Calzones

calzonesWho loves calzones? I know my husband does. This recipe reminds me of when my husband and I were teenagers.  Back then he would always order calzones from our local grocery store deli counter.  He loved them!  He really liked the crazy amount of cheese mixed with some sauce and a lot of pepperoni slices.  Now it’s 20 years later and for a special treat I decided to make my husband one of these yummy calzones for lunch.  This recipe is a meat lover’s dream with salami, ham, and pepperoni.  Sounds good?  Then let’s get cooking.

Start with one tube of Pillsbury Crescent recipe creations. It is basically just crescent rolls without being cut into triangles. You could use regular crescent rolls and just smooth out the perforations.  Remove the dough from the tube and cut it in half.

cutting doughThis will make two large calzones. Put pizza sauce on each side.

spreading sauceAdd your salami, ham and pepperoni slices.

meatsNow add 1/4 cup of mozarella cheese to each side.

cheeseFold over the dough and crimp the edges with a fork.

folding over calzonesBake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.

baked calzonesAnd that’s it!  Now you have a great meal packed into a crescent roll pouch of deliciousness.  Want to add a little extra sauce?  Just use the leftover pizza sauce by warming it up in the microwave for a few seconds.  Now enjoy your calzones!

Calzones

Ingredients

  • I (8 oz.) package of Crescent Recipe Creations
  • 1 jar of pizza sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 4 slices of salami
  • 1/4 of a pound of ham
  • 1 package of pepperoni slices

Instructions

  1. Start with one tube of Pillsbury Crescent recipe creations. It is basically just crescent rolls without being cut into triangles. You could use regular crescent rolls and just smooth out the perforations. Remove the dough from the tube and cut it in half. This will make two large calzones. Put pizza sauce on each side. Add your salami, ham and pepperoni slices. Now add 1/4 cup of mozzarella cheese to each side. Fold over the dough and crimp the edges with a fork. Bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 15 minutes in a 375 degree oven.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/11/11/calzones/

Holiday Punch

Holiday PunchI first sampled this punch at a retirement party last weekend, and I had to get the recipe.  It was so good!  This Holiday Punch is the perfect addition to any special event whether it is for a retirement party, Thanksgiving, Christmas, a birthday party, or a graduation.  It is sweet, with a hint of sour from the lemonade.  The color also goes perfectly with my Thanksgiving decorations, which is great!  So let’s get out our ingredients and put some punch in your next holiday gathering.

Start by getting out a big bowl. I have a large tupperware bowl that accommodates everything.  Your bowl needs a capacity of at least 118 ounces or 14.75 cups. Then pour in your pineapple juice.

adding pinapple juicePour in 12 ounces of frozen lemonade.

adding lemonade Add 12 ounces of frozen orange juice.

adding orange juiceThen add six cups of water.

adding waterAdd 4 cups of sugar.

adding sugarStir everything together and pour the mixture equally into two 1-gallon sized ice cream tubs.

putting punch in ice cream containersLeave the two ice cream containers in the freezer at least overnight. On the morning of the party put the ice cream containers in the refrigerator.  When you are ready to serve your punch, scoop one ice cream container of punch out into the punch bowl and add chilled ginger ale. (You will need a total of three 2-liters to have enough ginger ale for the two ice cream buckets. The ratio is one and a half 2-liters ginger ale per ice cream bucket of punch)

adding punch to bowlThis is what it looks like with the ginger ale added to the punch.

adding ginger aleNow you are ready to serve leaving you with one ice cream container left in your refrigerator to refill the punch bowl when it gets low.  It’s time to sit back and enjoy your party!

Holiday Punch

Ingredients

  • 1 (46 ounce) can of pineapple juice
  • 1 (12 ounce) can of frozen lemonade
  • 1 (12 ounce) can of frozen orange juice
  • 6 cups of water
  • 4 cups of sugar
  • 3 (2 liters) of ginger ale

Instructions

  1. Start by getting out a big bowl. I have a large tupperware bowl that accommodates everything. Your bowl needs a capacity of at least 118 ounces or 14.75 cups. Then pour in pineapple juice, 12 ounces of frozen lemonade, 12 ounces of frozen lemonade. Then add six cups of water. Add 4 cups of sugar. Stir everything together and pour the mixture equally into two 1-gallon sized ice cream tubs. Leave the two ice cream containers in the freezer at least overnight. On the morning of the party put the ice cream containers in the refrigerator. When you are ready to serve your punch, scoop one ice cream container of punch out into the punch bowl and add chilled ginger ale. (You will need a total of three 2-liters to have enough ginger ale for the two ice cream buckets. The ratio is one and a half 2-liters ginger ale per ice cream bucket of punch).
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/11/07/holiday-punch/

 

Easy Rice Krispies Chicken

Easy Rice Krispies ChickenLooking for a great dish your kids will love?  Try Easy Rice Krispies Chicken.  It’s as easy as Snap. Crackle. Pop!  Well maybe not that easy, but it sure comes close.  This is one one my favorite meals that my mom has made for us since the late 1970’s.  I have always loved this dish as a kid, and yes I love it as an adult when she makes it for us for Sunday lunches at her house.  The Rice Krispies give the exterior of the chicken a great crunchy texture along with an almost deep fat fried taste.  The crispy coating also keeps the chicken meat juicy and tender.  My favorite piece of chicken prepared with the Rice Krispies is the boneless thighs, but you can also use other pieces like chicken breasts or legs. My husband and my daughter prefer chicken breasts cut in half.  They are so juicy and tender!   This dish is inexpensive, healthy, and delicious!    

