The Veggie Basket...

This can make a fun centerpiece for a table. I think that it was one of Martha's idea from long ago, but anyway it has been a popular idea in my family. This yellow basket is the largest that I have, it is almost 30 inches in diameter. I fill the bottom with heavy brown packing paper and then I use a few plactic groceries sacks from the grocery store to cover the paper. I then gather up a few different greens to make the vegetable bed. When I can get it, I love to use purple kale, but a variety makes it really pretty, sadly I could only get green this time. I think of it like a flower arrangement. Then I used whatever veggies will serve the crowd I'm making it for. My mom's family would like sweet pickles, baby corn, beets and other things like that. C's family likes their food without so much embellishment so these are veggies from the produce section, nothing from a jar. If you want it to look really amazing steam all the green things like the broccoli for just 5-10 seconds and they will be sooooo beautiful. I like to use the hollowed out purple cabbage for the dip, but you could use a green one if you like. I think this basket can easily handle a crowd of about 50-60 people as long as they aren't all health nuts, then you might need a second one. :)