Garlic Bread Spaghetti Calzones

I am very into the new My Plate eating guidelines. You know, the ones that tell you half your plate should be fruits and veggies. It doesn't bother me any because this is how I ate long before it became the cool thing to do. The boys are a little less receptive, but they are catching on quickly.

Almost every meal we eat is planned according to this outline. But every now and then, I am in the mood for an all-out carb-fest. That's how recipes like this one are created. The boys love it because spaghetti is one of their favorite foods. I love it because the garlic bread is the only thing that makes the spaghetti worth eating in the first place. I just ignore the whining the next day when I am serving up double doses of veggies to make up for it.

 
Garlic Bread Spaghetti Calzone
Makes 4 personal calzones

What I use:

• 1 lb. pizza dough (homemade, store bought, or from your favorite pizza shop)
• A few tablespoons of flour, for rolling out the dough
• 1 1/2 c. cooked angel hair pasta
• 3/4 c. tomato sauce, plus more for dipping
• 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• Garlic salt
• Garlic powder

How I do it:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Lay the dough out onto a floured surface and sprinkle the top with a little flour.

3. Roll the dough out into a large rectangle. Make sure it can accomodate 4 sets of cuts based on whatever cutter you choose. I used a 5-inch metal cookie cutter. I used the scraps to make Easy Garlic Knots.

4. Roll the dough circles out big enough to fit your press. (The press is optional. My sister bought me mine for Christmas and I've been dying to use it. If you don't have one, you can just roll them out to about 6 to 7 inches and then fold them over the filling.)

5. Stir the spaghetti and sauce together in a bowl. Place 1/4 cup of the mixture on one half of the dough, then top with 2 Tbsp. mozzarella cheese, then another 1/4 cup of the spaghetti. Seal the dough with the press, or fold the dough over the filling, then pinch the ends using your fingers or a fork.

6. Place the calzones on a foil-lined baking sheet sprayed with a little cooking spray.

7. Brush the melted butter over the calzones, then generously sprinkle with the garlic salt, then the garlic powder.

8. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown.

9. Serve hot with a side of tomato sauce for dunking.

The family says:

• Pizza and spaghetti are the boys' favorite foods, so they both thought these were really cool and they thought they tasted great.
• I don't really care for spaghetti with red sauce but the garlic bread outside made it work out for me.

What are your favorite calzone stuffers?