Getting in the Mood

So I'm bored with posting appetizer recipes and in all honesty, I was doing it to have a regular post when I didn't have a new recipe or anything to post about. I may still go back to posting appetizers when I'm out of ideas for the day. Today in the windy city it's a bit chilly and overcast, it's putting me in the mood. I decided I wasn't going to put up my Day of the Dead table until the Fall Equinox, however I made no promises about when I would start posting about the season on my blog. Quite honestly I'm so done with this summer I would have liked to start decorating yesterday, but I'm afraid if I start decorating for fall we will have a 90 degree day and I don't want to be responsible for that

Jack O'Lantern Cheese Ball

2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese

8oz cream cheese softened

1/4 cup solid packed pumpkin

1/4 cup of pineapple preserves

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 pretzel rod broken in half

two cut triangles of dark rye bread

one triangle cut red bell pepper

1 1/2 slices of olives

assorted crackers

Beat cheese, pumpkin, preserves, and spices in a medium bowl until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours. Shape mixture in to round pumpkin and place on serving plate. Using a knife score vertical lines as shown in the picture. Place pretzel rod through the top fro a stem and place facial features on your Jack O' Lantern.

Cover loosely and store in refrigerate until ready to serve.