geek grub: pigs in a blanket

the geek is a picky eater. he's not picky because he's a food snob or a gourmet; he's picky because he likes what he likes and in many cases, these are things that he's liked for years. when i'm out of town, he will happily exist on pizza, hotdogs, burritos, chicken fingers and sandwiches.

when we were planning our wedding, we decided to each pick two appetizers to offer during the cocktail hour. i chose sushi and vegetarian spring rolls with plum and peanut sauces. the geek selected crackers and cheese with fruit and pigs in a blanket with ketchup and mustard. he was very excited about the pigs in a blanket (in fact, he just declared that they are the only appetizer he can remember from our wedding).

they are a cinch to make, so we'll have them as a snack when we have folks over to watch football. the geek will also eat them as a meal. right out of the oven, they're tasty and satisfying.


adapted from pillsbury's recipe for mini crescent dogs.

ingredients
1 (8 oz) can pillsbury crescent rolls
24 cocktail size sausage links
2 tablespoon brown mustard

directions

1. pre-heat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. unroll crescent roll dough and separate along preforated lines into triangles. slice each triangle lengthwise into three narrow triangles.
3. brush on a thin layer of brown mustard, starting from the base (shortest side) edge of each triangle and going 1.5 to 2 inches toward the point.
4. to wrap the sausage, place one sausage link at the base (mustard covered edge) and roll toward the opposite point. 
5. place point side down on an ungreased cookie sheet. (if using reduced fat crescent rolls, spray cookie sheet with cooking spray)
6. bake 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. serve warm. the geek likes them with ketchup.

makes 24 pigs in a blanket.

notes:

• 4 hot dogs cut into thirds can be substituted for the sausage links.
• for a "healthier" version, use turkey cocktail sausage links and reduced fat crescent roll dough. i've done this and the geek has not complained. he probably knows what's good for him, health-wise and marriage-wise.
• if doubling this recipe and baking two cookie sheets at once, switch the positions of the cookie sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking.