Easter Nests - Cooking Tips

Also, see How to Make:
Easter Marshmallow Treats | Easter Candy Eggs

Easter time is a great time to make fun candies, cookies, cakes, and desserts. It is always a sign of spring and there are many fun Easter treats that can be made. The Easter nests below are fun to make and the kids always enjoy filling them with their favorite Easter candy. It is fun for them to eat the candy out of the nest and then be able to eat the nest also.

The recipes below show two different varieties of Easter nests. Both use chow mein noodles, which provide the nests with a real appearance, but each variety is also made with other ingredients that give each of them a distinctive look and taste.

Peanut Butter Easter Nests | Coconut Easter Nests

Peanut Butter Easter Nests
Ingredients:
	7 oz. jar of marshmallow creme 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter 1 3/4 tbsp. butter, melted		2 1/2 chow mein noodles 1 cup Plain M&M's, chopped 1 cup Peanut M&M's

Chop the Plain M&M's into smaller pieces using a large knife. Walking the knife across the candy in a similar manner to chopping herbs works fairly well. Set the chopped candies aside to be added later.
Add the marshmallow creme, peanut butter, and melted butter to a mixing bowl and beat until evenly mixed.
Add the chow mein noodles and the chopped M&M's to the creamed mixture and stir in by hand.
Stir mixture until the chow mein noodles and M&M's are coated evenly.
Using a heaping tablespoon of the mixture, drop a mound onto a lightly buttered cookie sheet.
With buttered fingers, form each mound into a rounded shape and make an indent in the middle to make them look like little nests.
Add Peanut M&M's to each nest to make them look like they are filled with eggs. Set them aside to allow them to firm up.
		Use the nests to dress up your Easter table by placing a nest at each place setting or just add the nests in with your other Easter treats.
Get Peanut Butter Easter Nests recipe.

Coconut Easter Nests
Ingredients:
	12 oz. package of white chocolate chips 2 tsp. vegetable oil 2 cups chow mein noodles, plus additional if needed		1 cup of shredded coconut Easter Peanut M&M's to fill nests

		Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with a sheet of wax paper or parchment paper.
		Melt the white chocolate chips over low heat. Do not use too high of heat because if the chocolate overheats it may separate and become grainy.
		Stir the white chocolate until it is all melted.
		Remove from the heat and add the vegetable oil. Stir until the white chocolate is creamy and smooth.
		Add the chow mein noodles and coconut. Stir these ingredients into the white chocolate until evenly coated. If the mixture seems a little too moist to be able to form the nests, add a few more chow mein noodles. Start by adding no more than an additional 1/4 cup.
		Divide the mixture into 8 even amounts. Place them on the parchment lined cookie sheet and use your hands to shape them into nest with a hollowed out center.
		Once all the nests are shaped, place them in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes to harden before filling.
		Remove from the refrigerator and fill each nest with Peanut M&M's or other Easter candy, such as jelly beans.
The candy nests will make a nice addition to any Easter centerpiece or candy dish.
Get Coconut Easter Nests recipe.