Calzones

I tried to do Once-A-Month cooking a few times while living in Provo. This recipe is one I found in a Family Fun magazine article on once-a-month cooking. They are a bit of work, but so delicious, it's worth the work. 

Dough: 1 C water

             2 Tbsp olive oil

            1 tsp salt

            3 C flour

            1 1/4 tsp yeast

Mix ingredients together to form soft dough. Cover and set aside.

Filling: 1 C ricotta cheese

           1 egg, beaten

           1/4 C Parmesan cheese, grated

           1 C shredded mozzarella

           1 1/2 Tbsp Italian parsley(I just use Italian seasoning mix)

           1/8 tsp salt

           Pepperoni

Heat oven to 425 degrees.

Mix filling ingredients, except pepperoni. Divide dough into 4 pieces, form 6 - 6 1/2 in circles. Put 1/4 of the filling (approx 1/2 C) on 1/2 of each circle, leaving a 1 inch border. Top with 5-7 pepperoni pieces. Dampen edges of dough with water - fold over and pinch seal. Place on a cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with marinara sauce or Simple Sauce.

*we often add other pizza-type toppings such as olives or peppers. We put a bit of those toppings on the top of the calzone before baking so we know what's in each one.

*for Once-A-Month cooking purposes these can be frozen for future use. After baking, let them cool and package individually. To serve later, put into a 400 degree oven for 15-18 minutes and then serve with sauce.

Simple Sauce

This sauce came from Family Fun Magazine to be used with Calzones. link here

It's deceptively simple, but so yummy with the calzones. 

2 28 oz cans tomatoes, puréed. 

4 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

In a large saucepan, sauté garlic in 3 Tbsp olive oil over medium heat for about 1 minute. 

Add tomatoes and salt to taste. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes. Serve with calzones. 

*for Once-A-Month cooking purposes: after simmering remove from heat and let cool 15 minutes. Put 2 C in ziploc baggies, label, and freeze. 

Shepherd's Pie

This recipe is a tweak from a book called 30 Day Gourmet. It's a book on once-a-month cooking. 

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 C onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 Tbsp flour

2 C beef broth

1/2 C tomato sauce

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

1/4 tsp grd oregano

1 lb ground beef

2 C mashed potatoes

*optional: 1 can each corn and green beans

Brown the ground beef. Set aside. Melt butter/marg and sauté onion and carrot until golden brown. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute. Gradually stir in broth, tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oregano, salt/pepper and cooked meat. Cover pan. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat. 

Pour into a sprayed 8x8 pan, 8" pie tin or freezer bag. 

If in pan, top with mashed potatoes and bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes. 

If in a bag, put potatoes in a separate bag, label and freeze together. To cook, thaw, put in pan with potatoes on top. Cook for 30-45 minutes. 

*we always pour the drained contents of one can of corn and one can of green beans on top of the meat mixture before adding the potatoes.*