1 cup (about 7 strips) thick cut bacon, cooked and finely chopped

½ cup or 1 bunch green onions, finely chopped

8 oz cream cheese

8 oz Wood River Creamery Triple Pepper, shredded

1 jalapeno, finely chopped;  save top of the jalapeno pepper if planning to form into a pumpkin

¼ cup sour cream

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp ground pepper

½ tsp salt

1-2 cups Chopped Pecans

Honey for Topping

• To cook the bacon, place strips on a cookie sheet and bake at 425˚ for 15 minutes. Place bacon strips on a paper towel lined plate to cool before chopping.
• In a mixing bowl, add the bacon, green onions, cream cheese, shredded cheese, jalapeno, sour cream, garlic powder, ground pepper, and salt.
• Mix on low to start and then increase to medium speed, being sure to scrape the sides down a few times so everything is mixed well.
• Spread chopped pecans onto a parchment lined surface.
• Time to get your hands dirty! Using a spatula, scrape the cheese mixture in the bowl to form a ball, then flip the ball onto the chopped pecans and proceed to shape a ball with your hands, ensuring to cover the entire surface area with chopped pecans.
• To form into a pumpkin, squish the ball slightly with your hand from top down so it’s flat on the bottom and top.
• Using bakers twine or a clean piece of cotton string, place under ball and bring both ends of twine/string up to meet at the top, creating the creases of the pumpkin. Be sure not to cut too deep with the twine/string, squeeze just enough to get the crease started and smooth out with your finger. Do this 3 more times crossing your previously made creases.
• Liberally drizzle honey over the cheese ball and place your saved jalapeno stem on top of the ball to create the pumpkin stem.