Crescent Rolls

I love the smell of bread in the oven.  It is one of those smells that screams “Lovin’ from the oven” as Pillsbury dough boy says.  I’m sharing a copy cat recipe of Pillsbury crescent rolls with you and then a couple of ways to use them or the store bought if you want it easy and time is short.  

Pillsbury Crescent Rolls - Copycat Recipe

2 packs of active dry yeast

3/4 cup warm water (105 to 110 degrees)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 large eggs

1/2 cup butter

4 cups  flour

Butter

In a large mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the warm water.  No hotter than 110 degrees or you will kill the yeast.  Stir in the sugar and water and let it bloom.  After it blooms (5 minutes), put in your mixer with dough hook on and add eggs, melted butter and half of the flour into the yeast mixture. Mix well and add your salt.  If you add the salt too soon, again you can kill the yeast.

Add the remaining flour blending until smooth. Scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl and cover with a cloth very lightly dampened in warm water. Let rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about 2 hours. Divide the dough in half, rolling each half into a 12 inch circle 1/4 inch thick. Spread with the melted butter and cut each circle into 16 wedges. Roll up each wedge beginning at the largest end. Place, point side down, on a greased baking sheet. Curve to form crescents. Cover and let rise until it has doubled (about 1 hour).

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until rich golden brown. Remove from oven and brush with more butter.  Serve warm. 

 Chicken Crescent Roll Casserole

2 (8 ounce) cans Pillsbury Refrigerated Crescent Dinner Rolls or make your own baked

1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted (or my concentrate)

3/4 cup grated cheddar cheese or Swiss cheese (or any cheese of choice)

1/2 cup cream (or half and half)

Filling

4 ounces whipped cream cheese

4 tablespoons soft butter (not melted)

½  1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/3 cup finely chopped onion

2 large cooked chicken breasts, finely chopped (can use turkey)

½ cup finely grated cheddar cheese

½ teaspoon salt

½  teaspoon pepper

4 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Set your oven to 350° F.

Butter a casserole dish (any size to hold crescent rolls).

In a saucepan, mix cream, 3/4 cup grated cheese and undiluted chicken soup.  Heat just until the cheese melts (do not boil).

Filling

Add your soft cream cheese and butter to a bowl, mix until very smooth, then add in garlic powder.

Add in the chopped chicken, onion and cheddar cheese; mix well until combined.

Add in 2 tablespoons mayonnaise and mix. to combine.

Season with salt and  pepper to taste.

Unroll the crescent rolls.  Place 1 heaping tablespoon chicken mixture on top of each crescent triangle, then roll up starting at the thicker end.

Drizzle a small amount of soup mixture on the bottom of the dish.  Place the crescent rolls seam side down on top of the creamed mixture in the casserole.

Drizzle the remaining sauce on top and sprinkle with 1 cup grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.

Variation – those of you that know me well know I will not be doing this, but if you like you can add peas or broccoli to the chicken mixture.  Or you can use a can of cream of broccoli soup rather than the creamed chicken soup.  I’d do the broccoli, but if I had to name the number one food I hate it would be peas.  This is for those of you that ate your peas when you were little.  I’ll enjoy it without please (you will not find me sharing a pea soup recipe with you on my blog).

Another variation would be to use ½ cup of ricotta cheese in the filling or your favorite cheese.  If you use ricotta, you might wish to add a bit of chopped spinach for color and flavor.  I’d also add a pinch of nutmeg if using ricotta.

Asparagus and Cheese Filled Crescent Rolls

1 pkg. Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1 lb. asparagus, stems removed

3 oz. cream cheese

1/2 cup(s)  grated Cheddar or Monteray Jack cheese

1 tsp. lemon juice - 1/4 tsp. kosher salt and white pepper

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup cooked bacon, minced or bacon bits

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine cream cheese, cheddar or jack cheese, lemon juice, bacon, salt and pepper.

Steam asparagus until crisp tender. Dry thoroughly on paper towels.

Roll out crescent rolls and separate at the seams. Brush about 1 tsp. of the cream cheese filling across the wide of each triangle. Add 2 spears of asparagus and roll up in the classic "crescent" shape.

Place each roll on a cookie sheet and brush top of each roll with some of the egg wash.

Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes until golden brown.

Make it simple by using store bought or make your own and tell everyone you made them.  They will love you for it either way.

Tomorrow I'll share an apple bacon coleslaw with you.  

Be happy and may God bless you and yours.