Sausage spinach & ricotta calzones

Do you ever have weeks where you have a little of this leftover & a little of that leftover?  Stuff that is perfectly good and that you don't want to throw away because groceries are so darn expensive and you don't want to be wasteful .. but you need to find a use for.  I had 1/2 a package of cooked sausage, 1/2 bag of unthawed frozen spinach (I used the rest in soup).  Then I have had a container of ricotta looking for something to do with.  So I was thinking pasta, then I was thinking pizza.  Then it hit me...calzones..  They are easy to make and easy to pick up and eat.

I used full fat ricotta, because I do not like the reduced fat kind. I used half a 15 oz container for this recipe..(which leaves me with more leftovers..lol) and after making these I had about 3/4 of a cup of the sausage/spinach filling leftover.. I am making Spinach, sausage lasagna with creamy bechemel (white) sauce tomorrow with the leftover ricotta, and sausage filling...yeah, 2 meals with leftovers..my kinda thing :)  

I used Grands biscuits that I rolled out, but you could use refrigerated pizza dough, or the pizza dough the kind in a tube (by the biscuits, just roll it out.  If you used something other than the biscuits you will probably not have any leftover sausage filling left and you will probably use an entire container of ricotta, just double the seasonings and cheese, in the ricotta filling mixture.  Speaking of cheese, I used an Italian blend, which has Mozzarella, Parmesan & provolone in it.  Use what ever cheese you like...

I also brushed these with butter mixed with a little garlic powder & dried parsley when they came out of the oven... Make these today.. Enjoy


Sausage spinach & ricotta calzones


1 package Grand biscuits
1/2 package cooked sausage, crumbled (I used Bob Evans)
1 cup of shredded Italian cheese blend
1 clove garlic,minced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 T butter & olive oil
1/2 package frozen spinach, unthawed and squeezed dry
1/2 t white wine
salt & pepper

In a skillet add butter & olive oil.  Add onion, salt & pepper,over medium heat stirring often until translucent and softened.  Add cooked sausage & the garlic clove stirring until sausage is hot.  Add the wine, and spinach stirring until all the filling is hot and the wine has evaporated. 

Ricotta filling (Mix together)

1/2 of a 15 oz package ricotta
1/4 cup shredded Italian blend cheese
1/4 tsp each garlic & onion powder
1/4 t Italian seasoning
salt & pepper

Garlic butter mixture (Mix together)
1/4 cup Butter,melted
Dried parsley and a dash of garlic powder

Preheat oven to 350.Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.
On a floured surface roll out the biscuits doing one at a time using a rolling pin until flattened.  Spoon a spoonful of the ricotta, a spoonful of the sausage/spinach mixture and a small sprinkling of cheese,  remembering not to fill them too full or they wont close.

 Lay them on the baking sheet and turn them over to close using a fork to seal the edges.  Continue till all the biscuits are used, making sure that they are not touching.

 Bake for 25-30 minutes (start checking them at 20 minutes) and every 5 minutes after that.  When they are golden remove from the oven, and brush with the garlic butter mixture.  Serve... enjoy

Ice cream sandwich cake

Oh my gosh!!! I just made my first ice cream sandwich cake, well it's not really made out of cake, but it is the best thing ever!!! I have all my boys requesting this for their birthday's... so it was a hit....and was the star of the show... and super easy to do.... It was basically layering ice cream sandwiches, & holding the layers together with thick hot fudge, then frosting the entire thing with whipped topping and covering the top with candy..who wouldn't love that...

You can use whatever candy you like, and I used frozen whipped topping thawed, and spray whipped cream for the border , but you can just use the frozen whipped topping and skip the spray kind.  It will be just fine.. Also, we love chocolate at our house, you can use any kind of topping that you like, caramel etc.  Also, use whatever magic shell topping you like too..


Start with one box of ice cream sandwiches at a time, leaving the other box in the freezer to make sure they stay really frozen and hard. I used classic vanilla ice cream sandwiches, but my husband is requesting the Neapolitan (you know the strawberry, chocolate & vanilla) ones, and we were talking about mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwiches..that would be really good too... make this today & your family will love you.. Enjoy



Ice cream sandwich cake


2 boxes, full size ice cream sandwiches, unwrapped
1 large container cool whip, thawed
2 jars hot fudge ice cream topping ( I used Smuckers)
1 container Magic shell, ice cream topping, (I used hot fudge flavored)
Candy ( I used cut up Twix bars, mini Reese peanut butter cups, and M & M's)
1 can spray whip cream


In a 13 x 9 pan, line it completely with foil, making sure it overhangs the pan.  Unwrap the ice cream sandwiches and line the pan with a single row of sandwiches, cutting ones to fit the edges of the pan.

