Puff Pastry Sausage Bites

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So easy to make and so good.  Light puff pastry combines with tender sausage to provide an incredible bite sized pocket of flavor. The perfect appetizer for parties. I’ll admit I like snacking on them too.  I use turkey sausage because it’s healthier and less greasy and has just the right spices to make them delicious. Light and flaky and so good!  Eat them alone or with my incredible sauce!

 

Puff Pastry Sausage Bites

1 lb. Turkey sausage (or use pork breakfast sausage)

1 teaspoon ground sage

2 tablespoons grated onion

1 clove garlic minced

1 sheet puff pastry thawed in the refrigerator overnight

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  Crack an egg into a small bowl and mix in two teaspoons of water to make an egg wash. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry dough just enough to smooth the seams.  I have recently discovered a refrigerated puffed pastry dough called Jus Roll that is so much easier to work with. It's already thawed and ready to use.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut the pastry dough into thirds so you have 3 long rectangles of pastry. Shape the dough into three long pieces to be ready to roll into logs.

In a small frying pan, combine the sausage, grated onion, and minced garlic. Sauté over medium high heat until the sausage is no longer pink. Transfer to bowl and set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next, lightly brush the edges of the dough with the egg wash.

Place a little of the sausage mixture on each rectangle of puffed pastry dough, covering the service but leaving a slight edge all around. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Roll each side of the pastry over the sausage and overlapping the egg-washed portion to create a seal. Roll each log over, leaving the sealed edge on the bottom. 

 

Cut each log into bite sized pieces. Place the bites onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the bites with the beaten egg. Snip a vent into each piece so that air can escape. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Bake in the preheated 400-degree oven until the pastry is puffed and golden brown and the sausage registers 160℉, 20-25 minutes. Serve immediately with or without sauce.

For the sauce

½ cup mayonnaise

3 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard

2 teaspoon honey

¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 clove garlic minced

salt to taste

 

In a bowl, combine the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, whole-grain mustard, honey, black pepper, and garlic. Stir to combine and taste for seasoning. Add kosher salt as needed. Store the sauce in the refrigerator. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Notes

When preparing the puff pastry, ensure it stays cold. If it begins to get tacky, place it back in the refrigerator to chill slightly.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When cutting the rolls into bites visually, cut the log in half, then half again, and so on. This allows you to get even sizes rather than trying to cut evenly from one end to another, potentially ending with one that is too long or short.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Cranberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for a great holiday dip for your holiday party?  This is the perfect choice.  Creamy and sweet with just enough bite to give it a kick. Just enough sweetness from the cranberries. Just enough creamy from the cream cheese. And just enough spice from the jalapeno.  Not too spicy…hardly spicy at all but you know it’s there. The trick is to remove the seeds. I love this dip better than any other dip I make. My guests love it too!

 

Cranberry Cream Cheese Jalapeno Dip

 

12 ounces fresh cranberries

1 jalapeno with seeds removed, minced. Use two if you want more kick.

4 green onions sliced thin, about ¼ cup

¼ cup cilantro chopped small

¾ cup sugar

⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

16 ounces cream cheese, room temp

2-3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

 

Pour the cranberries into a food processor. Pulse once or twice to give the cranberries a rough chop. Do not puree them. Just a rough chop.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take the cream cheese out of the fridge and sit it on the counter. You want it to be room temperature while you are mixing the other ingredients.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mix together the chopped cranberries with the jalapeno, scallions, cilantro, sugar, lime juice, and salt. Once thoroughly mixed refrigerate for at least one hour. Overnight is preferred. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you’re ready to serve. remove the cranberry mixture from the refrigerator and pour it through a fine mesh strainer. You want to drain the juice but catch it in a bowl underneath the strainer. Set aside.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Using a hand mixer, mix the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add the strained cranberry mixture and about 2 tablespoons of the reserved liquid. Stir to combine. Add additional liquid, a teaspoon at a time, only as needed until the desired consistency has been achieved. Serve with crackers or bread rounds or whatever you want to use.

 

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.

Provolone and Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Provolone and Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One of my favorite recipes when I want something simple and delicious.  Easy to make and so impressive when entertaining dinner guests.  I just love how the cheese oozes out when you slice into this tender, juicy chicken.  YUM!

Provolone and Asparagus Stuffed Chicken Breasts

4 large chicken breasts

1 tablespoon lemon zest

salt and pepper

9 to 12 asparagus stalks, trimmed short to fit

4-6 slices provolone cheese

1 tablespoon Italian Seasoning 

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1 tablespoon olive oil

     Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cut the chicken breast in half, length-wise, leaving it intact on one side (creating a pocket to stuff). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season the inside of the chicken breast with salt and pepper and a pinch of lemon zest. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lay the provolone cheese and 3 to 4 stalks of asparagus in the center of each chicken breast and fold over, enclosing the filling. Use toothpicks to secure.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Season the outside of the chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, swirling around to coat the bottom of the skillet. Cook the chicken top side down, for 3 to 5 minutes, until the chicken easily releases from the pan and is golden brown on top. Flip the chicken over and cook an additional 3 to 5 minutes to sear the bottom side.  Remove from skillet and place on a paper towel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Line a rimmed baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Add the chicken and cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the internal temperature of the chicken reaches 155 degrees.

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove chicken from the oven and let sit, covered, for about 5 minutes. The temperature of the chicken should rise to meet 160 degrees and will be super tender and juicy! Enjoy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tender, juicy, cheesy, oh my.

 

 

 

 

 

 

So good.  Want a bite?

  

 

 

 

 

Photography is the property of and copyrighted to Welcome Home.