recipes - party foods

Pine Cone Cheese Ball -

Ingredients - Almonds whole(~50), 1 bar cream cheese, dash garlic salt, dash onion salt, 1/2c sharp cheddar cheese(grated), parsley(or something green).

This is an easy-to-make and pretty-to-look-at cheese ball that small hands can actually help make.

Let your cream cheese soften to room temperature (or zap it in the microwave for 20 seconds) until it is soft enough to stir easily.

Add in all ingredients except the almonds and your "green". Stir until blended. Refrigerate until it has firmed back up(at least an hour). Place on plate that you plan to leave it on in a football shape. Begin placing almonds at the bottom of the cheese ball first on the end that will be the "front end".

Continue placing almonds so that each succeeding layer overlaps the preceding. This is what gives the pine cone look.

Finish off with a plate full of your favorite crackers. Garnish the top of the pine cone with parsley or whatever green you happen to have. It could be a couple of pine needles from your tree!

Makes a cute gift too.