Ingredients for My Caprese Salad

Tomatoes

Fresh tomatoes! You can use Cherry, Roma, Beefsteak… Any type of tomatoes works. Cut them in medium-large bites.

Mozzarella Cheese

Fresh Mozzarella is best but if you don’t have any you can use regular it just isn’t quiet the same but is still good. You can either buy the slices or the pearls. For this salad I use a high quality regular mozzarella because its what I had on hand. I cut it into cubes the same size as my tomatoes.

Fresh Basil

I grow fresh basil in my garden and I advise everyone to grow basil. Its easy and so rewarding! If you don’t have a basil in your garden you can buy fresh leaves at your local grocery store or ask a friend who has a garden if they could spare a few basil leaves. This recipe will not work at all with dried basil.

Balsamic Vinegar

Although not a traditional ingredient I don’t ever make Caprese without a little balsamic. It adds a sweet, bold flavor that complements the other ingredients beautifully.

Olive/Avocado Oil

Traditionally you would drizzle olive oil on caprese salad but I was out so I used Avocado oil and it did not disappoint. You don’t need a lot just a little drizzle.

Garlic

Fresh garlic is another non traditional ingredients that I just can’t seem to live without! I love fresh garlic on just about everything. The garlic is bold flavor and some people don’t love it, if you are one of those people feel free to leave it out.

Salt and Pepper

Adding a little salt and pepper goes a long way.

How to Make Caprese Salad

Caprese salad is easy to assemble. Traditionally sliced tomatoes and sliced cheese with full leaves of basil, drizzle some olive oil and you are done! I personally like everything cut a little smaller so I can easily have all the ingredients in one bite.

Cut or slice your tomatoes the way you want, cut or slice the mozzarella the same way at the tomatoes. Cut or keep your leaves whole depending on your preference. Add minced garlic, salt and pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Caprese Salad

Yield: 2-4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

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Ingredients

• 4 Medium to Large Tomatoes
• 5-10 Basil Leaves
• 3-5 Mozzarella Slices
• 3-4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 3-4 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• 2 Garlic Cloves

Instructions

1. Cut or slice tomatoes, cheese and basil however you prefer.
2. Add minced garlic and salt and pepper
3. Drizzle olive oil and balsamic vinegar
4. Toss lightly and serve!

Add more….

Here I added butter lettuce and avocado to my Caprese Salad to go along with my Honey Balsamic Salmon. I may seem like you are ruining a good caprese salad by adding more ingredients but I like to think of it more as elevating my everyday salad with some caprese.

In my cooking I also encourage creativity and experimenting, its how we learn and grow to be a better cook. So add ingredients you think will make your meal complete and worry about tradition later.

The post How to Make Caprese Salad appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Heads up! My post do contain affiliate links, which means I may make a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

More Calzone Recipes…

Calzones for dinner! Try my Mushroom and Onion Calzone or Spinach and Artichoke Calzone next!

How To Make Chocolate Cinnamon Dessert Calzones

This recipe is very simple. I make dessert calzones whenever I am making calzones for dinner. My dough is already made the oven is already up to 500 degrees. To make this very simple dessert, just grab a little bit of butter, some chocolate chips, a little brown sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

1. Make pizza/calzone dough

I make my pizza dough from scratch but you can also buy pizza dough for your local grocery store or pizzeria’s sometimes sell dough. Click here for my pizza dough recipe.

2. Roll out your dough

Roll the dough out just like pizza dough. You can even do the little throw in the air trick if you are that cool. Before placing the filling on make sure you place some parchment paper under the dough.

3. Add filling

Add your dessert filling ingredients to one half of the rolled out dough. Start with some chunks of butter or melted butter on your dough. Now brown sugar, then some chocolate chips and last but not least cinnamon.

4. Fold the calzone

Fold over the plain side of dough over onto the side with the filling. Leaving about an inch of room to seal. Pinch the edge a little and roll or twist the edge all the way around.

5. Butter or Egg wash the top

In my other calzones recipes I egg wash the top. For this dessert calzone I wanted to do a little more… Instead of the egg wash you can use butter. After the butter I sprinkled a little more cane sugar and cinnamon on the top. It was delicious!

6. Bake and enjoy!

Score the top. Bake on a cooking sheet at 500 degrees for about 7-9 minutes. Not too long or the sugar will burn. I left my in just a tad to long and the top is a little dark. But it didn’t taste burnt, just had a few rough edges.

More Dessert Calzone Toppings!

I hope this simple recipe encourages you to explore a little when making a dessert calzone. Its as simple a sprinkling a few ingredients that you like together to satisfy your sweet tooth. Here are some other ingredient combinations that you might enjoy.

