Mini Carrot Dogs in a Blanket
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(slightly adapted from Karissa's Vegan Kitchen)
Ingredients:
2 cans crescent rolls , I like Immaculate or Annie's, but Pillsbury is fine.
1 pound bag baby carrots, organic if possible
1 tbsp maple syrup
3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup water
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon organic Worcestershire sauce, optional
a dash of liquid smoke, optional
Dijon Mustard Dipping Sauce
Ingredients:
3 Tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tbsp maple syrup, honey ( if not vegan) or fruit sweetened apricot jam
1-2 Tablespoons water, optional
Make the mini dogs:
Pick through the baby carrots, sorting out any very skinny ones or oddly shaped ones and save for another use.
In a medium size pot, add the carrots, cover with water and boil the carrots until just tender throughout. You want them softened but firm, not so soft that they could fall apart. Boil for 11-14 minutes to get to that texture, but check frequently to make sure you don't and then drain.
While the carrots are boiling, combine the marinade ingredients in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into a shallow dish or a gallon size resealable bag.
After the carrots are drained, add them to the dish and cover, or into a resealable bag, and toss or shake well to coat. Let them come to room temperature, toss again and place in the fridge for anywhere from 12-24 hours, tossing or shaking them in the marinade every once in a while.
When ready to bake, place the 2 racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 375 degrees F.
Drain the carrots and dry them off with paper towels.
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Use one can of crescent rolls per sheet. Separate the rolls into 8 triangles, and cut each triangle in half from the widest to the thinnest end, making 16 per sheet, 32 in total.
Place a carrot at the wide end of the dough and roll up. Keep them about 2 inches apart. Bake until golden brown, about 12-15 minutes. Serve with the mustard dipping sauce.
Make the Dipping Sauce:
In a small bowl, combine the mustard and maple syrup. If you want a thinner consistency, add water one Tablespoon at a time.
Makes 3 dozen. YUM!
LESSONS Learned:
1. Don't overcook the carrots. Pay close attention, and test them frequently near the end of the cook time.
2. Plan ahead. You're going to need to start the day before. It's better to marinate them for a longer time than shorter. But, if you decide on game day to make them, you could boil them for 25 minutes in the marinade with extra water to cover. And then let steep in the mixture for at least 3-4 hours before draining and baking.
3. You could cut the crescent dough triangles into thirds instead of in half to make more. Just roll them out a little to flatten them and to create more surface area.
4. If you don't want to use all of them at one time, roll the carrots up in the dough, freeze solid on a sheet pan, and them put them in a ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen. Just give them a little longer time in the oven.