Sausage Calzones

These are very tasty, yield 4 large calzones perfect for a family.  If you have only 2 people in your family like me-underbake 2 of them and after they cool, wrap in foil and freeze!  Just reheat in foil at 350 for about 20 minutes.

1  package (about 1 lb) turkey or sweet Italian sausage-casings removed

1 1/2 cups ricotta 

A handful flat leaf parsley, chopped

2 cloves garlic, chopped

A handful grated Parmesan, plus extra, for knots

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Few grinds black pepper

2 (10-ounce) tubes prepared pizza dough

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Olive oil spray

 Powdered garlic

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. Brown sausage in a small skillet, crumbling as it cooks
3. Add garlic after sausage starts browning and cook until sausage is fully cooked
4. Transfer to paper towel lined bowl or plate
5. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, mozzarella, Parmigiano, nutmeg, pepper, and sausage
6. Roll out doughs and halve cross-wise
7. Place a dough rectangle on a nonstick cookie sheet (or pizza peel if you have one)
8. Mound 1/4 of the filling on one half of the dough
9. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal
10. Trim excess corners to make half moon shaped calzones
11. Roll extra scraps into strips, tie in knots and spritz with olive oil spray
12. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and powdered garlic on top
13. Bake all on a cookie sheet or pizza stone for about 20-25 minutes or until golden all over
14. Serve with marinara sauce

Cheese Calzones

This makes 4 ooey gooey cheesey calzones!

1 1/2 cups ricotta 

A handful grated Parmesan, plus extra, for knots

A few grinds black pepper

2 (10-ounce) tubes prepared pizza dough

Dry oregano

2 cups shredded mozzarella

Olive oil spray

 Powdered garlic

1. Preheat oven to 425 F
2. In a large bowl, mix ricotta, parsley, mozzarella, Parmigiano, oregano, and pepper
3. Roll out doughs and halve cross-wise
4. Place a dough rectangle on a nonstick cookie sheet (or pizza peel if you have one)
5. Mound 1/4 of the filling on one half of the dough
6. Fold dough over and pinch edges to seal
7. Trim excess corners to make half moon shaped calzones
8. Roll extra scraps into strips, tie in knots and spritz with olive oil spray
9. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese and powdered garlic on top
10. Bake all on a cookie sheet or pizza stone for about 20-25 minutes or until golden all over
11. Serve with marinara sauce

* To freeze some, underbake by 5-10 minutes. Cool, wrap in foil, and freeze.  Reheat in foil at 350 for about 20 minutes.

Super Moist Banana Blueberry Muffins

I've used dry pudding in cake and cookies for awhile and it always yields deliciously moist results.  This morning I thought, why not try it in muffins.  The verdict- YUM!

Makes 11-12 muffins

• 1 box banana pudding
• 1 box blueberry muffin mix (I prefer Krusteaz)
• 1 egg
• 1/3 cup water
• 4 Tbls vegetable oil
• 5 heaping Tbls plain Greek yogurt

1. In a large bowl mix first two ingredients until well combined
2. Add the other ingredients and mix just until moistened-batter will be very thick
3. Scoop into sprayed muffin tin, fill about 2/3 full
4. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean

Shrimp Scampi

I am not a big shrimp eater, but I do happen to like this lightened up version of shrimp scampi:

• 1 bag of  medium (51-60) shrimp, peeled and deveined
• ¼ cup flour
• Pinch salt/pepper
• 4 tbsp cold butter, reserved
• 2 tbsps olive oil
• 1-2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ cup chopped parsley
• Angel hair or linguine

1. Cook the pasta
2. Pat shrimp dry and place them in a large bowl or Ziploc bag
3. Shake in the flour, salt, and pepper and toss the shrimp around so they are coated.  Shake off extra and lay on paper towels
4. In a saute pan, add 1 Tbls butter and the olive oil
5. When everything melts and gets foamy, add the shrimp and cook about 3 minutes or until it turns pink-don't overcook! (Rubber shrimp  is yucky!)
6. Remove the shrimp from the pan and keep warm. Pour out any excess butter and discard
7. Return the pan to medium heat and deglaze with white wine or chicken broth, scraping any brown bits
8. Cook the wine for 2 to 3 minutes and then add the garlic and  lemon juice, cooking until the mixture is reduced by half.
9. Stir in remaining cold butter chunks until they melt into the wine and lemon-juice mixture. (The sauce won’t be thick.) Add parsley and return the shrimp to the pan for 30 seconds
10. Dump the pasta in the pot so it can absorb the sauce, toss and serve!

*If you want more sauce, add more olive oil or butter depending on your taste.  Also yummy with some Parmesan cheese grated on top!

Bagels

Who doesn't love a good bagel on a Sunday morning with a little lox and schmear of cream cheese?  Just me...oh ok, well maybe plain bagels are more up your alley Boring Bob!

