Salsa, Avocado and Cream Cheese Pockets (aka “Fancy Hotpockets”)

April 15, 2013 Category Vegetarian 1 Comment Tags frozen food, hot pockets, true love, vegetarian

It is a point of personal pride that I can say to you today that I have not consumed a Hot Pocket in more than 18 months. Not even a Lean Pocket!

Unimpressed? Does it make any difference if I tell you that I truly, deeply love Hot Pockets from the bottom of my heart? I know they’re disgusting, I know they’re full of fake meat and fake cheese and tons of preservatives and always, always burn the roof of your mouth when you take that first bite. But I don’t care. I love them, and true love lasts a lifetime.

It probably speaks volumes about my recovery from Hot Pocket addiction that I didn’t even equate these handheld beauties with Hot Pockets until my friend tried one and dubbed them “Fancy Hot Pockets.” Fancy Hot Pockets! I already liked them a lot, but realizing they were basically just the nondisgusting version of Hot Pockets made me love them even more!

The fact that they’re almost as easy to make as a Hot Pocket doesn’t hurt, either…

SALSA, AVOCADO AND CREAM CHEESE POCKETS (AKA FANCY HOT POCKETS) (recipe from The Kitchen Life of a Navy Wife)

2 large sheets (1 package) puff pastry, thawed (found in freezer section by pie crusts)
1 ripe avocado, halved and mashed
kosher salt
1/3 cup cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup your favorite salsa
1 egg

1. Heat oven to 400. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick spray.
2. Thaw puff pastry according to package instructions (should take about 1 hour). Using knife, slice each sheet of puff pastry into three equal columns and three equal rows, making 9 squares (Brady Bunch-style).
3. On half (nine) of the squares, place a dollop of avocado in the middle. Sprinkle with pinch of kosher salt, then top with a dollop of cream cheese, then one of salsa. Use remaining nine squares to top the pockets, crimping the edges with a fork to seal. Seal them completely so filling doesn’t ooze out.
4. Beat egg in small bowl. Brush egg wash on each of the pockets and place on prepared baking sheets. Bake 15-20 minutes, until they are puffed up and golden.

Just like regular Hot Pockets, these little guys lie right at the intersection between Filling Dinner and Complete Junk Food. I found that I ended up liking the ones with a higher avocado-to-cream cheese ratio…but my husband found the exact opposite. Throw whatever you like in there and enjoy some fancy Hot Pockets!