There are two dough options here, one requires you make the dough the day before then shape and finish the calzones. The other dough is a direct dough you make it and bake it the same day. 

Here are some recipes that use the crock pot and make great meat fillings. You don't have to use the whole roast but save 3 cups of meat for these meat pies.

Sesame Pork Roast
Savory Beef Sandwiches
Onion Pot Roast
Herb Faux-tisserie Chicken

Yields: 12 Calzones - 95g ea.
Bake: 375 degrees 5 minutes
          350 degrees 10 minutes - Total bake time 15-20 minutes

Direct Dough Recipe
642g Hard White (5 1/3 cup)
3/4 tsp. dried malt powder (you can omit if you like)
8g Salt (3/4 tsp.)
10g Yeast (3 1/2 tsp.)

Liquid
45g Cane Syrup (honey) (2 T. +1 tsp.)
408g Water (1 3/4 cup)

20g Butter (1 1/2 T.)
10g Soy Flour (1 1/2 T.)

Directions

• Develop the gluten, (mix 3 minutes) Remove from the mixer and place the dough on the counter and flatten it out.
• Soften the butter and add the soy flour to form a paste. Spread the paste onto the dough and cut the dough into pieces and add back to the mixer bowl.
• Knead until the butter mixture is incorporated into the dough. The dough will now be softer. If should only take about 2 minutes.
• Bulk proof for 30 minutes
• Shape and fill following the directions below "Prepare your Filling"
  

Another Recipe For The Dough (2 days)
This dough is made the day before you bake and placed into the fridge, but will hold for 3 days in the fridge if needed.

Equipment
Scales - When you weigh out your dough each pie will be uniform.
Tortilla Press - Not a necessity but sure makes rolling perfect circles easier.
French Tapered Rolling Pen - Rolls perfect circles.
Silicon Pastry Rolling Mat- Guide to roll perfect circles.
#12 Baking Scoop - This is 1/3 of a cup, used to portion the meat filling.

If you have nice equipment you will be a better cook and it certainly will be
more enjoyable. The holiday season is coming and many of these tools are
not expensive and make great gifts for the cooks in your life.

Dough Recipe - For Calzones or Meat Pies
Yields: 8 Calzones or Meat Pies
Oven: 350 degrees
Bake: 20-30 minutes

3 c. Hard Red or Hard White (bread flour) (340g)
2 tsp. Instant Yeast (5g)
1 1/4 tsp. Salt (9g)
2 T. Olive Oil (28g)
2 T. Honey (40g)
3/4 c. + 2 T. Water (195g)

Directions:

• The day before the bake you will put together the dough and place it     into the fridge. I can stay there for up to 3 days if needed.
• Weigh or measure out the flour, yeast and salt and mix them together.
• Combine all the liquid ingredients, the water, oil and honey in another container.
• Pour the wet ingredients over the dry and mix until combined.
• Place in a container with a lid and put into the fridge overnight.

Prepare Your Filling
Start with 3 cups or so of cooked meat
There are a few rules when making meat pies the first is the filling need to be dry or it will leak out. The second is don't over stuff the pies, use 1/3 cup         filling per pie. Now you can add anything you would like to the 3 cups of meat, like onions, vegetables, dried herbs. The filling needs to be well spiced because when you cover it with the bread it tends to mellow down the flavor.
So I always add more flavor than if I was just eating the meat alone.

For these I added caramelized onions and mushrooms. I also added a good amount of chili peppers. The meat I chose was the Sesame Pork Roast       which has a nice flavor. I cooked everything to make sure the mixture was     fairly dry. I could of also added cheese, when making the pies. If you choose to add grated cheese add only 1T. per pie on top of the meat mixture before you fold it over.

• Make a small hole in the top of each pie for the steam to escape.
  
• Let them raise about 20 minutes while you are pre-heating the oven to 350 degrees.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until golden brown
• Cool and freeze for extra meals in the future.

I hope you enjoy these, they are easy to make and handy to have in the         freezer for lunches and dinners.

I always brine my turkey for Thanksgiving but never thought of brining pork. It makes sense because sometimes pork tends to be dry after it's cooked. You have to do a bit of planning the day before to allow for the chops to brine overnight. What I usually buy is a pork loin and cut it into 1 1/2 inch slices for nice boneless chops. The butcher will cut it for you for free if you ask, that will save you the time and mess.

