Step turn, I agree with most of what you are saying, and you do need to have the right boxes ticked.
1. Light winds
2. Operational necessity
3. An aircraft that has a shorter take off than landing, and
4. A lot of experience in the aircraft and good currency.
As risk mitigation, the drag it in with power won't get you in short over the trees, a side slip would need to be to ground level and would still give you a float. However if you drag it along with power till past the trees, then ease of the throttle to let it sink, arrest the sink at the right time with with smoothly increasing power you get a much more controlled descent. If you give it a large quick application of power at the last possible moment you will land a few feet shorter but with a greater risk of miscalculation. Once you get it there you still need to get it out again which may mean starting the take off roll in an entirely different direction to the direction you will be pointing when you lift of.