I Made This Up Myself...

I know that I have given great (and well deserved) tributes to my sweet Mother on this blog for all of the amazing things I learned from her in the cooking department.  She has taught me so much and I have so many good recipes that she deserves credit for.

This isn't one of those.

Well, okay, part of it comes from mom.  But the premise, nope, I made it up myself.

Well, in essence, I didn't make the premise up.....

Okay, here's the story.

Chicken and dumplings.  Enough said.

I did not grow up with chicken and dumplings.  I grew up with chicken.  I grew up with dumplings.  I did NOT grow up with chicken and dumplings.  Dumplings, at our house, were reserved for stew and maybe ??? soup?

But, I've heard so much about "chicken and dumplings".  It sounds so....so....so downhome good.  So it seems like a "mom thing" to make.  Like making your kids drink their milk and eat their vegetables - all good mothers should serve chicken and dumplings now and then, for goodness sake.

I did talk to my mom about the notion but, hey, we were both a little clueless about what the meal actually means in terms of 'how to'.  We tossed a few ideas back and forth and then I think, within a short time of each other, we both attempted our own individual version of it.

Yesterday was a day that called for Chicken and Dumplings.  We all needed some comfort food.

My idea of Chicken and Dumplings includes the following:

I like to use chicken pieces.  I had a few chicken thighs and a couple of chicken breasts in the freezer.  I cut the breasts in to small (4-5 bites/piece) pieces.  None of the chicken was completely thawed when I started, and I started the process somewhere around 2:30 in the afternoon. 

Now, before I go on, I have to give a disclaimer here.  *I like chicken on the bone*.  There is someone in my family (who shall remain nameless but is my father-in-law) who does not like chicken on the bone.  He has voiced his deep thoughts on the financial value of chicken-on-the-bone versus chicken breasts on more than one occasion.  He is convinced that chicken breast is a better value in the $$ department, because you're getting all chicken and no bone.  That may indeed be true.  I, however, LOVE chicken on the bone.  There is more flavor, the meat is moister, and cooks up more tenderly (grammar?) without overcooking.  And, to prove my point, the chicken breast that I cooked in this dish yesterday was dry and stringy by the time I served it.  The chicken on the bone was, well, falling-off-the-bone tender and delicious.  But, different strokes for different folks.  We're entitled to our own preferences in all things chicken. 

And everything else, for that matter.

So, anyway, back to the pot.  I used a nice heavy, cast iron dutch oven.  Into the hot pot went a reasonable amount of olive oil, one onion, diced, and the chicken pieces, seasoned with salt and pepper and generously sprinkled with chicken bouillon.  I sauteed them long enough to bring a bit of color to the chicken.  Once they were lightly browned, I added enough water to the pot to pretty well cover the chicken and then turned the heat down to keep a low simmer going.

Then I walked away and did a bunch of other, somewhat boring things not worth writing down that may have included going grocery shopping and other such things.

About half an hour before supper (we ate around 5:30-6 p.m.) I turned the heat back up, made a flour/water roux and added that to the broth and brought it back to a good boil.  When the broth/roux had thickened into gravy, I added the dumplings on top of the broth, covered the pot, kept the heat at a steady boil and walked away again for 20 minutes.

20 minutes passed and supper was ready!

It was food for the soul.  It fed us and nourished us....

Ever have one of those meals that was "filling"?  As in, it filled my tummy, but there was no tastiness/satisfaction attached?

This meal satisfied.  Like a tonic. 

So, that's my version of chicken and dumplings.  Does anyone else out there make chicken and dumplings?  If so, what's your recipe?  Please share!

And, to give credit to dear Mother again (are there any royalties involved in this for her?), this is her dumpling recipe.  I think perhaps these are categorized as baking powder dumplings - there are other dumplings that don't seem to rise like these do.  Again, different traditions, right?

Dumplings

2 cups flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
4 Tbsp shortening
3/4 - 1 cup milk

Combine dry ingredients.  Cut in shortening to make crumbs (I actually used margarine this time with good results).  Add in 3/4 cup milk and stir briefly with a fork. Add enough of the remaining milk to make the dough hold together.  Drop by spoonful on top of simmering broth/gravy. Cover and steam for 20 minutes and DON'T LIFT THE LID.  OR YOU WILL DIE!!!

Oh, sorry.  I got carried away there for a minute.

Don't lift the lid - because Mom said so.

;)

Comments

  1. "Don't lift the lid or you will die" hahaha!! We were threatened greatly about lifting the lid on dumplings or rice! :)

    Can't help you out on what chicken and dumplings are supposed to be like. But dumplings...mmm...maybe next time we have stew!

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  2. And we should never, ever slam the screen door when there was a cake in the oven!

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