Marie's Holiday Cheese Log

Marie's Holiday Cheese Log
1/4 medium green bell pepper (for about 1/4 cup diced)
1/4 small onion (for about 2 tablespoons minced)
2 cups pecans (pieces or whole)
1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
16 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 jar (4 ounces) pimento strips, for garnish (see note)
Assorted crackers, for serving
1. Rinse and seed the green pepper. Dice 1/4 of the pepper, and set aside. Peel and mince 1/4 of the onion, set aside. Reserve the remaining pepper and onion for another use. Drain the crushed pineapple and set aside.
2. Using a food processor, finely chop the pecans. Add the cream cheese, pineapple and salt to the processor bowl. Process just enough to combine, about 10 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the work bowl.
3. Add the chopped green pepper and onion to the work bowl and pulse just enough to combine, about 10 seconds.
4. Place the cheese mixture on a large piece of plastic wrap and form it roughly into the shape of a log or candy cane. Wrap the cheese and refrigerate until stiff enough to mold, at least 1 hour.
5. Remove the cheese from the plastic wrap and form into a candy cane shape, garnishing with the pimento as the stripes. Serve with crackers. (Allow the cheese to come back almost to room temperature before serving. You may freeze the cheese mixture for up to 1 month before garnishing. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, and then garnish as directed.)
Serves 30.
Cook's note: The cheese may also be shaped into a ball and garnished with additional chopped nuts or a mixture of chopped nuts and chopped parsley.
Nutrition values per tablespoon: 42 calories (85 percent from fat), 4 g fat (1 g saturated), 1 g carbohydrates, 0 g fiber, 1 g protein, 6 mg cholesterol, 31 mg sodium.