Playdate Special: Ham and Broccoli Calzones

You might think we're super moms. That we do it all. That we twirl happily through spotless homes, humming as we casually whip up a four-course meal while dispensing hugs to the little ones.

In reality, though, it's more often like this: Shortly before Anna was due at my door with kids in tow, I plunked my preschooler in front of "Handy Manny," swept up most of the cereal under the kitchen table, and cracked open the lid on the flour canister.

Huh.

A half-cup of all-purpose flour. That left me ... about five and a half cups short.

I improvised pizza dough, tossing in a few cups of white whole wheat and bread flour. The result: Well, it would have made a lovely loaf.

But the stuffing! Ricotta, ham, broccoli, and mozzarella, yum. These folded-up pizza pockets are tasty, easy, and portable -- a great on-the-go meal, even for breakfast. Use your favorite pizza dough, be it made from scratch or refrigerated.

The kids ate them right up, scarcely noticing the tell-tale green bits indicating the presence of a vegetable.

Not only did I mess up the dough, I messed up the portions. I divided dough for one pizza round into four calzones, which resulted in mighty hefty calzones. Way too much dough. Dividing the dough into six portions will yield a much thinner crust, more evenly matched to the fillings inside.

Ham and Broccoli Calzones

You can prepare prepare these a day before baking. The assembled calzones can also be frozen until ready to bake.

1/2 cup ricotta
1/2 cup broccoli florets, chopped
2/3 cup ham, diced
1/3 cup mozzarella
salt, to taste
freshly ground pepper, to taste
one pizza dough, homemade or prepared
cornmeal
1 egg
1 tablespoon water
tomato sauce (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, broccoli, ham, mozzarella, and salt and pepper.
Divide pizza dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out each portion into a circle about 6 inches across. Place a half-cup of filling in the center, then fold over dough to create a half-circle. Press edges with your fingers or a fork to seal. Sprinkle a baking sheet with cornmeal; set calzones on sheet, leaving a few inches between them.
In a small bowl, whisk egg with water. Using a pastry brush, brush egg and water mixture over the calzones.
Bake until dough is lightly browned, 14-18 minutes.
Serve with tomato sauce for dipping.

Giveaway: Our Favorite Recipes for Spring

This is a big week for us: We're going to publish our 100th recipe! We're thrilled to be reaching this milestone so soon after launching Cook Play Explore in the fall. To celebrate, we're offering our first giveaway: an e-book compilation of our favorite recipes for spring, which is just budding here in the Bay Area. Before you know it, we'll be savoring summer's bounty!

To enter, all you need to do is comment on any one of this week's posts. Tell us about a recipe you loved, share one of your own, let us know what you think of the site, or just say hello! We'll pick a winner at random to receive our first e-book.

As we celebrate, a big thank-you to everyone who has helped make this project so much fun. We love sharing our kitchens with you!

Second Helping: The Crunchy Factor of Green Beans

There I was for the first time in Paris on my late 20's when I heard a French friend describing her recipe for Haricots Verts. Her enthusiasm puzzled me. I was asking myself how a simple vegetable -- even with that elegant name -- was considered so amazing... It took me more than a decade to unveil something similar to that recipe and to understand all the goodness and charm of fresh green beans, and their similarity to the French variety, the sleek Haricot Vert.

So, when I prepared green beans for Lunar New Year's potluck, thanks to Darienne,  who suggested the side dish but ended up preparing delicious prawns, I had all that memory of those irresistible haricots verts from my friend.  To add an Asian touch to the dish, I added rice vinegar and soy sauce.

During my search of green beans literature, I was amazed to find all about it. Green beans are loaded with vitamins, including the awesome Vitamin K, full of fiber, low in calories, and last but not least, full of flavor. Than I learned that it is considered a symbol of longevity for the New Year. And, for my surprise, a hit for my 3-year-old boy.  With all those nutritional qualities, texture and flavor, long life for green beans! From now on they will always be a favorite in my home, Lunar New Year and beyond. 

Crunchy Marinated Green Beans

The beans I bought were from Trader Joe's and came trimmed and washed. The main part of the process is never overcook the beans if you want to experience the irresistible crunchiness they bring to a plate.

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed and washed
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 teaspoons powdered California garlic (or 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed fresh garlic)
3 tablespoons reduced sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Cook beans for about 6 to 8 minutes on medium heat with a tablespoon of water, or enough to cover the surface of the pot. If beans are from a ready-washed and trimmed package, follow the instructions for cooking, choosing the minimum time. Transfer to a heat-proof dish  and while still very hot add all seasonings and mix well. Cover and let it stand for at least 2 hours before serving. It can be reheated for about 3 more minutes or served at room temperature.