Baked Cheese and Pesto

I have a fondness for appetizers. Even more than dessert, for appetizers often involve cheese and some sort of bread or crackers.

Or, if you are very, very lucky, it will involve both. As this Baked Cheese and Pesto recipe I found in a Kraft magazine a few years ago does.

I will tell you, quite honestly, that the first time I made this it wasn't quite so pretty. The dough can be a bit tricky to work with. Just remember that no matter how bad it looks A) it still tastes good! and B) practice makes perfect.

And a tip to save yourself stress: Prepare this ahead of time- when no one else is in the kitchen looking over your shoulder- and refrigerate it until time to cook. (Of course that didn't happen to me... Why do you ask?)

1 can (4 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese (use 1/3 fat type to cut calories)
2 Tbsp. pesto
2 Tbsp. chopped roasted red peppers (chopped)
1 egg, lightly beaten

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Unroll dough on lightly greased baking sheet; firmly press seams together to form 12x4-inch rectangle.

CUT cream cheese horizontally in half with sharp knife. Place one of the cream cheese pieces on half of dough; top with 1 Tbsp. of the pesto and the peppers. Cover with remaining cream cheese piece; spread top with remaining 1 Tbsp. pesto. Brush dough with egg; fold in half to completely enclose filling. Press edges of dough firmly together to seal. Brush top with any remaining egg.

BAKE 15 to 18 min. or until lightly browned. Cool 10 min. Serve with crackers or toasted pita chips and cut-up fresh vegetables.

I used one of the girls' toy cookie cutters to make the little shapes on the top.