MAKE-AHEAD SAUSAGE PINWHEELS

Make-Ahead Sausage Pinwheels image

Filled with sausage, sweet pepper and cream cheese, these roll-ups are excellent for unexpected visitors, a cocktail party or a halftime snack. Besides being easy to make, they can be done way ahead and kept in the freezer. All you have to do is pop them into a hot oven! -Cindy Nerat, Menominee, Michigan

Provided by Taste of Home

Time 45m

Yield about 6-1/2 dozen.

Number Of Ingredients 5

Ingredients

1 pound bulk regular or spicy pork sausage
1/2 cup diced sweet red pepper
1 green onion, chopped
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, cubed
2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated crescent rolls

Steps:

Preheat oven to 350°. In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 5-7 minutes; drain. Add pepper and green onion; cook and stir 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; cool 10 minutes. Stir in cream cheese until blended; cool completely., Unroll 1 can of crescent dough and separate into 4 rectangles; pinch perforations to seal. Press each rectangle to 6x4-1/2 in.; spread each with 1/3 cup filling to within 1/4 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; pinch seam to seal. Roll gently to make logs smooth. Place on a waxed paper-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Repeat with remaining crescent dough. Freeze, covered, until firm, about 1 hour., Cut each log into 10 slices. Bake on parchment-lined baking sheets until golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Serve warm. Freeze option: Freeze pinwheels in freezer containers, separating layers with waxed paper. To use, bake frozen pinwheels as directed, increasing time by 3-5 minutes.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 46 calories, Fat 3g fat (1g saturated fat), Cholesterol 6mg cholesterol, Sodium 89mg sodium, Carbohydrate 2g carbohydrate (1g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 1g protein.