Well,
Today was interesting. I was at school, reading with my class and I got the message that I had a phone call. Usually I don't get interrupted unless it's important. So, I went down and it was Mom on the phone. She told me she was sick. She had taken a wrong pill this morning and was having a bad reaction. She asked me to check back in with her at lunch. Instead, I insisted she call the doctor's office to see what she should do. She called me again a few minutes later, saying she needed to go in immediately, but she couldn't drive herself. So, I got permission from my principal to leave and I picked her up, got her to the clinic, and spent the rest of the afternoon at home with her. She was dizzy, and had an upset stomach. She took a long nap, and then was feeling a tad better. Mom is feeling ok tonight. She went to bed around 8 pm.
For dinner tonight, I decided Mom needed something nourishing and comforting. So, I made Chicken and Dumplings. I know mom likes Chicken and Dumplings, but I have never made them. I tried to find a recipe I liked, but in the end, I decided it was more a method and I just kind of created my own version. It turned out pretty good. It was even easy, because I took a few shortcuts. One thing, if you make dumplings... DO NOT PEEK! DON'T LIFT THE LID! If you do, they will sink rather than float. Why is this important? Not sure, but it is to most serious chicken and dumplings fans. Maybe someone out there knows. Maybe you have a version that is a hand-me-down, traditional comfort food. If not, here is my modern-day, shortcut version.
Chicken and Dumplings
1 carton Swanson chicken broth
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into chunks
3-4 pieces of celery, washed and chopped
12-18 mini carrots, chopped
1/4-1/2 bag of Southern Hash browns, frozen
3-4 cups water
1 can Grands Homestyle refrigerator biscuits
Seasonings as desired (I used Mrs. Dash, about a tbsp onion flakes, and some Real Salt for flavor).
Over med-high heat, brown chicken breasts chunks in the bottom of a large pan with some chicken broth and a sprinkling of Mrs. Dash. Add remaining chicken broth and cook along with vegetables and desired seasonings until chicken is cooked through and vegetables are tender. When chicken is no longer pink, add biscuits on top of soup, put lid on, move pan in a circular motion for a few moments to help submerge biscuits. Let cook for 8-10 minutes. Do not lift the lid. (I used a pan with a glass lid so I could see the dumplings.) Turn off heat and keep lid on until you serve your meal.
One note, the biscuits almost overwhelmed the rest of the meal. Next time I might use only half the biscuits and cut them in half first. Then, I'll bake the rest so we can have fresh biscuits as well as dumplings. Mom and I both really enjoyed dinner. I recommend tasting the broth before you add the dumplings to make sure your seasonings are flavorful enough. You could also use canned chicken (drained). You would not have to cook it as long. Have fun experimenting. You might come up with something you really like. Besides, now I have lunch for tomorrow!
Good night!
Mom just told me that if you peek, the sinkers become doughballs instead of fully cooking into nice, fluffy dumplings. So there you go. Don't peek!
ReplyDeleteAlso, you can use egg noodles instead of potatoes if you want. You might have to add extra liquid though. You could also use raw potatoes, but you would have to give them extra time to cook before you add the rest of the veggies. Again, you might have to add extra water. Or you could use a baked potato, skinned and chunked. Basically, it is flexible...except for peeking! DON'T GIVE IN TO TEMPTATION!
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