Here of late, we have been following a tailgating thing here and why stop now, especially with the first full weekend of college football in the books and the start of the professional season just days away now. One problem that many of us have with tailgating is that most foods are too big and filling and so it is hard for your guests to have more than just one or two items. While you can get miniature hot dogs and/or make sliders. But, after a while, these get old and it is time for something new and something fun . . . something memorable and creative. Hence, we decided to make some quick and easy pocket appetizers that can be filled with just about anything that you can conjure up. Here, we provide 3 options for stuffing the pockets. I am sure that if you put your mind to it, you will come up with many many more ideas.
The idea here is pretty simple. All we do is take some puff pastry (just pick up a box or two at your local grocery store from the frozen food section) and cut some shapes (we went with circles and squares, but, there is nothing to stop you from making elephant shaped-pockets). Then, just lay out the puff pastry pieces stuff them with your delicious ingredients and seal them up. After a light coating of melted butter (and a dusting of a spice or two if you like) and then into the oven they go. You can eat them hot right out of the oven or take them to the game and share them with your friends. If you bring some tin foil to the game, you could even prepare them on the grill and have them made to order! Don’t forget to bring some dipping sauces. Be creative . . . it does not have to just be ketchup, BBQ sauce, french onion dip, or ranch dressing. You could easily make a green chili sauce, a mango chutney, or even a homemade tomatilla salsa. The possibilities are endless you the by having options, your friends will not be dissatisfied!
These pocket appetizers are not solely intended for consumption during pre-game activities. They are great for birthday parties, new years parties, labor day and memorial day picnics, or just a normal day at home with the family. Your kids will love them because they can be packed with things that they love. And, you will be satisfied as well since you can easily make a few different types!
We hope you enjoy these bite size pockets.
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Ingredients
- 1 box puff pastry (thawed)
- 3 slices of bacon
- 5 slices of deli ham
- 1/4 cup goat cheese
- 1/4 cup brie
- 1 apple (granny smith if possible)
- 1/4 cup muenster cheese
- 2 tablespoons butter (melted)
- Flour (for dusting)
- Cinnamon (dash)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the bacon on a baking sheet and place in the over for 10-12 minutes or until cooked to your liking. Remove from the oven and immediately transfer to paper towels to soak up the excess fat. Let cool.
- Meanwhile, cute the ham, apple, muenster, brie, and goat cheese into small, bite-size pieces. Unfold the puff pastry onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, thin the dough out until the puff pastry has at least doubled in size. Then, using a cookie cutter or a knife, cut circles and squares out of the puff pastry.
- To assemble the pockets, fill one type with pieces of the cooked bacon and goat cheese. Fill another with brie and apple pieces. And fill the final type with pieces of deli ham and muenster.
- Fold over and crimp. Or, to make larger pockets, place another piece of puff pastry on top. If you want to make little purses, just fold up the sides and crimp. Brush the pockets with the melted butter (and a dash of cinnamon to the apple and brie type) and place in the over for 8-10 minutes or until the pastry begins to brown slightly. Remove and either eat them hot or save them for the tailgate!
