Chicken curry

Heat a wok or large pan with 4 Tblsp. vegetable oil. Coarsely chop an onion & 4 cloves of garlic and saute over med-low heat, stirring often, until softened.

In a small bowl, make a spice paste using:

2 Tblsp. water

1 teasp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. ground turmeric

1 tsp. curry powder

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Add spice paste to the onion mixture and stir to incorporate thoroughly.

Add 1-1/2# boneless, skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1" pcs.) - raise heat a bit and stirfry, turning occasionally, until sides are beginning to cook. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and cook 15 minutes.

While chicken is cooking, chop a green bell pepper into 1/2" squares. Also, chop 2 tomatoes (if fresh aren't available, canned ones will do).

Add pepper and tomatoes to cooked chicken, stir well. Stir in a teasp. or sriracha or any type of hot red chile paste (if you don't have that, use 1/4-1/2 teasp. of crushed red pepper or cayenne). Taste for seasoning and add more S&P if needed.

Cover and cook 10 minutes, stirring now and then. Chop a handful of fresh cilantro or parsley and stir into chicken before serving.

This is great served over cooked basmati rice (or regular rice or cooked couscous).

Cakies!!

Many call these Whoopie Pies but that name doesn't work here, so: cake + cookies = CAKIES !!

This recipe makes 16-18 cakies. You could probably make them 1/2 the size, but you'll need to adjust the cooking time accordingly.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 large baking sheets.

1.) In a small mixing bowl, combine:

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

SET ASIDE.

2.) In another mixing bowl, combine:

2 cups flour

1/2 unsweetened cocoa powder

1-1/4 tsp. baking soda

SET ASIDE.

3.) In a large mixing bowl, combine:

1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

On medium speed of a mixer, mix for 3 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down sides frequently.

Beat in: 1 large egg

Mix for another minute, scraping sides of bowl.

Alternately add the reserved buttermilk mixture (1.) & reserved flour mixture (2.) to the creamed butter mixture (3.), incorporating them until all 3 are thoroughly combined. Batter is thick!

Drop HEAPING Tblsp. of batter (gently release into little rounded mounds) onto prepared sheets - 8 to 9 per sheet, leaving space between each.

Bake both sheets at the same time (racks in oven should be spaced apart to allow for circulation) - Bake for EIGHT MINUTES - then quickly open the oven and switch positions of the sheets- close oven door and bake for another 4-5 minutes. Test cakies - they'll spring back when gently touched on the tops. Remove from oven and immediately transfer to wire racks. Cool completely. Take half the cookies, invert them and place a generous dollop of frosting into the center (heaping Tblsp.) - cover with another cookie to sandwich the 2 together.

FROSTING:

Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and beat for 3 minutes on medium speed:

1/2 cup softened butter

1-1/4 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. marshmallow 'Fluff'

Chocolate (Coke) Cake

In a small saucepan, heat 1/4# butter, 1 cup Coke, 3 Tblsp. cocoa that's been mixed with 1 Tblsp. vegetable oil (mix it into a paste). Bring to a slow boil - add 1 cup miniature marshmallows and remove from heat. Stir occasionally until marshmallows are melted. Set aside until mixture is completely cool.

Mix dry ingredients together in a mixing bowl and set aside:

2-1/3 cups flour

3/4 c. unsweetened cocoa

1 tsp. baking soda

1-1/2 tsp. baking powder

Make cake:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9" cake pan.

In a large mixing bowl, beat until fluffy (with whisk or electric mixer):

1/2 cup soft butter (or use 1/2 butter and 1/2 margarine)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 cups sugar

Beat in:

2 eggs

3/4 cup buttermilk

Add half the dry (flour/cocoa, etc.) mixture and stir well -

Add the cooled cola mixture.

Add the remaining half of the dry mixture (flour/cocoa, etc.)

Stir mixture thoroughly & slowly for 3-4 minutes.

Spoon into the prepared pan & bake for 40-50 minutes until center is done. Test with toothpick. When done, cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes. Spread frosting over warm cake. Cool completely before serving. I usually refrigerate the cake, but it's not necessary.

FROSTING:

In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly:

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 cup Coke

1 teasp. vanilla extract

1/4 cup Hershey's chocolate syrup

3 cups powdered sugar

Tuna noodle casserole

Here's a real retro dinner for Lent:

St. Pat's Day spritz

Heat oven to 375 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine and mix well:

3 sticks (1-1/2 cup) soft butter

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 egg

1/2 tsp. baking powder

3-1/2 cups flour

After thoroughly mixed, fill a cookie press or cookie gun (I have a Pampered Chef cookie gun thatI love!) and press cookies out onto ungreased baking pans. If you want, you can shake colored sugar or sprinkles on the cookies before baking, otherwise cool completely before frosting/decorating.

