Meatball Calzone

We’ve made it through the Holiday season and I’ve really enjoyed the beautiful snow and winter season we’ve been having lately. This is the perfect time to be cooking and baking comfort food.

Challah is the bread that is used for the Sabbath and at most festivals.  Usually you make two loaves of bread because there’s no baking or cooking on the Sabbath (Saturday). So you make two loafs, one for Friday and one for Saturday. I went to a bread making class and LOVED it!! If you ever get a chance you should take a class in bread making. It is not as difficult as you may think. In this class is where I received this wonderful challah recipe. My girls love when they get to have homemade sweet rolls in the morning for breakfast. I tried to make them using different kinds of dough and they never turned out soft and yummy like the rolls you find in northern bakeries!! I finally had this great idea to try making them with this Challah dough, and WOW they were off the chart. It really helps because the dough is sweet and it gives the sweet rolls that extra sweetness.

The most common way I use my recipe is for Calzones!! My family loves them and this recipe will make two large calzones. If you don’t like calzones you can use the dough for pizza!! Making your own pizza dough is a great way to save on the grocery bill. Or this recipe will make two loafs of bread. I will say if you are a full time working mom this is better for the weekend.  Here is the recipe and I hope you enjoy whatever creation you decide to make with this lovely versatile dough!!

6 cups of bread flour

2 scant cup of sugar

1 Tbsp salt

4 eggs

½ cup oil

3 pkg. yeast

1-½ cups warm water

Proof yeast in warm water. Measure dry ingredients into mixing bowl. Beat eggs in a separate bowl and mix with the oil. Add proofed yeast and egg/oil mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until you form a dough. Turn out dough onto a floured service, and knead the dough until smooth & elastic. (For about 5 minutes) Place dough into an oiled bowl and cover with a wet towel and let it rise until double in size. Punch the dough and shape as desired. Brush a beaten egg over bread for glaze. (I never do this or rarely) Bake the bread at 350* for 18-20 minutes for bread and 12-15 for rolls.

***** If you are making pizza dough or calzones you only want it to rise one time!!! —- So after you let it double in size the first time you divide the dough in two. Each ball of dough you want to flatten with you fingers. Pour a half jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce, cheese, and whatever meat you like. My family loves meatballs. Wrap it up like a baby and cut wholes in the top to vent. Bake at 350* for 30 minutes you have supper and lunch for the next day!!!

Abbi as a tree for Christmas play

Merry Christmas!!

I hope you guys are enjoying this beautiful time of year!!!! The kids are almost out of school and next week is Christmas. I wanted to share some pictures of a few things that have happened over the weekend!! Abbi had her play on Monday night and she was the cutest tree ever. Reed was our photographer, because we some how got stuck in a corner.  She was able to get these great shots from where she was seated on the floor. I had a wedding cake go out this past weekend and it was so beautiful with all the pretty colors. I find that I’m so busy this time of year and constantly baking, but I really am enjoying baking for the ones you love. The girls and I have to make some cut out cookies for Abbi’s class Christmas party and we’ll be doing that tomorrow. I hope wherever this blog finds you that you are happy and blessed.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!

Our beautiful photographer

Beautiful Winter Wedding cake

Abbi with wedding cake

cute little minnie mouse

I thought I would share a few pictures from Halloween and I had a fall wedding cake. We had so much fun with the cousins!!! We trick or treated all night even in the rain. They were real troopers!!! Enjoy

They had fun taking the little ones to the door

Beautiful fall wedding cake.Love it

Reed being silly!

the whole gang not looking!!

Reed and Abbi

Now they are looking

Mason, Reed, Kyra and Abbi

Reed and Baby Kyra!! She told everyone she was a princess!!

Let’s talk chili!!!

Here in Greenville, SC it has been raining and cold!! These are the days that just scream chili. All you want to do is go home put your pajamas on and eat something HOT. I know when you guys think of chili you usually think the red chili, well not today we are doing white chicken chili. Now those of you that used to visit the café, yes this is my recipe that I’m giving away!!! This was very popular in the café and it’s so easy to make you feel bad about taking all the compliments! Just kidding.

White Chicken Chili

2 boneless skinless breast of chicken cooked and cubed.

1 can green chiles

1 small onion (butter or olive oil to sauté)

1-2 Tbsp of chili powder (adjust it to your taste)

2 tsp. of oregano

1/2tsp. of white pepper (or to taste with black pepper)

1 can of navy beans not drained

1 can of great northern beans not drained

1 can pinto beans not drained

8 oz. of sour cream

1 cup of cream

Saute onion in butter or oil (2tsp) until soft. Add your spices to your onions. Then add chiles, beans and chicken. Let this come to a boil then turn down to simmer. Just before serving add your sour cream and cream. Now with the spices you need to adjust them to your own taste buds. I like things a little spicy, and the one thing I’ll add to my bowl at the very end is some hot sauce!! It’s great for supper and the left overs you could take to work to help save cost of eating out. There are so many cute lunch bags you can buy to take your lunch in these days. It’s very fashionable!!

These are my cute little ThirtyOne thermal totes I take snacks and lunch.

Hi guys just wanted to share some awesome wedding cake pics – thought you would enjoy these cake pics.

Love the topper on this cake

Mr. Mets bachelor cake!!

Love this cake!!

Beautiful Fall Cake