Hamburger and Rotel Cheese Sauce Braided Calzone and Dip

1 lb extra lean ground beef

1 lb 2% Velveeta

1 can Rotel

1 small can chopped Kalamata olives

1 tube of refrigerator pizza dough

1/3 cup olive oil

½ tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

Tostito Scoops for dipping

Brown ground beef in large skillet.  Add cubed Velveeta to cooked beef and stir until melted.  Pour in can of Rotel.   Stir well and heat thoroughly.  Spoon half of this mixture into a bowl to use for a dip unless you are making 2 calzones. Of course, you’ll need two tubes of pizza dough for that.  (I served the calzone with baked corn chip scoops and the remaining dip.) To the skillet add the chopped Kalamata olives.  Heat thoroughly.

In a small food processor combine olive oil, garlic powder, salt, and cilantro.

On a greased baking sheet, unroll pizza dough and shape into a “semi-perfect” rectangle.  Spoon the beef, cheese, Rotel, & olive mixture into a line down the center of the rectangle lengthwise.

Spray the blades of some cooking scissors with Pam.  Use the scissors to cut 1 ½ strips on each side of the line of the beef mixture.  Fold in the ends before you begin braiding.

Fold strips into middle of meat mixture alternating from left to right side of dough to form a "braid."

Use a pastry brush to cover the top of the braid with the olive oil mixture. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Let set 5 minutes before slicing.

Serve with Tostito Scoops and remaining warm meat/cheese/Rotel sauce.