April Fool's Recipes?

[messy_chef]

My kids are really into April Fool's Day. I'm looking for some recipes for savory foods...besides meatloaf cake. There are recipes aplenty for sweets but I need something I can serve for dinner!

[ChiliDude]

Make a traditional meatloaf using tuna, sardines and anchovies instead of ground beef, veal and pork. Cover with the traditional catsup, mustard and Worcestershire sauce mixture.

[alliegator]

Thank you for all the suggestions!!! I haven't decided yet, what I'm going to do, but I'll report back.

[greygarious]

At one time, Trader Joe's carried dry spaghetti whose strands were about 2ft long. Surprisingly, they cooked up fine without a ginormous pot - you just had to stir as the submerged portion softened. On the plate, the length was not apparent. Your victim starts twirling on the fork and winds up with a wad the size of a baseball! One or two strands twirl to the proper sized mouthful. Of course you have to make sure you hide the package and that no one sees you cook and plate the pasta. I imagine Italian specialty grocers carry the spaghetti "lunghi".

[foodieX2]

I know you said savory but I made this cake for April Fools when my son was 8. I thought he was going to die! Priceless.

http://www.fabulousfoods.com/recipes/...

[HillJ]

The photo!!! I have iced tea flying out of my nose (ha!)

[foodieX2]

I know! Isn't it the best?? Can you imagine the look on an 8 year boys face when I brought that thing out!

[HillJ]

I sure can! You were the coolest Mom on the planet that day!

[alliegator]

I'm going to revive this for '13 in case anyone has any new ideas! I joined a meetup in my new city (hey--a girl needs friends!) and they're doing an April Fool's dinner. Anything that anyone can add to the list is greatly appreciated :)

[greygarious]

http://search.aol.com/aol/search?quer...

[HillJ]

Good idea, allie! When I first headed to CA I joined a meetup for freelance photographers and it was the best thing I ever did to jump start a 4th career. Have fun @ the dinner!

Taste of Home has a bunch of fun ideas:
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Ho...

[messy_chef]

Thanks again for all your replies! I was going to do the pie idea but we were out of town and I used the stuff I could find in my MIL's pantry...so we did the meatloaf with mashed potatoes again, although this time I colored the "icing" and really tricked the kids. We had jello "lemonade" and lo mein cake for dessert. I am going to try some of your recipes in a few weeks to really throw them for a loop.

No one out fools momma on April Fools day!

[ratgirlagogo]

I think April Fool's would be the perfect day to bust out a hot dog water recipe.

http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/787437

[shoo bee doo]

The German ice cream shops create an interesting dish called spaghetti eis.

"Spaghettieis is a German ice cream specialty that looks like a plate of spaghetti." Google it for photos and recipes.

I know this is opposite of what you want, but just in case you want a dessert, I always thought this one was special.

[INDIANRIVERFL]

Beat me by 4 minutes! Make sure you chill the potatoe ricer before squeezing out the noodles. rasberry jelly is classier than strawberry, and finally chop the coconut for the cheese effect.

[messy_chef]

Thanks for everyone's input - you guys are so creative! Last year we did meatloaf cupcakes with mashed potato icing, jello for juice, and spaghetti and meatballs cake. Now I feel like the bar has been raised!

[katecm]

That cake is amazing. How about you tell us a few things the kids don't like to eat, and we can brainstorm ways to make things they do like LOOK like the things they don't like.

[Emme]

Just a few more thoughts --

What about Lasagna Parfaits - served in goblets?
with some garlic bread French toast?

Or cookies dipped in milk?
(Salmon croquettes in Roasted Cauliflower soup?)

Or savory pancakes with a savory brown sauce?

[RUK]

Many years ago I tried to fool my family with Lentil - hamburgers on April 1.
Of course, they were served with all the trimmings and really looked like a nice hamburger. It took a few bites to notice the substitution. :-) Success!

[mamachef]

You can do a cherry tomato and cheese tart that looks a whole lot like a cherry pie.

[chowser]

I love the meatloaf cake. What if you make chicken a la king w/ biscuits into a tiramisu? Make the biscuits into the shape of lady fingers. Line a springform pan w/ biscuits along the edge (up and down like a picket fence). Layer biscuits and chicken a la king. Final topping can be a very light gravy/white sauce. Sprinkle w/ nutmeg on top. It would look like this:

http://lilyng2000.blogspot.com/2011/1...

I like to make meatloaf cake for dinner and then hamburger cake for dessert.

[boyzoma]

I know you can't serve this - but it brought to mind something my mother said she did as a teen. She cut up cardboard in bar size pieces and then melted Ex-Lax and dipped the cardboard in it several times to coat and handed out her "chocolate" bars! Wow. What an April's Fool prank!

[messy_chef]

That sounds like a special kind of evil!!!

[CanadaGirl]

This site has a great menu. http://m.canadianliving.com/food/menu...

There is cauliflower soup (vanilla milkshake), cupcakes (meatloaf with mashed potato icing), fish and chips (battered pineapple and cookie strips with raspberry "ketchup"). Delicious and
fun.

[DuchessNukem]

Okay, how about a cold tuna or salmon salad "pie"? Blind bake a pie crust (not a sweet one of course), then layer with tuna/salmon salad (go light on mayo for this part). Lightly spread a creamy/fluffy yogurt/mayo dressing atop.

Or (can't stop): "berry parfait" of cooked sliced beets layered with whipped goat cheese in clear bowls/glasses. Top with chopped nuts. If no on the beets, a light-colored cooked veg (zucchini?) with red food dye.

Berry parfait could also be slices of steak, or crumbled hamburger, mixed with ketchup then layered with cauliflower mash.

I keep editing!

Meatloaf cut into bars, rolled in finely chopped nuts to resemble granola bars. Could attempt same with chicken breasts, sliced (bit of butter or yogurt to hold the nuts on?).

[messy_chef]

I think the pie would be an easy way to trick them AND be a good vessel for whatever mixture I can get a 4, 5, and 6 year old to eat!

[DuchessNukem]

Hmmm. It IS a bit hard to find recipes, I just searched for ya. You could try a lovely bowl of "jello with fruit" -- but make it from tomato aspic, drop in small steamed radishes and slices of cooked potato (shaped like apple bits); shave parmesan "coconut" over the top. Have them taste it cold, then it could even be warmed/melted to actually eat. If not a bowl, then thicken up to make "jiggler" style and cut into blocks.

Might be a lot of trouble for something the kids won't touch though, lol.