Creamy Sausage Cranberry Pillows

My mom makes these hamburger rollups that are really good.  Part ground beef, part sausage, cheddar cheese, fluffy bread.  I wanted to make something similar, like an empanada, but not fried, & not really ethnic at all.  Sausage & cranberry go really well together, & they seem to be in a lot of stuffing recipes, if you think back to Thanksgiving & anytime you searched for a stuffing recipe it would come up with a lot of variations with sausage & cranberries, so I combined those two flavors, made my favorite dough recipe, shaped them like empanadas, & added a little cream cheese to make them over the top delicious!  I even sprinkled the tops with some bread crumbs to give it a more, stuffing-esque feel.  These were delicious as a meal for dinner, but you can make them smaller if you want an appetizer for a party or whatnot.  Have fun with it!

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Creamy Sausage Cranberry Pillows

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups very warm water
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups flour (more if necessary)

Filling:

• 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 lb lean pork/turkey sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped white onions
• 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Original Craisins
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 6-8oz (1 pkg) Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese
• Italian Bread Crumbs

1. For the dough: Mix water with yeast & sugar in a stand mixer.  Let sit 5 minutes until bubbly.  Add salt & flour.  Knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes; until dough is soft & elastic (add extra flour if necessary).  Take dough out of bowl & round into a ball.  Spray the bottom of the mixing bowl & return dough to bowl.  Cover with a towel & let rise until double in size, about 30-60 minutes depending on the temperature of the room.
2. Take dough out of bowl, pat down & cut into 20 even pieces.  Roll pieces into balls & place on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover with a towel & let double in size; 30min or so.  (This process is relaxing the dough so you can roll it nice & thin, but still have a fluffy bread.)
3. Once your rolls are almost doubled start your filling;  In a large non-stick saute pan, brown sausage, drain any fat.  Set aside.  Brown ground turkey.  Add sausage, white onion, & cranberries breaking up ingredients with your spoon or mix-n-chop.  Add spices & cook until the onion is translucent.  Throw in the green onions & toss up the mixture.  Turn off heat & remove.
4. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Set up your items to put together the pillows: greased cookie sheet, flour, rolling pin, cut-n-seal or fork, small bowl of water, cream cheese & knife, sausage mixture & 1/4 cup measure.
5. Uncover rolls a few at a time, so as to not dry out the dough.  Take roll, roll into an oval.  Wet finger & trace the rim of half the dough for a seal.  Spoon 1/4 cup sausage mixture & top with a tsp or so slice of cream cheese.  Fold top over & pinch edges with a fork or cut-n-seal.  Place on greased cookie sheet & repeat until all pillows are finished, covering with a towel in between each pillow (don't want these your little sandwiches drying out!)
6. Once all the pillows are filled spray the tops with cooking spray & sprinkle with a little bit of Italian Bread Crumbs.  Bake at 375*F for 15-20 minutes or until browned on the tops.

*Makes 20 pillows

My mom makes these hamburger rollups that are really good.  Part ground beef, part sausage, cheddar cheese, fluffy bread.  I wanted to make something similar, like an empanada, but not fried, & not really ethnic at all.  Sausage & cranberry go really well together, & they seem to be in a lot of stuffing recipes, if you think back to Thanksgiving & anytime you searched for a stuffing recipe it would come up with a lot of variations with sausage & cranberries, so I combined those two flavors, made my favorite dough recipe, shaped them like empanadas, & added a little cream cheese to make them over the top delicious!  I even sprinkled the tops with some bread crumbs to give it a more, stuffing-esque feel.  These were delicious as a meal for dinner, but you can make them smaller if you want an appetizer for a party or whatnot.  Have fun with it!

Pin It

  

Creamy Sausage Cranberry Pillows

Recipe by: Amber (Dessert Now, Dinner Later!)

Dough:

• 1 1/2 cups very warm water
• 1 Tbsp yeast
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 1/2 cups flour (more if necessary)

Filling:

• 1/2 lb ground turkey
• 1/2 lb lean pork/turkey sausage
• 1/2 cup chopped white onions
• 1/2 cup Ocean Spray Original Craisins
• 1/2 tsp thyme
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 6-8oz (1 pkg) Philadelphia 1/3 Less Fat Neufchatel Cream Cheese
• Italian Bread Crumbs

1. For the dough: Mix water with yeast & sugar in a stand mixer.  Let sit 5 minutes until bubbly.  Add salt & flour.  Knead on medium-low speed for 10 minutes; until dough is soft & elastic (add extra flour if necessary).  Take dough out of bowl & round into a ball.  Spray the bottom of the mixing bowl & return dough to bowl.  Cover with a towel & let rise until double in size, about 30-60 minutes depending on the temperature of the room.
2. Take dough out of bowl, pat down & cut into 20 even pieces.  Roll pieces into balls & place on a greased cookie sheet.  Cover with a towel & let double in size; 30min or so.  (This process is relaxing the dough so you can roll it nice & thin, but still have a fluffy bread.)
3. Once your rolls are almost doubled start your filling;  In a large non-stick saute pan, brown sausage, drain any fat.  Set aside.  Brown ground turkey.  Add sausage, white onion, & cranberries breaking up ingredients with your spoon or mix-n-chop.  Add spices & cook until the onion is translucent.  Throw in the green onions & toss up the mixture.  Turn off heat & remove.
4. Preheat oven to 375*F.  Set up your items to put together the pillows: greased cookie sheet, flour, rolling pin, cut-n-seal or fork, small bowl of water, cream cheese & knife, sausage mixture & 1/4 cup measure.
5. Uncover rolls a few at a time, so as to not dry out the dough.  Take roll, roll into an oval.  Wet finger & trace the rim of half the dough for a seal.  Spoon 1/4 cup sausage mixture & top with a tsp or so slice of cream cheese.  Fold top over & pinch edges with a fork or cut-n-seal.  Place on greased cookie sheet & repeat until all pillows are finished, covering with a towel in between each pillow (don't want these your little sandwiches drying out!)
6. Once all the pillows are filled spray the tops with cooking spray & sprinkle with a little bit of Italian Bread Crumbs.  Bake at 375*F for 15-20 minutes or until browned on the tops.

*Makes 20 pillows