The Hottest of Pockets

Today I finally had time to get cooking!

As I mentioned on Friday, this past weekend was jam packed with family events.  We visited several restaurants for a few family meals (yum!!), made a couple trips to the Armory Track to see my brother run, and had our first offical discussion to kick off the wedding planning!   All in all, things went incredibly well and everyone hit it off.  I’m thrilled 🙂

But it didn’t leave much time to get creative in the kitchen.  Luckily, I had some time this evening.

In last weeks Five Favorites Friday, I mentioned a recipe for homemade hot pockets.  These bad boys have been on my mind ever since I read the recipe, so I knew I had to make them soon!

This recipe is so easy to make and very adaptable.  The dough came together quickly and the fillings can be made to anyone’s liking.  Since Alex loves his protein, I decided to fill the pockets with shredded chicken, cheese, and tomato sauce.  In the end, they turned out to look like mini calzones.  And they were taste tester approved!

Trust me, that’s his happy face 🙂

Homemade Hot Pockets
(recipe adapted from Chow Vegan)

Ingredients:

Crust

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 Tbsp cornmeal
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper
• 1/2 cup water

Filling

• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 4 ounces shredded chicken breast
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Topping

• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• A sprinkle of Mrs. Dash original seasonings

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine all the crust ingredients expect for the water, until it looks like a coarse meal.  Slowly add water until the dough forms a ball (I used just about 1/2 cup but you might need less).
3. Sprinkle your counter with some flour or cornmeal so that the dough does not stick.  Divide the dough into quarters and roll out each piece into a circle.
4. Place the filling on one side and leave about 1/2″ of dough around the edge so that it is not overstuffed.
5. Fold the dough over the filling and gently press the edges together with a fork.
6. Place the completed pockets on a well-greased baking sheet.  Lightly oil the top of each and sprinkle with Mrs. Dash original seasonings.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops brown.  Let the pockets sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before serving.

Tell me, what type of hot pocket/mini calzone would you make?