baisakhi is of major importance for the people following Sikh faith. As it was on a Baisakhi Day, in the year 1699 that the Tenth Guru of Sikhs, Guru Gobind Singh founded Khalsa Panth or the Order of Pure Ones and gave a unique identity to Sikhs. On the same day the guru administered amrit (nectar) to his first group of five disciples making them Singhs, a martial community. By doing so, he eliminated the differences of high and low and established that all human beings were equal.

The day of Baisakhi is of significance for the Hindus as it was on this day in 1875 that Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj - a reformed sect of Hindus who are devoted to the Vedas for spiritual guidance and have discarded idol worship. Besides, Baisakhi day is of relevance for the Buddhists as Gautama Buddha attained enlightenment and Nirvana on this auspicious day.

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Baisakhi photo (top) by gabriellestoia. Ugadi photo (rangoli) by Siddhartha Lammata.

Story by Mary Beth Phillips. Photo by James Brandon.

Cary, NC – Patti Zordich did not plan to become an expert on trauma and attachment theory, but after earning her doctorate with a focus on attachment theory and then working with children who had experienced trauma, it all came together.  The fruits of her experience led her to write a book for newly adoptive parents: Gotcha! Welcoming Your Adopted Child Home.

Positive Attachments 

Patti Zordich will share some of her experiences at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church, 804 High House Road in Cary, on Tuesday, January 17, at 7:00 p.m.  She’ll offer tips to help parents establish positive attachments with their adopted child as well as to facilitate emotional development and minimize behavioral problems.  She’ll share her approach called Cocooning™, an approach that has helped many adoptive families.

Works For All Parents

Much of her message is appropriate for any parent, as she will explore children’s temperaments, and how to help a child manage emotions, but the evening is geared toward those who are considering adoption or have already adopted.  We will also hear from a panel of parents who have adopted children domestically and internationally and parents of foster children.

Dr. Zordich

Dr. Zordich moved to Cary in 2007 and set up her practice, Triangle Psychological Services, in 2008.  She is located at 1125 Kildaire Farm Road, Suite 202.  She works with a variety of clients, including adoptive children and parents, approaching her practice from a faith-based perspective.  One of her focuses is building stronger relationships between parents and children.  Her early professional experience in the Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh doing forensic evaluations to determine termination of parental rights was very sad, she said.  Many times, after spending time with parents to be sure that termination would not be harmful to the child, she would see ways that agencies could have given parents interventions to strengthen relationships.  She would uncover issues that were never addressed.  Many parents had their own attachment problems.

Cocooning as an Alternative

Her method, cocooning, differs from Reactive Attachment Disorder which is talked about in the media these days.  She said it can be harmful to simulate putting the baby back in the womb, or to hold them and force them to make eye contact.  Children who missed having their nurturing needs met as an infant can have those building blocks filled in by just spending gentle time with them, she said.  If the child is not ready, don’t force physical contact, she said.  Let them choose whether or not to sit in your lap for a story.  Most importantly, keep things simple, don’t try to take them to group events with lots of other children, or have big parties to welcome them.

Project Rachel

In her spare time, Patti volunteers with Project Rachel, a post-abortion healing ministry.  She is married and has a 13-year-old son, who she homeschooled until this year.  She will have copies of her books available for signing at the event on Tuesday.

Event Details

Adoption & Parenting Seminar
St. Michael’s Church
804 High House Road
Cary, NC
Tuesday, January 17, at 7:00 p.m.

Light refreshments will also be served at the event.

For more information about the evening, please contact Martina Young at martina.young@kcubes.com or 919-467-8575.

Story by Jayana Ira Saldanha. Edited by Matt Young.

Cary, NC and Mangalore, India – Many of us who work here in the Triangle in North Carolina have co-workers, contacts, clients and family in India. I was sharing tidbits about our traditions in the United States with a co-worker in India – Jayana Ira Saldanha – and she was kind enough to send this on. 

Matt,  

I wanted to tell you how we celebrate Christmas in my hometown-Mangalore, Karnataka, India.

The Mangalorean Catholics were converted to Catholicism by the Portugese, who landed in Goa around the late 15th century. Mangalore is known as “Rome of the east” because of the large number (about 155) of churches in its diocese.

Mangaloreans Catholics are very devout and make it a point to attend daily masses. We love family and celebrations with our family members. We are culturally a very happy, helpful and enterprising people. We have a unique culture and have myriad traditions and in many ways we are similar to the Goans. Our Mother-tongue is Konkani.

