Wine A Little Bit More!

Merry Christmas! This year I competed in a Gingerbread House Competition. The proceeds from the competition benefited Habitat for Humanity. Everyone in my baking and pastry class were entered into the amateur category. Members of the community had the chance to stop by the store and vote for their favorite. From people's choice, I won 2nd place. From the judges, I won 1st place. This is my most favorite competition that I have made.

This recipe is really easy to prepare and great to eat. Goes great with spinach salad and whole wheat rolls: 2 cups cooked egg noodles 2 cups chopped cooked chicken 1 small onion, chopped ½ cup chopped celery 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno peppers 2 eggs, lightly beaten ½ cup chicken stock Directions Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Mix all ingredients together and press into a loaf tin. Bake for 45 minutes. Servings: 4-6

1 lb Lean Ground Beef 1 (10 oz.) can Cheddar Cheese Soup 1 (10 oz.) can Tomato Bisque Soup 2 cups Gnocchi (Small Shells) pasta Cook beef in skillet until brown and drain. Add soups, 1 1/2 cups water and pasta. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover and cook over medium heat for 10-12 minutes or until pasta is done and stir often. 6 servings Source: "365 Easy Pasta Recipes"

8 oz. spinach fettuccine ¼ cup unbleached all purpose flour ½ tsp salt ½ tsp black pepper 4 boneless chicken breast halves 2 tbsp olive oil 2 cloves garlic minced ½ cup chicken broth 3 tbsp lemon juice 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil and/or oregano Directions Prepare the fettuccine according to package directions. On a plate combine flour, salt and pepper. Add the chicken, one breast at a time, pressing to coat with the flour mixture. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning occasionally, for 8 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Add the chicken broth, lemon juice, and the basil and/ or the oregano. Bring to boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 4 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted in the thickest portion registers 160 degrees and the juices run clear. Evenly divide the fettuccine onto 4 plates. Top each with a chicken breast and drizzle with the broth mixture. 4 servings ...

8 oz. Mostaccioli, Radiatore or other medium pasta shape, uncooked 1 8-oz. can artichoke hearts, drained (about 1 cup) 1 tbsp. olive or vegetable oil 4 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 3/4 cup) 1/2 cup evaporated skimmed milk 2 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard with seeds Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste 2 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese (optional) Directions Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, squeeze as much water from the artichoke hearts as possible and cut each piece in half lengthwise. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken and artichoke hearts. Saute, stirring frequently, until chicken is golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add the evaporated skimmed milk, parsley and mustard to the pan and stir to remove the brown bits from the bottom and sides of the pan. Heat to boiling and boil until the liquid is reduced in volume by half. Drain the pasta and tran...

Cake decorating, one of the hardest skills I have ever learned! They have to be flawless. There are ways to hide flaws ... but the artist can always see them. Fondant covering is a huge pain! Gum paste flowers turned out beautiful. I am very proud of my very first 3-tier wedding cake!

Leaves from 2 bunch fresh basil 2 tablespoons pine nuts, untoasted 1 garlic clove 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1 pound angel hair pasta Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil for the pasta. Combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic, and olive oil in a blender and blend to a puree. Add the cheese, salt and pepper, and blend again. Cook the pasta in the boiling, salted water until al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add the pesto and toss. Taste for salt and pepper, and add a drizzle of oil, if you like. Servings 4