Pinecone Cheese Balls

Ingredients

• 1 14 c whole almonds
• 8 oz pkg cream cheese
• 12 c mayonnaise
• 5 crisply cooked bacon slices crumbled
• 1 Tbsp chopped green onion
• 12 tsp dill weed
• 18 tsp red pepper

Directions

1. Spread almonds in single layer in shallow pan
2. Bake at 300 for 15 minutes stirring often until almonds are toasted Split each nut in half when cool
3. Combine softened cream cheese and mayonnaise
4. Mix well
5. Add bacon onion dill and pepper
6. Mix well
7. Cover and chill overnight
8. 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
9. Continue overlapping rows until all cheese is covered
10. Garnish with clean washed pine sprigs
11. Serve with crackers
12. Makes 1 12 cups