Chicken and Dumplings

Chicken and dumplings are a true comfort food....I have tried so many ways over the years to make dumplings and about 15yrs ago I came up with this recipe and it has been a favorite of the whole family....to me dumplings should have some substance to them and not melt away in the pot or be a gooey mess.....I hate dough that is dropped from the spoon onto the chicken broth and goodies to make dumplings....it is always yucky to me and that is why I love making mine like this.....they are tender yet hold together well....so very easy to make and yummy at the same time.....
Celery and onion cooking in butter.....

 Chicken and broth at boiling point......

 Flour waiting in bowl...this is probably 5cups of flour...

 Water added to flour to make dough......

 Dough rolled out and sliced with pizza cutter......

 Dumplings cooking away.........

 The final ingredient that makes these dumplings soooo good.....8 eggs......

 This is the final result.....yummy goodness!

 These are so good you will be glad you made them....
 Recipe: Wendy's Chicken and Dumplings 
1 whole roasting chicken, cooked and shredded
Broth from chicken or 2 large cans of broth
8 green onions, chopped
1 1/2 tbsp chopped garlic (we like a lot)
Morton's Season Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Garlic salt (just a smidgen)
8 eggs
5 cups self rising flour
water
2 sticks of butter


Method:
In a large stock pot or caldera (this is what I use) bring chicken broth and shredded chicken to a rolling boil...once it is boiling turn the heat down to med low....add 1 1/2 sticks of butter...


cut celery and onion and place in skillet with 1/2 stick of butter....cook until celery is tender crisp unless you like it softer....green onions will not get super soft so you may want to use regular onions...we just prefer the green onions...when ready put into the pot with broth and chicken.....


While chicken and celery/onion are blending make your dumplings....


Mix flour with enough water to make a dough....you can add herbs or seasonings to the mix now if you like...do not use any oil or other additions other than just the herbs, water and flour.....when dough is ready put out on a surface that is dusted with flour.....sprinkle flour on the top of the dough and knead five or six times adding flour as kneaded to keep it from sticking to your hands......once kneaded re-dust the surface with flour if needed and roll out with a rolling pin to about 1/4 thickness....cut into strips with a pizza cutter both horizontal and vertically......drop dumplings into broth mixture one at a time until you use up your dough.....stir every few minutes to make sure everything is moving around well.....lower the heat to med low and allow to cook for roughly 4min...


Beat the eggs while  dumplings cook.....do not add milk or water.....when dumplings are done slowing pour eggs into the pot stirring at the same time......remove from heat and enjoy! This recipe will serve a family of six......
Printable Recipe:



Enjoy,
Wendy

Bread Cookbook Has Arrived

Yay! My bread cookbook that I won from here arrived in the mail on today.....I will be reading over it this week and collecting my supplies......next week starting on Monday I will be making homemade bread! I am going to work through the book and post about the results here.....if you have time you should pay a visit to David his site has some great recipes that he shares over there and you will find some new favorites.....


Until next time,
Wendy
 

Ooey Gooey Butter Cake

I made this cake last night as it only takes a few ingredients and little time....when done there is no need for frosting.....also I think this should actually be called a cookie bar as that is what it is more like....this cake is really good but very rich in flavor.....I will be tweaking this to make a chocolate version soon....and this smells heavenly when cooking....it will draw your family to the kitchen to find out what you are cooking....this recipe gets the thumbs up from us....

 Recipe:Cake Layer
Preheat oven to 350 degrees
1 yellow cake mix
1 egg
1stick butter

Mix these three ingredients together in a bowl to form a dough....pat into a 9x13 pan (I used a round springform pan) and it worked fine......make sure it goes to the edges well...set aside

Top Layer:
1 16oz box confectioners sugar
1egg
1teaspoon vanilla
1 16oz box cream cheese

Put all ingredients in a bowl and beat with mixer until smooth....pour onto first layer making sure you seal the edges.....bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes if you use a springform pan and 40 minutes for the 13x9 pan...you want it to be slightly gooey when you take it out of the oven....let cool completely and remove the sides of the pan if you use a springform.....dust with confectioners sugar and serve.....I left off the dusting and am glad that I did as it would have really been a sugar overload....

 Printable Recipe


Enjoy,
Wendy

Fried Chicken

Still waiting on the Artisan Bread book to come....in the meantime here is a family favorite.....fried chicken with smashed potatoes......

