Chicken Penne with Vodka Sauce

3 tbsp butter or margarine
1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped prosciutto
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup vodka (or chicken broth)
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup sliced large pitted ripe olives
1 tbsp chopped parsley
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg uncooked penne pasta
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Heat butter and oil in skillet over medium-high heat.
Cook garlic and onion in butter mixture for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is tender.

Stir in prosciutto and chicken.

Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is brown.

Stir in vodka. Cook until liquid has evaporated.

Stir in whipping cream, olives, parsley and pepper.

Heat until boiling, reduce heat. Simmer uncovered for 30 minutes stirring frequently, until thickened.

While sauce is simmering, cook and drain pasta.

Add pasta to sauce; toss gently until pasta is evenly coated.

sprinkle with parmesan cheese and seerve.

BBQ Chili

BBQ Chili

1 tbsp oil
1-2 lbs ground beef
1 can bacon bits
1 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chili powder
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp ground cumin
1 (16oz) can stewed tomatoes
1 cup ketchup
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup molasses
1 tbsp dry mustard
2 cans red kidney beans
2 cans pinto beans
1 can white kidney beans

Heat oil in large Dutch oven.
Add meat, onion, garlic, chili powder, & cumin.
Cook over medium heat until meat is no longer pink and onion is tender.
Stir in tomatoes, ketchup, molasses, brown sugar, Worcestershire sauce & mustard, and bacon bits.

Cover ands simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in kidney and pinto beans.

Stir occasionally for 30 minutes.

King Cake

No Mardi Gras is complete without one of these.

1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115 degrees)
2 packages active dry yeast
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon sugar
4 cups unsifted flour, as needed
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup warm milk
5 egg yolks
1/2 cup butter cut in slices and softened, plus
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg slightly with1 tablespoon of milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tiny plastic doll (not more than 1")
colored sugar green, yellow, and purple

***Poured icing***
3/4 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons water

Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it.
Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for three minutes, then mix thoroughly.
Set bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes until yeast bubbles up.
Combine 31/2 cups of flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt and sift into a large mixing bowl.
Stir in lemon zest.
Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk.
Add egg yolks and using a wooden spoon, combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture.
When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball. Place ball of dough on floured surface and knead, gradually adding up to 1 cup more of flour.
When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.

Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one tablespoon softened butter.
Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered.
Cover bowl with a heavier kitchen towel and allow dough to rise in a warm place for about 11/2 hours or until it doubles in volume.
Coat a large baking sheet with one tablespoon of butter and set aside.
After the first rising, place the dough on a floured surface and punch it down with a heavy blow.
Sprinkle cinnamon, then pat and shape the dough into a long 'snake' or 'cylinder'. Form a twist by folding the long cylinder in half, end to end, and pinching the ends together.
Then twist the dough.
Form a ring with the completed twist pinch the ends together.
Place the completed ring on the buttered baking sheet, cover it with a towel and allow it to rise for 45 minutes or until it doubles in volume.
After the second rising, brush the top and sides of the cake with the egg and milk wash.
Bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and hide the plastic baby in the cake.

Poured icing:

Combine ingredients until smooth, adding more water if it's too thick.
Spoon icing over top of cake.
Immediately sprinkle on colored sugars, alternating between the three colors.
Serve in 2"3" pieces.

Chicken in Wine sauce

2 whole chicken breasts
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of white cooking wine
1 small can of mushrooms
1 cup sour cream
paprika

pre heat oven to 350

Place chicken in a baking dish.

Mix soup, wine, mushrooms, and sour cream together.

Pour over chicken and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour

Lazy Pierogi

1 one pound can sauerkraut
1 lb. spiral noodles
4 tbsp butter
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
2 cans cream of mushroom soup

Pre heat oven to 350

Drain and rinse sauerkraut.

Cook for 15 minutes

Boil noodles until soft.

Fry onions and mushrooms in the butter.

Mix sauerkraut, noodles, onions and mushrooms together and place in a large casserole dish.

Add cans of cream of mushroom soup and 1 can water. Mix well.

bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Honey Walnut Bread

1 cup milk
1 cup honey
1/4 cup butter softened
2 eggs beaten
2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 cup walnuts

Pre heat over to 325.

Mix milk and honey over low heat until well blended

Beat in butter, eggs, flour, salt and baking powder.

Fold in nuts.

Place in ungreased loaf pan.

Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Let cool before removing from pan and slicing.

Buttermilk Garlic Salad Dressing

Buttermilk Garlic Salad Dressing

2/3 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. crushed garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. mustard powder
2 tbsp. sugar
1/2 cup buttermilk

Blend above ingredients in blender until smooth.

Let set for a couple hours.

(also good as a dip)