RPI: Zesty Chorizo Calzones

The Lowdown:

This recipe idea came to me when I merely demanded to have pizza pops at my hypothetical wedding. I don't want a formal sit down dinner, so naturally servers walking around with silver trays full of pep n' bacon pizza pops would be the next logical thought. Apparently not. The idea got shot down faster than the resurgence of belly shirts. Not that it matters, regardless of her permission they will be there. Oh yes, they will be there. It's easier to beg forgiveness.

Pizza pops were a huge part of my childhood. Being young and stupid, I would come home at unreasonable hours, despite my curfew, craving something extremely unhealthy and fast. Four minutes later I was in bliss. Today, I can't justify buying them. I can't even justify thinking about buying them. One glance at the nutritional value (nutritional suicide) is enough to make any health conscious person faint. To be honest, I think even pure mayonaise is healthier.

With the above reasons, it seemed perfect that I used our RPI ingredient to make a childhood favourite. Big boy pizza pops. How could this possibly go wrong with homemade tomato sauce, fresh ingredients, homemade pizza dough, homemade hot sauce, and ranch. Heck ya that sounds awesome. On that note, why am I letting my big boy pizza pop get cold. I'll entertain you again sometime soon. Over and out.

The Playlist:

Smokey Tomato Sauce
5 Tomatoes, chopped
1 Onion, finely diced
3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
1 cup Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Red wine
1 oz Vodka
1 tsp Liquid smoke
1 tsp Cayenne pepper
2 tbsp Olive oil
Salt & pepper, to taste

Pizza Dough
1.5 tbsp Yeast
2 cups Water, warm
1 tbsp Organic cane sugar
4 cups Flour
4 tbsp Olive oil
2 tsp Salt

Fillings
5 Chorizo sausages, casing removed
1 Onion, chopped
1 Yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 Banana peppers, chopped
1 cup Shitake mushrooms, chopped

The Skinny:

1. In measuring cup: add water, sugar, and yeast. Allow to prime for 10 minutes, then in a large mixing bowl, add yeast water and remaining dough ingredients. Mix dough until a solid ball is formed and there is no remaining loose flour. Cover with a warm moist towel and allow to rise for 1 hour.
2. In saucepan: heat oil over med-high heat then add garlic and onions and cook until brown. Add remaining smokey tomato sauce ingredients, cover, and allow to simmer for 30 minutes. Once the tomatoes are fully cooked, use and immersion blender or food processor to puree the sauce. If desired, cook off any remaining liquid to get the desired consistency.
3. Preheat oven to 350*.
4. In frying pan: cook chorizo sausages on medium heat. Once nearly cooked, add the peppers and cook for another 5 minutes.
5. On well floured surface: separate the dough into desired size balls. Using a rolling pin, or a bottle of wine, roll out until the dough is 3 mm thick.
6. Add the smokey tomato sauce and fillings onto the flattened, pizza-shaped, dough. Fold over the dough then using a fork or your fingers seal the edges.
7. Brush with olive oil, then bake for 25-30 minutes.

Featured on:Premeditated Leftovers, 33 Shades of Green, Food Renegade, Chef in Training,

Stay Rad -h

Thank-ya Solyanka

The Lowdown:

There were two reasons that I wanted to start wasting my time with this blog. One was to prove Kristy wrong. If you get to know me, you'll soon understand that this is a common theme in my life. I once ate an entire pack of expired bacon just because my lovely girlfriend said I couldn't. Well, I did... and paid dearly (Kristy can tell you all about it as it effected her birthday). But the point is that I did it! Proving a point is much more important than the consequences that follow. 

Secondly, it was an excellent way to expand my repertoire. Obviously it expanded my repertoire of recipes and cooking techniques (not to mention useless dishes and place settings... ugh). But an unforeseen result of this blog is the expansion of my musical repertoire. Often while I'm writing these posts I'll throw on youtube and search for a song, any song, that happens to come to mind. Then, I'll listen to the recommended songs on the sidebar. Often, I'll put these in the posts. I'm sure you've noticed.

To continue on with that tradition, Wyclef Jean - Knockin on Heaven's Door, is a great place to start. It suits the theme of this post, as it is a remake of Bob Dylan's classic hit. Likewise, on our schedule, this week's post is a remake of another blogger's recipe. Yes, I've actually started following the schedule.

Being that summer has seemed to have forgotten about Victoria, I was craving a cold weather favourite. For me, this is usually soup. Then I remembered a soup that my Nan once made a while back. Dill pickles in soup? I'd thought she'd surely become senile (I'm still not fully convinced that she isn't). But as it turned out, I loved it. Who'd know that tomatoes, dill pickles, and onion would make a delicious soup (other than the hundreds of millions of people who have enjoyed solyanka before me).

If any of you are interested in other Eastern European dishes, or the original post that this came from, you can find it at russianchef.blogspot.ca. If any of you are interested in another amazing remake, check out Wyclef Jean - Wish You Were Here. This is, in my opinion, is an amazing remake of one of Pink Floyd's greatest songs. Most of the time you hear a cover, it sounds as if the artist is just trying to make easy money off of another artist's hit. However, Wyclef's covers seem as if they are paying homage to great artists that have since been forgotten by the majority of today's people, while adding his spin on modern issues. I hope I can pay the same sort of homage to solyanka. Enjoy.

The Playlist:

500g Meat (I used leftover turkey, but any mixture of meat is good).
6-8 Tomatoes, chopped*
2 cups Pickles, chopped
1 Onion, chopped
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1/2 Lemon, juiced*
1 tbsp Honey (sugar if you don't have honey)*
2 Bay leaves*
2 tbsp Parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup Canola oil
750ml Water
Salt & Pepper, to taste

OPTIONAL - Vegetarian:
1 Carrot, chopped
1/4 head Cabbage, chopped
1 Potato, cubed

*A can of tomato sauce can be used in place of these ingredients.

The Skinny:

1. In sauce pan: stew tomatoes with bay leaves, parsley, lemon juice, sugar, salt, and pepper. Cook on a low simmer for 20 minutes (I mashed mine). Alternatively, you could used a can of tomato sauce to save time.
2. In frying pan: brown onions, garlic, and meat in oil.
3. In large pot: bring water to a boil.
4. While water is heating, combine onions, meat, pickles, and tomatoes and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. Put mixture into boiling water, cover, and remove from heat. Allow to set for 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm.

Featured on: Chef in Training, 33 Shades of Green, Premeditated Leftovers, Spain in Iowa, Food Renegades, This Chick Cooks, Lady Behind the Curtain, What's Cooking Love,  

Stay Rad -h