This is a very cool recipe that makes basically any kind of bagels you want.  Start with the basic dough and you can add mix-ins or dip in seeds/salt to create one of a kind bagels for your family.  

This recipe makes 8 bagels, a little smaller than the kind I'm used to from the best bagel place around here, but the taste is worth it--they taste like NYC bagels!

• 4 cups flour
• 1 Tbls sugar
• 1 1/2 tsps salt
• 1 Tbls vegetable oil
• 2 tsps instant yeast
• 1-1/4 cups of warm water (1/4 cup standing by if needed)

1. Mix all the ingredients in a stand mixer (You COULD do this by hand, but you need a bit of muscle) on low speed for about 2-4 minutes-just until ball of dough comes away from the sides
2. Push the dough with your finger, it should feel stiff, but add the extra water if it's really stiff, or you can't get all the dry flour incorporated
3. Plop the dough down onto the counter, and knead a few times until the dough is uniform and smooth

4. Cut the dough into 8 equal sized balls, and let rest for 10-20 minutes
5. Pre heat your oven to 425
6. Roll each dough ball into a snake with you hands (It helps if your hands are a teeny tiny bit wet) 
7. When the snake is longer than the width of your two hands, wrap it around your dominant rolling hand. The dough rope should be wrapped so the overlapping ends are together at your palm, near the start of your fingers




tomato basil bagels resting


8. Now take the two overlapping ends, and use your palm to squish/roll these two ends together. Once the dough is fused, you should have a perfectly circular bagel-to-be! (This is a little tricky, don't worry, the first few bagels will have giant holes but those are the baker's treat, right?)
9. Let your bagels rest on the counter for about 20 minutes, and meanwhile, bring a pot of water with 1 Tbls baking soda added to boil, and grease a large baking tray lightly (VERY lightly, just a little splash of veggie oil on a paper towel rubbed around is perfect)
10. After the 20 minute wait, your bagels should be puffed up, add about 4 at a time to the boiling water (or as many as you can without crowding)
11. Boil for a minute, turn them over, and boil for another minute

12. Take them out, and pat them dry before putting on the oiled baking sheet. Repeat until all the bagels are boiled
13. Add the tray to the oven, and after 10 minutes, flip the bagels over, bake for another ten minutes; and they're done!
14. Let them cool on racks for at least 20 minutes, before you dig in!

*You can make a 1/2 batch of just 4 bagels if you want



**Some tried and true flavors:
Cinnamon Raisin: Substitute 1 Tbl of flour for cinnamon, add 3/4 cup raisins
Whole Wheat: Substitute 1/2 the amount of flour for whole wheat flour
Rye: Substitute 1/2 the amount of flour for rye flour and add 2 tsp caraway seeds
Sundried Tomato: Substitute 1/4 cup water for tomato sauce, add minced Parmesan cheese, chiffonaded basil, and sundried tomatoes  (If you don't have the last one, call them Tomato Basil or Pizza Bagels instead)
Harvest: Substitute 1/2 cup water for cranberry juice, substitute 1 Tbl flour for cinnamon, and add 1/4 cup each: craisins, chopped walnuts, dried blueberries
Honey Cherry: Add 1 heaping Tbl honey and 3/4 cup dried cherries
Salt or Poppy Seed: Right after boiling, dip tops of bagels in a plate of either seed/topping and bake as normal

Asian Pork Tenderloin

This is a quick and healthy weeknight dinner, you can get the pork ready in the morning and it will be marinated by the time you are ready to cook it.

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon dry white wine or water
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 2 small pork tenderloins (11 oz each)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 3/4 lb fresh snow pea pods (3 cups)
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon sesame seed
• 1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips

1. In heavy-duty resealable food-storage plastic bag, mix ketchup, sugar, vegetable oil, wine, hoisin sauce and garlic
2. Add pork, turning to coat with marinade. Seal bag; refrigerate at least 1 hour but no longer than 24 hours to marinate
3. Heat oven to 425°F. Remove pork from marinade; discard marinade
4. Place pork on rack in shallow roasting pan. Roast uncovered 25 to 30minutes or until pork has slight blush of pink in center and meat thermometer inserted in center reads 160°F
5. About 10 minutes before roast is done, in 10-inch skillet, heat vegetable oil over medium heat
6. Add pea pods and sesame seed; cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until pea pods are crisp-tender. Stir in bell pepper
7. Cook about 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until bell pepper is crisp-tender
8. Just before serving, drizzle with toasted sesame oil; heat through

Moo Shu Pork

I love this recipe, love, love, love it.  It is easy, quick, healthy, and full of flavor. Yummy!
It is also wallet friendly, great for college kids, or families watching their budget.


