Freezer Cooking: Pizza Pockets

Part Five: The Pizza Pocket.

I have to give a bit of a disclaimer up front. These were not as delicious as I would have liked them to be. However, I tend to have a stronger palate. What can I say? My mother started me off young with black beans and rice instead of baby food. So, if you're reading any recipes and I say I actually like them, keep in mind I do enjoy things rich in flavor and preferably with a lot of spice. If you're like Chandler, on the other hand (and by that, I mean completely white bread, no crust...ya know what I'm saying?)...if you like things a bit bland or like your spices on the mild side, this might be for you.

That being said, I'm posting this because:

1. Well, I made it, by golly! And it's in the freezer. And isn't that why I'm posting? So, you can learn from my mistakes...em, triumphs?

2. I'll just add some spices next time...a bit of oregano, pepper, etc.


Also, I must note this was my first go at making homemade dough. Also, again, I got the recipe at www.moneysavingmom.com. So here we are...


PIZZA POCKETS:

Dough:

• 2 Tablespoons active dry yeast
• 2 cups warm water (105 to 115 degrees F.)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 4 Tablespoons oil (I used olive oil.)
• 5 cups flour

Filling:

• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 1/2 cup pasta sauce or pizza sauce
• 2-3 cups shredded cheese (I used mozzarella, but I think cheddar or a mixture of cheese would work well, too.)
• Other optional filling ingredients: diced black olives, pepperoni, diced green pepper, and/or diced mushrooms

To make dough: Mix yeast into warm water until dissolved. Add sugar, salt, oil, and flour. Mix well and dump onto a floured surface and knead for 3-5 minutes.
To make filling (I browned this while mixing up the dough): Brown ground beef with onion (and green pepper, if desired). Drain. Add pasta sauce and mix together. Add other optional filling ingredients, if desired.
To make Pizza Pockets: Divide dough into 15-20 pieces. Roll pieces into balls. Flatten balls into circles with rolling pin. Dollop a few tablespoons of filling onto dough circle and sprinkle with cheese. Fold over and seal tightly.
Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 500 degrees for 10-15 minutes until browned.
To freeze: Cool completely and store in an airtight ziptop freezer bag 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 throw. Or, warm on a cookie sheet in a 350-degrees oven for 20 minutes, or until heated through.

First step: Prep

I first made the dough. This is a reasonable progression, as you need pockets to fill.

Next, I broke them up into pieces. My dough made about 18 pieces.

I then rolled the bits into balls and rolled them flat with a rolling pin.

The following step was mixing the filler.

Here is where I should have added some spices. Next time.

Add your filler and toppings...

Fold and pinch sides together...

Result: Pizza Pocket!

Nat's Notes: If you're cooking with a gas stove, it's always tricky trying to figure out how long to cook something. As you can see above, I didn't adjust my cook time or temperature, so they turned out a bit dark. With a gas stove, I'd often recommend adjusting your temperature to about 25 degrees less and you may still have to adjust cook time. I always go for the lowest time given. Example: If it says bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes, I'll often bake at 325 for 35 minutes, but may check the meal around 30 minutes.