The Heavyset Cheese Ball

Ingredients

• 1 1/4 cups whole natural almonds
• 1 (8-ounce) package of cream cheese
• 1/2 cup real mayonnaise
• 3 crispy cooked bacon slices, crumbled
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
• Sprigs, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place and spread all the almonds on a cookie sheet or in a shallow pan, pushing the almonds around until they turn color, about 20 minutes.

Mix together the cream cheese and the mayonnaise. Add the bacon, salt and pepper, dill, and onion. Chill overnight.

On a serving platter, make 2 pine cone shapes with the cheese. Begin to press the almonds at a slight angle into the cheese, starting at the narrow end of the pine cone shape.

Do this in rows, continuing to overlap rows until all the cheese is covered. Garnish with fake sprigs, or real ones, or with rosemary.

Serve at room temperature and spread on crackers.