Pineapple Turkey with Fruit Dip

Need a quick, easy, and edible table decoration? This Pineapple Turkey with Pineapple Fruit Dip is both festive and delicious for Thanksgiving, and the head and wings can easily be modified to look like various birds for other events and holidays.

Make the Turkey (or bird):

Turn a raw pineapple on its end, and carefully cut a section of the side off, leaving the leafy part to become the turkey's tail. Cut the slice that you removed into small triangles with rind attached. Use toothpicks to secure a triangle to each side, forming wings. (See wing note, below).

Use a paring knife to cut out chunks of pineapple from the turkey, creating a bowl shape. Be careful not to cut through the rind. Save the pineapple chunks.

Use the photo below to sketch a profile of a turkey head on stiff cardboard. Note: Each block = 1 inch

Cut out the head, and cover both sides with Contact Paper. Cut a small slit in the pineapple, and slide the head in. 

Eyes, etc., can be added from colored tape
or with a permanent pen.

Prepare Pineapple Fruit Dip:

Combine:

1 small jar of Marshmallow cream - and - 

1 - 8 oz. Light Cream cheese (softened) 

Add:

1/2 of an 8 oz. Cool Whip Lite; mix well. 

Chop: 

some of the chunks of fresh pineapple and add to the dip along with about 1 teaspoon of Pineapple Juice.

Add: 

the Pineapple Fruit Dip to the "bowl" area of the Pineapple Turkey.

Add the fruit:

Open a can of Pineapple chunks in juice. Drain and reserve the juice. Fresh fruit can be dipped in the juice to preserve the color. Arrange dipped fresh fruit, canned, and/or frozen fruit around the Pineapple Turkey (or bird). 

Enjoy!!

Additional fruit can be  served on a platter.

Tip: If you do not have a pedestal to display your Pineapple Turkey, turn a bowl upside down on a plate or platter to create a decorative pedestal!

Ms. Nancy's Notes: 

• Wings can also be made from paper and other items. Use your imagination!
• The following wings were made from a 9x12 sheet of construction paper which was folded into a fan shape. One end of the fan was stapled, and the paper was trimmed from one side starting 3" wide and tapering to a point. Repeat on the other side, reversing direction of the cut. These wings can easily be attached with straight pins.

Tip: Be careful that the straight pins do not protrude into the "bowl".

Completed wing

Let the festivities begin!!

Bon appetit!