Southport Magazine

Quick and easy holiday treats to impress
Having guests this season? Thanks to Betty Crocker, I found some super simple recipes with a beautiful presentation, enough to impress the most discerning holiday guest.

Turkey Waldorf Bites

Ingredients
1/3 cup chopped pecans
2 packages (1.9 oz each) frozen mini fillo shells (30 shells)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
2 teaspoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2/3 cup chopped cooked turkey
1/2 cup finely chopped apple SAVE $
1/3 cup finely chopped sweet onion
1/3 cup finely chopped celery
1/3 cup chopped sweetened dried cranberries
Additional fresh tarragon leaves or celery leaves, if desired
Instructions:
Heat oven to 375°F. Spread pecans in un-greased shallow pan. Bake uncovered 5 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until light brown.
On ungreased cookie sheet, place fillo shells. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Meanwhile, in medium bowl, mix mayonnaise, orange juice, chopped tarragon, salt and pepper. Stir in turkey, apple, onion, celery, cranberries and toasted pecans. Divide mixture evenly among shells. Garnish with additional tarragon.

Tree-shaped Cheese Ball

Ingredients

3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese (16 ounces)
2 tablespoons basil pesto
1 tablespoon grated onion SAVE $
1/4 teaspoon yellow mustard
Red pepper sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley or cilantro
1/4 cup pine nuts or sliced almonds
2 tablespoons chopped red bell pepper
Piece of lemon peel, if desired
Assorted crackers, if desired

Instructions:
Stir together cream cheese and Cheddar cheese; divide in half. Stir pesto into 1 half; stir onion, mustard and 2 or 3 drops pepper sauce into other half. Cover each half; refrigerate about 4 hours or until firm enough to shape.

Place cheese mixtures on cookie sheet. Shape each half into cone shape to look like a pine tree.

If desired, wrap each tree, label and freeze up to 1 month. Twelve hours before serving, remove trees from freezer. Thaw in wrapper in refrigerator.

Just before serving, roll trees in parsley, pressing it evenly onto trees. Press pine nuts onto trees in string form for garland. Press bell pepper pieces onto trees for ornaments. Top each tree with star shape cut from lemon peel. Serve with crackers.