Roasted Vegetable Calzone (For my cousin Toot)

2 pre-made pizza dough
2 leeks white part only, cleaned and cut into 4 inch pieces (6.5cm)
2 red peppers cleaned and cut into 1 inch slices (1.6cm)
2 cups button mushrooms cleaned (500ml)
6 cloves of garlic with skins in tack2 cups spinach cleaned (500ml)
¾ cup goat cheese (185ml)
2 cups grated provolone cheese (500ml)
½ cup chopped sun dried tomatoes (125ml)
½ cup fresh basil chopped2 tablespoons olive oil (30ml)
2 bamboo skewers soaked in water for 1 hour

Olive Crust:
½ cup black kalamata olives pitted and halved (125ml)
1 teaspoon capers6 cloves of roasted garlic¼ cup olive oil (60 ml)
The juice of 1 lemon

Egg Wash:
1 egg
2 tablespoons water (30 ml)

Flour for dusting
Cornmeal for dusting
Pizza paddle

To prepare vegetables, cut leeks to size and leave the top root attached. Soak leeks standing up in a large container of cold water root side up. (Note leeks have a large amount of dirt between leaves; by soaking up side down the dirt will fall to the bottom of the container. You may have to repeat several times to remove all grit and dirt.)

Clean mushrooms by lightly brushing with a dry cloth or mushroom brush.
Cut and remove seeds and veins from peppers.
Place all vegetables in a large bowl.
Toss vegetable with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.
Place garlic cloves with skins in tack on soaked bamboo skewers.
Preheat barbeque to 375°F/190°C or medium high heat.
Oil preheated barbeque grate.

Place leeks and garlic skewers on grill first and cook for 4 minutes. Flip leeks and add the mushrooms and peppers. Cook the mushrooms and peppers for 2 minutes per side (The vegetables should still be tender- crisp as you will be cooking them again later in the calzone). Remove all the vegetables. Place in tray and let cool.

Peel the skins from garlic and set aside. Once vegetables are cool chop all into bite sized pieces and set aside.

In a food processor combine olives, roasted garlic, lemon juice and capers, blend lightly with the pulse button of the blender. The mixture will be slightly chunky.

Roll pizza dough into 2 x 12 inch rounds (2 x 19.6cm) on a large cutting board lightly dusted with flour and cornmeal.

Smear olive mixture on half of the pizza dough. Leave a 1 inch (2.5cm) border around the outside. Repeat with the other rolled pizza dough. Place cheeses on top of ½ the olive crust then top with spinach, chopped vegetables and sun dried tomatoes. Sprinkle with freshly chopped basil.

Make egg wash by whisking together egg with water in a small bowl. Using a pastry brush, brush egg wash over the empty half of the pizza dough's border. Carefully fold the crust over top the vegetable cheese mixture to form a half moon shape. Using your fingers or a fork press both edges together. You should have ½ moon shaped calzone. Repeat with the second olive crust.

Place calzone on a cornmeal dusted pizza paddle.

Preheat one side of the barbeque to 350°F/176°C or medium heat and the other side to 250°F/137°C or low heat .

Oil the grill.

Place calzone on medium heat side for 3 minutes or until crust is hard and can calzone can be easily be moved.

Move calzone over to low heat side and close lid on barbeque.

Cook with lid down for 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown and crisp. The calzone will puff up to form what looks like a pillow.
Remove calzone from grill with the pizza paddle.
Cut in wedges and serve.
Yield: 8 large wedges

Mojito Chicken

1 (2 1/2 to 3-pound) chicken

2 tablespoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1 tablespoon dried oregano

2 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon paprika

Marinade, recipe follows

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Mojito Glaze, recipe follows

Remove backbone of chicken with poultry shears; flatten chicken out by pressing firmly on skin part of chicken so it will sit evenly in a pan.

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine all the dry spices and rub chicken with spice mixture, especially under the skin. Put into a resealable plastic bag and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients for the marinade, then add chicken to marinade and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Remove chicken from marinade and shake off excess marinade. In a large saute pan over medium to high heat, add 4 tablespoons of extra- virgin olive oil. When oil is hot, place chicken skin side down and sear.

When skin is golden brown flip chicken and add 1/2 cup of marinade into pan; place pan in oven and cook the chicken for 25 minutes or until chicken has internal temperature of 165 degrees F. on an instant-read thermometer.

Remove the chicken from oven and brush with Mojito Glaze. Place chicken under broiler for 5 minutes. Remove from broiler, cut and serve immediately with more glaze on the side.

Marinade: 1 cup orange juice 2 limes, juiced 1/4 cup white wine vinegar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1 tablespoon sliced garlic 1/4 cup dark rum

Combine all ingredients in mixing bowl.

Mojito Glaze: 1/2 cup dark rum 1/2 cup chicken broth 1 tablespoon brown sugar 3 tablespoons cold water 1 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup chopped mint leaves Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In medium sauce pot, place rum, chicken broth and brown sugar. Reduce by 1/3 over high heat. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together water and cornstarch. When rum mixture is reduced, add cornstarch mixture slowly to simmering liquid and whisk for 3 minutes, until 50 percent thicker.

Keep in mind that you might not need all of it. When glaze is at desired thickness, add mint leaves and transfer to small bowl. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Slow-Cooker BBQ Beef Stew

1 Tbsp. oil
2 lb. boneless beef for stew, cut into 1-1/2-inch cubes
5 carrots, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into chunks
6 small red potatoes, quartered
3/4 cup KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce, divided
1 Tbsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen peas

HEAT oil in nonstick skillet on medium-high heat. Add meat, in batches; cook until evenly browned, stirring occasionally. Layer carrots, onions and potatoes in bottom of 5-qt. slow cooker; top with meat. Pour 1/2 cup of the barbecue sauce over meat; sprinkle with coffee granules. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 7 to 8 hours (or on HIGH for 5 hours).
STIR in peas and remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce; cover. Cook an additional 15 min. or until heated through.

Drink of the month - White Peach Sangria

INGREDIENTS
1 (750 milliliter) bottle dry white wine
3/4 cup peach flavored vodka
6 tablespoons frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup white sugar
1 pound white peaches, pitted and sliced
3/4 cup seedless red grapes, halved
3/4 cup seedless green grapes, halved

DIRECTIONS
In a large pitcher, combine dry white wine, peach vodka, lemonade concentrate and sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Add sliced peaches, red and green grapes.
Refrigerate sangria until well chilled, at least 2 hours, or overnight to blend flavors. Serve over ice, and use a slotted spoon to include sliced peaches and grapes with each serving.