Ham & Pepper Calzones

I'm intrigued by the idea of making pizza at home, but I hesitate to compete with the glorious taste of Papa John's delights. Plus, I wanted to serve fewer points at dinner tonight, so here is a great idea: make a calzone.

The warm ham, melted cheese, and sauteed bell peppers are an unbeatable combination. Everyone, including the dog, was excited about the aroma of fresh bread and meat that filled the house. Those of you who are vegetarians could substitute roasted red peppers for the ham. Anyone looking for a place to inject more whole grain could use whole wheat pizza dough like I did.

Ham & Pepper Calzones

2 tsp olive oil

2 bell peppers, sliced (one red, one green)

2 garlic cloves, minced

8 oz tomato paste

1/4 lb sliced deli ham, cut into thin strips

1 lb pizza dough

1 c shredded mozzarrella cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile,heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Saute the bell peppers and garlic until tender (5 minutes). Add the ham and cook until lightly browned (3 minutes). Allow this mixture to cool.

Turn out the pizza dough onto a lighlty floured surface. Divide the dough in half and roll each half into a 10-inch circle. Spread half the tomato paste on a dough circle, sprinkle with half the oregano, alf the ham mixture,and cheese, leaving a one-inch border of dough clean. Fold the dough over the filling, crimping the edges to seal the calzone. Repeat with the second piece of dough.

Bake the calzones on a baking sheet prepared with nonstick cooking spray for 20 minutes. Serves 4 (7 points each).

Rainy Day Espresso Biscotti

Who doesn't love cookies? This is a great cookie for grown-ups that you should feel proud to serve all your coffee-loving friends. Biscotti is deliciously crispy and made for dunking into a good cup of your favorite coffee or tea. Don't let the fancy name foul you - these treats are simple to make with ingredients you'll likely already have in your pantry.

Today is a rainy day, so it's the perfect day to warm up the house by baking something, then curl up under an afghan with a cup of joe, a good book, and some cookies. My husband was so excited that I made cookies, I've made a mental note that they need to grace our kitchen counter more often! I usually only make cookies for Christmas, but that will change now.

Rainy Day Espresso Biscotti
1 1/8 c all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp ground coffee
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c Splenda
1/4 c egg substitute
1 1/2 Tbsp brewed coffee
1/2 tsp vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

Combine flour, ground coffee, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk the egg substitute, Splenda, brewed coffee, and vanilla in a separate bowl until frothy, then add to the flour mixture. Stir until blended.

Gather the dough with lightly floured hands and transfer to a lightly floured surface. Work the dough into a 1 3/4 x 15-inch log with a height of about 1 inch. Transfer the log onto the baking sheet and pat down until it is 3/4 inch tall and 2 inches wide.

Bake the log until firm to the touch, which will occur in 20-25 minutes. Transfer the log o a cutting board and allow it to cool for 5 minutes before cutting it with a serrated knife into 36 3/4-inch slices. Arrange the slices in a single layer on the baking sheet.

Bake the biscotti for 10 minutes at 300 degrees, then flip them over and bake for 10 minutes more. Cool the biscotti on a rack. Serves 18 (one point for two biscotti).

Irish Soda Bread

Wow! I like to celebrate holidays by planning special foods. Not just Christmas an Easter, either. We celebrate any day that has earned special recognition: Flag Day, National Pie Day, etc. So, of course, I made Irish food last night for dinner. It doesn't matter that neither Mike nor I have any Irish heritage.

This was one of the best breads I'd ever made. It is hearty and sweet at the same time. Without restraint, I would have eaten half the loaf by myself last night!

Irish Soda Bread

1 1/2 c + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour

1/2 c whole wheat flour

1/2 c raisins

2 tsp lemon zest

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 c buttermilk ( I used 2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar and the remaining volume of milk)

3 Tbsp honey

1 tsp sugar

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients, except the sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and honey, then pour over the flour mixture. Stir until the dough is mixed and not a second more. Sprinkle your work surface and hands with flour, then knead the dough seven time. Form the dough into a round loaf and mark with a cross hatch on top. Sprinkle suger over the bread. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40-45 minutes on a baking sheet prepared with non-stick cooking spray. Serves 10 (leprechauns I presume) for 2 points each.

Minestrone Soup

I thought cravings stopped when the pregnancy was over, but apparently they don't! I had a stray craving for kale again that inspired this soup. Traditionally, minestrone contains shredded cabbage and/or spinach, but kale is in season and delicious. As it turns out, this soup is very satisfying and flavorful, while still being incredibly simple to make.

I served this with corn muffins, but any fresh bread or popover would be delicious.

Minestrone Soup
1 1/2 c chicken stock
14 oz can of diced tomatoes, undrained
16 oz can kidney beans, drained & rinsed
14 oz can green beans, drained
2 leaves kale, coursely chopped
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp basil
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/3 c small pasta shells, cooked

In a saucepan, combine the first nine ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. Add the cooked pasta just before serving, so they don't get water-logged.

By the way, this would be a great candidate for a crock pot soup, too.