Turkey Cheeseball

In a large bowl, combine sour cream with softened cream cheese. You may need to use a mixer if your cream cheese isn’t softened completely.

Add ranch seasoning, red pepper flakes, and garlic powder to the cream cheese mixture and mix well.

Combine cheddar cheese and 1/3 cup bacon crumbles with the mixture until very well mixed.

Remove 3 tablespoons from the mixture and set aside. Lay out a large sheet of plastic wrap and place the remaining cheese ball mixture in the center. Wrap the cheeseball mixture by pulling the corners of the plastic wrap together and forming a ball. You can better shape the ball through the plastic wrap.

Repeat step 4 with the 3 tablespoons of cheeseball mixture that you set aside, this will be the turkeys head.

Refrigerate your cheeseballs for at least 4 hours or overnight.

Unwrap your cheeseballs, they should be chilled and solid holding a ball shape.

To form the turkey's head, place a pretzel rod about ½ inch into the small cheeseball, add the cheddar cheese block corner as the beak, and add candy eyes. Place the other end of the pretzel rod into the front top of the large cheeseball. It should go far into the cheeseball to help hold the weight of the head.

To form the turkey tail, place large pretzel twists into the back of the cheeseball slightly overlapping but side by side, pressing firmly so that the cheeseball holds the pretzels upright. Place the small pretzel twists in front of the large pretzel twists.

Finally, using a spoon or your hands, pack the remaining bacon crumbles around the outside of the cheeseball and turkey head to coat your cheeseball turkey.

Keep chilled and covered until ready to serve. Serve cold with pretzels and assorted crackers.