I should pre-empt this post by first excusing myself for an abnormally excessive number of photos of these obsessively cute Easter treats.  I honestly couldn't help myself.

I LOVE traditions.  And every Easter, I generally insist upon the following: 1 Easter egg hunt, 1 batch of chocolate Mini Egg nests, 1 egg dying session. [for brunch egg-cracking].

This year, nailed the first one, gave my chocolate nests the bestover treatment – behold the Kitchen Sink Nests - and had too much of a good time eating chocolate with friends to prep my dies.  But.  I wanted to make sure you had this tip in your pocket [EU for tomorrow’s belated, or next year’s celebrations, and US, you’ve still got time!].

And so, fun fact, as it turns out, leftovers make the best, natural egg dies:
Red – yellow onion skin on a brown egg
Orange – yellow onion skin
Yellow – Turmeric powder
Green – ‘damaged’ red cabbage leaves on a brown egg
Blue – those outer layers of red cabbage you throw away because they’re ‘damaged’
Lavender/Purple – red onion skin that slows down your onion prep

Bubble the above ingredients – separately, of course – in 2 cups of water, until it’s reduced to about half, leaving you with 1.  Pour into a jar/large mug/heatproof container of choice + 1 tbsp vinegar.  And pulling a page from Food 52’s new (non) recipe book, that’s all you get! 

In other (non) recipe ways to avoid grocery shopping for your Easter/Spring feast:
Frittata - for using veg odds and ends.
Quiche - [with the rough puff you obviously have in your freezer for moments like these...] for veggie sides such as caramelised onions, leek gratin, roasted broccoli.
Savoury Bread Pudding - nuts, dried meats, cooked meat leftovers, dried fruits, milk + eggs.

Now, down to business, and an actual recipe...

Holidays celebrate traditions.  Traditions celebrate food.  Food celebrates people.  Our favourite people.  With them, and for them.  So here’s a little thing I make every year for my favourite people.  Ready in under an hour, it’s the perfect host-gift, Easter dessert, spring bake, breakfast?  There’s cereal in it.  So.  Obvi.

And because I literally can’t help myself… it also just so happens to be the perfect pantry spring clean.

Here's to an Easter of #ThinkingBeforeYouToss!

Kitchen-Sink Easter Nests
nibs etc. original recipe. Makes 30 single egg nests, 15-20 double egg nests.

Ingredients:
300g Chocolate: this year’s eggs, last year’s eggs, gianduja filled, praline, dark chocolate, milk chocolate, any and all half-wrapped odds and ends. [I used 100g whatever milk chocolate I had lying around, 100g mixed milk Cailler Easter eggs and 100g 70% Lindt].
150g Kitchen-sink: stale-ing Corn Flakes, random bag of Shredded Wheats, old crisps, forgotten rice cakes, bag-end oats, etc. … [I used 100g Shredded Wheat, 30g Salt + Vinegar crisps, 10g Rolled Oats, 10g chocolate covered Rice Cakes].
1 tbsp / 14g Salted/Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Golden Syrup/Honey
Pinch Salt

Method:
Line a tray with baking paper.
In a bain marie, melt all your chocolate.  In a separate bowl, hand crush all your dry ingredients.
When your chocolate is melted, pour in your dry ingredients, and toss thoroughly with a spoon until everything is well coated in chocolate.
Carefully spoon walnut sized clumps of chocolate covered everything, and carefully shape into nests with a small dip in the centre, where you will then place a single (or double – depending on the size) Cadbury Mini Egg.
Allow to cool at room temperature for a nice shine (or in the fridge/freezer if you’re really pressed for time).  Plate and serve.

Consume:
Make them all dark, milk, or white chocolate.
Add nuts, dried fruits.
Get inspired by your pantry: puffed quinoa, pop corn, pretzels.