                                                      

• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce, plus more for serving
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar 
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Salt and pepper
• 1 3/4-pound pork tenderloin, trimmed and cut into thin strips
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 ounces baby bella, shitake, or your favorite mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1 14-ounce bag coleslaw mix
• 1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
• 12 Bibb lettuce leaves or tortillas 

1. Whisk the hoisin sauce, vinegar, garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add the pork and marinate10 minutes
2. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over high heat. Remove the pork from the marinade using tongs (reserve the marinade) and stir-fry until browned, about 4 minutes
3. Transfer the pork to a plate. Add 3 to 4 tablespoons water to the skillet, then pour the pan juices over the pork on the plate
4. Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet; when hot, add the mushrooms and stir-fry until slightly golden, about 2 minutes. Add the coleslaw mix and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes
5. Add the pork, the reserved marinade and half of the scallions, stiryfry 2 more minutes
6. Season with salt and sprinkle with the remaining scallions. Serve the stir-fry in the lettuce leaves or tortialls with more hoisin sauce

Rosemary Mustard Pork with Peaches

                                                    

This pork is delicious, spicy and sweet, and easy to make.  It is also low calorie as an added bonus!

• 2 1-pound pork tenderloins, trimmed 
• Salt and pepper  
• Vegetable oil, for the grill
• 3 firm-ripe peaches, halved, pitted and cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 lemon
• 2 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, plus 1 or 2 small sprigs

1. Preheat a grill to high. Pat the pork dry and season with salt and pepper. Lightly oil the grill, then grill the pork, turning, until marked, about 10 minutes
2. Meanwhile, combine the peaches, wine, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup water in a saucepan. Remove lemon zest and add to the pan; squeeze in the lemon juice. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the peaches are just tender, 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl with a slotted spoon
3. Add mustard and 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper to the juices in the pan. Transfer 1/3 cup of the liquid to a small bowl and stir in the chopped rosemary; brush onto pork and continue grilling until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 145 degrees F, 10 to 15 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board
4. Meanwhile, simmer remaining liquid in the pan until syrupy, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt. Return the peaches to the pan along with the rosemary sprigs
5. Slice the pork and serve with the peaches

Israeli Tomato Salad

Very refreshing salad for spring or summer days alone, or as a side dish in the cooler weather with chicken, fish, or pork.
                                                   

• 3 seedless mini cucumbers (gherkins), diced
• 3-4 plum tomatoes, diced
• Oregano
• Red wine vinegar
• Handful dill, chopped

1. Mix all ingredients
2. Let chill in fridge for 1-2 hours

Chicken Parmesan Salad

This salad takes the flavors of a chicken parmesan dinner and breaks them down into a salad.  De-lish!
                                                    

• 1 plum tomato, halved
• 4 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, plus 2 tablespoons oil from the jar
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 bunch fresh basil, torn
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts 
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup breadcrumbs
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 8 cups Italian-blend salad greens or baby arugula
• 8 ounces small mozzarella balls, quartered

1. Preheat a grill to high. Puree the plum tomato, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, garlic, oregano, a few basil leaves and 2 tablespoons parmesan in a blender, drizzling in the sun-dried tomato oil until smooth
2. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons water, if needed; season with salt and pepper
3. Halve the chicken breasts horizontally to make four 1/4-inch-thick cutlets. Brush with 1 tablespoon olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken until marked on the bottom, about 4 minutes, then turn and grill until cooked through, about 3 more minutes. Transfer to a cutting board
4. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the breadcrumbs, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, about 2 minutes
5. Add the remaining 3 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon parmesan and the parsley and cook until toasted, about 1 more minute
6. Toss the salad greens and remaining basil in a large bowl. Cut the chicken into pieces and add to the greens along with the mozzarella. Toss with the dressing, then sprinkle with the breadcrumb mixture

Steak Spinach Salad with Sour Cream Potatoes

                                                                    

This is like a steak house dinner, combined in a much healthier salad-perfect for a summer night dinner outside!

• 2 medium russet or Yuokn Gold potatoes
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for brushing
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 tablespoons buttermilk
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 3/4-pound boneless sirloin or skirt steak
• 1 large red onion, sliced into thick rings
• 6 ounces baby spinach or chopped regular spinach
• 2 to 3 tablespoons steak sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F
2. Pierce the potatoes with a fork and brush with olive oil. Bake directly on the oven rack until tender, about 1 hour
3. Cool slightly, then cut into chunks
4. Mix the sour cream, buttermilk, chives and lemon juice in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper, stir in the potatoes
5. Meanwhile, preheat a grill to high. Brush the steak and onion rings with olive oil and season with salt and pepper
6. Grill the steak until marked on the bottom, about 7 minutes, then turn and cook 4 to 5 more minutes for medium-rare
7. Grill the onion rings until charred, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer the steak and onion rings to a cutting board and let rest 5 minutes
8. Roughly chop the onion rings and toss with the spinach, steak sauce, 3 tablespoons olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl
9. Thinly slice the steak. Divide the salad among plates, top with the steak and serve with the potatoes

