Aunt Annie's Cheese Ball

I'm asked to bring this to every family function. This is my great aunt's recipe and when she could no longer make it, I took over. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do. You can use low-fat or fat-free cream cheese for this, but it will not get hard and form a ball. If you make it with low-fat ingredients, place the mixture in a bowl or decorative crock and top with crushed pecans. Cook time does not include chill time.