17 January 14

It's been a while since I last posted. Almost a year. And for that, I apologize. One of my New Year's Resolutions is to follow through with my plans and ideas. This blog is one of the projects that I've allowed to sit idly by. To start off this new year, I've decided to share my latest success - a success in creating my own Chicken 'n Dumplin' recipe. Yay me. LOL

I found my base recipe in The All-New Ultimate Southern Living Cookbook. I love this cookbook. There is just a smorgasbord of great recipes and tons of information for new and novice cooks such as myself. ;)

I'd tried making chicken & dumplings in the past without much success. The time before this was really depressing, But God was good and He gave me some advice and I was smart enough to try it.

The base recipe I used is simply called Chicken and Dumplings. Here is the recipe with my adjustments for our family.

• Approx. 3 lbs of boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 8 chicken bouillon cubes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 2/3 to 3/4 cup milk
•  10 oz can of cream of celery
• large can of cream of mushroom soup

Bring the first six ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven; partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer 1 hour or until chicken is tender. Remove chicken; cool.
Pour broth through a wire-mesh strainer into a large bowl, discarding solids. Skim off fat. Return the broth to the Dutch oven; stir in bouillon cubes.
Shred chicken, cover and keep warm.
Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender until crumbly. Add milk, stirring dry ingredients until moistened.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; gather dough into a ball. Press dough with heels of hands, pushing it away from you. Fold top half of dough down and push away from you with heels of hands. Turn dough one-quarter turn, fold top down and push dough away. Continue folding, pushing, and turning 10 to 12 times or until dough is smooth.
Roll dough to 1/8" thickness; cut into 1 1/2-X 2-inch strips.
Bring broth mixture to a simmer (do not boil). Drop about 14 dumplings, one at a time, into simmering broth. (Dumplings should float in a single layer.) Cover and simmer gently 4 to 5 minutes. or until done. (Do not overcook.) Remove to a platter with a large slotted spoon; cover and keep warm. Repeat procedure to cook remaining dumplings.
Stir in cream of celery soup and cream of mushroom soup until thoroughly mixed with broth for a creamy texture. Stir chicken into the broth mixture; simmer 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add dumplings and serve immediately.
My husband loved it! And that was all the praise I needed. :)