We all know what to expect from a traditional holiday meal. It is warm, it is full of happiness and the sharing of memories of holidays you are with those you care about. And the food, all the traditional comfort foods all in one place. In can be a little bit of heaven, unless, of course you are in search of a less traditional search of a less traditional bent when it comes to the holidays. If you happen to be there then you are in luck. You have then found a blog posting that will help you fulfill your less than conventional holiday desires.

Molds (no not the fuzzy kind) more like the ones you have for your Jell-O. You can use it to make silky shapes with things like cake or mashed potatoes. Some of my favorite shapes are

- Pyramids

-The Arc de Triumph (that’s a 3 part mould in case you were wondering) Not really for beginners, but a real impressive one if you can pull it off.

-A human head (the front half)

You can use any shapes you want.

Flavor- mix it up with some unusual spices, heat it up with pepper or mix in some unexpected fruits to your next pie. Just be sure that the flavors will mix. Ginger and vanilla, OK, ginger and pepper and cumin, go for it, but Milk and lemon or other similar combinations are a no go.

Cookie cutters- you can use these for biscuits, individual servings of mashed potatoes or just as templates for decorations. Just use metal ones and re-bake in the shape a second time.

Unusual colors- Food coloring is your friend. Ever had orange mashed potatoes, or a black glass of wine? How about a green slice of cake? Go crazy with it. This is a great trick to mix with the moulds.

A note on good judgment with these techniques. Be 100% sure that you know your audience. You should think long and hard before putting down a black drink and blood red, human heart shaped mashed potatoes in front of your grandmother or serving green cake to your boyfriends family when you meet them for the first time. Some people

just do not have your great sense of humor, you could scare them, or have them filing unfounded police reports, which just cause a lot of trouble for you in the long run (Especially if they find what is in your sock drawer) for fun foods. Be smart!