Artichoke Dip Pinwheels

With a calendar full of events around the holidays, our local chapter of WPO (Women’s Presidents Organization) opted to hold our annual holiday party in January.  As business owners we are all wrapping up year-end details or scrambling to take time off to be with family. Sometimes parties around the holidays are burdensome, but a cocktail hour gathering of good friends and colleagues in the middle of January is a pleasant addition to a month light on commitments. The idea was brilliant. Rather than going to a small, private room in a restaurant, one of our members offered her newly remodeled loft, and everyone was asked to bring a “finger food” to the cocktail party and a Dirty Santa gift exchange. 

I knew I couldn’t show up without a plate of my Candy Bacon, but I wanted to make another dish as well.  My Artichoke Dip is always a hit, but I was reluctant to bring a casserole dish that requires baking immediately before serving. So after some culinary brainstorming, I created this recipe which combines the delicious taste of Artichoke Dip with the palette of a chip, bread or crostini. This easy to make and serve finger food will be your new "go to" for any event.

Ingredients:

§     3 (8 ounces) can refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or crescent dough sheet

§     1 (14 ounces) can artichokes (very finely chopped)

§     3/4 cup Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise

§     3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

§     1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

§     1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

§     Pinch of salt

Note:

§     Each can of crescent dinner rolls will yield 12 pinwheels.  To make 24 pieces, half the mixture between 2 cans of rolls.  To make 36 pieces, divide the mixture equally among 3 cans of rolls.

§     Any time I use a recipe where one of the ingredients is mayonnaise and the dish requires baking, I always use Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise.  It is the only mayonnaise I have found will remain creamy and will not separate into an oily mess.

 

I use canned artichokes because they are convenient and can be found at my local market, but frozen artichokes would work well.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Drain artichokes and chop finely.

 

In a bowl, mix together artichokes, mayonnaise, parmesan cheese, garlic powder, cayenne pepper and salt.  Unroll dough and firmly press perforations to seal. 

Thinly spread ½ or 1/3 of the artichoke mixture over the crescent dough, depending on how many pinwheels you want to make.

 

Beginning with the long edge of the rectangle, roll dough forming a tight log.

 

Using a sharp, thin knife, cut the log in half and then again into quarters.  Cut each quarter into thirds and place on a cookie sheet lined with Silpat or parchment paper for even baking. 

Be sure to leave enough room between each pinwheel, as they will spread a bit.  Bake at 350 degrees for 7 – 10 minutes or until warm and lightly browned. 

Artichoke Dip Pinwheels are best served warm from the oven, but can be served room temperature.  For a printer friendly copy of this recipe, go to Artichoke Dip Pinwheels. Enjoy!