S’mores Calzone

• Marshmallows
• Chocolate Chips
• Cinnamon
• Butter

Fruit Calzone

• Cream cheese
• powdered sugar
• blueberries and strawberries (or another favorite fruit)

White Chocolate Calzone

• White chocolate chips
• Cream cheese
• Sliced Almonds
• Nutmeg

Nutella Calzone

• Nutella (That would probably be enough…)

Be creative! There’s so many options out there and you will learn more about baking and cooking by trying new things then just following a recipe. So go for it!

Chocolate Cinnamon Calzone

Yield: 1 Calzone

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 7 minutes

Total Time: 12 minutes

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Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon

Instructions

1. Make Pizza/Calzone dough
2. Roll out dough in a circle like a pizza
3. Put Butter, Brown Sugar, Chocolate Chips and Cinnamon on 1 half of the dough. leaving about an inch on the sides for sealing.
4. Fold over the dough on top of the filling. Push down on the edges to
   seal and twist and fold the edge into the calzone creating a swirly
   crust.
5. Use egg wash or melted butter on the top and sprinkle a litt more sugar and cinnamon on top.
6. Cut 5 steam holes on the top of the calzone
7. Bake at 500 degrees for 7-9 minutes.
8. Let cool and enjoy!

The post Simple Recipe for Dessert Calzones appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Heads up! My post do contain affiliate links, which means I may make a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients for Mushroom and Onion Calzone

Mushroom

You can use either fresh or frozen, both work just fine as long as they are both chopped. The recipe calls for 1 cup. I use frozen so if you are using fresh you may want to do 1 1/2 cups.

Onion

I use a yellow onion but white onion or sweet onion will also work well for this recipe. I like to caramelize the onions and mushroom with a little bit of sugar but that is optional. You can simple saute them without the sugar and it will still be delicious.

Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese is the base of the filling. I love the texture of baked ricotta cheese. Ricotta is a soft, creamy cheese that spreads so perfectly. Its made from the whey leftover when making hard cheeses such as mozzarella or cheddar. These cheese is low in fat and rich in phosphorus and vitamin B12.

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is considered a hard cheese. When melted it will stick to the other ingredients and hold them together as they cool down again. Mozzarella wont only work as an binding agent but also adds a nice salty flavor and cheesy texture to our calzones.

Garlic and Italian Seasoning and Salt

All of these ingredients add a huge amount of flavor but they also have great health benefits. Garlic is an antibiotic, helping build up our immune system and fight colds and viruses. Italian herbs such as basil, sage, thyme and oregano all have antioxidants, help build up the immune system, are heart healthy and even some regulate hormones and more. Salt is essential to our taste buds and also our body’s health and function with its sodium electrolytes and all.

An Egg

We just need one eggs. This egg will help the filling bind together so when you cut or bite into your calzone the filling don’t fall out. I also you a second egg for an egg wash, this is optional.

How to Make A Calzone

Step One: Make Pizza/Calzone Dough

I make my pizza dough from scratch but you can also buy pizza dough for your local grocery store or even some pizzeria’s just sell dough. Click here for my pizza dough recipe.

Step Two: Saute Onion and Mushrooms

I like to caramelize my onions and mushrooms by adding a little bit of sugar while sauteing them. The sugar is optional but I think adds the perfect touch of sweet flavor to our cheesy calzone.

Step Three: Mix Calzone Filling Ingredients

Mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, egg, garlic, seasoning, salt. Then add the mushroom and onions.

Step Four: Roll Dough Out

Roll the dough out just like pizza dough. You can even do the little throw in the air trick if you are that cool. Before placing the filling on make sure you place some parchment paper under the dough.

Step Five: Spoon the Calzone Filling and Fold

Spoon the filling on the to dough leaving about an inch of room to seal. When the filling is on fold over the dough onto the filling. Pinch the edge a little and roll or twist the edge all the way around.

Step Six: Cut Steam Hole and Bake

Cut five steam holes on the top of the dough. At this point you can cover with and egg wash, it is optional. Now bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.

IMPORTANT, The pizza dough recipe makes 4 calzones while the filling only fills 2. This is because my kids and I like verity. In other words, they like pepperoni and I like mushrooms. To make a pepperoni calzone just though some pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni inside the calzone.

I also have an Spinach and Artichoke Calzone Recipe and a Dessert Calzone Recipe.

Mushroom & Onion Ricotta Calzone

Yield: 2 Medium Calzones

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

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Ingredients

Filling

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms
• 1/2 onion (chopped)
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Crust

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Make Pizza/Calzone Crust.
2. Chop onions and mushrooms and saute with the sugar, oil and garlic.
3. Once the onions and mushrooms are soft and caramelized turn off heat and let cool.
4. Mix together in a separate bowl, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, salt, and the Italian seasoning.
5. Add onions and mushrooms to mixture.
6. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
7. Roll out dough in a circle like you would pizza dough and place parchment paper underneath.
8. Spoon the filling on the half, one side, of the dough. Leaving 3/4 inch from rim.
9. Fold over the dough on top of the filling. Push down on the edges to seal and twist and fold the edge into the calzone creating a swirly crust.
10. Egg wash the top and cut 5 steam holes on the top of the calzone.
11. Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.

