Papa DuP's Calzone!

Anyone that knows my father knows that he loves food. Which, really, should come as no surprise, he the epitome of a jolly Italian man. His family is everything and from the second you walk in the door till the second you leave home, he is trying to shove food in your face. God bless him. One of my favorite Papa DuP recipes is his calzone. They were usually a Holiday special, only making appearances at the DuPont Christmas party. I always loved helping my Dad make them and carefully observed his every move, from rolling out the dough to glazing the finished product with some egg wash. So I have been making them for several years now for my friends and various holiday parties I have been to and they are always a huge huge hit. A few Sundays ago I made a few calzones to take to Trav's so we could munch on them while we watched football (the Eagles to my disliking, but if the Patriots aren't an option, I'll settle for the Eagles).

Ingredients:

Dough:
*Follow recipe from previous post, minus the brown sugar. It is enough to make 2 calzones.

Filling:
1/2 lb sandwich sliced pepperoni
1/2 lb sandwich sliced genoa salami
1/2 lb hot capicola
1/2 lb provolone
1/4 lb thinly sliced prosciutto (imported is best, it's pricey, but makes a difference)
1 can Pepper salad (sweet or hot or both)



Once the dough is rolled out into two oval shapes, begin to layer the meat and cheese. I like this order: pepperoni, salami, capicola, prosciutto, provolone. Then repeat again beginning with the pepperoni on top of the provolone. You should have enough for 2 layers of each meat in each calzone. Then top the last layer of provolone with the pepper salad or whatever peppers you have chosen. The peppers are really what makes the calzone. They provide a nice acidic crunch inside the dense meaty filling. Once the calzone is filled, fold the dough over the filling and knot it in the middle. Brush with a bit of egg wash for a nice glossy finish and pop in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes, until golden brown. You must let them cool a little bit before cutting them, otherwise it will be very messy. I think the best part is that the bottom layer of dough gets very crusty and greasy from the meat ( I know, not healthy, but so good). Also, if you can snag an end piece, I highly recommend it.




I have done other fillings for the calzones as well. I did a buffalo chicken as well as as spicy sausage with mushroom and cheese filling. Both were good, but the classic italian meat is the big winner. It just can't be beat, all thanks to my Dad!

Belly-warming Bread

I'm sure you've all noticed - winter is upon us. With cold weather comes the excuse to cook up warm and hearty comfort foods. When I went to make calzone a little while ago (a calzone post will soon follow), I couldn't find any pizza dough in the store, so I set out to make my own. I was very pleased with how it came out, obviously better than store bought dough. So a few Sundays ago I decided to make a nice pot of butternut squash soup (which was so delicious I forgot to even take a picture of it) and a few loaves of homemade bread to accompany it.

Ingredients:
1 packet rapid rise yeast
4-5 Cups all-purpose flour
1 tblsp Brown sugar
1 tblsp white sugar
2 tblsp olive oil
pinch of salt
2 Cups warm water

First I added the yeast to the warm water and let it sit for 5 minutes. Then I added the white sugar, salt, and olive oil and mixed well. Once this was done I added the flour one cup at a time until a nice consistency was met. Once the dough had formed into a ball I kneaded it for about 10 minutes adding flour when I thought necessary. Once that was done, I placed it back into the bowl and covered until it doubled in size (about an hour or so).



Once the dough had risen, I kneaded it some more and formed it into a nice loaf shape ( I did not use a loaf pan). Once it had the shape I wanted, I drizzled just a tad bit more olive oil on top and sprinkled with some brown sugar for a nice glaze (I think this is what really made the crust).
I let it rise again before putting it into a 425 degree oven for 20-25 minutes (until a nice golden brown crust was achieved).

I was a bit nervous since this was my first time making real bread, but I ended up very very pleased with the result. The crust was crispy and the inside was fluffy and rich. It was the perfect combination for the soup, which I really wish I had taken a picture of. You can find that recipe at Williams Sonoma, it was from a jar of their butternut squash puree. Anywho, this bread was perfect, warming and hit the spot!

