As winter fades, our thoughts and our foods warm up to vibrant pastel colors, lush gardens and Easter celebrations. These recipes are delightful treats to celebrate Easter or Spring kids’ parties, Easter egg hunts, and family celebrations. The fresh fruit Easter Egg Fruit Pizza and Bird Nests (made with the peanut butter option for protein) are great to enjoy for breakfast, brunch or dessert. We’ve included several time-saver tips!

Bird Nests

Ingredients:

40 Candy-coated milk chocolate eggs

¼ cup Peanut butter, creamy (or butterscotch chips)

4 cups Crispy chow mein noodles

3 Tbsp. Butter

3 cups Miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. In a saucepan on medium heat, stir marshmallows, butter, and peanut butter (or butterscotch chips) until completely melted, about 5 minutes.
2. Into a large bowl, place chow mein noodles. Pour marshmallow mixture over noodles and stir to coat.
3. Spray hands with cooking spray or coat with butter, so the noodles will not stick to your hands. Scoop the mixture from the bowl with an ice cream scoop and hollow out each scoop to form a nest shape. Let set on wax paper.
4. Place 4 chocolate eggs into each nest. 

Spring Garden Cake

Ingredients:
16 Strawberries, fresh, with tops

1 Box Strawberry, orange, chocolate or white cake mix

Eggs and oil per cake-mix box instructions

Green food coloring

½ cup Powdered sugar

½ tsp. Vanilla

1½ cups Coconut flakes

2 cups Chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs

1 cup Heavy cream

1/3  cup Sour cream

6 oz. Orange candy melts

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 13 x 9” baking pan. Prepare cake according to package directions.
2. Place candy melts into a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 1 –1½ minutes or until melted and smooth, stirring twice. Holding a strawberry by the leafy top, dip it into the melted candy mixture, leaving the leafy top exposed. Place onto a sheet of wax paper and let set. Repeat with remaining strawberries. (Optional: Place remaining melted candy mixture into a plastic sandwich bag and snip off a corner, then drizzle zigzag design onto coated strawberries to add texture, and let set.) Store in refrigerator.
3. Place coconut into a re-sealable plastic bag. Add a few drops of green food coloring. Seal the bag and knead the color into the coconut.
4. To make frosting, combine powdered sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. On medium speed, beat with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Spread over cooled cake. Sprinkle generously with cookie crumbs to cover frosting.
5. Top cake with candy-coated strawberries on their sides at even intervals. Sprinkle the green coconut around the edge of the cake and put into rows around each strawberry.

(Tips: To save time and ingredients, instead of making frosting, use 2½ cups thawed, whipped dessert topping or 16 oz. can of vanilla frosting.)

Easter Egg Fruit Pizza

1 tube of refrigerated sugar cookie dough, or your favorite sugar cookie recipe

8 oz. Cream cheese, room temperature

1/3 cup Strawberry jam, room temperature

6 oz. Powdered sugar

¼ cup Apricot or Apple jelly

1 Tbsp. Water

8 cups total of Strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, green and red grapes, mango or other colorful fruit, washed and sliced

1. Directions:
   
   1. Preheat oven to 350° and line a large baking sheet with parchment. Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment or wax paper, until an even thickness (your choice of a somewhat thicker, cake-like cookie base or a thin, crispier cookie crust). Use a knife to trim into an oval “egg” shape.
2. Transfer the cookie to the baking sheet and bake until a light golden color and puffed, and set into the center, about 15 minutes.
3. In a medium bowl, using a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Mix in strawberry jam and powdered sugar until blended.
4. Spread the frosting in a thin layer onto the cooled cookie crust base, leaving an even bare edge all around. Layer the cut fruit, one fruit at a time, into stripes or shapes.
5. In a small microwave-safe bowl, stir the water into the apricot or apple jelly and microwave 15 seconds, and stir until fluid and smooth with the consistency of a thin gel. If too thick, add a bit more water and stir to thin it out. Using a pastry brush, brush this glaze over the fruit. This creates a nice shine and prevents the fruit from drying out or wilting.

(Tips: The Easter Egg Fruit Pizza is best enjoyed the day it is made. Cookie dough can be made days in advance and kept refrigerated. Cookie crust can be baked days in advance. Frosting can be made days in advance, if kept refrigerated. To save time, substitute canned cream cheese frosting or other white or strawberry frosting.)