3 Cheese Calzones

A great Sunday afternoon, family-friendly (make your own), delicious meal.

This is a great meal if you're looking to empty your "italian" fridge. We didn't have mozzarella or parmesan, so we just used random slices of cheese that we had on hand (swiss, manchego, provolone) and they were still great. Instead of salami (for the girls) I sub'd for freshly sliced tomato. I'm sure a sausage/red sauce calzone would be great too. You could put *anything* italian in these and they'd be great!

Serves 4; Total time 35 minutes (includes baking).

Ingredients
1 lb refrigerated pizza dough.
1 C fresh ricotta
1C grated mozzarella
1/4 C grated parmesan
1 bunch (or a 1/2 bag) spinach (remove stems); roughly chopped
Black pepper
3/4lb thinly sliced salami
2T olive oil
1 C jarred marinara sauce, warmed

Directions

1. Heat oven to 400.
2. On a lightly floured surface, divide the dough into 4 equal parts.
3. Roll dough into balls (here is where your kids will love it!)
4. Roll each portion into a circle (8" rounds).
5. Place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
6. In a large bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan, spinach and 1/4t pepper.
7. Layer the salami on the bottom of each dough portion (if using tomatoes, don't put them on the bottom b/c the liquid will destroy the dough, place on top of cheese/spinach mixture).
8. Top salami w/ cheese mixture.
9. Fold dough over the filling and pinch edges to seal (again your kids can help here) to make that calzone.
10. Brush tops of calzone w/ oil.
11. Bake until golden (12-15 minutes).
12. Serve w/ sauce (and/or salad)

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi w/ Green Beans & Ricotta

I made this on Monday...only to find out that my brand new pesto was already "bad". So I made my own (see Better Homes & Gardens quick recipe - so easy and so much better than bought).

Start to Finish - 20 minutes! Serves 4

Ingredients
1lb of gnocchi (standard package @ your grocery store).
Kosher salt & pepper
1/2lb green beans (about 2 cups & I used TJ's frozen french cut beans - yum! and very cost effective, once again, b/c you have about 4+ meals w/ the rest of the package).
1 8oz container of pesto (about 1C)
1/4C heavy cream
3/4C ricotta

Directions

1. Cook gnocchi according to package directions. Drain, return to pot
2. Meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a biol and add 1t salt.
3. Add green beans and cook until tender (make sure they're green, if they start changing color (more muted) they're over-cooked); about 3-4 minutes; drain.
4. Add pesto & cream to gnocchi and cook over medium heat, stirring until heated through (2-3min).
5. Divide among bowls; top w/ green beans, a scoop of ricotta and 1/4 pepper. Fresh parmesan is always great too.

Ravioli w/ Peas & Shallots by Real Simple

Serves 4. I made this tonight for dinner.

Easy. Quick. *Very* Light (not necessarily in calories, but in taste) Not an amazing recipe, but definitely yummy, quick & nutritional...and the kids loved it.

1 package of fresh (or packaged) cheese ravioli (TJs 3 cheese fresh ravioli is yummy).
2 T butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 bag of frozen peas
1t grated lemon zest (if you like lemon - I didn't do it and it was still great.)
Kosher/Sea Salt & Pepper

Directions

1. Cook ravioli according to package.
   
2. Meanwhile heat butter on medium heat until melted. Add shallots, sautee for 2-3 minutes (until soft & clear).
3. Add peas, (lemon zest), 1/2 t salt & 1/4t pepper (I never measure salt & pepper, just do what you like), AND 1/2 Cup of reserved pasta water (if pasta isn't done cooking yet, just scoop out a 1/2C). Cook partially covered until all is heated through.
4. Divide ravioli among bowls and top w/ pea mixture.
5. Looks pretty - tastes great.
   

**Oscar would have liked a thicker sauce, so as an option, I would suggest a creamy alfredo sauce lightly drizzled over the top w/ freshly grated parmesan.

Apple-Pear Galette by Real Simple

Oh, yum. I made this for Sean's bday (he *loves* tartes). It was so good Oscar called me from work the next day, while eating leftovers, just to tell me that "it was one of the best things I've ever made." SO easy, SO quick, SOOOO delish. You WILL look like a pastry chef.

Type in title at Real Simple to see the photo - I tried but it was having "server" issues.

