Star Spangled Fruit Platter Recipe By Tasty Food

STAR-SPANGLED FRUIT SKEWERS RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• For 3 of the skewers add one strawberry and one banana, alternating colors until you have about 2 inches left on the end of skewer. To represent the flag, start with a strawberry and end with a strawberry. Then add 5 blueberries to the end. Set on the left side of a platter or tray.
• For the rest of the skewers, add alternating strawberries and bananas until you run out of room on your skewer, again starting and ending with strawberries. Set to the right of the other skewers.
• Bring to your party, serve, and enjoy!

FRESH FRUIT PLATTER

Steps:

• I like to begin the platter with a base of ripe, colorful, sliced melons and pineapple--for example, cantaloupe, honeydew, Galia, or Cavaillon melons, plus the new "golden" pineapples. Peel the outside of a whole melon, cut it in half through the stem end, and scoop out the seeds. Place the melon halves cut side down on a board, and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan each half-melon out slightly and arrange it on the platter. Next, cut off the top and bottom of the pineapple, peel the outside, and use a sharp knife to remove the "eyes." Cut the pineapple in half lengthwise and remove the core by cutting a "V" down the center of each half. Again, place the pineapple halves, cut side down, on a board and slice them straight across into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Fan the slices out and arrange them next to the melon on the platter.
• Once the base is set, you can add any kind of fruit that's available. I like to have one thing that is taller than the rest, such as a large bunch of grapes or a decoratively cut papaya, to give the platter height. Then I add raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and fresh figs in casual but organized groups. The platter can look like a bowl of M&M's if there are too many colors scattered with no order. Visually, your eye needs to have a focal point and to be able to see each type of fruit. After all the fruit is arranged, I add flat green leaves around the outside of the fruit, to set off the colors. Use lemon and galax leaves from your florist, or fig leaves and grape leaves from your garden. Make sure they are pesticide-free and well washed.
• Any kind of fruit will work well on this platter. For special occasions, add persimmons, kiwi, passion fruit, Queen Anne cherries, fresh apricots, and mangos. Choose whatever is colorful and seasonal.

FRUIT PLATTER

Steps:

• Arrange the fig leaves on a platter. Place the pineapple and cantaloupe on top of the fig leaves, and artfully arrange the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries over the top of the pineapple and cantaloupe.

STAR-SPANGLED FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Press cookie dough onto an ungreased 12 inch pizza pan (for round design) or onto a cookie sheet (for square/rectangle design).
• Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and almond extract until smooth. Spread over crust.
• In center of tart, arrange berries in the shape of a star; add a berry border. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

STAR-SPANGLED PARFAITS

Steps:

• Place strawberries and blueberries in separate bowls. Drizzle each with 2 teaspoons vinaigrette; toss to coat. In a small bowl, mix yogurt and mint., Spoon strawberries into 4 parfait glasses. Layer each with yogurt mixture and blueberries. If desired, top with coconut.

STAR-SPANGLED FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Press cookie dough onto an ungreased 12-in. pizza pan. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extract until smooth. Spread over crust. In center of tart, arrange berries in the shape of a star; add a berry border. Refrigerate until serving.