 This chicken is so good it will make your mouth water for more....my bunch eat this without much talking while they dig in...
Fried Chicken:
12 legs
flour for coating about 3 cups
2 tbs cumin
2 tbs garlic salt
2 tbs garlic powder
oil for frying


Heat oil in large cast iron skillet....I use two to three inches of oil when frying chicken...while oil is heating add all dry ingredients together in a zip lock bag....start coating the chicken legs (they should be wet after washing them and this will help coat them) When oil is ready place legs (or whichever chicken part you are frying) into the hot oil....let cook on high heat until chicken starts to lightly brown on one side...turn chicken and reduce heat to medium to finish cooking.....you may want to rotate the chicken after the second side becomes a light brown so that it does not burn......when chicken is done let drain on paper towels and serve.....this is how I always fry up my chicken and it is always good.....I used to use a two step batter until I tried doing it the way my mom always made her chicken.....

Printable recipe

We also had smashed potatoes.....we love these much better than creamy mashed potatoes....there is more body to them....also my family does not like to eat the potatoes without the skins on....they love the skins, but you can remove them if you like.....

Smashed Potatoes:
5 lbs red potatoes cut into large chunks
garlic salt to taste
garlic powder to taste
3 heaping tbs mayo
milk or half and half
butter to taste


Cook potatoes in water until fork tender...drain....add garlic salt, garlic powder and the mayo to the potatoes and mash with a potato masher....do not whip them just mash up and down making sure to leave chunks...add a little milk to help chunk them up and add the butter to suite your taste....we like a lot of butter so we usually use about a stick and a half....


you can add bacon if you like which is really good....the leftovers can also be made into potato cakes the next day....very good for breakfast with eggs and toast...


Printable recipe


Until next time,
Wendy

 

Still Waiting.........

Just wanted everyone to know that I have not forgotten about making bread.....I am still waiting on the book to arrive.....so I will be back with some recipes this next week while waiting on the book....hope it comes soon....

Until next time,
Wendy

Creamy Potato Soup

We have had a little cold snap here in the south so I decided to make some potato soup.....my family loves this and is a great fall comfort food....the spoon is not dirty it is a reflection of the cheese....

 The recipe:
5 lb red potatoes washed and cut into chunks...(I leave the peelings on as we like them, but you can remove them if you are so inclined)
3 quarts of chicken broth if making your own or 2lg cans of pre-made broth
1 to 2 lb of bacon depending on your likes...fry and crumble
1to 2 tbs of garlic or more to suit your taste....again we like a lot so I use 2tbs heaping
1 large onion
1 tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste
half and half
1 large can evaporated milk
1 stick  butter
instant mashed potatoes
Sharp cheddar cheese shredded
Colby jack cheese shredded : again use the amount of cheese that you like

Bring chicken broth to a boil and add potatoes..... while potatoes are cooking sweat onion in the butter just until they are clear then add them to the pot along with the garlic....cook until potatoes are fork tender.....take a potato masher and mash some of the potatoes as this helps to thicken your soup.....add the half and half and the evaporated milk and bring back to a boil.......once it has started simmering again add the bacon and if needed some instant potatoes to achieve the thickness you want......let simmer for about 5 minutes on low heat.......when ready to serve put in bowls and top with cheese.....you can also use bread bowls if you are so inclined.....


 Printable recipe

Enjoy,
Wendy

I Won A Bread Cookbook!

Hi everyone, well I am so excited about winning this cookbook on bread making.....I won the book over on
http://erecipecards.blogspot.com/  You should go on over and check out his blog....he has some great recipes to share with everyone....when the book gets here I will be sharing not only the recipes but my experience and thoughts on them as well....even the bad ones (you know those that don't turn out so well) I have decided that I will try all the recipes in the book and post about them as I make the breads....this should be a fun and I am sure challenging effort on my part....and I am looking forward to baking bread and sharing this adventure here....of course I will still be adding recipes for other good eats as  well....hope you join me for the journey....

Until next time,
Wendy

Christmas Pickles

Today I wanted to post about my moms Christmas pickles.....they are so yummy and fun! They are made with the end of season large cucumbers from your garden......ours are just beginning to get ready for the last picking and we will be making more of these wonderful pickles.....recipe is below.......

2 gallon large cucumber spears 
2 cups lime
8 1/2 cups cold water
1 cup vinegar
1 TBS alum
1 small bottle red food coloring (you can also use green)


1. Peel cucumbers, cut into spears...Remove all seeds....

2. Place in lime water to cover...Let stand 24 hrs. Drain.

3. Wash in cold water 3 times until lime is removed.....
Put in ice water and leave to soak for 3 to 4 hrs. drain

4. Mix vinegar, alum and food coloring....Pour over cucumbers and add plain water to cover pickles....Heat and simmer for 2 hrs....drain.


