Edible Thanksgiving table decorations!

CHICOPEE, Mass. (Mass Appeal) - Thanksgiving is just a few days away, but how will you decorate your table?

Elizabeth Corbett, the Party Hostess Diva , showed us how to make make some fun and edible table decorations, turkey cookie pops and a pinecone cheese ball!

Turkey Cookie Pops

Ingredients:

• 12 cream filled vanilla cookies such as vanilla Oreo’s
• 12 Nutter Butter bite size cookies
• 12 lollipop sticks
• 1 bag of candy corn
• 24 small (approx. 3/8 in.) candy eyeballs (found in cupcake decorations isle at craft store)
• 1 tube of pre-made red icing (not gel)
• 12 pre-cut  lengths of ribbon to match (approx. 6-8 in. each)

Assembly Directions:

1. Place one vanilla Oreo cookie on a flat surface. Gently insert a lollipop stick into the cream between the pieces until will stay in place. Press gently to adhere.
2. At the opposite side of the cookie, insert individual pieces of candy corn, pointed side in first, to resemble tail feathers.
3. Carefully separate one side from a bite size nutter butter cookie, so that all or most of the cream is on one side. Use this piece, and cream side down, press gently but firmly to middle of vanilla Oreo.
4. Make sure the lollipop stick is facing down and onto the nutter butter cookie, press two candy eyes with a tiny dab of red icing underneath to glue it in place. The red should not show.
5. Underneath the eyes, in the beak area, make a small oval horizontal shape with red icing, and press part of one candy corn (the smallest tip and part of the middle),onto the right side of the red icing. The red will show on the left side, making the turkey’s “wattle”. Make sure the tip is pointing down for the beak.
6. Repeat with the remaining 11. Let the cookies set on a flat surface so everything stays in place. When they are ready, carefully tie the ribbon around the stick into a bow, and push toward the cookie.
7. You may use these as place markers, and to do so, write the guests names on each card first, then punch two single holes at middle of top and bottom and insert onto lollipop stick. Lay the cookie on top of the folded napkin to mark the places.

Pinecone Cheeseball

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 cup whole almonds
• 1 Package cream cheese (8 oz.), softened
• 1/2 Cup mayonnaise
• 5 bacon slices - crisply cooked and crumbled
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Spread almonds in a single layer in a shallow pan. Bake at 300 degrees (F.) for 15 minutes, stirring often, until almonds just begin to turn color.
2. Combine cream cheese and mayonnaise, mixing well. Add the bacon, onion, dill and pepper. Mix well. Cover and chill overnight.
3. Form mixture into shapes of two pinecones on a serving platter. Beginning at the narrow edge (or point), arrange almonds at a slight angle into the cheese mixture, pressing gently in rows. Continue overlapping the rows until all the cheese is covered.
4. Garnish with fresh sprigs of rosemary. Serve with crackers or toasted baguette slices. Makes 1 ½ cups