Chicken Marsala: Quick, easy and allergy free.

I remember a time when I used to spend a day planning my menu, writing out my grocery list, clipping coupons and still having time to make a full gourmet meal complete with dessert and coffee. All before seven o’clock at night.

But back in those days, my kiddos were all small fries and I could corral them around me with library books, paper and crayons to make their own ‘grocery lists’ and ‘menus’.

Now that those little babies had the nerve to turn into busy, working, sports-playing, always on the go teens and young adults, that seemingly endless time to plan and prepare has all but evaporated.

But that’s okay, because it is my new normal. For the next few years anyway.

And for now, we have easy, favorite dishes, such as Chicken Marsala.

So to help you out, I’ll share it with you.

First, filet four boneless, skinless chicken breasts. In a large ziploc bag, combine 1/2 cup gluten free flour, 1/2 tsp salt and a dash of garlic powder. Add two chicken pieces at a time and shake to coat. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and crush in some garlic. Add the coated chicken pieces one at a time, turning once to fully brown and cook the meat.

Keep the cooked chicken warm in an oven while you prepare the next step.

 

 Add 1 cup Marsala cooking wine to the skillet along with a 16 oz pkg of sliced mushrooms. Add one or two more cloves of crushed garlic. Let the shrooms simmer in the cooking wine for about eight minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.

Add the cooked chicken back to the pan of liquid and mushrooms, turning once to coat with the juices. Allow the chicken to sit in the pan for about a minute on medium low heat to thicken the liquids.

Serve with a side of seasoned rice. Delightful.

 

Allergy Free Chicken Marsala

• 4 chicken breasts, filleted
• 1/2 cup gluten free flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• garlic powder
• olive oil
• crushed garlic
• 1 cup Marsala cooking wine
• 16 oz sliced, fresh mushrooms

First, filet four boneless, skinless chicken breasts.
In a large ziploc bag, combine 1/2 cup gluten free flour, 1/2 tsp salt and a dash of garlic powder.
Add two chicken pieces at a time and shake to coat.
Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large skillet and crush in some garlic.
Add the coated chicken pieces one at a time, turning once to fully brown and cook the meat. Add more oil as you go, if necessary.
Keep the cooked chicken warm in an oven while you prepare the next step
Next, add 1 cup Marsala cooking wine to the skillet along with a 16 oz pkg of sliced mushrooms.
Add one or two more cloves of crushed garlic.
Let the shrooms simmer in the cooking wine for about eight minutes or until the liquid is reduced by half.
Add the cooked chicken back to the pan of liquid and mushrooms, turning once to coat with the juices. Let chicken sit in the pan for about a minute on medium low heat to thicken the liquids.
Serve with a side of seasoned rice.*

Seasoned Rice

• 2 cups unconverted Jasmine rice
• 3 cups chicken broth, such as Pacific
• 1 tsp dill weed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp crushed basil

In a medium sauce pot, combine all dry ingredients and then add the broth. Cover.

Cook over medium high heat until boiling.

Turn the heat down to low and allow to simmer, covered, until all liquid is absorbed.

 

Happy Easy Yet Delicious Dinners!

Chicken and Dumplings – Yes, Allergy Free.

Seriously. Yes, you can eat dumplings too.

You probably thought that just because the doctor said no more dairy, wheat and eggs that you would never enjoy chicken and dumplings again.

I am happy to say you thought wrong.

Shall we begin?

You will need for the broth and soup portion of the recipe:

• One whole roasting chicken
• 2 boxes chicken broth, such as Pacific brand

First, take the whole roasting chicken and put ‘er in the slow cooker. Sprinkle chicken with a variety of spices.

I used:

• Basil, Mrs. Dash, garlic, one bay leaf, poultry seasoning, dill weed, cumin, and turmeric.

• Pour three cups water over the chicken so that most of the spices mingle with the liquid.

Turn on low for 6 hours or for 3 hours on high and walk away.

When you return, this is what will greet you:

When chicken is thoroughly cooked, if you are ready to make your dumplings, turn off the slow cooker and keep the lid on it. Otherwise, keep it on warm until you are about a 1/2 hour away from prepping the dumplings, at which point you can turn it off with the lid still on.

To make your dumpling dough, you will need:

• 3 C gluten free flour
• 1 Tb baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Earth Balance
• 1/4 cup non dairy milk (I used Silk original unsweetened almond)
• Water
• Additional GF flour

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Next cut in the Earth Balance. Add non dairy milk and mix with a mixer. At this point, you will need to add water a bit at a time until your dough resembles the texture of biscuit dough – not too sticky and not too dry. Just *slightly* sticky.

And now it will be ready to roll out to 1/4″ thickness. Be sure to use cornstarch or additional gluten free flour on your rolling surface. Sprinkle more GF flour on your rolling pin and the top of the dough as you go. Just be sure not to work the dough too much.

Next, using a pizza cutter, slice your dough into 1/2″ to 1″ strips lengthwise:

Then across the width, keeping the squares to 1/2″ to 1″ measurements.

