Pocket Sandwich and Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Stuffed Pretzel Class with the Ladies

Today I had the chance to do a personal cooking coaching session with Emily . She did a giveaway on her blog a few months back for the class, and we just this week got to do it. Emily's co-class winner was one of her blog readers named Kim who has the joy of having nine children in her home. Kim was in need of some practical kid friendly and fun foods she and her children could make. So...we set to work making pocket sandwiches for lunches and stuffed pretzels for snacks.

The first thing you need to know is that we used my recipe for Oven rise pizza dough . We used whole wheat flour and increased the water by 1/2 cup.  The good thing about that dough is that if you choose not to bake the pretzels or sandwiches right away, you can also put them uncooked in the freezer on a plastic lined sheet pan until frozen. They go directly from the freezer to the oven on a lightly oiled pan and bake like "oven rise" pizza...but they're pretzels and pocket sandwiches. Pretty ding-a-dang-dong handy dandy if you ask me. Whole grain, made at home and low fat?! Yup. We're pretty happy about that. 

First up, we made some 

Chocolate Dipped Strawberry Stuffed Pretzels.  

Using half of the Oven rise pizza dough

Roll a rectangle, 2 feet by 18 inches, about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured board or counter top.

Cut strips of dough the entire length of the dough, about finger width apart.

I used 3/4 cup homemade Freezer Jam
Putting the entire contents in a pastry bag, put a line of jam right down the middle of the pretzel. This also works for peanut butter...almost any soft spread. Top with chocolate chunks.

I have to say that Kim and Emily were complete "naturals" at this dough pinching stuff. Be so impressed.

I showed how to form pretzels here on my blog during the 

Vegan Soft Pretzel Tutorial

Once formed, place on a lightly oiled baking sheet. Allow to raise about 30 minutes.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake  12-15 minutes.

 While still warm, sift a hearty layer of powdered sugar on them if desired. OH...we desired.

 Would you care to crack on open?

Note to self. When I make these again I will use the  chocolate bread recipe. I think they would be divine. Oh so divine. 

The next thing we made where ham and cheese sandwich pockets with mustard.

Take 1/4 batch of the oven rise pizza dough and roll it out in a rectangle 24 inches by 12 inches, very thin.

Top with 1 lb of diced ham, divided between six squares you cut out of the dough. Drizzle the ham with mustard. Top with a large slice of mozzarella or Monterrey Jack cheese. Pull the dough up around the filling and pinch closed very tightly at the seams.

I think they've got it!

Place seam side down on a lightly oiled sheet pan.  Raise 30 minutes.

Bake 350 degrees 30 minutes.

Pizza pockets use 1/4 oven rise pizza dough recipe, rolling out the same way you would for the ham pockets.   Use a Tablespoon of spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce right in the middle.

Cut the cheese. Look...Emily is really good at it. Why this made me laugh so hard I have no idea.

Pile pepperoni, cheese, onion or any other pizza toppings you want into the middle of the dough squares.

Pull up the dough around the filling, pinch closed and put seam side down on a lightly oiled cookie sheet. We also oiled the top of the pizza pockets.

Top generously with fresh shredded parmesan cheese and some cracked pepper if desired.

Bake 350 degrees 30-35 minutes.

There you go. Make some. We had a great time!

Pesto Molasses Bread hot pockets

Whole Chicken breast, feta cheese, olives, banana peppers, and dill in a pesto molasses whole grain blanket of joy. Feel free to bask in the glow. Doesn't it just look like Fall around here?

I was tired of regular old hot pockets for lunches. So where my kids. I could tell. They wanted something different but still tasty. So, I got my creative soul out and girded my loins. Or chicken breasts. Whatever. I must admit, the pesto molasses bread is killer. I think you will probably love it as much as I do.

Pesto Molasses Bread dough:

6 cups whole wheat bread flour

1/2 cup prepared basil pesto (if you buy it already made, may I suggest Classico)

1/4 cup black strap molasses

2 cups cool water (90 degrees)

1T active dry yeast

1 T salt (I used sea salt

1 T dry oregano

1 T baking powder

Filling:

12 half chicken breasts, cooked and seasoned well

24 olives, sliced thin (I used 2 per pocket)

12 banana peppers, sliced thin (one per pocket)

1 1/2 cup fetta cheese, (2T per pocket)

dill (sprinkle to taste)

Dough:

Combine the yeast, water and molasses in a mixer bowl. Allow to proof 5- 10 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and mix with a dough hook on medium speed 4-5 minutes until smooth. You may need to add a little more flour or water depending on how accurate you are with measurements and the storage conditions of the flour. Dough should be easy to handle and not too sticky.

