Pigs in a Blanket

This  cottage cheese pastry is one I have used in the past for sweet rolls...specifically Orange Glazed Cheese Pastries.  But I discovered it is also a great pastry for savory appetizers.  Wee sausage rolls make a yummy appetizer served with a mustard dipping sauce, pickles and cheese. 

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter, cold
• 1 cup creamed cottage cheese
• 1 package (500 grams / 1 pound)  cocktail sausages

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.
2. Using a large-holed grater, grate the butter and stir into flour mixture.
3. Add creamed cottage cheese (I like to process the cottage cheese slightly in the blender to get rid of lumps first).
4. Mix until smooth. 
5. Wrap in plastic and chill for several hours.
6. Divide the dough into 6 equal parts and shape into disks.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll each disk into a fairly thin circle, about 1/8-inch thick. 
8. Cut each circle into 8 wedges, pizza style. Using a pizza wheel works great for this. 
9. Place one wee cocktail sausage on the wide edge of each wedge, and roll up pastry around the sausage.
10. Place the pointy side down on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper or well greased. 
11. Bake at 375° for about 15 minutes or until light golden brown.
12. Remove from oven and place on a wire cooling rack.

Yield: 48 rolls

*These can also be frozen and re-heated before serving.

 

Cheerios Fruit and Nut Bars

Photos of cheerio bars kept popping up here and there...and piqued my interest.  Why not use my recipe for puffed wheat squares and make a few substitutions?  That's what I did...and they were a hit! 

• 4 cups cheerios
• 2 cups fruit and nut trail mix (or your favorite combination of nuts, seeds and dried fruit)
• 1/3 cup butter
• 1/2 cup syrup (corn syrup or golden syrup)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons cocoa
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Combine cereal, fruit and nuts in a large bowl.
2. Combine butter, syrup, brown sugar and cocoa in saucepan.   Cook over medium heat until mixture comes to a full boil.  Boil stirring constantly for one minute. 
3. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
4. Pour brown sugar mixture over cereal and stir well to coat.
5. Turn into a greased 9" x 13" pan  (or a 10" x 15" bar pan for a thinner bar).
6. Press flat with a spatula sprayed with cooking spray. 
7. Allow to cool 10 minutes and cut into bars of desired size.

*Tip ~ Line pan with parchment paper and remove unsliced squares to the cutting board before slicing.  Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter.