Teaching Good Things

Practical Skills for Real Life

Teaching Good Things - Practical Skills for Real Life

Category Archives: Food Art

Fruit and Veggie Display

I had an order for just a fruit and vegetable display for a wedding,

the family did their own cooking.

It was a BEAUTIFUL wedding!

Absolutely beautiful!!!

Olivia went with me, 4 hands are better than 2; she took these pictures.

One side was vegetables…

the other side fruit.

This was built up with a few boxes, lined with plastic wrap,

then lettuce and cabbage leaves pinned in with floral pins.

 

I really enjoy making these!

How to Make Marshmallow Snowmen

I made these a few years ago when I was hosting our church’s Christmas party for the children.

Use 2 large marshmallows and push them down on a large pretzel.

Using an orange fruit roll up cut some long triangles to make a nose,
these will stick on easily.

Then use another color fruit roll up to cut strips for the scarves.

Melt some white almond bark in a double boiler.
Dip one side of a fruit ring (like gummie bears),
this will be the ‘glue’ that holds the ring on the top of the snowman.

It helps to place them upside down to let them harden (about 5-10 minutes).

Use some more almond bark to glue a gum drop to form a hat.

Melt a small amount of semi sweet chocolate chips in a double boiler.
Using a toothpick dot on some eyes.

A food coloring marker would work too!

I used a large divided dish with extra marshmallows in it to help them
stand up for display and serving.

How to Make a Snowman Cheese Ball

My girls have made this several times in years past, it’s always a hit at the kid’s parties!

Snowman Cheese Ball


2 packages of cream cheese

1/2 pound of Cheddar cheese

1 T horseradish sauce

3-4 green onions

Chill in refrigerator a couple of hours.

Spread plain cream cheese on him if you want him purely white and no cheddar cheese showing.

Garnish with raisins, cranberries, carrot nose,
pretzels or bread sticks for arms.

Use a straw to help hold him up if you have to travel with him.

How to Dip Chocolate Covered Strawberries

Strawberries from last weekend’s wedding reception.

IMG_3639

I think we could go as far as to say that
chocolate covered strawberries are HEALTHY!
Strawberries are good for you and so is good chocolate! :o)
The key is moderation. :o)
I know this is a real simple thing,
but I thought I’d post it anyway in case someone
does not know how to dip strawberries.
Use a good quality chocolate, semi-sweet. You can also use almond bark.
Place it in a double boiler (a pan over a pan of water) on med-high heat and melt it down.
You do not want to melt the chocolate in a pan that directly on the heat source,
it will burn your chocolate and it won’t melt evenly.
Once melted,
keep on a med-low heat until you are finished dipping the strawberries.

Wash your strawberries, but not until just before you want to dip them.
Use only ripe ones, but not mushy ones.

Towel dry them, you may even need to blot them.
Get as much of the water off as possible.

Dip 3/4 of the way into melted chocolate.

Place them on wax paper or freezer paper (shinny side up).
Let them dry and firm up, about an hour.

ENJOY! ENJOY!
These make for a wonderful treat!

If you are dipping these for a party it is important to keep them cool,

otherwise they will begin to ooze juice and get all yucked up.

It’s best to dip them and serve them in the same day.

You could dip most anything such as:
marshmallows, pretzels, dried fruit, etc…

The Great Pumpkin- A Pumpkin Bowl- A Cake

 
I saw this cake this morning and am just LOVIN' IT! Now I would NEVER, EVER pay $110 for a cake, but this could be easily made, not only for  Halloween Reformation Parties, but for Thanksgiving and harvest get togethers! Of course, having a few cake skills helps, but I think anyone could do this.
 

 
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I spent my childhood in Upstate New York. You cannot begin to appreciate the fall season unless you have experienced autumn in the North East! The colors are breathtaking!

One family tradition we had while I was a kid was going to the Pumpkin Farm. It had a huge pumpkin patch of course, and you could get hay rides, apples, cider and other seasonal goodies. It was just a fun, family atmosphere, not an evil, scary thing. There was a HUGE pumpkin, called The Great Pumpkin. I think it was made of paper mache'? A person would sit inside it and children could come up and ask him questions. Fun memories…

How many of us grew up watching Charlie Brown in the fall, in The Great Pumpkin?
HERE is a little trivia quiz you might have fun with.
 
 

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Making a Pumpkin Bowl
 
 
You can do this with most anything, pumpkins, cabbage, bell peppers, squash etc…
I made this one for the Barn Party we went to last year!
Just cut the top off, carve it out.
You may need to thin out the top of the rim to make a larger opening.
 
This is great for dips, cheese cubes etc…
 
You could put a dip in one and have cubes of bread around it for dipping.
You could also use crackers around it. Use your imagination!
 
 
Garnish with some fresh herbs. This one has Rosemary in it.
 

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Pumpkin Pie Crust Cookies w/Dip

A great dip to be make when you have extra pie crust dough.

With the extra dough, make cutouts using leaf or pumpkin shaped cookie cutters.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar and bake at 475o until firm, 5 to 7 minutes. Allow to cool.

For the Dip:

2 cups powdered sugar
1, 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
16 oz. pumpkin puree
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. ginger (optional)

Combine powdered sugar and cream cheese.

Add pumpkin puree, cinnamon and ginger.

Refrigerate

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GIVE AWAY

Leave a comment
(preferably with a suggestion, a joke or funny story on how to use a pumpkin,but it is not necessary),and I'll put your name in the hat once.
 
Post on your blog linking back to this Give-Away
and
I will put your name in the hat TWICE for the drawing on Saturday
for a set of two
Pumpkin Pot Holders!
 
(pictured above)

Give Away ends Friday night at midnight.
Winner will be announced Saturday.

 

 

 

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