# What You'll Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 2 large English cucumbers
02 - 6 cherry tomatoes
→ Dairy
03 - 3.5 oz cream cheese, softened
→ Herbs & Seasonings
04 - 2 tbsp fresh dill, finely chopped
05 - 1 tbsp fresh chives, finely chopped
06 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
→ Garnishes & Assembly
07 - 12 small pretzel sticks
08 - 12 star-shaped yellow bell pepper slices (optional)
09 - 1 tbsp sesame seeds or poppy seeds (optional)
# Method:
01 - Wash the cucumbers thoroughly. Using a mandoline slicer or vegetable peeler, slice the cucumbers lengthwise into long, thin ribbons.
02 - In a small bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with fresh dill, chives, salt, and black pepper. Mix until smooth and well blended.
03 - Cut each cherry tomato in half and set aside.
04 - Thread one cucumber ribbon onto a pretzel stick, folding it back and forth in a zigzag pattern to form a tree shape.
05 - Pipe or spoon a small dollop of the herbed cream cheese onto the base of each cucumber tree on the pretzel stick.
06 - Top each tree with either a half cherry tomato or a star-shaped yellow bell pepper slice to resemble a tree topper.
07 - Sprinkle each assembled tree with sesame seeds or poppy seeds, if desired.
08 - Arrange the completed cucumber trees upright on a serving platter and serve immediately to preserve crispness.