Transfer the cut dumplings to a plate. Flour in between the layers. The flour will not only prevent the dumplings from sticking to each other, it will also help thicken the broth.

Next, strain the broth from your chicken into a five quart stock pot. I like to put a colander over the stock pot to catch the chicken and any loose herbs such as bay leaves as I pour the broth into the pot.

Set chicken aside.

Some people like to skim the fat off the chicken broth at this point. I most assuredly do not.

But if that is your thing, go ahead and do that step now.

Next, pour the two boxes of Pacific chicken broth into the stock pot.

Bring broth to a boil.

When broth is at a rolling boil, turn heat down to medium to keep it simmering.

Add the dumplings a few at a time. You don’t want them to stick together. When you get almost to the bottom of the plate, dump the rest in along with any additional flour from the plate.

When the dumplings are all safely nestled in the pot, cover it with a lid and turn down to low. Be sure your broth is still simmering. Keep the pot tightly covered for six minutes.

Meanwhile, strip that chicken of its meat. All of it. Get every little delectable bit off its bones.

Now uncover the pot and let the dumplings simmer for another six minutes.

When the six minutes are up, dump in the chicken and give it all a good stir. Let it all simmer for about another minute.

Turn off the heat and let everything mingle together for about five minutes before serving. Season individual servings with salt and pepper to taste.

The dumplings won’t be exactly as Momma used to make them, but they’ll be pert near close to the real deal.

Once again, here’s the run down if you want to copy and paste the recipe without the pics:

• One stewing chicken, seasoned and covered in 3 cups water, cooked in a slow cooker.
• 2 boxes Pacific broth

For the dumplings:

• 3 cups gluten free flour
• 1 Tb baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Earth Balance spread
• 1/4 cup non dairy milk
• Water
• Additional GF flour

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt. Next cut in the Earth Balance. Add non dairy milk and mix with a mixer. At this point, you will need to add water a bit at a time until your dough resembles the texture of biscuit dough – not too sticky and not too dry. Just *slightly* sticky.

And now it will be ready to roll out to 1/4″ thickness. Be sure to use cornstarch or additional gluten free flour on your rolling surface. Sprinkle more GF flour on your rolling pin and the top of the dough as you go. Just be sure not to work the dough too much.

Next, using a pizza cutter, slice your dough into 1/2″ to 1″ strips. First lengthwise, then across the width.

Transfer the cut dumplings to a plate. Flour in between the layers. The flour will not only prevent the dumplings from sticking to each other, it will also help thicken the broth.

Next, strain the broth from your chicken into a five quart stock pot. I like to put a colander over the stock pot to catch the chicken and any loose herbs such as bay leaves as I pour the broth into the pot.

Set chicken aside.

Pour the two boxes of chicken broth into the stock pot.

Bring broth to a boil.

When broth is at a rolling boil, turn heat down to medium to keep it simmering.

Add the dumplings a few at a time. You don’t want them to stick together. When you get almost to the bottom of the plate, dump the rest in along with any additional flour from the plate.

When the dumplings are all safely nestled in the pot, cover it with a lid and turn down to low. Be sure your broth is still simmering. Keep the pot tightly covered for six minutes.

Meanwhile, strip that chicken of its meat. All of it. Get every little delectable bit off its bones.

Now uncover the pot and let the dumplings simmer for another six minutes.

When the six minutes are up, dump in the chicken and give it all a good stir. Let it all simmer for about another minute.

Turn off the heat and let everything mingle together for about five minutes before serving. Season individual servings with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Happy Evenings of Warm, Comforting Foods!

Chicken and Dumplings recipe copywritten by Jaime Rohm, The Freak Food Gourmet 2012

Classic Comfort Food: Honey Mustard Chicken

There’s something about Fall.

Even though we frequently wake up to mornings like this…:

…which signifies the earth going to sleep for a long winter’s nap, there’s something oddly cozy and comforting about the cold, rainy, windy, snowy weather.

Unless you’re my electrician husband who frequently gets stuck doing a six hour wire pull outside in the frigid temperatures. He doesn’t find it very cozy at all.

Which is why I like to have a hot, comforting meal waiting for him when he gets home. And the following is one of his favorites.

Honey Mustard Chicken

• 1/3 cup Earth Balance, melted
• 2/3 cup honey
• 3 Tb prepared mustard
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 3 pounds chicken breasts (**I like to filet mine to make them thinner)

Preheat oven to 350. In a greased 9×13 casserole, arrange chicken breasts.

In a bowl, combine all other ingredients and whisk well. Pour over the chicken breasts.

Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink.

** If you fileted your chicken breasts, your baking time will be reduced to about 40 minutes.

This recipe can also be prepared in a slow cooker. Simply add the ingredients to your crock pot and turn on low for a minimum of six hours.

Serve chicken with rice and a vegetable.

My hubby likes the sauce to mingle and dance with his rice.

Oh, and don’t be jealous of my fine china plates. They were brought out especially for the occasion.

Happy Cozy Fall Days!