Birds' Nests

Seeing as it was Easter about two weeks ago, I thought I'd make some Easter-themed recipes.  I'd like to clarify though, that I made these before Easter, I just really suck at posting my blogs on time.

For my first Easter themed recipe I decided to do the traditional / stereotypical Birds' Nests.  They're basically an Easter staple, yet I had not made them before now.  I'm slightly ashamed.  Personally, I don't think they live up to the hype, but they're good enough.  It's probably because I don't actually like Cadbury Eggs (cue gasp - sorry).  They look really good though and are super easy to make, so if you are mildly competent in the kitchen have at it!

Ingredients

6 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips (basically half the bag)

6 ounces of butterscotch chips (again, basically half the bag)

1 cup peanut butter (creamy!)

6 ounces of chow mein noodles (and yet again, basically half the bag)

Mini Cadbury Eggs

Instructions

1.  Generously grease a muffin pan with butter or non-stick spray.  If you don't it'll be a lot harder to get the actual nests out when they are done cooling / being refrigerated.

2.  In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate and butterscotch chips.  It'd be helpful for later if you use a rather large bowl, as this is what you'll add the chow mein noodles to.  As with all other times melting chocolate chips, do so in thirty second increments, stirring after each one.

3.  While melting the chocolate chips, or before if you want to be super cool, measure out one cup of peanut butter.  When you've completely melted the chocolate and butterscotch chips until the mixture is smooth, add the peanut butter and mix in completely.

4.  Pour about half of the bag of chow mein noodles to the mixture and stir, being sure to completely coat each piece.  I ended up using about three fourths of the bag, and probably could have used it all, because I felt that the chocolate was too thick on the noodles.  It all comes down to personal preference.

5.  Use a large spoon / your fingers to mold the chocolate covered noodles into the muffin cups.  Leave a bit of an indentation in the center of the nests, that's where the eggs will go.

6.  Place the nests in the refrigerator to chill, this should take about an hour.  Keep in mind that when you set them out (if you do) the chocolate will be prone to melting so it's to leave them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve them.

7.  To remove the nests, use a butter knife to pop them out, applying a very small amount of pressure.  Add the Cadbury Eggs.  I was able to fit one or two, but I also didn't make very large indents for them.  If you don't like Cadbury Eggs (like me) then you could try using jelly beans, but it doesn't have quite the same aesthetic effect.

Enjoy!!

Candy Brownies

This just might be the easiest thing I've ever posted, because there are basically no baking skills required.  All you have to be able to do is measure, crack an egg, and stir.  I think anyone can do that.

I also think that basically everybody loves brownies.  They're chocolate, kind of like a cake but not really, and normally easy to make (since basically everybody gets the box recipe).  But, as with all good things, too much of a that thing is a bad thing.  So, to justify having even more brownies, you can add a little twist so that it is just different enough for it to be unique.  There are a lot of different things that you can do to make the brownies taste a bit different yet still be a brownie, but in this blog I'm going to focus on what you can add prior to baking the brownies.

Now if you'd like to, you can use a personal recipe to make the actual brownies.  If you're like me and don't have much time to make them from scratch, however, you can do what I do most often and buy a boxed mix.  Follow whatever directions you have for whichever brownies you please.  If you buy a boxed mix make sure you have eggs, oil, and water so you don't have to ask your neighbor for something (guess who did...guilty).  In addition to the traditional ingredients, go out and get some of your favorite candy.  Stay in the chocolate and caramel related candies, Sweet Tarts or Jelly Beans might taste a bit weird in brownies.  Personally, I added Twix, M&M's, Reese's, Hershey's chocolate, and chocolate chips.

Make sure to cut the candy into smaller pieces, you don't want to go for a bite of brownie and get just a Reese's (unless you do want that).  I cut the Reese's into sixths, the Twix into little slices, and I broke the Hershey's squares into halves.  The M&M's and chocolate chips don't need to be smaller, obviously.

Once you've made the brownie mix, pour it into the pan in preparation of putting it in the oven.  If you'd like to use chocolate chips, you could add them before pouring the mix.  If you'd like to, then about one cup should be a good starting point, and keep in mind that you will be adding more candy.  You can also sprinkle the chocolate chips on as a filler between the other candy.

Sprinkle the candy on while attempting to achieve an even distribution, this way you'll get a variety of candy in the brownies and it's not all centered in certain areas.  Once you're happy with your sprinkling of candy, bake the brownies according to directions.

Enjoy!!

P.S.
I apologize for the lack of pictures in this post, I was a bit too busy at the time and may have forgotten to take some.

Caramel Chocolate Layered Cake

I think I've said it before in a previous post, but I don't like chocolate cake.  However I do sort of like this cake, mainly because it's denser and has caramel in the middle, so it doesn't seem like a chocolate cake.  The first time I had this was at a friends house for a birthday party, and they added some extra things that I will add in the notes at the end of this post.  Also, I'd like to apologize in advance for not adding pictures.  I was in a bit of a rush when I made these, so I didn't have time to stop and take pictures.

Ingredients

1 German Chocolate Cake mix

3 eggs (may differ for your mix)

1 1/2 cups water (may differ for your mix)

1/3 cup oil (may differ for your mix)

2/3 cup evaporated milk

3/4 cups melted butter

14 oz bag of caramels
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Instructions

First comes the German Chocolate cake mix.  Make the batter as directed.  The box I bought directed me to add three eggs, one and one half cups of water, and one third cup of oil.  After you've mixed the primary ingredient together, add one third cup of evaporated milk and three fourths cups of melted butter.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit at this point, and grease a nine by thirteen pan.  Pour half of the batter into the pan, then bake for six minutes.

As the cake is baking, or before you put it in if you'd like to be cautious and/or proactive, melt the caramels and the rest of the evaporated milk.  I microwaved them in thirty second intervals and stirred after each stopping point.  When the cake has been in the oven for six minutes and the caramel is melted, pour the caramel in a layer over the half-baked chocolate cake.  Sprinkle the chocolate chips over the caramel layer, then pour the rest of the cake batter onto the cake and caramel layers.  Bake the cake for the remainder of the time, typically about 15 to 18 minutes.

When the cake is cooked thoroughly, let it cool then refrigerate it to set the caramel layer.

Enjoy!!

Notes:

~My friend put thick vanilla frosting on top of the cake, and added some sprinkles.  It was really really really good and 10/10 recommend.