Sunday, January 13, 2013

Happy Birthday #SundaySupper...Featuring Hip Foodie Mom's So Simple Pizza Puffs

This week, #SundaySupper is celebrating its first birthday! That means we’re making some of our favorite #SundaySupper recipes from the past year. It was so hard to narrow it down to one recipe, because my fellow bloggers are amazing cooks! Things have been hectic at Casa Garcia since the holidays, so I focused on finding something easy and delicious. One of our themes this Fall featured recipes with five ingredients or less, which was exactly what I needed this week. I’m a huge fan of frozen puff pastry, so I knew that Hip Foodie Mom’s So Simple Pizza Puffs would be a perfect Friday night meal: simple to make and totally yummy. I made a few tweaks to Alice's original recipe: I used Italian-seasoned tomato sauce for my base, and utilized a combo of turkey pepperoni and sliced mushrooms. I shaped my puffs into full-sized pizza pockets by cutting the puff pastry into squares instead of circles. For good measure, I sprinkled a bit of parsley-garlic salt on the crusts before they went into the oven.

These hand-held pizzas reminded me a bit of a Hot Pocket, and I love that they use fresh mozzarella! These pizzas were super-easy to assemble and cooked up quickly. While they did their thing in the oven, I had a pocket of time to whip up a simple Caesar salad to serve on the side. Friday Pizza Night, you say? These pizza puffs are ready to eat faster than you can order takeout…and you know exactly what you’re putting in them. They’re pretty versatile too…you could even make them veg-friendly by omitting the pepperoni and using all veggies in the filling. Let me show you how easy these pizzas are to assemble!

So Simple Pizza Puffs
adapted from Hip Foodie Mom


Step 1: Thaw one sheet of frozen puff pastry dough on the counter. When it's thawed -- about 1 hour -- preheat oven to 375. Cut the puff pastry into four even squares and place on a baking sheet covered with parchment. Spread about 2 tbs. of Italian-seasoned tomato sauce on top of each square, then top with six overlapping slices of turkey pepperoni down the center of each square.



Step 2: Layer sliced fresh mozzarella on top of the pepperoni. I found pre-sliced fresh mozzarella in the cheese case of my local grocer, and it worked great! If you can't locate it sliced, cut a ball of fresh mozzarella in 1/4-inch slices. Place chiffonade of basil on top of the cheese, then add sliced mushrooms (optional).


Step 3: Fold each side of the pizza squares toward the middle and secure with toothpicks. This helps the puffs stay together during backing. Brush each square with a bit of olive oil, then sprinkle with garlic salt and dried parsley. Bake until golden-brown -- about 20 minutes in my oven. To ensure even browning, turn the pan around in the oven halfway through baking.

Let's see...a few simple ingredients cook up hot and fresh in the oven in less than 30 minutes start to finish? Sign me up! These pizzas are flavorful from the spicy pepperoni, fresh basil, and a sprinkling of garlic salt. They are gooey and crusty, and using turkey pepperoni reduces grease and a few calories. I can see myself making these often on busy worknights – and making them mini-sized would make them perfect football-watching snacks! Bottom line: you need to make these…ASAP!

Make sure to join us for a Twitter chat this evening at 600 CST. We'll be talking about #SundaySupper and how it has become such a special part of our lives! In the meantime, check out all the fab recipes my fellow #SundaySupper participants have cooked up this week...there's something for everyone, and they're all a winner!!!

Sunday Supper Appetizers:
 Sunday Supper Soups and Breads:
 Sunday Supper Main Dishes: 
Sunday Supper Veggies: 
SundaySupper Desserts and Snacks: 
 Sunday Supper Breakfast Faves:
Sunday Supper Wine Pairings by ENOFYLZ Wine Blog 

58 comments:

  1. Wendy, I love Hip Foodie Mom, puff pastry and pizza so you did a fabulous job of incorporating all three in your post this week. This is such an easy yet delicious, satisfying meal. Great tweaks, especially the parsley garlic salt - yummers! And thanks for the step by step pictures, they're totally helpful. Happy Sunday!

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    1. I love the garlic seasoning Dominos uses on their pizza crust, so I was looking to duplicate that here!

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  2. I have been craving pizza ever since I started my diet. Wonder if i could find a way to make these heathy. :-)

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    1. Turkey pepperoni helps...maybe use a bit less cheese and up the veggies?

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  3. I love Hip Foodie Mom! SHe has lots of great recipe son her site! This looks wonderful. My mouth is watering.

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    1. Alice is great...she's my new best culinary friend thanks to these puffs!

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  4. I´m getting so hungry looking at these pizzas. Using puff pastry is a brilliant idea! Have a wonderful sunday!

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    1. I'm a puff pastry fan for sure...I've got another puff pastry recipe coming up before the end of this month, actually!