Ingredients
2T flour
2 (9" piecrusts) - used pillsbury, but TJs has an amazing crust.
1/4C, plus 2 T apricot preserves
3 Granny Smith Apples (Gala, Empire or Cortland are good too); slice 1/4" thin
3 Bartlett Pears; slice 1/4" thin
2T fresh lemon juice
1/2 t cinnamon
3T, plus 1t granulated sugar
1 large egg, beaten

Directions (this looks complicated, but it's not. Do it 1x and you'll realize this is the easiest, prettiest & yummiest desert, ever!)

1. Heat oven to 350. On a lightly flour surface place 1 piecrust on top of the other and roll stack into a 16" circle. Transfer to a parchment-paper lined baking sheet.
2. Spread 1/4C of preserves on the crust, leaving a 2" border.
3. In a large bowl, toss the apples, pears, cinnamon, and 3T sugar.
4. Transfer mix to the crust, leaving the border clear.
5. Fold the edges of the crust over the fruit mixture. It doesn't cover the mixture, it's just the edges that you're folding over and pressing (to make it look pretty & holds it all together).
   
6. Brush the egg on the crust (this makes it "golden").
7. Sprinkle w/ remaining teaspoon of Sugar.
8. Bake until crust is golden brown and fruit is tender (50-60min).
9. In a small saucepan, heat hte remaining 2T of preserves & 1T water over medium heat until liquid (2-3 min - keep stirring!).
10. Brush sauce over the top of the galette.
11. Serve warm or room temperature.

Delish w/ vanilla ice cream!

Stir Fried Noodles w/ Chicken & Vegetables

Quick, Yummy & Veggie and Protein Loaded - serves 4; total time 30 minutes (max).
1/2 recipe for family of 2 OR 2 adults and average-eating small children.

[This recipe is great, but if you have the red/white Better Homes & Gardens book the honey-glazed chicken stirfry is great too but you have to prepare a side like rice.]

Sauce (you could use a standard stir fry sauce)
3/4 C Soyaki
1/4C orange juice
2T honey
1T cornstarch (thickens sauce)

Ingredients
2 packages of ramen noodles
2T peanut oil (canola is fine)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (8oz) sliced water chestnuts
1C chopped celery
1 package of fresh stir fry veggie mix (TJs mix w/ snap peas is rockin')
1 C cashews

Sauce
Small bowl whisk ingredients together - set aside

Noodles

1. Cook ramen noodles according to directions but only add 1/2 a packet (for 2 packages or a 1/4 for 1 package).
2. These can be cooking while you follow directions below for stirfry.
3. Drain when cooked.

Stir Fry

1. In a wok (or large skillet), heat oil over high heat. Add chicken; stir fry for 4-5 minutes, until chicken is no longer pink.
2. Add water chestnuts, celery and vegetable blend; stirfry for 2 minutes more.
3. Add cooked, drained ramen noodles; stir fry for 3 minutes or until heated through.
4. Push contents to the side of the wok, add sauce and keep stirring until sauce begins to thicken, then stir contents into sauce.
5. Add cashews, stir for another minute.
6. Serve.

Prosciutto Wrapped Chicken w/ Grilled Asparagus

Simple, Spanish, Light & Quick....cook time of chicken is all it takes. A full meal in 10 minutes.

Serves 4

4 Chicken breasts (skinless, boneless)
4 pieces of prosciutto (if you like prosciutto, Costco has the best deal)
Pepper
Olive Oil (cooking & eating kind - you'll know the difference by the price :)

Chicken

1. Season the chicken w/ pepper to taste
2. Wrap prosciutto around the chicken (use a tooth-pick to hold it in place, if needed)
3. Heat oil (and 8 cloves of garlic - optional for flavor) over medium heat.
4. Add chicken and cook until the prosciutto is crisp and chicken is cooked through (6-7min/side).
5. Transfer chicken (and garlic) to plates.
6. [Real Simple adds that you can add a 1/2 C white wine to that same skillet and simmer until reduced by 1/2 (3-4 min) and then spoon over chicken.

Grilled Asparagus
[Hint: Buy the frozen spears from TJs - so yummy & cost effective; about 3 side dishes worth for 3 people/each. I defrosted them *slightly* before following directions below.]

1. While chicken is cooking, rub oil olive (good, eating kind ) all over the asparagus & sprinkle w/ sea salt.
2. Place on grill (make sure grill is smokin' hot & make sure you do not put oil on stovetop grill pan; oil on asparagus is sufficient). Roll occasionally. Cook until bendable w/o snapping, you do not want them mushy - so make sure they're very green - taste SO much better.