Food & Party Planning Ideas

Olympics

Wilton goes for the gold with deliciously groovy recipes

Think back to a time when television was new and families gathered to watch popular shows like The $64,000 Question and Milton Berle. This winter, break out the TV trays as you go back in time to celebrate the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics with festively retro dishes courtesy of Wilton Enterprises.

"There's no better time to celebrate being American than during the Olympics," states Nancy Siler, the consumer affairs director of Wilton Enterprises. "Take a fun approach to patriotism this year and create traditional recipes with a current twist."

Where's the TV Tray?

Nothing is more retro than TV trays and when using them meals need to be simple and mess free. Score a perfect "10" for creativity when you make Retro Mac N' Cheese casserole. This four-cheese blend is combined with ham, mushrooms, seasonings, and baked to a golden bubbly. Or substitute spinach, tomatoes, broccoli tips, or a variety of other vegetables for a vegetarian treat. No worries about a mess and simple to prepare, you'll receive a standing ovation with this creation!

Light up the Night!

It may be the Winter Olympics, but things will be "heating up" in your kitchen when you make Caramel Peanut Crispy Torch Treats for family and friends. Rice cereal is mixed with peanuts, marshmallows, peanut butter, and caramel topping, then served creatively in an ice cream cone. Perfect the retro torch look when you add Wilton's Yellow and Red Candy Melts® on top for the flame.

The definitive symbol of the Olympic games, the torch brilliantly represents the Olympians' passion for competition and victory. This year the Olympic Torch will make its way through 46 states, traveling 13,500 miles in 65 days. The final stop is Salt Lake City where the flame will stay lit for the duration of the games. Let your pride shine when you make Caramel Peanut Crispy Torch Treats and cheer on the torch as it passes through a city near you.

Global Goodies

Worth its weight in gold, silver and bronze, Olympic Coconut Pound Cake is a favorite by a long shot. Wilton's Pure Vanilla and Coconut Extracts, butter, sugar and other delectable ingredients are combined with shredded coconut to create a taste that is out of this world.

Wow family and friends when you host a get-together for your favorite event, such as ice-skating or hockey, and decorate this scrumptious treat to look like the globe. Baked in Wilton's Soccer Ball Pan and decorated with green and blue tie-dyed Ready-To-Use Fondant, guests will be cheering for more. Create athletes from around the world with sugar cookie dough to accompany the cake.

Have some fun with the games and predict who will win each event. Award a gold medal sugar cookie to the person who guesses the most winners. Simply cut circles out of sugar cookie dough using Comfort Grip™ Round Cookie Cutter. Color icing yellow and present them to your winner.

Olympic Facts

The first Olympic games were held in Athens, Greece in 1896, with 13 countries participating.
The Olympic Flame was first introduced into the modern Olympics at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.
The Torch Relay began in the ancient Greek Olympics and was revived at the 1936 Berlin Games.
The Olympic Flag made its debut at the 1920 Olympic Games in Antwerp, Belgium.
The five Olympic rings represent the five major regions of the world: Africa, the Americas, Asia, Europe, and Oceania. Every national flag in the world includes at least one of the five colors, which are (from left to right) blue, yellow, black, green, and red.
Ethiopian marathoner Abebe Bikila was the first man to successfully defend the marathon title in consecutive Olympic games (1960 and 1964.) Amazingly, he wore shoes only for the second victory.
The first games to be televised were the 1936 Berlin Games.
Ice hockey made its first appearance at the 1920 Antwerp Games.
American Mildred "Babe" Didriksen won medals in high-jumping, hurdling, and the javelin in 1932-Los Angeles. She is the only athlete to ever medal in all three events.

Retro Mac N' Cheese
Caramel Peanut Crispy Torch Treats
Olympic Coconut Pound Cake