Scoop the entire contents of one jar of hot fudge and spread into an even layer over the first row of ice cream sandwiches.

Add remaining layer of unwrapped ice cream sandwiches cutting to fit.  Cover pan with foil & place entire pan into the freezer and freeze for at least a couple of hours. After the couple of hours, remove pan from freezer.  I lined a large cutting board with aluminum foil.  Remove the foil that is covering the pan. Place the cutting board over the pan and flip the cake upside down on the cutting board/cake platter. Remove the foil.  Spread the remaining hot fudge over the top layer of the cake.  Frost the entire cake with cool whip topping.

Place cake back in freezer (don't cover) for at least a couple of hours to harden.  When cool whip topping  is hardened and you are almost (within a half hour of being) ready to serve the cake.  Using the spray whipped cream make a decorative border on the top and bottom of the cake. 

Add the chopped candies on top and drizzle with magic shell topping.

 Carefully put the cake back in the freezer for up to a 1/2 hour. Remove from freezer, cut and serve.. Enjoy

Meatball subs

Who doesn't loved a baked sub...all dripping and oozy with cheese...I do... and add a few meatballs into the mix and I am totally in..... sign me up for this... pronto like :)


I use pizza sauce that has been heated up...but you can use spaghetti sauce too... I have even thought about skipping the pizza sauce and spooning BBQ sauce over it, and then adding cheese... *note to self..you really need to try that :)  anyways... I use an Italian cheese blend which has mozzerella, provolone, & parmesan cheese, but you can use your favorite cheese.  I serve this with crushed red peppers, & banana peppers on the side because I have kids and I don't want to make this too spicy for them.  My husband and I add a little "heat" to our own sandwiches... I use a little extra pizza sauce to dip them in, but it is optional as well.  Make these today..enjoy


Meatball subs

Sub buns
1 lb ground beef ( I use 85/15 )
1/4 onion, minced
1 clove garlic minced,
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 T red wine
2 T half n half
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 T. worchester sauce
Shredded Italian cheese blend
1 jar pizza sauce
**crushed red pepper flakes & pickled banana peppers for serving if desired. 

Seasonings of your choice (I used seasoned salt, pepper, Italian seasoning blend, garlic& onion powder, and dried parsley)

In bowl add ground beef, garlic, bread crumbs, half n half, egg,wine, worchester sauce, parmesan cheese, and seasonings.  With hands mix well.  Roll with hands into golf ball size balls.  Place on greased oven safe baking sheet with rim.  Bake at 350 for 35 minutes turning halfway thru.  Test meatball to make sure no pink remains in the center.  Turn oven to broil, and move oven rack to the top rack in the oven. 
Heat pizza sauce.  Place aluminum foil (for easy cleanup) on baking sheet.  Place sub buns on sheet.  Cut them open (if not done already) not all the way thru but open them up and place baking sheet under broiler.  Broil for a couple of minutes (WATCHING CAREFULLY SO THEY DON'T BURN) until they are browned.  Place cooked meatballs down the bun, and spoon pizza sauce over the meatballs.  Top with shredded cheese and broil for 1-2 minutes till the cheese is melted.  Remove from oven and serve.  Add crushed red pepper or banana peppers if desired. 

Chorizo & eggs

Oh man do I love Chorizo... for those who are going huh?? What's chorizo... it is a spicy Spanish/Mexican sausage flavored with paprika & garlic all kinds of heavenly things...It is a deep red color, much like the color of paprika.  It comes in links, or in plastic tube like containers.  I used pork chorizo but they sell beef as well.  I love it crumbled in quesidillas, or mixed with ground beef and made into tacos, but I also love it mixed with eggs, and made into breakfast burritos... so good.

I used Queso Fresco cheese, which is a Mexican crumbly type cheese, along with Co-Jack cheese but you can use any kind of cheese that you like.  I also serve mine with diced avacados, hot sauce & sour cream, but again it is totally up to you what you put on it. Make these today..... Enjoy...


Chorizo & eggs

1 package of raw pork chorizo, removed from plastic casing
6-8 eggs, beaten with a teaspoonful of water
1 package of flour tortillas
Cheese of your choice (I used Queso Fresco & Co-jack)
1 avocado, peeled & seeded, diced
Sour cream & hot sauce for serving (optional)

In large frying pan over medium high heat add chorizo.  Cook for 5-8 minutes stirring very often until sausage is slightly browned, breaking up sausage and mashing with the back of spoon until done.  Add eggs to the crumbled sausage (do not drain fat off) and stir constantly until eggs are set (they will turn the red color of the sausage).  Cook until done eggs will be soft turn off heat and remove pan from heat .  Spoon into tortillas, top with cheese and diced avocado.  Fold tortillas in half, and serve with sour cream & hot sauce (optional).  Enjoy