Spinach and Meatball Calzones

When making this recipe you will have to reference this one.

Ingredients:
olive oil
10 oz. baby spinach
coarse salt and pepper
flour, for work surface
1 lb. store bought pizza dough, or frozen bread dough thawed, cut into 4 equal pieces
8 meatballs, halved and 1 1/2 c. sauced reserved (from this recipe)
8 oz. fresh mozzarella, torn into pieces
1/2 t. red pepper flakes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450. Lightly oil a rimmed baking sheet. In a large saucepan, bring 1/2 c. water to a simmer. Add spinach and season with salt; cover and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer spinach to a fine mesh sieve and drain, pressing with a rubber spatula to release as much liquid as possible. Transfer spinach to a cutting board and roughly chop.
On a lightly floured work surface, roll each piece of dough into an 8 inch round. In a medium bowl, stir together spinach, reserved meatballs and sauce, cheese and red pepper flakes (if using). Season with salt and pepper. With a slotted spoon, divide mixture among bottom halves of dough rounds, leaving a 1 inch border.
Fold top half of each round over filling and roll and pinch edges to seal. Carefully transfer calzones to baking sheet. Brush tops lightly with oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake until calzones are golden brown, 15-18 minutes.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
These were better than I was expecting. I left out the spinach because mine had gone bad but I was OK with that. I think Blake was OK with that too. We also added pepperoni because we like it. I used Rhodes frozen bread and it worked great. These were big though, so keep that in mind.

Spaghetti and Meatballs

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lb. sweet or spicy Italian sausage
1 t. olive oil
1 medium onion, diced small
2 cans (28 oz. each) whole peeled tomatoes
1 lb. spaghetti

Directions:
Boil a large pot of salted water.
Remove sausage meat from casing and roll into 24 balls. In a large saucepan or dutch oven, heat oil. Add sausage and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon transfer meatballs to a plate. Add onion to pan and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, breaking them up as you go, and season with salt and pepper; bring sauce to a boil and cook 5 minutes.
Add pasta to water and cook according to package directions. Meanwhile, add meatballs to sauce and rapidly simmer until sauce is slightly thickened about 7 minutes.
Drain pasta then toss with sauce and meatballs.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
Not bad. I have never been a big fan of spaghetti and meatballs but I figured I would give it a go. I liked that you can pick the spiciness of the sausage. The kids liked it but mostly picked around the meatballs.

Falafel Meatball Wrap with Tzatziki

For the meatballs:
2/3 c. canned chickpeas, rinsed
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 egg
1 T. olive oil
1 T. dried oregano
2 t. garlic, minced
1 t. kosher salt
1 t. ground black pepper
1 lb. hamburger
1/2 c. onion, minced
1/4 c. fresh bread crumbs

For the wraps:
lettuce leaves
1 c. tomatoes, diced
store bought tzatziki

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400.
Puree chickpeas, parsley, egg, 1 T. oil, garlic, and seasonings in a food processor. Combine hamburger, onion, and breadcrumbs. Divide mixture into 12 portions and shape into golf ball sized meatballs.
Brown meatballs in a nonstick ovenproof skillet with 1 T. oil.
Finish in oven for 10 minutes or until cooked through.
Prepare lettuce and tomatoes for the wraps. To assemble place 3 meatballs in a lettuce leaf, drizzle with tzatziki and garnish with tomatoes.

Makes 4 servings. Total time 30 minutes.

Verdict:
These were good. I like the turkey meatballs that I make better. I definitely think that these need tzatziki to go with them.

Turkey Meatballs with Cranberry Gravy

For the meatballs:
1/2 c. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/3 c. Parmesan, grated
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 t. salt
1 t. black pepper
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 1/4 lb. ground turkey
1/4 c. milk
1/4 c. chicken broth

For the gravy:
2 c. fresh or frozen cranberries
1 c. orange juice
1 c. chicken broth
1/4 c. sugar

For the meatballs:
Preheat oven to 450.
Combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper and pepper flakes in a large bowl. Add turkey. Mix by hand until ingredients are thoroughly combined.
Add milk and 1/4 c. broth to bowl; stir to combine. Form mixture into 2-inch balls (about 2 Tbsp. each).
Coat a nonstick skillet with nonstick spray. Saute meatballs over high heat until browned all around. Transfer meatballs to a baking sheet. Bake meatballs until cooked through, about 10 minutes.

For the gravy:
Combine all ingredients for gravy in the skillet used to cook the meatballs. Simmer gravy over high heat until liquid is reduced by half and berries pop, 7-8 minutes. Serve with meatballs.

Makes 4 servings (16 meatballs and 1 1/2 c. gravy) Total time 45 minutes.

Verdict:
I love these. They are so good. Blake is not a big fan of meatballs but he really likes these. Well he likes the meatballs not the gravy. I, on the other hand, could and have eaten the gravy by the spoonful.