Cantonese Chicken and Mushrooms

• 1 1/4 pounds skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 6 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 8 thin slices peeled ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
• 8 to 10 ounces sliced mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake or a mix
• 12 ounces baby bok choy, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• Red pepper flakes
• Cooked rice, for serving (optional)

1. Toss the chicken with the oyster sauce in a bowl
2. Mix the cornstarch with 3 tablespoons cold water in another bowl. Place both bowls near the stove with the remaining ingredients
3. Heat a wok or deep skillet over high heat until hot. Add the oil, then the scallions, ginger and garlic, and stir-fry about 20 seconds
4. Add the chicken mixture and stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink on the outside, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and bok choy
5. Add the broth and sesame oil to the skillet and bring to a boil over high heat
6. Add the cornstarch mixture, return to a boil and cook, tossing, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes
7. Sprinkle with red pepper flakes to taste
8. Serve with rice, if desired

                                                                   

Ramen Cake

This is an easy side dish that makes Ramen noodles a little more interesting
                                                     

• 3 packages Ramen
• 1 Tbl sesame oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 3 Tbls peanut oil
• cilantro or scallions

1. Soak ramen noodles in hot water, 5 minutes
2. Drain; pat dry
3. Toss with salt and sesame oil
4. Heat peanut oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, spread the noodles in the pan and cook 6 to 8 minutes per side
5. Drain on paper towels, top with scallions or cilantro

Mix and Match Chocolate Bark

This bark is delicious, and not at all like the peppermint/chocolate/saltine bark many poeple make.  In my opinion, this is much yummier because the base is all chocolate!

                                                              

You can mix and match your own combinations from the following categories:

Chocolate: 1 pound

  

• Bittersweet chocolate
Semisweet chocolate
White chocolate
Half bittersweet and half white chocolate (for swirled bark)

Crunchy Toppings: 1/2 cup, chopped

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Macadamia nuts
• Pecans
• Peanuts
• Pistachios
• Cashews
• Pine nuts
• Hazelnuts
• Peppermints
• Toffee
• Nut brittle
• Toasted coconut flakes
• Peanut butter chips
• Banana chips

Chewy Toppings: 1/2 cup, chopped

 

• Dried figs
• Dried apricots
• Dried cherries
• Dried cranberries
• Dried mangoes
• Raisins
• Mini marshmallows
• Candied orange peel
• Crystallized ginger

Spices (optional)

• Red pepper flakes
• Flaky sea salt
• Crushed cardamom seeds
• Toasted fennel seeds
• Crushed pink peppercorns

1. Line a baking sheet with foil, shiny-side up; smooth out the creases
2. Pick your ingredients and set them to the side
3. Make sure all tools are dry. Chop the chocolate into 1/2-inch pieces with a large knife. Place all but 1 cup of the chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl. (For swirled bark, put all but 1/2 cup of each chocolate in 2 separate bowls.) 
4. Microwave 30 seconds, then stir with a rubber spatula. Continue microwaving and stirring at 30-second intervals until melted, 3 to 5 minutes total. (For swirled bark, microwave each chocolate separately at 15-second intervals.) 
5. Immediately add the reserved chopped chocolate to the bowl(s); stir vigorously until melted and shiny. Don’t worry if there are a few small unmelted pieces. 
6. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared baking sheet; use the rubber spatula to spread it into a 10-to-12-inch circle, about 1/4 inch thick (For swirled bark, pour the 2 chocolates side by side on the baking sheet; use the spatula to swirl them together.) 
7. Press your crunchy and chewy toppings into the chocolate, arranging them so each bite has a mix of flavors and textures. Sprinkle with spices, if desired. Let the bark harden completely at room temperature, about 1 hour
8. If the room is warm, you may need to freeze the bark for a few minutes
9. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks

*I've made mini marshmallow and almond bark as well as Elvis bark (banana chips, peanut butter chips, and smashed peanut butter M&Ms)

Pizza Dip

This yummy recipe is courtesy of one of my students.  Every year I have my students write about their favorite family recipe and then they bring it in to share for our Holiday Party.   This was super easy and super delicious, thanks Jake!

• 3 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup pizza or pasta sauce
• Thin pepperoni slices (optional)
• Shredded Mozzarella
• Oregano

1. Mix cream cheese and sour cream and spread into an 8x8 pan
2. Sprinkle oregano on top and then spread over sauce
3. Add pepperoni slices, if using
4. Top with cheese and bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes, until top is gooey and golden

*Serve with sliced Italian bread
**Easily doubled or tripled by using a 13 x 9 pan!