They're very easy to put together. First, you must slice jalapeno pepper in half, remove the seeds, and then cut them into pieces that are the same size as Lil Smokies sausage or cocktail. Then, mix together the cream cheese and cheddar cheese, and fill in the pieces of jalapeno with cheese mixture. After they are filled, press cocktail sausages on top and you're ready to roll.
You can use the Crescent roll dough if you prefer, but personally I like the puff pastry. I think it's flakier and fluffier it gets better, reheats, and looks nicer, so I used 3 sheets puff pastry to wrap the jalapeno Popper pigs in a blanket. Just roll 'em up, one at a time, sealing the edges with a little egg.
INGREDIENTS :
- 36 lil smokies or cocktail wieners
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 6 ounces extra sharp cheddar, shredded
- All-purpose flour, for dusting
- 3 sheets puff pastry, thawed
- 1 large egg
- 18 jalapeño peppers
- Pretzel salt, for sprinkling, optional
- Marinara sauce, to serve, optional
INSTRUCTIONS :
- Preheat the oven to 400 ° f. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Cut tops from jalapeno peppers and then each pepper in half. Use a spoon to scoop out the seeds and membranes and discard them. Place the cocktail wiener on every raked out pepper half and cut the pepper into the same size as a cocktail wiener. Set aside.
- In a medium sized bowl, stir together cream cheese and cheddar cheese until combined well. One at a time, wipe off any cocktail wiener segement pepper and jalapeno peppers in every segment fills with cheese mixture. Then, for each segment of the chili peppers jalapeno cheese-stuffed with sausage. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, stir together the eggs.
- On a lightly floured surface, unroll 1 sheet of puff pastry dough. Cut into 6 equal it, and then cut them in half, strip cross-ways, to make 12 equal-sized pieces. Roll each section of the stuffed peppers in 1 puff pastry strips, then seal with egg wash. Put the pieces on the prepared baking pan wrapped jalapeno. Repeat until all pieces of jalapeno or puff pastry is not fixed.
- Brush tops with egg puff pastry and sprinkle with a little salt pretzels. Bake until golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Some of the cheese filling will be spilled out, but don't worry. Allow the jalapeno Popper pigs in a blanket to cool down a bit and use a knife to gently scrape the cheese is out out onto a baking sheet. There will still be plenty of cheese that is left inside.
- Serve warm with marinara sauce, for dipping.