The Eagle Newspaper

Food & Fitness

Fool your Friends with April Fool’s Day Delights!

By Lauren Haselberger
DuPage Staff Writer

For a holiday full of practical jokes and playful pranks, a delightful menu of surprises will surely please the palates of all your pals. Surprise your friends and family with dishes that are “more than meets the eye.” Whether you want to make Chicken-Not-Pie or a Cashew Stir-Fry you are sure to fool and create some fascinating folly!

Cashew Chicken Stir Fry

Recipe ingredients:
Fruit Roll-Ups, 2 to 3 green rolls and 1 red roll
1 1/2 teaspoons hulled sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups dried apple rings
3/4 cup dried pineapple chunks
1/2 cup cashews

First, make a bunch of pea pods. For each one, cut a 2 1/4-inch square from a green fruit roll.

Arrange five or six sunflower seeds (for peas) on the strip in a vertical row, just off center. Fold the strip in half over the seeds and press the edges together to seal them. Use a butter knife or kitchen scissors to trim the sealed edges into a rounded pod shape.

Next, cut the red fruit roll into thin pepper strips and the apple rings into bite-size chicken pieces. For the full effect, combine the pea pods, pepper strips, chicken pieces, pineapple chunks and cashews in a frying pan. Or serve the mix on plates with chopsticks. Makes three cups.

Fauxberry Pie

Recipe ingredients:
"Chocolate" Meat Loaf Filling
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon dark, unsulfured molasses
1 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup bread crumbs
1 1/4 pounds lean ground beef
1 egg, lightly beaten

"Strawberry" Potato Topping
2 pounds baking potatoes, peeled and cubed
Salt
1/2 cup canned sliced beets (not pickled)
1/4 cup (or more) warm milk 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Piecrust
Frozen pie shell (use your favorite brand

1. Heat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine the barbecue sauce, milk, molasses, cocoa, and chili powder. Set the pan over medium heat and whisk the mixture until it is lukewarm and the cocoa is completely dissolved. Set it aside to cool.

2. Sauté the onions in the tablespoon of canola oil until they are transparent, about 7 minutes.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the salt, celery salt, pepper, and bread crumbs. Then add the beef, egg, sauce mixture, and onion. Thoroughly mix the ingredients using your hands or a wooden spoon.

4. Remove the pie shell from the freezer. (We placed ours in a Pyrex dish to help ensure that the pie would bake evenly.) Transfer the meat to the shell, spreading it evenly with a spoon. Bake it until the meat is cooked through, about 60 minutes.

5. While the pie is baking, prepare the mashed potato topping. Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and add enough water to completely submerge them. Salt the water lightly, cover the pot, and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat slightly and cook the potatoes at a low boil until they are tender, about 12 minutes.

6. While the potatoes cook, puree the beets and 1/4 cup warm milk in a blender until only small bits of beet are left in the mixture. Set aside.

7. Drain the potatoes and transfer them to a large mixing bowl. Add the butter and pureed beets and, using an electric mixer, whip the mixture until it's smooth and fluffy. Add more milk if needed and salt to taste.

8. Spread the whipped potatoes over the top of the cooked meat pie with a spatula, as you would whipped cream, mounding it slightly in the center. Slice and serve the pie while the potatoes are still hot. Makes 8 servings.

Mock Sushi

Recipe ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups crisped rice cereal
20 to 25 gummy worms
1 to 2 boxes of fruit leather
1. Grease a 12- by 17-inch baking pan.

2. Melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat.

3. Add the marshmallows and stir until smooth.

4. Remove mixture from heat and stir in the rice cereal until it's evenly coated.

5. Turn the baking sheet so that the shorter ends are at the top and bottom. Then press the marshmallow mixture on the sheet, distributing it evenly.

6. Starting at one side and 1 inch up from the lower edge, place gummy worms atop the mixture end to end in a horizontal line.

7. Gently roll the lower edge of the marshmallow mixture over the gummy worms.

8. Then stop and cut the log away from the rest of the mixture. Use the same method for 4 more logs.

9. Slice each log in 1-inchthick "sushi" rolls and wrap them individually with a strip of fruit leather.

Recipes and photos Courtesy of FamilyFun.com