Igloo Cheeseball and Penguin Pals - cute and easy appetizer!

I don't remember where I first saw this idea (it was a few years ago), but the little penguin pals were just so cute!  They instantly won me over and I knew I had to make this cute appetizer at the first opportunity, which was a New Years Eve party at my sister's house.  They were such a hit though, I think I might make them again for Christmas this year.

*As an extra bit of fun, during the party, one of our friends "kidnapped" one of the penguins and left a ransom note.  After a lot of laughter and a house-wide search, he was found in the freezer. What a fun night that was!

Alright, to make yours, you start by spreading a little cream cheese on the plate, and I drew some "tracks" where the penguins had been skating around.  =)

Igloo:
Make your favorite cheese ball (I think I just made the recipe up....cream cheese, shredded cheddar, jalapenos...something like that - you can finds lots of ideas at Allrecipes), form it into a dome shape on a plate/platter, and carve out an opening for the "door".

Soften some cream cheese and spread a layer over the cheese ball.  Use a toothpick or knife to draw the "ice blocks" in the cream cheese.  Then roll a "rope" out of cream cheese, shape it into a U, and press into the ball over the doorway.


Penguins:
Each "Penguin Pal" will need a toothpick, 2 black olives (one jumbo, one small), a slice of carrot, and a bit of cream cheese.

• Feet: Cut a "V" into the slice of carrot to make his little feet, and stick the toothpick into the carrot to create the penguins' base.
• Body: Slice a jumbo olive lengthwise and stuff with cream cheese, then slide onto the toothpick.
• Head: Cut a little slit in a small olive and give him a tiny carrot wedge for his mouth, then place it on top of the body.

*You could even dress him up with a little pimento scarf if you want. I tried giving one of them a little beret with a cap of olive, but didn't totally love how it turned out.

Serve them up with some crackers and enjoy your fun little friends!  If you make these I would LOVE to see how they turn out!

{how cute are these guys in their Winter Wonderland??}