Christmas is celebrated in a grand manner. Christmas is a time to spread goodwill in being charitable and also to thank God for sending His beloved Son to save us.

The Christmas Star

The Christmas star is put up in every house in the 1st week of December. There is an electric bulb inside the star and at night the star glows brightly. This is a reference to the star that pointed the way to the three Wise-Men who were searching for the new-born messiah

“Kuswar”

Households start preparing the savories and sweets called Kuswar a month ahead of Christmas. Plum cakes and other types of cakes and baked goods are also prepared. Wine is also made by some.

This Kuswar is distributed to friends, neighbors and even tradesmen and servants who help us during the year. It is a gesture of goodwill towards them.

Preparing for Christmas

New Clothes are bought especially for the children. Churches are cleaned and decorated by the parishioners. Every church will have a large “Christmas Crib” or nativity scene made by the youth of the parish. There are inter-church prizes to be won on whose crib is the best! Also smaller cribs are done by every household and they too participate in the competitions. Charity events are organized during this time and people are urged by the priests to spread goodwill to all especially the poor and live the example of Jesus.

The West

Traditionally, we didn’t have the concept of Christmas Tree and Santa Claus but we have imported it from the West. Also youngsters attend balls on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve – this too is not something we traditionally do and is still frowned upon by many traditionalists.

Christmas Eve

On Christmas eve, we attend the “Midnight Vigil” mass along with our family. There will be carol singing in Konkani as well as English and Christmas skits in the Churches. Sometimes games and other fun activities are organized.

Christmas Day

Christmas Day is spent at home with family having a nice lunch – pork curry (we love pork!) and other items. Sometimes we visit our relatives and have lunch with them. Traditionally we go to our ancestral home and spend our Christmas with grandparents, uncles, aunts and cousins. We like to sing and dance to Konkani songs during our gatherings.

Have a very happy and blessed Christmas there in North Carolina. Please do send pictures of celebrations in Cary. I would love to see the snow and all the pretty decorations!

Jayana

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photo by Calamity Sal.

Cary, NC – Tuesday evening, December 20, 2011, beginning at 4 p.m. come to the Cary Arts Center to participate in the Jewish Cultural Festival. This event takes place on the first night of Hanukah, celebrating the Jewish Festival of Lights.

The Town of Cary is partnering with the Chabad of Cary, The Jewish Federation of Raleigh-Cary and Beth Shalom to host the first Jewish Cultural Festival in Cary. All citizens are welcome to join in the festivities.

“I am glad we have this Festival,” says Rabbi Ariel Edery of Beth Shalom Synagogue. “It is great for our community to celebrate our common values and ideals, but also to honor and cherish the richness of the variety of our different cultures, traditions, ethnic heritages and religious beliefs.”

Rabbi Edery continued, “Interestingly, this what the Hanukah holiday is actually about. When we remember the Maccabbees’ struggle to practice their religion in freedom, and light the candles of the Menorah, we affirm both our belief in the American value of freedom of religion, and in appreciating how our community is made stronger and richer by a plurality of traditions being kept and honored, and – as we do here – coexisting, cooperating, and sharing.”

Fun, Unique, & Educational Activities

Enjoy traditional Jewish foods, crafts and hands-on activities for children, entertainment, educational displays and the lighting of a nine-foot Menorah!

• Artistic Menorah and dreidel displays
• Candle dipping
• Clay dreidel making
• Make your own menorah
• Olive oil pressing
• Educational displays

Performances Times

• 4:30 p.m.    Jewish / Israeli Dance
• 4:45 p.m.    Olive Oil Pressing Demonstration
• 5 p.m.        Beth Shalom Children’s Choir & Play
• 5:30 p.m.    Jewish / Israeli Dance
• 5:45 p.m.    Beth Shalom Singers
• 6 p.m.        The Only One Club – Storytelling & puppetry by Andrea & Rabbi Ariel Edery
• 6:45 p.m.    Lighting of the Menorah
• 7:30 p.m.   Performance by nationally known musician Dan Nichols.

Canned Food Collection & Art Displays

Marvel at a menorah constructed out of donated canned goods. Donations will be accepted at the Cary Arts Center from December 5 – 19th.  Donations not only helps create the “Can-struction Menorah”, but also supports those in need in the community. All canned food donations will go to Inter-Faith Food Shuttle, who will then distribute donations to local shelters and pantries.