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  5. I love Alice at Hip Foodie Mom! Your pizzas look great and I appreciate the step-by-step photos.

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    1. I always use step-by-step photos with my recipes...I think it helps everyone -- especially beginner cooks -- see how things look during the cooking process.

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  6. Simple is fabulous, and these sound amazing! Great choice for this week!

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    1. During the work week, simple is my motto...but it's gotta taste good too! These puffs meet both requirements...

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  7. These look like they would be a great football snack and easy to make too!

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    1. For sure...just cut the dough into 8 squares instead of 4 to make them easier to eat out-of-hand!

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  8. Oh my gosh I need to try these too. These sound so fun for everyone to customize they way they want them

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    1. Exactly...hubby doesn't eat mushrooms, so I left those out of his.

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  9. These look great Wendy! I can never resist pizza and these are so simple to make! Love it!

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    1. Talk about a win-win...I have enough ingredients on hand to make another batch of these next Friday for Pizza and Movie Night!

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  10. All I can say is Yummmmmmmm!! I know it is breakfast time but I want some of these right now!!

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  11. My kids will send you a virtual hug, they are going to think these are the best! I love the simplicity too. Great job.

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    1. These will be popular with kids of ALL ages...and they can even help with assembly!

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    1. You can save calories by using the turkey pepperoni like I did, and fresh mozzarella is pretty low in fat.

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  13. Yum! Love how easy these are. Fun twist on the traditional pizza!

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    1. I love how easy they are to customize...and they really are ready to eat faster than takeout can deliver!

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  14. ooo yum! Hot Pockets in a Marriage with pizza, my husband will love these!

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  15. Oh yum, my family would love these, I have to give that a try!!

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    1. They are really family-friendly...something the kiddos can help assemble, for sure!

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  16. Oh my goodness... this looks amazing!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait to try this...my boys will love it! Thank you for all your inspiration this past year!

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    1. No, thank YOU for making me feel so welcome in this amazing group of bloggers!!!

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  17. I have never made a pizza with puff pastry before. That sounds so yummy and easy! Will give this a try next Friday.

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    1. Very easy...and yummy! Have fun using different ingredients to customize...

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  18. Fabulous and delicious idea! I may run to the store to pick up some puff pastry to make these today.

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    1. An entire package of puff pastry will make 8 of these pockets, which is handy if you have a crowd. Four was perfect for hub and me, along with some salad.

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  19. What a great idea for a weeknight meal! Super quick and super simple. They look tasty!

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    1. I made these Friday, at the end of a long work week. They were simple to make...and homemade is always better than mass-produced pizza.

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  20. What an easy way to have one of my favorite foods! Love this Wendy!

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  21. These look so great and easy. Especially with so many places having already made fresh pizza dough. We have an Italian market that's fairly close too. Can't wait to mix it up a bit with these. Thanks!

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  22. Great appetizer! These would be perfect for a day of Football watching or any other party. Yum!

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  23. First of all, I am so honored that you made this! :) I LOVE how you changed it up! They look fantastic!!! yum! I will try your recipe next time. . maybe for Superbowl Sunday?! :)

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  24. They look really tasty!! I think I have remaining puff pastry in the fridge, so be sure I'll do this!!

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  25. Mmmm! I love that you used fresh mozzarella - that makes it all the better!

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  26. I love the fresh mozzarella. Oh, and the mushrooms. I am a sucker for anything with mushrroms!

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  27. wow these sound great! I have some leftover puff pastry in the freezer from the holidays ... what a perfect way to use it up!

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  28. I've been wanting to make those pizza puffs ever since I saw them too. I have a coupon for the puff pastry and I need to get a package before it expires. This has been the nudge I need to do so. Glad to hear a confirmation on how good they are.

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  29. Wendy,
    These pizza puffs look and sound amazing. it takes an hour to get a piazza delivered to our home. I'm buying some puff pastry, and trying these soon. Happy 1st Birthday Sunday Supper!

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  30. I wouldn't mind having one of these pizza puffs on my plate. Yum!

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  31. Love this recipe, especially subbing turkey pepperoni!

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  32. My 13 year old son is going to love these! He's crazy about pizza anything! (And so am I.)

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  33. THese look like theyll always be a hit

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  34. I made this dish too soon after Alice posted hers. Don't you just love it? Looks like a great simple treat for any night of the week.

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  35. Love the idea of using Italian-seasoned tomato sauce for base. This look so delicious! Will bookmark for my trial list.

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  36. Oh this looks so tempting and so so good!I love how easy and flavorful this is with the Garlic Salt,Italian seasoned tomato and fresh mozzarella!Cannot wait to try :)

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  37. These look like an absolutely fantastic easy, quick, and delicious dish. Yum!!! ~ Bea @ galactopdx

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