Homemade Calzones

It's been a wonderful Saturday! Blake and I joined Andy at Bluegrass Grill for breakfast, stocked up on herbs  at the City Market, and shopped at Feast, the Organic Butcher, and Whole Foods. While Blake watched UVa/NC State baseball, I got my nails done, replanted our new herbs (basil, thyme, rosemary, and sage) and took a wonderful walk around the neighborhood to see all of the beautiful tulips, daisies, and blooming trees.

I joined Horse and Buggy (a Community Supported Agriculture) here in Charlottesville and this week's share included oyster mushrooms, collard greens, bibb lettuce, sprouts, and maple syrup. We love mushrooms on pizza so I had an idea for make your own calzone night. Wow, what a hit! Not only did we spend time bonding in the kitchen, but we each could each add ingredients based on personal preference. This would be a great meal for a small dinner party with friends or a fun night at home with the kids.

Basic Dough
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon yeast
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (the gluten in white flour helps make the crust chewy and delicious)

Mix together milk, yeast, olive oil, and whole wheat flour in a bowl. On your baking sheet, make a well with white flour and add whole wheat mixture. Knead with hands for 3-4 minutes or until you have a soft, but not sticky dough. Let dough proof for 25-30 minutes. Divide dough into two pieces and roll out into a circle. Add ingredients to one side of circle, fold over other half of dough, pinch together and poke with fork (this will let steam escape). Bake in 500 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

The great thing about pizza and calzones is the numerous toppings, cheeses, and sauces that can be used so be creative and add any ingredients that you have on hand. Here were our creations.

Roasted Veggie Pesto Calzone
Sautéed red peppers, onions, and mushrooms
Black Olives
Pesto
Fresh Mozzarella Cheese

Sausage and Pepper Calzone
Spicy Pork Sausage (from Babes in the Woods)
Black Olives
Sautéed red peppers, onions, and mushrooms Pesto
Cheddar Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese

Tomorrow is Easter and we are hosting some close friends for an evening feast. We are making Pork Tenderloin with a Lemon Cream Sauce (one of Chef Paulo's recipes), Salmon (courtesy of Dad and the Salmon River) with Pesto, Collard Greens, Sweet Potatoes, Whole Wheat Rolls, and Homemade Vanilla Ice cream. I hope you have plans with family and friends too!