Cornell Box Art Displays by the Beth Or 3rd and 4th graders are unique shadow boxes modeled after the artist Joseph Cornell. These shadow boxes reflect Jewish and personal themes from their daily lives.

Happy Hanukah!

How Many Ways Can You Spell Hanukah?

Hanukah is a Hebrew word, so there is no correct (or incorrect) English spelling.

Chanukah, Hanukkah, Chanuka, Channukah, Chanuka,Hanuka, Hannukkah – they are all the Jewish Festival of Lights.

Book review by Matt Young. Photo by PanArmenian.

Cary, NC -  Suzette Faith Foster walks to the beat of a different drummer (or dances, I should say). Some of you might be worried that this is an insult. Trust me – to Sue, it is not. There was a time when many thought she would never even walk again. 

I’ve known the author of this book for nearly 20 years. She lives down the street from me.

She, like all of us, has had joy and pain in her life. But Suzette has had more than her share of  emotional and physical pain. Believe me, her middle name fits her.

I appreciate dancing even more since my life-altering injury on November 3, 2005. I had a crucial choice to sit it out or dance. I was instantly paralyzed from a mountain biking accident. Moments later, I stopped breathing. I had the same injury as Christopher Reeve. I gave faith a fighting chance. I chose to dance.

Ms. Foster tells me that over 11,000 people suffer spinal cord injury each year in the United States. Ms. Foster operates a holistic wellness business – focused on “energy medicine”.

What Is Energy Medicine?

Dr. Mehmet Oz has referred to energy medicine as the medicine of the future.

 In Oprah magazine, December 2010, he said, “I think the next big frontier is unlocking the doors to energy medicine. It dramatically broadens our vista of opportunities to heal. The challenge that we have is that energy is not as easily quantified as the surgeon’s scalpel.” Energy healing takes into account the whole being—body, mind and spirit. Energy healing enhances and harmonizes the body’s healing abilities by re-patterning its energy field without damaging any of the body’s systems. It is an integrative, non-invasive option which aids in clearing the root cause or blockage, thus allowing the symptoms to leave and the body to return to balance.

Calling Back Your Power

Suzette’s newly released book, Calling Back Your Power, Your Catalyst for Personal & Spiritual Transformation, reveals thought-provoking concepts, universal principles and rich personal and client stories.

The book shares how Suzette and her clients have escaped from symptoms of cancer, canceled scheduled surgery, got off prescription meds and released pain, depression and addiction.

Jack Canfield, co-author of Chicken Soup for the Unsinkable Soul® and The Success Principles says the book, “Calling Back Your Power has the momentum to move you beyond the challenges at hand to your best life.”

If you would like more information go to Suzette’s website.

Cary, NC – College Park Baptist will be kicking off a new era with their Grand Opening on October 23, at 910 Twyla Road, in a part of Cary off Green Hope School Road that has changed and grown incredibly since Pastor Matt Walker began planning for this day in 2003.

From the Marriot Hotel to a Strategic Location

The church started in 2003 in the Marriott Hotel off of Miami Blvd. In June of that year the church relocated to NW Cary Pkwy where it has been for the past 8 years. In 2008 the church purchased property on the corner of Green Hope School Rd. and Twyla Rd. just west of Highway 55. The church was named as such because of the nearby universities.

The church is strategically located to serve the growing communities in western Wake County. A planned intersection off of I-540 is being constructed nearby and will provide the church access to this major highway.

College Park Baptist Church

“The music is sacred, not a blend of rock music with Christian lyrics. The church emphasizes the church family concept. There are no plans for College Park to become a mega-church,” Pastor Walker told us. “Our church population is also distinctive in its diversity with ages ranging from early 80′s to newborns and peoples from different nations.”

Grand Opening Oct. 23

Pastor Matt Walker and Dr. Bud Calvert, an early supporter, will be the speakers at the event. Children will be having their own special program that will include puppets and a time of teaching from the Bible, music will be provided by the church choir.

For more info go to www.collegeparkministries.org.

By Matt Young. Photo by vanherdehaage.

Cary, NC – Easter is one of those holidays that make me think back to my childhood. Easter eggs and bunnies, hot cross buns and Gene Autry come to mind.

Here are a few thoughts that are part of my holiday tradition.

The Holiest of Days

The holiest of all Holy Days to Christians is Easter. There’s a reason for that.To Christians, Easter is the fulfillment of several prophesies from Scripture and proof that Jesus was the Messiah.