Form into a ball and place in a gallon bowl. Allow to rest 20 minutes. This is a quick dough, meaning it just needs to rest and relax rather than actually raise much. DIVIDE into two balls. Roll one ball of dough out on a counter top covered with flour. Rectangle is best. 24 inches by 36 inches. Line up six cooked half chicken breast and top each with 4-5 olive slices, 2-3 slices of banana pepper, 1-2 T of feta cheese and sprinkle with dill.

Cut the dough in a straight line between the chicken breasts and pull up the dough as you would with the stuffed bread sticks. This will keep the dough as a thin blanket instead of a thick wad of dough. Pinch the seams really tightly...I think I mentioned Aunt Bertha once or twice. Place seam side down on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. Repeat with second ball of dough. Yields 12 pockets. Allow to raise 45 minutes. Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.

Bake 30-35 minutes until dark brown and internal temperature reaches 175 degrees.
One half is a serving. It's pretty filling and looks so nice.

Oh stink bug. Note to self...kids don't like the peppers nearly as much as I do.

There you go.

Homemade Hot Pockets

My life seems to revolve around dough balls...yet if you asked me if I really had other things to do, I undoubtedly would say yes. I have a hard time swallowing the idea of paying over a dollar a piece for a dough ball stuffed with twelve cents worth of cheese. It really seems totally impractical to me, especially since I seem to have the 30 minutes it takes to make the pockets...and plenty of cheese. I may in fact, have more cheese than should be humanly allowed in one fridge. We do like our cheese. So, today I made cheese, mushroom, herb and Alfredo stuffed hot pockets. Given the perfectly blissful influx of farm-fresh herbs from Wendy and the impeccable oyster mushrooms from the local Oriental market...on sale...I had to do it. Thankfully my family received these little dough balls with a full measure of satisfaction and joy. Meaning? Yes, I will make them again.

Start with oven rise pizza dough:
Oven rise pizza dough (like D'Journo for your freezer)
6 cups bread flour
2 1/4 cups water
1T baking powder
1T yeast
1T salt
1/4 cup oil.
Directions: Combine all ingredients in a mixer and knead 5 minutes. Let dough rest 5 minutes.
For hot pockets, divide the dough into 12 little balls...

After the wedge of cheese I filled with a 1/2 cup scoop of this filling.
Mushroom Alfredo filling

1 lb mushrooms, sliced (I used oyster mushrooms but any will do)

1 medium onion, chopped

2T garlic infused olive oil

1T garlic, minced

1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (I used a combination of basil, thyme, parsley and rosemary)

1 cup prepared Alfredo sauce (yea, I used some pre-made stuff Tara gave me...it was easy!)

all purpose seasoning blend (I used my blend...to taste...about 2 tsp)

Directions:

Saute mushrooms and onion in oil over medium heat. Add the garlic after 5 or 6 minutes. Add all remaining ingredients and stir until well coated. Cool slightly before using as filling for hot pockets. 1/2 cup scoops are just about right.

Pull up the sides like this and pinch tightly...

To bake for dinner right now : Place seam side down on a lightly oiled sheet pan. I use stoneware. It seems to give a much crispier crust. Bake 425 degrees 20-25 minutes.

To freeze for dinner later: freeze baked pockets after cooling. OR Freeze the uncooked pockets on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper until solid (about 2 hours) transfer to gallon size freezer bag. Bake 425 degrees from frozen 30-35 minutes. If frozen baked...re-heat via microwave 1 1/2 half-2 minutes on high. Very fast and easy dinner or lunch. Much cheaper than the commercially made pockets with lots of additives and junk.

Enjoy your dough ball stuffed with cheese and saucy herb mushrooms. I know we did!

Feel free to goof around and find your own favorite hot pocket. We have had them with almost any flavor used for pizza or sandwiches. Such an insane number of ideas including but not limited to: Pepperoni, broccoli cheese, ham and cheese, pepper steak and cheese, garden veggies and cheese. Like I say, cheese stuffed dough balls. Main cost is the cheese. Oh and the meat (if you eat meat). Great convenience food. Little price.

There you go.