Winter Weekends

I've decided to stop feeling guilty about being slightly lazy on the weekends. When it's this cold out, I think it's around 15 degrees today (before windchills) it's just plain hard to do much. But Price is the best person to be lazy with because he's such a goof! He and Hitch always keep me entertained. Here is a pretty shot Price took one morning after our last snow. Hitch loves to sit in the pantry window and watch birds and squirrels.
We made one of our favorite recipes this weekend. Giada's mini shrimp calzones. Price made some delicious frozen drinks to start and we played a few games of Yahtzee! Price and I both have memories of playing this game with our fathers, so it was fun to think of them while we battled for our own scores. Price does a great job impersonating Brantley's, "Yahhhhht-zzzzzzzzzzzzeeeeeeee" scream!

Here is Giada's recipe:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup canned chopped tomatoes in juice
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound uncooked large shrimp, peeled and deveined
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 (4-ounce) pieces of purchased or homemade pizza dough, recipe follows
3 cups shredded mozzarella
1 large egg, beaten to blend (for egg wash)
Extra-virgin olive oil

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant and tender, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, thyme, parsley, and wine. Increase the heat to medium and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. In a small bowl, season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the shrimp to the skillet and saute until just cooked through, about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool in a small bowl.

Position 1 oven rack in the center and the second rack on the bottom of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees F.

Line 2 heavy large baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll out each piece of pizza dough into a 7-inch-diameter floured round. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella over the lower half of each pizza dough, dividing equally and leaving a 1-inch border. Spoon the shrimp mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the shrimp mixture. Brush the edge of the dough with egg wash. Fold the plain dough halves over the filling, forming half circles. Pinch the edges of dough firmly together and crimp to seal.

Transfer the calzones to the 2 prepared sheets. Bake until the calzones puff and become golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. Brush extra-virgin olive oil over calzones and serve.