Kasie's Mom's Calzone Recipe - Guest Post

This is a guest post by my friend, Kasie Robinson.  Please check out her Artfire shop HERE.  She kindly wrote a guest post for me during a busy week.  I appreciate her input, and Kasie is quite a talented and funny writer.  

Here is her guest post and story. As she jokingly called it the title is:  Why I Can't Have Nice Things?  Enjoy!

I was asked by Michelle about writing a guest post and my first, immediate thought was nope, don’t know nothin’ ‘bout ‘nothing, got nothin’ to say, leave me be.  But then I thought of a recipe I could share.  Of course, in order to share the recipe, I have to tell a long, convoluted story about the drama surrounding that recipe in the last week.  People that know me know that all my stories are long and convoluted.  Unfortunately for them, they can’t skip ahead when I’m talking.  But you can.  Feel free to skip ahead.

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away….early 1980s in rural northwestern Kansas, I took classes and belonged to a school club called DECA.  Distributive Education Clubs of America.  I didn’t know if those still existed but I found a website today and they appear to be going strong.  Go DECA!    Each year we got a sales kit full of little items to demonstrate and sell.  I don’t remember what all they had.  I remember a little imitation wood picture frame, a candle holder, an address book, a notepad.  Just stuff.  One of the items was a little cookbook to write recipes in.  My mother got each of us (me and two brothers) a little cookbook and wrote various favorite recipes in them to take when we left home.  I admit there are some recipes in that book I never used and a few I have used over and over and over and over and over and over in the 30 years I’ve had it. 

Until last month when I “lost” it.  I say “lost” because while I can’t find it anywhere, I am still hoping against hope it is in this house somewhere.  It’s not where it’s supposed to be.  It’s not anywhere I can think to look.  It’s gone and my heart is broken.  I’m almost afraid I might have set it down somewhere wrong and a furry beast knocked it into a trash can.   That may sound like a long-shot, but stranger things have happened. 

I can’t recommend enough that parents make up something like this cookbook for their kids.  Yeah, you can get recipes anywhere.  But there is something about “Mom’s” cooking that can’t be beat.  It’s a little slice of love and home that you can take anywhere with you.  Unless you’re an ungrateful wretch who loses it 30 years later. 

I can probably find most all of the recipes in that book somewhere else.  But they won’t be the same as “my” recipes.  And they won’t be in my mommy’s handwriting.  I have asked my mom to put together another little cookbook for me.  She has agreed although she doesn’t remember what all is in it either.  I can name off half a dozen recipes off the top of my head.  A few of them are VERY, VERY important.  My husband says, nonchalantly “oh it’s here somewhere.”  What he doesn’t realize is:  that cookbook contains the summer sausage recipe.  I can’t make it without it and it’s almost summer sausage time.  He’ll be getting a little more uptight here in a few weeks. 

The other thing about this book is:  Basically, I don’t cook.  Oh, I have a shelf of cookbooks.  I love to read recipes.  But I don’t cook.  There are a few things I can make and make well, and almost all of them are in that book and I have been making them since I was a kid.  Which is why they are in the book in the first place. 

The reason I noticed it missing now is because it was time to think of what I wanted for my birthday dinner and that recipe, the recipe I am sharing today, was in the cookbook.  It’s a fairly simple recipe but it makes more than just the two of us can eat, so we usually only make it when there are several of us around.  It’s a “special occasion” recipe for us but it doesn’t have to be for anybody else.    I don’t know where my mom got it, and last time I asked her, she said she didn’t remember either.  Although I’m sure it’s a common recipe, I haven’t seen it anywhere else. 

It’s probably not a cheap recipe and it’s not a healthy recipe (fried bread!), although I’m sure someone who knows what they are doing could make it more cheaply and more healthier.  But this is the way I know to make it and it’s yummy.    

IF YOU SKIPPED AHEAD, this is where you start now.  Enjoy!

Calzones (Meat Pies)

1 pkg Pillsbury hot roll mix (uses oil, water and 1 egg to mix)

1/2 lb hamburger meat (we use 1 pound)

1 garlic clove, crushed OR 1 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp crushed oregano

1 cup ricotta cheese OR cottage cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3/4 tsp salt

1 egg

8 oz shredded mozzarella cheese (will use only half, maybe)

Vegetable oil

(Note:  If you have a good bread recipe, you can probably make that in place of using the roll mix.  Because we use double the hamburger meat the recipe calls for and the roll mix has shrunk over the years, we always end up with more meat mixture than roll mix.  I also sometimes bulk up, but not double, the other ingredients for a little more flavor.)

