"Chick"en Paprikas

3 Tbsp shortening
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp Hungarian sweet paprika
1 cup water
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 chicken bouillon cube
1/2 tsp garlic powder (just don't tell my sister Barb)
8 chicken thighs, skins removed (if you like legs, you can use 4 legs and 4 thighs)
1/2 cup milk
1/2-3/4 cup sour cream 
2 Tbsp flour
A double batch of spaetzle

Day before: (your choice)
Prepare spaetzle a day ahead, drain well, and store in a covered casserole in the refrigerator. This saves you from making everything on the same day and helps the noodles to be firmer.

Day of dinner:
Melt shortening in a large skillet or dutch oven over medium-low heat.
Add onions and celery and brown slowly.
After browning, add skinless chicken pieces, bone side down, cover with lid, and cook for 10 minutes.
After 10 minutes, turn chicken, sprinkle the chicken pieces with the paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. 
Cover and cook for 10 minutes more. After this 10 minutes, add 1 cup water and the two chicken bouillon and continue to cook over medium-low heat with lid on for another 10 minutes.

* **After 10 minutes, when it comes to a boil, reduce temperature to low.***Continue cooking with lid on for an additional 35  minutes.
Remove chicken pieces to a casserole, cover and keep warm.

In a gravy shaker, add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 or 3/4 cup sour cream, and 2 Tbsp flour.
Shake well and add to liquid in pan.
Cook over medium heat until it starts to thicken slightly.
Add the prepared spaetzle and toss gently and heat through.
When hot, layer the chicken pieces right on top of spaetzle, if serving from skillet.
If serving on a very large platter, pour the very hot spaetzle in the center of the platter and arrange the chicken pieces around the edges.

Makes 4 generous servings or 8 smaller servings.

My Grandma Chick taught her daughter-in-law, my mother Anna, how to make this for my dad. It's the best "chick"en dish I've ever eaten or made.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!

Beve's Flaky Pie Crust with Vodka

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
4 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
6 tablespoons chilled shortening, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons vodka, cold
2 tablespoons cold water

Combine flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter and shortening with pastry blender until mixture forms pea-sized lumps. Sprinkle in cold water and vodka evenly over surface, Stir with a fork until all dry ingredients are moistened. DO NOT OVERWORK AT THIS POINT.
Shape into 1" thick disk and cover with plastic wrap.
Chill for at least 45 minutes in refrigerator. (I make mine the night before and refrigerate until the next day

***Actually any alcohol can be used. If you don't want to use alcohol, you can use vinegar. I have used apple cider vinegar years ago...but mostly I use the vodka. 

Roll disk about 1/8" thick on a well-floured surface to fit into a 9 or 10" pie plate. Place the formed pie crust in pie plate and flute it.(Make a decorative pattern in the top edge of a pie crust). Place the formed pie crust in the refrigerator for 45 if needing an unfilled pie crust).

***For an unfilled pie crust, while the crust is chilling, preheat oven to 400°F. After rolling out your pie crust, prick holes all around the bottom crust with a fork. (This is docking the crust). 

 I weigh down the pie crust with something so it doesn’t puff up in the center or shrink down the sides. You can carefully line the pie dough with parchment paper first, then add some weight. (You can use dry beans). I use a smaller tin pie pan, cover the bottom with parchment paper, and lay that inside my 10" pie crust. Bake on the lowest rack for 15 minutes, remove pie from the oven and carefully lift the parchment paper (with the beans) out of the pie. Return the pie crust to the oven on the center rack for an additional 13-15 minutes or until bottom of crust is golden brown.. Please check at 13 minutes!

***Recipe can be doubled for a double-crusted pie and can be baked according to the times for each specific pie.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť! 

Pizza Dip

1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp. oregano
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 cup chopped pepperoni
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped green onion
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Beat cream cheese, sour cream, oregano, garlic powder and red pepper together well.
Spread in a 9" or 10" pie plate. Spread pizza sauce on top of cream cheese layer.
Sprinkle pepperoni, green pepper and green onions over all.
Bake in a preheated 350° for 10 minutes.
Remove from oven and top with shredded mozzarella and return to oven for 5 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through.

*This can be made in advance (all but the shredded cheese) covered with plastic wrap and refrigerate. When ready to heat, bake in a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes. Remove from oven and top with shredded mozzarella and return to oven for 5 minutes more, or until cheese is melted and mixture is heated through.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť! 
 

Sweetheart's Super Salad

1 head cauliflower
1 bunch broccoli
1 basket red cherry tomatoes
1 pound Muenster Cheese cut into bite size cubes
2 or 3 small cans drained mushroom stems and pieces
1 can black pitted olives
1 bottle (16 oz) Zesty Italian Salad Dressing

Mix all together in your largest bowl or pot.
Let marinate in a Tupperware container, or 2, in refrigerator.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť! 

Two Layer Jello Squares

3 envelopes of unflavored Knox Gelatine
3 packages (3 oz. each) flavored Jello (I suggest Raspberry)
2 1/2 cups boiling water
1 cup (8 oz.) heavy cream

In a large bowl combine Know and flavored Jello, combine well.
Add boiling water and stir thoroughly until completely dissolved. (this will take 2-3 minutes)
Stir in the heavy cream. When mixed, pour into a 9" x 9" pan.
Chill until firm...at least 3 hours.
Cut into 1" squares.

Enjoy! Élvez! Piacere! Gustirati! Radosť!