Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Calzones

I have been making calzones for a while, with a slightly different dough recipe, but what interested me in this recipe was the style of folding the dough...its very pretty.
And delicious.
My dad (who has logged years at a NJ pizzeria) said to avoid the sauce leakage visible in my picture is to keep the gaps at the top (or don't have any).

This recipe makes 2 GIANT calzones. Mine was enough for 3 meals, and the boyfriend's was enough for 2 for him.

ingredients
dough
3C flour
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp garlic salt
2.25 tsp active dry yeast (aka 1 packet)
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1C + 2.5 tbs warm water

insides
Sauce & pizza toppings of amount and variety that suit your tastes!

to brush on top before baking
4 tbs butter, melted
2 tsp garlic salt

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. In large mixing bowl fitted with dough hook (or in a regular bowl and use your hands), combine yeast, sugar, 1C flour, salt, and warm water.
  3. Mix in remaining flour slowly until dough is soft and not sticky.
  4. Knead until smooth.
  5. Let rest for ~30 minutes before using.
  6. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil.
  7. Divide dough in 2 and roll each half out into a rectangle on the aluminum foil.
  8. Put sauce down the middle of the dough (hot dog length).
  9. Add any toppings.
  10. Add cheese.
  11. Cut the dough on the sides at about 3/4" intervals.
  12. Alternating sides, overlap dough strips to make a braided look on top. (Don't pull too tight because then your dough will rip and your toppings will ooze out during baking). Leave gaps (if any) towards the top to prevent sauce seapage.
  13. Combine melted butter and garlic salt.
  14. Brush top of calzones with butter/garlic mixture.
  15. Bake 25-30 minutes until light golden brown color appears.
  16. Enjoy!

Oreo Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found this recipe via Pinterest, here.
VERY VERY good :)

ingredients
1 stick butter, softened
6 tbs sugar
6 tbs brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1.25C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
14 oreos, broken up (recipe calls for 11, my oreo sleeve had 14 in it so I used them all)
1C semisweet chocolate chips

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
  3. Add eggs and vanilla until well mixed.
  4. Slowly add flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Mix in oreos and chocolate chips.
  6. With cookie scoop (I have one from Bed,Bath,&Beyond that is squishy on one side so you can put it out with your thumb), scoop dough onto ungreased cookie sheet.
  7. Bake 8 minutes and let cool.
  8. Enjoy!

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I found this recipe on Pinterest, they are majorly delicious and were a hit at work and at home!
Link here.

ingredients
crust
2C flour
1/2C brown sugar
1C butter, softened

cheesecake filling
3 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened
3/4C sugar
3 eggs
1.5 tsp vanilla extract

apples
3 apples (the recipe said granny smith, I used gala), peeled, cored, and finely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbs sugar

streusel topping
1C brown sugar
1C flour
1/2C quick cook oats
1/2C butter, softened

caramel
1/2C caramel topping

directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Line 9x13 baking pan with aluminum foil.
  3. In medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with 2 forks until it becomes a crumbly mixture.
  4. Press mixture into baking pan.
  5. Bake 15 minutes.
  6. In large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4C sugar until smooth.
  7. Add eggs and vanilla to cream cheese mixture, until smooth.
  8. Pour over warm crust.
  9. In separate bowl, mix apple ingredients and spoon over cream cheese mixture.
  10. Sprinkle streusel topping over apple layer.
  11. Bake ~40 minutes.
  12. Drizzle with caramel topping and cool before serving.
  13. Enjoy!

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Spaghetti Sauce

I have been helping my dad make spaghetti sauce since I was little. Now that I'm older with my own kitchen and my own tastes, I have been tweaking things for my taste.
Below is the result of multiple batches of tweaking (and reduction of heat, because my last batch proved too spicy).

ingredients
1/3C extra virgin olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 yellow onion
2/3C white vinegar
28oz crushed tomatoes
28oz diced tomatoes, juice drained
28oz whole peeled tomatoes
28oz stewed tomatoes
2 tsp salt
2 tsp black pepper
3 tsp dry basil
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
3 tsp dry oregano

directions
  1. Run the whole peeled tomatoes & stewed tomatoes for a quick blip through the blender / magic bullet / food processor. (I like chunky sauce and a quick second or two through there cuts up most of the big pieces)
  2. In large sauce pan, heat EVOO.
  3. Saute onion and garlic in EVOO until tender.
  4. Add the rest of the ingredients.
  5. Heat over medium heat for at least 30 minutes. (When I make sauce, I generally put all the ingredients in the pot then throw in the meatballs and let it simmer for a few hours...as long as you periodically stir and make sure nothing is sticking/burning to the edges then you can't really overcook this).
  6. Enjoy!

Buffalo Wing Dip

This is a major hit with my friends. No lie.
You can heat it up, I did the first time I made it and while it was delicious it was really oily on top because of the cheese and skeeves me out. Therefore, I just do room temp and it is glorious.
You can serve it with celery, tortilla chips, whatever you would like.

ingredients
1.5 C hot sauce (I use Texas Pete)
2C shredded cheddar
2C ranch dressing
2 8oz pkgs of cream cheese (VERY soft)
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken

directions
  1. Boil chicken until cooked.
  2. While boiling, combine all other ingredients in a medium bowl.
  3. Remove chicken from pot, shred (pull apart) with 2 forks.
  4. Stir all ingredients together.
  5. Enjoy!

Fudge

I mixed in peanut butter chips to this recipe and it was delicious, you can mix in whatever you prefer in your fudge and I'm sure it would turn out great.

ingredients
3C semisweet chocolate chips
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1/4C butter

directions
  1. Line 8x8 baking dish with wax paper or grease baking dish.
  2. Place chocolate chips, condensed milk, and butter in a large microwaveable bowl.
  3. Heat in microwave, 1 minute at a time, until chips are melts - stir in between.
  4. Pour mixture into baking dish.
  5. Refrigerate until set.
  6. Enjoy!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Cinnamon Roll Pancakes

I found this recipe here: http://www.recipegirl.com/2011/03/01/cinnamon-roll-pancakes/
They were delicious.

ingredients
pancakes
1 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C milk
1 tbsp canola oil
1 egg

cinnamon filling
1/2 C butter, melted
3/4 C brown sugar
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

cream cheese glaze
4 tbsp butter
2 oz cream cheese
3/4 C powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

directions
  1. Whisk pancake ingredients in medium bowl until smooth.
  2. Mix cinnamon filling ingredients in a medium bowl.
  3. Put cinnamon filling into a ziploc bag and set aside.
  4. In medium bowl, microwave butter and cream cheese until melted.
  5. Whisk powdered sugar and vanilla with the butter and cream cheese.
  6. Heat greased skillet over medium heat.
  7. Pour desired amount of batter into skillet.
  8. Snip corner of ziploc bag and squeeze a spiral of cinnamon filling on top of the batter.
  9. When bubbles appear on surface, flip the pancakes.
  10. When ready to serve, spoon warmed glaze on top of each pancake.
  11. Enjoy!