Pizza Calzones

This is a recipe I found on the Kraft website (although the recipe as it stands now online is very different from the one I have. I guess I found mine in one of the Kraft magazines).

• 1 can refrigerated Crescent Rolls
• 16 slices pepperoni
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup pizza sauce
• 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 375F.

2. Unroll crescent rolls. Separate into 4 rectangles. On a lightly floured surface press perforations together to seal. Roll out each piece to 7×5 inches.

3. Arrange 4 pepperoni pieces on each rectangle.

4. Mix together mozzarella and sauce and spread evenly over pepperoni on each piece.

5. Fold each rectangle in half. Press close with a fork. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

6. Bake 12 min until golden brown.

Verdict: These were really simple to make and got the ultimate compliment from my sister: tastes like pizza!

 

Chicken Caesar Wraps

This is another recipe I got from Kraft.

• 3 cups shredded lettuce (we used Boston instead of Romaine, though I don’t actually know what the difference is taste wise)
• 2 cups cooked chicken, chopped
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup bacon bits
• 1/4 cup croutons
• 1/4 cup creamy Caesar dressing
• 4 large tortillas (we used 6 smaller ones without changing anything else and had enough filling for them)

1.  Mix the lettuce, chicken, cheese, bacon bits, croutons and dressing together.

2. Spoon onto tortillas. Wrap tightly.

Verdict: These were very simple to make. With a rice side dish they made a quick and easy supper. They tasted just like a Caesar salads in a wrap, which was the problem for me because I don’t really like Caesar salad dressing. I was hoping that the wrap would take away the taste somewhat, but it didn’t. But definitely recommended for people who love Caesar salads!

Mini Tuna (and Chicken) Pot Pies and Meat Muffins

These are 3 of the recipes I tend to make more often, because of how easy they are to make. The Mini Tuna Pot Pies were a recipe I found in the free French newspaper and they were one of the first successful recipes I tried on my own. The Chicken recipe is a variation from my mom, because my sister does not like tuna. I think there were a few years in between when I found the Tuna recipe and when I saw the Meat Muffin recipe in the French newspaper.

Mini Tuna Pot Pies

• 1 can of tuna
• 1/4 cup of mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 boiled egg (I hard-boil the egg, but I guess soft-boiled could work too)
 
• 1 Pillsbury Croissant Roll tube
• Mozzarella cheese

 

1. Mix tuna, mayonnaise, egg and onion.

2. Roll out crusts and cut into 12 pieces (I get 12; my mom, somehow, gets so much more). Place in a muffin tin. Spread mixture evenly between them. Pull the corners of the crust up and cover mixture.

3. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 350F until golden (10 to 15min).

Mini Chicken Pot Pies

• 1 cup of chicken (fried, roasted or baked)
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chopped onion (I don’t always use onion in the chicken version)
• 1 boiled medium potato, chopped
• 1 Pillsbury Croissant Roll tube
• Mozzarella cheese

 

Made the same way. Mix ingredients. Cut out shells. Fill, close, and sprinkle with cheese.

Meat Muffins

(My mom has made this one with 1 boiled potato, mashed up. I like it just fine without the potato.)

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 450g of ground beef (minced meat)
• 1/2 teaspoon marjoram
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Pillsbury Croissant Roll tube
• Mozzarella cheese

1. Brown onion in butter, about 3 min.

2. Add meat, marjoram, oregano, salt and pepper. Cook until there is no pink meat.

3. Drain. Preheat oven to 425F.

4. Divide dough between 12 muffin moulds.

5. Divide meat evenly between them.

6. Sprinkle with cheese.

7. Bake 8 to 10 min.

I love all 3 of these recipes pretty equally, but I seem to make the Mini Tuna Pot Pies and Meat Muffins more often.

I serve with rice (plain or flavoured).

T

Egg Fried Rice

I’m pretty sure this recipe also comes from the free French newspaper I get at the metro every day. That’s where a lot of my earlier recipes come from and I am currently going through all the dinner ones so I can see which ones are easy to make by myself.  Oops. I was wrong. This recipe comes from Allrecipes.com and originally had green beans in it as well, which I do not like, so I did not include.

• 1 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 cup uncooked instant rice
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/2 small onion (I kind of think this might be too much onion, but that’s personal taste)
• 1 egg, lightly beaten

1. In a pot, bring water and soy sauce to boil. Add rice, stir, cover, remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes (I’ve left it 10 minutes and it’s fine).

2. Heat oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Chop onion and add to skillet. Sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add egg and scramble.

3. Stir in cooked rice and mix well.

This is a really easy, really quick recipe. And you can do so much to it. I’m pretty sure any vegetables work in this dish.

T

Pizza Style Pasta

This is super easy, super yummy super

 

3 cups of Penne pasta noodles, cooked

2 cups pizza sauce

1 cup sliced pepperoni

2 cups grated mozzarella, divided

 

1. Mix all ingredients except 1/2 cup of cheese

2. Place in a lightly greased oven dish and top with rest of cheese.

3. Bake at 350F for 20 min.

 

Mozzarella Chicken

I’ve been looking over the recipes I have marked as ‘keepers lately, especially the supper ones, to make sure that I still like then and can cook them without help.

The one I made yesterday for my supper was one of the recipes I found in the free newspaper they give you at the Metro stations – which is actually what made me decide to actually learn how to cook. There were so many interesting recipes I wanted to try (which is how I am at over 1000 to still try).

Some of my early recipes were kind of easy, because I didn’t really know what I was doing (although I have only recently learned how to hardboil an egg and cook rice). This one is only slightly adapted from the original, because I like the cheese mixed in with the chicken instead of on top of it.

• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 2 onions, finely chopped (sometimes I think this is too much and mostly only use half an onion, but sometimes I use no onion)
• 1/2 cup cooked chicken
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

1. In a frying pan cook the chicken.

2. In another pan, with the butter, brown the onion, around 3 minutes.

3. Remove both pans from heat. Mix onion, chicken, cheese and mayonnaise together.

4. Form into burger like patties. Place on a baking sheet and broil in oven a few minutes until cheese has browned. (Sometimes instead of forming them into patties, I just put the chicken onto buns and broil them that way.)

T

Yummy Family BBQ Burgers

  

These burgers were inspired by my hubby. I can’t give quantities as we never actually measure how much we put in. Use your experience and judgment.

We often make bigger burgers, skip out on the buns and eat them with a fork. I love them since we can size them for each member of the family (smaller for the more calorie conscience members). They are fresh, lean and without fillers and preservatives.

Ingredients:

• Extra Lean Minced Meat
• BBQ Sauce (Beer and Chipotle by Presidents Choice is our choice)
• Basil
• Rosemary
• Slice of cheese

Directions:

• In a large bowl add meat, spices and a generous portion of BBQ sauce.
• Mix by hand ensuring BBQ sauce coats most of meat
• Add more BBQ till meat can hold burger shape.
• Form patties of desired size (from baby burger to papa burger)
• Cook on med/high on BBQ till ready. Time varies depending on size of burger. One can also fry them up. Though it is not heart friendly. Be sure to put a lid over the burger to help it cook evenly.
• Add slice of cheese to melt just before burger is done

 

Bon Appetite

N