Spicy Chicken & Cashews

So for all of you that have been to the Cheesecake factory, you know how delicious it is. It is probably one of the only restuarants that I absolutely refuse to look at the nutritional info. It would seriously ruin every ounce of enjoyment each succulent bite of their food gives me. So, when I go there, I just try to eat in moderation and save some leftovers. And maybe go for an extra run or 10. In my humble opinion, their spicy chicken and cashews is one of their best dishes. It is spicy, savory, and to say the least, filling. I am sure it is also loaded with salt and fat. So I set out to make my own healthier version of the dish with a little kicked up spice (Travis loves loves loves spicy food). By the time I was done eating, my nose was running and I'm pretty sure I broke a sweat. Oh the things we do for love.

Ingredients:

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
1 tbl sp extra virgin olive oil
2 tblsp fresh chopped garlic
1 finely chopped jalapeno chile pepper
1/4 cup marinated hot peppers
1/4 cup chopped green onion
pinch of salt
fresh cracked black pepper (to taste)
1 tbl sp brown sugar
1/2 cup cashews
4 cups cooked brown rice




My recipe began with the marinating of the chicken. I took 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts and pounded them out until they were tender and thin. Then i sliced them into bite size pieces and threw them in a tupperware container. Next I added just a DASH of salt and a generous helping of fresh cracked pepper. Then came the soy sauce, olive oil, peppers, brown sugar and green onion. I mixed it up well and let it chill for about a half hour. You could leave it longer, I am sure overnight marinating would only enhance the flavor more.

Once I took the chicken out, I had a pan warmed up with a dash of olive oil and a bit more soy sauce. I sauteed the chicken on medium heat so that it would cook slowly and still be tender. Meanwhile, I cooked 4 cups of brown rice to serve as a nice bed for the yummy chicken. Also, the cashews toasted in the toaster oven until a nice golden brown. Once they were done I tossed them in with the chicken and added just a tad of olive oil and pepper to the rice.

This definitely served as a healthier alternative to the Cheesecake Factory dish. The chicken wasn't fried, I used less sodium, and obviously smaller portions. Most importantly, it was spicy, crunchy, and tasty tasty tasty! Enjoy :)

Yummy Pumpkin Risotto

Fall foods are just the best, the flavors really cannot be beat in my opinion. Between apple picking, fresh pumpkins, and hearty earthy vegetables, you can't go wrong. That being said, who doesn't love risotto? Risotto is the perfect belly-warming comfort food on a chilly day. Combining yummy fall flavors with the creamy comfort of risotto is no doubt a win-win situation.

I had made a vegetable risotto with a nice garlic white-wine herb broth a few weeks ago and it was absolutely delicious. With Fall being my favorite season and Halloween being my favorite Holiday, I set out to make a savory pumpkin dish. After quite possibly the best Saturday ever (Halloween costume shopping, pumpkin carving, pirate cupcake making, a haunted hayride, and a Halloween party), I made dinner for Travis and I. I must give a big shout out to Trav for his cupcakes, they came out DELISH! Check them out in the picture. Also check out our awesome pirate pumpkin, Captain Jack O'lantern.



Anywho, the risotto began with a whole box of arborio rice and some fresh chopped garlic. The rice and garlic were coated with EV olive oil and just slightly toasted in a saute pan. You want to make sure all the rice is coated with the olive oil and gets slightly toasty in order to create the best possible risotto texture. Once that step was over I added in a can of pumpkin pie filling and stirred it into the rice. Next I added about 32 ounces of chicken broth. You can get the low sodium, but I have noticed the risotto is not as flavorful with it, so I recommend the regular broth or make your own. Now comes the seasoning. I added quite a bit of nutmeg (obviously I didn't measure), id guess it was about 3-4 tablespoons of nutmeg. Then I added probably 2 tablespoons of cinnamon sugar. A teaspoon or so of salt and some fresh cracked pepper. Then I added a tablespoon or two of maple syrup (might sound crazy, but it really brings out a sweetness and compliments the pumpkin nicely). Lastly, I chopped up some boiled sweet potatoes. The sweet potatoes added a nice texture to the risotto and an additional hearty flavor.




