Recipe: Country Chicken and Dumplings and Easy-Flavored Dumplings

Hi Pauline: Try These

COUNTRY CHICKEN N DUMPLIN'S

1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper, to taste
3 lbs chicken, cut up, skin optional
2 tbsp lard or oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 rib celery including the leaves, chopped
2 medium carrots, pared, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 medium potatoes, peeled, cut into chunks
1/4 tsp ground thyme
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg.
1 small bay leaf
2 cans (10 oz each) concentrated chicken broth
1 (10 oz) can water (1 soup can full)
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen peas, thawed
Country Dumpling Dough (recipe follows)

Combine flour, salt and pepper in a 1 gallon plastic zipper type bag, shake well to blend. Put the chicken, 2 pieces at a time, into the bag with the flour mixture, and shake until well coated; set aside.

Heat lard or oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Cook half of the chicken at a time until golden (about 4 minutes per side) transfer to a platter. Repeat until all of the chicken is browned.

Skim off and discard the grease, saving 2 tablespoons of the drippings. Reduce heat to medium, cook the onions and garlic in the drippings until onions are tender.

Return chicken to the pot along with the carrots, potatoes, celery, salt, pepper, thyme, nutmeg, bay leaf, chicken broth and water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, remove chicken pieces from the pot, leaving the pot simmering on the stove. Remove the skin (if used) and the meat from the bones, discard the skin and bones. Return the chicken meat to the pot, stir in the peas. Return the pot to a simmer. Drop tablespoonfuls of the Country Dumpling dough into simmering broth.
Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until done.

COUNTRY DUMPLIN DOUGH

1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 large egg
1 small onion, minced
1/4 tsp dried thyme, crushed
salt and pepper, to taste
2 tbsp shortening
1/4 cup milk

Have a destination recipe simmering on the stove. (Chili, Stew, Soup, Chicken or Beef in Sauce. etc.)

In a mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, egg, onion, thyme, salt and pepper. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or two knives, until the dough resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in milk, until just combined with the dough.

Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough into a main dish that is simmering in sauce. Cover and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes or until done.

---

EASY-FLAVORED DUMPLINGS
Makes 10-12 dumplings

3 cups Bisquick baking mix
1/2 cup milk
1 (10 oz) can condensed cream of chicken soup, divided use*

Have a destination pot simmering on the stove (Chili, Stew, Chicken, Beef in sauce etc).

Mix dry Bisquick with milk and 1/2 of the soup until a soft dough forms.

Drop by spoonfuls into boiling pot of: stew, soup, broth etc. Simmer, uncovered over low heat for 10 minutes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes more. If desired, add remaining soup to the pot, it will add flavor and act as a mild thickener also.

*Any condensed soup will add flavor to the dumplings, as long as it is the same as the flavor in the pot, or you can use one that complements it.