Prepare roll mix and directed and let rise 45 minutes until doubled.  While that is rising, cook hamburger, garlic and oregano until brown.  Spoon off fat.  Stir in ricotta cheese and parmesan cheese, salt and egg; set aside.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; cover with bowl and let rise 5 minutes.  Cut dough into pieces and roll into 4 inch circles.  Spread with a few teaspoons of meat mixture and top with mozzarella.   Moisten edges with water and seal.

Place pies on cookie sheet and cover with plastic wrap.  Let rise 5 minutes.

In heavy skillet over medium heat, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 370 degrees.  Fry pies until golden.    These are best served piping hot, in my opinion. 

I can’t tell you how many this yields because we cut them out into any old shape and size we like.  We probably usually get about a dozen out of each batch, with leftover meat mixture my husband puts in sandwiches later. 

Freezer to Crockpot – Taco Soup

There are a million variations on taco soup. It’s easy, it’s tasty, it’s filling, and you can often ad-lib the ingredients to compensate for items you don’t have or use variations to suit your taste if there are ingredients you don’t like.   

Most recipes I have seen say to use a specific type of meat.  Realistically, you can use anything that you have or omit the meat completely  I like either browned ground beef or browned steak pieces/stew meat, but you can also use chicken and even kielbasa that’s been cooked prior to adding it to the pot.

Here’s the recipe. 

Taco Soup

DO NOT DRAIN CANS OF INGREDIENTS. 

1  to 1.5 lb. meat of choice (if fatty meat such as hamburger meat, cook beforehand)

1 small chopped onion

1 can Ro-Tel diced tomatoes (or other diced tomatoes with green chiles)

1 can plain diced stewed tomatoes

1 can kernel corn (not cream corn)

1 can kidney beans

1 can pinto beans

1 can black beans

1 pkg. Ranch dressing mix

1 pkg. taco seasoning

(These are all the regular small-sized cans (around 14-17 oz.), not the large cans.)

Again, do not drain cans of ingredients. Combine all ingredients in 1 gallon zippered bag and freeze.  When ready to eat, add to crock pot and cook on high 4-6 hours or low 6-8 hours. 

Stovetop variation:  Combine all ingredients in 5 qt pan, adding dry ingredients last.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

Serve with crackers, tortillas, or Indian fry bread. 

 

SUBSTITUTIONS: 

Vegetarian:  Omit meat completely or substitute cooked lentils, tofu, or TVP.   

Meat:  Use browned hamburger meat, stew meat, or cut up pieces of round steak, boneless skinless chicken breasts, or even cooked shrimp.  You may also use thinly sliced and browned Kielbasa or smoked sausage alone or added with the other meats for an interesting taste combination.  Just make sure when using any fatty meat, such as hamburger meat or sausage, that it’s browned and drained before adding it to the recipe.

Beans/corn:  My hubby isn’t a fan of corn but will eat it in stews.  I sometimes substitute navy beans, garbanzo beans, or black-eyed peas. 

Tomatoes:  Use any canned tomato combination that suits you based on what you have.  I like Ro-Tel tomatoes because they already have peppers in them, and we tend to like our food very spicy.  However, you may substitute tomatoes with chipotle peppers for an interesting combination or even tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic.  If you do not have tomatoes with chiles in them, you can use regular diced stewed tomatoes and add a couple of tablespoons of chopped canned green chiles.  I have also used fresh tomatoes but added a small can of tomato paste to thicken up the soup, as fresh tomatoes tend to have more liquid.  

Freezer to Crockpot - Mexican Casserole

This is a fun, simple, and easy Mexican casserole that tastes great.  It's easy to throw together, and it works great for a freezer to crockpot recipe.  It's spicy comfort food that's a hot, filling meal.  

We usually make this in the oven, but our schedules have been so busy lately that the crock pot has been our go-to cooking venue.  I decided to try this for the crock, and it was easy as making it in the oven*.  

MEXICAN CASSEROLE 

1 to 1.5 pounds ground beef, browned, drained, and rinsed 

1 15-17 oz. can Ranch Style beans

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 14 oz. can RoTel tomatoes ( or diced tomatoes with green chiles)

When ready to cook, about 1-2 cups crushed tortilla chips, shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa. Do not put the tortilla chips in until right before you're ready to serve.  Otherwise, you'll end up with a soggy mess! 

Brown ground beef, drain, and rinse.  In 1 gallon zippered freezer bag, place ground beef, ranch style beans, chicken soup, and tomatoes.  Squeeze out air and seal, then "massage" bag to mix ingredients well.  

When ready to cook, place mixture in crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours.  Approximately 10 minutes before serving, top with crushed tortilla chips.  Serve topped with shredded cheese, sour cream, and salsa.  

*The oven version of this is the same, except when you're ready to cook it, divide the crushed tortilla chips and place a layer on the bottom of the pan, top with casserole mixture, then top with more crushed tortilla chips.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes, top with cheese, then return to the oven for about 5 minutes or until cheese melts.