Chicken Marsala

I haven't had time to come up with any new recipes lately so I am pulling up an old family favorite that I revamped a while back. I should probably mention also that I took the picture...If Amanda had taken it the color would be more vivid, the set up would be more dramatic, and all in all it would probably look more appetizing. You'll have to take my word for it, the picture doesn't do this dish justice. It is delicious and beautiful too! I have this tagged as soy free and garlic free but I have not heard back from Wolfgang Puck soups yet so I am not absolutely certain how allergen free it is. Please use ingredients that you know to be safe for your family. :)

4 T Margarine or olive oil
4 Chicken breasts (trimmed, boneless, skinless)
1 Minced shallot
1 c Sliced mushrooms
14 oz Marsala wine
14 oz Chicken stock (my new favorite is Wolfgang Puck’s Free Range
Roasted Chicken Stock)
¼ c Sliced green manzanilla olives

Heat 2 tablespoons of margarine or oil in a large frying pan. Brown chicken on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Remove chicken from pan.
Heat remaining 2 tablespoons of margarine or oil in the same pan. Sauté mushrooms until glossy and brown. Add shallot and olives and sauté for another 5 minutes.
Stir in allergen safe chicken stock and wine. Simmer until liquid is partially reduced, about 10 minutes.
Return chicken to the pan and spoon the sauce over the top of it.
Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked and tender.

P.S. I got my response from Wolfgang Soup's and YES, believe it or not, their soup broth does NOT contain garlic! WoooHoooo!

Gluten Free Finger Paints

Emily wanted to fingerpaint and I couldn't get to the store............

Ingredients:

4 cups water

1 cup cornstarch

food coloring

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Dissolve cornstarch in a separate bowl with 1 cup of cold water. Remove boiling water from heat and add cornstarch mixture. Return to heat, stirring constantly. Boil until the mixture is clear and thick (about 1 minute). Remove from heat.
As the mixture is cooling, divide into separate bowls. Stir in food coloring. Allow to cool a little, although once the mixture has sat for a few hours it will solidify. Now you can fingerpaint! FOOD COLORING DOES STAIN...so wear old clothes, lay out some newspaper, and be prepared to have colorful hands. :)

Amazing "Allergen Free" Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

These are the most amazing chocolate chip cookies ever, they even stay soft a few days longer than the traditional Toll House cookies I make for my husband! They are gluten free, egg free, dairy free, and nut free. I have never tried this recipe with Spectrum shortening, but if you were to use it they would also be soy free. It is also possible that if you cook them longer you would have a crunchy cookie (for those like my mom who prefer a crunchy cookie), but I have not ever tried that either because personally I like a big soft cookie I can sink my teeth into. :)

½ c. Softened margarine
1 c. Brown sugar
½ c. White sugar
2 Eggs worth of egg replacer (EnerG egg replacer)
½ c. Applesauce
2 t. Vanilla extract
1 c. Sorghum flour
¾ c. Tapioca starch
¾ c. Potato starch
½ c. Rice flour
1 ½ t. Baking soda
1 t. Salt
1 t. Xanthan gum
1 c. Mini chocolate chips (Enjoy Life brand chocolate chips)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Combine sorghum flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, rice flour, baking soda, salt, and xanthan gum. Whisk together until well blended.

In a separate bowl cream together margarine and sugars. Add egg replacer, applesauce, and vanilla, and beat until creamy. Gradually mix in dry ingredients. Stir in chocolate chips. (dough will look a little gooey)

Drop by rounded tablespoons (I like to use a small spring action ice cream scoop) onto the parchment lined cookie sheet (if you don't use parchment paper the cookies will spread a little more but they will still be great). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, they should be very light brown on the edges and look slightly under baked in the middle. Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely.

If you bite into a cookie at this point it will be a little tough on the edges and gooey in the middle. Now for the magic...put them in a sealed container for a couple of hours, the moisture will redistribute, and when you take your next bite the cookie will be soft and cooked all the way through! I hope you enjoy these as much as I do, ummm....I mean as much as Emily does. :)

Back To School

This is my "Lock and Lock" container (available through my Amazon link at right... although I bought mine at Wal Mart) and I LOVE it!!! I have some "regular" containers that freeze shut every time I put them in the freezer, and I have to thaw them before I can take anything out. My Lock and Lock seals tight to prevent freezer burn and opens easily...and no this is not a paid endorsement. I am writing this because last year we came up with a great way to be prepared for the never ending parade of allergen ridden goodies that seems to come through a kindergarden class. The school allowed me to keep a small box of Emily's treats in the freezer in the teacher's lounge. Every time a parent showed up at the last minute with a box full of cupcakes, Emily would go to the office and they would let her pick out one of her treats. It worked out beautifully and so we are doing it again this year. Here is her box with cupcakes and chocolate chip cookies (which I will be posting the recipe for next week). I think this year I may need to add pizza...pizza parties seem to be the standard reward for everything. Anyway, I know this solution won't work for everyone, but I thought I would put the idea out there in case it was helpful to someone. Happy Back To School!