STYROFOAM TREE RECIPES

Steps:

• Start with a floral styrofoam cone, The styrofoam cones come in assorted sizes so you can scale this appetizer tree up or down to suit your crowd. Mine was 4 7/8 inches x 17 7/8 inches. The cones are also available in green, but the green was out of stock when I went to buy my cone.
• Wrap your styrofoam cone in plastic wrap so the styrofoam doesn’t come in contact with your food.
• To camouflage the cone, wrap it in collard leaves, so the white of the styrofoam didn’t show once the tree is assembled.
• Remove the large stems from the collards before wrapping them around the cone, overlapping and attaching them with floral pins.
• Once wrapped, start with the cherry tomatoes as red ornaments, and place them on the tree with toothpicks spacing them evenly on the tree.
• Add your other ‘edibles’ with a toothpick. You can place them in rows if you like or in a more random fashion. I tucked sprigs of rosemary in between some of the spaces for some fragrant Christmas greenery.

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