Mandy's CHICKEN and DRESSING

Fall is my favorite time of year. I love everything that fall brings...the massive amounts of leaves that fill yards and streets...the colors of nature...the crispness of the air...and especially all of the foods that are fall-specific. What could be more "fall" than Chicken and Dressing? And the good news is that people who are gluten free don't have to miss out!

My daughter was diagnosed with Celiac Disease just a few months before Thanksgiving. I had no idea how to have a gluten free Thanksgiving. In all honesty, I probably didn't bother with it that first year...I really don't remember. One thing is for sure...as the years went by I was forced to turn the old family favorites into dishes that were delicious and safe for her. Enter the number one supporting cast member of the Kavanaugh Thanksgiving - the dressing!

My dressing is very simple. It is not stuffing. I've never even tasted stuffing so I can't tell you the difference. You can add shredded chicken or keep it plain and simple. The choice is yours. You really cannot mess this up. I promise.

Here is the one picture you need to see before you get started. The consistency of your mixture should be soupy. Slightly thicker than pancake batter. Now that you've been informed...happy cooking!

Consistency of dressing mixture before it bakes.

Consistency of dressing when it is finished baking

The yummy goodness that will be begging for your fork!

MANDY'S CHICKEN and DRESSING

For the CORNBREAD:

{Adapted from GlutenFreeOnAShoestring.com}

2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder 

1 1/2 cups milk
4 tBsp. vegetable oil
1 large egg

Mix all of the ingredients well. Pour into a glass 9x9 and bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

For the CREAM OF CHICKEN SOUP:

1 & 1/4 cup milk (2% or whole)

1 & 1/2 Tablespoons of cornstarch dissolved in 1/2 cup water

1 Tablespoon of Better Than Bouillon Chicken Base

In a small sauce pan, add milk and bouillon. Heat almost to a boil. Add the water/cornstarch mixture. Whisk constantly until the consistency of traditional cream of chicken soup. (This will take a few minutes. Be patient) Once the soup is thickened, remove from heat and set aside.

For the DRESSING:

1 small onion, chopped

bacon grease or olive oil

2 cans chicken broth OR 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon Chicken base    dissolved in 2 cups of hot water.

1 prepared pan of cornbread (recipe above)

Cream of Chicken Soup (recipe above)

Shredded Chicken (optional)

pepper to taste

milk

1. In a skillet, cook onions in bacon grease or olive oil until tender and translucent. (Trust me on the bacon grease. It adds a layer of flavor.)
2. In a large bowl, crumble the cornbread as fine as you can with your hands. It's okay if there are a few larger pieces.
3. Add the onions, cream of chicken soup and chicken broth.
4. Add pepper to taste. (Really taste it. If you need salt, add it here. There should be enough from the bouillon.)
5. If the mixture needs to be thinner, add milk.
6. Pour into a large casserole dish.
7. Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until set.

A Thought About Our Fast for GB Family

Hands down, the hardest thing for me to give up during a fast is Coca-Cola. And, let’s face it, if it’s the hardest for me to give up it really needs to be the first to go. Day 1 of the Awakening fast was fairly easy for me…until around 7:00pm when the headache began. This morning the headache was gone but in its aftermath was a wicked craving for a Coke! Unfortunately, the people who caught the brunt of my frustration of Coke withdrawal were Scott and the girls who were home for the MLK holiday. I knew in my mind and spirit that the only way I could fight the craving was to get alone with God…but three people in a tiny house is not conducive to productive & intimate prayer time…or so I justified. Somewhere around mid-afternoon came this statement from my hubby, “Mandy, you need to go in your prayer closet, in the word or talk to God….something!” And he was absolutely right!


I want to encourage you, if you are having a hard time, please remember that fasting is about seeking God…not about how long you can go without eating. The physical hunger or denying ourselves of something we crave heightens our intimacy with God…but only if we go to Him in our prayer closets during those times. We will not make it otherwise and if we do…we have only been religious. 


I am blessed to seek God with an amazing group of people! I love my church. I love my God.

Yummy Sour Cream Pancakes

I have tried several recipes for gluten free pancakes. Each time the results were much less than favorable since using gluten free flour changes everything in a recipe. I had pretty much given up on them until I opened one of my Christmas presents on Christmas Eve...The Pioneer Woman Cookbook! As I flipped through the pages, my eyes caught the title of Sour Cream Pancakes. As I skimmed the ingredients, my heart was hopeful when I read "7 tablespoons flour." Since the recipe called for only a small amount of flour, I mustered up the gumption to try one more time (substituting Jules GF Flour)...and it was a yummy success. These pancakes are moist, buttery, light...and most importantly, delicious!


You will need:


1 cup sour cream
7 tablespoons all purpose flour     {I use Jule's Gluten Free Flour}
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
butter

In a bowl, mix together the flour, salt, sugar & baking soda. In a separate bowl mix together eggs & vanilla. Combine flour mixture & egg mixture. Mix lightly...it's ok if the batter is lumpy. Pour batter onto a heated, buttered skillet/griddle 1/4 cup at a time. Flip them when they begin to look like this:

Cook the other side until done....and this is the yummy result:

No one person at my table needed any extra butter. We just poured syrup on top and began eating this yummy food that we haven't had in quite a while. I added everyone's favorite side dish of bacon and sausage and called it a day! Thanks, Pioneer Woman!