Broccoli Lo Mein with Chicken or Pork

I love Chinese food, and easy access to it is one thing that I really miss since we moved to our itty-bitty community. Along with pizza delivery, grocery stores that are open past 4 p.m. on Sundays, and my sisters-in-law. Not necessarily in that order.

I've been cooking a lot more Chinese food at home as a result, although much of it still lacks the restaurant-style appeal. (Am I missing the MSG? Should I let it sit under a heat lamp for a few hours?)

I gravitate toward lo meins, especially, because like most toddlers, the little man loves him some noodles. Also, I hate making rice. And macaroni and cheese from a box. And Rice Krispie treats. But we've been through that before.

More so than any lo mein recipe I've tried cooking, this adapted one from America's Test Kitchen tastes more restaurant-style. But fresher and healthier. The sauce is light, yet still flavorful.

I used pork and broccoli in this version, but I can't wait to try this again with chicken, and maybe swap in some other veggies for some of the broccoli.

Broccoli Lo Mein with Chicken or Pork
Serves 4-6

6 ounces dried linguine
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 pound pork loin, cut in 1/4" slices
12 ounces broccoli florets
4 scallions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Crushed red pepper flakes, for sprinkling

1. Cook linguine according to package directions in salted water, until al dente. Drain and rinse under cold water. Toss with sesame oil.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine oyster sauce, soy sauce, cornstarch, and 1/4 cup water. Set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium-high to high heat.

4. Turn on your range hood fan and open a few windows. (This is optional, but still recommended.)

5. Add half the pork to the wok and stir-fry until golden, about 2-4 minutes.

6. Transfer pork to a plate and repeat with remaining vegetable oil and pork. Again, transfer pork to a plate.

7. Add broccoli and remaining 1/4 cup water to wok. Cook, covered, until broccoli is just tender and water has evaporated, about 3 minutes.

8. Add scallions and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.

9. Return pork to skillet. Add sauce and noodles and toss until well coated. Sprinkle with crushed red pepper flakes, if desired.

Potato and Sausage Soup

Sundays tend to be soup days at our house, and we whip up a pot or two each Sunday morning. It's a great light lunch, it makes for good leftovers for early in the week, and the little man loves him some soup.

Good to the last drop!

This is an adaptation of a Taste of Home recipe. I like potato soup, and thought the sausage would be a different addition to it. It definitely makes the soup both more flavorful and heartier.

Potato and Sausage Soup
Makes 4 servings

3/4-1 pound pork sausage links, cut in 1/4" slices
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons flour
1 14 1/2-ounce can chicken broth
1/2 cup water
4 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk
Additional salt and pepper, to taste
Cheddar cheese, for serving

1. In a soup pot, brown sausage over medium-high heat. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Drain all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Saute celery, onion, thyme, salt, and bay leaf until onion is tender.

3. Stir in flour; cook 1 minute. Gradually add brother and water, stirring until mixture comes to a boil.

4. Add potatoes; cover and simmer 25 minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

5. Puree half the soup in a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender. (If you're transferring the soup to another container, you might want to let it cool a bit, first.)

6. Combine soup and sausage, and then stir in milk. Heat through. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve with some shredded cheddar cheese.

Pork with Pappardelle

The hubby and I were watching Food Network while folding clothes one day, and we saw Aaron McCargo, Jr., making this recipe. It's one that I've always wanted to try, and although we often have different opinions about pasta, the hubby said, "That looks good. We should make that."

So, we did. And it was pretty quick and simple to throw together, after the pork was roasted. We did make some adjustments to the sauce, however, because I wanted mine a bit thicker and more tomato-y than the original.

And feel free to use leftover shredded pork, if you already have some on hand.

Pork with Pappardelle
Makes 6 servings

Pork:
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 4-pound pork shoulder

Pasta:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 ounces tomato paste
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded pork
1 pound dried pappardelle pasta
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

2. For the pork, combine olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic. Spread all over pork using a pastry brush.

3. Set meat on rack on roasting pan. Roast for 20 minutes, and then cover with foil and reduce heat to 325 degrees F. Continue to cook about 4 hours.

4. Remove pork from oven and let stand until cool enough to shred, and then shred with your hands. Set aside 2 cups for sauce, and store the rest for use in another recipe.

5. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

6. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook about 5 minutes.

7. Stir in tomato paste and crushed red pepper flakes.

8. After about 1 minute, add broth and pork, and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

9. Reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 10 minutes.

10. Meanwhile, add pasta to water and cook 6-8 minutes, or until pasta is al dente. Remove pasta and place directly in sauce, adding some pasta cooking water to add moisture, if needed.

11. Cook, tossing pasta with sauce, another 2 minutes. Pour into a large serving bowl and top with freshly grated Parmesan.

Bacon-Wrapped Li'l Smokies

This little snack/appetizer/side dish is a meat-lover's dream. These little guys are like pigs in a blanket, except that the blanket, too, is made of pig. (Speaking of meat-lovers' dreams ...)

You could serve these as an appetizer, along with a mustard sauce or barbecue sauce for dipping. They're perfect for entertaining, because they taste great even at room temperature.

I prefer them with brunch-type meal, alongside maybe a slice of quiche and a pastry or some fruit. I love brunch in general, and it only gets better with some pig-wrapped pig. (Oh, wait, I used all-beef smoked sausages.)

Just a note that you don't want to use thick-cut bacon here. It's ... I can't believe I'm saying this ... too bacony.

Bacon-Wrapped Li'l Smokies
Makes about 40 sausages

1 pound bacon, sliced in half
1 pound miniature smoked sausages
2 tablespoons brown sugar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil, and place a baking rack on top.

2. Wrap each sausage with half a slice of bacon.

3. Place seam side down on baking rack and sprinkle sausages with brown sugar.

You might notice that my baking rack is missing here. That is a mistake I shan't repeat.

4. Bake 30-40 minutes, or until bacon is cooked to desired doneness.

Saucy Pork Stir-Fry

I'm always on the lookout for yummy stir-fries that I can make at home, and that taste even remotely close to the restaurant stir-fries that I crave. However, I'd also like them to be lower in fat than restaurant dishes, and not be loaded with sodium.

This is a pretty sauce dish, but the sauce is packed with flavor, so that's OK by me. The sauce has just a bit of sweetness and spice, and the tomato paste gives it an extra depth of flavor and a sort of heaviness (in a good way) that some stir-fry sauces lack.

This sauce recipe is based on a Cuisine at Home recipe, but I made several changes and substitutions and math errors, so I really have no idea what the original recipe was supposed to be like.

And did I mention the dish is saucy? If I'd had twice as many vegetables on hand, I would have added them, and there would have been plenty of sauce. So that's what I'm going to suggest for the recipe, and next time, I'll throw in a bunch of broccoli or something. There's plenty of sauce to soak up, so you might as well load the dish up with as many veggies as you can!

Saucy Pork Stir-Fry
Serves 4-5

16 oz. pork loin, cut in thin strips
6 Tbsp. lite soy sauce, divided
1 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 c. dry sherry
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Pinch of freshly ground black pepper
Pinch or two of cayenne pepper
2 tsp. canola oil, divided
2 Tbsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. minced fresh ginger
4 c. fresh vegetables, chopped (bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, mushrooms, etc.)

1. Combine pork and 2 Tbsp. soy sauce in a dish. Cover and refrigerate while preparing the sauce.

2. Stir together 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, broth, sherry, cornstarch, honey, tomato paste, 2 tsp. garlic, 1 tsp. ginger, pepper, and cayenne for the sauce. Set aside.

3. Preheat a wok over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp. oil.

4. Stir-fry pork until it's cooked through, about 4-5 minutes.

5. Remove pork from wok and set aside.

6. Add remaining 1 tsp. oil to wok. Add 2 Tbsp. garlic and 1 Tbsp. ginger and stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add veggies.

7. Return pork to wok and add sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, about 2-3 minutes.

Melissa d'Arabian's Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs

Because I'm constantly chasing after world's busiest little man, I don't get a lot of TV time anymore. If it weren't for the DVR, I probably wouldn't get any at all. I tend to watch little snippets of Food Network while folding clothes, and I fast-forward to get the gist of the recipe and what the finished product will look like.

