Homemade Hot Pockets

Are you looking for ideas for what to do with your leftover Easter ham? Make homemade hot pockets! I made ham & cheddar and pepperoni and mozzarella with a sprinkle of dried basil. They were a hit with the family and I'm wrapping the leftovers to put in the freezer for after-school snacks. 

-MoneysavingMom.com, modified

3 cups flour

4 Tablespoons dry milk

1 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 Tablespoons yeast

1 cup warm water

Filling:

Sliced ham

Shredded cheddar cheese

or

Sliced Pepperoni

Shredded mozzarella cheese

Sprinkle of basil

To make dough in bread machine: Add ingredients in the bread machine in the order listed and run on the dough cycle. Check about halfway through to see if you need to add a little extra water or flour to make a soft dough.

To make dough by hand: Dissolve yeast in warm water. Stir in salt, sugar, and dry milk. Add flour and stir until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Dump dough onto a floured surface and knead for around 5 minutes, until a soft dough forms. Add a little more flour, if needed.

To make Ham & Cheese Pockets: Divide dough into balls (for dinner size use 4 oz, for snack and kid-sized use 2 oz). Roll each ball into a rectangle. Put ham and cheese on half of the rectangle. Fold dough over and pinch sides to seal tightly.

Brush with egg wash (1 egg + 1 tsp water) and sprinkle with salt.

Bake Pockets on a Silpat, or greased cookie sheet at 350-degrees for 15-18 minutes, until lightly browned.

To freeze: Let cool completely. Freeze in airtight ziptop freezer bags for up to 2-3 months.

To serve: Remove desired number of pizza pockets from the freezer and warm them individually in the microwave for about two minutes or until heated through. Or, warm on a cookie sheet in a 350-degrees oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

Thai Chicken Pizza

The Thai Chicken Pizza from California Pizza Kitchen is one of my favorites - this comes pretty close!

Enough for 2 pizzas

Spicy peanut sauce:

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup plum duck sauce

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

½ tsp. dried ginger or 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger

2 minced garlic cloves

2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. garlic and chili paste (more if you like the heat)

1 Tbsp. oyster sauce

2 Tbsp. water

Thai chicken pieces:

1 Tbsp. olive oil

½ lb. boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into small dice

For the pizza:

Pizza dough – double crisp crust pizza recipe

flour, for handling

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

4 scallions, slivered diagonally

1/2 cup white bean sprouts

1/4 cup shredded carrot

2 Tbsp. chopped roasted peanuts

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

Preheat oven and baking stone to 475° 1 hour before baking.

To make sauce: Combine ingredients in a small pan over medium heat.

Bring the sauce to a boil; boil gently for one minute.

Divide into 2 portions for use on chicken and pizzas; set aside.

To make Thai chicken: Cook the chicken in olive oil over med-high heat, stirring, until just cooked; 5 to 6 minutes do not overcook.

Set aside until cool, then coat with the sauce that was reserved for the chicken.

To make the pizzas: Roll dough out on parchment paper. Use a pizza peel or flat cookie sheet to transfer to baking stone in the oven. Bake for 3 minutes. Use the pizza peel/cookie sheet to remove the pizza from the oven. Spread with sauce and sprinkle with cheese and distribute half the chicken, green onions, bean sprouts, and carrots. Sprinkle with additional cheese and top with chopped peanuts. Remove parchment paper and slide pizza back onto baking stone. Bake for an additional 5-10 minutes until crisp and golden and cheese is bubbly. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Pizza Hut Pan Pizza

If you're a fan of Pizza Hut's deep dish crispy crust - you'll enjoy this! This might be our new Christmas Eve Dinner tradition. :)

4/5/12 - I modified the original recipe and we think this recipe is pretty great! The trick is to leave the dough pretty sticky - more like a thick batter than a bread dough. It's messy, but produces a very light crust - just like Pizza Hut.

-Modified from Your Homebased Mom

1 1/3 c. Warm water (105F)

1 Tbsp sugar

2 1/2 tsp. yeast

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil

3 1/4 c. Flour

1/4 c. Non-fat dry milk

1 tsp. dough enhancer, optional, but helps achieve a light and airy crust

1 tsp salt

6 Tbsp. EVOO (2 Tbsp each for three 9" cake pans) * good oil makes for a really tasty crust!

Pizza or Marinara sauce, mozzarella cheese and desired toppings

Garlic butter, if desired

Set out three 9" cake pans and add 2 Tbsp EVOO to each pan. 

Put water, yeast, sugar, and vegetable oil in Bosch mixer. Add flour, dry milk, dough enhancer, and salt and mix for 3 minutes. (It will be sticky) Divide dough into three equal parts. Use your hands to press dough down so it covers the bottom of the pans (it might not completely cover the bottom). Cover with plastic wrap, place in warm area, and allow to rise for 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

*If you're running short on time, preheat your oven to 100 while you make the dough. Turn the oven off and then place the prepared pans with dough inside to proof. It cuts the rising time in half.

Prepeat oven to 450 degrees (425 works better for our oven). Spread sauce on each pizza and then add cheese and toppings. Cook until cheese is bubbling and outer crust is brown – about 15 minutes. After removing the pizza from the oven, remove immediately to cooling racks to preserve the crispy crust. If desired, brush outer edge of crust with garlic butter. Cool slightly before cutting.

