Perky Olive Penguins

Submitted by IAteMyGluestick

"These tuxedo-clad tidbits are actually ripe olives stuffed with a mildly seasoned cream cheese filling."

 

• Ready In: 10mins
• Ingredients: 11
• Yields: 12 penguins

ingredients

• 1 (5 3/4 ounce) can jumbo pitted ripe olives, drained
• 1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1⁄2 teaspoon dried onion flakes
• 1⁄4 teaspoon prepared horseradish
• 1⁄8 teaspoon salt
• 1 dash pepper
• 1 dash garlic powder
• 1 medium carrot, cut into 1/4 inch slices
• 12 small pitted ripe olives
• 12 toothpicks, with cellophane frilled tops
• 1 (2 ounce) jar sliced pimientos

directions

1. Cut a slit from the top to the bottom of 12 jumbo olives; set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the next six ingredients; mix well.
3. Fill a small heavy-duty plastic bag with cream cheese mixture.
4. Cut a small hole in the corner of the plastic bag; carefully pipe mixture into jumbo olives.
5. Set aside.
6. Cut a small triangle out of each carrot slice; press triangles into small olives for a beak.
7. On each notched carrot slice, position a jumbo olive so the white chest is lined up with the notch for the feet.
8. Place the small olive, hole side down, over the jumbo olive so the beak, chest and feet are aligned.
9. Carefully insert a toothpick through the top of the head into the body and carrot base.
10. Wrap a pimento around the neck for a scarf.

Reviews

[Foofoo Sullivan]

These came out so cute that everyone said they felt bad eating them. To speed up and ease prep time I used flavored onion/chive cream cheese instead of taking the time to mix filling ingredients. I also cut very thin strips of roasted red pepper to ad little scarves. Tip= allow cream cheese to become very soft before piping, it will be cleaner and easier but once filled, refridgerate filled olives prior to assemble to firm up cream cheese. This will make assembly much easier. Pat roasted pepper strips dry w/ paper towel for easier handling.

 

[LILLIANCOOKS]

I've made these a few times and they are always a big hit with guests! I used a little dry ranch dressing mix, that I added to the cream cheese instead of the onion and horseradish. These are so much fun to make and eat! I added my photo to the collection! =)

 

[Kit Kat Bar]

How Adorable! I'm going to make these everytime there's a party! They looked so cute and impeccable in their little scarves! Thanks for the recipe, GlueStick! p.s.-Like The NicName...:)

 

[Marilla R]

Fantastic! My husband loves olives, so I thought I'd surprise him with an army of penguins marching out of the fridge! I too used strips of roasted red peppers as scarves - and added a red pepper with a small dollop of cream cheese on the top to make a santa hat. Very novel appetizer!

 

[Patricia D.]

I gave it 4 stars for adorableness. But it took Forever, so plan on that. 1. I used a peeler to make a strip of carrot and then cut triangles of it, for the beaks. Try to make good triangles or it will look like a tongue. 2. I cut bigger red pepper triangles for the hats. 3. I cut not just slits but rectangles out of the larger olives to stuff the cream cheese in, but try not to cut through the top and bottom. or they can get crushed more easily when you put them on the toothpicks. 4. I did cut a slit below midway on the little olive to put the beak in. 5. I cut the feet and poked a hole where the toothpick would go (close to the front for balance) so I didn't have to press on the top too hard later. 6. I pushed the hat onto the toothpick, placed the head on, then the body, careful not to squash it when you press it together, then into the hole in the feet. Voila, 2 hours later I had 20 penguins! Well.... maybe an hour and a half, I lost track of time, but forget 10 minutes.