Pinecone Cheese Balls - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 1/4 c. whole almonds
8 oz. pkg. cream cheese
1/2 c. mayonnaise
5 crisply cooked bacon slices, crumbled
1 Tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 tsp. dill weed
1/8 tsp. red pepper

Preparation

Spread almonds in single layer in shallow pan.
Bake at 300\u00b0 for 15 minutes, stirring often until almonds are toasted. Split each nut in half when cool.
Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise.
Mix well.
Add bacon, onion, dill and pepper.
Mix well.
Cover and chill overnight.
Form cheese mixture into shapes of two pinecones on serving platter. Beginning at narrow end, press almonds at slight angle into cheese mixture in rows.
Continue overlapping rows until all cheese is covered.
Garnish with clean, washed pine sprigs.
Serve with crackers.
Makes 1 1/2 cups.