More Fun Christmas Food Ideas!

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Add an unexpected detail of festivity to your Christmas fare. Other cheese trays cannot compare!
Hot Dog Stocking Appetizers

Ingredients

• Hot Dogs, Cooked
• Cream Cheese, Room Temperature
• Diced Red Bell Pepper
• Parsely
• Appetizer Picks

Instructions

1. Cut the hot dog as shown in the diagram.
2. Insert the long toothpick into the hot dog, making sure to pierce both cuts of the hot dog.
3. Place the cream cheese into a Ziploc® plastic bag, making sure the bag is securely closed. Cut a small hole in one tip of the plastic bag. Decorate the top of the hot dog with the cream cheese to form the stocking cuff.
4. Place a sprig of parsely and a diced piece of red bell pepper on the cream cheese cuff for a festive holly garnish.

Easy one to make - just use store-bought doughnuts, gel icing, and candy to "decorate".

 

Candy Cane Cheese Spread

Even if you don't have a sweet tooth, you will still love this candy cane cheese spread. Beat 2 packages (8 oz. each) of cream cheese and 1/2 stick of softened butter in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Add 2 tablespoons of chives, 2 tablespoons of parsley flakes, 1 teaspoon garlic pepper with red bell and black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon of dill weed, and 1/4 teaspoon of thyme. Beat well. Spoon cheese mixture onto plastic wrap and form into candy cane shape, then fold plastic wrap over and refrigerate at least four hours. At time of the party, garnish with chopped red peppers and serve with assorted crackers.

This appetizer wreath was easy to make ahead.   This recipe will make 28 or more servings.

3 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons dill weed
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
1 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3/4 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper ~ Reserve enough of the red pepper to create a bow for the wreath. I made the bow first and diced the remaining pepper for the wreath.


I’m guessing on the amount of broccoli, celery and diced red pepper. I just diced and sprinkled it on until it looked full enough.
Remove crescent dough from packaging, but do not unroll it. Cut each tube into ten [rather than eight] slices. Arrange in a circle on an ungreased 16-in. pizza pan. I lined my pan with parchment paper. Arrange the remaining crescent rolls in a smaller circle just inside the first one.
Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a serving platter; cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sour cream, dill, garlic powder, dry onion, Worcestershire sauce and salt until smooth. Spread a little under the wreath to keep it from sliding off the platter. Spread mixture over the wreath; top with broccoli, celery and sweet red pepper. Create a bow with sweet red pepper to garnish the wreath. If I had had some cherry tomatoes handy, I would have dotted some of those on the wreath, as well.
Slice into 28 or more servings.