5. Add pickling solution below:
   2 Cups vinegar
   2 Cups water
   1 package redhots candies
  10 cups sugar
   8 cinnamon sticks


Bring pickling solution to a boil.....pour over cucumber pickles......cover tightly and let stand overnight....Drain and re-heat syrup and pour again over pickles.....Repeat this process for 2 more mornings....On the 3rd morning heat cucumbers in the liquid to boiling(make sure they come to a rolling boil and boil for at least 5 min)....Pack in sterile jars and seal by turning them upside down........


The longer these sit the better they are at the holidays.....the flavors are so good and the reaction to red and green pickles are a lot of fun.......


printable recipe
 

Enjoy!
Wendy

Salsa

My family loves salsa and can eat salsa and chips as a meal! Seriously, we love it that much......I learned to make the best salsa when we lived in TX.....we had some of the best Hispanic friends that taught me to cook some of our favorite dishes......I will be posting those here along the way.....I made salsa the other night and decided to post my recipe here.....

Salsa Ingredients: 
2 to 3 lbs roma tomato's 
2 bunches fresh cilantro stems cut
1 bunch fresh green onions trimmed
4 to 6 jalapeno peppers
juice of one lemon or lime
1 lg can crushed tomato's (or you can make your own crushed if you have time)
1 lg can diced tomato's or six large tomato's cored and chopped roughly ( I use canned tomato's in the winter when fresh tomato's are not as good)
1 can rotel or make your own
1 1/2 heaping tablespoon garlic  (add more or less for your taste this is what we like) if you use fresh garlic roast the garlic before using and use the whole head of garlic in this recipe....
dash of cumin
garlic salt to taste
Morton's nature season to taste

Method:
In a non-stick pan sprayed with pam place the roma tomato's and the jalapeno peppers and char on med hi heat.......turning until all sides are charred and the tomato oils are released....let jalapenos char until they become translucent......what you don't use in the salsa you can eat later.....

Put crushed, diced and rotel tomato's, onion, cilantro, garlic, lemon or lime juice and seasonings in a food processor.......pulse until everything is chopped to large pieces.....add charred tomato's and one jalapeno......process until the desired consistency that you want......you may have to do this several times as this makes a huge batch of salsa.....if needed add more salt to your taste.....this is pretty spicy and you can omit the jalapeno or add more according to your taste for heat......pour into serving dish and serve with chips of your choice.....this is also good on chicken, tacos and fajitas.......enjoy


printable recipe

Until next time,
Wendy

Pumpkin Stew

I thought I would kick off my food blog with a  great fall recipe......Pumpkin Stew! This stew is so yummy and very filling......if you don't like pumpkin you could still use the recipe just omit the pumpkin.....

Pumpkin Stew/Soup:

1 large pumpkin: open the top and clean out all seeds and strings. Rinse and cut about 2 cups of pumpkin from the shell....be sure and not cut a hole in the sides of the pumpkin....or remove too much flesh....the sides need to be stable while it cooks.

2 large cans of chicken broth

1 large yellow onion coarsely chopped

3 large carrots chopped or two cups baby carrots

1 large can pinto beans drained and rinsed

1 can sliced white potatoes drained and rinsed

3 stalks of celery chopped (you can use less if you don't like celery)

1 stick of butter

2 cloves of garlic crushed

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts cooked and shredded

salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon cumin-this gives a nice smokey flavor you can omit this if you like

Heat oven to 400 degrees F while you prepare the soup.....when you put the pumpkin in the oven turn the heat down to 350 degrees for 45 minutes......

In a large dutch oven melt butter, add onion and celery and cook until translucent. Add all other ingredients and bring to boil...let simmer for 15 minutes......pour into the prepared pumpkin and place the back onto the top.....place on baking sheet.......rub olive oil or vegetable oil on the outside of the pumpkin and place in the over for 45 minutes or until the inside of the pumpkin is soft......when you check to see if it is done make sure you do not poke a hole through the pumpkin or your juice will drain out....I usually put my pumpkin in a roasting pan to cook just in case it springs a leak...so far I have never had that problem......remove the lid and dip out the soup scraping the sides if you want more pumpkin in your bowl......this soup is very good on a cold or rainy day.........add a green salad and some rolls or cheddar cheese and garlic biscuits and you are good to go........

I have also added ground chuck, leftover grilled steak and it just tastes heavenly.....if you try the recipe let me know how it turned out for you.....or if you tweak it so I can try it also.... 

printable recipe

Until next time,

Wendy

Welcome!

Welcome to my new foodie blog! I am asked for recipes all the time, so I decided to start a food blog.....my hope is that you will enjoy the food and recipes that I share here.....if you try something please come back and let me know how you liked it.....

Until next time,
Wendy