Spinach Calzone

I used Trader Joes whole wheat pizza dough. You could use any store bought pizza dough or even make your own homemade pizza dough.

olive oil
6 oz. fresh baby spinach
salt and pepper for seasoning
ground beef
crushed red pepper flakes for seasoning
italian seasoning
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 jar of marinara sauce
pizza dough
shredded mozzarella
shredded parmesan

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Coat baking sheet with a thin layer of olive oil.

In a large sauté pan, drizzle with oil olive and heat over medium-high heat. Add ground beef, garlic and season with red pepper, italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Brown and crumble ground beef until just about cooked through. Add marinara sauce and reduce to a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes.

While sauce is cooking, flour a flat surface and roll out individual pieces of dough into the desired sizes for your calzone.

Place a piece of dough on a portion of the baking sheet and top with sauce, shredded mozzarella and parmesan. Fold other half of dough over the filled side and seal sides. Repeat with all pieces of dough.

Bake for about 15 to 18 minutes. Serve and ENJOY!!!!

Wine pairing......Chianti or Sangiovese.

Bacon, Asparagus, Green Pea and Bell Pepper Pasta

I used whole wheat penne pasta, but a spiral or cavatappi pasta would be great too.

1/2 cup frozen petite peas
asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch strips
1 red onion, cut into 1 inch strips
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 slices of bacon, diced
southwestern salad dressing
pepper for seasoning
olive oil
shredded parmesan for garnish (optional)

Start bringing water to a boil for pasta.

Sauté bacon until crisp. Remove from sauté pan and allow to rest on a paper towel. Drain bacon fat, leaving a little bit to help coat the pan. Drizzle pan with olive oil. Heat over a medium-high heat and sauté asparagus, onion, bell pepper and garlic (season with pepper) until just starting to turn soft.

Start cooking pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, add bacon and peas. Continue to sauté, stirring frequently until pasta is done.

Once pasta is done, add pasta to a large bowl. Add vegetable mixture and toss to coat. Add about 1/2 cup of the southwestern salad dressing. Continue to toss to coat. Garnish with shredded parmesan (optional), serve and ENJOY!!!!!

Wine pairing.......Pinot Noir.

Orange Glazed Salmon

I served this with roasted potatoes. It was a nice companion to the sweetness of the salmon.

southwestern seasoning
brown sugar
salt and pepper for seasoning
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 tbsp lime juice
olive oil
salmon filets

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place salmon in a baking dish. Season salmon with southwestern seasoning, brown sugar, salt and pepper. Cover salmon with orange marmalade and drizzle with lime juice and olive oil. Let marinade for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally to coat all sides and to break down marmalade.

Place salmon in the oven and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check for doneness with a fork. The thickest part of the salmon flesh should be opaque and flake easily.

Serve and ENJOY!!!!!

Wine pairing.......Pinot Noir (who said you can’t have red wine with fish) or Pinot Gris.

2005 Herman Story Syrah San Luis Obispo

Inky and deep purple in the glass.  Blueberry, mocha and espresso hit the palate.  Full body and has a terrific feel in the mouth.

2005 McCrea Ciel du Cheval Mourvedre

Wonderful floral, berry and cherry aromas. Background notes of leather and black pepper. A nice balance of fruit and cherry with a slight bit of tannins.