Calzones

These are huge, easy, tasty pizza pockets that are fun for casual get-togethers or just for dinner. It is fun to let each person make their own. Since these are so big kids may want to share, or you could consider cutting the dough into 4 pieces instead of 2 to make smaller portions.

Ingredients:
-14 ounce can Ragu Pizza sauce jar (do not use spaghetti sauce!)
-Rhodes Bake and serve White bread loaves (use half a loaf per calzone, so buy the frozen bread according to how many people you are cooking for).
-Pepperoni
-1 can black olives
-1 green pepper
-Mozzarella cheese (grated)

Thaw bread loaves. You can let them rise, but it is not necessary. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cut loaves of bread dough in half. Pinch dough (or use a rolling pin with flour on counter top) to create a thin round pizza crust form (do not squish or knead or the dough will get sticky and not work well). Lay your dough onto a large ungreased cookie sheet (it will be greased later with pam). Spread sauce and all desired ingredients on half of the crust. Stay at least 1 inch away from all edges. Edges need to be sauce-free! Fold the calzone closed and pinch all edges to fuse them together. Grease pan and cook in oven until light golden brown (about 12-15 minutes although mine have taken as long as 20 minutes before).

Tip: After about 8 minutes of baking, adding a small amount of butter to the top of the crust makes it turn gold nicely and gives it a little something extra. ;) Enjoy!!!

Fudge

1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 C. butterscotch chips
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2-1 tsp. almond extract

combine in pan on med low-med heat.  Stir until smooth and melted. Don't bubble.
Pour into 8x8 baking dish (lined with parchment paper).

Cinnamon Twists/Bread sticks

This recipe is from one of Aaron's BYU professors. His wife made a fantastic dinner for his class, we were lucky to go!

Cinnamon Twists:
2 1/4 C. warm water
1 1/2 T. yeast
1/2 C. sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 t. salt
6 C. flour

glaze:
powder sugar
a little butter, milk & vanilla (sorry...she didn't give specifics)

Mix well together till smooth dough. Melt 1/2 C. margarine or butter into large jelly roll style pan. Roll dough into a rectangle & cut into strips (with pizza cutter). [Usually will make 30 pieces-slice lengthwise & then 14 cuts crosswise]. Dip strips in the butter & flip over placing in the pan. Sprinkle with a cinnamon-sugar mixture. Let rise till doubled. Bake 10-12 mins @ 400'. *While hot, frost with glaze

Bread sticks:

SAME AS ABOVE, EXCEPT 1 T. SUGAR & NO EGG. Sprinkle with garlic & parmesan cheese.

Baked Onion

This is really not as gross as it may sound. It's a really good side dish for a party or BBQ.

1 med to large whole onion
1 beef bullion cube
1-2T butter
foil, baking pan

Method:
Cut the ends off and the outer skin of the onion. Cut a cross thru the top, but do not cut all the way thru. You will want the whole thing to stay together. Break up and mash the bullion cube and the butter into the cross section of the onion. Wrap the whole thing in foil and leave a little vent in the top. Bake in a pan (to catch any spillage) for 45-60 mins on 350, or till the onion is cooked and soft all the way thru. You can also do this on a gas or charcoal grill. To serve, empty the contents of the foil into a bowl and break the pieces of onion apart. The juice from the onion, the bullion and butter will make a nice broth. Enjoy!

Becky's Bean Salad

From my SIL Becky....

1 each, yellow and green bell pepper, diced. (you can also use red or orange pepper)
1 q-cumber seeded, and diced
1/2 red onion chopped into small bits
3 C of corn, (6 ears scraped from the cob)
3 large tomtoes cubed
1/4 C chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
1/4 C chopped fresh cilantro
4 T red wine vinegar
2 T olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
3 C cooked black beans.

Method:
Combine all ingredients except beans and chill for about an hour. Add cooled beans right before serving.

Swei-Jows (Pot-stickers)

Who does not love Uncle Cameron for bringing this back from his mission in China??? This is a fun recipe to make for a party or large gathering. They are great deep fried or steamed. The great thing about this recipe is that you can add or take out what ever you like or don't like. It's very important to keep the chopped ingredients as close to the same size as possible for uniform cooking.

2 pkgs won-ton wrappers (square or round, or egg roll)
1 pkg chopped cabbage
1-2 bunch green onions, chopped with the green tops
2 bell peppers of your color choice, chopped into small pieces
1 pkg bean sprouts
1 box mushrooms, chopped into small pieces
1/2 lb spinach
3-4 cloves chopped or minced garlic
2-3 T grated FRESH ginger (this will give it the best flavor)
1 lb pound pork uncooked pork sausage
1 egg
soy sauce
toasted sesame oil
salt & pepper

Method:
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, making sure that everything is evenly distributed. Place approx 1 t in each wrapper and seal with water. You can do a triangle, square or egg roll fold. Steam for 15 mins in a veggie steamer, or deep fry till golden brown. Keep them warm on a plate for service.

Dipping Sauce:
1/2 c soy sauce
3 T red wine vinegar
1 t crushed garlic

Mix this together, and give each person their own bowl for dipping.