Hot Pockets in a Pinch

I hate leftovers. Don't worry, I'm ashamed of my weakness. I'm frugal - I should LOVE leftovers, but I just can't do it. While I don't like reheating last night's green beans, I do love taking the green beans and turning them into something else.

Enter my own chicken hot pockets.


Earlier this week, while trying to avoid calling Bambino's Pizza for the third time, I realized I needed some groceries in our new house. Enter the Publix Rotisserie Chicken. While you might not have the greatest Southeastern grocery store in your neck of the woods, I'm absolutely sure you have a grocery store that has a smallish roasted chicken in a paper bag. It's brilliant. It's fast - and it's usually cheap.

We ate chicken and something (I'm pretty sure it was green) on Tuesday - and there was still some chicken left on the bone. And, voila! Chicken Hot Pockets! (No, seriously, it's that easy. I spent more time on the picture than I did making dinner).

Chicken Hot Pocket:
• Chopped Chicken (or shredded, or whatever)
• Half a block of cream cheese (I use the low-fat kind)
• Shallot (or onion), chopped finely
• Salt, pepper, garlic - season at will
• Crescent Rolls (low fat again, they get less greasy)

Salad Dressing:
• 2 parts Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 part Olive Oil
• Squirt of Dijonnaise (super high fallutin' over here)
• Salt, Pepper, etc

1. Mix chicken, cream cheese (helps if it's a little soft - or just put it in the microwave for a few seconds), and all of your seasoning stuff - onion, etc. Seriously, go crazy here - a little salsa works well, or artichokes, or spinach... The idea is that it's a thick mixture - too runny and it won't work.

2. Heat up your oven - usually crescent rolls like a hot oven, 400 or so. (Hint: look on the whomp can). While the oven is heating up, I popped a few pecans on a pan to toast them (think: salad).

3. Crescent Rolls. Ahhh, my secret helper. There are eight crescent rolls in a can, use two (and the nice little square they make) for each hot pocket. Spoon some of the mixture in the middle and fold the sides of the crescent roll up like a little purse. Pinch the sides so it's all closed. I usually squish them down a little too.

4. Bake the hot pockets for the length of time on the whomp can plus one or two minutes. You want the outsides golden, and everything inside warm.

5. While they're baking, mix up the salad dressing with your fork. Grab some greens - whatever you've got - and sprinkle the toasted pecans, a can of rescued mandarin oranges (seriously, I have no idea how these got into my kitchen), over the artfully prepared greens. Ha. Just cracked myself up.

About twenty minutes from when you started, you'll have a salad and a homemade hot pocket. And a very happy tummy!