This is the first recipe of Melissa d'Arabian's that I've tried, and I just couldn't resist because I love cooking with country-style pork ribs (although I prefer boneless). This is a hardy, tasty, and tangy recipe that gets a little bit of kick from crushed red pepper flakes and the vinegar.

Although I have to admit, it took me a lot longer to make these than it did on TV in fast-forward.

Braised Country-Style Pork Ribs
Serves 4

3 lbs. country-style pork ribs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1/4 c. apple cider vinegar
1 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
2 bay leaves
2 1/2 c. chicken broth

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large pot over medium-high heat.

2. Pat the ribs dry and season with salt and pepper. Brown the ribs on all sides, working in batches if needed. Remove the ribs and set aside.

3. Add the remaining 1 Tbsp. oil and reduce heat to medium. Add the onions, carrots, celery, salt, and pepper. Cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook about 1 minute.

4. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes.

5. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar, and then add the red pepper flakes and bay leaves.

6. Add the ribs back to the pan and add enough stock to reach halfway up the sides of the ribs. Bring the pan to a simmer, cover, and place in the oven. Braise until the meat is tender, about 1 1/2 hours. During the last half hour, uncover to allow the liquid to reduce and the pork to brown.

7. Serve the ribs with the sauce on top.

Italian Ham Bites

The hubby is morally opposed to the concept of Super Bowl parties -- something about wanting to watch the game, yadda, yadda -- but we did have my brother and the hubby's sister over for supper and to watch the big game. (Because they actually watch the big game.)

I used to make these lovely little appetizers/snacks quite frequently, way back when the hubby and I used to entertain on a regular basis. I would spend weeks preparing menus of perfectly matched appetizers, entrees, sides, and desserts.

But man, I've lost my touch. Our food theme this year was obviously something along the lines of "Things that taste good and hopefully provide some leftovers for the week." We had some Mexican. Some Cajun. And these adorable (and low-fat!) little Italian nibbles.

This is an adaptation of a Betty Crocker recipe, and aside from the taste (and the low-fat-ness!), the best thing about these is that you can easily make them ahead of time. In fact, these little guys need to sit in the fridge for at least a few hours before you slice 'em.

You can use any kind of deli meat with these, and I've tried several varieties, but the ham is still my favorite. Black Forest, if you've got it.

Italian Ham Bites
Makes 25 appetizers

5 slices deli ham
3 Tbsp. flavored, reduced-fat spreadable cheese
Fresh basil leaves
5 strips roasted red pepper, patted dry
5 pieces string cheese

1. Place ham on a work surface and pat dry.

Patting the ingredients dry is a common theme here. If your ham has too much moisture, the spreadable cheese won't stick. And if the ham and peppers have too much moisture, everything will be kind of soggy and slimy. We here at Angel in the Kitchen are not fans of soggy and slimy food.

2. If necessary, trim ham to be the same width as the string cheese, and about 4 or so inches high.

You don't want the bites from the ends of the rolls to have no string cheese, and you also don't want everything to be too hammy. We here at Angel in the Kitchen are not fans of too hammy.

3. Spread ham with 1 1/2 to 2 tsp. spreadable cheese.

I sometimes use flavored cream cheese, like garden herb. This time I used a few wedges of Laughing Cow garlic and herb cheese.

We here at Angel in the Kitchen are fans of Laughing Cow. And laughing cows. Okay, I'll stop.

4. Add a few basil leaves, or one ginormous basil leaf. Place a row of pepper strips across the bottom edge of the ham, and place a piece of string cheese above the peppers. Like so.

5. Starting at the bottom, roll everything up securely.

6. Repeat these steps for each roll.

I obviously made more than 5 rolls. Just making sure you're paying attention.

7. Wrap rolls in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.

8. Unwrap rolls and place seam side down. Cut each roll into 5 pieces. Pierce with toothpicks if you want to be all fancy-pants. (These were for me, and I don't need no stinkin' toothpicks.)

Shredded Pork Gyros

I'm a big fan of my slow cooker. And a big fan of shredded meat. And a big fan of any recipe that requires 5 minutes or less of preparation. This is a good recipe for me.