I’ve observed that (in my religion anyway) people are more likely to go to church on Easter than any other holiday (including Christmas). The hoopla revolves around Christmas. The foundation of Christianity is celebrated on Easter.

The following regarding eggs, rabbits and candy as symbols of Easter are from what I was taught as a child.

Eggs

Eggs are symbolic of birth – “rebirth” to be exact. There are many other reasons for the use of the egg on Easter. The shell is symbolic of the tomb Jesus was laid in. Some Christian traditions are that Mary of Magdela brought eggs to the tomb of Jesus to feed the women that watched over it. As she saw Jesus, the eggs’ shells turned red symbolizing Christ’s blood. Egg traditions vary widely by sect. There is egg rolling, egg dying, Easter egg hunts and egg dances. In my household growing up, my Sicilian mother wove a basket of bread dough and baked the shell-on eggs in the weaving for Easter. Hardboiled eggs were used in lieu of meatballs in the “sauce” used for macaroni.

Interestingly, the celebration of the egg on Easter Sunday may have also arisen (pun unintentional) from the fact that many sects of Christianity allowed neither dairy, nor meat, nor eggs to be eaten during Lent leading up to Easter.

Bunnies

I was taught that rabbits were a symbol of fertility and used by some non-Christians to represent the coming of spring  during  The Roman Empire. The Anglo-Saxon fertility goddess was called “Eastre”.

The subsequent adoption of the rabbit at Easter made sense. And of course, this was re-enforced by such favorite tunes from my childhood as Gene Autry’s “Here Comes Peter Cottontail” from 1950. And yes I had the “45″. If you don’t know what a “45″ is, ask your grandparents.

Candy etc.

Hot-cross buns were and are the tradition in many Christian cultures. The symbolism is obvious, the origin is controversial.

Of course chocolates and jelly beans and Marshmallow Peeps (brilliant!) were not even part of Easter until relatively modern times. I was told as a young child that we ate candy on Easter because we were supposed to “give it up for Lent”. This has no basis in fact to my knowledge, and may have possibly been my parents’ attempt at reducing their dentist bills.

But let’s face it, we all celebrate pretty much everything with candy and sweets.

Easter Sunday Events

Easter Sunday is one of those days when (almost) everything is closed. People go to church, or stay home with their families.

Every church in the world will be busy. My church has eight services on Easter.

Here’s something a little different from our friends at Hope Community Church on Buck Jones Road:

Nationally known visual artist Tom Clark will paint LIVE on stage during each of Hope Community Church’s six Easter services. Easter services are Saturday, April 23 at 3:00, 4:45 and 6:30 p.m., and Sunday at 7:45, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m.

Expecting over 8,000 people to attend services Easter weekend, Hope has invited California artist Tom Clark to paint one 6’ X 8’canvas during each of their six services, each canvas a different work of art.  The six canvases of art will then be displayed throughout Hope’s Raleigh campus following Easter weekend services.

Happy Easter to All

However you celebrate, have a happy and a holy Easter!

Story by Leslie Huffman. Photo by Alicia, the Kitchen Wench.

Cary, NC – Lamb is a classic entree for the Easter table. The custom of eating lamb at important religious feasts goes back thousands of years, spanning many cultures and religions. Here is an easy and delicious way to serve lamb for your Easter table.

The roast lamb dinner that many eat on Easter Sunday goes back earlier than Easter to the first Passover. The sacrificial lamb was roasted and eaten and it’s blood posted on doorposts in hopes that the angel of God would pass over their homes and bring no harm.

During the Last Supper, lamb was served with unleavened bread, wine and herbs. Easter lamb also represents Jesus and relates his death to that of the lamb, sacrificed on the first Passover. Christians traditionally refer to Jesus as “the Lamb of God.” As traditions merged, lamb also became a symbol of spring and celebration.

Recipe: Roast Leg of Lamb

Ingredients:

• One leg of lamb (4 to 5 pounds)
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest
• juice of one lemon
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon coarse sea salt

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, combine the honey, mustard, vinegar, rosemary, ground black pepper, lemon juice and zest and garlic.
2. Mix well and spread onto the lamb.
3. Cover in plastic and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

To roast in oven:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place lamb on a rack in a roasting pan and sprinkle with salt to taste.
3. Bake at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 400 degrees and roast for 1 hour for medium rare. The internal temperature should be at least 145 degrees when taken with a meat thermometer.
4. Let the roast rest for about 10 minutes before carving.

What’s Your Easter Feast?

Let us know what you eat to celebrate Easter. You can leave a comment to the story on our website.