What an effort, what a friend

Apologies readers for my absence yesterday, I actually thought at 11.45pm last night that may be I should get on and write a quick apology but then I figured I'm sure everyone will understand. I did spend a few hours in bed not very well yesterday (this was meant to be my blogging time!), by the time I actually managed to get up I had to start cooking for dinner (we had friends come over, a great night!), I had no time to blog.

So here I am.....

We went out to dinner on friday night to a friends house, shes a great cook! Having been out with me several times, listening to the frustrations I've had trying to find somewhere or something to eat and reading the blog, she was on a mission to cook me something nice that I wouldn't normally eat or cook myself.

After being on a gf diet for over a year, I've become accustomed to the lack of choice, the high prices and the non appetising choices of gf products that are sold at supermarkets! Saying that it does still annoy me at times! But my friend was not used to it at all, she scanned the small section of gf products at the supermarket, looking for gf bread crumbs (she was going to make a schnitzell!). The closest thing that she found was rice crumbs and being someone who is a fantastic cook she knew they just wouldn't work the same. Being very determined, she remembered how her mother used to make breadcrumbs (from bread not out of a box!), so she set off to find some gf bread.  This was an ordeal in itself as it took a trip to 3 different supermarkets before she could find somewhere that stocked gf bread!

I'm going to endeavour to tell you all how she made the bread crumbs for the schitznel and the schitznel itself and I am going to have this as the feature recipe......

Recipe of the day
GF Schnitzel

Ingredients
1 loaf gf bread
Chicken breast
gf flour
egg yoke
Oil

Method (this is read like a story as I didn't make it and am telling you how to make it as I was told by my friend)

She spread the bread out on a baking tray or dish and placed it in the oven on a low to moderate temperature (the purpose of this is to dry out the bread). We all know that gf is horrible to toast it burns on the outside but is still goey on the inside!! Consequently this made the drying process in the oven a lot longer than non gf bread. My friend said it took about 1 hour to try properly, after 20 minutes of cooking, she checked and turned the bread every 10 minutes. Once it was dried properly, she then placed the bread in a hand held mixer but a food processor etc would do the same thing, and mix/puree bread into a fine crumb mixture (if the bread is still too wet, return to oven for further drying).

The crumbs are now done, cut chicken breast in half (so they aren't too thick to cook). Have three bowls or trays/plates prepared with gf flour, egg yoke and bread crumbs. Then coat chicken in flour, egg and press down in bread crumbs. My friend lightly fried the schitznel in a pan then finished cooking in the oven.

The schitznel was beautiful and no one else (including the 3 men) couldn't tell the difference between these gf schnitzel and ones that they had eaten before!

What a friend, and what an effort she went to! Just to ensure I had something nice to eat that was something I wouldn't normally have! The recipe will definitely be something I will be trying in the future! I didn't turn up empty handed though, I brought a caramel meringue pie!! (it will feature in tomorrows recipe).

A thank you to the people who have contacted me about my research project into the impact of a gf diet on people or children with autism or who are on the spectrum. I will be going to meet with some parents of children with autism who are using the diet and seeing benefits. I will keep you posted on my findings.Please continue to contact me if you have any experiences with the gf diet and autism.

xxxxxx