Grasshoppers in a Blanket

Ingredients

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls or refrigerated thin crust pizza dough
1 bundle asparagus
flour

Directions

1. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Flour some space on the counter top. Remove refrigerated crescent rolls or pizza crust from the tube and spread flat on the floured counter. If you are using crescent rolls, pinch the seams of the crescent rolls together, flour the surface of the dough, and roll them flat and slightly thinner. Cut the dough into small rectangles (approximately 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inches). 
3. Cut asparagus into small pieces, about 1 to 1 1/2 inches long.
4. Roll each piece in a rectangle of dough. Press down the end of the dough to seal.
5. Place each piece with the seal down on the pre-greased cookie sheet. You can place these pieces close together on the cookie sheet, but do not let the dough touch as it will puff up some. 
6. Bake for 8-12 minutes until dough is golden-brown. Can serve hot or cool. Can store in the refrigerator and re-heat later in the oven.

Tips

1. If you are looking to make a vegan or non-dairy version of these, be sure to check the ingredients on the crescent rolls or pizza dough. Some versions contain milk or butter, but some store brands and some Pillsbury versions are non-dairy and use soy.
2. Younger, thinner asparagus works best for this.

Pigs in a Blanket

Ingredients

1 can refrigerated crescent rolls or refrigerated thin crust pizza dough
small sausages
flour

Directions

1. Grease and flour a cookie sheet. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 
2. Flour some space on the counter top. Remove refrigerated crescent rolls or pizza crust from the tube and spread flat on the floured counter. If you are using crescent rolls, pinch the seams of the crescent rolls together, flour the surface of the dough, and roll them flat and slightly thinner. Cut the dough into small rectangles (approximately 1/2 inch by 1 1/2 inches). 
3. Roll each sausage in a rectangle of dough. Press down the end of the dough to seal.
4. Place each piece with the seal down on the pre-greased cookie sheet. You can place these pieces close together on the cookie sheet, but do not let the dough touch as it will puff up some. 
5. Bake for 8-12 minutes until dough is golden-brown. Can serve hot or cool. Can store in the refrigerator and re-heat later in the oven.

Tips

1. If you are looking to make a vegan or non-dairy version of these, be sure to check the ingredients on the crescent rolls or pizza dough. Some versions contain milk or butter, but some store brands and some Pillsbury versions are non-dairy and use soy.
2. You can use canned Vienna sausages for this, usually found in the grocery store near other canned meats, or you can use various small sausages (about 1-2 inches long) sold in packets in the refrigerated section. There are a wide variety of these refrigerated sausages, including non-pork versions that are made of chicken and/or beef.

Bacon-Wrapped Pineapple

Ingredients

diced pineapple
bacon

Tools

toothpicks

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. If you're using fresh pineapple, peel and dice it. If you're using canned, strain off the excess liquid. If you're using a canned version in syrup rather than juice or water, rinse off the excess syrup.
3. Cut bacon slices into approximately 3 inch long strips.
4. Wrap each piece of pineapple in a slice of bacon. Spear with a toothpick to keep in place.
5. Spread pieces across a baking sheet and cook in the oven for about 5-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don't burn. Finish under the broiler to crisp up the bacon a bit.

Vegetarian Pinwheels

Ingredients

2 packages crescent rolls 
8 ounces sheep milk feta cheese 
1 package of frozen spinach, defrosted 

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350º F.
2. Working with one package of crescent rolls at a time, lay the rolls out to make a fat rectangle (as opposed to a long, thin rectangle). Pinch the seems together. I find it helps to work with the dough on a lightly floured or greased piece of wax paper. Repeat with the other crescent rolls. 
3. Place the spinach in a paper towel and wring the excess moisture out.
4. Sprinkle the spinach across the surface of the dough rectangles, leaving about an inch on one side bare.
5. Break apart and sprinkle the feta cheese over the spinach.
6. Starting with the edge opposite the open edge, roll the dough into a cylinder. Use that extra space on one side to seal it closed.
7. Wrap in wax paper and put in the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
8. Slice cylinders into 1/2 inch slices, place face down on a greased cookie sheet and bake until the crescent rolls are golden brown.

Spinach Cheese Ham Pinwheels

Recipe from Jen Hoyt.

Ingredients

1 package of crescent rolls
8 slices Provolone cheese
8 slices ham
1 package frozen spinach, thawed

Directions

1. Pre-grease a cookie sheet. Pre-heat oven to 400º
2. Take frozen spinach. Place into a collender or strainer, cover with a paper towel. Place a weight on top of the towel (a large can of spaghetti sauce works great for this). Let this sit for a little while until the spinach drains.
3. Remove crescent rolls from can. Using two crescent rolls, overlap slightly and flatten the seam between them.
4. Pat the Provolone cheese dry with a paper towel. Lay two slices of Provolone cheese on the flattened dough.
5. Pat the ham dry with a paper towel. Lay two slices of ham on the flattened dough.
6. Spread 1/4 of the spinach on top of the ham.
7. Carefully role the layers into a cylinder. Using a large knife, cut the cylinder into slices, each about 1/2 inch thick. Cut the slices one at a time, carefully picking it up and placing it onto the pre-greased cookie sheet. Space them apart because some expansion will take place during cooking.
8. Allow pinwheels to bake for at least 10-20 minutes. Keep an eye on them! They should brown, but not too much.

Tips

To make these non-pork, use sliced turkey instead of ham.