This summer has been a whirlwind of craziness (see previous post on becoming Jackson Eight). Blogging was set aside and my entire focus was put on our family. Hopefully soon I will have the chance to sit and really share about what the last few weeks have been like and what I have learned about myself, my children, and some very heart-searching lessons I have discovered. 

The summer is wrapping up so quickly and I am on a mission to prepare for a busy school year and getting back to schedules and routines. Freezer cooking is on my mind! I want to be prepared for those days in the next few months that will tempt me to order takeout or leave me scrambling for dinner and stressed. I hope I can share with you a few of the recipes I am working on and that they will help you and your family!

First up… Mini Calzones!

I wanted these to be mini so I can pull out a few for snacks or quite a few for a whole meal. My kids love pizza and this is a perfect option for them.

I had some leftover meat marinara sauce from a week ago that I froze. It wasn’t enough for   a whole meal, but it was the perfect amount for making these mini calzones. Not every one of my kids likes pepperoni and I wanted there to be some protein in the calzones. Win-win for me!

My homemade pizza dough recipe was my go-to recipe for the dough. I haven’t shared the recipe yet here, but it is quite simple. You can use your favorite recipe or store bought dough.

Pizza Dough:

2 Cups warm water
1 1/2 Tbsp Yeast
1/4 Cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
1/2 Tsp Salt
4 1/2-5 Cups Flour
**Dissolve yeast and sugar in warm water and allow yeast to get foamy, approx. 10 min. Mix in remaining ingredients, slowly adding flour. You will need to gauge how much flour you will need based on the stickiness of the dough. Knead dough for approximately 6-8 minutes or until smooth and no longer sticky. Allow dough to rest for 10 minutes.

I divided my dough in half and rolled it into a large rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Using my pizza cutter I divided my dough. When cutting your dough cut double the size of what you want your calzone to be. My rectangles ended up about 3×4 inches give or take. I am NOT worried about some being larger or smaller than the others. 

On each section place a spoonful of sauce and a tablespoon or so of shredded mozzarella cheese. You can add what ever you like inside of your calzones. Pepperoni, veggies, ham and cheddar cheese. Whatever your kids fancy! Just be sure not to overfill your calzones. 

Once your sauce and cheese are in place fold over your calzone and press the edges with a fork and seal the calzone shut. If you skip this step you will have all of your filling all over your pan and not in your calzone.

Brush the tops of the calzones with olive oil and sprinkle with salt or garlic salt.Bake at 425˚ for 18-20 minutes. 

Try not to eat 2 or 3 right out of the oven! LOL!

Next step is to freeze them. Allow them to cool completely and slid in a layer or two into a freezer bag. I was able to get 8 in a bag and laid them flat in the freezer to freeze. When you are ready to eat, pull out what you need and pop them in the oven at 400˚ for 8-10 minutes or microwave for 1 minute. (**Note: Heating them in the oven will give a more crispier outside crust)

Hopefully, I will be able to add to this first batch of freezer meals and snacks. It really does make feeding my crazy family a bit easier when I don’t feel like cooking or need something fast!

And even more hopefully…. I will be talking to you soon and a LOT more often!

Happy Freezing,
Keikilani