Start by melting 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) in a pan.

melting butter for chickenNext rinse your 2 lbs. of chicken.  I used boneless thighs but you can use any pieces like breast or legs.  A great way to prepare the breast is to cut them in half so they are not so big.

rinsing chickenPat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel.

patting chicken dryThen pour 5 cups of Rice Krispies into a one gallon plastic bag.

rice krispies in bag Now crush the Rice Krispies with a rolling pin until they are in fine pieces. 

cruching krispiesThey will look like this.

crushed krispiesNow you are ready to put the breading on the chicken.  Dip each piece of chicken in the melted butter.

chicken in butterShake each piece of chicken in the Rice Krispies. Place each piece in the bag one by one and shake until coated. Discard any remaining butter or Rice Krispies after all of the pieces are covered.

shaking in bagLine a baking sheet with parchment paper to make cleanup easier.

parchment on cookie sheetPlace each piece of chicken on the pan.

crispies on chickenNow you are ready to bake them for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.

cooked chickenStart your Monday off right with this easy meal.  You will get cheers from the kids and from the adults too. Enjoy!

Easy Rice Krispies Chicken

Ingredients

  • 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup)
  • 2 lbs. of chicken pieces (boneless thighs, legs, or breasts cut in half)
  • 5 cups of Rice Krispies Cereal

Instructions

  1. Start by melting 1 stick of butter (1/2 cup) in a pan. Next rinse your 2 lbs. of chicken. I used boneless thighs but you can use any pieces like breast or legs. A great way to prepare the breast is to cut them in half so they are not so big. Pat your chicken pieces dry with a paper towel. Then pour 5 cups of Rice Krispies into a one gallon plastic bag. Now crush the Rice Krispies with a rolling pin until they are in fine pieces. Now you are ready to put the breading on the chicken. Dip each piece of chicken in the melted butter. Shake each piece of chicken in the Rice Krispies. Place each piece in the bag one by one and shake until coated. Discard any remaining butter or Rice Krispies after all of the pieces are covered. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to make cleanup easier. Place each piece of chicken on the pan. Now you are ready to bake them for 1 hour in a 350 degree oven.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/11/03/easy-rice-krispies-chicken/
     

Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Chicken GyrosNo matter how you pronounce gyros they are delicious. They are spicy, flavorful, and so yummy. This is the kind of food you wait in long lines for at a fair or at a festival. And now you don’t have to wait in a long line for them, because you have the recipe to make them at home whenever you want.  That’s right!  You can enjoy gyros all year long!  Even though it is fall you can feel like you are transported back to summer with this delicious dish.  I love this recipe with its wonderful cucumber sauce. I ate it for three lunches straight!  These gyros come together so quickly and they are completely family friendly. If you’re not a tomato fan, skip them.  If you love feta cheese, load it on.  Looking for a great Halloween dinner?  Try this meal idea out.  You can make gyros before the trick-or-treaters start coming by, and you can enjoy the gyros while you are handing out candy.

Start by making your Tzatziki sauce. You will need 1/2 of a cucumber, 1 (7 oz.) container of plain Fage greek strained yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper.

cucumber sauce ingredientsPeel the cucumber.

peeling cucumberChop half of the cucumber into fine pieces.

chopping cucumber

Mix the cucumber, yogurt, garlic powder, dried dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper.

mixing sauceNow you can set your Tzatziki sauce aside and mix up the spices for your chicken.  In a bowl mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1/2 teaspoons of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of oregano.

spices mixed for gyroNext pound your chicken to a 1/2 inch thickness between two pieces of wax paper.

pounding chicken for gyrosThen cut the chicken into strips and season with the seasoning that you just mixed up.  Then put it in a pan and cook it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it is no linger pink and has a temperature of 165 degrees.

cooking chicken for gyrosNow it is time to put your gyros together with your condiments. You need flat bread, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and the Tzatziki sauce.

condiments for gyrosHeat your flatbread according to the package directions and pile on your favorites. Wrap the bottom in foil to make it easier to hold. Now close your eyes and you will be transported back to summer with this delicious dish. Enjoy!!

Chicken Gyros with Tzatziki Sauce

Ingredients

  • Chicken and Seasoning
  • -------------------------------------------------------
  • 2 lbs. boneless skinless chicken breasts
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 teaspoons dried parsley
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons oregano
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil (use to cook chicken)
  • -------------------------------------------------------
  • Tzatziki Sauce
  • ----------------------
  • 1/2 cucumber peeled and finely diced
  • 1 (7 oz.) container of plain Fage greek strained yogurt
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • -------------------------------------------------------
  • For Serving
  • --------------------
  • 4-6 Greek flatbreads
  • lettuce
  • tomato (diced)
  • onion (sliced)
  • feta cheese

Instructions

  1. Start by making your Tzatziki sauce. You will need 1/2 of a cucumber, 1 (7 oz.) container of plain Fage greek strained yogurt, 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 teaspoon of dried dill, 1/2 teaspoon of lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Peel the cucumber. Chop half of the cucumber into fine pieces. Mix the cucumber, yogurt, garlic powder, dried dill, lemon juice, salt, and black pepper. Now you can set your Tzatziki sauce aside and mix up the spices for your chicken.
  2. In a bowl mix 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 12 teaspoons of paprika, 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper, 2 teaspoons of dried parsley, 1 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 2 teaspoons of oregano. Next pound your chicken to a 1/2 inch thickness between two pieces of wax paper. Then cut the chicken into strips and season with the seasoning that you just mixed up. Then put it in a pan and cook it with 2 tablespoons of olive oil until it is no linger pink and has a temperature of 165 degrees.
  3. Now it is time to put your gyros together with your condiments. You need flat bread, lettuce, onions, tomatoes, feta cheese, and the Tzatziki sauce. Heat your flatbread according to the package directions and pile on your favorites.
https://www.cookingupcottage.com/2014/10/29/chicken-gyros-tzatziki-sauce/