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Saturday, May 22, 2010

Yummy Freezer Calzones

Do you ever have a night when cooking dinner seems like the last thing that you want to do?
Well this happens to me all the time.Usually we wind up getting take out or ordering a pizza.
I really hate this though because it just costs so much money.
Not to mention how unhealthy I feel after eating out.

So lately I have been trying to come up with things that I can make and freeze to use for those nights that don't want to do a bunch of cooking. I came up with a recipe for freezer calzones.
(My husband thinks they are like a "good tasting" version of hot pockets)

They are super easy to do.


Items to gather:

2 batches of your favorite pizza dough-will make about 20 good size calzones (Using either homemade or store bought is fine. See my recipe for dough below)
Items to stuff your calzone (see ideas below)
Plastic wrapparchment papaercookie sheetsgallon size freezer bag


First: Make dough.
My recipe for pizza dough:

2 1/2 to 3 1/2 cup all purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (120 to 130 degrees)
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine 1 1/4 cup flour, salt and yeast in bowel.
Add water and oil.
With electric mixer beat on low for 30 seconds.
Scrape bowel.
Then beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
Stir in as much of the reamaining flour as you can.
Either knead by hand for 6-8 minutes until smooth and elastic.
Or use mixer with dough hook and mix on low speed until smooth and elastic.
Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.





Second:
Seperate dough into 20 equal size balls. Let rise for 10 more minutes.




Third:
On a generously floured surface, roll dough into an approximate 7'x 5' rectangle.

Pepperoni and Cheese




Chicken and Broccoli


Fourth:
Place topping on one half of rolled out dough about a 1/2 inch from the edge.
Our Families favorite fillings:

Chicken and Broccoli
mix together 1 pound chicken cooked and chopped into bite size peices
about 1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked brocolli1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/3 cup sour cream
salt and pepper to taste
(recipe makes about 10-12 depending on size)



Pepperoni and Cheese8 oz. pizza sauce (can be homemade or store bought)
cheese sticks
5-6 pepperoni's per calzone
(recipe makes about 10 calzones)



BBQ Chicken
1 pound chicken shredded
1/2-3/4 cup BBQ sauce (enough to gernerously coat the chicken)
1/2 onion cooked til soft (I don't add this for the ones the kids eat.)
(recipe makes about 10-12 calzones)
You of course can add any filling items that you want.




Fifth: Gently place the other side of the dough on top of the filling.
Sixth: Roll the edges inward and press to seal with finger.





Seventh: On a parchment lined cookie sheet place the calzones. (I ran out and so I didn't have any for the picture)



Eigth: Cut several small slits in the top of calzone so that steam can release when cooking.



Ninth: Place cookie sheet in freezer until the calzones are hard.








Tenth:
Wrap frozen calzones individually in plastic wrap. Place wrapped calzones in freezer bag.




When ready to bake:
Pre-heat oven to 350 degerees.
Cook frozen calzones for approximately 30-40 minutes. Check at 30 minutes.
Calzones are done when the dough is browned on top and it is heated all the way through.
Serve.
They last up to two months in the freezer.




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