Saturday, December 8, 2012

Veggie Christmas Tree


Grocery List
- 3 large bunches Broccoli
- 2 large Broccoli flower
- 1 large Cauliflower
- 1+ Red Bell Pepper
- 1+ Yellow Bell Pepper
- 1 package cherry tomato
- 1 jar cocktail onions
- 1 bag of baby carrots

Craft List
- Styrofoam cone - 8x3" 
- small disposable veggie tray (you will need to glue the cone to the tray)
- hot glue gun & glue sticks. I use this to keep the tree/cone sturdy.
- round toothpicks
- round wooden skewers
- Linzer tart cookie cutter (for tiny star shape cutter)
- wire cutter or strong scissor (to cut skewers)

Veggie Tree Assembly

Wrap your Styrofoam Cone with food plastic wrap first. This prevents your veggies from contacting the foam directly.
STEP 1 - Hot glue your Styrofoam cone to your plastic tray (optional). This makes a stable base and makes transportation very easy.

STEP 2 - Cut your Broccoli, Cauliflower and Broccoli flower into dipping sized pieces. Sizes should vary but shouldn't be too large or too small.

STEP 3 - Attach your Broccoli and Broccoli flower to the cone with ROUND toothpicks, grouped in clusters, with larger pieces at the bottom and graduating up to the top. Don't worry if there are small holes in your design, they will be filled in later with carrots and other decorations.

When you get to the top, and toothpicks are not long enough cut skewers with a wire cutter or strong scissor to pick your veggies into place until you achieve a perfect tree shape.

STEP 4 - Cut 1 red pepper and 1 yellow pepper into dipping size strips. Tuck the ends of those strips into the tree, in a spiral, starting at the top and spiraling down to the bottom. Tuck a carrot in next to them to hold them in if needed. No toothpicks needed, here.

STEP 5 - Poke carrot sticks intermittently in holes between the broccoli and broccoli flower florets. No toothpicks needed.

STEP 6 - Use FLAT toothpicks to secure cherry tomatoes and cocktail onions to the tree. Poke small side all the way through onion or tomato. Press tomato or onion into tree.

STEP 7 - Cut out stars with small lintzer tart cookie cutter from 1 Yellow pepper or piece of Cheddar or American Cheese. Save 1 large piece to hand cut 1 larger star for top, or make a paper stencil or use a larger cookie cutter if you'd like for large star.

Secure stars with toothpicks poked and secured right in broccoli pieces.

STEP 8 - Fill tray base with cauliflower.

STEP 9 - Serve with your favorite veggie dip or refrigerate until serving. If it doesn't fit in your refrigerator, I have had good luck leaving it out on the counter overnight when the house wasn't too hot. I spritz it with water and cover with saran wrap and it still looks completely fresh the next day!
Recipe courtesy Penny Hart

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