Calzone

Tonight was the first time I have ever made calzones and they were a big hit. They are definitely one of my favorites and so fun to make. Plus, with only two people in the house, calzones are easier to make than full pizzas. 


Calzones are great because they are another meal that can be personalized and can be made with whatever fillings you desire. I filled my calzone with homemade pizza sauce, pepperoni, spinach, green bell peppers and olives and my hubby filled his with homemade pizza sauce, BBQ sauce, mozzarella cheese, pepperoni, olives and pineapple.


The recipe for the homemade pizza sauce is also below. It is to die for! I found it online a long time ago but I don't remember where. It's the best pizza sauce I've ever had and it is so incredibly easy to make. You just throw it all in a blender, pulse and you're done!

Calzone


1 roll Pillsbury Original or Thin Pizza Crust
1/2 cup homemade pizza sauce (or Ragu sauce)
1/2 cup raw spinach
1 cup mozzarella cheese
8-10 Hormel pepperoni slices
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup large black olives, sliced
1 egg, beaten

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. Roll out pizza crust into a 6-inch circle and place on cookie sheet.

3. Spread homemade pizza sauce on one half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch margin between the sauce and the edge of the dough.

4. Layer with half of the cheese, pepperoni, spinach, bell pepper and olives and top with remaining cheese.

5. Fold dough over and pinch edges shut. Use a fork to smash down the edges to keep them closed.

6. Lightly brush the top with the beaten egg. If you don't have a basting brush, a fork works well. The egg gives the crust a nice golden brown color while cooking.
7. Cut three slits in the top of the calzone to allow heat to escape while cooking.

8.  Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 10-15 minutes or until dough is cooked thoroughly.

Serve with a side of warm pizza sauce

Tip: Build the calzones on the cookie sheet that you intend to cook the them on. They are difficult to move once they are full and the dough could easily tear. You don't want all that goodness to fall out the bottom. 

Homemade Pizza Sauce


1 (14 1/2 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp onion powder
1 Tbsp sugar


Place all ingredients in a blender and pulse until it reaches desired consistency.

Creamy Pesto Chicken Pasta

I got this recipe while searching online but I don't remember where I found it. This meal is a lot quicker than I expected and tastes so good! It is definitely one that will be made often at my house.


Side note: I made this for St. Patrick's Day so the sauce in the pictures is a lot more green than it's supposed to be =]  Also, I just used a rotisserie chicken and served it on the side but it is delicious if you combine it all together as well. 

Chicken Pesto Pasta
Total time: 35 minutes
Servings: 3-4

• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup pesto
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1/2 box cooked pasta - I used garden rotini
• 3 cups cooked chicken shredded or chopped

1. Cook and chop/shred chicken and place in large mixing bowl.
2. Prepare pasta to your liking, combine with cooked chicken and set aside.
3. Boil the heavy cream, stirring constantly, it will boil quickly. Continue boiling on medium heat for 4-5 minutes until it thickens up.
4. Add pesto and most of the cheese. Stir until cheese is melted. 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Pour creamy pesto sauce over pasta and chicken, stir to combine and top with remaining cheese.

Classic Sunday Dinner

This recipe comes from my Mom. Growing up we always had that classic Sunday dinner with pot roast, mashed potatoes and gravy and corn. My Mom makes delicious and tender pot roast and in recent years she's made Sunday dinner with lazy mashed potatoes instead of regular mashed potatoes and I'm pretty sure I like them better. Lazy mashed potatoes are regular mashed potatoes only you don't peel the potatoes before you boil and mash them. YUM! 

(A special thanks goes to my hubby for taking an amazing picture!) 

Pot Roast
- 4 lb. pot roast
- 1 Tbls. beef bouillon
- 2 cups water
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. pepper
- 2 tsp. dried chopped onion

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.
2. Put 2 cups of water in a large glass baking dish and then place the pot roast in the dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper and dried chopped onion. Then put beef bouillon in the water around the roast.
3. Put the roast in the oven and cook for approximately 4 hours.
4. Check the roast every hour and add more water, if needed, so that the roast doesn't dry out.

Lazy Mashed Potatoes
- 10 russet potatoes
- 1 1/2 cups milk
- 1 cube butter

1. Fill a large pot half full of water and place on stove on high heat.
2. Wash the potatoes with a wash cloth under warm water.
3. Cut the potatoes into cubes and put in pot of water.
4. Let potatoes boil until they are soft enough to put a toothpick through the middle.
5. Drain water and add milk and butter.
6. Mash potatoes until they are smooth.

Gravy
Yield: 1 quart of gravy

- 3/4 cup brown gravy mix
- 4 1/2 cups cold water
- 2 Tbls. corn starch

1. Put brown gravy mix in large pan and add small amount of water to make a paste.
2. Turn stove on medium high heat and slowly add 4 cups of cold water.
3. Continue stirring until gravy is boiling; reduce to medium heat.
4. In a cup, mix 1/2 cup cold water with cornstarch and then add to gravy.
5. Stir until gravy and cornstarch mixture are mixed well and there are no clumps.