How to Make a Holiday Fruit Tray

Turn fruit into a Fabulous Holiday Centerpeice

With Holiday Parties approaching, and the price of made to order food trays, it's time to do it ourselves and save those extra dollars on more important things. This step by step instruction will show you how to make a beautiful edible fruit centerpiece for any Holiday Party

Things You'll Need

• 1 lg pineapple
• 1 quart fresh strawberries
• 1 cantaloupe
• 1 honey due melon
• 1 small watermelon
• 1bunch large red or green seedless grapes
• 1 jar pitted marachino cherries
• 2 heads endive lettuce
• 1 box fancy toothpicks
• one lg serving tray
• sharp knife
• spoon

Instructions

1. pineapple: with a sharp knife cut about 1 inch off the bottom end of your pineapple. cut the top off about 1 inch into the pineapple and put top aside for later use. now cut pineapple in half lengthwise, and cut each half lengthwise in half again. starting at one end, carefully slice meat along the husk of each section until it is detached, but leave it in the husk. use your knife to trim out the core. cut down the middle of the pineapple meat only to the core (not through it) and then slice it crossways evenly so that you have 8-10 chunks in husk. place on plate, cover and refrigerate.

2. melons & watermelon: cut each melon lengthwise in 1/2 and each half lengthwise in half again. scoop out seeds. using knife cut lengthwise between the melon meat and rind until separated. now cut melon meat into about 1 in bite size chunks. separately place each kind of melon into quart size baggies or covered container and refrigerate.

3. strawberries, lettuce and grapes: rinse in cool water, drain and set aside to dry. also rinse maraschino cherries till the water runs clear.

4. * putting tray together: place lettuce along the outer end of tray, so that curly leafy sides drape over the outer edge of tray slightly. place pineapple top in center of tray. Now section off the tray into quarters with your 4 pineapple sections placing them lengthwise in tray making equal sections between them. in one section place the honeydew, in the next section arrange strawberries leaf side down in tiers, cantaloupe goes in the third section and watermelon in the forth.

5. garnishing tray: cut maraschino cherries in half. pierce each half in middle with fancy toothpick skin side up , and stick them to pineapple quarters making 2 rows lengthwise with them down center of each. now take the bunch of grapes and drape over the pineapple top in center of tray. secure if needed with toothpicks.

Tips & Warnings

• steps 1, 2, 3 and 5 can be done the night before, just make sure all cut fruit and pieces remain covered and refrigerated until ready to use.

• if endive lettuce is not available, you can also use other fancy leaf lettuce, fresh spinach and I have even used fresh kale, since only the edges show.

• refrigerate tray till ready to use.