Pineapple Cheese Ball

We've had this cheese ball every Thanksgiving for the last few years. I love the flavor of the pineapple and bell pepper together. This one is decorated to look like a turkey with a little red bell pepper and crackers for feathers, but you can make this for any occasion. Red and green bell pepper together make a festive Christmas cheese ball. I buy the bag of finely chopped pecans called cookie pieces, or chips. The cheese ball is very soft, pretty much a cheese spread, so if it sits in the fridge for awhile before eating, you might need to reshape it a little.

Pineapple Cheese Ball
2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple, well drained (squeeze all the juice out)
1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper, or mixture of green and red bell pepper
3 TBSPs finely chopped green onion
1 tsp seasoned salt, or to taste
2 cups chopped pecans, divided

1. Combine cream cheese, drained crushed pineapple, chopped bell pepper, chopped green onion, seasoned salt, and 1 cup chopped pecans. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour.
2. Scoop cheese mixture onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Pull the sides up over the cheese to form a ball and wrap it up. This makes one large cheese ball, or you can divide it up to make 2 smaller ones. Refrigerate overnight.
3. Just before serving roll cheese ball in remaining cup of pecans.
Serve with assorted crackers. Makes about 3 cups of cheese spread.

Ready to wrap up.

Going in the fridge.

Ready to serve.