The first of April, aka April Fool's Day, is coming up in a few weeks, so I thought I should get this blog post published with enough time for you to plan and gather the ingredients for the fun, food-based Fool’s Day pranks I’m about to share. These pranks will have your family laughing AND licking their lips.
There are two philosophies when it comes to food pranks – one is more mean-spirited than the other in my opinion. For instance, we all know that prankster who would get a huge kick out of watching someone bite into a mayonnaise-filled donut or an onion masquerading as a candy apple. I am more inclined to go with a funny take on foods that look like something they aren’t but still taste good.
I thought I’d make it easy for you this year and give you a whole meal plan that is sure to get all ages giggling and saying, “yum!” at the same time.
Here’s the plan: Start by telling your family that because it’s April Fool’s Day, you’ll be eating dessert as the first course. The “dessert” in this scenario is actually a meat loaf made to look like a cake.
- Simply make your favorite meatloaf recipe, using about 2 lbs. of ground meat. Divide the raw mixture between two 8-inch round cake pans, patting to cover pans evenly and make level.
- Bake meat loaves until juices run clear when meat is pierced with a fork, or meat loaves register 170F on a meat thermometer. This should take about 20–25 minutes. Remove pans from the oven; cover loosely with foil and let stand for 10 minutes.
Decorating the Meat Loaf
You’ll need 3 1⁄2 cups hot mashed potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and a jar of Bellisari’s Calabrian Pepper & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread.
- Pour off juices from pans. Invert 1 meat loaf onto a flat serving plate.
- Spread Bellisari’s Calabrian Pepper & Sweet Tomato Fennel Spread over the meat loaf just as you would put a layer of jam or icing between layers of a cake.
- Invert second meat loaf onto the spread layer.
- Spread 2 1/2 cups mashed potatoes over top and sides of meat loaf just as you would frost a cake. Spoon remaining potatoes into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip. Pipe swirls around top edges of cake. Pipe stars around bottom of cake.
- Place cherry tomatoes, stem-ends down, in a ring around top of meat loaf "cake" to resemble cherries. Cut meat loaf into wedges; serve immediately.
Now that you’ve had "dessert," it’s time for the main course!
Everyone loves spaghetti and meatballs, right? But when is spaghetti not really spaghetti? When it’s frosting pushed through a pastry bag to form strands (you could also use a zip-top plastic bag with a corner snipped off), then covered with fresh strawberry sauce subbing for marinara. And the meatballs? They’re chocolate no-bake cookies rolled into mounds. Mangia!
Use your creativity! Fill glasses with Jello and stick a straw in to make it look like a drink, make “bread” out of pound cake, make vegetables out of taffy and Starburst candies – you get the idea.
This April Fool’s Day make it fun for you and whoever you’re feeding with these whimsical surprises. They’re simple to make, delicious to eat, and the perfect pranks for the 1st of April.
