Here’s a thrifty homemade version of a popular convenience food. It does take a few more minutes to prepare than the frozen variety, but it is still quick and easy.
Original Homemade Hot Pocket recipe:
Unroll 2 tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls and cut into 8 rectangles, sealing the perforations.
Brown 1 pound of ground meat. Stir in 1/3 cup of barbecue sauce, 1/4 tsp. onion powder, and 1/4 tsp. garlic powder.
Place a cheese slice on half of each rectangle. Divide the meat mixture between the 8 squares, placing it on top of the cheese.
Fold dough over the filling, pinching the edges to seal.
Mix together 1 egg white and 1 Tablespoon of water. Brush over each bundle and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
Place on greased baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 15-18 minutes.
Super Thrifty Version and Substitutions:
I didn’t have 2 tubes of crescent rolls, so I used a batch of homemade crescent roll dough which only took a few minutes to make and cost me about a dollar to make. You could also substitute frozen bread dough or just plain refrigerated biscuits. Whatever is on sale would work just fine!
I used ground venison but you could also substitute any ground meat (turkey, chicken, sausage) or even do a variation with a little pizza or spaghetti sauce and pepperoni or Canadian bacon slices.
I didn’t have sesame seeds, so I omitted them.
Feel free to add other seasonings if you wish, or omit the ones in the recipe. You can use fresh onions and garlic if you want too, just brown them with the meat.
The Thrifty Idea for today is that the cheapest ingredients to use are the ones in your own pantry. Don’t be afraid to substitute in recipes! Be creative with what you have in your hands! You may be amazed at the results!
