Turkey Cheese Ball Thanksgiving Appetizer Recipes

TURKEY CHEESE BALL FOR THANKSGIVING

Steps:

• Mix cream cheese, Cheddar cheese, and dressing mix together in a large bowl. Form into a large ball. Roll in chopped pecans to coat surface. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
• Arrange a row of whole-wheat crackers in the back of the cheese ball for the turkey tail feathers. Stick pecans evenly into the cheese ball for the body.
• Cut out 2 strips of red bell pepper for the head and neck. Cut out 2 "eyes" from the black olive using a small pastry tip. Place 2 small dollops of cream cheese on one of the 2 bell pepper strips for the turkey head and stick the black olive circles into it as pupils. Cut a small triangular slice out of the yellow zucchini for the turkey beak and stick to the red pepper with cream cheese. Stick the undecorated red bell pepper strip on the front of the cheese ball. Stick the red bell pepper stick with the face into the top of the cheese ball for the head.

THANKSGIVING TURKEY CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• Make both cans of French bread as directed on cans. Cool completely on cooling rack. Reserve 1 teaspoon cream cheese; cover and refrigerate for later.
• In large bowl, mix remaining cream cheese, the shredded cheese, bacon and green onions. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 1 to 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until mixed well. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until mixture is firm enough to shape into ball.
• Meanwhile, in 8-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add bread crumbs; cook 3 to 4 minutes, stirring frequently, until golden brown. Spread onto large piece of waxed paper; cool completely.
• Shape cheese mixture into large ball. Roll in toasted bread crumbs; place on serving plate. Discard any remaining crumbs.
• Using photo as guide, decorate turkey cheese ball. Cut head and three feathers from red bell pepper. Cut 2 feet, 2 feathers and small beak from yellow bell pepper. Attach candy eyeballs and beak to head using reserved cream cheese to secure, and carefully insert head into cheese ball. Carefully insert feet and 3 rows of feathers and pretzels into cheese ball to look like a turkey. Cut each French loaf into 12 slices. Serve cheese ball immediately with sliced bread and leftover bell pepper, or loosely cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

TURKEY CHEESE BALL

Steps:

• In a small bowl, beat the first six ingredients until combined. Shape into a ball; wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm. , In another small bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Divide among four small bowls. With food coloring, tint one bowl brown, one dark orange and one light orange (using yellow and orange); leave one bowl plain. , Transfer each mixture to a heavy-duty resealable plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner of each bag. , For turkey tail feathers, decorate the top halves of large oval crackers with tinted cream cheese. , Using the red pepper, form the turkey head, neck and wattle. For beak, cut a small triangle from summer squash; attach with cream cheese. Add eyes, using brown and plain cream cheese. Insert pecan halves and decorated crackers into cheese ball. Serve with assorted crackers.