Monkey Bread

4 cans buttermilk biscuits
3 tsp cinnamon
1 ¾ cup sugar
¾ cup butter
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

Cut each biscuit into fourths. Combine 1 ½ tsp cinnamon and ¾ cup sugar in bag. Add biscuits, shake to coat. Arrange biscuits in greased Bundt pan. Mix butter, brown sugar, condensed milk, 1 cup sugar and 1 ½ tsp cinnamon in saucepan. Bring to a boil. Pour over biscuits. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Turn out on plate to cool. Best served warm.

You Won't Be Single For Long Vodka Cream Pasta

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Salt & Pepper Shrimp

Less than 30 minutes / Serves 4-6

1 lb frozen peeled & deveined shrimp
3/4 tsp each salt & pepper
1 Tbs olive oil

Heat oven to 450. In a baking sheet, toss the shrimp with the other ingredients and roast in the oven until bright pink and cooked through (about 15 minutes).

Serve over a salad (I like this with both Casear and mixed greens) or pasta. You can also add some garlic to the shrimp before roasting.

Lemon Chicken with Olives

30 mintutes / Serves 4 / recipe from Real Simple

2 Tbs flour
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp lemon zest, plus 1Tbs lemon juice
1 1/2 lbs chicken cutlets
2 Tbs olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 cup pitted green olives (I like the mixed olives)
1/2 cup dry white wine

Mix flour, cumin, zest, salt & pepper on a plate. Pat the chicken dry and dredge in flour mixture. Heat 1 Tbs olive oil in large skillet over med-high heat. Cook the chicken in 2 batches until brown. Transfer to a plate. Wipe out the skillet and return to med heat. Heat the remaining oil and cook shallots until soft. Stir in olives, lemon juice and wine and bring to a boil. Return chicken to pan, reduce heat and cook (covered) about 5 mintues. Divide among plates spooning olives, shallots and sauce over top. Serve with brown rice.