Monday Meals: Chicken Rice Bake

INGREDIENTS:

*2 - 4 large chicken breasts (depending on how many you are preparing for), boneless and skinless

*1 1/2 cups uncooked rice

*1 can 18 oz Progresso creamy mushroom soup (yup, it's GF!)

*1 cup water

*paprika, poultry seasoning, garlic salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Mix soup and water in a glass 9 x 13 in. baking dish. Add rice evenly to dish. Place chicken breasts on top of liquid-covered rice. Sprinkle chicken breasts with seasoning. Cover dish with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes or until rice is fully cooked.

*Delicious with fresh, steamed green vegetables.
**I sprinkle my chicken with lemon-pepper seasoning before serving for extra flavor.

Delish Desserts: Decadent Chocolate Cake

INGREDIENTS:

Cake:

*2 1/2 cups sweet brown rice flour

*2 cups brown rice flour

*1 1/2 cup cocoa

*3 cups sugar

*6 teaspoons xanthan gum

*1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

*3 cups water

*15 Tablespoons cooking oil

*3 Tablespoons vinegar

*3 tablespoons vanilla extract

*3 eggs

Filling:

*12-16 oz frozen raspberries (or strawberries, blackberries, etc)

*1/4 cup sugar

*2 Tablespoons lemon juice

*1 Tablespoon corn starch

Frosting:

*1 package 8 oz cream cheese, softened

*3 cups powdered sugar

*1/4 cup cocoa powder

*3 Tablespoons butter, softened

*1 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare 9 X 13 in. pan. Place a few drops vegetable oil in bottom of pan; coat entire pan (bottom and sides) with oil. Dust pan with flour, enough to lightly coat pan. Trace bottom of pan on parchment paper. Cut and place in bottom of pan. Set aside. In large bowl, combine dry ingredients for cake; mix well. In a second bowl, combine wet ingredients for cake; mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Beat together until smooth. Pour half the batter in the pan. Bake at 350 for 30 -32 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Once first layer of cake has cooled, remove from pan. Prepare pan for second half of batter by oiling and dusting with flour. Pour remaining batter in pan. Decreasing cooking time by about one minute. Once second layer of cake has cooled, remove from pan (do not place on top of first layer just yet). In a small sauce pan, combine all ingredients for filling. Place over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil. Allow to boil for 3 - 5 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool. Cover top of first layer of cake with raspberry filling. Place second layer of cake on top of first layer. After cakes and filling have completely cooled, begin frosting. Combine all frosting ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; beat until smooth and fluffy. Frost top and sides of cake.

*To add to the presentation of the cake, I covered the sides of the cake in chocolate shavings. To do this, I placed a brick of chocolate on my counter over night in order to soften. I then used a vegetable peeler to create the shavings. Depending on direction and pressure, you can create gorgeous chocolate curls.
**The car on top is meltable chocolate which I painted by hand (didn't have time to search for a chocolate mold... which would have produced a cheesy looking car, anyway).