The ingredients came together quite nicely and the risotto was done cooking in about 15-20 minutes. It is best if served right away to fully enjoy the warm creaminess of the risotto. Now, since I had never made this dish and just sort of made up the recipe as I went, I was a bit worried it might not be good. My doubts were blown away with my first bite. I could not believe how good it tasted! It was so creamy and warm and sweet and salty all at the same time. It really almost tasted like pumpkin pie because of the sweetness but then you get the saltiness from the broth, it was such a mouth watering combination of flavors. I plan on using this recipe again on Thanksgiving, I may slice and bake the sweet potatoes after boiling them to give then a little extra texture and char before adding them to the risotto. Either way, this recipe was a big hit and super easy!

Rosemary pork loin and Cannoli

After a very long week of studying and quite arguably the hardest exam I have ever taken in my life, I decided it would be nice to cook a delicious relaxing dinner for Travis and I on Friday evening. I decided to go with a rosemary pork loin, my uncle (Uncle Merlot) and aunt Jan make this when Christmas is at their house and it is always a big hit. I had decided it would be a good idea to try to make a rub or a paste to coat the pork loin before I cooked it. I took some fresh rosemary, extra virgin olive oil, chopped garlic, fresh cracked pepper, basil leaves, and some flour and blended it together in a blender to create a paste. I then rubbed the mixture all over the pork loin, mainly the fat side and the lateral sides. I set my oven to 350 and let it cook for about an hour and 15 minutes. I had never cooked a pork loin before, so I was hoping it could come out good. Well my hopes had come true - this meat was perfectly cooked, it was dripping with juice when I sliced it up and was so tender you could cut it with a butter knife. The rosemary had seeped into the meat and created a wonderful burst of flavor with each bite. I paired the loin with garlic mashed potatoes and honey glazed carrots along with gravy ( I actually used turkey gravy, couldn't find pork in the store). I boiled red skinned potatoes and blended them with chopped garlic, cracked pepper, some milk, and half and half using an electric mixer. Once they were blended I added a little bit of olive oil for an extra smooth flavor. The potatoes were fantastic and worked nicely with the pork. How can you not love taking a nice hunk of pork covered in gravy and dipping it in your mashed potatoes? That's what I call the perfect bite.


Next was dessert. I love love love cannolis, they are tied for my favorite italian dessert (the other number one being panna cotta - which I should make a blog entry soon). I will admit, these cannolis I made are something that would go well on Semi-homemade with Sandra Lee on the Food Network because I purchased the shells at the grocery store. I would like to make my own, I have yet to get the necessary cylinders from my mother, I will soon! Anywho I added my own touch to the shells by dipping each end in melted chocolate. While the chocolate dried, I mixed whole-milk ricotta (If you are eating a cannoli, go all the way and use whole-milk ricotta, who cares about calories at this point) with powdered sugar. Again, I do not measure, I add maybe 3/4 of a cup at first and see how it tastes, if I think more is needed I add more. You can also add vanilla extract to the mixture as well. It is also best to let the ricotta sit in a cheesecloth overnight so that the moisture is drawn out and you don't end up with runny filling. So once I had the mixture all ready, I put it into a ziploc bag that I had cut a corner off of the bottom (in order to imitate a piping bag). Then I squeezed the filling into both ends of each shell and put chocolate chips on each end. I dusted each cannoli with powdered sugar when done. They were great and very easy to make!

An Italian Feast!

