Bacon Cheese Tree Appetizers

Bacon and cheese! What a combo amirite? Give these appetizers a try for your next get together, they're sure to be a hit! 

Ingredients:

1 tsp vegetable oil

2 slices bacon, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

125 g (1/2 block) cream cheese, at room temperature

50 g (1/3 cup) parmesan cheese

1 tbsp chopped green onion tops (so green part only)

2 sheets puff pastry, defrosted

1 egg, beaten

12 - 6" wooden skewers

To make the filling heat vegetable oil in a medium skillet and cook the onion and bacon until onion becomes soft and the bacon is cooked, about 5 minutes on medium heat. Then set aside to cool.

In a small bowl beat the cream cheese, parmesan, green onion and cooled bacon/onion together.

Lay one sheet of puff pastry out and spread the mixture all the way to the edge. Cover with the second sheet of puff pastry and press gently.

Brush with beaten egg and cut 12 strips about 1/2" wide. Fold the strips in a Christmas tree shape (large at the bottom narrowing to the top) or if they're not for Christmastime just fold them evenly. Feed a skewer through the bottom and just out the top.

Lay on parchment lined baking sheets and again brush with beaten egg. Bake in a 400°F oven for 20-23 minutes or until lightly golden. 

These can be served warm or cold. If you want to make them ahead of time place the baked puffs on a lined baking sheet and cover with foil in refrigerator. If you want to serve them warm uncover and place in a 325°F oven for 5-10 minutes. Or just place cold puff trees on a platter and serve.

Makes 12 puffy Christmas tree nibblers!

Adapted from: destitute Gourmet

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Savory Vegetable Strudel

Made this savory meatless main dish after finding a lost sheet of frozen puff pastry in the back of my freezer. Had some frozen mixed veg in there too. So easy to put together! Try it...get your veggies on!

Ingredients:

10 oz frozen puff pastry (1 sheet), thawed in fridge

5 oz frozen yellow/green beans and carrot mix, thawed

1 medium onion, sliced

1 sweet red pepper, diced

2 cups mixed greens, chopped

1 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 tsp basil

1 tsp thyme

3 tsps minced garlic

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

1 egg

1 tbsp milk

Heat oil in a large skillet, then add the vegetable mix, onion and red pepper. Cook until soft and golden. Add basil, thyme, garlic, salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Remove from heat and roughly chop. Add the chopped greens and parsley. Cool then stir in the mozzarella.

Unwrap the puff pastry sheet and roll out on a sheet of parchment. Place the filling on one half of the sheet and press down with your hand so it's firm. Beat the egg in a small bowl and brush the edge of the pastry all around. Then fold the dough over the top of the filling and seal the edges.

Using the parchment, carefully lift the strudel onto a baking sheet. With a sharp knife, cut through the strudel almost to the bottom in serving sized portions. Add 1 tbsp of milk to the rest of the egg and brush all the pastry.

Bake in a 400°F oven for 25-30 minutes or until golden.

Wait 10 to 15 minutes before slicing through and serving.

Serves 4 with a nice side salad.

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Parmesan Pork Tenderloin Wellington

My first wellington ... very tasty and tender, cheesy and savory. I could've done better with rolling out the puff pastry but all in all a good first attempt! 

Ingredients:
1 - 1 lb pork tenderloin
1 lb puff pastry, store bought or homemade
olive oil
1 onion, sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup parmesan
1 egg yolk
Dry sage to taste
1 tbsp dijon mustard
3 tbsps chopped spinach or kale
1/2 cup shredded apple, unpeeled

Right here I'm sharing Canadian Living's recipe for puff pastry, but if you have store bought then just scroll down a bit.

Puff Pastry Ingredients:
1 cup cold butter, cut in 1/2" cubes
1  2/3 cups flour
3/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold water

Set aside 3/4 cup cubed butter. 
In food processor mix the flour and salt together then add the remaining butter and pulse for 10 seconds.

Sprinkle the reserved butter cubes and pulse 4 or 5 times.
Remove the lid of the food processor and pour the water evenly over. Pulse 6-8 times.

Doesn't look like much, but dump onto a floured surface and begin gathering and pressing together.

Form into a sort of rectangle.

Still on floured surface, with wax paper on top, roll out to 15 X 12". Fold 1/3 over to the middle and the other 1/3 over top.

At the short end firmly roll then wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
It will then have to come out of the fridge for about 30 minutes before using.

Ok, so store bought's we meet here!

In a large skillet heat 1 tbsp olive oil and lightly brown the onion slices adding the garlic in the last minute. Remove to a plate. Pat the pork dry with a paper towel. Add another tbsp of oil to the skillet and brown the pork 4-5 minutes per side. Remove to a plate to cool.
If using kale massage until soft, then chop. Shred the apple and mix with the kale or spinach.

On floured parchment paper or silicone mat roll puff pastry out to measure 16 X 12" (Confession: I only rolled out to about 14 X 8" ... should have stopped being lazy and continued rolling. The dough would've been more fully cooked in the end. Live and learn!) 
Anyways, sprinkle the parmesan down the middle lengthwise, then top with the apple and greens mix.
Spread dijon all over the pork and sprinkle generously with sage. 

Place the pork on top of the apple/greens and top the pork with the onions. Now bring the sides of the puff pastry up and pinch to seal.

Roll over with the help of the silicone mat or parchment sheet and place seam side down on a parchment lined baking sheet. Brush with egg yolk.

And bake at 400°F for 45 minutes. 

Let rest 10 minutes.
Serves 4-6

Adapted from: eatwell101.com

Follow hotandcoldrunningmom on Pinterest. You can scan the pincode seen here with your phone if you're on a desktop. If you're on a phone just screenshot it, go to the Pinterest app, click camera. Then instead of taking a pic use the option to use one of your photos. Click on the screenshot you just took and go right to my Pinterest profile where you can follow me 🙂