I recently saw a recipe for some Greek-style shredded pork, and while the recipe itself didn't speak to me, the idea did. So I threw together a few ingredients in the slow cooker one morning, and voila! Instant gyros. Well, after you toast the pita bread and chop a few veggies and slather on some hummus and yogurt. But really, those steps are optional.

On a side note, I don't typically put hummus on my gyros, but I had some in the fridge and decided to give it a try. I really, really liked it. The hummus and yogurt kind of combine to make a thicker, tangy, slightly more flavorful sauce. And to think, I might never have discovered this otherwise.

Texture-wise, this sort of reminded me of a soft taco. The hummus is kind of like the refried beans, the meat is tender and shredded, and it's topped with fresh veggies and yogurt (instead of sour cream.) In fact, if I handed expended all that energy with my 5 minutes of prep work in the morning, I'd have toasted up some homemade pita chips and served these up nacho style.

Shredded Pork Gyros
Serves 8-10

Pork
1 pork shoulder roast (about 2 1/2 lbs.)
1 1/2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/s Tbsp. Greek seasoning
1 clove garlic, minced
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

Other
8-10 good-quality pita breads
Plain yogurt, preferably Greek-style
Hummus (I prefer roasted red pepper)
Chopped cucumber
Chopped tomato

1. Place pork shoulder in slow cooker and top with lemon juice, Greek seasoning, garlic, and crushed red pepper flakes.

2. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours, or until pork is tender.

3. Remove pork from slow cooker and shred with two forks. Return meat to slow cooker and combine with juices.

4. Toast pita breads in a hot pan quickly on both sides. Add a layer of hummus, and top with pork, cucumber, tomato, and yogurt.

Chipotle Tabasco-Marinated Pork

One of my favorite kitchen ingredients is chipotle Tabasco sauce. The hubby and I discovered it a few years ago, and it's smoky and spicy, but still calm enough to use as even a dipping sauce (we sprinkle it on our tacos sometimes).

This is an adaptation of a Tabasco marinade recipe, and it combines the smoky, spicy goodness of chipotle Tabasco with the sweeteness of citrus juice. Like a mojo marinade with some extra kick.

I love this with pork, but I think it would be equally good with chicken, or even shrimp, if I ate shrimp. The Tabasco folks recommend setting aside some of this marinade to serve as a dipping sauce at the table. Which would be good, although I still like the heat of the sauce straight from the bottle.

Chipotle Tabasco-Marinated Pork
Serves 4

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. minced garlic
1/2 c. orange juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
1/4 c. lime juice (preferably fresh-squeezed)
1/4 c. Tabasco chipotle pepper sauce
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/2 lbs. boneless pork

1. Combine olive oil, garlic, juices, pepper sauce, salt, and cumin. Poor over pork and place in a covered dish resealable bag. Refrigerate for 4 hours.

2. Grill pork over medium heat until cooked to desired doneness (which, in my case, was slightly overdone, because I'm not used to our new grill). Let rest before serving.

Grilled Jerk Pork

Wow, I've been quiet for a while. Still cookin', just quiet. I have recipes that I've tried. I have pictures of the recipes that I've tried. If you come over, I'll show you. I just seem to have problems getting them into blog posts.

Yeah, we've been sick again. For more than a month. I'd go into more detail, but trust me, you don't want to hear about that on a food blog. The little man is feeling better again these days, and wow, is he growing.

He's 8 months old now, and has two teeth. His favorite foods are brownies, ice cream, and brownie ice cream. His favorite TV show is The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. His favorite hobbies are taking bubble baths, rolling around the living room, and jumping on the bed (with help). And his favorite toys are his plastic maracas and a stuffed Superman he sometimes calls "Dada." (Anyone could make that mistake.) In short, our little man is a hoot. And always, always busy.

We still cook on a regular basis, but it's a bit faster than usual and we tend to stick to some of our favorites. This is one of them. This is a jerk pork recipe from Cooking Light that I've been making for years. It calls for quite a few ingredients, but most of them are pantry staples. And it has good jerk flavor without any of the elements being overwhelming. I've tried some jerk dishes that are too spicy, others that are too sweet, and even one that the hubby said tasted like grass. But this one is nicely balanced. I've used it on both pork tenderloin and pork steaks.

