Choco Birdie Nests

DS10 and DD8 had their Easter lunch at school on Thursday. The kids make all the decorations, set the tables and then sit down to a feast πŸ™‚ Everyone brings in a dish to share: ryebread, roast chicken legs, vegetables in every shape and form, fish cakes, sausage rolls, Danish meatballs, boiled eggs, pasta salad, fruits sliced up and fruits on sticks, orange and apple juice…

Every year we bring the same dish. Choco Birdie Nests. And they disappear pretty fast πŸ˜‰

You’ll need:

  • bar of chocolate
  • All Bran cereal (the one that looks like twigs, if you can get it)
  • small egg shaped sweets or chocolates
  • baking paper or cupcake cases
  • feathers (optional)

Melt the chocolate v-e-r-y slowly over a low heat. Don’t let it burn! (If you’re a virgin chocolate-melter, use a water-bath.)

Add the All Bran, a bit at a time, and stir well to coat.

Spoon into paper cases. I like to use an icecream scoop, for even portions. You could also just drop spoonfuls of the mixture on to a piece of baking paper.

Plop one or three or five eggs (remember that odd numbers always look best when displaying food) into each nest and leave to set.

I’m a sucker for those cuter, than cute ‘duck-egg blue’ coloured eggs. Add a few feathers and you’re ready to party!

If you want to complete the theme for your own Easter table, why not make the Easter Lunch Bunnies that I did on ‘Crafty Tuesday’? Click herefor instructions. We sowed cress in our ones, but you can fill them with eggs.

Have a simply eggs-citing Saturday! πŸ™‚

Crafty Tuesday – Easter Lunch Bunnies

Tuesday is the day I do a spot of crafting. Today is no exception! Here’s your 15 minute craft…something for the Easter lunch table. Super simple  = great for the kids. If you make these bunnies within the next couple of days, they should be fully sprouted with cress in time for Easter. Otherwise you could also fill them up with (chocolate) Easter eggs πŸ˜‰

Okay, time to set your Flylady timer for 15 minutes and ‘get cracking’ [insert big ho, ho here].

You’ll need:

  • empty milk or juice carton
  • pair of scissors
  • coloured paper or carton
  • glue stick
  • cotton wool
  • cress seeds

Cut down your empty carton.

Fill it up with cotton wool.

Cut out some ‘grass’ from a length of green paper or carton and stick on using a glue stick.

Now it’s time to make a ‘wabbit’. I folded over my paper and drew one freehand. There are plenty of templates and stencils on the net if you need inspiration – just google “rabbit template”.

Cut out your ‘wabbit’ and stick him on to the milk carton. Feel free to draw on eyes, a nose, etc. I like my things pretty plain. Also because I sometimes end up with a Hot Cross Bunny instead of a cute-faced one… But I couldn’t resist adding a little bit of cottonwool for his powder puff tail πŸ™‚

Dampen the cotton wool and sprinkle over the cress seeds. Leave on a warm windowsill for about a week and keep the cotton wool damp. I’ll post another picture when we see start to see some growth πŸ˜‰

When the cress is sprouted, put your Easter Bunny on the table along with a little pair of scissors and let guests help themselves. Though you might have to explain what cress is to younger guests… I remember one Easter where we put cress on top of our egg mayonnaise salad and DS10 (then just a tot) asked, “Why are you putting grass on my food?” Bon appΓ©tit! πŸ˜‰

Hope you have a terrific Tuesday! πŸ™‚