Tuxedo Bunnies

This is the week for Easter treats, so even though I am eating healthy and juicing this week, I will post some fun Easter treats for your celebrations this weekend. You have to check out these awesome Chocolate Bird Nests...so fun, so crunchy, such chocolaty goodness!

You might also like these Homemade Chocolate Bowls, which are perfect for serving ice cream sundaes.

So here are Tuxedo Bunnies. I'm not a huge fan of plain marshmallow peeps, but all dressed up in formal chocolate attire, they are pretty darn good! This will be a hit with both kids and adults.

If you are putting them in Easter baskets, I would recommend either wrapping them in plastic wrap or putting them in a plastic sandwich bag. If the chocolate gets warm, you don't want chocolate rubbing off on everything else in the basket.

I do recommend keeping them at room temperature. While the chocolate is good in the fridge, marshmallow gets hard when cold...and no one wants a hard marshmallow bunny!

You can use regular chocolate chips or melting candy; I used melting chocolate discs. You can use any round candy for the tuxedo button; I used a red hot.

These are fun to serve along side of an ice cream sundae in a chocolate bowl or as a centerpiece standing guard in a circle around a nest full of eggs.

However you display them, they never last long. So, have fun and enjoy them.

Happy Easter!!


Update: Here's what we do with the leftovers...Bunny and Chick s'mores!!

30 seconds in the microwave…

Gives you warm, gooey marshmallow and chocolate on a soft graham cracker.

For more recipes and fun holiday ideas Click Here and Here.

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Bacon & Eggs..But Not For Breakfast!

No, seriously, it's bacon and eggs. You can eat one. Or....

You can eat a whole plate full.  

Either way, it's just a really fun treat to make for Easter. And it's super easy to do.
If you like M&M treats, checkout these Pretzel Kisses. If you'd like some real bacon & eggs in an easy and fun way, here's how to make perfectly crisp bacon every time to eat with personal frittatas or an easy 3-minute omelette.

What you need:

White melting chocolate (either bar or discs)

Yellow M&M's (cheapest to buy a large bag and pick them out)

Pretzel sticks, each broken in half.

Technique:

Prepare wax paper ahead of time by laying out on table or baking sheet.

Have yellow M&M's ready to go in a bowl.

Break pretzel sticks in half so they are ready to go.

It's important to have everything ready because the chocolate cools very quickly and the M&M's and pretzels won't stick.

Put white chocolate in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir.

Continue to microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until chocolate is completely melted.

With a small spoon, drop a very small scoop of chocolate on the wax paper.

Gently press M&M into the chocolate on one side.

Gently press 2 pretzel sticks side by side, opposite of the M&M.

Note: If you are doing this by yourself, drop 3 chocolate eggs then stop and add the M&M and pretzels to them quickly. Then do 3 more. I found that doing any more than that gave the chocolate just enough time to start setting up and the M&M and pretzels won't stick. If you have someone to help you, they could come behind you and put the decorations on, allowing you to keep going with the chocolate drops.


One day when my in-laws were visiting I told them I made bacon and eggs for them and then presented each of them with one of these candies on a tiny plate. I also took a container full to church and told my Sunday School class that I had made bacon and eggs for all of them. They got quite excited. They were even happier when they discovered it was chocolate. It's just fun.


Happy Easter!!

RED VELVET SNOWBALLS-3RD HOLIDAY TREAT

The third treat for goodie bags this year is Red Velvet Snowballs. Mmmmm......
The first was Pretzel Kisses and the second was Oreo Bark and Peppermint Bark.


We don't get much snow in Phoenix, at least not that sticks. Last weekend we had enough snow on the ground that cars actually left tracks in the road. But this doesn't happen very often, so we have to get our snowballs other ways.


Only a few ingredients are needed, although you can decorate them with sprinkles or other holiday candies. Let me apologize right now for the first blurry pic. I didn't realize it was blurry until I was done cooking and then, well, it was too late. Because I promised to get this post up today, I didn't want to wait until I could purchase new ingredients to photograph.


