pepperoni roll-ups

tis the season to have yummy, easy recipes with minimal ingredients to throw together in a flash for company or kids! this recipe is PERFECT for exactly that. these pepperoni roll-ups make a great appetizer for a casual get together, or something delightful for kiddos to chomp on. picky eaters don't stand a chance!

ingredients:
crescent rolls
pepperoni
string cheese (i found this provolone-mozzarella string cheese, and i did a happy dance in the dairy section of the store... and that happy dance was well-deserved...)
cream cheese
ranch/marinara/alfredo/whatever-you-like sauce (for dipping)

(i still can't figure out this sideways picture crap! anybody know why it does this?! ugh... moving on...)

directions:
1. roll out the crescent roll.

2. separate the crescent rolls into triangles.

3. place 4-5 pepperonis on each triangle. you may tear a few to make them fit easier.

4. top each triangle with half a piece of string cheese - torn into bite size pieces. (i actually took an extra piece of string cheese just to add a bit extra cheese in the empty spots, so i used 5 strings total.)

5. try not to eat all the string cheese!

6. if you decide to go against that advice (as i obviously did), don't get caught.

(i got caught!)

7. the original recipe didn't call for this step, but i added it to make things interesting. well, that and cream cheese was BOGO and i had just a little leftover and didn't know what to use it for. i thought this would be great! so, back to the point, top each triangle with a small dollop... or two... or three... of cream cheese. cream cheese makes me happy (see picture).

8. carefully roll up the sides and bring sides to seal.

 9. bake according to directions on crescent roll package. mine was 10-12 minutes.

10. bake until golden brown. when cheese starts to ooze out just a bit, they're PERFECT. take em out!

11. serve with a side of ranch, marinara, alfredo, or whatever sauce you would like for dipping. or you can even eat them alone. they're good enough! i actually like to mix a little alfredo in my marinara, and that's what i did to serve alongside the pepperoni roll-ups. it's super easy. just put some marinara in a small bowl, add a little alfredo, warm up in the microwave (be sure to put a paper towel over it, as some popping will likely occur, and this will save you clean up time later), mix together, serve! if that's too confusing for you, i included pictures...

these little roll-ups were gobbled up quickly - and there were only two of us! like i said before, these are great for picky eaters, kiddos, or casual appetizers... or pair it with a salad (maybe with caesar or italian dressing) and make an easy weeknight dinner!

the addition of the cream cheese makes it a little heavier. if you want something lighter, you can nix it altogether. but why would you do that? it's cream cheese, silly.

i really think it would be super cute to serve these in a basket at a kids table or to have these at a kids' birthday party. tell me what occasion you make these for and how they go over with your family/friends!

fin.