Dear summer - we are ready to turn down the heat - thanks.

So it's hot out... like 100 degrees hot out. It's well over 100 with the heat index. Why not have the first week of school when the sidewalks can melt and there's no a/c in the buses. I felt a little bad as I drove off to my air conditioned office sending my kids on the hot buses to school. Except not, I walked into my building and it was no cooler inside than outside. Um. Wait.... um... no thanks? That's not what I signed up for. Add to that some cranky people calling - not awesome. I ended up going home after my lunch break and working from the coolness of my house the rest of the day. Ahhh air conditioning. I still felt a little bad for my kids when they got off their buses all hot and sweaty... although Bronwyn did have a sweatshirt on still. Ugh... child.
I'd been planning to have Chicken Marsala for a while but hadn't read the actual recipe so I was missing quite a few things. I made sure we had them all and an open night because this recipe is NOT an easy one - at all. This isn't one of those toss together and forget it sort of things... It's a lot of different moving parts that happen but they are worth the effort because this one is so good. Thankfully being home for the afternoon working helped out since I could start working on dinner right at 2:30 - although it did take me until 4:30 to finish up to sit and eat.... Um... yeah... that's a long time. This isn't a toss together quick sort of thing but it's worth the effort. Our family decided this is a do again - good thing since I bought the cooking wine!

Chicken Marsala
Ingredients
Mushrooms
12 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced/rinsed/dried.
2 tablespoons butter
Chicken
2 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
Salt/Pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup flour
Marsala Sauce
2 cups chicken broth
½ beef bouillon cube
¼ cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon onion powder
½ teaspoon mustard powder
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 cup dry marsala wine
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
Freshly Parsley, to garnish

Instructions
Combine Sauce Mixture: Combine chicken broth, beef bouillon, heavy cream, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder, mustard powder, and thyme. Set aside.
Melt butter over medium-high heat and add the mushrooms. Allow them to brown for 4-5 minutes, stir occasionally as they cook. Sprinkle with a little salt halfway through if desired. Set aside once cooked. (This method is the best way for them to retain their shape, color, texture, and flavor. This way they don't become waterlogged/rubbery by staying in the skillet.)
Slice the chicken in half lengthwise to create 2 thinner slices. Cover with saran wrap and use the textured side of a meat mallet to pound it to ½ inch thick. Pat dry.
Season each side with salt/pepper. Combine the garlic powder with the flour. Sprinkle it over the chicken and rub it over the surface of each side.
Heat olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Sear the chicken in batches for 4-5 minutes per side, until a golden crust has developed. Set aside.
Turn the heat off. Add the wine and then set the heat to medium. Use a silicone spatula to clean the bottom and sides of the skillet, the “fond” will add more flavor to the sauce. Bring to a gentle bubble and reduce by half, about 5-6 minutes.
Add the butter, garlic, and shallots and cook for 1 minute.
Add the flour and stir continuously for 2 minutes. The color of the flour mixture should be dark brown.
Add the sauce mixture (from step 1) in small splashes, stirring continuously. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Let it simmer and reduce for 7-10 minutes, uncovered. The longer it simmers, the thicker and more concentrated it will get.
Add the mushrooms back to the skillet and stir to combine. Add the chicken back and spoon the sauce on top. Cover partially and let it heat through for 3-4 minutes. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and serve!