Chicken and Dumplings

[Twisties]

2 quart boxes Kitchen Basics Natural Chicken Cooking Stock (See note below)

6 Chicken Thighs

½ Cup Whole Wheat Flour

Canola oil

3 - 4 Cups Carrots, Onions, Celery (and other vegetables parsnip, turnip rutabaga if desired), cut up coarsely

2 Cups flour

Dash salt

Olive oil

 

Skin the thighs and remove any surface fat. Cook them in the broth at a low simmer for an hour.

 

When the thighs are half done, put the whole wheat flour in a large skillet and add canola oil while stirring. Add just enough oil to smoothly suspend all the flour. Add the vegetables, and cook over low to very low heat to caramelize the vegetables and turn the flour brown. Do not burn the flour. When the vegetables are well caramelized and the flour has turned medium brown to chocolate brown, remove from heat and set aside.

 

Remove the thighs to a plate to cool, leaving the broth simmering.

 

Mix the flour and salt. Add a cup of broth and mix. Add olive oil to produce a soft pliable dough, a few tablespoons should do. Let the dough rest a few minutes.

 

Remove the chicken meat from the bones. Discard the bones and any yucky stuff.

 

Roll the dough out on a floured surface, 3/16” thick. Cut the dough into any desired shape. We use 1” x 4” strips for ease of cutting. Drop the dough into the simmering broth and cook 10 – 15 minutes until the dumplings are tender and of desired doneness.

 

Add the vegetables and browned flour, and the chicken meat. Cook two or three minutes to thicken.

 

Serves 4 – 6.

 

Note: To choose chicken stock look at the nutritional information label. Look for the brand with highest protein and lowest sodium. In our market that is Kitchen Basics at 3 g protein and 480 mg sodium per cup.

 

Jan and Sharon

[Mister Tee]

That's not fair. Chicken and dumplings are a weakness of the Tee. Now I won't be able to remain focused for the rest of the evening.

[BFish]

only change i would make is carmelize the veggies then add the flour.

[Twisties]

I like the flour browned for a richer flavor. I'm no expert on it, but I think there are stages of brownness in making a roux, Here: Wikipedia Roux. I like the richer nuttier flavors of the whole wheat flour and the brown roux. If you do it your way, try less flour, since the wikipedia article implies you'll get more thickening.

[tallman]

I thought this thread would be about unusual tire wear.

[Twisties]

I thought this thread would be about unusual tire wear.

 

Oh it is, and guns too.

[Lynn]

Mmmm. I like chicken and dumplings-but I always make it with the puffy dumplings. I have not tried making the noodle-like dumplings before. Sounds like a good experiment for sometime in the next couple of weeks!

[steveknapp]

Mmmm...

 

Not my brew, but some of the BEST beef stew I've had:

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37518,00.html

[Les is more]

Your link is a redirect, Knappy. They have several beef stews listed on the site. Can you tell us the name?

[ESokoloff]

 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37518,00.html

I had to cut & paste it Les.

[eddd]

What time is dinner?

[bakerzdosen]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37518,00.html

I had to cut & paste it Les.

Try it this way:

 

Linky-poo

[Knifemaker]

You people are shamful!!!!

 

How's a guy who is on a diet going to get past this thread????

 

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmFOOD

[Matts_12GS]

You people are shamful!!!!

 

How's a guy who is on a diet going to get past this thread????

 

 

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmFOOD

Personal responsibility?

 

Hi Bill!

[ESokoloff]

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_37518,00.html

I had to cut & paste it Les.

Try it this way:

 

Linky-poo

 

Damn show-off

See if I ever string you out again

[ESokoloff]

 

Serves 4 – 6.

 

Soooo what time should I drop In?

 

I gotta belive your insperation came from....

.... your latest

TALL TALE

[Twisties]

I gotta belive your insperation came from....

 

That certainly was a recent reminder!

 

Our recipe is quite different though. That pictured was an unthickened broth described as "Chicken Soup with Dumplings". Ours is thickened, and would be described as "Chicken and Dumplings", a subtle distinction. We've made it several times over the years. I started browning the roux more after something I saw on Emeril Live once. Then I started carmelizing the vegetables instead of cooking them in the broth. So I suppose if you mean inspiration to make it last night, then you are right, if you mean inspiration for the recipe, then not so much.

 

Anyway, it's easy (especially since the real recipe for dumplings is, "Hey Sharon, come and make some dumplings."), and good. We stopped buying beef, although we'll still eat it out. It's challenging our limited repertoire and we're having to make some more unusual things. A lot of lentils and brown rice, and bean tacos going down around here these days, but we don't want that every day.

