Almond Dip

Ingredients :

5 slices bacon 
1 1/2 cups whole almonds, raw 
8 ounces cream cheese, softened 
1/2 cup mayonnaise 
1 tablespoon chopped green onions 
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed 
pinch of freshly ground black pepper 
1 teaspoon whole pine nuts (optional) 
crackers

Preparation :

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, crumble, and set aside. 
Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees Celsius). 
Arrange almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, watching carefully and stirring occasionally to prevent burning. Remove from oven, and set aside to cool. 
In a bowl, mix together softened cream cheese, mayonnaise, green onions, dill weed, and black pepper until well blended. Form mixture into a pinecone shape, and carefully place on a serving dish. 
Beginning at the top of the ""pinecone"" with the points facing upward, press cooled almonds gently into cheese, each point slightly overlapping the bottom of the almond above. If desired, press a few pine nuts randomly between some of the almonds. Serve with crackers for spreading