Recipes
Mini-Turkey Cheese Balls
36 servings
50 minutes total (Active 20 minutes)
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Ingredients
- For cheese balls:
- 8 oz cream (or mascarpone) cheese
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 package cooked bacon pieces (2.8–3 oz)
- 4 oz Deli garlic-herb goat cheese
- 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- For turkeys:
- 18 pretzel sticks (about 1 cup)
- ½ cup golden raisins
- 36 round butter crackers
- 4 oz sliced almonds
Steps
- Place cream cheese in large bowl to soften. Chop pecans finely. Preheat small, nonstick sauté pan on medium 2–3 minutes. Place bacon in pan and cook 1–2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp. Add pecans; cook and stir 1 more minute, then remove from pan and let stand to cool.
- Add goat cheese to cream cheese; beat with electric mixer until combined. Stir in bacon, pecans, cheddar cheese, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper until blended. Scoop (or form) mixture into 36 (½-inch) balls and arrange on baking sheet. Chill 30 minutes or until firm.
- Meanwhile, break pretzel sticks in half. Press/pinch 2 raisins around 1 end of each pretzel stick for neck and head of turkey.
- Place cheese balls on crackers and arrange on platter. Press pretzel stick into 1 side of each cheese ball. Arrange about 6 sliced almonds on opposite side for tail. Serve.
Amount per 1⁄36 recipe serving: Calories 100, Total Fat 7g, Sat Fat 2.5g, Trans Fat 0g, Chol 15mg, Sodium 170mg, Total Carb 6g, Fiber 1g, Sugars 2g, Protein 4g, Calc 4%, Vitamin A 0%, Vitamin C 0%, Iron 0%