3 – 8 oz packages cream cheese, at room temperature
•
4 cups Italian blend shredded cheese
•
3 teaspoons almond basil pesto, recipe follows
•
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
•
Almond Basil Pesto
•
A handful of fresh basil
•
1/2 cup sliced almonds
•
1 clove garlic
•
2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
•
salt and pepper
•
Decoration
•
nose – carrot
•
eyes and buttons – raisins
•
crown – rosemary, or you could do a hat with stacked crackers
•
arms – asparagus, green onions or pretzels
•
on crown – cranberries
•
scarf – green onion (I used 2 pieces attached in the back with toothpicks and held on with a cocktail toothpick in the front), carrot or radish shaving
•
mouth – red pepper or currants
•
optional – add a corn pipe, a chunk of baby corn on the end of a toothpick