A little bit of sweet and a lot of savory make these Apple Cheddar Pinwheels simply irresistible.
Oh, how the world continues to change. When I created this recipe a year ago, we were living in our New Hampshire loft, planning our coming year on the road, while reflecting on Thanksgiving 2011. Now it’s September 2020, and our year on the road has been spent in one location- Hot Springs, Arkansas. In theory we should have been in our third location by now. However, I am not complaining. Staying put for longer allowed us to consider our plans in a different light. Thus, by the time this recipe republishes we will have relocated to Pensacola, Florida. That was nowhere in our plans, but it’s the place we want to try. So, here’s to exploring the Gulf Coast!
The original post from October 2019
Although my mind’s instinct is to think sweet when it comes to apples, I also have enjoyed them in many savory dishes. In fact, eight years ago we had an entire menu, from appetizers to desserts, planned around apples.
Thanksgiving 2011 was a different celebration. To make our family gathering work, we celebrated the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was a fun crowd, our blended family of six, my brother’s family of four, and dear friends who are more like family. It was a noisy, food-filled day of fun.
Of course, there still was the actual day to celebrate. Since it would be only two of our kids, my husband, and me, we decided not to make another entire Thanksgiving meal. Rather, we decided to have our own Iron Chef Thanksgiving.
(Side note: there are many great things about being a parent. However, being able to share your passions with your kids AND have them enjoy them as well is pretty darn awesome.)
The idea of Iron Chef was excitedly embraced by the kids, ages 13 and 15 then. We chose the ingredient of apples and then drew sheets of paper to determine what course each of us would make. To keep the kitchen from being crowded and our stomachs from being overly full, we started with breakfast, then moved onto appetizers, dinner, and dessert.
In this day of eating we had some interesting and tasty dishes. Honestly, much of the menu is a blur, but I know there was a good amount of creativity, including Apple Skins and Apple Ravioli. There definitely was a mix of sweet and savory dishes to enjoy throughout that day.
While we often turn to to tried and true dishes, like apple pie and applesauce, when we think of apples, there’s really another whole dimension of options out there. As you sit at home and wonder what to do with all of the apples you got at the orchard, consider this pinwheel recipe. They’re really simple and all sorts of yummy in one package! And you don’t even have to go through an Iron Chef competition to enjoy them.
Apple Cheddar Pinwheels
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups diced apples
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- Salt & pepper optional
- 1 cup grated sharp cheddar
- 1 sheet puff pastry
Instructions
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In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
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Saute the apples for 4 minutes.
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Remove from heat and stir in the sage; season with salt and/or pepper, if desired
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Unroll the puff pastry.
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Roll out to 10” x 12” rectangle.
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Sprinkle apples on dough, leaving 1” margins on the long sides.
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Top with grated cheddar.
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With long side of the dough facing you, roll the dough around the apple mixture.
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Place in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
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Preheat oven to 400 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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Cut the roll into 1/2 inch slices and arrange pieces on the lined baking sheet.
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Bake for 25 minutes or until golden.
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See notes below for optional toppings.
Notes
1. Combine equal parts yellow mustard & apple butter, and serve as a dip.
2. Drizzle a small amount of honey on each slice.
