Holiday Cheese Trees
Yield: 6-8 servings (2 trees)
Holiday Cheese Trees
Ingredients:
3 pkg. (8-oz. each) cream cheese, softened
4 c. cheddar cheese, shredded
2 Tbsp. basil pesto
1 Tbsp. onion, grated
¼ tsp. yellow mustard
Red pepper sauce
¼ c. parsley, finely chopped
¼ c. sliced almonds or pine nuts
2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, diced small
Piece of lemon peel, cut in star shape
Preparation:
In large bowl, 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 and freeze up to a month. 12 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 almonds or pine nuts onto trees to look like garland. Press bell pepper bits onto trees for ornaments. Top each tree with lemon peel star. Serve with assorted crackers.