Crisp Crust Pizza

I have made my fair share of homemade pizzas - as you can see by the well-used pizza stone pictured above. However; I was always missing the perfect crisp crust. Either the crust was soft all the way through, or it was crisp all the way through and tasted more like a cracker - not really what I like in a pizza. I have been studying several bread books, mostly trying to learn how to make a great baguette. This recipe comes from the Bread Bible by Rose Levy Beranbaum. For the sauce we used 6-and-1 tomatoes - they make all the difference! Saying that this got rave reviews would be an understatement - we all loved it!

Personal notes: Best flavor if the dough is refrigerated for 24 hours. Remove it from the fridge, and start process 1 1/2 hours before you want to eat.

1 1/2 cups + 2 Tbsp. King Arthur Italian-style or All-Purpose Flour
1 tsp. instant yeast
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2/3 cup water, room temp (70-90 degrees)
olive oil

1 - One hour before shaping (or for best flavor development, 8-24 hrs ahead), mix the dough. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, instant yeast, and sugar. Whisk in the salt (this keeps the yeast from coming into direct contact with the yeast, which would kill it). Make a well in the center and pour in the water. Using a rubber spatula or woden spoon, gradually stir in the four into the water until all the flour is moistened and a dough just begins to form, about 20 seconds. It should come away from the bowl but still stick to it a little, and be a little rough looking, not silky smooth. Do not overmix, as this wil cause the dough to become stickier.

2-Let the dough rise. Oil bottom and sides of a 4-cup bowl (to give the dough room to double in size). Place dough in bowl and turn to coat all sides with oil. Cover it tightly. If you want to use it soon, allow it to sit at room temperature for 1 hour or until doubled. For best flavor development, make the dough at least 6 hours or up to 24 hours ahead, and allow it to sit at room temperature for only 30 minutes or until slightly puffy. Then set the dough, still in the bowl, in the refrigerator. Remove it 1 hour before you want to put it in the oven.

3-Prepare the sauce. (We used 6-in-1 tomatoes, 2 tsp. finely shredded fresh basil, 1 tsp. dried oregano, salt to taste. This makes enough for 3-4 pizzas.)

4-Preheat the oven. Preheat the oven to 475 1 hour before baking. Have an oven shelf at the lowest level and place a baking sone on it before preheating.

5-Shape the pizza and let it rise. With oiled fingers, lift the dough out of the bowl. (I shaped our pizza on a piece of parchment). Press down with your fingers to deflate it gently. Shape it into a smooth round by tucking under the edges. if there are any holes, knead it very lighty until smooth. Allow the dough to sit for 15 minutes, covered, to relax it.

Using your fingertips, press the dough from the center to the outer edge to stretch it into a 15-inch circle, leaving the outer 1/2" thicker than the rest to form a lip. If the dough resists stretching, cover it with plastic wrap and let it rest for a few minues longer before proceeding. Brush the surface of the dough with any remaining olive oil. Cover it with plastic wrap and allow it to sit for 30-45 minutes, until it becomes light and slightly puffy with air.

6- Bake the pizza. Set the pizza pan directly on the hot stone and bake for 5 minutes. (I transfered the dough + parchment to the stone with a flat baking sheet)

7-Add the toppings. Remove the pizza & parchment from the oven and spread the tomato sauce on the dough, leaving a narrow border. Add shredded mozzarella. Top with additional toppings - we used ham and pepperoni. (I removed the parchment and put the pizza directly on the pizza stone using the flat baking sheet.) Bake for 5-10 minutes more or until cheese is melted and the crust golden.

8-Serve the pizza. Transfer the pizza to a cutting board and cut with a pizza wheel, sharp knife, or scissors.

Exquisite Pizza Sauce

-Allrecipes.com, Angie Gorkoff

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
6 fluid ounces warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon anchovy paste (optional)
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
salt to taste

In a small bowl, combine tomato paste, water, Parmesan cheese, garlic, honey, anchovy paste, onion powder, oregano, marjoram, basil, ground black pepper, cayenne pepper, red pepper flakes and salt; mix together, breaking up any clumps of cheese.
Sauce should sit for 30 minutes to blend flavors; spread over pizza dough and prepare pizza as desired.

Pizza

-Lori Roberts, slightly modified

1 c. warm water
1 pkg yeast (2 ½ tsp)
1 Tbsp. sugar
Put water in a large bowl (or Bosch). Sprinkle in yeast and sugar. Let set 5 minutes.

Add:
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. olive oil
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. dried basil
½ tsp. dried rosemary
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3-4 c. flour

Knead dough 5 minutes (Bosch speed 2), adding more flour if dough is too sticky.

Let rise 30-45 minutes in a covered bowl. Place in refrigerator and chill at least 4 hours and up to 48 hours.

When ready to use, remove from refrigerator and set on counter for about 30-45 minutes. Brush pizza stone liberally with olive oil. Using your hands, stretch dough into a large circle and then place on pizza stone. Using a rolling pin, roll dough to fit stone and cover with plastic wrap. Preheat oven to 450 and allow the dough to come to room temperature and rise slightly, approximately 30 minutes.

Bake crust for 10-12 minutes or until outside edges are brown. Remove from oven and spread with your favorite pizza sauce and toppings. Return to oven and bake approximately 10-15 more minutes, until cheese is melted and bubbling. Allow pizza to cool slightly before slicing.