Homemade Chicken-n-Dumplin's

Well, here's another one of my favorite dishes to make for the family... Chicken-N-Dumplin's! The weather is getting colder and I absolutely looooove making savory meals for us to come home to. I prepared this dish during the day while hubs was at work and the kids were at school. I wanted to find a 1 pot meal that I could throw together in a pot, allow it simmer and be ready when needed. This was the perfect dish! I don't have a recipe for this particular dish because I literally just throw things together without measuring anything and it always turns out PERFECT!!!  I have found a similar recipe using most of the ingredients I used in my dish that I will post below for those who would like to give it a try. Enjoy!

It was VERY hard for me to find a similar recipe so please see the notes prior to making it.

*Note*  

For the dumplings I used about 2 cups of all purpose flour, 1 tsp of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, 1/2 tsp of pepper and ice water (add a little at a time until you get the right consistency).

*I also added frozen corn, peas and carrots to the pot near the end of cooking.

*Also, I used 2 cans of cream of chicken soup or you can use cream of mushroom or cream of broccoli (the low sodium kind by campbells)

*I added two pats of light butter to the pot in the final stages of cooking

 Chicken n Dumplings Recipe (Click this link of follow the directions below)

Ingredients:

4 large skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips 4 cubes chicken bouillon 2 stalks celery, chopped 1 small onion, chopped 1 sprig fresh parsley, chopped salt and pepper to taste

2 cups all-purpose flour 1 egg 1/2 cup sour cream 1/2 cup chicken broth 1/2 cup cornstarch, to thicken broth

Directions:

1.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add chicken, bouillon, celery, parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 45 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink inside. Reduce heat to low and continue to simmer.

2.

To Make Dumplings: While chicken is cooking, combine the flour, egg, sour cream, and chicken broth in a medium bowl. Mix well and roll dough out on a floured surface. Cut into small squares and drop into boiling chicken broth. In a small bowl, mix together corn starch and enough water to form a thin paste; stir into broth. Continue to simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, or until dumplings are light and puffy.

Chicken Parmesan... It's what's for dinner at our home tonight!
There are soooooo many recipes for this family favorite dish but I thought I'd share what I do to prepare this yummy meal for my family. Feel free to put your own spin on this dish by adding or taking away any ingredients you'd like. You can serve this along with a side salad and garlic bread, over pasta or have pasta on the side OR all by itself :-). Enjoy!

Quick & Simple Chicken Parmesan

• 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts (sliced in halves to make 8)
• 2 cups Italian seasoned bread crumbs (store brought or make your own)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk (optional)
• 1 24 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce (or make your own)
• 2 cups mozzarella cheese and 1/2 cup of Shredded Cheese Blend
• Olive or Vegetable Oil for frying
• Salt/Pepper/Italian Seasoning/Dried Parsley/Garlic Powder/Onion Powder (I put a pinch of these seasonings into my homemade bread crumbs)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees.
2. Boil your pasta and drain.
3. In the bottom of your baking dish spread a thin layer of sauce & cooked pasta and set aside.
4. Place the chicken in a zip-lock bag or between wax paper. Pound it out until even. (this is not necessary but I do it, sometimes). Season Chicken with a little salt and pepper.
5. Mix the egg and milk in a shallow bowl. (if cooking without milk, just scramble 2 eggs in a bowl)
6. Add the bread crumbs to a bowl (add seasonings listed above if making homemade bread crumbs).
7. Cover bottom of frying pan with oil and heat until hot.
8.  Dip the chicken in the egg then the bread crumbs. Fry on both sides until brown. (You do not need to cook them all the way through)
9. Place the chicken onto a plate with paper towels to drain the grease.
10. Place the chicken into the baking pan on top of the cooked pasta and sauce.
11. Pour half of the sauce over each piece of chicken.
12. Cover with foil and bake for 20 minutes.
13. After 20 minutes, remove the foil and add the cheese, sprinkle on parsley flakes. Bake uncovered for about 15 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.
14. Serve with remaining sauce, a side salad and garlic bread… ENJOY!

Homemade Pot Roast/Beef Stew with Veggies (Crock Pot)

Just popping in real quick to share another delicious, crock pot recipe. You just throw everything into your crock pot and let it cook away :-). I paired my dish with some homemade, hand whipped garlic mashed potatoes with Hawaiian Rolls on the side. Enjoy!

Homemade Pot Roast/Beef Stew with Veggies

·         2 lb Chuck Roast (with a little fat for flavor)

·         1-2 Whole Onion peeled and cut in half

·         7-8 Organic Carrots peeled and chopped into 2 inch chunks

·         5 medium to small Yellow Idaho Potatoes washed peeled sliced into medium chunks

·         1 pkg McCormick Brown Gravy

·         3 cups of low sodium beef broth

·         2 sprigs of Thyme

·         2 sprigs of Rosemary

·         Salt, Pepper, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder

·         Olive Oil

Cover the bottom of your skillet with olive oil or vegetable oil; Heat it (make sure it’s good and hot), Wash-Peel-Chop onions, organic carrots and potatoes, season them with a little salt/pepper; Place them into your hot pan to cook for 5 minutes (or until brown); Remove the vegetables from the pan and set aside; Rinse your Chuck Roast and pat it dry; Season it with a good amount of salt & pepper on both sides; Sear it on both sides in the hot skillet for 5-7 minutes on each side (until brown); Place the Chuck Roast into the crock pot; In that same hot skillet pour in 1 ½ cups of Beef Broth; Add 1 pkg of brown gravy mix; Whisk the liquids and scrape the access browned bits from the bottom of the pan; Sprinkle a little onion powder & garlic powder over your chuck roast; Pour the liquid from the skillet into your crock pot; Add the veggies (onions, carrots, potatoes) thyme & rosemary; Pour the remaining 1 ½ to 2 cups of beef broth over the meat and veggies until they are covered; Turn the crock pot temperature on high for the first 3 hours and on low for the remaining 2 ½-3 hours until meat is falling apart and ready to serve. Remove the meat from the pot onto a plate and shred the beef (discard fat) and return it to the pot; Remove the sprigs of rosemary & thyme and use it for garnish J

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cooking time: 5 ½ to 6 hours

A Night Out~ Gala

Soooo, i'm still recovering from last night's Gala but I wanted to log in to post a few pics of our fun night.  Hubby and I decided to support the kids' school by purchasing tickets ($100) to attend the Gala.  All proceeds went directly to our school building fund and teacher enrichment programs.  There was dinner, dancing, live auctions, silent auctions and giveaways.  Some people spent as much as $5700 for a single brick to be placed on our new school building.  It was an awesome night for a great cause. 

I spent quite some time trying to find a decent, inexpensive dress.  Just when I found "the one", I drove to the store (Dillard's) to purchase it only to find that they didn't have anymore!! I was devastated!!!  So, I spent the next 3 hours frantically walking from store to store trying on every dress I thought I could squeeze into until I found something.  It was shorter, tighter and more revealing than any dress i've ever worn but I thought it was different sooooo I went with it.  Hubby loved it of course AND I received many compliments as well as some uninvited stares (from other men) but that was to be expected. 

The Gala was held downtown on a roof top overlooking the city and the football stadium.  It was a bit chilly but is was GORGEOUS!!!  We had a great time!  I later had to take off the heels and slip into my slippers by the end of the night.  Here are a few pix...