Most of you know that I am active in Saving Grace Productions, I mean the Visual Art Ministry, at United Methodist Church of the Resurrection. Love this group! Great team, and an awesome small group. I am blessed to have them as friends. Earlier this year Peggy signed me up to take my Mac & Cheese to share prior to service. Since then we are trying to have a mini-potluck every 6 weeks or so.
This past weekend is round 2, and since Jeffrey Sheets was heading out off for Colorado, we made it a “camp out” theme. Thinking burgers and dogs, I had to have a creative way to share these and yet keep them warm. I opted for bacon cheeseburger version of the Chorizo Puffs and created a Brat in Blanket. By request, here are the recipes.
Bacon Cheeseburger Puffs
Makes 8 puffs
1 lb ground sirloin
2 strips cooked thick cut bacon (cut in to 4ths)
½ small onion (finely diced)
Cheddar cheese (sliced or grated) about 3 oz
1 can Pillsbury Crescent sheets (seamless version of crescent rolls)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons Steak seasoning (I use Penzey’s Old Chicago)
1 egg, beaten (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F
Spray a small pan with non-stick spray, or add 1 tablespoon oil and heat on medium. Add the onion and cook until translucent. Transfer to paper towel lined plate and set aside to cool.
In a mixing bowl combine the ground sirloin, steak seasoning, Worcestershire, onions, salt and pepper. Mix well. Taking about 1 oz at a time, pat until thin in pairs about 2 to 3” in diameter, but keep separate. Cut or shape the cheddar cheese into 1’ squares by ¼” thick. Place the cheese in the middle of one patty, and place the other patty on top. Shape the patty into 2” squares, with your thumb place a slight depression in the middle of the top. Repeat this until you have 8 patties.
Either on the grill or a griddle, cook until medium (slightly pink in the middle) temperature. Place on paper towel lined plate to cool.
Open the crescent sheet and stretch until solid rectangle. Cut the sheet into 8 equal size rectangles. Place a patty and bacon square into a crescent section, and seal tightly. For a nice appearance, place the square patty on the crescent piece at a 45 degree angle. If you fold the sides up, and pinch tight, you should have a cross-seam on the top. Brush with egg wash if desired.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet, and place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown.
Serve with favorite toppings (ketchup, mustard, relish, etc.)
Brats in a blanket
Makes 15 pieces
5 brats
½ onion (sliced)
Pepper jack cheese slices
2 cans American ale or lager
2 can Pillsbury Crescent sheets (seamless version of crescent rolls)
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Sale and pepper (to taste)
1 egg, beaten (optional)
Preheat oven to 375 F.
Heat the beer in a medium saucepan until boiling. Pierce the brats multiple times with a fork. Place the brats and onions in the boiling beer. Cook over medium boil for about 5 minutes. Transfer to a grill or griddle, and cook about 3 minutes on top and bottom. This will add a slight crispness to the skin. Remove to paper towel lined plate to cool. Once cool, cut each brat into thirds. They should be very slightly pink in the middle or no pink at all.
Open the crescent sheet and stretch until solid rectangle. Cut the sheet (width-wise) into strips that are about 50% wider than a brat section, and cut each strip in half. It should be just wide enough to wrap the brat section and leave a pinch of dough on top and at each end. Place a brat section and slice of pepper jack (cut to the length and width of the section) into the middle of each crescent section, and seal tightly. You should have a small seam protruding from the top and ends. Brush with egg wash if desired.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet with the seams pointing up, and place in oven for 15 to 20 minutes until top is golden brown.
Serve with favorite toppings (ketchup, mustard, relish, sauerkraut, etc.)