 

As to when everyone needs to show up for dinner: We ate it last night, but you're welcome to make a run out for leftovers!

 

As for puffy dumplings, we used to do those too. I think we used the same recipe for the dumplings, but just dropped them in with a spoon instead of rolling them out. Those are good too.

 

Jan

[ESokoloff]

So I suppose if you mean inspiration to make it last night, then you are right

 

Yes, that was my observation/comment.

We stopped buying beef, ...... It's challenging our limited repertoire and we're having to make some more unusual things...... and bean tacos

I'm the chief in the house & what I do is to make a taco mix out of 1/2+# of very low fat hamburger along with a can of kidney beans as well as a can of corn as well as grilled onions/garlic & the usual mix of appropriate spices.

Deanne likes the crunchy preformed jumbo sized shells, so I warm them in the oven.

After filling 1/4 to 1/3, I then add the garnish of grated cheese, hot sauce to taste, lettuce, tomatoes, sliced radishes, sliced olives, & don't forget the sliced avocado.

What's nice is there is enough left over mix to make taco salad the next night

[steveknapp]

A lot of lentils and brown rice, and bean tacos going down around here these days, but we don't want that every day.

 

Best things you eat that include those bits?

 

Bean tacos sound good. I lentils, but the soup I make isn't exactly healthy (nor is the split pea with cream).

 

I made a good veggie sloppy joe that I have no memory how I pulled it off.

[Twisties]

Lentils and Rice

 

1 1/4 cup lentils (brown or green)

3/4 cup short grain brown rice

1 quart water or stock

2 large sweet onions (Mayan, Vidalia, Walla Walla, etc)

 

Cook lentils and rice together with water or stock, until all the liquid has been absorbed, at our altitude that takes about an hour. Carmelize the onions by sauteing over low heat. Mix the onions into the lentils and rice. Top with salt and pepper to taste.

 

Variations: Add bell peppers or other veggies with the onions. Top with a couple of over easy eggs. Use leftovers to make stuffed peppers by adding a few tablespoons of tomato paste, some worcestershire sauce, and grated cheese to make a filling.

 

 

For bean tacos, Eric's sound good!, here's how we do them:

 

We usually saute some onions in a minimum of canola oil with any of various spices: whole cumin seed, ground dried toasted chiles, commercial chile powder, fresh or dried oregano, ground paprika, ground tumeric, fresh diced jalepeno or other chile, picante sauce, or other mexican spicy sauce (tomatoes and jalapenos or green chile). When the onions are done we clear a spot in the bottom of the pan, press in several cloves of garlic, sprinkle a bit of oil on the garlic and saute for less than a minute, more like 30 seconds. Then add smashed beans and mix. Cook for a couple of minutes to heat through.

 

The corn tortillas are pan fried. We place them on a hot griddle with a very tiny amount of canola oil. Sprinkle with some grated cheese. When the cheese is bubbly, add some spiced beans and serve with any of the things Eric mentioned, maybe some thinned sour cream, maybe the avocado has been turned into guacamole if we've been snacking on it.

 

We always choose bean brands that have no added sugar, if using canned. Don't like any sweetness in this type of meal.

 

C'mon y'all, lets see your favorite recipes, or what you made this week!

[ESokoloff]

Oops, forgot the lemon or lime juice... a must have key ingredient in the taco mix.

[Twisties]

Oops, forgot the lemon or lime juice... a must have key ingredient in the taco mix.

 

Now that sounds good! But surely it takes from the Margaritas . How can you stand the loss?

[ESokoloff]

Hey, I live in Ventura County.

Citrus is King around here.

 

Oh, what's that? You say you want a Strawberry Margarita?

Gotcha covered there too

[Lynn]

C'mon y'all, lets see your favorite recipes, or what you made this week!

 

All right, you asked for it. But the one I have made three (!!!) times this week, for various events, is in no way, shape or form good for you, or otherwise recommended for anyone trying to eat healthier foods.

 

These make a very fudgy brownie, rather than a more cakey one. And they always seem to go well...or at least quickly.

 

I always cut the squares small as these are rich and you don't need a huge square of it to get the impact of all that chocolate.

