Since I love the flavors in that sub so much I decided to use them as the base for Pinwheels. One of the key ingredients is the cranberry-orange relish which is something that Publix already has made (again, only during the holidays) but you could easily make your own.
These bite-sized Pinwheels would make a great appetizer for something like an office party. They are also great on a day when your craving the flavors of Thanksgiving without all the hassle (like I was). But for the ultimate easy ingredients, just use your actual Thanksgiving leftovers!
I started the Pinwheels by thawing out a sheet of puff pastry and spreading a layer of the relish onto it.
Next came smoked gruyere cheese and then strips of bacon. I pre-cooked the bacon in a pan but took it out just as it was starting to brown so it could finish cooking in the oven.
Finally I laid down some thinly sliced deli turkey. Use your favorite flavor, I chose mesquite because it was on sale :) Next roll the pastry and ingredients up as tightly as you can. If the puff pastry gets too warm while you are assembling it may be too stretchy to roll so just chill it for a few minutes.
I also learned from the chef making the bacon pinwheels that slicing the Pinwheel roll with a knife and sometimes stretch and flatten the roll. I tried using my bench scraper to cut which worked well. It still flattened the Pinwheels a little but I just had to execute a one stroke motion to cut them. I was aiming for about a half in thick but use your judgement.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15-20 minutes until golden brown. The bacon will get nice and crispy during the oven cooking for a perfect texture balance against the puff pastry.
The beauty of these Pinwheels is that you can layer as much of the ingredients as you like. If you are a cranberry fan add more...if you like a different kind of cheese, then go for it.
Enjoy!
