Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Nests

Are you as obsessed with Cadbury Mini Eggs as I am?

They are, by far, my favorite Easter snack. They were always in my Easter basket growing up. When I went away to college, my mom would send them to me every year. Now, I certainly keep packages of them in my freezer to snack on from time to time, although they don't seem to last long in my house.

Why? They're just perfect (if you don't pay attention to all the artificialness). They've got a hard shell and a creamy center that just melts in your mouth. The chocolate is tasty. And, they come in such fun colors.

Although I've eaten them every year, I've never baked with them, so I decided to take the plunge this year. Some of the recipes already out there featuring these guys are out of control.

This chocolate pie from What's for Dinner Tonight, Dear? is just gorgeous. See the nest filled with mini eggs in the center?

These little coconut nests from Sister View remind me of robin's nests, and I love how they used just the pale blue eggs to fill the nests.

Simple Bites presented their Simple Easter Cupcakes, a yellow cupcake with a chocolate nest on top.

My contribution to cooking with these little gems is a simple one. Chocolate peanut butter Easter nests. Chocolate, peanut butter and chow mein noodles, mixed together and shaped.

They're a little messy, but they really couldn't be easier to make. They scream "SPRING!" Which on a dreary day like today is just what I need.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Easter Nests
recipe adapted from my butterscotch haystacks

Ingredients
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3 cups chow mein noodles
1 package Cadbury Mini Eggs or any other tiny, egg-shaped candy

Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper or waxed paper.

In a large bowl, place the chow mein noodles.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and the peanut butter. Stir regularly until melted. Pour over the chow mein noodles and stir to combine. Add more chow mein noodles if there is extra chocolate mixture that has not clung to the noodles.

Using your hands, shape the noodle mixture into nest shapes. I went for nests that were a little smaller than fist size, and I tried to build up the edges so there would be a place for the eggs to sit in the middle.

Allow the nests to cool overnight, or place them in the fridge to speed the cooling process. Place three eggs in the center of each nest when they are cool and enjoy!

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