 

 

Triple Chocolate Brownies

from Cook's Illustrated

 

5 ounces semisweet chocolate or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

2 ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped

8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into quarters

3 tablespoons cocoa powder

 

3 large eggs

1 1/4 cups granulated sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

 

 

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8-inch square baking pan with nonstick vegetable cooking spray. Fold two 12-inch pieces of foil lengthwise so that they measure 7 inches wide. Fit one sheet in bottom of greased pan, pushing it into corners and up sides of pan; overhang will help in removal of baked brownies. Fit second sheet in pan in same manner, perpendicular to first sheet. Spray foil with nonstick cooking spray.

 

I always have better luck with this one in a darker colored metal pan, rather than a pyrex or light colored one. I haven't tried stoneware for it, as I don't tend to care for stoneware much.

 

In medium heatproof bowl set over a pan of almost-simmering water, melt chocolates and butter, stirring occasionally until mixture is smooth. Whisk in cocoa until smooth. Set aside to cool slightly.

 

Whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla, and salt in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk warm chocolate mixture into egg mixture; then stir in flour with wooden spoon until just combined. Pour mixture into prepared pan, spread into corners, and level surface with rubber spatula; bake until slightly puffed and toothpick inserted in center comes out with a small amount of sticky crumbs clinging to it, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours, then remove brownies from pan using foil handles. Cut into squares and serve.

 

Don't cut the brownies until you are ready to serve them....then get out of the way of any chocoholics you might know. I always find they take closer to 40-45 min to get done, but otherwise I don't make any adjustments for altitude.

 

Sometimes I add some pecans, or make a ganache to top it with. I often add a little instant coffee or some sort of liquor to the mix, in small amounts.

 

EDITED BECAUSE: Lynn can't spell a darned thing right.

[ShovelStrokeEd]

Heart healthy.

 

Salmon steak. Skin on or off, your preference.

Marinate for 1 hour in a zip lock bag with olive oil, fresh basil leaves and some cracked pepper.

Remove salmon and sear on all 6 sides using tongs and pressure to get the edges.

Place in a baking dish and pour the marinade over it then coat with more cracked pepper on everything you can reach.

Into an oven at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Serve over a bed of augmented rice (I scissor some chives into mine)

Some steamed green beans or sugar snaps on the side or some blanched spinach.

[Christian_rider]

Shrimp and Dumplings! I went to Atlanta this past week-end. Took the 5 kids to the Georgia Aquarium ( whole other story) but we stopped in at a place on the river to eat and I can not remember the name. I also can not wake the wife to ask the brain what the name was. Shrimp and dumplings is much better than chicken though! The tornado was intresting, the Georgia Aquarium was simply amazing and a must do for all ages. The Atlanta Zoo was okay. The Shrimp and Dumplings were worth going again and again by any method of travel to get there.

[Joel]

Triple Chocolate Brownies

 

Yeah baby, now we're cookin' Life is short -- eat dessert first.

 

Our favorite simple household decadence is No-Bake Cookies:

 

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/4 cup cocoa

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1 tsp vanilla

 

Put the sugar, butter, milk, salt and cocoa in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then add peanut butter and oats. Mix well, then drop by spoonfuls on to waxed paper to cool. Rationalize eating by noting the high fiber content of the rolled oats.

[Lynn]

Rationalize eating by noting the high fiber content of the rolled oats.

 

Does that mean that my carrot cake counts as a vegetable?

 

Carrot Cake

 

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 1/2 ounces) (plus about 2 TBSP or so for high altitude)

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder (less about 1/8 TSP for high altitude)

1 teaspoon baking soda (less about 1/8 TSP for high altitude)

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon-break out the good stuff for this cake

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground cloves

1/2 teaspoon table salt

1 pound medium carrots (6 to 7 carrots), peeled

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (10 1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3 1/2 ounces)

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups vegetable oil , safflower oil, or canola oil

 

Cream Cheese Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese , softened but still cool

10 tablespoons unsalted butter softened, but still cool

2 tablespoon sour cream

1 - 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (9 ounces)

 

For the cake:

Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 9-inch round baking pans with nonstick cooking spray. Line bottom of pan with parchment and spray parchment. I have been known to use 3 8-inch round pans...but it changes the cooking time. So does a 13X9 inch pan. Of course, my cooking times tend to be pretty variable anyway...so be sure to check it when it gets close.

 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt in large bowl; set aside.

 

Shred carrots using large holes of box grater or shredder of your standing mixer (or your food processor). You should have about 3 cups or so of carrot shreds. Transfer carrots to bowl and set aside.

