I cook dinner almost every night for the family and my widowed mother in law. Agent Daddy is an only child so his mom is with us a lot. Now I know some people create menu's and plan their meals. I am not that organized. I make many different things that use what I call staples. One of the staples that I love is Ready-Dough.
Ready-Dough is awesome because you can make so many things that without it would be too time consuming. Ready-Dough makes a great loaf of fresh bread with out having a bread maker or making a mess mixing flour etc. It also makes great Pizza and Calzones.
If you do not know what Pizza is there is no hope for you. Stop reading now and go check out Blogwithmom.com or some other site because if you don't know Pizza I don't know you. Calzone's on the other hand are not as widely known but are super yummy. This recipe is one I uses all the time, it uses staples from my pantry, and the kids can help too.
So lets get down to the business of making a Calzone. In the morning, before you go to work or take the kids to school take out one loaf of Ready-Dough for every 4 people you are making Calzones for.
Place the frozen Loaf in a glass baking dish cover with a clean dish towel. I do not know why I cover it but my mom always did so I do too. taking the loaf out in the morning will ensure that it can defrost and rise in time for dinner. Take the kids to school, go to work, or what ever craziness you have in the morning go do it.
Usually by the time the kids get home from school the dough is defrosted. I just leave it and let it rise until I am ready to start dinner. It will REALLY rise so don't freak out. If you are living where it is like 120 degrees and you have no air conditioner maybe stick it in the fridge once it has tripled in size.
One awesome thing about Calzones is everyone gets their own so no fighting about toppings, and you can make it Vegan, Vegetarian or not. The other things you will need for your Calzones are marinara sauce and what ever you like on a Pizza. I use my favorite spaghetti sauce for the marinara but you can make it from scratch if you like. I am WAY too lazy to do that.
Cut the ready Dough into 4 sections per loaf. Roll out each section until it is about 12 inches in diameter.
Pre Heat your Oven to 350 degrees F.
My favorite Calzone is artichoke, feta, extra tomatoes and olives. No one else in the house will eat that so the other ones are usually mozzarella and peperoni, or olives and peperoni with mozzarella. Live dangerously and put what ever YOU like on it. This is also where the kids get involved because I let them put all the toppings they like on their Calzone.
Here is how you fill a Calzone:
Spead the desired amount of sauce on half the dough. I like mine saucy but it is your choice.
Place the toppings on the sauce half just like you were making a pizza. I like to make mine really chunky but again it is all about you.
Fold the un toppinged side of the dough over the topping side and pinch the edges together so you have what looks like an apple turn over. Which by the way you can make with Ready-Dough also.
Place on a cookie sheet or baking stone. (I like the stone because the bottom of the Calzone is usually less soggy).
We also use a butter knife to engrave our initials in the top of the Calzones so we don't accidentally get the wrong one once they are cooked.
Put in the oven for 25 minutes or so, just until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let sit about three minutes. This lets everything get really nice a gooey.
ENJOY!
Ready-Dough is awesome because you can make so many things that without it would be too time consuming. Ready-Dough makes a great loaf of fresh bread with out having a bread maker or making a mess mixing flour etc. It also makes great Pizza and Calzones.
So lets get down to the business of making a Calzone. In the morning, before you go to work or take the kids to school take out one loaf of Ready-Dough for every 4 people you are making Calzones for.
Place the frozen Loaf in a glass baking dish cover with a clean dish towel. I do not know why I cover it but my mom always did so I do too. taking the loaf out in the morning will ensure that it can defrost and rise in time for dinner. Take the kids to school, go to work, or what ever craziness you have in the morning go do it.
Usually by the time the kids get home from school the dough is defrosted. I just leave it and let it rise until I am ready to start dinner. It will REALLY rise so don't freak out. If you are living where it is like 120 degrees and you have no air conditioner maybe stick it in the fridge once it has tripled in size.
Cut the ready Dough into 4 sections per loaf. Roll out each section until it is about 12 inches in diameter.
Pre Heat your Oven to 350 degrees F.
My favorite Calzone is artichoke, feta, extra tomatoes and olives. No one else in the house will eat that so the other ones are usually mozzarella and peperoni, or olives and peperoni with mozzarella. Live dangerously and put what ever YOU like on it. This is also where the kids get involved because I let them put all the toppings they like on their Calzone.
Here is how you fill a Calzone:
Spead the desired amount of sauce on half the dough. I like mine saucy but it is your choice.
Place the toppings on the sauce half just like you were making a pizza. I like to make mine really chunky but again it is all about you.
Fold the un toppinged side of the dough over the topping side and pinch the edges together so you have what looks like an apple turn over. Which by the way you can make with Ready-Dough also.
Place on a cookie sheet or baking stone. (I like the stone because the bottom of the Calzone is usually less soggy).
We also use a butter knife to engrave our initials in the top of the Calzones so we don't accidentally get the wrong one once they are cooked.
Put in the oven for 25 minutes or so, just until the top is golden brown.
Remove from the oven and let sit about three minutes. This lets everything get really nice a gooey.
ENJOY!
Ooooh, sauce on the inside?! We are dunkers here. Luckily I don't think my family has figured out that a lot of times calzone night really means get your butts off the couch and make your own, as trying to figure out what to put on a pizza causes a breakdown in my head!
ReplyDeleteP.s. In my opinion, rolling out dough negates laziness!
DeleteI would love to make these but I have to find out where to get that ready dough. I've never seen that box before.
ReplyDeleteBobbie Anne
Ready Dough is in the grocers freezer section. Usually near the frozen garlic toast.
ReplyDeleteAndrea, rolling out the dough is nothing compared to making it from scratch. But you could just go out to dinner that is even easier.
Oh and I like it saucy and then I like to dip it. I thought I was the only one. :)
ReplyDelete