Calzone Filling

Ingredients:
1/2 c. ricotta cheese
1 c. mozzarella cheese,  shredded
1/2 c.  cheddar cheese, shredded
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, shredded
1/4 tsp. granulated garlic
1 Tbsp. parsley flakes
1 egg

Directions:
Add all ingredients and mix.  Fill your calzone crust with this mix plus pepperoni or canadian and bacon and pineapple or whatever you like to fill your calzone with.

We did ours with mushrooms, green peppers, pepperoni and olives. 

Serve with a reduced marinara.  I cheated and used a Kirkland brand marinara.

Calzone Crust

Ingredients:
2 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast
1 c. warm water
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. olive oil

Directions:
1. Dissolve yeast in water with sugar until foamy.  Takes about 5 min.
2. Add oil and salt and 1 c. of the flour mixing until smooth.
3. With your dough hook add rest of flour and kneed until elastic.  Took me about 5 min on my kitchen aid.
4. In a separate bowl with the last tsp of oil, lay the dough in the oil, flip it and cover and let sit for about 40 min.  It should be almost doubled.
5. Punch dough down lightly.  Twist in half, then twist in thirds so you end with 6 equal balls of dough.  Roll out into thin circles.
7. Fill with desired fillings.  Fold in half and roll and pinch the ends together forming a ridged half moon.
8. Brush with scrambled egg.  Bake at 375° for 30 min. 

Chicken "Alfredo" - phase 1

3-4 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breast
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Red Pepper, diced
1 onion, diced
1 c. sliced mushrooms
1-2 c. Broccoli Florets, cooked el dente
1 1/2 c. Chicken Stock
8 oz. Fat Free Cream Cheese
1/2 Packet Ranch dressing or dip powder
Parmesan cheese

Directions:
1. Cut chicken to bite size pieces and cook until almost done.  Add veggies and saute using 3/4 c. of the broth to de-glaze the pan and cook the veggies until soft.
2. In a separate pan mix 3/4 c. broth, cream cheese and ranch powder mix until smooth.  Reduce until slightly thickened.  Add the veggies and chicken.
3. Serve hot with parmesan sprinkled over it.

I served this over steamed cauliflower instead of pasta.  Was very yummy and totally feels like a cheater meal.  Tastes like one too....Could probably use Spaghetti squash on a different phase but for phase one, cauli is my first choice.  I may have to try adding some dijon mustard to the mix and possibly some other veggies like spinach...I haven't even considered yet how to make this Dairy Free...not sure I care for the Substitute cream cheese.

Baked Chicken Strips

3 Chicken breast halves
1/4 cup. mayonnaise
1/4 cup mustard (1/3 honey mustard, brown spicy and reg prepared yellow mustard)
1/2 Tbsp. garlic
Salt and pepper
2 cups Italian style Panko breadcrumbs

Directions:
1. Rinse chicken and blot dry.  Cut into strips.  Pound out pieces between plastic wrap or wax paper for uniform thickness.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.
2.  Mix Mayo, mustard and garlic in a small bowl and coat each piece of chicken with the mix.
3.  Coat with Panko and arrange on a greased cookie sheet.  ( I line with foil for ease of cleaning)
4.  Bake at 450°F for 10 min.  Rotate sheet and cook for 10-15 more minutes.

I found this recipe in the Family Fun magazine and of course tweaked it a lil bit.  This is actually about half the recipe but think that the full recipe would be better cuz they are good!  Everybody liked these and they weren't too difficult.  Key to a crispy crust is low moisture.  Gotta pat them dry after you rinse them.

Cornless Corn Syrup

2 cups white sugar
3/4 cup water
1/4 tsp. Cream of Tartar
1 pinch salt


Directions:

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil, stirring constantly.
2. Reduce heat to a simmer and put cover for 3 minutes to get sugar crystals off the sides of the pan.
3. Uncover and simmer, stirring often, until it reaches the soft ball stage (about 225° f.)
4. Makes about 2 cups. ( i got slightly less than that)
   
   
   So I understand that the cream of tartar actually breaks the sugar into a fructose and glucose so doesn't necessarily make this "healthier" than corn syrup, but with Morgan having problems with Corn syrup, esp HFCS, this is a fabulous alternative.  It takes a bit more time and I think you want to cool this some before you actually use in any recipes but I love to be able to make anything from a true "scratch".  

Heather's Spaghetti Sauce-phase 1

1 lb. ground turkey
1 lb. ground chicken Italian Sausage (i used Isernios)
1 c. diced onion
2 celery stalks, diced
1 c. sliced mushrooms
2 carrots, peeled and grated
1 c. pureed pumpkin
2 Tbsp. dehydrated peppers (can use fresh, prob about a cup of dices)
5 Tbsp. Thrive Tomato powder (could sub with 2 cans tomato sauce)
1 can Italian Stewed Tomatoes, pureed
4 c. water
1 Tbsp. Granulated Garlic
1 Tbsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbsp. Parsley
1 Tbsp. Molasses

Directions:
1. Brown both meats together and cook until juices are cooked away.
2. Add diced vegetables and cook until onions are transparent and carrots are soft. 
3. Add pumpkin, peppers, spices, tomatoes, and water.
4. Cook at a slight boil or simmer until reduced to thicker sauce.  About 10-15 min or so.
5. Serve hot on a bed of noodles, spaghetti squash (my fav) or in cabbage lasagna.


I started making this sauce to get away from all the corn syrups and HFCS.  Its pretty hard to find a good canned sauce that doesn't have that stuff in it and its almost just as easy to make it myself.  I started with just the meats and Italian stewed tomatoes with the spices and really love the idea of "sneaking" more vegetables in wherever I can and with the savory flavor of the tomatoes, I can hide a lot of them.   Maybe someday I will get out of the restaurant industry and start bottling this for all of us HFCS boycotters!

Cabbage Lasagna-phase 1

5 c. Heathers Spaghetti Sauce
1 head cabbage, steamed to el dante
16 oz. Cottage cheese (i like lowfat)
1 egg
2 1/2c low-fat Mozzarella cheese
1/2 c low-fat Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. dried parsley

Directions:
1. Mix 1 1/4 c. Mozzarella cheese, 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, egg and parsley and set aside.
2. In a 13x9 cake pan, start with 1 c. Spaghetti Sauce.  Then layer with cabbage in a single layer covering large holes.  (I always have small holes)  Spread about 1/3 of cheese mix on top of cabbage. (it will not be possible to spread like butter so just do the best you can to make it even)  Add another cup of Spaghetti sauce and repeat process of layers, ending with last cup of spaghetti sauce.  Top with remaining Mozz and Parm cheeses.
3. Spray a piece of foil with Pam spray and cover lasagna.  Bake in preheated oven at 350° for 45 min.  Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.  (Should have an internal temp of 160°.)  Let rest for 15 min before cutting and serving.

This was a big hit at a dinner we had at my aunts house and the recipe has been slow in coming.  I am going to have to make this again to get the ingredients for the Spaghetti Sauce right, so i will have the sauce on here as soon as possible...hopefully by tomorrow!