I had been craving sauce and meatballs for a few weeks so I decided to make fresh "gravy" and meatballs one Sunday afternoon and a nice dish of eggplant parmesan (my all-time favorite food). I have been cooking with my Dad since I was younger so the meatballs and gravy recipes are what I have learned from him. The eggplant parm comes from my mama - she makes the best eggplant ever.
So a good sauce starts with some fresh chopped garlic and olive oil. I also added some chopped shallot to the pan for a little extra flavor. Once the garlic and shallot had browned a bit in the pan, I added some diced tomatoes flavored with oregano and basil. Next I added a can of Tomato paste and a large can of tomato sauce (usually I use the Cento brand). I also add a small amount of water to the pot as well. Next comes the seasoning. I added fresh rosemary and basil, along with fresh cracked pepper and a small amount of salt. Then comes some granulated sugar. I don't really measure amounts, I just sort of throw it all together and taste it occasionally to see what I need to add. The last ingredient to a good gravy is a can of beer. I used miller lite, but you can go with any beer really, light beer is preferable. You could even add some red wine, who doesn't love a good merlot??
Now time for the meatballs. For these meatballs I used ground turkey in an effort to be a bit more healthy. I will say though - you can't beat meatballs with ground beef, the flavor is unbeatable. I mixed up the ground turkey with an egg, breadcrumbs, fresh cracked pepper, salt, fresh chopped garlic, fresh basil, grated parmesan cheese, and some italian seasoning. Again, I don't really measure anything out, I just mix it and then smell it to see if it smells seasoned enough (my Dad taught me that, I was always the "smeller" to make sure the meatballs smelled good). I think the more garlic, the better, can you really ever use too much garlic? As long as you don't plan on making out after, I really don't think you can have too much garlic. Once I had all the meatballs rolled onto a plate covered in paper towels, I put them in the microwave for about 3 minutes so they would cook mostly. Then I dumped them into the pot of gravy and let it simmer for hours. The longer it simmers the better!


Now onto the eggplant parmigiano - yum! First i sliced and peeled the eggplant - no skin is best. Then I dipped each slice of eggplant into beaten egg and milk, then dipped it straight into the breadcrumbs which were seasoned with pepper, salt, garlic, basil, italian seasoning and parmesan cheese. Then I fried each piece of eggplant in olive oil and transferred it into a casserole pan that had a layer of sauce in it. The eggplant was then covered in another layer of sauce and then a layer of shredded mozzarella cheese. This was repeated until the pant was full, usually ends up being 2-3 layers of eggplant. Then I baked it in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese its melted golden brown. Mmm and the first bite - just magical. There is nothing better than the crispy eggplant with the tartness of the sauce and creamy melty cheese.

Apple Pie Pancakes...Breakfast of Champions!

So it's finally my favorite season - Fall. Nothing is better than crisp fall weather, warm sweaters, cute boots, and of course savory fall dishes. That being said, who doesn't like pancakes? No matter what time of year it is, pancakes are a timeless classic. If you don't like pancakes, I feel bad for you. My boyfriend is basically obsessed with pancakes, he might even love them more than he loves me. Just kidding, but seriously, he might. Anywho, one day he told me he put cinnamon in his pancake batter and it came out good, then I thought to myself how delicious it would be if you added some apple and cinnamon sugar to the mix and made apple pie pancakes. Thus, this recipe was born. So I went to the store and ended up buying a can of apple pie filling - possibly the best idea ive had in a while, along with a spice container of cinnamon and sugar. First we mixed up the batter (the just add water from Aunt Jemima, it really is the easiest and tastes great), then we added the can of apple pie filling. I cut up the apples first though, because they are large slices, so chopped up into smaller pieces goes much better in the batter. Lastly, we added a bunch of cinnamon/sugar to give a nice apple pie flavor.
To cook the pancakes, I put a small dab of olive oil in the pan and then place the batter on top of it. The olive oil gives the edges a nice crisp but leaves the inside moist and fluffy. Once we were done cooking we dove right into these pancakes. They were thick and heavy - the goo from the apple pie filling had moistened the batter even more and given the pancakes a very cake-like consistency. These pancakes were seriously amazing. They were very very filling though so I recommend eating them once in a while!