Just know ahead of time that the marinade is green. Because to me, it still seems weird to pull some green meat out of the fridge and toss it on the grill.

Grilled Jerk Pork
Serves 4

2 c. chopped green onions
1/2 c. chopped red onion
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 tsp. kosher salt
2 tsp. fresh or 3/4 tsp. dried thyme
2 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1 tsp. ground allspice
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/8 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 serranos or jalapenos, seeded and chopped
1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin, chops, or steaks

1. Place marinade ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Pour marinade over pork.

2. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours, but no more than one day.

3. Grill until cooked to desired doneness.

Fettuccine with Spicy Four-Cheese Rosa Sauce

I haven't posted in a shamefully long time. But sometimes life happens, right?

Much has happened in the past few weeks. The little man recovered from his pneumonia, but then his eardrum ruptured. All is well now, and it's hard to believe that he's 6 months old. He's almost sitting on his own, is on the verge of crawling, and grabs at everything in sight. He sleeps about 11 hours a night, loves chocoalte ice cream and graham crackers, and hates mashed potatoes.

He also loves playing, which is why I haven't been doing as much blogging. I have, however, become an expert at the stacking rings, and I sing a mean Itsy Bitsy Spider.

And in other good news, I recently won the giveaway on Moogie & Pap, and I won a Cuisipro Herb Keeper from Foodbuzz. I'm on a roll!

Speaking of Foodbuzz, I also received two jars of Bertolli pasta sauce, as part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program. One of them is the new Four Cheese Rosa sauce, which I used with our supper this evening.

The hubby and I aren't huge fans of cream or Alfredo sauces, but we do like them if they're spicy. So I threw in a few teaspoons of Creole seasoning, and served the sauce with grilled andouille sausage and veggies. The sauce tasted very similar to the homemade sauce I use in my Spicy Chicken and Sausage Alfredo, but with the ease of just opening a jar. Which, of course, gave me more time for a few extra rounds of Pat-a-cake after supper.

Fettuccine with Spicy Four-Cheese Rosa Sauce

Serves 4

1 jar Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa sauce

2 tsp. Creole seasoning, to taste (recommend Tony Chachere's)

6 shakes Tabasco sauce, to taste

1 large red bell pepper

1 medium zucchini

1 red onion

Olive oil for drizzling

Salt and pepper

4 andouille sausages

12 oz. cooked fettuccine

1. In a small saucepan, heat pasta sauce over medium heat until it's smooth and heated through, about 4 minutes. Stir in Creole seasoning and Tabasco sauce, to taste. Reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer.

I added both Creole seasoning and Tabasco because I thought the sauce still needed some kick, but more Creole seasoning might make it too salty. (The sauce obviously has a lot of cheese, which is already salty.)

2. Cut veggies into large pieces and sprinkle with olive oil, salt, and pepper.

3. Grill veggies and andouille over medium heat until cooked to desired doneness.

4. Cut veggies and andouille into bite-sized pieces.

5. Serve hot fettuccine with pasta sauce. Add andouille and veggies.

Serve as is, if you're the hubby.

Mess it all up, if you're me.

Slow Cooker Pork Stew

So I went back to work a few weeks ago, and the little man went to daycare, and everyone was sleeping well and getting into a routine. Life was good. And then ... the little man got his first cold.
It's weird how something as simple as a cold can wreak such havoc. The little man was born with some upper respiratory issues that he'll hopefully grow out of, but for now, he sounds miserable. He can't breathe well anough to eat, he can't breathe well enough to sleep, his eyes are watery, and he's got a heavy cough. And yet, he's such a trouper. He takes his nose drops every few hours, smiles at the doctor, and giggles at the funny noises that his nose makes. He's still been our happy little camper, for the most part.

He has required a lot of attention, though. He's extra cuddly right now. And he needs to be sitting up to breathe and swallow. So the hubby and I have spent dozens of sleepless hours in the recliner, where the little man tosses and turns and coughs and snorts. And kicks. He really likes to kick.

