Foodie Fridays - Mini Goat Cheese Appetizers (or Biscuits, or Grands, or Puffs)

Onto the deliciousness that is goat cheese.  I'll take it pretty much any way I can get it, so I always jump at a recipe that includes it.  I found this one over on eggton (one hilarious chick, who also cooks and bakes and shares her recipes), but she called 'em cocktail puffs.  I feel I may have mentioned this once or twice on this blog, but my local grocery stores SUCK. So not only do I have to substitute stuff when I'm cooking because I chronically forget one ingredient, but some days it barely pays to get out of bed, because my stores are so lacking in the ingredients I want.

So when I decided I wanted to try these cocktail puffs for Book Club, I really had to get creative. Of the three goddamned ingredients, I could only get one.  So I had to sub in spicy mango chutney for hot pepper jelly (which was totally awesome and not half bad) and I had to also sub in Pillsbury Homestyle Grands for puff pastry (which again, actually worked out fine). What I'm getting at here, I think, is this:  I'll never buy frozen appetizers from Costco again, because, no matter what I couldn't find at the store, these turned out great, and were re-donc easy. And also, I feel weird calling them cocktail puffs for lack of said puff.

I got really creative later in the week and used Pillsbury biscuits and bacon with the leftover goat cheese and more mango chutney.

Guess what? Still freaking awesome.

Check out the original recipe here from eggton. I bet it's even better than what I ended up with, but I'll probably never know, until I move out of my neighborhood.

Here is my massively altered version (massive is probably an exaggeration):
Mini Goat Cheese Appetizers
1 can of Grands (or Biscuits)
Spicy Mango Chutney (or any other jelly that excites you) (about 10 - 12 tbs)
Goat Cheese (about 10 - 12 tbs)
Great add-ins: Caramelized Onions, Chopped Bacon, Cubed Pancetta, Spinach, get crazy!

Preheat oven as directed on the can (425 - 450 degrees).  Lightly spray cupcake pan.  If you're using Grands, split them in half with your fingers (they pull apart pretty easily).  If  you are using Biscuits, pull them apart to flatten a bit (like mini pizza dough).  Place these into the cupcake pan, and fill with delicious ingredients.  Pop in the oven for about 12 - 15 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges.  Enjoy! 

I did a lot of mixing and matching when I made these both times this past week.  No matter what you add, don't skimp on the jelly, otherwise, they are too dry.  Be generous with the filling, especially if you use Grands, otherwise the filling-to-dough ratio is a little off.  These are so EASY AND DELICIOUS, you'll never bother with frozen appetizers for your guests again. And now I think I need to go make more...