Mozzarella Snowman

Makes 36 Snowmen

Easy

Advance prep:  Morning of party, store in an air tight container.

Last-minute prep:  None.

 

Ingredients:

• 2 pound block of fresh mozzarella
• 1 jar of roasted red peppers, sliced into thin strips
  
• 36 large black olives, pitted
  
• 18 small black olives, pitted
  

Steps to prepare:

1. Cut a 1/8 inch slice from the widest part of each large black olive to create the brim of his top hat.
2. Cut each small black olive in half to create the top part of his top hat.
   
3. Use the melon baller to scoop 36 medium and 36 small mozzarella balls with flat bottoms. 
   
4. Put the medium-sized mozzarella ball flat side down.
   
5. Loop a roasted red pepper strip to look like the AIDS awareness ribbon.
   
6. Push a toothpick through both strips where it crosses itself, then push the toothpick straight down the center of the medium mozzarella ball.
   
7. Push the center of the flat side of the small mozzarella ball down onto the red pepper strip.
8. Put the large slice of the black olive over the toothpick, followed by the small black olive half, end first.
   

Note: You may also want to marinate the mozzarella balls before assembling to add more flavor.

Snowman Face Canapés

• ½ pound smoked salmon, sliced thin
• 8 slices pumpernickel bread
• Cream cheese, room temperature
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Lemon zest
  
• Black olives
• 1 carrot or several baby carrots
  
• Pimentos
  

Steps to prepare:

1. Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out round bite-size (1 3/4" - 2") shapes in the bread and salmon.  A selection of biscuit/cookie cutters are available at hobby stores.
2. Place the salmon over the round bread bases.
   
3. Sprinkle with lemon juice and lemon zest.
   
4. Using a pastry bag pipe cream cheese to cover salmon.
5. Cut and place 2 pieces of black olives in the shapes of irregular squares or polygons to make the snowman's coal eyes.
6. Cut and place 5 pieces of black olives to make the snowman's mouth.
   
7. Cut a piece of carrot to a point on one end to look like a small carrot for the nose and put in the center of the canape.
8. Place a pimento on the bottom edge of the snowman's face to resemble the scarf.