Description
Jack-O’-Lantern Veggie Platter brings festive fun to your Halloween spread! Easy, healthy, and a total crowd-pleaser for all ages. Get your spooky snack on!
Ingredients
- Pumpkin Base:
- Orange Bell Peppers (2-3 large)
- Veggie Dippers:
- Baby Carrots (1 bag, about 1 lb)
- Celery Sticks (4-5 stalks)
- Broccoli Florets (1 head, about 1.5 cups)
- Cherry Tomatoes (1 pint)
- Cucumber (1 large)
- Creamy Dip:
- Ranch Dip (16 oz container)
- Garnish & Accents:
- Black Olives (pitted, 1 small can)
- Fresh Parsley or Dill (for garnish, optional)
Instructions
- Prep Your Jack-O’-Lantern Base:: First things first, grab those beautiful orange bell peppers. I usually pick two or three, depending on how big I want my veggie platter to be. Carefully slice them in half lengthwise, then gently remove all the seeds and white membranes. This is where you want to be a little precise; a clean cut makes for a much better ‘pumpkin’ shape. You’re basically creating two little orange bowls that will hold your dip. Honestly, I always forget to wash my hands immediately after this step and end up with pepper seeds everywhere, oops!
- Carve the Spooky Face:: Now for the fun part! Using a small, sharp knife (a paring knife is perfect), carefully cut out triangular eyes and a jagged mouth from one of the bell pepper halves. This is your Jack-O’-Lantern Veggie Platter face! Don’t worry if it’s not perfect; a slightly wonky face adds character, right? I once tried to make a super intricate design and ended up slicing right through the pepper, so keep it simple, friend. You want it to be sturdy enough to hold the dip without collapsing.
- Arrange the Dipping Bowls:: Place your two bell pepper halves—one carved with the face, the other plain—on your serving platter. Fill the plain half with your delicious ranch dip. For the carved face, you can either fill it with dip too, or use it as a decorative element with veggies spilling out. I find filling it with dip adds to the fun! The smell of fresh bell pepper and creamy ranch together? Oh, it’s just so inviting.
- Wash and Chop Your Veggies:: Time to get all those lovely veggies ready. Give your baby carrots, celery, broccoli, cherry tomatoes, and cucumber a really good rinse. Then, chop the celery and cucumber into dippable sticks or slices. Make sure your broccoli florets are bite-sized. This is where I sometimes get a little messy, with veggie bits flying everywhere, but it’s all part of the home cooking charm, right? Don’t forget to pat them dry a bit; no one likes a watery dip!
- Assemble the Veggie ‘Pumpkin’:: Now, artfully arrange all your prepared veggies around the bell pepper halves on your platter. Think of it like building a vibrant, edible pumpkin! I usually start with the longer items like carrots and celery radiating outwards, then fill in the gaps with broccoli and cherry tomatoes. Don’t be afraid to mix and match colors; the more variety, the more appealing your Jack-O’-Lantern Veggie Platter looks. It’s like a rainbow of healthy goodness!
- Add the Finishing Touches:: Finally, for those classic jack-o’-lantern features, use your pitted black olives. Place two olive halves in the bell pepper’s ‘eyes’ and arrange a few more to outline the ‘mouth’. If you have some fresh parsley or dill, a little sprinkle around the platter adds a lovely touch of green and makes it look extra special. The whole platter just comes alive with these little details, and honestly, the kids just adore it!