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Pigs in a Binkie (Blanket)

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Sometimes the old stand-bys are best after a long day, and for this recipe, you get to cheat a little with the prep.  You'll appreciate the simplicity of this heavy appetizer after a long day at work or play. We're all aware of "pigs in a blanket" appetizers, but for a meal, they're a bit light.  That's why we call this recipe "Pigs in a Binkie".  "Why?", you ponder? As you can see, from the thumbnail picture on the right, these pigs are FULL SIZE so they need a full-sized blanket.  This appetizer is a MEAL!  So let's get this party started.  You can feed a family of four with this treat.  ...or if you're a college student, and have a "college food" appetite, this recipe is two servings.  ;-) Pigs: 1 pack of 8 Kosher beef hot dogs.   Kosher dogs seem to have a better quality meat, and they don't "over-plump" 1 tube of premade, uncooked, crescent rolls from the refrigerated supermarket foods isle 1.5 lbs of medium to medium sharp cheddar cheese, cut in 2" x 1/2" rectangles Directions: Preheat your oven to 375F (190C). Open, unroll, and separate your raw-dough crescent rolls.  Because they may be a bit misshapen from the tube they were packed in, try to carefully mold each back into a triangle shape, and lay flat on a cold surface (like your clean counter). Drain the excess packing moisture from the hot dogs, and slice each one, lengthwise, about 3/4 of the way through, so that it just begins to open like a hinge. Place your cheese rectangles in each of the sliced open dogs so that the cheese is filling the crack from one end of the dog to the other. Take each dog, and set them on the longest side of each raw-dough crescent roll triangle, and roll it up until the other end point of the dough is back under the widest side that you started rolling with.  Hold the dogs tightly to keep the cheese in place as you roll.  When back to the side you started from, press down, gently, to seal the dough together on the bottom, and let the dogs rest in this position, dough joint down, until you are finished rolling the rest. When you are finished wrapping the dogs, lay each one on an ungreased baking sheet, at least an inch (2cm) apart to allow room for the expansion of the dough.   Place in the middle rack of your preheated oven for 13 minutes, turning your pan after about 8 minutes.  If the crescent roll dough looks like it is beginning to brown to soon, turn off the oven, and let the residual heat finish the cooking for you. When complete, you will have an extra-large pastry filled with hotddoggity goodness, and the oozing cheddar cheese will only add to the joy. In our home, we always eat our BIG PIGS with ranch and/or honey BBQ sauce.  Neither are officially homemade, but they are both easy to make from stuff off the shelf. Give our Pigs in a Binkies a try! Enjoy! Follow us on Twitter!