I saw a cute recipe for birds in a nest using Twinkies, toasted coconut, and other yummy things. You can get it here. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough of any of the ingredients and it also looked time consuming to make the coconut nests. So, we made up our own version using things we had in the pantry. Green-tinted rice krispy treats make up the "nest" with a yellow circus peanut making up the bird. (Twinkies, milano cookies, or anything elongated and yellowish would work, too!). Tweet, Tweet! Have fun!Ingredients:
Yellow circus peanuts (available at most candy stores)
6 C. Rice Krispy Cereal
3 T. margarine or butter
10 oz. marshmallows
Small amount of coconut
Royal icing
Yellow, green, and red food coloring
Black frosting or piping gel (or mini-chocolate chips would work, too)
chocolate eggs or jellybeans (optional, for garnish)
6 C. Rice Krispy Cereal
3 T. margarine or butter
10 oz. marshmallows
Small amount of coconut
Royal icing
Yellow, green, and red food coloring
Black frosting or piping gel (or mini-chocolate chips would work, too)
chocolate eggs or jellybeans (optional, for garnish)
Directions: 
Melt butter and marshmallows in microwave for 2 minutes. Stir, cook for 1 additional minute. Stir in a few drops green food coloring and mix in rice krispy cereal. Mold into little "nest" shapes.
Make up royal icing (recipes to make it using either meringue powder or egg whites are here). Tint entire batch yellow. Scoop out at least 1/2 c. into a bowl and tint with red to make orange. Keep bowl covered with damp cloth to prevent hardening.
Make up royal icing (recipes to make it using either meringue powder or egg whites are here). Tint entire batch yellow. Scoop out at least 1/2 c. into a bowl and tint with red to make orange. Keep bowl covered with damp cloth to prevent hardening.
Pipe on little wings and a beak. (I used a 
leaf-shaped decorating tip). On the Family Fun instructions, they used yellow citrus gumdrops for the wings. This would work great, we just didn't have any.:) Put two black dots or mini-chocolate chips for eyes and let everything set. After frosting is dry, put a small amount of frosting in nest and attach "bird". Add chocolate eggs or jellybeans to garnish.
Finally, place small amount of coconut in baggie and add a few drops yellow food coloring. Mash around to mix and tint the coconut. Place a small amount of frosting on top of the chicks head and add a pinch of coconut "feathers". Step back and watch these little "tweets" take flight!
leaf-shaped decorating tip). On the Family Fun instructions, they used yellow citrus gumdrops for the wings. This would work great, we just didn't have any.:) Put two black dots or mini-chocolate chips for eyes and let everything set. After frosting is dry, put a small amount of frosting in nest and attach "bird". Add chocolate eggs or jellybeans to garnish.Finally, place small amount of coconut in baggie and add a few drops yellow food coloring. Mash around to mix and tint the coconut. Place a small amount of frosting on top of the chicks head and add a pinch of coconut "feathers". Step back and watch these little "tweets" take flight!
Notes: GreenStyleMom has a great recipe for healthier rice krispy treats here. Thank you! It lessens the guilt a little for giving my kids a handful of pure sugar!:)
