Serving something special

Here is a somewhat simple dish that's a longtime family favorite as well as a perfect dish for company.

I often make Chicken Marsala for birthdays and for years it was my go-to dinner party dish. It was also a dish my mother would make.

The only difference between hers and mine is that she detested butter, and I say "Butter? What's not to love?"

This recipe incorporates a combination of butter and oil, plus a little kiss of butter at the very end, that adds to the generous richness of the final flavors.

Try it! I think you'll like it.

Chicken Marsala

Makes six servings

2 pounds boneless, skinless, chicken breasts, sliced lengthwise into cutlets, and then pounded -inch thick

Salt and pepper

1/2 cup flour

4 tablespoons butter, separated

2 tablespoons oil

2 cans (3 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup marsala wine

1/2 cup beef broth

Season pounded meat with salt and pepper and dredge both sides in flour. Melt 2 tablespoons butter into a large skillet, then add oil. When oil is hot, brown chicken on each side, about 3-4 minutes per side. Remove meat from pan.

Remove all but 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Add mushrooms, wine and one-quarter cup of the broth, and cook scraping brown bits from the bottom of the skillet.

Return the meat to the pan, and heat the liquid to boiling. Cover and reduce heat, simmer for about 25 minutes, turning chicken once.

Remove meat and arrange on a serving platter and cover to keep warm. To the skillet, add the remaining broth and heat to boiling; reduce liquid until a syrupy consistency is obtained.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and heat through until melted.

Spoon sauce over meat and serve.

For more Comfort & Joy recipes, go to http://www.tnonline.com/lifestyle/comfort-and-joy.