How to Make Snacks Out of Already Cooked Sausage

People tend to like leftovers or avoid them, but you're bound to make some true believers among the latter group if you have some already cooked sausage that you wish to reinvigorate in the form of snacks. Whether your sausage is smoked, cured or Italian, it's difficult to even politely pass up a meaty snack, whether it's encased in moist dough or served on a toasted bagel with cheese. Begin the transformation by opening your pantry and refrigerator and assembling some complementary companions. Some of the best snack ideas have resulted from a chance encounter, and your creations could, too.

Things You'll Need

Crescent roll dough
Baking sheet
Celery salt
Finely chopped onion
Cream cheese
Flour tortillas
Mayonnaise or sour cream
Bacon
Diced tomatoes
Small (party) pumpernickel bread
Sweet pepper
Mozzarella cheese
Creamy nacho cheese

Green onion
Beaten eggs
Breadcrumbs
Chopped spinach
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh Parmesan cheese
Pepperoni
Refrigerated French bread dough
Olive oil
Tomato sauce

Instructions

Enliven an old favorite -- sausage wrapped in crescent roll dough -- by sprinkling the sausage with some celery salt and adding some finely chopped onion to the package. Or roll up these favorites with cream cheese -- plain or flavored with chive-onion -- before baking at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.
Tantalize your guests with sausage pinwheels. Spread a flour tortilla on your counter. Spread some mayonnaise or sour cream within a half-inch of the edges to hold the rest of the ingredients -- bacon, diced tomato and the sausage -- in place. Roll up the tortilla lengthwise and slice it into smaller pieces, securing the ends with a toothpick.
Create a pizzalike snack with your leftover sausage by spreading some “party pumpernickel” bread -- the small slices -- on a baking sheet coated with nonfat cooking spray. Top each piece of bread with tomato sauce or diced tomatoes, sausage, diced sweet pepper and mozzarella cheese. Bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees.
Link sausage with its natural sidekick -- cheese -- by assembling English muffin halves on a prepared baking sheet. Spread creamy nacho cheese on the top of each muffin, then top with small pieces of sausage. Sprinkle with some green onion and bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.
Combine several beaten eggs, breadcrumbs, chopped spinach and the sausage in a bowl. Add some garlic powder and onion powder and stir well. Shape the mixture into 1-inch sausage balls. Roll each one in grated Parmesan cheese before placing on a prepared baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees until the sausage balls reach a crispy perfection, or about 15 minutes. Serve with a sweet dipping sauce, if you like.
Create a sausage calzone snack by mixing grated Parmesan cheese, shredded mozzarella cheese, the sausage, pepperoni slices and diced onions in a bowl. Set the mixture aside and roll out a rectangle of dough from a refrigerated French bread package. Place some of the sausage filling in the middle of the dough, then fold over the long edge and roll up the ends, squeezing tightly. Brush each calzone with olive oil before baking at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes. Serve with tomato sauce.

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