In Good Taste

Party Pineapple Cheese Ball Recipe

2 packs (8 ounce each) cream cheese
1 can (8 1⁄2 ounce) crushed pineapple – juice drained off
2 cups pecans chopped fine (1 cup in cheese mixture and one cup to roll on outside)
1⁄4 cup sweet peppers (green bell peppers are fine but red or other colors are nice too)
2 TBS onion chopped very fine
1 TBS seasoning salt (Lawry’s Seasoned Salt is very good)

Directions:
1. Put the cream cheese out an hour or so before mixing up the cheese ball. It will be much easier to get a smooth mixture on the cheese with the cream cheese softened a bit.
2. Add the crushed pineapple to the cream cheese. Be sure to drain the pineapple well, or the cheese ball will be too soft and soupy. Just put a strainer over a cup or small mixing bowl. Use the pineapple juice to add to other holiday recipes.
3. Also add one cup of chopped pecans (saving the other cup to roll on the outside of the cheese ball).
4. Along with the pineapple and nuts, add the chopped peppers and onions as well as the seasoning salt.
5. Use a spoon and stir until all the ingredients are evenly mixed with the cream cheese.
6. If the mixture is too soft and messy to make the balls, then refrigerate the cheese mixture so that it thickens up. Then make the cheese balls. It’s fine to chill the cream cheese mixture overnight and work with it after it’s fully chilled.
7. Either way (on the spot or after chilling) roll the ball or balls in the chopped pecans.
8. Chill the cheese ball or balls until serving time.