Birdsnest Recipes

BIRD NESTS

Steps:

• In a large metal bowl over simmering water, melt baking chips; stir until smooth. Reserve 1/2 cup melted chips for decorations; keep warm., Add pretzel sticks to remaining chips; stir to coat evenly. Drop mixture into 24 mounds on waxed paper; shape into bird nests using 2 forks., Dip bottoms of Peeps in reserved chips; place in nests. Attach eggs with remaining chips. Let stand until set.

BIRD'S NESTS III

Steps:

• Line a cookie sheet with foil and grease with spray-on cooking oil.
• Pour noodles into a large bowl. Melt the butter and marshmallows over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Pour marshmallow mixture over noodles, stirring until well coated.
• Rub some butter on hands and form noodle mixture into six round balls. Place balls on prepared cookie sheet. With the back of a teaspoon, press the center of each ball to make a hollow indentation.
• Let nests set until they are firm. Fill each with small jelly beans. (Other small candies of your choice may be substituted, such as M & M's, small gumdrops, chocolate covered raisins, chocolate covered peanuts, etc.)

BIRDS' NESTS IV

Steps:

• Separate the eggs. Chop the nuts fine.
• Cream together 1 cup softened butter and sugar. Add the yolks, and beat well. Add the flour, and mix well.
• Make small balls out of dough. Roll balls in egg white, and then in the nuts. Place balls on greased cookie sheets, and press center of cookie with thumb. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes. Press center of cookie again, bake until lightly browned 4 to 6 minutes. Cool cookies on racks.
• To make frosting, begin by blending the water, shortening, vanilla, and 1/4 cup softened butter or margarine together thoroughly. Slowly add confectioners' sugar, and mix until smooth and creamy. More water may be needed to make desired consistency.

BIRD NESTS

Steps:

• Use a 6 or 12 cup muffin tin depending on desired size of nests. We made only 6 nest with this recipe so we could overlap the top and give an "edge" for our bird to sit on.
• Heat butter and marshmallows over medium heat.
• Stir till melted.
• Add noodles and stir till completely coated.
• Spray muffin tin then hands with cooking spray.
• Place mixture into muffin cups and shape with hands to form "nests".
• Refrigerate.
• Approximately 30 minutes later, gently remove nests from muffin tin and perch a Peep on the side. (It helps if the nest is still a bit sticky, this will "glue" the peep on.).
• Place nests on a tray and put back in the fridge till completely set.
• Fill with candy eggs.

BIRDS' NESTS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 300 F. Trace 6 circles, each 2 ½-inches across and with at least 2 inches between them using marker on parchment paper, then flip the paper over onto a baking tray.
• Whip the egg whites and cream of tartar first on low speed, then once the whites are foamy increase the speed and slowly pour in the sugar while whipping. Continue to whip until the whites on high speed until they hold a stiff peak when beaters are lifted.
• Fill a piping bag fitted with a large star tip with the meringue and pipe circles within the lines drawn on the parchment, completely filling the circles. Pipe a ring or meringue on top of the outside edge, creating the "nest" effect, spiraling up to about 2-inches above the base.
• Place the meringues into the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 275 F. Bake the meringues for 45 to 65 minutes (this timing will be impacted by the outdoor temperature and humidity, making the meringues take longer if it is humid or warm out). If you find that the meringues are starting to brown, crack open the oven door and continue to bake. Cool the meringues completely to room temperature on the baking tray, then gently lift to store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
• For assembly, whip the cream to soft peaks and stir in the sugar and vanilla. Place a birds' nest onto each plate, dollop the cream into the centre of the nest and top with berries. Serve immediately.
• The meringues can be baked up to a day in advance, but they should be assembled immediately before serving.

BIRDS IN A NEST

Steps:

• Place a very large nonstick skillet over low heat. Add the oil and garlic clove into the skillet and gently infuse the garlic flavor into the oil. In the meantime, using a round cookie cutter or an empty can, cut out the center of all 6 slices of bread. Add the prepared bread slices to the garlic infused oil. Crack the eggs 1 at a time and drop them into their "nests" or, the center of each slice of bread. Drain and slice red pepper. Add a strip or 2 of red pepper to each nest. Season the birds in their nests with salt and pepper and sprinkle a little cheese into each nest. Gently turn the birds in their nests and turn off the heat. Let the eggs sit in their nests 5 minutes more, then transfer to a platter and serve.

BIRD'S SPAGHETTI NEST

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F In a large bowl, mix cheeses, sour cream, and egg together. Set aside.
• Sauté beef in a large skillet with the onion, green pepper, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. When beef is cooked thorough, add remaining beef ingredients.
• Cook spaghetti till done, drain in strainer, then pour into cheese mixture while hot. Chop the pasta cheese mixture using a spatula or other sharp edged utensil, while stirring and mixing well and place into a lightly greased bundt pan OR jumbo muffin tins (better).
• When beef mixture is done, pour it over the pasta/cheese mixture and bake for 25-30 minutes.
• Allow to cool about 5 minutes, then flip over onto a serving platter for the bundt pan, onto the counter for muffin tins, then use a spatula to transfer to plates.
• I like using the jumbo muffin tins, then putting the extra into a casserole dish for left-overs.

BIRD'S NEST TREATS

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and marshmallows until smooth, stirring occasionally. Add the peanut butter and chocolate chips; heat and stir for 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from the heat; stir in chow mein noodles until well coated. , Divide into 12 mounds on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Using fingers, shape each into a nest; press an indentation in the center of nest. Fill each nest with three or four jelly beans or candy eggs. Cool.

BIRD'S NEST

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, mix together spaghetti, cauliflower puree, cheese, cornstarch, salt, and flaxseed.
• Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1/2 teaspoon canola oil. Take one sixth of the pasta and form into an "O" shape, leaving a 2 1/2-inch opening in the center. Cook until brown, 2 to 3 minutes.
• Carefully turn spaghetti mixture over and crack 1 egg into the center of the "O," taking care not to break the yolk. Cover and cook until egg is set and cooked to desired degree of doneness, 2 to 3 minutes more.
• Keep warm and repeat process with remaining pasta mixture and eggs. Sprinkle with salt before serving.

BIRD'S NEST BREAKFAST CUPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease 24 muffin cups.
• Mix hash brown potatoes, salt, black pepper, olive oil, and 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese in a bowl. Divide mixture between prepared muffin cups and use your fingers to shape potato mixture into nests with hollows in the middle.
• Bake in the preheated oven until hash browns are browned on the edges and cheese has melted, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove hash brown nests.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Whisk eggs and water in a bowl until thoroughly combined; season with salt and black pepper. Pour equal amount of egg mixture into each nest; sprinkle with bacon crumbles and 1 teaspoon Cheddar cheese.
• Bake in the oven until eggs are set, 13 to 16 minutes. Let cool in pans and remove by sliding a knife between potato crust and muffin cup.