Calzones

Judy Peterson

Judy made these when we were staying with them for a few weeks on rotation in Naperville, IL outside of Chicago.  It was so fun helping her make them, and then enjoying the different combinations together afterward.

1 TB yeast (or one package)

1 cup warm water

1 TB sugar

2 TB olive oil/vegetable oil

1 tsp. salt

2¾ -3¼ cup flour

Filling

Proof yeast in water. Add sugar and allow it to sit for a few minutes. Add remaining ingredients (flour ½ cup at a time). Mix and knead for 3-7 minutes or until smooth. Allow dough to rise for 30 minutes. Roll out. Fill with ingredients (broccoli, mushrooms, meat, cottage cheese, spinach, mozzarella, or sauce.) Fold sides over top as a braid and seal. Brush with egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes. The crust can also be used to make breadsticks (bake for 10-15 minutes).

Stuffed Spinach Pizza

Pampered Chef

1 loaf frozen bread dough (thawed)

1 package frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

1 cup coarsely chopped mushrooms

½ cup chopped onion

salt to taste

pepper to taste

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup pizza sauce

2 TBS parmesan cheese

Let bread dough thaw and rise until doubled (about 3-4 hours)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Divide risen dough into thirds. Pat 1/3 of dough onto pizza sheet (8 inch circle) or round cake pan.

Toss spinach, mushrooms, and onions with salt and pepper. Layer half of mozzarella cheese on top of dough; top with spinach mixture. Layer with remaining mozzarella cheese. Toll out another piece of dough to a 9 inch circle. Place on top of pizza. Pinch together bottom and top crusts. Bake 35 minutes. Spread pizza sauce over top; sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake and additional 10 minutes. Cool 10 minutes, cut into wedges. Shape remaining dough into bread sticks or make pizza larger in diameter –originally dividing dough into two pieces instead of three. Breadsticks: let rise on cooking sheet until doubled in size. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned.

4 servings 522 calories and 16 grams of fat per serving

Pesto Pizza with Lemon Chicken and Feta Cheese

1 prepared pizza crust

2 chicken breasts

2 T. Lemon Juice

1 small jar of pesto (about 8 0z)

4 oz Feta Cheese

½ red onion chopped or sliced

1 large tomato chopped

Mozzarella cheese

Prepare pizza crust. In a pan cook chicken breasts in lemon juice. Remove done chicken breasts from the pan and chop into small bite size pieces. Top pizza dough with the following ingredients in order. Pesto (Liberally spread pesto over the pizza dough), Feta cheese, chicken, red onions, tomato and then cover with mozzarella cheese. Bake for about 20 minutes at 425 degrees.