Servings: 4
Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup kosher salt
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups ice water
• 4 bone-in pork center-cut rib chops (1 inch thick and 8 ounces each)
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

BASIC RUB:

• 3 tablespoons paprika
• 1 teaspoon each garlic powder, onion powder, ground cumin and ground mustard
• 1 teaspoon coarsely ground pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle pepper

Make a larger batch so you have it on hand for the next time you grill pork, chicken or beef. Just store it in a dark cool location. The Co-Op offers great prices on spices, so you can afford to actually use spices.  Check out the prices

Directions:

• 1. In a large saucepan, combine salt, sugar and 2 cups water; cook and stir over medium heat until salt and sugar are dissolved. Remove from heat. Add 2 cups ice water to cool brine to room temperature.
• 2. Place pork chops in a large resealable plastic bag; add cooled brine. Seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; turn to coat chops. Place in a 13x9-in. baking dish. Refrigerate 8-12 hours.
• 3. Remove chops from brine; rinse and pat dry. Discard brine. Brush both sides of chops with oil. In a small bowl, mix rub ingredients; rub over pork chops. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
• 4. Grill chops on an oiled rack, covered, over medium heat 4-6 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let stand 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 4 servings.

Recipe from Taste of Home
Nutritional Facts1 pork chop equals 300 calories, 18 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 72 mg cholesterol, 130 mg sodium, 5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 30 g protein.

Easy Sunday dinner, good enough for company but simple to make. This recipe comes from Taste of Home and is one of my go to recipes when whole chickens are on special. We can enjoy  the breast meat for one meal. There is always enough chicken for another couple of  meals. Then I boil the carcass for chicken stock to create soup at a later date.

When roasting the chicken add some carrots and potatoes along side the chicken, that way your whole meal is complete and in one pan.

Oven: Preheat 350°
Bake: 2 hours depending on the size of your chicken
Onion Garvey: About 1 1/2 cups
Servings: 8 - 12 Servings

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 medium red onions, chopped
• 1 roasting chicken (6 to 7 pounds)
• 1/2 cup dry red wine or reduced-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Directions

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix rosemary, garlic, salt and pepper. Place onions in a roasting pan; place chicken over onions, breast side up.
• 2. Pat chicken dry. With fingers, carefully loosen skin from chicken; rub rosemary mixture under the skin. Secure skin to underside of breast with toothpicks. Tuck wings under chicken; tie drumsticks together.
• 3. Mix wine and vinegar; pour over chicken. Roast 2 to 2-1/2 hours or until a thermometer inserted in thickest part of thigh reads 170°-175°. (Cover loosely with foil if chicken browns too quickly.)
• 4. Remove chicken from oven; tent with foil. Let stand 15 minutes before carving. Transfer onion and pan drippings to a small bowl; skim fat. Remove and discard skin from chicken before serving.
• Serve with onion sauce. Yield: 12 servings (1-1/2 cups onion sauce).

Nutritional Facts: 3 ounces cooked chicken with 2 tablespoons onion sauce equals 182 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 77 mg cholesterol, 275 mg sodium, 4 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 25 g protein. Diabetic Exchange: 4 lean meat.

Source:
Taste of Home ...website

This is one of my favorite recipes and I look forward to spring when the fresh asparagus is available in the supermarkets. I hope you enjoy!







Yields: 6 Servings
Bake Ring: 400 degrees for 35 minutes

Ingredients:
Puff Ring
3/4 c. water
6 T. butter
3/4 c. flour (hard white or red)
1/2 tsp. salt
3 eggs
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese, (divided)

Filling
1 pound fresh asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 c. diced onion
2 T. butter
2 T. Flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp.
1 1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
2T grated Parmesan cheese
2 c. diced full cooked ham

Directions:
Puff Ring
In a saucepan over medium heat, bring water and butter to a boil. Add flour and salt all at once. Stir until a smooth ball forms. Let stand for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each egg , beat until smooth. Stir in 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese.

Using 1/4 cupfuls of dough, form a ring around the side of a greased 10 inch quiche pan or pie plate. I use a 10 inch cast iron skillet The mounds of dough should be touching each other. Top with the remaining Parmesan cheese (1 Tablespoon).
Bake the puff ring at 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

Filling
Meanwhile cook the asparagus until crisp-tender, 3-4 minutes. In a saucepan, saute onion in butter until tender, Stir in the flour, salt and pepper. Gradually add the milk; bring to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce the heat and sir in the 1/2 cup Swiss cheese and the 2 T. Parmesan cheese. Stir until the cheeses are melted, then add the ham and the cut up asparagus to the sauce.

Spoon the sauce into the center of the baked puff ring and serve, this makes a nice presentation and is VERY GOOD!

Taste of Home contestant winner  May 1997