It’s time for one of the most enjoyable food-prank worthy days of the year: April Fool’s Day! I’ve gathered up some fun recipes to try your hand at this year. And with the current stay-at-home order in place, why not do April Fool’s pranks all week long! If you need inspiration, a quick Google search will provide you a myriad of fun, edible recipes you could try in order to fool your family!

We don’t do a lot of physical pranks at our house most years, but I have tried to do some fun food-related pranks…mostly because it’s fun! I know many people/families go all-out on this day, and sometimes I wish I could remember to plan something elaborate in advance, but somehow, I never remember until it’s too late!

Recipes wanted! Submitted recipes will be accepted at [email protected], or you can stop by the Albion office and drop a copy off up front. If you don’t have a recipe to submit right now, but there is a recipe you’re desperately seeking, feel free to email or drop off a note for a “Recipe Request.” I’m still requesting recipes for your favorite apple pie recipes!

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Buf-faux-lo Wings with Blue Cheese

Ingredients:

Rice Krispie treats (store bought or homemade)

3 TBSP orange juice

1C dark brown sugar

Marshmallow creme

Mini marshmallows

Red, blue and green food coloring, optional

Green licorice sticks or

Directions:

Shape Rice Krispie treats to look like chicken wings.

Make a brown sugar glaze by mixing of 1 cup packed dark brown sugar and approximately 3 TBSP of tangerine juice. Reduce on low heat in a saucepan until thick (if you want them to have the red buffalo sauce look, you may add a little red food coloring). Generously coat the wings in the glaze. Let dry on parchment paper.

Cut the green licorice in half to look like celery.

Chop up some mini marshmallows and mix in the marshmallow creme for the bleu cheese dipping sauce.

Note: Soak the mini marshmallows in blue and/or green food coloring before mixing into marshmallow creme.

***Recipe courtesy of Norene of “Party Pinching” blog.***

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Mock Apple Pie

Ingredients:

2 unbaked pie crusts

1 egg

1 TBSP milk

1 TBSP sugar

2C sugar

1 3/4C water

2 tsp cream of tartar

Zest and 2 TBSP juice from 1 lemon

2 tsp of vanilla extract

36 Ritz crackers, coarsely broken

2 TBSP unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a medium saucepan combine sugar, water and cream of tartar, whisking until sugar has dissolved. Bring mixture to boil over high heat, whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 15 minutes or until mixture has reduced to 1-1/2 cups. Stir in zest, juice and vanilla. Set aside to cool for 30 minutes.

Roll out crusts. For a nine inch pan your bottom crust should be around 11-in. in diameter, your top crust, about 10-in. Place bottom crust in pie pan or dish. Add crumbled crackers. Pour syrup over crackers and dot with pieces of butter then sprinkle evenly with cinnamon.

Beat together egg and milk. Place top crust over pie. Seal and flute the edges and brush with egg wash then sprinkle with sugar. Cut several small slits into the top crust to vent the steam. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool and serve. Store covered.

***Recipe courtesy of Alexandra Penfold at “Serious Eats” website.***

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Carrot Cake

Really, it’s a meatloaf!

Ingredients:

2 small carrots, shredded

6 TBSP quick-cooking oats

4 TBSP fat-free milk

2 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1-2 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1-lb.lean ground beef

TOPPINGS:

4 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 TBSP fat-free milk

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp white pepper

3-4 TBSP reduced-fat cream cheese, divided

Orange and green food coloring

1/2C panko bread crumbs, toasted

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the carrot, oats, milk, Worcestershire sauce, garlic, salt and pepper. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into two large 1-1/2-in. thick ‘burger’ patties.

Grill ‘burgers’, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 in. from the heat for 6-8 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 160 degrees and juices run clear.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Press through a potato ricer or strainer into a small bowl. Stir in the milk, salt and white pepper.

Place one ‘burger’ on a serving plate. Spread 1-1/ 2C mashed potatoes over top. Top with remaining ‘burger’. Spread remaining mashed potatoes over top and sides of cake. In a small bowl, tint 2-3 TBSP cream cheese orange; pipe carrots over top of cake. Tint remaining cream cheese green; pipe tops on carrots. Press bread crumbs into sides of cake.

***Recipe courtesy of the “Taste of Home” website.***

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(Edible) Juice

Ingredients:

2 sachets unflavored gelatin

4C orange juice

4 tsp white sugar

4 drinking straws

Directions:

Pour 1C of orange juice into a small bowl. Sprinkle 2 sachets of gelatin over the OJ and let stand 1 minute.

Pour the remaining 3C of orange juice into a large saucepan with the sugar and bring to a boil.

Stir in the gelatin mixture and cook while stirring over low heat until the gelatin is fully dissolved.

Pour the mixture into four {clear} glasses and insert drinking straws. Cover and chill “drinks” until firm.

Note: You could try any juice (or beverage for that matter). You could also try using chicken noodle or tomato soup in a bowl! Be creative!

***Recipe courtesy of Lilly Mathuse of “Cook Me” blog.***

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