Chicken and Dumplings

     This one always hits the spot. While it's a major hit on cold days, I could eat it anytime. I made a small lunch-sized portion for two, so I doubled the recipe to work for four. This is a bit of a departure from my mother's recipe. Her's doesn't involve any vegetables and she doesn't use spoon-in dumplings, but I was just trying something a bit different. And while your favorite is always going to be the one you grew up with, you just might like this one too. There are more time-consuming versions of this, but here's the quick and easy one.

Chicken and Dumplings

2 boneless chicken breasts

2 T. unsalted butter

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and roughly chopped

2 celery stalks, roughly chopped

4 c. chicken broth

2 c. whole milk

2 c. flour

2 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 t. sugar

2 T. shortening

2/3 c. milk

salt and pepper to taste

Comfort food is on the way!

     Start by placing the chicken breasts in a medium to large sized pot and covering them with water. Boil them until they are cooked through, then strain them and set them aside to cool enough to touch. Pull the chicken apart into small pieces (think pulled pork).

     Bring the empty pot back to the stove, and melt the butter over medium heat. Cook the garlic in the butter for about a minute, then add the carrots and celery. When they begin to soften, add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat again to medium, and add the milk.

     Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a mixing bowl. Cut in the shortening (I just use my hands). Incrementally add the milk while mixing until it resembles wet biscuit dough. Spoon the mixture in to the stew in tablespoon-sized pieces.

     Add in the cooked chicken, and give it about 8-10 minutes. Remove from heat and ladle into a bowl. Garnish it with parsley if you like. I usually don't wait. Grab a spoon and sit back and enjoy!