Warm a Chilly Spring Evening with a Calzone (or two!)

Tasty meat and cheese filling folded inside frozen bread makes an easy and filling family meal baked on your big Longaberger platter. Serve it alongside spaghetti or lasagna or with just a simple salad on the side. Longaberger's Large Rectangular Serving Tray, later returning as the big Handled Platter, is great for baking large items such as this calzone. 

1 loaf frozen bread: thaw overnight in refrigerator, then take it out and place on jelly roll (9x13x2) pan to rise.  When doubled, roll out in pan and cover. I used a Pampered Chef flexible rolling mat to allow the top half of the bread to lay off to the side until ready to close it up.

 

1 lb ground beef (I add 1/2 lb ground sausage)

1 medium onion, chopped

1 green pepper, chopped

salt, pepper, and garlic to taste

Cook above together and set aside.

1 additional medium onion

1 additional green pepper

Slice into rings and fry, leaving them still crisp.  This is an optional step that I recommend.

Spread 1 small jar of regular or hot Cheese Whiz (yes, they do still make it!) over entire area of dough.  Then to bottom half of dough, add:

ground beef mixture

onion and pepper rings (optional)

sliced pepperoni

mozzarella cheese slices        

I tried to show this in a photo, almost finished.

Fold dough over and seal. Let rise 15 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees until browned, 20-25 minutes. Grease top with butter to soften.

This is a recipe our family has enjoyed for years. I hope yours will enjoy it as well. For other favorite recipes I have shared, click on the Recipes label below this post. My quiche recipe is different than you might expect and another favorite. I'm not much of a food photographer, though!