Vegetable Garden Recipe

Ingredients

• 2 bunches green onions
• 12 large radishes
• 
  Wooden fencing (60 inches long x 2-1/2 inches high)
• 
  1 green foam board (17-78 inches x 11-7/8 inches x 15/16 inch)
• 
  16 T-shaped pins, U-shaped wire fasteners or heavy-duty staples
• 1 bunch curly endive
• Toothpicks
• 1 can (15 ounces) baby corn, rinsed and drained
• 12 mini zucchini or 12 zucchini slices
• 12 cherry tomatoes
• 12 whole fresh mushrooms
• 12 baby carrots
• 
  Miniature scarecrow
• Prepared vegetable dip

Directions

• For cornstalks, trim both ends of each green onion. Using a sharp knife or scissors, cut green portion of onions lengthwise into thin strips. Fill a large bowl with ice water; add onions and refrigerate until curled.
• For flowers, trim both ends of each radish. With a sharp knife, cut radishes to make flowers (see instructions for making radish flowers below right).
• Place flowers in a bowl of ice water; refrigerate until opened.
• For base, attach fencing around foam board with pins, fasteners or staples. Line the endive. Drain onions and radishes. With toothpicks, attach the onions in rows along one short side of base. Trim one end of each baby corn into a wedge; insert into onion tops. (Refrigerate any extra corn for another use.)
• Add rows of radish flowers, zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms and carrots. Place scarecrow in garden. Serve veggies with dip. Yield: 12 servings.

Vegetable Garden published in Country Woman July/August 2002, p36