Have you ever wondered about the origin of April Fool’s Day? Even though it is a silly and light-hearted holiday, it stems from a rather serious disagreement. 

In ancient cultures, the New Year was celebrated April 1, closely following the vernal equinox (the first day of spring). But in 1582, Pope Gregory XIII ordered his new calendar (Gregorian) to take the place of the old (Julian) calendar. 

The new calendar designated New Year’s Day being celebrated January 1. However, many people in France refused to honor the Gregorian calendar and said phooey on you (or something like that) and continued to celebrate New Year’s Day April 1. 

Those that did follow the new calendar poked fun of these traditionalists and as a way of taunting them sent them on “fool’s errands” or tried to trick them into believing something false.

This week’s recipes are all kind of foolish (given some of their most unusual ingredients). Enjoy!

Banana split muffins

• 1-1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 CUP MIRACLE WHIP OR MIRACLE WHIP LIGHT
• 3 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed
• 1/2 cup miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup walnuts
• 6 maraschino cherries, each cut in half

Combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. In a separate bowl, beat egg and stir into Miracle Whip. Add reserved flour mixture and stir until moistened. Stir in bananas. Spoon into 12 greased (or paper lined) muffin cups, filling each almost full. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, walnuts, and top with a cherry half. Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 20-25 minutes or tester inserted near center comes out clean. Yield: 12 muffins.

Bacon-wrapped water chestnuts

• 8 slices bacon 
• 2 cans (8 oz. each) whole water chestnuts, drained
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1 JAR (2-1/2 OUNCES) STRAINED PEACH BABY FOOD
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and then in half width-wise so you have 4 small pieces of bacon from each slice. Wrap each bacon piece around a water chestnut; secure with a toothpick. Place in an ungreased 13x9x2-inch baking dish and bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 minutes, turning once about halfway through cooking time. Carefully drain off any accumulated fat and discard.

Combine ketchup, peach baby food, sugar and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Drizzle over water chestnuts. Bake 25-35 minutes longer or until bacon is crisp. Serve warm. Yield: 32 appetizers.

Slow-cooker barbecued chicken

• 2 tsp. salt
• 1-1/2 tsp. paprika
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (3 to 3-1/2-lbs.) cut-up whole chicken
• 1/2 cup Coke (or other cola soft drink)
• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. bourbon 
• 1 lemon, sliced

Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder and black pepper in a small bowl. Mix well and then sprinkle over chicken pieces. Place chicken in a single layer in a lightly greased 6-qt. slow cooker. (They may over-lap just a tiny bit.)

Place Coke, ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar, and bourbon in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour mixture between chicken pieces (to avoid removing spices from chicken) and then place lemon slices in a single layer on top of chicken. Cover and cook on HIGH setting for 5 hours (or on LOW 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 hours) or until chicken reaches internal temperature of 165°F.

Transfer chicken pieces to a serving platter; discard lemon slices. Skim fat from pan juices in slow cooker. Pour pan juices over chicken; serve immediately. Yield: 6 servings.

Simply sinful tomato soup chocolate cake

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/3 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 Tbsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 (10-1/4-OUNCE) CAN CONDENSED TOMATO SOUP
• 1/4 cup warm water
• Cream cheese frosting (recipe below)

To prepare the cake: Place butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium speed electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Set aside. In another medium bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a third small bowl, combine tomato soup and water and whisk to blend.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture alternately with soup mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture, and beating just until combined after each addition. Pour batter evenly into two (8-inch) round cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes and then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely. Yield: 12-15 servings.

Spread cream cheese frosting evenly between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Note: cake can also be baked in a 13x9-inch baking pan. No adjustments for baking time are necessary.

Cream cheese frosting

• 1 pkg. (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 4 cups powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. whole milk (optional)

Place cream cheese and butter in a large bowl and with electric mixer on medium speed, beat until creamy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until smooth. Beat in vanilla. Add milk, if a thinner consistency is desired. Yield: about 2-1/2 cups.

Paula Anderson is a freelance journalist specializing in food, entertaining and nutrition. She writes for several newspapers, as well as Maine Food & Lifestyle Magazine. She divides her time between Scarborough and Big Pine Key, Fla., where she lives with her husband Peter. Correspondence can be addressed to her at the Boothbay Register, P.O. Box 357, Boothbay Harbor, ME 04538 or the Wiscasset Newspaper, P.O. Box 429, Wiscasset, ME 04578. You can also write to her directly via email at pander@maine.rr.com.