Ham and Cheese Calzones

In case you're wondering, this is post #498. Only two more until my giveaway! (If you haven't entered yet, do so. Here. Now.)

So the other day I made one of Lance's favorite dinners: ham and cheese calzones. (Well, I think it's one of his favorites. It has his perfect trifecta of foods: ham, cheese, and bread. And not a veggie in sight.) They're really easy to make and really yummy to eat, which is why they're one of my favorites, too.

Want to make them, too? Here we go.

First, make some pizza dough. Use your favorite recipe; nothin' fancy here! Let it rest 10 minutes, and then separate into eight sections. Next, roll each piece out. But first, you have to wrestle the rolling pin away from a grouchy toddler. Good luck.

Distract the toddler and grab the rolling pin. Then roll like mad!

There we go. Give the pin back to the toddler, because life's too short to listen to him scream for the next 20 minutes.

Next, add some freshly grated cheddar cheese. Why yes, that is my Zyliss pizza cutter in the background! I used it to cut the dough into equal parts. I love that thing.

Next, add some ham and pineapple. (I used ham leftover from Easter. It was one of the few things I rescued from the great freezer thaw of aught-eight.)

Then add some fresh thyme. Fresh thyme = heavenly taste. Mmmm...

Okay, you'll probably want to take the leaves off the stem. Otherwise your calzone will be a little... woody.

Add a little more cheese. Because a little more cheese is always a good idea. (I should put that on a sign in my kitchen.)

Next, try to convince your grouchy toddler that eating unbaked dough is yucky. Then laugh at him when he doesn't believe you.

Fold the dough over and roll the sides up.

Then press the sides with a fork and place on a greased cookie sheet. (Or use a Silpat. Another great kitchen invention!)

Let raise in a warm spot for around 15-20 minutes. Try cleaning up the toddler, who has somehow made a disaster area out of a small piece of dough. (Sorry, the pictures would be tood graphic for this family-friendly blog.) Bake at 400 degrees until golden brown, around 15 minutes.

Enjoy. Share. Promote world peace. Ignore the toddler; if he gets hungry enough, he'll eat.

And if he doesn't, that just means more for you!