We our slowly finding our way to the freshest food ingredients in our new area. While we are back in the Midwest (for the second time) we’re about an hour south of where we lived and raised our kids, Kelly & Andrew. So the local farms we frequented from the mid-1990s to 2010 are no longer close or convenient options for us. We’re compiling our preferred fresh food outlets anew.

Back in July, after just a few weeks back in the region, I found the farm to get luscious, just-picked peaches. We ate those over cereal for breakfast and as dessert.

In August, we happened upon a close-by farm selling pork products from their homegrown hogs while at a local Sunday farmers’ market. The first product we tried from Peep Inc was their bulk Italian sausage. Half of that sausage was mixed with some cheeses and stuffed into banana pepper halves from a produce vendor at the same farmers’ market (that recipe will be posted soon!) and the rest of that wonderful Italian sausage went into these sausage & spinach calzones for a Friday Pizza Night meal. Normally, I make my own dough in a bread maker, but with our belongings in storage a thousand miles away, store bought dough and a friend’s oven allowed me to create some delicious meals and fodder for the blog during our transition. Thanks, Nicki & Bob!

Sausage & Spinach Calzone (adapted from eatingwell.com) Makes 6 servings, Active time: 30 minutes, Total time required: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 ounces Italian bulk sausage, or casings removed from sausage links
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ⅔ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/4 pounds pizza dough
• pizza sauce for serving

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until it is no longer pink, about 4 minutes.

Add in the minced garlic and the spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute.

Transfer the sausage and spinach mixture to a large bowl; stir in the mozzarella, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 6-inch log and divide it into 6 equal pieces. (If you are using 1-pound of dough, cut it into 5 equal pieces and there will be some extra filling.) Pat and roll each piece into a 6-inch circle. Place ½ cup filling on one half of each circle, leaving a ½-inch border.

Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut several small slits in the top to vent the steam. Brush the calzones with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the calzones in the lower third of the oven until they are browned on top, about 15 minutes.

Let them cool slightly before serving and serve with some heated pizza or marinara sauce.

Homemade calzones or pizzas are the favored Friday nights meals!  ~Linda

Sausage & Spinach Calzone (adapted from eatingwell.com) Makes 6 servings, Active time: 30 minutes, Total time required: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 6 ounces Italian bulk sausage, or casings removed from sausage links
• 4 cups baby spinach
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• ⅔ cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• ¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 1/4 pound pizza dough
• pizza sauce for serving

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 475°F. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it into small pieces, until it is no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Add in the minced garlic and the spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer the sausage and spinach mixture to a large bowl; stir in the mozzarella, ricotta, Italian seasoning, and pepper.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a 6-inch log and divide it into 6 equal pieces. (If you are using 1-pound of dough, cut it into 5 equal pieces and there will be some extra filling.) Pat and roll each piece into a 6-inch circle. Place ½ cup filling on one half of each circle, leaving a ½-inch border. Fold the dough over the filling and crimp the edges with a fork to seal. Cut several small slits in the top to vent the steam. Brush the calzones with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake the calzones in the lower third of the oven until they are browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let them cool slightly before serving and serve with some heated pizza or marinara sauce.