Ingredients: 
1 Red Velvet Cake Mix (usually requires eggs, oil and water)
1 Can Cream Cheese Frosting (room temp)
1 lb Candy Coating or Almond Bark or Candy Melts

Make the cake mix according to directions. Let it cool completely.

Using your hands, crumble the cake into a bowl.

Microwave the can of frosting for 30 seconds, then mix in with the cake.

Use a cookie scoop to drop snowballs on a cookie sheet. (You can also use a spoon to scoop and roll it in your hands)

Put the candy coating (or melting chocolate or almond bark) in a bowl and melt in the microwave. Start with one minute and stir with a plastic knife. Microwave in 15 second increments, stirring each time, until it is completely melted.


Spread the candy coating over each cake ball, allowing it to collect at the bottom here or there. Lumpy and bumpy is okay, it makes it look more like a snowball.

If you want to put sprinkles on top, you will need to frost two and then sprinkle them. Frost two more and sprinkle them. If you wait longer than the time it takes to frost two, they will harden enough that the sprinkles will not stick.


These Red Velvet Snowballs are quite rich and oh, so good.
Merry Christmas!!

OREO BARK/PEPPERMINT BARK-2nd HOLIDAY TREAT

Here is the 2nd of several quick and easy treats to make for the holidays. Can whip these up in a matter of minutes for last minute guests or to fill goodie bags. If you missed the 1st treat, you can see the Pretzel Kisses here.


Today's recipe has variations so you can actually create multiple flavors quickly. Here I will show Chocolate Peppermint Bark and Oreo Bark.


This process is so quick and easy. Start by crushing candy canes and Oreos in gallon size baggies before starting.

CHOCOLATE PEPPERMINT BARK

Purchase Almond Bark in chocolate and vanilla. You can also use 'melting chocolates' or 'candy coating'...different names in different stores. I found Candy Coating at Fry's and Almond Bark at Walmart. Michaels, JoAnn's and all grocery stores will carry one or the other.

Almond Bark typically comes in a 1 pound package.
Break it in half and put one half in a microwave safe bowl.
Microwave for 1 minute. Use a plastic knife or silicone spatula to begin stirring. Continue to microwave in 15 second intervals until melted. It will continue to melt as you stir.

Now you can use a variety of containers to create the candy. I prefer a flat plastic storage container because I can twist it to pop the hardened candy out. You can use several small ones or a larger (9x13) size flat container. You could also use a cookie sheet, you just need to be able to twist it a little. I spray my plastic container with non-stick cooking spray. I'm not sure it is necessary but I do it anyway.


Pour the melted chocolate into the plastic container. Spread to about 1/8 inch thick.

Next put 1/2 pound of the Vanilla Almond Bark in another bowl and melt. Start with one minute in the microwave and stir. Add 15 seconds increments, stirring between each one.


Pour the melted Vanilla Bark on top of the Chocolate. I like to dribble it all over. It will not spread as you pour, so it's important not to dump it all in one spot. If you do, you will end up with a 'dirty' mixture of black and white as you try to spread it. That's not so bad, you can cover it with candy and it still tastes great. After dribbling the white on, take a plastic knife and gently cut through it, which spreads it and creates cool designs. You can do it nice and neatly, or a little chaotic.

Next, pick up a handful of crushed Peppermint and sprinkle on top. It's important to have the candy already crushed because you don't want the chocolate to harden while you are busy crushing candy canes.

Now, stick the plastic container in the fridge to harden.


Next I take 1/2 pound of Vanilla Bark (white), put it in microwave bowl and melt. Same process...start with one minute, stir, add 15 seconds, stir, etc.


When melted, add a couple handfuls of crushed Oreos and gently fold in. Pour into another flat plastic container and spread gently with the plastic knife. Put it in the fridge to harden.

When hardened (only takes a few minutes), twist the container so you can pick up the entire piece of bark. Gently break into pieces of whatever size you want. Here is a plate of peppermint and Oreo bark side by side.

This is great in goodie bags for neighbors, friends, co-workers, car-pool buddies, postal carrier, hair dresser, and well, anyone! It is also great to set out at a party broken into small pieces. It is always the first to go!
Merry Christmas!!