# What You'll Need:
→ Cheese Spread
01 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
02 - ½ cup sour cream
03 - 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
04 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
05 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
06 - ¼ teaspoon paprika
07 - ½ teaspoon dried chives
08 - Salt to taste
→ Decorations
09 - 12 to 16 mini sweet bell peppers (red, yellow, orange, green)
10 - ½ cup grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
11 - ½ cucumber, thinly sliced
12 - Fresh parsley or dill sprigs
13 - Black olives, sliced
14 - 1 bunch fresh chives or green onions
→ To Serve
15 - Gluten-free crackers or baguette slices
16 - Assorted vegetable dippers such as carrot sticks and celery
# Cooking Steps:
01 - In a medium mixing bowl, blend cream cheese, sour cream, shredded cheddar, minced garlic, black pepper, paprika, dried chives, and salt until smooth and creamy.
02 - Evenly spread the cheese mixture onto a large serving platter in a wide oval or rectangular shape, resembling a string of holiday lights.
03 - Place fresh chives or green onion strips across the spread in a looping, winding pattern to mimic the string connecting the lights.
04 - Slice mini bell peppers lengthwise and deseed them. Arrange pepper halves, tomato halves, cucumber slices, and olives along the chive wiring to simulate Christmas bulbs. Top each bulb with a small olive slice to represent the socket.
05 - Decorate with fresh parsley or dill sprigs for added festive appeal. Serve immediately alongside gluten-free crackers and vegetable dippers.
