We've had blizzard conditions and have over a foot of snow on the ground. I have baked, cooked and ate for the last two days. I don't know when this snow is going to melt with the temperature being in the low teens, but I need out of the house bad. I need exercise, a break from my husband and two year old, and my car needs to be driven around. We also need milk and flour from the store. I have cooked chicken and noodles, calzone and quesadillas and also baked sugar cookies. It seems like all I've done for the last two days is eat and I think I've gained 15 pounds. So much for being on a roll and losing weight. Thanks snow for blowing my diet.
I used my recipe for the dough and Pioneer Woman's meat and cheese mixture calzone recipe.
I found this recipe years ago in Sunset magazine. The dough requires TIME, but it's simple to make and oh so good.
Pizza Dough Recipe
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (90 - 100 degrees)
1 cup ice-cold water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
About 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 cups bread flour
1. In a small bowl, with a fork, stir yeast into warm water. Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 minutes.
2. In another bowl, mix cold water, sugar and salt until dissolved; stir in oil.
3. Place 5 1/4 cups flour in large bowl. Stirl in yeast mixture again to blend, then add to flour along with cold-water mixture. Mix together until smooth and not sticky. If dough remains sticky add 2 more tablespoons flour and stir until nonsticky and smooth.
4. Scrape dough onto a lightly floured surface; cut in half. With floured hands, pick up one portion of dough; pull opposite edges together towards center and pinch to seal. Place each portion in a gallon plastic bag. Squeeze out air and seal bag, allowing enough room for dough to double. Chill at least 10 hours or up to 2 days.
5. When ready for dough let stand at room temperature until almost doubled or no longer cold, 30 minutes to 1 hour.
1 1/2 lbs meat with onion and bell peppers cooked in and canned diced tomatoes added
Meat and cheese mixture
Calzone ready to eat. Yummy!
Calzone Recipe
1 1/2 lb ground beef (PW uses 1/2lb breakfast sausage & 1 lb ground beef)
1/2 onion
1/2 red bell pepper, any color will work
15 oz can diced tomatoes ( PW uses for Rotel)
8 ounces ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated monterey jack cheese
1 egg, beaten ( I didn't beat mine before I added it)
salt and pepper
Pizza crust
olive oil for brushing
1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees
2. In a large skillet combine onions, peppers, beef and brown over medium heat. Drain the excess grease.
3. Pour in the tomatoes, and stir to combine and cook 2 more minutes.
4. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly. (I cooked the meat up the day ahead)
5. In a bowl, combine the ricotta, monzarella, monteray jack, egg, salt and pepper.
6. Add the cooled meat mixture to the cheese mixture and stir gently to combine.
7. Divide dough into 8 equal size balls and with a rolling pin roll each ball into a 6 inch circle.
8. Place meat-cheese mixture into the middle of each circle.
9. Fold half of the circle over the other half and gently pinch eadges to seal the calzone. Brush each calzone with olive oil.
10.Bake for 12-15 minutes, until gloden brown.
