Shelly's Recipe

DIRTY SOUTHERN SAUSAGE BALLS

Category: Meatballs

2 lbs bulk pork breakfast sausage (half mild and half spicy)
1/2 lb softened cream cheese
1/4 cup snipped chives (or substitute green onions)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
Salt and pepper to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
3 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs), or unseasoned dried bread crumbs
2 sheets of frozen puff pastry dough, thawed (1 lb)
Scallions for garnish

Preheat oven to 400. In large bowl, combine pork sausage, cream cheese, chives, cayenne, salt, pepper and lemon juice. Fold bread crumbs into meat-cheese mixture until fully combined. Roll mixture into 1-inch balls.

Wrap a 1 1/2 inch square of puff pastry around each ball, stretching to cover. Pinch seams to seal. Place seam-side down on greased cookie sheet and bake at 400 F for 10 minutes. Serve garnished with chopped or julienned scallions. Makes about 24 small balls.

To freeze: Freeze unbaked balls. Bake them (still frozen) at 375 for about 17 to 20 minutes, or until browned.