So we were quite lazy this week. We ate a lot of leftovers. We picked up takeout. Some nights we even forgot to eat.

Hopefully the little man will start feeling better soon. His jumparoo misses him. In the meantime, we're going to rely on the slow cooker this weekend, in the hopes that we can all take some quality naps.

Today I made a pork stew, which is almost identical to my beef stew recipe, but with pork and chicken broth. I used some beautifully lean country-style ribs (one of my favorite cuts of meat) for this recipe. I just used regular old potatoes and carrots, but I think using some sweet potatoes would be lovely, as would using some parsnips for some of the carrots.

Slow Cooker Pork Stew
Serves 4-6

4 medium carrots, cut in chunks
2 lb. potatoes, cut in chunks
2 tsp. canola oil
1½ lbs. boneless lean pork, cut in chunks
Flour, for dusting pork
Salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt, for sprinkling on pork
32 oz. chicken broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. seasoned salt
¼ c. cornstarch
½ c. water
Additional salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt, to taste

1. Put potatoes and carrots in slow cooker.

2. Heat 1 tsp. oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Dredge half the pork with flour and add to pan, seasoning with salt, pepper, onion salt, and garlic salt. Cook until pork starts to brown a bit.

3. Add pork to slow cooker. Repeat with remaining oil and pork.

4. Add some of the broth to the pan -- just enough to loosen up the bits on the bottom -- and pour into slow cooker. Add remaining broth, bay leaf, onion powder, and seasoned salt.

5. Cook on low 6-8 hours, or until pork is cooked and vegetables are tender.

6. Combine cornstarch and water, and stir into stew. If stew thickens immediately, season to taste and serve anytime. Otherwise, turn heat to high and cook stew an additional 30 minutes.

7. Serve in bowls. Unless you're like the hubby. Then you'll need these additional instructions -- and I conveniently found the pictures already on the camera for me.

7a. Take two pieces of bread.

7b. Put bread in toaster. Push down button.

7c. Remove toast from toaster.

7d. Serve stew on toast. Drink with Coke.

Three-Meat Calzones

Like most people, I love my pizza any way I can get it. And I like to order calzones in restaurants, but I prefer making them at home because I can stuff 'em any way I want 'em. However, they seem intimidating because you have to make dough (which is scary), and then roll the dough (which might be scarier).

Making calzones was my first forray into the dough world, and it was rough going. Let's just say that I started at about 2 p.m. Three attempts and six hours later, I was bawling in the kitchen because we were never going to get suh-uh-uhp-per and I was a horrible co-oo-oo-ook. (Yes, they were heaving sobs.) I've learned a lot since then, so I will attempt to impart a few tips that make dough t less frightening for me.

But first, a funny calzone story. And some background that might get me disowned by my mother. When I was growing up, my family took a very low-maintenance approach to food. The oven was used pretty much for frozen pizza and the occasional batch of cookies. And the stovetop was virtually off-limits. That's what the microwave was for. If it could possibly be cooked in the microwave, we did it. Eggs. Bacon. Hot dogs. Mac 'n' cheese. Hamburger Helper (including the hamburger itself).

Case in point: My mother was visiting last week, and she got hungry. She raided the fridge, hoping for some sandwich fixin's. We were out of deli meat, so she ate half a jar of pickles, and two bagels slathered in ketchup and Dijon mustard. And then she grabbed a can of Chunky Baked Potato soup from the cupboard. I got out a saucepan -- because I use the stovetop whenever possible -- and Mom said, "Oh, that's not necessary." I said, "You want to mic it?" She said, "Oh, no need." And she proceeded to eat the soup cold. From the can.

But back to my story. Last year the hubby and I went to Florida with his sisters. And I talked my brother, Cory, into house- and pet-sitting for us. (He was quite the trouper; I was too busy at Disneyworld to answer my phone when he accidentally locked himself out of the house and was hoping I'd hidden a spare key. And when he called for advice while walking the dogs because one of the dogs was "stuck," I hung up on him because we were deep-sea fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and a pair of dolphins were racing our boat.)

We stocked the house with Cory-friendly food before we left, including a few frozen calzones. I told Cory to call us if he planned on eating them, and I'd explain how to bake them; it seemed like too much info to put in a note.

