Chocolate Potato Chip Bird's Nests

So on Monday at too-late-at-night o'clock, I was like, "What am I going to blog about this week?" I chose our family's favorite chicken enchiladas, which were an excellent choice. Except that this Sunday is EASTER and I specifically made and photographed these rocking Sweet and Salty Bird's Nests with the full intention of posting them on Monday.

Which is why you should not do things at too-late-at-night o'clock after a day that is chock full of manual labor with your husband. Indeed, at too-late-at-night o'clock, you should not write things on the internet at all--that's just a good rule to live by. If you insist on doing random things at too-late-at-night o'clock, what you should do is head out and buy yourself some potato sticks (I'd never bought them before either) and then sit at your kitchen table and make these little lovelies. Don't eat them at too-late-at-night o'clock (you're sure to regret that on several levels). But make them, and then love them. They are super super delicious. And delightfully dumb easy.

Chocolate Potato Chip Bird's Nests 
makes about 20 nests
Prep time: 10 minutes
Set time: at least an hour
Cost: $3.75
butterscotch chips: .50, chocolate chips: 1.25, potato chips: 1.00, Cadbury eggs: 1.00

1/2 C butterscotch chips
1 1/2 C semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 1/2-3 C shoestring potato chips
Cadbury milk chocolate eggs for the eggs in the nest

Melt butterscotch and chocolate chips together. I do this in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring every 30 seconds or so until they're melted. (Note: If you do it in a large glass bowl, you can just pour the shoestring potato chips in and stir.)

Add your shoestring potato chips and stir until they're all covered.

Plop spoonfuls of this onto wax paper in a nest-like fashion, which is--fortunately--chaotic enough for most of us to manage.

Now arrange your Cadbury milk chocolate eggs on these (or Robin's eggs or Hershey's eggs or whatever).

Allow to set. This will take at least an hour, and you should really give yourself two hours, especially if it's warm in your house.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Chicken Enchiladas

These are our favorite enchiladas. And I've never gotten them onto this blog because when I'm hungry I'm a lazy picture taker. And after we've eaten these, they look like a heard of monsters came through and scooped out enchiladas with their hands (which is mildly--though not entirely--accurate). At any rate, I decided it was time to share even if I never have that perfect picture of that perfect bite (which inevitably went into my mouth as soon as it hit the spoon).

These can utilize leftover chicken should you happen to have any.

Chicken Enchiladas
makes 6 large enchiladas
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cook time: 25-30 minutes
Cost: $7.00
enchilada sauce: 2.00, tortillas: .75, cream cheese: 1.00, green chilies: .50, chicken: 2.00, cheese: .75

2 cans (10 oz) mild green enchilada sauce
6 medium or large flour tortilla shells
8 oz cream cheese, softened
4 oz can green chilies (these can be left out if you hate any heat or worry that your minions will rebel about little green chunks of anything, but I like them)
1 lb chicken, boiled and shredded
1 1/2 C cheddar cheese, shredded

First boil your chicken. One thing I love about boiling chicken is that you can do this even if you forgot to de-thaw your meat (which I always always do) and it's not big deal. After it's done cooking, shred it.

In a pot set to medium heat, combine the shredded chicken with the cream cheese, green chilies, and about 1 C of the cheddar. Mix it up until your cheeses are melty.

Once the filling is ready, pour a bit of the enchilada sauce into a 9x13 inch pan--just enough to coat the bottom of the pan.

Then put some enchilada sauce on a plate. Put your tortilla on the plate and coat it in the sauce on both sides (this is an extra step, but I love how it makes the enchiladas taste--no dry nasties). After your tortilla is coated, add a spoonful of filling and roll it up. Then place it in the pan.

Repeat this until all your tortillas are stuffed. Pour any remaining enchilada sauce over your enchiladas and top with the remaining cheese. Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese has just started to brown a bit.

PRINTABLE RECIPE

Coconut Chocolate Bites

It's spring break. Need a healthy snack? Or maybe something to eat in the closet while your kids run wild through your house (just kidding; well, usually). Try these. They're a dark chocolate coconut concoction--like a Mounds Bar that decided to make some healthy choices (you know you've hit middle age when that sounds sexy...)

My one recommendation is that you don't go eat a whole bunch of these. Cut them into bite-size bits and eat as such. That's because they're what I'd like to call "high energy" bars, which is just a polite way of calling them fat. If you eat a big ol' hunk of these, well, you'll just feel kind of full and I have to warn you that these have a fair amount of coconut oil in them. Yeah, yeah, it's a healthy fat and stuff, but still it's fat and I just don't think humans are meant to consume large amounts of plain old fat by the spoonful. So be warned. 

Coconut Chocolate Bites

adapted from Art and the Kitchen

Makes 36 tiny bite-sized bars

Prep time: 5 minutes

Chill time: 1-2 hours

Cost: $8.40 (supposing you cut this into 16 bars--that makes it $.50/bar, which--in my defense--is still cheaper than a candy bar)

oil: $4.00, coconut: 2.00, chocolate: 2.00, honey: .40

Note: I told you there was a lot of fat in this. And it makes it not really so cheap. I'm sorry about that. Just eat your bite-sized bits and you can still play your cheapskate card. 

1 C organic and unrefined coconut oil (in its liquid state)

2 C unsweetened coconut

1/4 C honey

10-12 oz dark chocolate

Put a piece of parchment paper in an 8x8 inch pan (um, I'm pretty sure that was the size I used--almost positive; if, however, it looks like your bars are four inches thick, then please use a larger pan). 

In a bowl, combine melted coconut oil, unsweetened coconut, and honey. Stir well. Press into parchment-lined pan. 

Put this in the freezer or fridge to set. 

When it's set, melt chocolate. I do this in the microwave by microwaving in 30 second intervals and stirring in between. When it's melted, pour the chocolate over the coconut layer. 

Put this in the fridge to set. 

When it's set, take it out, let it get to room temperature so it's easier to cut (I know; I know). Then cut into tiny bites and eat. 

PRINTABLE RECIPE