Calzones: A low-maintenance Labor Day family meal

Labor Day weekend marks the end of summer, and to keep the focus on relaxation, we're sharing some of our favorite make-ahead recipes. By making them a week ahead of time, you can plan ahead and spend more time relaxing this Labor Day weekend.

Celebrate a low-maintenance Labor Day with a family meal of Corn and Broccoli Calzones, Marinara Sauce and Summer Salad for dessert. Other festive make-ahead recipes to try this week include Chocolate Mocha Mudslides, Crunchy Mandarin Chicken Spinach Salad, Grilled Sausages and Polenta with Marinated Peppers; and Smoked Salmon Cherry Tomatoes a great finger-food idea for picnics. Register at MealsMatter.org to add these or other recipes to your personal cookbook and shopping list.

"Family Meals Matter" features recipes selected by registered dietitians from the thousands of user-contributed recipes available at our free online nutrition and meal-planning website, Meals Matter (www.MealsMatter.org), sponsored by Dairy Council of California.

FEATURED FAMILY MEAL

Corn and Broccoli Calzones

• 1 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets
• 1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels, (about 3 ears)
• 1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 2/3 cup reduced-fat ricotta cheese
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 20 ounces prepared whole-wheat pizza dough, (see tip), thawed if frozen
• 2 teaspoons Canola oil

Preparation

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of oven; preheat to 475 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray.

Combine broccoli, corn, mozzarella, ricotta, scallions, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a large bowl.

On a lightly floured surface, divide dough into 6 pieces. Roll each piece into an 8-inch circle. Place a generous 3/4 cup filling on one half of each circle, leaving a 1-inch border of dough. Brush the border with water and fold the top half over the filling. Fold the edges over and crimp with a fork to seal. Make several small slits in the top to vent steam; brush each calzone with oil. Transfer the calzones to the prepared baking sheets.

Bake the calzones, switching the pans halfway through, until browned on top, about 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Tips: To remove corn kernels from the cob: Stand an uncooked ear of corn on its stem end in a shallow bowl and slice the kernels off with a sharp, thin-bladed knife. This technique produces whole kernels that are good for adding to salads and salsas. If you want to use the corn kernels for soups, fritters or puddings, you can add another step to the process. After cutting the kernels off, reverse the knife and, using the dull side, press it down the length of the ear to push out the rest of the corn and its milk. Look for balls of whole-wheat pizza dough at your supermarket, fresh or frozen and without any hydrogenated oils.

Marinara Sauce

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic sliced in half
• 1 35oz. can of imported Italian tomatoes
• 3 basil leaves, washed, patted dry and chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

Place garlic and olive oil in large sauce pan.

Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is soft and lightly browned.

Crush the tomatoes and add with their juices.