Sharon's Pecan Cheese Ball
Cream cheese, crushed pineapple, green pepper, green onion, and seasoned salt, rolled in pecans. Sharon's holiday fixture, and nobody ever guesses the pineapple.
Servings: 2 cheese balls (each serves 8 to 10)
Ingredients
- 2 8-oz packages cream cheese softened
- 8 oz crushed pineapple in heavy syrup drained and squeezed very dry; see Notes
- ½ cup green bell pepper finely chopped
- ½ cup green onions finely chopped
- 1 Tbsp seasoned salt a scant tablespoon; I use Lawry's
- 2 cups pecans chopped, divided
Instructions
- Drain the pineapple really well. Squeeze it in cheesecloth or a tea towel, let it rest, and squeeze it again. You want it as dry as possible.8 oz crushed pineapple in heavy syrup
- In a large bowl, mix the cream cheese, pineapple, green pepper, green onions, seasoned salt, and half the pecans (1 cup) together well, with a wooden spoon or a gloved hand. Do not use a mixer.2 8-oz packages cream cheese, 8 oz crushed pineapple in heavy syrup, ½ cup green bell pepper, ½ cup green onions, 1 Tbsp seasoned salt, 2 cups pecans
- Divide the mixture and form it into balls. Two is usually right; see Notes for sizing. Roll each ball in the remaining pecans (1 cup total, split between them).2 cups pecans
- Chill, ideally for a day or two, so the flavors blend and the balls set up. Serve with crackers.