Bake for 11-12 minutes (until the edges are golden) at 375 degrees. Remove and cool completely.

For browned butter frosting:

In a 2 qt. saucepan, melt 5 Tblsp. butter over med-low heat - continue heating until butter melts - then raise heat a bit & continue watching until butter begins to froth and turn golden brown... it takes a couple minutes - but watch it carefully because it can go from golden brown to burned in no time flat!

Remove from heat and immediately add 3-4 cups of powdered sugar to butter in pan. Add 1 tsp. vanilla flavoring. Add milk by the tsps... one at a time, mixing steadily to remove lumps. Add enough milk to get the frosting to a spreadable consistency - don't add TOO much.

Frost cooled cookies and decorate however you like.

King Cakes

These are traditionally made for Fat Tuesday/Mardi Gras:

If you've never baked yeast bread before, you may want to find another more detailed recipe with more detailed instructions. The recipe below is somewhat abbreviated:

Makes 2 King Cakes:
Dissolve 4-1/2 tsps. dry yeast in 2/3 c. warm water mixed with 1 T. sugar. Let sit for 10 minutes.
In a bowl, add 1/4 c. melted butter & 1 C. warm milk.

In a large bowl, combine both liquids. Add:
1/2 C. white sugar
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
5-1/2 cups white flour (a little at a time, making a pliable dough)

Mix well, knead for 5 minutes until smooth & elastic. Turn dough into a greased bowl, cover with a damp towel & let rise in a warm place for 2 hours.

Make filling: In a bowl, combine & mix well, set aside:
3/4 C. brown sugar
1 Tblsp. cinnamon
2 cups chopped pecans
1/2 cup flour
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup melted butter

When dough is ready, divide in half. Roll onto a floured board into 2 rectangles, approx. 8" X 20". Spread half the filling onto one end (the long way) and roll up - jelly roll style - tightly. Form into a ring, sealing the ends firmly. At this time, you CAN (not mandatory) 'HIDE' a little, tiny BOY figurine (aka Baby Jesus) under/inside the dough, concealing it completely.

Place the dough rings on 2 parchment covered baking pans. Cover lightly & let rise for 45 minutes.

Put sheets in a preheated 350 degree oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until tops are golden. Rotate sheets once halfway thru baking time.

Remove from oven. Let cool an hour and then brush with icing (1 C. powdered sugar mixed with 1 Tblsp. water), and then sprinkle with colored sugar (authentic colors: purple, yellow, green).

Whoever gets the piece with the baby inside, gets good luck along with it!

Mardi Gras cupcakes

Decorate your favorite cupcakes for Fat Tuesday!!

Irish soda bread

This is a variation and one I prefer. Recipe will be posted shortly!

Irish soda bread

Heat the oven to 375 degrees, grease & flour 2 loaf pans OR a cookie sheet (makes 2 loaves).

In a mixing bowl, combine dry ingredients:
5 sups flour
1-1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
5 tsps. baking powder
2 tsps. baking soda
Mix well - take a cold stick of butter (1/2 cup) and chop it up - put it in the dry mixture and cut in with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse crumbs. Stir in 1-1/2 cups (dark or golden) raisins.

In a smaller bowl, mix together:
3 lg. eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1-3/4 cups buttermilk

Slowly, pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture, turning it constantly & gently, but not mixing it roughly. The harder you mix, the tougher the end product will be. Once the mixtures are thoroughly incorporated, divide the dough in half and place into prepared pans, patting down lightly - or placing in equal sized heaps onto flat sheets (forming into mounds).

Traditionally, a Tblsp. of caraway seeds should be added to the dry mixture but we prefer the bread without it.

Bake for 45-55 minutes, until crust is golden brown. If you want to, brush the hot loaves lightly with melted butter. Cool completely before slicing.

Cupcakes

Devil's Food cupcakes with cooked vanilla frosting (see red velvet cake recipe).

Peppers, potatoes & eggs

Topped with colby cheese & run under the broiler, this is a perfect meal for Lent. Add other vegetables while you're sauteing, such as mushrooms, zucchini, cooked cauliflower... the possibilities are endless.