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Pierogi Dough
This recipe is from the collection of the late Leon Gawron, a longtime St. Clair Shores resident,
and given to us by his daughter, Sheila Paxton. It has been edited somewhat.

3 cups flour
1 T salt
3 T shortening (Crisco), heaping
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk, heated and cooled

Cut the shortening into the flour and salt mixture until well distributed.

Combine the beaten eggs and heated, then cooled milk.  Stir this into the flour mixture.
A ball of dough will quickly develop. (This takes seconds if a good processor is used.)
Knead by hand a few minutes. Form dough into a ball, wrap in aluminum foil and refrigerate overnight or a minimum of two hours.

Assembly (allow plenty of room for ease of assembly)

Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into eight balls.  Take each ball and reform it into a small log with your hands.
Cut each log into 12 to 16 slices.  Dip each slice in flour and individually roll out each slice with a rolling pin.
The resulting circle should be about four inches (or slightly less) in diameter.

Fill each circle of dough (as you roll out) with filling, not too much.  Have a cup of water ready and, using your ring finger,
dab water on half of pierogi.  Flip other half over- dab fingers in flour and pinch the two sides together.
Repeat this procedure with flour a couple of times to make sure it is sealed.
As you make them, place each on a floured cookie sheet.  From this recipe you will make up to 128 small pierogi.

Cooking the Pierogi

Fill a large pot with water- bring to a boil- add salt.  As you drop the pierogi into the boiling water (a few at a time)
stir with a wooden spoon to ensure they do not cling to one another.  Bring to a boil again, then lower the heat a little.
When the pierogi surface to the top of the simmering water they are done.  This may take four or five minutes, usually less.
Lift each pierogi out of water using a slotted spoon.  Place in colander to completely drain.

Freezing Pierogi to serve on another day (optional)

Brush each drained pierogi with melted butter and place in a freezer container or a pizza tin.
If you pile them be sure to separate with waxed paper.  Seal with foil and freezer paper or with plastic freezer bags.

To Serve

Thaw then sauté pierogi in butter until golden.  Depending on the filling, onions may be sautéed with the pierogi.
Serve hot with sour cream and/or apple sauce available for garnish.

Pierogi Fillings

Kraut Filling (reduce amounts if more than one filling is used)
Take 3 large cans of sour kraut (do not rinse). Put in pot, cover with water and simmer for about an hour. Drain.

When cool, squeeze then put on clean dish towel (keep one special for this purpose) and squeeze out as much liquid as possible.

Dice three medium size onions and sauté until golden in lots of butter (2-1/2 sticks). Dice the sour kraut and add to the onions. 
Sauté another 5-10 minutes.  Add plenty of black pepper. 
Finely chopped of finely sliced mushrooms also may be added to the first sauté step, if desired.

Potato Filling (Reduce amount if more than one filling is used)
Boil then mash about 12 medium potatoes.  Sauté two or three onions in lots of butter (2-1/2 sticks) until golden.
Add to mashed potatoes.  Add ½ pound of farmer’s cheese.  Stir well.

Fruit Filling
Berries, cherries, cooked apples or soaked prunes may be chosen to fill the pierogi.
Apples, prunes and strawberries should be diced. Sweeten as desired and drain any resulting liquid before filling.

Tim's Corn Bread
from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet
February 16, 2005

White Bean Chicken Chili
This recipe was published in the Detroit Free Press Food Section
January 19, 2005

2 T Olive Oil, divided 2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breast,          washed & patted dry 2 medium onions, peeled, chopped 4 cloves garlic, minced 1 can (8 ox.) diced green chilies 1-1 ½  tsp. oregano 1 tsp. cayenne pepper 3 T (or to taste) chili powder

1 tsp. cumin ½  tsp. white pepper 1 jar (48oz) Great Northern Beans, un-drained 6 cups fat-free, low salt chicken broth 4 cups chopped or sliced celery 2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese Garnishes: Sour cream, salsa, cilantro

Using a large stock pot over medium heat, warm half the oil.  Cut the chicken breast into ¼ to ½ inch chunks. Brown in the stock pot.  Remove the browned chicken from the pot.  Add remaining oil and sauté the onions and garlic for five minutes until onions are softened.  Add the green chilies, oregano, cloves, cayenne pepper, chili powder, cumin and white pepper.  Stir to combine the spices.  Add the un-drained beans, broth and celery.  Add the browned chicken back to the pot.   Bring the chili to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 1-1 ½ to 2 hours.  Remove from the heat and stir in the shredded cheese until it melts.  Serve garnished if desired.   Serves 10 (about 1-1 ½ cups per serving.) Approx. 12 grams of fiber per serving

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Revised: August 06, 2008