In Part 1 & part 2 of my last mytake series, we talked about Christmas treats of all different types. I am here with part 3 since parts 1 and 2 proved to be popular. This time around I added a few personal favorites of mine plus Christmas themed appetizers for those of you who do not like the sweet side of Christmas or who need a break from the sweetness.
Cream Cheese Penguins
18 jumbo black olives, pitted
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
18 small black olives
1 carrot
Cut a slit from top to bottom, lengthwise, into the side of each jumbo olive. Carefully insert about 1 teaspoon of cream cheese into each olive. Slice the carrot into eighteen 1/4 inch thick rounds; cut a small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Save the cut out piece and press into center of small olive to form the beak. If necessary cut a small slit into each olive before inserting the beak.
Set a big olive, large hole side down, onto a carrot slice. Then, set a small olive onto the large olive, adjusting so that the beak, cream cheese chest and notch in the carrot slice line up. Secure with a toothpick.
Christmas Dip
1 (6 ounce) package dried cranberries
1 cup chopped pistachio nuts
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 ounces crumbled blue cheese
4 ounces Brie cheese, rind remove
Reserve 1 tablespoon of dried cranberries and pistachios for garnish. Combine remaining dried cranberries and pistachio nuts in a small bowl. Line a small round mixing bowl with plastic wrap.
Beat together cream cheese, butter, blue cheese, and Brie in a bowl until smooth. Spread 1/3 of cheese mixture evenly in the bottom of the plastic wrap-lined bowl. Layer 1/3 of the cranberry-nut mixture over the cheese. Layer cheese mixture with berry-nut mixture twice more, ending with a layer of cranberry-pistachio mixture.
Cover the bowl with more wrap, pressing the wrap down onto the spread to compress it. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. To serve, take plastic wrap off the top of the bowl and turn the layered dip out onto a serving dish. Remove remaining plastic wrap, and sprinkle reserved cranberries and pistachios around the spread to garnish.
Special tip: Serve with crisp Moravian-style spice cookies or gingersnaps for a spicy contrast of flavors. The sweetness of the cookies versus the flavor of the dip will be quite a combination of flavors!
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
In a medium bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth. Mix in confectioners' sugar, brown sugar and vanilla. Stir in chocolate chips. Cover, and chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
Shape chilled cream cheese mixture into a ball. Wrap with plastic, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
Roll the cheese ball in finely chopped pecans before serving
Sausage Cheese Balls 
2 pounds pork sausage
1 1/2 cups buttermilk baking mix
16 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
Combine the sausage, baking mix, cheddar cheese, onion, celery and garlic powder. Mix well and form into 1 inch balls.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Tips: Aluminum foil can be used to keep food moist, cook it evenly, and make clean-up easier.
Cocktail Meatballs
1 pound lean ground beef
1 egg
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup bread crumbs
3 tablespoons minced onion
1 (8 ounce) can jellied cranberry sauce
3/4 cup chili sauce
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
Prep
20 m
Cook
1 h 25 m
Ready In
1 h 45 m
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, water, bread crumbs, and minced onion. Roll into small meatballs.
Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes, turning once.
In a slow cooker or large saucepan over low heat, blend the cranberry sauce, chili sauce, brown sugar, and lemon juice. Add meatballs, and simmer for 1 hour before serving.
German Roasted Nuts
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 cups cashews
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
Combine honey, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a small saucepan; bring to boil. Cook and stir until butter is melted, about 2 minutes.
Place cashews in a large bowl; pour honey mixture over cashews. Stir to thoroughly coat. Spread coated cashews on the prepared baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven until cashews are glazed and very lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool cashews for about 20 minutes; transfer to a bowl.
Mix sugar and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl; sprinkle over cashews. Stir to coat evenly.
Feta Cheese Foldovers 
3 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion
8 ounces feta cheese
1 egg
1 (17.5 ounce) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
In a small bowl, beat egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water.
Crumble cheese, and blend with green onions and egg.
Cut pastry into twelve 3 inch squares. Place a mounded tablespoon of filling in the center of each square. Moisten edges with water, and fold pastry over filling to form a triangle. Press edges together firmly with a fork to seal. Brush tops lightly with egg mixture. Cover, and chill until ready to bake.
Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees) for 20 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm, or at room temperature.
Grinch Kabobs 
24 green grapes
1 large banana, cut into 24 slices, or as needed
24 hulled strawberries, tips removed
24 miniature marshmallows
24 toothpicks
Thread 1 grape, 1 banana slice, 1 strawberry (narrow end facing up), and 1 marshmallow onto 1 toothpick to resemble the Grinch's head in his red hat. Repeat with remaining grapes, banana slices, strawberries, and marshmallows.
Polish Pickles
1 (32 ounce) jar dill pickle spears, drained
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 (2.5 ounce) packages thin-sliced beef luncheon meat
Dry excess moisture off of pickles.
Spread cream cheese, about 1/4 inch thick, on two slices of lunch meat. Wrap meat around a pickle. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
Chill and slice into rounds.
Spicy Ham & Cheese Squares
olive oil cooking spray
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
1/4 pound deli ham
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni
1/4 pound sliced salami
1/4 pound Swiss cheese
1/4 pound provolone cheese
3 eggs, beaten
1 (8 ounce) package refrigerated crescent rolls
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
Press 1 package crescent rolls into prepared baking dish, pushing seams together.
Layer ham, pepperoni, salami, Swiss cheese, and provolone cheese atop crescent rolls.
Pour beaten eggs over meat and cheese layers, reserving about 1 tablespoon egg.
Layer the second package of crescent rolls atop meat and cheese filling; brush with reserved egg.
Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is melted and crescent rolls are browned.
Cut into squares and serve.
Reindeer Mix ( Christmas Crack) 
1 (20 ounce) package miniature pretzels
1 (17.5 ounce) package crispy corn cereal squares (such as Corn Chex®)
1 (16 ounce) jar salted dry-roasted peanuts
1 (14 ounce) package candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as M&M's®)
24 ounces white chocolate, chopped
Cover a large area of counter space with waxed paper and tape it down.
Mix pretzels, corn cereal squares, peanuts, and candy-coated milk chocolate pieces together in a large bowl.
Melt white chocolate in the top of a double boiler over simmering water, stirring frequently and scraping down the sides with a rubber spatula to avoid scorching. Pour melted white chocolate over pretzel mixture; stir to evenly coat. Quickly transfer mixture to the prepared waxed paper and spread in a thin layer; cool completely. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.
Part 3 is complete! I enjoyed going a less traditional route than usual here. These ideas are somewhat new to me as well. Tell me what you think everyone! This goes out to all my usual food mytake crowd: @Ashely_Princess @vishna @Ginnyweasley97 @justbanannaz @Phoenix98 @BrieLove @Prof_Don
@EmpatheticLady and @CHARismatic110! Happy Holidays everyone!
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