 

In bowl of standing mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or in large bowl and using hand-held mixer), beat granulated and brown sugars and eggs on medium-high until thoroughly combined, about 45 seconds. Reduce speed to medium; with mixer running, add oil in slow, steady stream, being careful to pour oil against inside of bowl (if oil begins to splatter, reduce speed to low until oil is incorporated, then resume adding oil).

 

Increase speed to high and mix until mixture is light in color and well emulsified, about 45 seconds to 1 minute longer. Turn off mixer and stir in carrots and dry ingredients by hand until incorporated and no streaks of flour remain. Pour into prepared pans and bake until toothpick or skewer inserted into center of layers comes out clean, 30-35 minutes. Cool cake to room temperature in pan on wire rack, about 2 hoursx

 

When cake is cool, mix cream cheese, butter, sour cream, and vanilla at medium high speed in clean bowl of standing mixer fitted with whisk attachment (or in large bowl using handheld mixer) until well combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down bowl with rubber spatula as needed. Add confectioners’ sugar and mix until very fluffy, about 1 minute.

 

Run paring knife around edge of cake to loosen from pan. Invert cake onto wire rack, peel off parchment, then invert again onto serving platter.

 

Frost cake generously and serve.

 

The original frosting recipe was half of this, but I like the cake as a layer cake rather than a 13X9, so I did increase it. The baking times are approximate, at best.

 

I have been known to add a little ginger to the cake, or any other cake type of spice. A little honey is pretty good too.

 

I have also been known to make an orange/ginger cream cheese frosting (no recipe-I just did by guess) to go with a gingered carrot cake.

 

No photos-I do not frost prettily. It covers the cake and tastes good, and that is really as good as I can do.

[JerryMather]

If your ever in the Portland area you've got to ride out to this place! The ride up the Gorge is well worth the effort and the meal you'll have on the river bank is really cool.

[Joel]

Rationalize eating by noting the high fiber content of the rolled oats.

 

Does that mean that my carrot cake counts as a vegetable?

 

Dunno, but it is certainly the highest and best use of the carrot.

[bakerzdosen]

Well, I'll 2nd the nomination of this being a good recipe (the chicken & dumplings one as there seems to have been a few added along the way... ) I finally got around to making it last night (I didn't exactly have everything I needed to make it at the Residence Inn for the past few weeks). Pretty good stuff.

 

A couple of comments: I threw either a turnip or a parsnip in (I can't tell the difference and I don't think they could at the store either) and Amy mentioned that she specifically liked it. Browning the flour took longer than I'd expected on "low to very low heat". Probably 35 minutes to get everything carmelized. An approximation of how much canola oil would have been nice too seeing as how I really don't get the explanation of what flour suspended in oil is... (I'm obviously somewhat of a cooking neophyte in some ways.)

 

Regardless, thanks for the idea. Thumbs up from us.

[Twisties]

Nice! Glad you liked it!

 

Turnip is roundish, dense, waxy, and colored white and purple. Not a whole lot of flavor... but a starchy vegetable.

 

Parsnip is whiteish (the skin may be brownish with dirt) and shaped like a carrot. Parsnip has a very distinctive flavor: you either like it or you don't.

 

Sorry about the oil measurement. I don't always measure myself. The standard for a roux is the same volume of oil as flour, so in this case 1/2 a cup. I like to use less oil so, I just add until the flour can be all stirred in without lumps. I'd guess I'm getting by with a 1/3 cup.

 

Yes, about 30 minutes on the vegetables and flour, that's right. If you use a higher temperature it'll all just burn. That's why I said to start it when the chicken was half done.

 

Where you been? Residence Inn: no way to live your life.

[bakerzdosen]

I'll probably add less olive oil next time, and a bit more canola oil for the veggies/flour. I was pretty close on the canola, but there was too much of an olive oil flavor to the dough this time.

 

OK, I'm guessing turnip. I'd only purchased them with the tip and greens still attached before, so I didn't recognize it. Definitely not a parsnip.

 

I think I'll try a bit more cooking time on the veggies next time as well to soften them up a bit.

 

Where you been? Residence Inn: no way to live your life.

[OT] (but you asked...) Which one? I've got two weeks clocked in at one in Houston (during rodeo month no less - blech!) and two weeks in a Courtyard in Colorado Springs so far this year. It may be no way to live life, but they were much better than the place I stayed in Santo Domingo the week prior to that (though there is a pretty nice Courtyard down the street). It's been nice to get back to traveling more, but it won't last I'm sure (for various reasons ).

 

The funny thing is that I would typically eat/cook "at home" more often when staying at a Res Inn than I would when "home" when I was single.[/OT]