I decided to get creative in my snack creation for a party I went to last weekend. As far as I know, this is an original recipe, and I was very happy with its outcome. I am going to assume my friends would agree, since these were gobbled up very quickly. Even if you don’t like dates, I would encourage you to give it a try, because they mainly just add a little sweetness and are not overly noticeable. This recipe is incredibly simple and inexpensive. With only four ingredients, these pockets can be thrown together quickly, and I am pretty sure they would even please some of the more picky eaters.

I had some sliced dates that I wanted to use, and wanted to go for that salty and sweet combination that everyone usually enjoys. I’m not a huge fan of eating sausage in large patties or by itself, but I love to use it as an accompaniment to accentuate other flavors. For the purposes of this dish, it seemed like the perfect addition to provide the salty balance to the sweetness of the dates.

By dropping in a small slice of a mild, white cheese, I was able to further the combination, and help the mixture stick together a little more, rather than simply spilling out in a crumbly mess when you bite into the pockets. In this batch, I tried both a smoked white cheddar, and a havarti. I think brie might also be another nice alternative.

When it comes to appetizers, it is hard to go wrong with wrapping things into packets, or making mini sandwiches. Refrigerated crescent rolls provided a great, simple way to wrap everything together, helping to keep it finger-food friendly. One very important note: Crescent rolls never taste as good once they have cooled, so be sure to eat them while they are warm!

Sausage and Date Pockets

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 pkgs. refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1/2 – 3/4 lb. ground sausage
• 1/2 lb. cheese (I tried Smoked White Cheddar and Havarti, but other light, creamy cheeses would work)
• 1/2 – 3/4 cup sliced dates

METHOD

1. Open one package of crescent rolls and separate the dough as designated by the pre-cut portions. Stretch each section by lightly pulling on all edges to create a larger triangle. The dough is much easier to work with when it is cold, so leave the second package in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. In a large skillet, brown the sausage, breaking it into very small pieces while cooking. Once the meat is cooked, remove from heat and add the dates.

3. Cut the cheese into small slices, and place one slice on each section of dough. Top with the sausage and date mixture. You can’t add very much to each, and the amount used will vary based on how much you stretched the dough. Start by only adding a heaping Tbsp. and adjust based on whether you think you will still be able to seal the edges.

4. Fold the dough in half, and press the edges to seal. You can optionally fold two corners of the triangle into the center to make them look more like wontons. Place on a greased baking sheet, and bake at 350° for about 10 minutes, or until the dough is a light golden brown. They do not taste nearly as good when cold, so serve warm.

Makes 16 servings.

Full disclosure: Pillsbury and MyBlogSpark provided me with coupons for free refrigerated crescent rolls in preparation for creating this recipe and the giveaway I am hosting.