Derby Day and homemade calzones

Hidey ho all,

Hope you had a fab weekend and a swell kick off to the week. Mine is going well enough. No (major) complaints. 

I'm about to hit big time production mode as I prepare to head out for the Hang Out Music Festival in Gulf Shores, Alabama. Yes, it will be great to be back on my home soil (or sand, if you will). Of course, it will be quite the journey to get there. 

Get this: I'm flying from Jacksonville, Fla., to Charlotte, N.C., then to Mobile, Ala. Yes talk about going around your ... to get to your elbow but whatev. I will arrive. Eventually. And I'm very excited about it. This will be my first solo flight so that's nerve wracking. (It's also nerve wracking knowing how much work I have to churn out before I leave - ugh!). I'll miss Josh but I will be hooking up with two of my besties from my college days. I will be in good hands. 

Anyway ... let me catch you up on the goings ons around here. Last week's highlights include: Toenail healing from the ingrown toenail surgery, started running again after said surgery, did my daily strength workouts, ran six miles Sunday morning with Ashley, watched more of "The Borgias," the television show I'm in love with now,  finished "Fifty Shades Darker," hit up Brunswick's First Friday festivities.  

Then on Saturday it was Derby Day. Whoot whoot. Being the only child of a Louisville, Ky., native, I have grown to truly appreciate this day. And now we have friends that do as well. Greg (J's golfing buddy) and his wife, Amy, have a Derby Day party every year. Amy is from Louisville too. So we spent the evening with them. Here are some pics:

Josh and I 

Collection of random female party goers with their hats

We had a blast. And then Sunday I got up early and ran with Ash. Then did brunch at one of our favorite island eateries, Palmer's. Once I got home, I had a lot of items on the to-do list ... I ignored them all. Instead, I cozied up on the bed, worked and watched Netflix (see the previous reference to the Borgias, such an effed up series. I love it.) 

I did do one thing. I made this ... a homemade calzone

It was for Josh, of course. Sadly, I gained 10 lbs just making it. But he seemed to be a fan and it was totally easy. You just need: A jar of pizza sauce, a roll of pizza dough, choice of filling (we did pepperoni for Josh), and preferred cheese. 

See the steps below:

• Roll pizza dough into a rectangle the length of your baking sheet. It can be wider than the sheet because you will be folding the sides in. Place the dough on the baking sheet and let the sides hang off.
• Put sauce on the center half of the dough.

• Add fillings. Just like pizza, add your toppings (peppers, meat, olives, mushrooms - whatever!). Of course, I was making this for Josh which meant pepperoni was the ONLY option. Those with more creative palettes can try something else.

• Add the cheese. 

• Now cut the dough on the sides at about 3/4 inch intervals. Don't cut all the way to the filling. Make sure it's on a baking sheet (the girl on Pinterest didn't do that and had to move it, which was a pain, I'm sure). 

• Start at the bottom and alternating sides, overlap the strips of dough onto the filling in a lattice pattern. You can stretch the pieces to fit all the way over the filling.

• Bake your calzone at 375° F (190° C) for about 25-30 minutes. Let it cool and serve. Yums - or so I hear. 

It turned out well. So that's basically all that has been happening. Monday I worked out (legs) and today I did chest and triceps. I'm running after work. 

Alright that's all. And now back to that work I mentioned earlier.