Sausage Pinwheels

In years gone by, I used to entertain on the fly a lot more than I do now. So I always needed recipes that were quick. My problem is that quick doesn't always mean good or tasty to me. Or at least back in those years I didn't have many quick recipes that were also exceptional. One of my other problems is that when I prepare a dinner for friends, at the back of my mind I'm always wanting to wow them. I've learned that's just not possible with every part of a meal, but I still try. So, this recipe was a regular for me because I could make it ahead and it "lived" in the freezer until I needed some tasty hot appetizer for guests. Originally I made this just around holiday time, but it's really just fine any time of year. I might not make it in the heat of summer just because I prefer cold foods then.

And when I tell you this is easy, I really mean easy. Bisquick dough is hardly difficult - it rolls out easily (really). But as you'll read in the recipe itself, you simply must use a fatty sausage. No Jimmy Dean or butcher ground lean stuff. You want the grocery store tube (I used to buy Farmer John, I think, because that was what my local market carried). High fat. It's necessary to give the biscuit dough the tender flakiness. I tell you this because I've made the mistake of buying leaner sausage, and it absolutely doesn't look right. Doesn't taste good, either. So trust me on this. The other caveat is that you simply must allow the sausage to warm to room temperature - about an hour - before you start spreading it. You can separate the sausage into smaller bits and it will take less time. So, you spread out the sausage on the Bisquick dough and sprinkle it with a tad of cayenne. A tiny tad, actually. Roll up the rolls, reshape them gently, seal the edge, cut them into smaller sections if desired, wrap in waxed paper, then in foil and freeze. The small sections allow you to use only a small amount for a few people, if that's what you need. Otherwise you will be making a lot of them.

Here's a picture of them in the frozen state. When you're ready to prepare them, you must leave them out at room temperature for at least 15 minutes, maybe 20, in order to cut them. If you don't the dough will crack off, which you don't want, of course. As long as you warmed up the sausage ahead of time, this doesn't take more than 15 minutes to prepare, start to finish. You can trust me on that, too.

Hot Sausage Pinwheels
Recipe By :I've been making these for so long I don't remember where the recipe came from!
Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:30

1 pound pork sausage -- NOT lean
1 dash cayenne
2 cups Bisquick® baking mix
2 tablespoons margarine -- softened
Milk

1. Important: allow sausage to warm to room temperature, then blend in cayenne. Mix Bisquick with butter, then add milk according to the "biscuit" directions on the box. On a floured surface, roll dough to a rectangle measuring 12" x 18". With your fingers, spread sausage on the dough, leaving a dough edge around it. Starting from one of the short sides, roll dough like a jelly roll. Seal edge with water and press lightly to seal well. Press doughy ends in a little and seal as best you can.
2. Wrap the rolls in waxed paper, then in foil, seal well, and place on a flat surface in the freezer. Once frozen place in a plastic bag to seal.
3. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove about 10 minutes before you need to slice them. Slice in 1/3 inch slices and place on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown.

NOTES : I think I could make these in my sleep. These are really tasty and if your crowd is hungry they'll disappear in a flash. In years gone by I used to keep one or more of these rolls in the freezer at all times, just in case I might need them. It is necessary to use good-old fatty sausage for this dish in order to make the crust tender. Brands like Jimmy Dean are too meaty.

Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 255 Calories; 20g Fat (70.3% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 13g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 26mg Cholesterol; 508mg Sodium. Exchanges: 1 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 3 1/2 Fat.
To print just the recipe, click on the title of this post.