How to Make Crunchy Easter Nests

Easter is a time for reflection, a time for celebration and a time for candy! With so many different types of Easter eggs--candy or regular--celebrants are always scrambling for somewhere to put them. The best solution is to make edible crunchy Easter nests to hold your eggs. That way, once the eggs are gone, you can eat the nest too. There are a number of different recipes to make crunchy Easter nests.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• 5 oz. chow mein noodles (Noodle Nests)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (Noodle Nests)
• 1 tsp. shortening (Noodle Nests)
• 8 oz. Marshmallow Creme (No-bake nests)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter (No-bake nests)
• 2 tbsp. melted butter or margarine (No-bake nests)
• 5 oz. chow mein noodles (No-bake nests)
• 1 cup candy-coated chocolate pieces (No-bake nests)
• 3 drops food coloring (Coconut nests)
• 1/2 tsp. milk (Coconut nests)
• 1 1/3 cups flaked coconut (Coconut nests)
• 6 ounces white confectioners' coating (Coconut nests)
• Tin foil/wax paper
• Cookie sheet
• Microwave
• Jelly beans

Make Crunchy Noodle Nests

1. Cover a cookie sheet with tin foil.
2. Combine 1 cup of chocolate chips with 1 tsp. of vegetable shortening in a small, microwavable bowl and melt it in the microwave
3. Set the microwave for approximately 1 minute, stir the mixture and cook for another minute if it hasn't combined completely. Use a double boiler to melt the chocolate mixture if you don't have access to a microwave.
4. Let the mixture cool enough so that you can touch it without getting burned, but not enough that it hardens.
5. Add 5 oz. of chow mein noodles to the bowl and stir until they are evenly coated with the chocolate mixture.
6. Use a large spoon to drop the noodles onto the covered cookie sheet. The mixture should yield approximately a half a dozen nests about the size of your hand.
7. Shape the noodles into an oval "nest" and hollow a shallow indentation into the middle with your fingers.
8. Add your favorite type of candy egg to the still-moist nest and put them in the refrigerator to set.

Make No-Bake Easter Nests

9. Prepare your ingredients by melting 2 tbsp. of butter or margarine and chopping 1 cup of candy-coated chocolate pieces into fine pieces.
10. Combine 8 oz. of marshmallow creme, 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter and the melted butter. Stir thoroughly.
11. Stir in 5 oz. of chow mein noodles and the chopped candy-coated chocolate pieces. Mix until completely coated.
12. Use a tbsp. to drop small circles of the mixture onto a lined cookie sheet.
13. Pat the spoonfuls into "nest" shapes, making sure to create hollows in the middles.
14. Fill the nests with jelly beans.

Make Coconut Easter Nests

15. Combine 3 drops of food coloring with 1/2 tsp. of milk in a small bowl. Though green food coloring looks the most like a real nest, you may choose any color of food coloring for your nests.
16. Add 1 1/3 cups of flaked coconut to the liquid and stir until the coconut is evenly hued.
17. Melt 6 oz. of white confectioner's coating either in the microwave or over a double boiler. Stir it frequently until it's completely smooth.
18. Add the colored coconut and drop by spoonfuls onto a prepared cookie sheet or a waxed-paper lined counter.
19. Shape into small nests and embellish with your favorite Easter candy.

Tips & Warnings

• Confectioner's coating is also known as white candy-makers' chocolate. It's shaped like small disks and can be purchased at most candy-making supply stores and even at some major retail chain stores.