How to Make a Thanksgiving Cornucopia Centerpiece

• Place a large tray or cookie sheet on a table.


• Scatter colorful autumn leaves over the tray and set the cornucopia on top of the foliage.


• Line the bottom of the cornucopia with straw or raffia.


• Place the larger fruits and vegetables inside the cornucopia first to serve as a foundation for the smaller ones. Gourds, pomegranates, miniature pumpkins, artichokes, crabapples, and Indian corn will stay fresh longest.


• Continue filling the cornucopia with the smaller fruits and vegetables, allowing a few to spill onto the tray.


• Sprinkle walnuts and cranberries over the arrangement, allowing them to fall into the nooks and crannies.


• Tuck in any leftover leaves. Fresh chrysanthemums can be added Thanksgiving morning. They should stay fresh all day long.


• Tie a big bow at the base.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F


• Lightly spray a large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray.


• Tear off a 30 by 18 inch sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil and fold it in half to 15 by 18 inches. Roll foil diagonally to form a hollow cone, about 18 inches long with a diameter of 5 inches at the widest end (cornucopia opening). Fasten end with clear tape.


• Stuff cone with crumpled regular foil until form is rigid. Bend tail of cone slightly at end. Spray outside of cone with nonstick cooking spray. Place on cookie sheet.


• Beat the egg with the water to make a glaze.


• Open and unroll the first can of breadstick dough on work surface and separate breadsticks. Wrap one breadstick around tip of cone. Brush end of next breadstick with glaze and press to attach to end of first breadstick. Continue spiral-wrapping cone, slightly overlapping dough, reserving 3 breadsticks for the braid trim.


• Pinch one end of the 3 breadsticks together, then braid. Brush bread around opening of cornucopia with glaze.


• Gently press on braid. Brush entire cornucopia with glaze. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes, or until bread is a rich brown. Cover loosely with foil if cornucopia begins to brown too much.


• Remove cookie sheet from oven. Place on a wire rack and allow cornucopia to cool completely. Carefully remove foil when cool. (If freezing, leave foil in bread for support, and remove when thawed.)


• Serve cornucopia on a festive platter, filled with fruits or vegetables.

Autumn Cornucopia by artNimages