Chicken Artichoke Pesto Calzones

We had these for dinner tonight and they were SO GOOD. This recipe is going on The List of Foods We Need to Eat Frequently.

Pizza dough (I used my favorite recipe and got 2 calzones out of it)
shredded mozzarella cheese
cooked chicken (I used leftover from this recipe)
pesto
chopped artichoke hearts (I used about half of one of the little jars from Frys)
olive oil (for brushing)

Preheat oven to 500. Put cookie sheet (or pizza stone, if you're fancy) in while it preheats. Divide pizza dough in half and roll into 7 or 8 inch circle. Spread each with pesto, stopping about 1/2 inch from the edge. Add mozzarella, chicken and chopped artichoke hearts to one half. Fold other half over and fold edges over to seal. Transfer to hot cookie sheet, brush with oil, and bake for 13-15 minutes.

Recipe adapted from here by here.

Sister Crites' Wheat Bread

From Sister Crites' baking class at Women's Conference.

5 cups warm water
add 2 T yeast
add 3-4 cupes whole wheat flour and mix well
add 2/3 cup oil
and 2/3 cup honey
add another 3-4 cupes whole wheat flour and mix well
add 2 T salt
add 4 cups white flour and knead 10 minutes
If using hard red wheat you may want to add 1/2 cup gluten or dough enhancer
Mix together, cover and let rise double. Punch down and form into 6 loaves. Let rise again. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Homemade cost: $2.66 for 6 loaves
Purchased wheat bread: $1.88-$4.50 for one loaf, depending on brand


These loaves freeze really well..I just made a whole bunch and stuck them in the freezer so we can pull them out as we need them. Plus they're really good!

Cornflake Balls (2 versions)

This is a recipe I got from a friend of a friend, these are so yummy! My kids devour them...

The old-fashioned recipe:

1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups cornflakes

In a microwave safe dish mix the first 4 ingredients together and microwave just until bubbly. Pour over cornflakes and mix together. Drop balls onto wax paper or tin foil. Let cool and enjoy.






Healthier alternative to the original recipe:


1 cup sugar
1 cup brown rice syrup
1 1/2 cups natural crunchy peanut butter
1 tsp vanilla
6 cups organic or non-genetically modified corn flakes



In a microwave safe dish mix the first 4 ingredients together and microwave just until bubbly. Pour over cornflakes and mix together. Drop balls onto wax paper or tin foil. Let cool and enjoy.

Granola

This is Catherine Tackett's recipe. It's the chewier granola, which I prefer!

5 c rolled oats
1 c dry milk
1 c honey
1/2 c olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
optional:coconut, sliced almonds, craisins, raisins, cinnamon, nutmeg
Mix everything together, put on a greased cookie sheet, BAKE for 30 min @ 350 or until lightly golden. Allow to cool for 30 mins.-2 hrs. (if you allow it to fully cool it is more likely to stay in BIG pieces but sometimes I can't wait that long).

Broccoli and Tortellini Salad

This salad is the best. It comes from a former co-worker of mine, who was always asked to bring it to events.

Salad Ingredients:

• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 1/4 lb. fresh or frozen cheese tortellini
• 2-3 heads broccoli, chopped into florets
• 1 cup raisins
• 1 cup sunflower seeds
• red onion, finely chopped (to taste)

Dressing Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 t cider vinegar

Cook bacon, cool, and crumble. Cook tortellini for 8-10 minutes, drain, and rinse under cool water. Mix dressing ingredients. Combine all remaining ingredients in a large bowl; add dressing; toss. Serve chilled.

Egg-less Pancakes

I know, it doesn't sound that good. But these are, I promise! We all gobbled them up. My kids woke up wanting pancakes last Saturday, and it sounded good to me too, but we didn't have any eggs in the fridge. So I found a recipe, modified it to our liking, and came up with this:

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup white flour
• 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
  
• 2 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup milk (I used lactose free)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• a handful of chocolate chips (oh yes I added that to the recipe)

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, flaxseed, sugar, baking powder, salt and cinnamon. Pour in the vanilla, water and milk. Mix until all of the dry ingredients have been absorbed, then stir in the pecans and chocolate chips.
2. Cook pancakes (about 1/3 cup of batter) over medium heat on a large skillet or griddle.

Grapefruit Slushes

I grew up making these and have been making them for Adam and I almost every night. Very refreshing! It's a great way to use your citrus.

2 grapefruits, juiced OR 10-12 oz. of grapefruit juice
1 1/2 C water (10-12 oz.)
1 C sugar

Put ingredients in blender and then add ice (so that the ice is just covered by the juice...probably about 3 C). Blend until smooth and enjoy!

Sweet and Sour Meatballs

This is a main dish, not an appetizer. I made it for my mom and sister last week, and they both asked for the recipe!

1 can (8-12 oz) pineapple chunks, packed in juice
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup water
2 1/2 T vinegar
1 1/2 t soy sauce
1/4 t dry mustard
1 beef bouillon cube (or 1 t bouillon granules)
1/2 lb. frozen meatballs (or, half recipe of the Quick Meatballs below)
julienned carrots
3 cups cooked rice (1 cup uncooked)

Cook rice. Prepare meatballs (or heat up prepared meatballs according to package). Meanwhile, place carrots in frying pan with butter and a little water, and steam to soften to desired tenderness. Drain pineapple chunks, saving juice. In a medium saucepan, combine pineapple juice, brown sugar, cornstarch, water, vinegar, soy sauce, mustard, and bouillon. Cook and stir until thick. Add meatballs, pineapple, and carrots. Cover; simmer until all ingredients are hot, stirring occasionally. Serve over hot cooked rice with additional soy sauce if desired.

Serves 4.

*Notes: The original recipe calls for green bell peppers (instead of carrots), which you can just cut in strips and add in at the same time as the meatballs if you want them. Ditto with sliced water chestnuts (I just don't care for them).

Quick Meatballs

1 pound lean ground beef
1 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 t salt
1/2 t Worcestershire sauce

Combine all ingredients. Shape into 1-inch meatballs. Arrange in single layer in unheated skillet. Set over medium heat and brown, turning with spatula as necessary.

Variations: You can also bake in a large dripper pan at 400 degrees in the oven for 12-15 minutes, turning once or twice. If you want to make a lot and freeze some for later: arrange meatballs on a large cookie sheet. Freeze for 30-60 minutes. Then move them to freezer containers to store.

Blender Whole Wheat Pancakes

My friend Kristi posted these pancakes forever ago on the other recipe blog I'm a part of. I finally made them this morning and discovered that I should have been making them all along. They are a good way to use food storage items (you can use your wheat without grinding it!) and they're tasty and healthy and Wes snarfed 'em right up. Kristi told me they freeze well and easily reheat for quick breakfasts and snacks.



1 C whole wheat kernels
1 C milk (or 1 C water and 1/3 C dry milk)
2 Tbs Oil
2 eggs
2 Tbs honey
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder

Put 1 C whole wheat kernels and 1 C milk in blender. Blend 3 minutes. Add eggs, oil, honey and salt, blend for 30 seconds. And baking powder and pulse three times. Make pancakes immediately.

*I also added a little cinnamon and vanilla to my batter since that's how I roll.