Okay okay. Sharing kids lunches tricks may seem a bit boring to some - but I will stick to it because food is a nice comfort zone to explore. As I work to settle my business with a solid start for this new school year, I find that cooking is a great escape from the sales forecasts and financial planning. It keeps me grounded and focused when I get overwhelmed with business stuff, and I feel it's a good place to invest some good loving energy in my day. So hopefully, you will feel the need to escape into cooking too!
Last weekend, I made and froze 18 lunch size calzones (aka pizza pockets). There is not much to it really, I buy balls of pizza dough at my local grocery store, and look for fillings that my boys enjoy - like sausage, salami, and bacon. My oldest likes pesto, so I make a few just for him with pesto, mushrooms and chicken.
The key to make this a healthy lunch is to prepare your own pizza sauce. I chop one onion, a couple of carrots, a sweet potato, a zuchinni, and brocoli stems - and roast it all in a pot with some garlic and basil, and salt to taste. When the veggies start to soften I put a little water, just to cover the bottom of the pot, cover and let it simmer for about 15 minutes.
I add 4 to 6 chopped tomatoes - or about a cup of tomato coulis, and let it all simmer until the veggies are cooked and soft. I let it cool a little, and put it all in the blender until smooth. It you find that the sauce is too clear or runny, return it to the pot and let it simmer some more - uncovered.
Separate the dough and form balls - a bit smaller than a tennis ball. Roll them to get nice circles of about 6" or 7" across.
When you prepare the calzones, spread one or two generous spoons of the veggie puree right in the centre of the rolled dough, instead of the usual pizza sauce. Add your favorite fillings - all meat must be cooked and chopped - and don't forget the cheese! (mozzarella). To seal them up, I always wet the border of the dough before I fold them, to ensure that it will seal properly and avoid possible content leaks. Poke the top so that steam can escape - and bake at 375 for about 20 minutes. I always use parchment paper to line the cookie sheet when I bake.
I let them cool - then I place them in zip locks bags - and I put them in the fridge. Once they are cold, I move them to the freezer.
To warm them up, I place two calzones in the micro wave for 5 minutes, and move them to the oven at 350F for 15 to 20 minutes for a golden and crisp finish. Kids love it!
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