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Christmas Pigs in Blankets and Chestnut Stuffing Balls
Serve these pigs in blankets and Christmas stuffing balls together, perhaps with cranberry sauce on the side for dipping. Mayonnaise mixed with mustard would also make a tasty dip for these holiday appetizer recipes. The pigs in blankets are simply sausages wrapped in bacon. First they are fried to crisp them up, and then they are baked. If you wanted to make mini pigs in blankets you could cut the sausages and bacon in half and make double the amount. Pigs in blankets in the UK refers to bacon-wrapped sausage. In the United States the bacon is often replaced with bread.
The stuffing balls are full of flavor. If you want to prepare make ahead appetizers, you can make them as per the recipe, then just before drizzling over the oil, transfer them to a sealable container. Chill them for up to two days. You can also freeze the mixture (without the egg) for up to a month. To use them, just thaw them the day before at room temperature, and then add the egg to the mixture.
The chestnut stuffing recipe and pigs in blankets recipe pair really well, or you could just make one of these holiday appetizer recipes. If you are looking for traditional Christmas appetizer recipes, these are really wonderful to make. If you want to stuff a turkey with stuffing, this mixture makes enough to stuff a twelve pound turkey plus make an additional twelve stuffing balls.
Chestnut Stuffing Recipe with Pigs in Blankets
Ingredients -
For the Chestnut Stuffing Balls:
1 finely chopped onion
1 beaten egg
7 oz chopped dried figs
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
2 diced celery sticks
5 oz fresh breadcrumbs
1 ½ oz butter
Finely grated zest of a lemon
7 oz chopped chestnuts
1 sprig thyme leaves
1 lb pork sausages
3 tablespoons brandy
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Olive oil, for drizzling
For the Pigs in Blankets:
12 chipolata sausages
12 strips bacon
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Fresh parsley, to garnish
Preparation:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the skins from the pork sausages.
Fry the celery and onion in the butter for 10 minutes, then let this mixture cool.
Add the rest of the stuffing ingredients except the olive oil.
Combine well and add salt and pepper to taste.
Divide the mixture into 24 pieces and roll them into balls.
Put these stuffing balls on a greased, rimmed baking sheet.
Drizzle them with olive oil and cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil.
For the pigs in blankets, roll each strip of bacon around a sausage.
Heat the oil in a skillet and fry them until they are browned all over.
Arrange the pigs in blankets on a greased baking sheet.
Bake the stuffing balls for 20 minutes, and then remove the foil.
Bake the stuffing balls and pigs in blankets together for 10 minutes or until they are golden brown and very hot.
Arrange everything together on a serving platter and garnish with fresh parsley.
(Serves 12)
Photo Description:
Both these holiday appetizer recipes look so mouthwatering your guests won't know which to try first - the juicy pigs in blankets or the delicious chestnut stuffing recipe. These easy party appetizers are ideal for a Christmas party and you can bake them together, which means they are make ahead appetizers and you simply pop them in the oven twenty minutes before you want them. You will love the rich flavors in the chestnut stuffing recipe and the simple meaty taste of the hot pigs in blankets recipe.
