Chicken with Mushroom Wine Sauce

1/2 package bacon, coarsely cut

4 large chicken breasts

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 (8oz) container fresh mushrooms

4 oz. red wine

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 medium onion sliced

Brown bacon and remove to paper toweled plate. Remove 1/2 the fat drippings. Garlic salt and pepper chicken breasts. Brown both sides in bacon drippings. Remove chicken from pan. Add mushrooms and onions to pan. Add wine and chicken stock. Bring to a boil and cook 2 minutes. Return chicken to mix and continue to cook over med-low heat until sauce reduces and chicken is cooked through. Add bacon crumbles. Remove from heat and serve with mashed potatoes!

Frosted Orange Cookies

2 medium navel oranges

1/2 cup butter flavor crisco

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup milk + 5 tsp.

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

Peel the oranges and with a sharp knife remove all white pith from orange- save the peels, discard the pith. Process oranges and peels in a blender until smooth.

In a large bowl, combine shortening and sugar. Beat in 1/2 cup milk and 6 Tbsp. orange mix. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture until well combined.

Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-13 minutes. Cool on wire rack. Be gentle they are delicate.

For frosting, in a small mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp. orange mixture, and 5 tsp. milk until smooth and reaches spreading consistency. Frost cookies.

Chocolate Party Mix

1 package (10oz.) mini pretzels

5 cups cheerios

5 cups corn chex

2 cups salted peanuts

1 lb. M&M's

2 packages (12oz ea.) vanilla chips

3 Tbsp. vegetable oil

In a large bowl, combine first 5 ingredients. In a microwave safe bowl, heat chips and oil 1 minute at a time, stirring in between until smooth. Pour over cereal mix and combine well. Spread on 3 sheets of waxed paper. Cool and break apart. Store in an airtight container.

Apple Pie

5 cups apples, peeled, cored, and sliced

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 cup crisco

2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

3 T. water

extra flour for rolling

1/2 stick of butter

To make crust:

Cut in flour, salt, and crisco until crumbly. Add enough water to make a ball form but not too much. Divide dough into 2 equal balls. On a lightly floured piece of waxed paper, roll one ball out to size of pie plate. Drape dough over pie plate using wax paper and rolling pin to guide. Peel away wax paper and discard. Form into pie plate.

Cut up 1/2 stick of butter and arrange into bottom of crust.

Combine apples, sugar, flour and cinnamon. Microwave for 30 seconds. Pour in to pie shell. Roll out remaining dough using same technique as above. Lay over top of apples. Cut hole in crust to vent. Seal edges using fork or fingers.

Bake at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes or until golden brown. TIP: put a baking sheet under pie on next rack down to catch drippings from baking pie.

Enchilada Casserole

2 1/2 lbs. ground chuck

1 package taco mix

2 packages beef gravy mix

1 can enchilada sauce

1 can refried beans

1 can tomato sauce

1 T. sugar

1 package (8) flour tortillas

2 packages taco blend shredded cheese

1 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups diced fresh tomatoes (divided)

1-2 cups shredded lettuce

salsa

Brown meat. Add seasoning, gravy mix, enchilada sauce, beans, tomato sauce, and sugar. Combine until even. Sppon enough mixture to cover the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. Cut 2 of the tortillas to fit the pan and place on top of the meat.. Using any tortilla scraps to fill empty spaces. Cover with a third of the remaining meat mix. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the onion and 1/2 of the tomatoes. Top with 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat the layers using another 2 tortillas, 1/3 meat sauce, onion and tomatoes. Top with lettuce and 2 more tortillas, the remaining meat mix and last, the remaining cheese.

Bake at 275 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until hot. Serve with additional shredded lettuce, chopped onion, diced tomatoes, black olives, salsa, and shredded cheese.

Serves 12-15.