At one point I called Cory to check in. I asked how the food situation was going. He informed me that he'd eaten all the pizza in the house, and also the calzones. And they were pretty good. I said, "Oh, how did you bake them?" He said he put them in the microwave. I said, "Uh, you were supposed to BAKE them, not just heat them up."

He said, "Alyssa, we're not all as particular as you are when it comes to food. I'm sure they would've been better in the oven, but the microwave was just fine."

I explained that this wasn't an issue of food snobbery. "The calzones weren't prebaked. The dough was raw when I froze them. They'd NEVER BEEN COOKED."

[Long pause]

"Oh, I get it. But oh well. I thought they were a tad doughy. But they were still pretty good. I dipped them in the pizza sauce that you left me, and they were just fine."

Anyway, the recipe for this dough is a modified version of a Cuisine at Home recipe. I made my own filling, but you can certainly substitute anything you like -- any meats, veggies, cheeses, etc. You want about one cup of filling for each calzone, and you don't want it too watery, or it will make your dough soggy.

Three-Meat Calzones
Makes 4

Dough
Cooking spray
1 c. warm water*
1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 tsp. sugar plus 1 Tbsp., divided
2 Tbsp. olive oil, plus more for brushing
3 c. bread flour
1 Tbsp. table salt

Filling
1/4-1/3 lb. hamburger or sausage, browned, drained, and cooled
3/4 c. chopped ham or Canadian bacon
3/4 c. chopped pepperoni
8 oz. fresh mozzarella cheese, cubed
1/2 c. pizza sauce, plus more for dipping

*The recommended temperature is between 105 and 115 degrees Fahrenheit. I drove myself crazy with a thermometer the first time I made dough, and it didn't work. The hubby, who had more dough experience, showed me the right temperature, so I could get accustomed by feel. Now when I make dough, I get the water as warm as I would for a baby's bath. Conversely, when the hubby is running water for the Jack-baby's bath, I tell him to make it as warm as he would for his pizza dough.

1. Coat a large bowl and a small sheet pan with cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine yeast, sugar, and water. Let stand for 15 minutes, and then stir in 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

This is "proofing" the yeast -- basically, making sure that it's still alive. The warm water activates it, and the sugar gives it something to eat. The yeast should bubble and froth as it expels gas (yummy). If your mixture isn't foamy after 15 minutes, your yeast be dead.

You can learn a lot from Alton Brown.

3. Using a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment, briefly combine bread flour, 1 Tbsp. sugar, and salt. Slowly add the yeast mixture until a ball forms around the hook. Turn your mixer to medium speed and knead for about 10 minutes.

If your dough just isn't coming together, it might be because of the weather or altitude. You can add a bit of water -- such as a teaspoon or two -- to give it some more moisture.

4. Turn your dough out onto the counter and knead by hand a few times. Form the mixture into a ball and place in the bowl that is sprayed with cooking spray. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place for 1 hour.

I have a problem finding a "warm" place in my kitchen without turning on the oven. So I usually take a mug of hot water and heat it in the microwave for 1 minute. I push that into the corner of the microwave, and then put my dough in and close the microwave. The steamy water makes it warm, and it's certainly draft-free.

5. Punch down the dough and divide it into four equal pieces. Form each into a ball. Place on the greased baking sheet, cover, and let rise for another 30-40 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees and generously spread cornmeal on a baking sheet.

7. Combine hamburger or sausage, ham, pepperoni, cheese, and 1/2 c. pizza sauce in a medium bowl.

8. For each calzone, roll a piece of the dough in about a 10-inch circle. Perfect circles need not apply.

9. Place about 1 c. filling in the center of one side of the circle.

10. Brush the edges of the dough with water to help with the seal, and then fold over one side of the dough. Crimp the edges of the dough with a fork to seal them.

11. Place the calzones on cornmeal-covered baking sheet.

I usually bake two and freeze two for later.

12. Bake 10-15 minutes, or until crust is golden. Brush with a bit of olive oil, and serve with heated pizza or marinara sauce.

And be careful, because that filling is piping hot!