Italian Easter Bread

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup sugar

1 pkg. active dry yeast

1 tsp. salt

2/3 cup warm milk (120-130°F)

2 tbsp. butter, softened

7 eggs

1/2 cup mixed candied fruit, chopped

1/4 cup blanched almonds, chopped

1/2 tsp. anise seed

Vegetable oil

In a mixing bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, yeast and salt. Add milk and butter; beat 2 minutes on medium. Add 2 eggs and 1/2 cup flour; beat 2 minutes on high. Stir in fruit, nuts and anise seed; mix well. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.

Turn onto a lightly floured board; knead until smooth, 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled; about 1 hour.

If desired, dye remaining eggs (Leave the uncooked); lightly rub with oil.

Punch dough down. Divide in half; roll each piece into a 24 rope. Loosely twist ropes together; place on a greased baking sheet and form into a ring. Pinch ends together. Gently split ropes and tuck eggs into openings. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes. Bake at 350°F for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool on a wire rack.

Apricot Chicken - Crock Pot

1 1/2 cups apricot preserves
1 cup Russian dressing
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
6 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon pepper



Mix together the preserves, dressing and soup mix. Place chicken in bottom of slow cooker; pour mixture over chicken. Cover; cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and continue cooking for 3-4 hours.

Serves 6

Roasted Chicken Thighs Provencal

3 pounds small red potatoes, quartered
4 plum tomatoes, seeded and cut into 6 wedges
3 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
Cooking spray
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
6 (6-ounce) skinless chicken thighs
24 black olives
Rosemary sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 425°.

Place potatoes, tomatoes, and carrots on a jelly-roll pan coated with cooking spray. Drizzle vegetable mixture with olive oil; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped rosemary, 1 teaspoon thyme, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Toss gently, and spread into a single layer on pan. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes. Remove vegetable mixture from pan, and keep warm.

Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped rosemary, remaining 1 teaspoon thyme, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Add chicken and olives to pan. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until chicken is done. Garnish with rosemary sprigs, if desired.

6 servings (serving size: 1 chicken thigh, 1 2/3 cups vegetable mixture, and 4 olives)

Chicken Cacciatore

1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 3 1/2- to 4-pound chicken, cut into pieces
1/4 cup olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes
1/3 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley,roughly chopped

In a shallow bowl, combine the flour,
1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Rinse the chicken and pat it dry with paper towels. Working in batches, lightly coat the chicken with the flour mixture, shaking off any excess.

Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium heat. Add some of the chicken to the pan and cook until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; set aside. Repeat with
the remaining chicken.

Add the onion to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Add the carrot, celery, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Crush the tomatoes in the can with a large spoon and stir them into the vegetables along with the wine and the remaining salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer. Add the chicken, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes, turning the pieces occasionally. Remove and discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley.

Makes 4 servings

Hot Drinks for a Cold Snowy Day!

Russian Coffee


1/2 shot coffee liquor such as Tia Maria (preferred) or Kahlua

1/2 shot Frangelico

1/2 shot vodka (thus "Russian")

Hot coffee
Pour spirits into mug or coffee glass; top with hot coffee.
Jamaican Java


1 shot dark rum (Myers preferred)

1 shot dark creme de cacao

Hot coffee
Rim mug or coffee glass with lime juice, then sugar; pour in spirits and then hot coffee. Stir to mix, and top with real whipped cream and cinnamon before serving.
Hot Hopper


1/2 shot creme de menthe

1 shot white creme de cacao

1/2 shot Bailey's Irish Cream

Hot chocolate
Mix spirits in mug or coffee glass, add hot chocolate and top with whipped cream and mint leaf.
Toasted Almond


1 shot Amaretto

1 shot vodka

1/2 shot Kahlua

Half and half
Warm half and half in small saucepan over low heat until steaming. Add Amaretto, vodka and Kahlua. Stir to mix and serve.
Hot Chocolate Buttered Rum


1 1/2 shots dark rum

2 teaspoons brown sugar

1 shot creme de cacao

Pat butter

2 whole cloves

Hot chocolate
Combine ingredients in small saucepan over low heat. Warm until steaming and butter and brown sugar have melted, stir to mix and serve.
Classic Hot Toddy


2 shots whiskey

1 shot simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water, heated to make syrup, then cooled for mixed drinks)

4 cloves

Sprinkle cinnamon to taste

Sprinkle ground nutmeg to taste

Boiling water

Lemon slice

Cinnamon stick
Combine ingredients through nutmeg in mug or coffee glass. Add hot water, stir with cinnamon stick, garnish with lemon slice and enjoy.
Hot Nog


1 shot rum

1 shot brandy

Heated eggnog

Sprinkle cinnamon to taste
Heat eggnog in small saucepan over low heat until steaming. Add rum and brandy, stir to mix, pour into mug or coffee glass and sprinkle with cinnamon.