Spicy Pigs in a Blanket and Family Fun

Are you a part of a game-playing family? We love getting together with my youngest sister and her family to play games. Most of those gatherings revolve around the holidays, as most family gatherings do.

Perhaps it was the whole ordeal of open heart surgery last year that has made me more determined to create memories beyond the holidays. My sister and I have resolved to get together one night each month, be it her home, the family farm or our home. We will have dinner together and play games.

Today is National Pigs in a Blanket Day. That’s a Foodie Holiday just made for my young nephew. Anytime we get together, he always looks for one of my trays of Pigs in a Blanket. Try as I might, I could not get creative enough with my little piggies to make something for Saint Patrick’s Day. There were so many things coming out of the kitchen for Saint Patrick’s Day that I didn’t put my whole heart into Pigs in a Blanket. Now these Pigs are geared to the grown ups, with just a little kick from the cayenne pepper. I’m sharing with you the recipe as it was intended. For our next family gathering, I will be leaving out the Cayenne Pepper. If you have small children who aren’t into the heat, this works well as a brown sugar glazed pig in a blanket, too.

Spicy Pigs in a Blanket
1 tablespoon Vegetable Oil
1 1/2 pounds of Little Smokies Cocktail Sausages
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Ketchup
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 cans Crescent Roll Sheets
1 Egg, lightly beaten, for the egg wash
1/2 cup Mustard
1/2 cup Barbecue Sauce

Heat the oil in a 12 inch non stick pan over medium high heat. Add the sausages and fry for about 5 minutes, until they are slightly caramelized.

Add the brown sugar, cayenne, ketchup, and Worcestershire. Stir until the sauce reduces enough to thickly coat the sausages. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Place a crescent dough sheet on a lightly floured work surface. Cut the dough into one inch wide strips using a pizza wheel.. Cut each strip into about 3 pieces, width-wise.

Wrap a sausages in a piece of dough and pinch to seal. Place the wrapped sausage onto the baking sheet. Repeat until the first sheet is used.

Lightly dust work area again with flour and repeat with the second sheet. If necessary, bake in batches as to not overcrowd the baking pan.

Brush the dough with the egg wash, and bake for about 10 to 12 minutes, until golden.

Cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a serving platter. Serve warm or at room temperature with an offering of mustard or barbecue sauce for dipping.