Chocolate Reindeer Cookie

Here you are searching for Thanksgiving dinner ideas. Have you included Thanksgiving appetizers? While the real bird is roasting and you are finishing up the other Thanksgiving dinner recipes you’ll be serving, present your guests with Thanksgiving appetizers to hold them over. You don’t need to serve a lot of appetizers, just a few delicious ones are all you’ll need such as the clam, artichoke spinach, and simple spinach dip recipes below. I’ve found that it’s worth the extra effort to include appetizers with your traditional Thanksgiving dinner recipes even though you’ll be serving a lot of food…just in case dinner takes longer than you anticipated. It can be torturous for your guests to be surrounded by mouth-watering aromas and not being able to eat anything.

This Thanksgiving appetizer recipe creates a whimsical Thanksgiving themed turkey-shaped bowl to hold your favorite dip and is a recipe that the children can help put together. The tail can be made using the children’s handprints or craft store feathers to simplify it. The Thanksgiving turkey-shaped bread bowl is made out of bread and vegetables and is the perfect vessel to serve a delicious clam dip, hot artichoke spinach, or spinach dip (see below for 3 dip recipes).

THANKSGIVING APPETIZERS – INGREDIENTS

TURKEY-SHAPED BREAD BOWL

• 2 round bread loaves
• 1 round bread loaf
• 1 oval French roll
• 2 carrots
• 1 red pepper
• 2 raisins
• 1 zucchini
• 1 summer squash
• Skewers and toothpicks

CLAM DIP

• 1 16-oz. container sour cream
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 6.5-oz. can minced clams, drained
• 1 bunch scallions, chopped (optional)
• 1/2 red bell pepper, finely chopped (optional)
• Crackers or vegetables for dipping

HOT ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Romano cheese
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

SIMPLE SPINACH DIP

• 1 package Knorr vegetable soup mix
• 16 ounces sour cream
• 1 box frozen spinach, thawed

THANKSGIVING APPETIZERS – INSTRUCTIONS

TURKEY-SHAPED BREAD BOWL

1. Cut the top off the round loaf and then slice the resulting oval in half (these halves will become the bird’s wings).  Use toothpicks to attach a half to each side. Then hollow out the center for dip.
2. To make the head, cut an X in the roll and insert a carrot tip for the nose.
3. To make the wattle, cut red pepper to hang around the carrot nose.
4. Use toothpicks to attach the head and raisin eyes.
5. To make the “feathers,” slice the zucchini, summer squash, and remaining carrot lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick slabs.  (see Tips below)
6. Push bamboo skewers through the middle of these slabs. To make them look feathery, use a small knife to cut jagged edges and carve lines on the surface.
7. Stick the “feathers” into the turkey’s tail.

Serves 10 to 12.

CLAM DIP

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and seasonings.
2. Open and drain the minced clams and mix into the sour cream.
3. Add the scallions and red pepper, if desired, for more color and for a chunkier texture.
4. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Makes 3 cups.

HOT ARTICHOKE SPINACH DIP

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a small baking dish.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together cream cheese, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, Romano cheese, garlic, basil, garlic salt, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
3. Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish.
4. Top with mozzarella cheese. Bake in the preheated oven 25 minutes, until bubbly and lightly browned.

SIMPLE SPINACH DIP

1. In a large bowl combine soup mix and sour cream.
2. Strain excess water from spinach and add to dip mixture. Stir to combine.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
4. Slice a circle around top of bread and remove inside and cut into bite sized pieces.

Finishing Up:

• Fill hole with spinach dip.

• Cut other bread loaf into cubes and serve with dip.

Tips for these Thanksgiving appetizer recipes:

• To add to the festive holiday theme, place the turkey-shaped bread bowl on top of some artificial fall leaves.

• To simplify creating the turkey-shaped bread bowl, use feathers purchased from a craft store for the tail – or children’s handprints painted different colors – attached to the back end of the Thanksgiving turkey-shaped bread bowl.

Nana’s Comment

The recipe for the Thanksgiving turkey-shaped bread bowl recipe was given to me by my daughter. I was also able to find the bread bowl on Disney’s FamilyFun.com. FamilyFun.com allows me to use their content.

Happy Thanksgiving!