Meatball Calzones

Hot gooey cheese and meatballs folded inside a soft and chewy pizza crust. 

I love pizza.  I love making homemade pizza too, but my oven sucks.  I live in an apartment so I don't have my dream oven and gradually my current oven has become worse and worse.  It still works for many things and breads and pizzas turn out okay if I bake them on an AirBake pan, but I can't use my baking stone anymore :(  The problem is that breads burn on the bottom before they start to brown on top.  The way I've dealt with this is just baking breads and pizzas on one of my AirBake cookie sheets in the center of the oven. It works and I still enjoy my baked products, but they just don't get the same crisp/crunchy-ness as when I use the stone.

Now that I've complained....let's get to calzones. I like to think of calzones as individual pizzas folded in half.  Some people say that there should be no sauce inside the calzone, but I say, "do whatever you want".  Personally I put a little inside but kept most for dipping.  As for my pizza sauce, I make an easy marinara out of tomato paste.  It's easy and inexpensive.  I always keep tomato paste stocked in my pantry (it's great for so many things. Have you seen my Homemade Bloody Mary Mix or my Simple Pasta Sauce?).

Easy Marinara Sauce

1 6oz can tomato paste
1-2 cups water
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dried minced onions
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
Crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
Parmesan (optional)

Mix the tomato paste with water until it is the consistency you like.  Stir in the herbs and spices and let sit for about 1 hour.  You may need to add more water to get it to the right consistency.  Taste and adjust seasoning.  Just microwave to heat or enjoy cold or at room temperature.  Once again, do what you like it's pizza there shouldn't be so many rules.

Meatball Calzones

Ingredients:

16 oz (1 lb or 453g--I usually round up to 500g) pizza dough
15-20 pre-cooked Italian meatballs, split in half (Check out my Slow Cooker Meatballs)
Mozzarella, shredded
Easy Marinara Sauce

Start with your favorite pizza dough.  After mixing and kneading allow to rise for 1 1/2 hours or until doubled in bulk.  Separate into 4 roughly equal pieces and roll into balls.  Cover and let rest for 10 minutes.

Using one ball of dough at a time, roll/press into about a 6-9in circle (like a pizza).

Spread a spoon-full of marinara onto half of the circle.  Top with 1/4 of the meatballs and a hand-full of cheese then fold the other half over (you will have to pull and stretch) and seal the seam by pinching and folding.

Place the calzone on a baking sheet and cover while you make the rest.

Bake at 425F for about 15-20 minutes until golden brown.  Brush hot calzones with garlic butter for extra deliciousness.  Serve with extra marinara for dipping.

Enjoy.

Linked to:  Best of the Weekend, See ya in the Gumbo, 2 cup, Lou Lou Girls, Teach Me, Cook Craft Share, Full Plate

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Meatball Sub

Way better than subway.  This Meatball Sub is the third meal made from my Slow Cooker Meatballs in a Whole Wheat Italian roll smothered in cheese.

I really love meatballs.  They are so versatile.  I am usually not a fan of eating leftovers, but when I'm just cooking for myself it's much easier.  The main reason I made the Slow Cooker Meatballs was that I wouldn't mind eating them for a week.  Part of their attraction is that I can do so many different things with them to make them just a little different.

I thought about making a Meatball Sub even before the meatballs were cooked. To make sure my meatball sub was perfect I made home made rolls for it.  The most important thing in making a good sandwich is good bread.  Of course making your own is not a must, but I urge you to use a good hoagie roll. I will post my Whole Wheat Italian Bread recipe soon.

Ingredients:
*For one sandwich

Roll
3-4 meatballs and sauce
2 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4-1/2 cup mozzarella

Split open a roll and tear out a shallow trench from the center (to make a depression for the meatballs so they don't fall out.  You can save the bread scraps for bread crumbs--I just ate them because I was using a delicious fresh homemade bread and couldn't resist.).  Line the depression with 3-4 meatballs and pour some sauce over.  Sprinkle on the parmesan and then the mozzarella.  With the sandwich laying flat, broil in the oven until the cheese melts and the meatballs are heated  (I did this on a low rack far from the top heating element it took longer to melt the cheese but it assured that the meatballs were heated through before browning--about 15 minutes). Enjoy

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Meatball Pizza

Round two of my meatball extravaganza (I know I get a little weird when I spend a lot of time alone). 

Anyway, I used my Slow Cooker Meatballs to top a thin crust pizza.  It was delicious.  I thought about adding onions and peppers to the pizza but then I changed my mind and just used meatballs.  I think that was the right choice.  It was a simple way to make a different meal out of basic meatballs.

I used a homemade pizza dough that I had in my freezer.  I just had to thaw it overnight in the fridge and it was ready to go.

Ingredients:

Pizza dough (enough for an individual/small sized thin crust pizza)
4 meatballs, cut in half
3 tbsp meatball sauce
Parmesan
mozzarella
red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven and pizza stone (on bottom rack) to 500F.

Take the dough from the refrigerator about 2 hours before cooking to take the chill off (or follow the directions of your pizza dough).  Press and stretch the dough until you have about a 9 inch round that is about 1/8th of an inch thick/thin (once I have the dough rolled out I put it on a sheet of parchment paper to make transferring easier).  Spread the dough with the sauce and then add the meatball halves (cut side down so they don't roll around).  Sprinkle on a small hand full of parmesan cheese then top with mozzarella (I used about 1/2 cup use as much or little as you like).  Finally, shake on some red pepper flakes.

