Dark Chocolate and Sea Salt Rice Krispie Treats

Several years ago I bought a vintage German hen mold on eBay.  My intention was to eventually fill it with melted chocolate for an Easter centerpiece.  The huge opening at the bottom and the sides that don't quite fit tightly together made me too afraid to waste perfectly good chocolate so I've only used it for display. Maybe one day I'll find a solution to my melted chocolate dilemma.

When I saw a recipe on Tastespotting for chocolate Rice Krispie treats I figured this would be the next best thing. Mind you, these aren't wimpy chocolate treats make from cocoa puffed cereal.  These are rich, dark chocolate-infused treats sprinkled with sea salt and suitable for adult enjoyment right along with the kids! The recipe made enough to fill my mold plus enough to spread in a small pan and make bunny cut-outs which I dotted with pink frosting for the eyes and will put in cello bags for my grandsons' Easter baskets.

As you can see, she is still a fine figure of a hen even though the krispie treats don't show off all of her details :-)

These treats come together very quickly, so you still have plenty of time to make them! Use your favorite Easter cookie cutter after they have cooled slightly or simply cut them into squares. 

Dark Chocolate Rice Krispie Treats

Adapted from Serious Eats

Printable Recipe

Either a 9x13-inch or two 8x8 pans will work for this recipe, depending one how thick you like them.

Serves 9
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing pan
1/8 teaspoon salt
10 1/2 ounces (one bag, about 5 cups) marshmallows
7-8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped  (I used Ghiradelli 60% Bittersweet)
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
7 cups puffed rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Lightly grease pan with butter. In large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add salt, marshmallows, unsweetened chocolate, and cocoa, and melt, stirring frequently. Stir in vanilla.

Fold in puffed rice cereal until completely coated. Fold in bittersweet chocolate. Immediately spread into pan. Gently smooth top with spatula and sprinkle evenly with salt.

Let sit until set, about 30 minutes.

Cut into squares and serve.

Easter Bunny Bait and Phyllo Nests

I've been busy as a bunny getting ready for Easter this weekend!  The whole family will be together here ♥ This Bunny Bait will appeal to both big and little bunnies alike so if you're looking to attract some bunnies to your table, this will work!

I had seen the idea on Pinterest but it was made with white chocolate.  Since I am not a fan of white chocolate, I made my Bunny Bait with melted, dark chocolate drizzled over the popped corn. I didn't want to make it too sweet, so instead of plain M&Ms, I added the new, pretzel M&Ms to the popcorn. Great combination! This is quick and simple to put together and would make a great hostess gift to bring if you are invited to someone's home for Easter brunch or dinner.

Last year, I made candy nests from chow mein noodles (see my side bar at right).  This year, I used a Martha Stewart recipe for shredded phyllo nests. I prefer these phyllo nests because they aren't quite as sweet as the chow mein nests but, be advised, they do make quite a mess if you try to eat them, so serving them in a small bowl or dish would be a good idea.

The bunny napkins are all folded and in place (tutorial here)...

Martha's Eggs Shell Vases will hold the little blooms from the garden...and a McKenzie-Child herb pot, which was a gift from a sweet friend, Debbie, who shares my love of all things MC, is holding grass for the chocolate eggs to hide inside. The plates, chargers, napkins and egg cups are all from World Market.  The bunny centerpiece came from my favorite grocery store's floral department.

The cute, rooster egg warmers that I started last year are finally finished and are covering plain plastic eggs that I painted on eyes and a beak with fabric paint.  They will be used for a little Easter egg hunt for Mack.

Wishing all of you who celebrate, a very Happy Easter or Passover this weekend!

Bunny Bait

Adapted from many recipes found online
Printable Recipe

4-6 cups popped popcorn - not buttered and very lightly salted (you want the popcorn to be as dry as possible)
1 bag of M&M pretzel candies
Any other hard-coated pastel candies that you like
3-4 ounces of melted chocolate

Pop corn and allow to cool.  Melt chocolate in the microwave for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve.  Melt in additional 10 second intervals until melted, stirring again after each interval. 

Place the popcorn on a large baking sheet.  Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn and allow to set.  I put mine in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to set the chocolate. 

After the chocolate has set, you can add any candies that you choose.

Place in clear plastic treat bags and tie with decorative ribbon.

~~~~~

Shredded Phyllo Bird's Nests

Adapted from Martha Stewart
Printable Recipe

3-4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for tin
8 ounces (1/2 package) kataifi (shredded phyllo), thawed (See Note)
4 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, (optional)
Jordan Almonds or jelly beans to fill the nests

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush a 12-cup muffin tin with butter. Pull phyllo into 1-inch-thick bundles; cut bundles into 2-inch lengths. Place in a bowl; separate into a loose pile with fingers. Toss with butter, sugar, and cinnamon, if using.
Divide among 12 muffin cups; press into bottom and up sides. Cook until golden and crisp around the edges, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool; fill with jelly beans.

Note: I found Kataifi at a Greek import store.

Chow Mein Noodle Nests and Happy Easter To You!

I'd like to wish all of you who celebrate, a very Happy Easter! I will be hosting Easter dinner here on Sunday with our family and decorations and preparations are under way! Easter and spring are a time of renewal and rebirth (although spring has been excruciatingly slow to arrive here this year!). Eggs and nests are perfect symbols of the season. These Chow Mein Noodle Nests were made for my families upcoming Easter dinner and you will find the recipe below

Once again, I made natural dyed Easter eggs using onions skins, herbs and early flowers from the garden.

I picked pansies from the pots on the front porch and other early flowers from the garden like scilla and dwarf irises and included some parsley and other leafy herbs to decorate my eggs.  The flowers/herbs are placed on the unboiled egg, then it is wrapped in onion skin.
 

The next part takes a little patience. The egg and the flowers or leaves are carefully wrapped tightly in either nylon stockings or muslin cheesecloth. You need about 3 hands to do this but perfection isn't important. Then they are lowered into simmering water and allowed to gently simmer for about 30 minutes. 

I had an unexpected surprise this year after my eggs were finished cooking.  I didn't have time to unwrap the eggs when they were done so after cooling them in an ice bath and draining them, I put them, still wrapped in onion skins and cheese cloth, into the refrigerator overnight. They turned out more vivid and colorful than ever after their overnight stay in the frig!

I also tried growing real Easter grass for another Easter table decoration this year. I lined a favorite bowl with a double thickness of plastic wrap, filled it with vermiculite and then added grass seed.  The bowl was then covered with another sheet of plastic wrap until the seed began to sprout.. I then kept it misted with water each day. It was amazing how quickly it grew in just one week!

There will be more eggs nestled in this grassy 'nest'. 

Here is the recipe for the Chow Mein Noodle Nests. They were not only cute but the nests are delicious too!

Chow Mein Noodle Nests

One bag of white chocolate chips
One bag of chow mein noodles
Sweetened coconut - toasted lightly in the oven
Candies to fill the baskets such as Jordan Almonds or M&Ms

Melt a bag of white chocolate chips in the microwave.  Add chow mein noodles and some toasted coconut.  Stir to coat, and press the mixture against the bottom and sides of a non-stick 12 cup muffin tin sprayed with additional non-stick spray. Cool in the refrigerator and then gently remove with a knife.  Jordan almonds fill these edible nests. 

My best wishes Easter wishes to you whether you celebrate with an Empty Nest, Partial Nest or a Full Nest!

~Susan