Calzones

A Calzone is an Italian turnover filled with pizza toppings and cheese.  Translated, it means "pant leg", which is pretty funny, and only slightly similar ;-)  Anyway, my family and I love calzones!  It gives you the satisfaction of eating yummy pizza, but it's a nice twist and really, I enjoy it more than pizza!  You can make them bigger than this or smaller, filling them with whatever your heart desires!  Sweet calzones are even delicious!  Try this one tonight!

Ingredients:

- 1 roll of pizza dough (makes two large calzones...I usually buy two tubes for the 4 of us.)
- Mozzarella cheese
- Pizza sauce
- Your favorite pizza toppings!!!  We use:  Pepperoni, Ham, bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, banana peppers, jalapenos, red pepper flakes, parsley, garlic, etc!

Directions:

1.  Pop open the tube of pizza dough and spread it out on your pan.  I do not roll it, or stretch it very much.  Then use a pizza cutter to cut down the middle, separating your dough into two calzones.  Spread sauce over each side, using as much sauce as you prefer.

2.  Now, toss on your favorite toppings.  Here, I'm showing my daughters calzones.  One likes just sauce, banana peppers, and lots of cheese.  The other likes sauce, cheese, pepperonis, bell pepper and banana peppers.  You can even let your kiddos put it on themselves!  Just be sure to leave room on the edges for folding!!!

3.  Once you've filled your calzone with your choice of toppings, CAREFULLY fold it over and use your fingers to press the dough together best you can.  Try to get it completely closed so your toppings don't ooze out, but, sometimes, cheese happens!  I then sprinkle the calzone's top with some garlic powder, red pepper flakes, parsley, or even a tiny bit of shredded cheese.  Or, you can leave it the way it is!

4.  Bake your calzone on the cookie sheet per the tube of dough's directions.  Usually 15 minutes at 350 degrees.  You want the dough to be a nice golden brown.  When it comes out, allow it to sit for 2 minutes before slicing it in half.

Here's the final product....

 The top photo is of my daughter's calzone

This photo is of mine....everything packed in there but the kitchen sink, lol.  And let me tell you...it was DELICIOUS!!!

Enjoy!!