Bird Nests

Easter is just a few weeks away so it’s time to start planning our Easter dinner menus! Lots of you have written to me asking for traditional Easter recipes so I whipped up Easter dinner this past weekend and will be sharing the recipes through next week… plenty of time for you to add one of these to your Easter table (if they sound appetizing).

Here’s the menu:

• Orange Spice Glazed Ham (or Turkey Breast)
• Southern Hash Brown Casserole
• Sugar Snap Saute
• Deviled Eggs
• Orange Sunshine Cake

Now, if this was really Easter and I had a house full of company, I would have added another vegetable casserole, some type of salad, and bread. But it was just a regular Sunday so that seemed a little excessive (and expensive and too much food to expect someone to eat).

I also made a couple of treats that I make every Easter. Getting rid of these was not a problem. I made the Bird Nests on Saturday afternoon. They were all gone by lunch on Monday. (Teenage boy and chocolate. Need I say more?) Then I made Resurrection Rolls after work last night. Nick ate ALL OF THEM as a snack before dinner. (Teenage boy and sweet, marshmallow, cinnamony rolls. Again… need I say more?) By the way, he polished off four tacos after the batch of Resurrection Rolls. Yup… you guessed it… he’s skinny!

OK – today I want to share these sweet little birds nests with you. I love to make these. They are very easy to make, quite delicious and… they are soooo cute! Arrange them on a pretty platter that has been covered with green coconut (just use a few drops of food coloring) and they make a great centerpiece to your Easter table or buffet. There’s just something about them that makes me smile. Must be the cute factor

Bird Nests

Ingredients:

• 12 ounce package semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 5 ounce can chow mein noodles
• Candy for eggs (I use Cadbury mini eggs – not the dark chocolate – they are not speckled, or speckled jelly beans)

Combine chocolate and butterscotch chips in a glass bowl and microwave for about three minutes to melt. (Each microwave is different so check yours after two minutes.) After three minutes the chips will look soft but not melted. Once you begin to stir the chips they will smooth out into a creamy mixture. If the chips are not melted after three minutes, put them back in the microwave for 30 seconds and stir again. Continue with this process until they are melted and creamy. (You can also use a double boiler to melt chocolate and butterscotch chips.)

Once your chocolate and butterscotch is melted, stir in the coconut. Then carefully stir in the chow mein noodles to combine.

Spoon blobs of the mixture onto waxed paper-lined cookie sheets (you will need two cookie sheets). Carefully press the back of the spoon into the center of each mound of the mixture to create a little well. I usually end up using my fingers and just getting messy. It’s easier this way… and kind of fun.

Arrange three eggs in the center of each “nest.”

Place cookie sheets in the refrigerator for about an hour to set. To store, layer treats in a sealed container with waxed paper between each layer to keep them from sticking together (and to keep the chocolate off of the eggs).

You can also arrange on a plate/platter and store, covered on the counter… unless it’s really hot! They are actually easier to eat if they are room temperature.

Makes 18-20 nests.

OK – Have fun playing with your food!

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn