Have fun this Father’s Day by pranking the ultimate prankster and make foods for him that look like other food. Dad, or any father figure in your life, won’t believe the ice cream sundae you’re serving is actually pulled pork and mashed potatoes with a cherry tomato on top. And is that really a potsticker or a cleverly disguised peanut butter sandwich? Find out how to make these deceptive but delicious dishes, perfect for Father’s Day or any festive gathering.
COUNTERFEIT CORN DOGS
With some skewers and gel food coloring, you can turn a beloved childhood snack into a convincing barbecue staple: the corn dog. Speaking of corn dogs, have the real thing on standby as a backup, too!
Ingredients
- Golden, crème-filled sponge cakes
- Liquid gel food coloring (yellow and red)
Instructions
Place sponge cakes on serving tray or plate. Stick wooden skewer through the bottom. Use food coloring to mimic ketchup and mustard on top. Serve and enjoy!
PRETEND POTSTICKERS
These “potstickers” are so cute that you may find yourself making them on a regular basis. They’re basically tiny, sealed, crustless sandwiches!
The only special equipment you need is a dumpling press. You can find them at local grocery stores, Asian specialty markets, or online. If you can’t find a dumpling press, stay tuned for a “fork” hack!
For added jollies, you can serve hazelnut spread, melted chocolate, jelly, or jam in small condiment dishes to mimic dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- Soft bread (we used whole-wheat Japanese bread)
- Peanut butter
- Jelly or jam for inside and/or serving (optional)
- Hazelnut spread or melted chocolate for serving (optional)
Instructions
Cut circle out of bread (one piece of bread makes one dumpling). Use a round cookie cutter if you have one.
If not, you can use a small cup, depending on how big your dumpling press is or how big you want your dumplings. This is a child’s plastic cup:
It may be easier to press your dumplings if you roll out the bread with a rolling pin. However, if you use the fork hack below, don’t roll out the bread; the fluffier, the better.
Place bread in middle of dumpling press. Add peanut butter and jelly or jam to the middle of the bread. Close the press and squeeze tightly. Trim excess bread. Remove dumpling from the press.
Without a dumpling press: After cutting circles out of bread, add peanut butter and jelly or jam in the middle. Fold bread in half. Seal bread edges with a fork.
It won’t look exactly the same as a pressed dumpling, but it will still be cute and delicious! Here’s the fork pressed on the left and the dumpling press on the right:
Serve dumplings. Toast for extra crispness! Dipping sauce and chopsticks optional.
No scrap left behind: Don’t throw away the outside of the bread – make egg in a hole! Add a little cooking spray or oil to a pan, add the bread, and toast to your prefrence. Add a little more spay or oil to the pan and flip. Crack an egg in the middle. You can cover or flip, break the yolk or not, depending on how you want your egg cooked. Enjoy!
SECRET SUNDAE
This dish isn’t for the faint of heart. While it may look like a delicious sweet treat, it’s actually a savory meal in a cup! You can use your favorite recipe for barbecue meat (or a plant-based option), but we’ve provided a semi-homemade recipe below. For the mashed potatoes, you can make them from scratch or use store bought or instant – it’s up to you!
For serving, some people use milkshake glasses or parfait dishes, and I used acrylic cups. Feel free to use whatever you have and what you think looks cute.
Ingredients
- Barbecue meat (we used pulled pork)
- Extra barbecue sauce for topping
- Mashed potatoes
- Cherry tomatoes
Easy pulled pork
- 12-oz. package kalua pork
- 1 bottle barbecue sauce (low sodium)
Instructions
If you’re making pulled pork, mix kalua pork and as much barbecue sauce as you’d like in a bowl, depending on how strong you want the barbecue flavor.
Layer mashed potatoes and barbecue pork to resemble a sundae in serving dish. Finish with a cherry tomato on top. Drizzle with barbecue sauce to mimic hot fudge.
Do you think you can fool your dad this Father’s Day?
Happy Father’s Day!
Looking for more gifts for Dad?
Check out these keiki-friendly crafts and recipes:
cup o’ love craft
Print, cut, and assemble this cute craft that looks like an instant cup of ramen for a quick gift you can fill with treats or a personalized note.
diy magic card
Dad won’t believe his eyes when the picture suddenly disappears and reappears. You can create original artwork or use one of our designs.
fun father’s day gifts
From yummy snacks that look like aloha shirts to a customizable fry guy card, we have four original and adorable gifts keiki can make.
floral lei alternatives
Instead of flowers, use Dad’s favorite snacks to make the perfect, personalized lei!
healthier party mix
You don’t have to wait until the holidays to make party mix for Dad! Better yet, here’s a healthier version that trades the butter and sugar for olive oil and herbs without sacrificing flavor.
recipes kids can make
Surprise your dad with breakfast in bed! Recipes include banana French toast, yogurt parfait, silly peanut butter crackers, pinwheel sandwiches, and vanilla mug cake.
self-care kit
Dads need pampering, too! Personalize a self-care kit based on what they like. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
