Penguin Veggie Platter

Name: Penguin Veggie Platter
Prep time: 40 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 1 penguin (2 cups dip), 16 servings, 2 tablespoons dip.
Ingredients: 1 large sweet red pepper; 1 cup sour cream; 1 cup mayonnaise; 1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix; 1/4 cup chopped green pepper; 1 medium eggplant; 1 medium sweet yellow pepper; 3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese; 2 raisins; Broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and carrots or vegetables of your choice

An eye-catching eggplant penguin is sure to encourage guests to sample the colorful appetizer. The dapper fellow watches over a platter of fresh vegetables and a creamy dip flecked with crunchy bits of green and sweet red pepper.

Ingredients

1 large sweet red pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 medium eggplant
1 medium sweet yellow pepper
3 tablespoons whipped cream cheese
2 raisins
Broccoli florets, cherry tomatoes, sliced cucumbers and carrots or vegetables of your choice

Directions

Chop a fourth of the red pepper; set aside. Cut a piece of red pepper into a bow tie shape; slice remaining pepper and set aside. In a bowl, combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, salad dressing mix and chopped red and green peppers; mix well. Refrigerate until serving.
Cut a thin slice off the bottom of the eggplant to make a flat surface. Cut the removed section into two slices for flippers. Break a wooden toothpick in half; press one piece into each side of whole eggplant and gently press flippers onto toothpicks.
Cut yellow pepper in half; cut one piece into two feet. Place at base of eggplant. From remaining yellow pepper, cut out a 1x3/4-in. triangle for beak; attach to eggplant with a toothpick.
Place cream cheese in a pastry or plastic bag; cut a small hole in a corner. Pipe two 1-in. ovals for eyes and a 2-1/2-in. 2-1/4-in. oval for belly. Press a raisin into the center of each eye. Attach red pepper bow tie below the beak with a toothpick; pipe a small amount of cream cheese in the center of the tie.
Arrange sliced red pepper and other vegetables around the penguin. Serve with dip.

Originally published as Penguin Veggie Platter in Quick Cooking November/December 2001

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keynibear

Oct 27, 2009

I have amde the several times for Holiday dinners or work luncheons. It's always gotten lots of compliments, and it attracts the kids to the veggies. I also took a red bell pepper and used it as a cup in which to serve the dip from.