Sausage Mushroom Bites

One of the worst parts of Thanksgiving for me has always been waiting for the food to be ready! Your there, you have been waiting to eat all day AND you have been smelling the wonderful food cooking for hours. It's always a great idea to have a couple of appetizers out for the hungry crowd to munch on while you finish up the last of your preparations. While you do not want anything too heavy or too filling right before the big feast, something to take the edge off and wet the appetite is definitely welcome.

Whether it is a family gathering or a company party, this appetizer is a definite crowd pleaser. We make these every year for Thanksgiving and for Christmas. I also served them at my wedding! They are just that good. I prefer to serve them chilled as a contrast to the hot meal to come but they can be served hot as well. I have also made these as a vegetarian option using the fake sausage or ground beef crumbles. If you decide to make them that way, you might need to add some extra seasoning. One of the best parts of this appetizer is that, because you can serve them chilled, you can make them several days in advance. Store them in an airtight container in your refrigerator and arrange on your serving platter right before your guests arrive. If you choose to serve them hot, all you need to do is put them in a warm oven until they are heated through. Do not microwave as the crispy crust will become soggy and soft.

Sausage Mushroom Bites

½ lb bulk pork sausage

1 cup fresh mushrooms, finely chopped (or 4 oz canned chopped)

8 oz cream cheese, softened

2 cans crescent rolls (8 oz cans)

1 egg

¼ cup poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large skillet, sauté the sausage and mushrooms until the sausage has browned and is cooked thoroughly. Drain the excess liquid and stir in the cream cheese until it is well mixed (cut the cream cheese into chunks first to make it melt and combine faster). Set the mixture aside to cool.

Separate the crescent dough into 8 rectangles; press the perforations to seal the triangles together into one piece. Spread the sausage mixture evenly over each rectangle of dough. Starting with the long sides, roll up each rectangle jelly roll style and then pinch the seams to seal them closed. Cut each roll into 1 inch pieces and then place them seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush each one with beaten egg and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until beginning to brown.

One batch of these makes 48. We usually make at least a double batch as they go fast.