Sizzling Cheese Pinwheels

By Patlynn

This reader recipe features thinly rolled bread spread with a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, salami, scallions, and hot sauce and rolled into a cylinder. Each cylinder is then wrapped with bacon and broiled until crisp, yielding a smoky, cheesy appetizer that’s sure to please.

Ingredients

• Makes 2 dozen pinwheels
• Broilers vary dramatically, so watch the pinwheels carefully. Begin checking for doneness after a couple of minutes of broiling on the first side.
• 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 6 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
• 2 ounces thinly sliced deli salami, chopped fine
• 3 scallions, minced
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 12 slices hearty white sandwich bread, crusts removed
• 12 ounces bacon, halved crosswise

Preparation

Step 1

1. Adjust oven rack 6 inches from broiler element and heat broiler. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet. Process cream cheese and cheddar in food processor until smooth, about 30 seconds. Transfer to bowl and stir in salami, scallions, hot sauce, and mustard.
2. Working with 1 slice bread at a time, roll bread as thin as possible with rolling pin. Evenly cover with 2 heaping tablespoons cheese mixture. Starting at short edge, roll bread into tight cylinder. Cut in half crosswise and wrap each half with 1 piece bacon, covering bread completely. Secure bacon with toothpick.
3. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and repeat with remaining bread, filling, and bacon. Broil until bacon is crisp, 10 to 12 minutes, flipping halfway through broiling. Let pinwheels cool for 10 minutes. Serve.