{Makes} Spring Egg Nests

These were so cute, I couldn't share!

But also so easy, that I felt silly to write a full pic-by-pic tutorial.

To make Spring Egg Nests:

Mini Twist Pretzels

Melting Chocolate of your Choice

Spring Colored M&M's

The biggest task for me was finding Peanut Free Melting Chocolate!

I used to love making candy, with CandyMelts but they are processed with Peanuts, so they are a no go in out house. So, I went with good old fashioned Chocolate Chips, and a small amount of shortening. 

You can use a double boiler, crockpot, etc to melt your chocolate. I went with a small pot on the stove, on low. Just keep an eye on it or it will get crunchy. Once melted I dropped a handful of pretzels in the pot and flipped them over with a fork, then pulled them out.

Here's where you will learn from my mistake! See the pic? I put the chocolate covered pretzels on my cooling rack, while it wasn't a complete disaster, it was not as easy as I thought it would be to get the pretzels back off once cooled! Next time I will do wax paper instead. 

Before your chocolate cools all the way, place an M&M in each hole of the pretzel, leaving them towards the middle make them look more like eggs, rather than standing straight up and down or laying down. 

Because your chocolate isn't boiling hot, I think kids could help with the M&M part!

That's it! A quick, easy, cute spring treat! I think these would be cute for any spring event, baby showers, birthdays, bridal showers! Or Easter (like I did!)

{Cooks} Bacon Mac & Cheese

Ah! Things are still super crazy here, so I've been pulling out all my easy recipes!

When my husband and I first bought our home in 2007, 

I perfected my Mac and Cheese making skills.

Little did I know, he wasn't as head over heels for Mac and Cheese as I was!

Oops!

So last week, when I decided to whip up a batch on a busy night, I decided to add something my husband loves. Bacon!

I've seen a ton of recipes online, but I just went the easy route. 

Make my Mac and Cheese, add crispy bacon crumbles!

To make My Mac and Cheese:

Elbow Macaroni, 1/2 box

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

2 cups cheese (your choice!)

Bacon

I cook my pasta according to its direction, drain and set aside. 

Then using the same pasta pot (less dishes!), I melt the butter and stir in the flour.

You want it to form a paste, so to speak. This is called a roux.

Using a whisk, I add the milk. I like to work over a medium heat, so I don't scorch the milk.

Once all the roux is incorporated, you start adding your cheese. 

We had some cheddar (not sharp) straight from Wisconsin! It was amazing!

 (long story on how we got cheddar straight from Wisconsin!)

Now, in a frying pan, while I cooked the pasta an cheese sauce I cooked my bacon.

Once it was all cooked, I crumbled it over top the the Mac and Cheese.

Oh my. Why have I never done this before?!?!

There wasn't any left!

What are your go to easy and quick meals?

Don't forget you can always make Mac & Cheese in the crockpot too!