Mandy and Jace

This weekend was a great one! We watched our youth group kids share their talents in the district fine arts competition. They all did a great job even though there were some disappointments in judging. There are always judging disappointments, though and it happens to even the best musicians. We also got lots of things done around the house and storage building. It was very busy, but fun.

We have a big meal plan for this week.
Tonight: chicken fried steak, mashed potatoes with veal gravy and corn on the cobb
Tuesday: meatballs on lemon spaghetti with salad
Wednesday: turkey and cheese paninis
Thursday: chicken fajita burritos with refried beans and rice
Friday: date night!

I love all things pizza. It’s tasty, easy and versatile. You can make it as healthy or unhealthy as you want and as easy or difficult you want. I have found that I really enjoy making breads and doughs and so far my best has been my pizza dough.

This recipe uses my normal pizza dough recipe but I stuffed the dough with my ingredients. I chose to make a three meat calzone, with sausage, pepperoni and bacon. However, you can do so much more. Be creative!

Here is the recipe for the dough. If the whole wheat scares you just replace the whole wheat flour with white flour. It works just as well as the wheat.

Three Meat Calzone
(I didn’t put measurements because it’s up to you how much you put in)

Fresh made dough
Pepperoni
Sausage
Bacon
Mushrooms, sliced
Mozzarella cheese
Tomato sauce or pasta sauce
1 egg, beaten
Olive oil

Roll out your dough to your desired thickness and place on a greased sheet pan. Spoon your desired amount of tomato sauce or pasta sauce on half of the dough leaving a one inch border around the sides to close the calzone.

In a bowl combine your pepperoni, sausage, bacon, mushrooms and cheese together. Pour the mixture on top of the sauce .

Brush the border of the dough all the way around with the beaten egg and pull the side of the dough without anything on it up over the meat mixture.

Take a fork and press it down on the edge of the calzone to close and cut a slit on the top to let out steam. Brush the top of the calzone with the egg wash for browning.

Put in the oven for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Serve immediately.

I’m not sure why but I’ve never really been one for casseroles. I think my need for everything neatly in it’s place goes a little nuts when I see the plated dish. Everything is everywhere on the plate and there is really no way to make it look pretty. But, when it tastes like this did I’m willing to excuse the mess.
I do think next time I’m going to make this dish into King Ranch Enchiladas. Instead of layering everything I’m going to roll the meat into the tortillas then put the sauce and cheese on top. That way it will look a little better when plated.

Either way you make this though, it is really good! I used a rotisserie chicken and shredded it but you can use any chicken or beef you want. I am wanting to get to like mushrooms so I bought some to throw in but, forgot about them. It would probably be pretty good but I don’t really know. It does take quite a while to make so be sure you have plenty of time. It also freezes well. Just make sure you cover it with several pieces of foil so it doesn’t get freezer burn.

King Ranch Casserole
adapted from Homesick Texan
1 1/2 lbs chicken shredded without skin
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil or canola oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter
1/3 an onion diced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
1 can Ro-Tel
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup half and half
1/3 cup sour cream
3 cups of the cheese of your choice, grated
10 corn tortillas
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
In a skillet on medium heat combine the chicken, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, and 2 teaspoons chili powder and cook for a couple of minutes to combine.
In a large saucepan on medium heat melt the butter. Add the onions, bell pepper and poblano and cook for about 10 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, flour, cayenne and 2 tablespoons chili powder and cook for one more minute.
Add the chicken broth and cook until thick. Pour in the half and half and Ro-Tel, cover and cook at a simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Add the sour cream, the rest of the lemon juice. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat.
Heat the tortillas for a couple of seconds in the microwave.
In a 11×7 casserole dish spoon in 1/2 cup sauce. Place a layer of tortillas on top, then add a layer of chicken half of the remaining sauce and 1 cup cheese.
Continue to layer tortillas, chicken, sauce and cheese.
Place casserole, uncovered, into the oven and cook for 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbling.

I have recently found that I really enjoy baking breads and doughs. I love the process of putting it together and seeing it rise. Then, I find it wonderfully satisfying to pound the dough down. You just take your fist and hit it! That’s my favorite part. So far my best creation has been my pizza dough, so this week I am making a calzone. A calzone is made just like pizza but it ends up to be a pocket made with dough and the pizza ingredients are inside. I’m also continuing to clean out my freezer so, we are making hamburgers with the hamburger meat I have stored up. Here’s this week’s list.

Tonight: hamburgers with fried zucchini
Tuesday: three meat calzone
Wednesday: grilled cheese sandwiches
Thursday: take out before practice
Friday: date night!

Happy eating!

It is officially clean out the freezer week. Every time I open our freezer door frozen food shoots out at me and I don’t appreciate it. It’s like a bad game of dodge ball in my kitchen. So I’ve decided if the food doesn’t get eaten this week, and if we are not going to eat it in the next month or so, it’s going in the trash. Maybe it’s just me but I don’t like playing games with refrigerator, because it will always win and my toes can take no more. Here’s this weeks plan.

Tonight: rosemary crusted pork loin with mashed potatoes and whatever frozen veggie I can come up with.

Tuesday: chili dogs made with Jace’s “award winning chili”. I froze the leftovers last time we made it.

Wednesday: beans and cornbread. Nothing in the freezer here. It just sounded good, and I can throw the beans in the crock pot to cook while I’m at work.

Thursday: take out before practice.

Friday: date night!

Happy eating!