Notes

IMPORTANT, The pizza dough makes 4 calzones while the filling only fills 2. This is because my kids and I like verity. In other words, they like pepperoni and I like spinach. To make a pepperoni calzone just though some pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni inside the calzone.

I also have an Mushroom and Onion Calzone Recipe and a Dessert Calzone Recipe.

The post Mushroom and Onion Ricotta Calzone appeared first on Embracing The Home.

Heads up! My post do contain affiliate links, which means I may make a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Ingredients for Spinach Artichoke Calzone

Spinach

You can use either fresh or frozen, both work just fine as long as they are both chopped. The recipe calls for 1 cup. I use frozen so if you are using fresh you may want to do 1 1/2 cups.

Artichoke Hearts

I use canned artichoke hearts in water, not oil but for this recipe either one would work. I drain the artichoke hearts from the water and chop them up. Did you know, that artichokes are known to be the vegetable with the most antioxidants in them? Artichoke are also a rich source of minerals like copper, calcium, potassium, iron, manganese, and phosphorus and have lots of vitamin K and some vitamin C. Artichokes are a part of the sunflower family.

Ricotta Cheese

Ricotta cheese is the base of the filling. I love the texture of baked ricotta cheese. Ricotta is a soft, creamy cheese that spreads so perfectly. Its made from the whey leftover when making hard cheeses such as mozzarella or cheddar. These cheese is low in fat and rich in phosphorus and vitamin B12.

Mozzarella Cheese

Mozzarella cheese is considered a hard cheese. When melted it will stick to the other ingredients and hold them together as they cool down again. Mozzarella wont only work as an binding agent but also adds a nice salty flavor and cheesy texture to our calzones.

Garlic and Italian Seasoning and Salt

All of these ingredients add a huge amount of flavor but they also have great health benefits. Garlic is an antibiotic, helping build up our immune system and fight colds and viruses. Italian herbs such as basil, sage, thyme and oregano all have antioxidants, help build up the immune system, are heart healthy and even some regulate hormones and more. Salt is essential to our taste buds and also our body’s health and function with its sodium electrolytes and all.

An Egg

We just need one eggs. This egg will help the filling bind together so when you cut or bite into your calzone the filling don’t fall out. I also you a second egg for an egg wash, this is optional.

How to Make A Calzone

Step One: Make Pizza Dough

I make my pizza dough from scratch but you can also buy pizza dough for your local grocery store or even some pizzeria’s just sell dough. Click here for my pizza dough recipe.

Step Two: Mix Filling Ingredients

Mix together the ricotta cheese, mozzarella, egg, chopped spinach, chopped artichokes, garlic, seasoning, salt… mix it all in a bowl!

Step Three: Roll Dough Out

Roll the dough out just like pizza dough. You can even do the little throw in the air trick if you are that cool. Before placing the filling on make sure you place some parchment paper under the dough.

Step Four: Spoon Filling and Fold

Spoon the filling on the to dough leaving about an inch of room to seal. When the filling is on fold over the dough onto the filling. Pinch the edge a little and roll or twist the edge all the way around.

Step Five: Cut Steam Hole and Bake

Cut five steam holes on the top of the dough. At this point you can cover with and egg wash, it is optional. Now bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.

Spinach & Artichoke Ricotta Calzone

Yield: 2 medium calzones

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Print

Ingredients

Filling

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 cup chopped spinach
• 1 cup chopped artichoke hearts
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 egg
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Crust

Toggle ingredient group

• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon yeast
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. Make Pizza/Calzone Crust.
2. Mix together in a bowl, chopped artichokes, chopped spinach, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, egg, salt, garlic and the Italian seasoning.
3. Preheat oven to 500 degrees.
4. Roll out dough in a circle like you would pizza dough and place parchment paper underneath.
5. Spoon the filling on the half, one side, of the dough. Leaving 3/4 inch from rim.
6. Fold over the dough on top of the filling. Push down on the edges to seal and twist and fold the edge into the calzone creating a swirly crust.
7. Egg wash the top and cut 5 steam holes on the top of the calzone.
8. Bake for 15 minutes at 500 degrees.

Notes

IMPORTANT, The pizza dough makes 4 calzones while the filling only fills 2. This is because my kids and I like verity. In other words, they like pepperoni and I like spinach. To make a pepperoni calzone just though some pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese and pepperoni inside the calzone.

I also have an Mushroom and Onion Calzone Recipe and a Dessert Calzone Recipe.

The post Spinach & Artichoke Ricotta Calzone appeared first on Embracing The Home.