Cranberry Cheese Box

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 (8-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
Garnishes: green onion strips, fresh cranberries, orange curls
Crackers or bread rounds
Preparation
Beat first 6 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; stir in pecans.

Shape mixture into a 5- x 5- x 2-inch box, or spoon into a 5-cup mold. Cover and chill 8 hours or up to two days.

Spoon cranberry sauce over cheese mixture; garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers or bread rounds.

Note: To decorate the box, cut white part from 4 green onions. Blanch green onion tops in boiling water 1 minute or until tender, saving white part for other uses. Drain. Press 1 green onion strip into base of center of 1 side of box, pressing up sides until it meets center of top of box. Remove and discard excess green onion. Repeat with remaining green onion strips. Top center with fresh cranberries, orange curls, and additional strips of green onion, if desired.