Picnic Party

1. Bake cakes as per recipe or package directions.
2. Tint one can of frosting using the pink and orange colouring (equal amounts of each until you reach the desired colour).
3. Tint one can of frosting using the green colouring.
4. Set aside ¼ cup of the white icing. Place one cake on a cake board and cover with ½ cup of white frosting. Top with the second cake, and frost the outside (top and sides) with the remaining white icing.
5. Frost the sides of the cake with the green icing. Once it’s spread smoothly, run a palette knife or the back of a spoon up the sides of the cake to create parallel lines that mimic those on watermelon skin.
6. Using the pink/orange frosting, spread it over the top of the cake leaving a ½ border of white icing visible.
7. Place the reserved white icing in a piping bag or zip-top bag and cut a small hole in the end. Pipe a border around the exposed white icing on the cake.
8. Decorate the top with chocolate chips (watermelon seeds) and insert the ant candle.

Tip: Place the cake in the freezer for 15–30 minutes prior to each frosting. This will harden the cake and white icing, making it easier to spread the coloured icing over top.

Ant Candle
Prep and Cook

1. For each ant, use the black Model Magic to make one small and two oval beads, approximately ½ inch in length. Allow the beads to dry for at least 24 hours.
2. Paint the copper wire black. Once dry, cut it into 10 pieces, ½ inch long each.
3. To connect the body, insert one piece of wire into one of the oval beads leaving half of the wire exposed. Place the second oval bead on top of the wire and press down to connect the two together. Repeat with another piece of the wire and the round bead (head).
4. Using the remaining pieces of wire, insert two into the round bead for the antennas, and other six into the body for the legs.
5. Using a glue gun and hot glue, attach the ant to the candle. Or look for a small plastic ant in the dollar store.

1. Combine the grapes, blueberries, strawberries and cherries in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Place the whipped cream in a separate bowl, and set the waffle cones, bowl of fruit and whipped cream on a table.
3. Scoop fruit into waffle cones and top with whipped cream.

1. Rinse the chicken under cold water and pat dry.
2. Combine the yogurt, salt, pepper and mustard in a bowl. Add the chicken and marinade for a minimum of 30 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F. While the chicken is resting, remove all of the pretzels from the packaging, place them in a large resealable bag and pound with a rolling pin until a rough crumb remains.
4. Roll the chicken into the crackers and coat well on all sides. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining chicken.
5. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until cooked through and pretzels turn golden. Serve warm or at room temperature.

1. Slice the bread in half and lightly butter both sides.
2. Spread each side with pesto and add a layer or two of salami, mortadella and capicollo to the bottom half of the bread.
3. Top with a layer of provolone and mozzarella, then add another layer or two of the meat. Top with the other half of the bread.
4. Wrap the sandwich tightly in plastic wrap, ensuring the entire sandwich is well covered.
5. Place on a baking sheet and top with a large cast-iron skillet, Dutch oven, or casserole dish filled with heavy items from your fridge, and leave overnight.
6. To serve, unwrap the sandwich and slice into two-inch pieces. Skewer with a toothpick, wrap each sandwich in parchment and tie with twine or serve as is on a platter.

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. Combine the beans, root beer, barbecue sauce and mustard in a casserole dish and stir to combine.
3. Bake in the oven for one hour, or until the liquid has thickened.
4. Serve cold or warm.

1. In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the potatoes until they are fork tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the water and set aside to cool for approximately 10 minutes.
2. Place the potatoes in a bowl and add the green onions, celery, Dijon, relish, mayonnaise and olive oil. Stir to combine and season with salt and pepper if desired.
3. Serve warm, or place in the fridge and serve cold later.

1. Fill pitchers with regular or pink lemonade.
2. Fill small bowls with assorted berries and chopped herbs.
3. Set lemonade, berries and herbs on a table with glasses and straws for a self-serve lemonade bar.