No-Turkey Turkey Sandwiches

Some people have their Thanksgiving dinners at noon and others have them in the evening. If youre one of the latter your kids are probably starving! Okay, maybe not starving but definitely ready to eat! Its going to be a while before the real meal so make them a snack to tide them over until then. Make no-turkey turkey sandwiches and growling stomachs will hang in there just a little bit longer! Pumpernickel bread is ideal for making the turkey-shaped sandwiches because of its color. Purchase the cocktail pumpernickel, if possible, for its smaller size. If you using regular size pumpernickel remove the crust and leave the slice with a square shape. Or, use a large glass or other object to make a circular indentation on the bread. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out the circles. The square or round shapes are used to make the body of the turkey.

No matter how youve shaped your bread, spread one piece with vegetable cream cheese, then cover it with the other bread shape. If youre doing round turkeys set them on a platter or tray. If youre making square turkeys, turn the square so it becomes a diamond shape instead, then arrange as many as you want on the tray.

With one point of each square facing you, or the round breads facing you, add a head to the turkey. To do this, cut circles from additional pumpernickel slices. These circles should be much smaller than the bodies of the turkeys. Set this circle towards the bottom of circlular turkeys or in the bottom corner of square turkeys. Secure the small circle by adding a little cream cheese to the backside of it. Make one type of turkey by separating the two bread pieces and sliding in parsley sprigs. Place them along one side, up to the top point, then down to the opposite side. If making circular turkeys slide in parsley "feathers" around two-thirds of the circle. Make a different flavor by adding strips of pepperoni alternated with thin strips of cheese. Trap the ends of these pepperoni and cheese pieces between the two edges of the bread. Add a dab of cream cheese to peas and stick them to the small circle to create the eyes. A beak can be made by using an almond sliver or even a cashew. Create the waddle for the birds face by using a piece of pepper. The cute little sandwiches are great for kids and adults alike, and with these as the snack, hungry guests and family members will be happy to wait just a little longer on the real turkey!