Chicken and Dumplings...

Yesterday morning my darling husband had to work overtime into the morning. So he was home just in time to dress the children for church. This is something I very much appreciated, because most weeks that is my responsibility...since his church calling takes him away very early Sunday mornings. But even with that said, I was a little bummed. By the time we got home from church he had been awake for over 30 hours. So I sent him to bed and tried to decide what to eat for dinner. Lately I have been missing my mom fiercely and so I have been making chicken and dumplings once or twice a month. Cooking things she cooks makes me feel closer to her. Each time my recipe has gotten a little better. Mom used to use canned chicken broth. But when one of my sisters came to help me when my last baby was born she taught me how to make my own.

So here is my chicken and dumplings recipe...and not to toot my own horn, but this batch was awesome! I wish I had made a double batch ;)

First I buy two rotisserie chickens. We eat all the meat off the first chicken for dinner and save the carcus. The next day I boil the carcus in a pot of water. This time it was so much better...what I did differently was I boiled it on medium for about two hours. Then I strained it. I then add all the meat (de-bone the other chicken meat), that I removed and finely chopped).

To this large pot of broth and chicken, I added 1/2 a large finely chopped white onion, (fresh) finely diced handful of chives, Basil (fresh) about 6 leaves chopped tiny. I brought all this to a boil and seasoned it as I like...pepper, sea salt, no salt (costco), and crushed more dried basil into it. After it was boiling I added several cups of chopped baby carrots and a couple finely chopped stalks of celery. I let this boil until the carrots were tender. Then I added 2 cans of drained peas. Although frozen peas would work as well. Then I made 1 1/2 servings of biscuits on the bisquick box recipe. Then a little trick my mom taught me...before adding the water I seasoned the bisquick with sea salt and pepper...and then something mom didn't teach me, but I do...I add a little cinnamon, it gives the dumplings a pick me up. Then add water and mix. I take a teaspoon and scoop out a spoonful, more than a golf ball, less than a baseball and plop it into the boiling mixture. Keep up the pace as quickly as you can, so they cook evenly. Add all the dumplings and then cover and turn the heat down a notch or two. Wait a few minutes and then carefully take a fork and turn them over to cook on the other side. It was so yummy, my mouth is watering as I write this. So come visit me and I will make you chicken and dumplings, I just need two days notice.

#246 Reason I see the hand of Heavenly Father in my life: He makes things grow and they are so good. There is nothing like fresh chives and basil, I was so grateful for them this past week! Yum!

Make it a great day! Only YOU can!