Check out my video to see how easy these homemade hot pockets are to make! I’m headed to the beach tomorrow (yet again) for a long weekend with my girl friends and seriously cannot wait for this little getaway! It’s an annual trip and always, always such a fun, relaxing time with some of the most smart, funny, sweet women I know. I’m also going bowling tonight with my Dad - a little daddy-daughter date before I head out of town. (Sorry hubby, you’re stuck with the kids!) (And yes, you can punch me in the face now.) But today, I’m going to talk about some older friends. I lived in Washington, D.C., for several years after college, and met my now-husband there. He had a great group of friends that I quickly came to love and adopt as my own.
Joe was one such friend, and for a long time, he lived right up the street from us. In fact, for a long time, we were all pretty close together. (As people got married and started families, we started to move out of the middle of the city. Some of us all the way to North Carolina!) Joe was full of antics and stories that were instant classics, sure to be retold for years to come. All harmless and all good-hearted. But he had one habit I always found rather disturbing. After a night out at the bars in our neighborhood, Joe would stop at the 24-hour 7-11 on the way home and pick up a hot pocket. Granted, it was late-night been-drinking food, but it kinda grossed me out. Going to a gas station for hot food does that to me, still.
He loved them though. Even when we would tease him and try to shame him about this habit, he would wax poetic about those little handheld bundles of joy. I can see the appeal. It’s a portable, all-in-one, warm gooey, wrapped up and individually sized snack - or even meal - that’s ready to go in no time. And you know what? They are super easy to make at home. Seriously. You choose your fillings, layer them in your tortillas, wrap them up like a burrito and bake them all together. Check out these step-by-step photos:
No need to settle for the packaged variety that’s full of crazy, scary ingredients. You can make your own and customize your flavors to exactly what you want. And they are great to have on hand for quick kid meals, grab-and-go moments or late-night snacks!
Notes on homemade hot pockets:
You can do a small batch in a smaller pan but I highly suggest making a full batch because these homemade hot pockets freeze beautifully, just like the store-bought kind. You can pop one out of the freezer and heat it up right in the microwave in less than 90 seconds. It won’t have the crusty, flaky outer edge like it does fresh from the oven, however. It doesn’t bother us one bit, but you could try running them under the broiler for a minute if you’d like. Be careful! Both when fresh and when reheated, these are H-O-T in the middle (just like the originals!) I like to cut them in half and let them cool for a minute before eating. And especially before giving to the kids. We also like to serve these with some dips to add even more flavor: salsa, guacamole, sour cream or Greek yogurt, marinara sauce - whatever you’ve got!
Pair with an easy salad (my citrus kale salad is addicting) or some soup (highly recommend gazpacho) and you’ve got a whole meal. Homemade hot pockets. Make a batch so they’re always ready and waiting for you in the freezer. This one’s for you, Joe. Enjoy friends! XO, Kathryn
Each filling idea above is for a full 8 hot pockets. You can mix and match the flavors - just adjust the amounts accordingly. Extras can be frozen and reheated in the microwave. (For a single hot pocket from the freezer, it takes about 1 minute on one side, then I turn it over and microwave an additional 15 seconds and it’s ready - and hot!)
