Aunt Kim’s Sausage Stars

I grew up sharing the holidays with my extended family.  Every year, we would gather and share some great times and wonderful food.  My Aunt took us all by surprise when she brought these Sausage Stars one year.  We all had to have the recipe!  I’ve made it countless times, varying the ingredients to what I have on hand, and it’s delicious every time.

These appetizers are perfect little bites for your next get-together.  The flavors appeal to both kids and adults alike.  But much like many of the dishes I make, it’s not for those on limited calorie consumption.

The ingredients are simple and versatile.  Don’t have fresh bell pepper?  Use roasted bell peppers from a jar!  Don’t have regular sausage?  Use Italian sausage!  Out of cheddar?  Use a blend!  You get the idea.

Make the filling by browning the sausage and draining off the grease.  Set it aside to cool.

Mix together the cheese, olives, and peppers.

Mix in the sausage and Ranch dressing.  At this point, you can refrigerate this mix for a day or two if you are making these ahead of time.  This is a really quick appetizer if you have the mixture ready to go.  15 minutes tops!

Put the wonton wrappers into mini-muffin cups.  Press them in lightly.

Bake them for about 5 minutes, until they are a very light brown on the edges.

Stuff each shell with the sausage mixture.  If you like lots of stuffing, use less wontons.  If you don’t want them as full, use more wontons.

Bake the stuffed wontons about 5 to 10 minutes more, until they are heated through, the cheese has melted, and the wontons are a light golden brown.  Serve immediately!