BACON BLUE CHEESE SPIRALS

Bacon is one of those foods many of us can not live without.  Bacon is in a class of it's own especially when it is combined with Blue Cheese and Puff Pastry in this easy to prepare appetizer.  Serve this delicious and savory appetizer warm or room temperature.   It makes a great and unique Salad topping, used much like you would Croutons.  Be sure to use a good quality Blue Cheese cut from the wheel and not a prepackaged tub of "crumbles" which will lack taste and make these appetizers boring and nothing like their full potential.  Good ones like Maytag, Gorgonzola or Stilton are easy to find these days and worth the search.  When you are Cooking The Amazing, something as simple as Bacon and Blue Cheese can come together and be incredible.



Here is the recipe.




3 oz.  Blue Cheese (A Good Quality One)
1/4 c  Cream Cheese
1/4 c  Sour Cream
1/2 t  Fresh Ground Black Pepper
10 Strips of Cooked Bacon
1/2 of a 17.3 oz Package of Frozen Puff Pastry
      (Like Pepperidge Farm Brand)




1.  PLAN AHEAD day before:  Allow Puff Pastry to thaw in the refrigerator over night. 


2.  PLAN AHEAD day of:  Allow the Blue Cheese and Cream Cheese to sit out for 2 hours to soften up and make spreading easier. You will be making the filling and spreading it on the Puff Pastry then refrigerating for 3 hours before baking later.

3.  Fry 10 strips of good quality Bacon until crisp and place on paper towels to drain.  Set aside to cool then crumble and refrigerate while Blue Cheese softens.

4.  Once your Blue Cheese and Cream Cheese has softened add them to a medium bowl and break it up using a fork or your fingers.

5.  Add Sour Cream, Black Pepper and Bacon crumbles and mix well with a spoon.  It will be thick.  Set aside.

6.  Dust a board or work surface with a little flour to keep the Puff Pastry from sticking.  Use only one of Puff Pastry sheets that come in a package for this recipe.  Roll it out slightly using a rolling pin.

7.  Spread the Blue Cheese mixture evenly almost to the edges of the Puff Pastry.

8.  From the widest end start rolling the Puff Pastry to the middle then roll the other side to meet it in the middle.  Wrap tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours minimum and up to over night if needed.

9.  After chilling, preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place a parchment sheet or spray a Cookie Sheet with Vegetable Spray (Like Pam) and set aside.

10.  Remove from the refrigerator and cut the two rolls in half.  Then cut each roll into 1/2 inch wide spirals and place on the Cookie sheet. 

11.  Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until the Puff Pastry if puffed and just starts to brown.  Over cooking will make the Cheese filling run out and burn.  Remove them before they look "done" and look a little under baked.  Sever warm or at room temperature.


Other great appetizers that you could serve along side these are Ham And Cream Cheese Appetizers or

easy to prepare Stuffed Mushrooms.

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