Transfer the pizza to a rimless baking sheet (Trim the parchment to the edge of the pizza, any overhang will burn at such a high temperature).  Slide the pizza onto the hot pizza stone and bake for about 10-15 minutes until the cheese melts and the edges are browned and crusty.

 Enjoy.

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Slow Cooker Meatballs

Tender meatballs in tomato sauce cooked in a slow cooker.

When my husband is away I don't like to cook very often.  I'm just not inspired to make big dinners when they are just for me.  While I don't mind cooking less it's not great for the blog.  I've only been blogging for a relatively short time and do not have a lot of posts and pictures built up for uninspired days.  Luckily, I had a genius idea (at least I thought so) I would make a dish that was simple, big, and I wouldn't mind eating all week.  My genius idea was meatballs.  I  haven't had spaghetti and meatballs in a very long time, and I have never actually made them before so I was challenged and excited to try them.  I searched a favorite blog (Italian Food Forever) and found a great and simple recipe for meatballs.  I followed this basic recipe but used a slow cooker to let the sauce cook all day.

Ingredients:

Sauce

1 medium onion, sliced
6-8 cloves garlic
2 cans diced tomatoes (14oz each)
3-4 oz tomato paste (a little over 1/4 cup)
1/4  cup brandy, optional
1-2 cup fresh basil
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp beef bullion
salt and pepper to taste

Meatballs

1 pound ground meat (beef and pork part Italian sausage would be great)
1 thick slice soft bread
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp parmasean
1 Tbsp minced fresh parsley
salt and pepper to taste


Toss the onion slices and garlic cloves with some olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Lay out on a baking sheet and roast in 350F oven for about 20 minutes until tender and fragrant.  Meanwhile, add the canned tomatoes (and their liquid), tomato paste, brandy, (I learned on an episode of Good Eats that tomatoes benefit from the addition of alcohol, apparently it brings out flavor that you do not get without) beef bullion, and spices to a blender.  When the onion and garlic are roasted add them to the blender as well.  Puree the mixture until smooth then pour into the slow cooker.  Cook on low heat for about 5 hours.

Mix the meatballs.  Soak the bread in milk until it is absorbed and the bread is very soft (you could also soak the bread in a red wine I bet that would be great I just didn't have any).  Mix all of the meatball ingredients together until thoroughly combined.  Roll into golf ball size or slightly smaller pieces (makes 20-24).

Gently  drop the meatballs into the sauce in the slow cooker.  Turn heat to high and cook for at least 2 hours longer (do not stir until about 1 hour after adding the meatballs or they will break apart).

Cook pasta of your choice and serve meatballs and sauce over pasta.  Makes about 8 servings.

The great thing about meatballs is that they taste even better the next day, and there are many ways to change them up so it's not the same dinner night after night.  I put them on top of cheese toast
and I plan to make pizza and a meatball sub later.  Check back in to see these other uses for meatballs. Enjoy.

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Swedish Meatballs

Tender and delicious meatballs in a creamy gravy.  I literally licked my plate clean.

*updated post 12/21/15 pinnable images, new pics, tweetables, minor editing, etc.

Swedish Meatballs are the Christmas dinner tradition for my husband's family.  I had never had them until I met him (my family usually had ham or turkey for our Christmas dinners) and I did not know what I was missing.  Now it doesn't seem like Christmas without them.

It's not the #holidays w/o #SwedishMeatballs [Tweet this]

These bite-sized meatballs are made primarily with beef and pork, but sometimes also lamb and veal.  The lamb and veal add their own distinct properties to the meatballs, but they can be more difficult to obtain and can be left out.  The meatballs rest in a cream based, beefy, and gently spiced gravy that is indescribably delicious.  They are messy to make but well worth the meat covered hands.  Best of all my husband is in charge of making them, so no work for me. This is a very rich (in flavor) and delicious dish to have on special occasions. (I always get a small plate of a few meatballs to sample before everything is done.  That is the plate I lick clean...not at the dinner table. I do have some table manners.)

You'll want to #licktheplateclean with these #SweedishMeatballs  [Tweet this]

Sweedish Meatballs

Servings:  6-8

Ingredients:

1 cup minced onion
2 1/2 lbs meat mixture
1 cup bread crumbs
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups half/half
2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dried dill
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
3 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup flour
2-10 1/2 oz cans beef broth
1 cup whipping cream
1/2 tsp dried dill

Cook onion in 1 Tbsp butter and allow to cool.

Combine meat, bread crumbs, eggs, half/half, spices, and onions.  Roll into bite-sized balls (you can also use a small icecream scoop...just scoop and drop) and heat in the oven at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes.

Melt 3 Tbsp butter in a large skillet, stir in flour.  gradually whisk in broth.  Cook at medium, stirring constantly until thickened.  stir in whipping cream and 1/2 tsp dill.  Simmer.

When meatballs are heated combine them, and pan drippings with the gravy. Allow the meatballs to simmer in the gravy for about 15 more minutes.

The meatballs are ready to eat immediately but tastes best if you let them set in the gravy overnight.

Makes 6-8 servings.

What to serve with Swedish Meatballs?  Mashed potatoes of course but check out these other ideas:

Sweet Dill Glazed Carrots

Easy Crescent Rolls    -

Sauteed Kale        -

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