I like to make things easier on myself when I can.  A few months ago I bought a Fleishmann’s Italian Herb Bread Mix when it was on sale and I had a coupon.  Yes, I try to shop as cheaply and simply as I can.   But, it has been sitting in my cupboard since then.  Every time I open the cupboard door I would stare at it thinking I need to make this but I just don’t have time or it doesn’t go with what we are having for dinner.

I hate to waste food so I finally came up with a day when I had some extra time and I thought of the perfect use for it.  Calzone dough!

It was yummy and perfectly simple.  The kids loved that they could customize their own calzones – no onions and peppers in one and no pepperoni in another.  Everyone got their favorite toppings and no one had to pick out the things they did not like.

Ingredients:

• 1 Fleishmann’s Italian Herb Bread mix
• 1/2 lb. Italian Sausage, casings removed
• 4 oz. pepperoni
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 cup of spaghetti sauce, homemade or your favorite
• 1 tsp. powdered garlic
• 2 tsp. dried oregano
• salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 cups of mozzarella cheese, shredded
• any of your other favorite pizza toppings – olives, bacon, sweet peppers, etc…

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Make bread dough according to package directions.  While dough is rising cook the Italian sausage in a skillet over medium heat.  Break the sausage into small pieces with the back of a spoon as it is cooking.
3. Remove the sausage from the pan onto a paper towel lined plate to absorb some of the grease.  Empty all but 1 TBSP of grease from the skillet.
4. Add onions and peppers and cook over medium heat about 3-4 minutes until lightly softened.  Remove from heat.
5. Into your one cup of spaghetti sauce stir the garlic and oregano.  Add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Begin assembling the calzones.  We made three LARGE calzones from one mix.  Divide the dough into 1/3s.
7. Grease a baking pan with a TBSP of canola oil.  Press 1/3 of the dough out into a large rectangle on the baking sheet dough should be thin but not see through.
8. On the long half of the rectangle start assembling using 1/3 of each ingredient.   Begin with a layer of sausage, then onions and peppers, then pepperoni.  then spaghetti sauce mix, and cheese over the top.  Keep all ingredients on 1/2 the dough.
9. Now fold the 1/2 without ingredients over the top of the calzone.  Seal edges well by turning them over and pinching tightly.  Seal any holes or edges or the ingredients will seep out and burn before your calzone is done cooking.
10. When all calzones are made cook for 15-20 minutes or until bottom of calzone is golden brown.  Remove from oven and let sit 3-5 minutes before serving.