RACHAEL RAY APPETIZER RECIPES RECIPES

Steps:

• Using the hot glue gun, glue the Styrofoam ring centered on the cake board
• Press it down and give it 1 to 2 minutes to set and cool
• Take a long sheet of plastic wrap and cover the ring
• Take 1 slice of salami and fold it in half and half again
• Pull the center edge down to meet the bottom point and arrange it in your hand so the toothpick will go through the thickest part of the folded salami
• Place a mozzarella ball on top of it, then skewer it with a toothpick through the center of the mozzarella and the thickest part of the folded salami
• Push the skewered toothpick into the base of the ring
• Repeat to form a full ring of mozzarella-salami around the wreath
• Skewer 2 black olives on a toothpick
• Push that toothpick into the ring, just above the salami layer
• Skewer 2 green olives on a toothpick
• Push that toothpick into the ring, just next to the black olives
• Continue around the wreath, alternating colors, to form a full ring of olives
• Fold the pepperoni the same way as the salami, but instead of mozzarella, use a provolone cube
• Push the pepperoni and provolone toothpicks into the ring above the olives
• Repeat to form a full ring of pepperoni-provolone around the wreath
• Place a pepperoncini pepper on a diagonal on the ring and secure it with a toothpick
• Continue around the ring with peppers and toothpicks, making sure the stems all face the same way
• Take a half-piece of mortadella and fold it in half and half again
• Fold the bottom to meet the top, place a sweety drop pepper in the middle of the mortadella and skewer with a toothpick
• Push into the wreath, tucked into the pepperoncini, and continue to form a full ring of mortadella-sweety drop peppers around the wreath
• Skewer the marinated mushrooms with a toothpick and push into the wreath to form a full ring of mushrooms, likely on the inside of the wreath at this point and under the mortadella ring
• Pick your last layer of meat and cheese
• Fold as you did the other meats and cheese and push into the wreath to cover any exposed areas of Styrofoam
• Fill the center with homemade or store-bought garlic knots

Steps:

• Assemble the “branches” for the “tree”: Fold pepperoni into quarters or gather loosely to make a “flower,” then place a provolone cube in the middle and push a toothpick through to secure the “flower
• ” Repeat with the remaining pepperoni and provolone, then repeat the process with the salami or soppressata and mozzarella
• Cut each prosciutto slice down the center lengthwise, then roll up each half beginning on the short end
• Thread a sweety drop mini pepper onto a toothpick, then push it through the center of the prosciutto “tube
• ” Repeat with the remaining prosciutto and sweety drop mini peppers
• Skewer 2 black olives on a toothpick, and repeat with the remaining olives
• Repeat the process with the green olives
• Skewer each pepperoncini with a toothpick
• Assemble the tree: Working from the bottom and winding your way up in a circular pattern, push each “branch” into the styrofoam “tree” in your desired pattern, tucking the rosemary sprigs in between every few layers
• Finish the top with more rosemary sprigs and any remaining toothpick “branches
• ” Arrange the garlic knots on the side of the tree for serving