Let me tell you a little secret. I am a grown woman who (occasionally) has a little weakness for a hot dog perfectly blanketed in warm, fluffy bread. Need I say more? Okay, maybe a little.
When I was a kid, pigs in blankets were a treat. They were hors d'oeuvres served at most family gatherings (such as Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner) meant to tide us over before the main event. They were always the first to attract attention and the first to disappear. And I was lucky if I got one.
Imagine my overwhelming joy with my Gramma didn't have time to make them ahead, and invited me to make them with her! That meant I would know the secret.
Well, it's not really as secretive as it could have been. A package of Lil' Smokies and a can of crescent roll dough and we're good to go. Gramma rolled and stretched and cut the dough a little to make it last for a few more smokies.
When I got married, my husband introduced me to a new concept: Make them with normal hot dogs. And homemade biscuits. What?
Well, they taste good. But I have to admit, they're a wee bit tricky to eat. Mostly, they're far too huge for my little lady mouth (remember, real ladies look good while eating their hot dogs) and not even comprehensible for littler mouths (kids). Also, there was definitely a difference between those light, fluffy crescent rolls and a crumbly biscuit.
Enter potato rolls. Remember those? Light. Fluffy. Make-ahead-able. Pig in blanket perfection.
I'm still not sure my family is convinced, since part of the appeal is the easy prep. But I promise this is (almost) just as easy, and you can make lots more. And they taste better!
This isn't so much a recipe, more of a method. I always do tons and freeze them, (after baking; reheat in the microwave or oven) but this recipe is enough for a good sized basket of hors d'oeuvres or a dinner to-go.
Roll one pound of potato dough into a large circle. Cut into 16 wedges. Slice four hot dogs in half lengthwise, then width-wise (you should end up with 16 pieces).
Place one hot dog piece at the outside (large) end of the triangle and roll towards the middle of the circle. You will finish with the pointed end on top (sorry for the lack of photos here...).
Place them on a greased baking sheet, spray with cooking spray, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise for about 30 minutes.
For the whole recipe (single batch) of potato dough, use one 8-pack of hot dogs.
Pigs in Blankets
1 recipe potato dough
1 8-pack hot dogs
Divide dough in half. Roll each half into large circle, about 15" in diameter. Cut circles into 16 even wedges. Slice hot dogs down the middle lengthwise and crosswise. Place one piece of hot dog at wide end of one wedge; roll to create crescent roll. Place pointed side down on greased baking sheet. Repeat for remaining hot dogs. Mist with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap; let rise 30 minutes. Uncover and bake at 350 for 10 to 15 minutes, or until rolls are golden brown.
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