Chicken and dumplings

When people talk about comfort food they always talk about chicken and dumplings. I never thought that! For a couple reasons. I never ate it before and It seemed like such a mainland food. When I decided to make this I looked up a couple recipes and they all use stuff like condensed cream of celery or cream of chicken soup, and Bisquick batter. The thought of chicken soaked in canned soup topped with pancake batter made me sick. I thought chicken and dumplings were old school food? Before processed food was even made? So I came across an old recipe tweaked it and came out with an awesome dish. This is a little time consuming for people now days. I have no life so I can stay home all day and cook. To make this faster you could use chicken thighs and store bought broth. But i wouldn't :)

Ingredients:

1 roasting chicken about 5 to 6 pounds

1 large onion chopped, (for the stock)

3 bay leaves

6 tablespoon butter

6 tablespoon flour

3 teaspoons fresh thyme

2 tablespoon cooking sherry

4 celery stalks cut into 1/2-inch pieces

4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

1 large onion quartered

1/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup frozen peas, thawed

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves

Ingredients for Dumplings:

2 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon salt

2 Tbsp butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1/4 cup minced herbs (parsley, sage, and thyme) or whatever floats your boat. Make sure you use fresh herbs not dried.

Directions:

First things first, We need to cut up this bird. Cut off legs, thighs and breasts, remove the skin and set aside. Next we need to hack up whats left over into 2 inch pieces for the stock.

Heat some olive oil in a heavy bottom pot on medium high heat. Add hacked up chicken pieces (back, neck, and wings) and onion. Cook until onions soften and chicken pieces brown, about 5 minutes. Turn heat to low, cover and continue to cook for about 20 minutes. In a tea kettle or separate pot, boil 6 cups of water. Add boiling water to chicken pan and turn heat to medium high.

Add chicken , 3 bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon of salt to the stock and bring up to a simmer. Reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is  just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken legs, thighs, and breasts from the pan and set aside. When chicken is cool enough to handle, debone the chicken pieces. Shred and cut into bite size pieces.

Next you need to strain the broth and discard all the solids and bay leaves. Skim off any fat from the broth and reserve 5 cups for the dish. Freeze any left overs for later use.

For the dumpling batter. sift together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Add herbs. Add melted butter and milk to the dry ingredients. Gently mix with a spoon until mixture just comes together. Making sure not to over mix or you batter will be too dense. Set aside.

Next; heat 6 tablespoons butter in the pan you used to make the stock over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour and thyme, whisking constantly until flour turns golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, slowly add sherry, then slowly add the 5 cups stock, cook until mixture slightly thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the carrots, celery, and onions; cook for 5 minutes. Stir in chicken and cream; return to a strong simmer. Season with salt and pepper and cover to cook 5 minutes.

After the 5 minutes drop the dumpling batter into the stew by heaping teaspoonfuls, over the surface of the stew. Cover and simmer until dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. (I know its tempting but make sure you don't uncover the pot! The dumplings need steam to cook) Check the dumplings in 15 minutes. If there still not done cover and let it cook for another 5 minutes.

When dumplings are done take them out and put them on a plate. Stir in the peas and parsley and warm them through.

Scoop stew into bowls and add dumplings on top.

Coq Au Vin

Once you have this dish you will definitely feel like such a grown up. The flavors are so rich and heavy you wont need a big plate. My kids were not so fond of it, they said it tasted "To Winey" I served this with steamed potatoes but next time will pour over egg noodles. Yum!

Ingredients:

1 4 – 5 pound chicken cut into 8 parts (skin removed)

8 Cups Dry Red Wine (I used Burgundy)

2 large onions quartered

3 medium carrots, peeled and quartered

2 cloves garlic smashed

1 bouquet garni (1 sprig each parsley and thyme, bay leaf, and 1 celery stalk, Tied in a square of cheesecloth)

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large piece pancetta (equal to one full slice of thick cut bacon)

1/2 Cup cognac

1 lb white mushrooms cleaned and sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tablespoons cornstarch dissolved into 2 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Place chicken, wine, vegetables, garlic and bouquet garni in a large bowl, cover and refrigerate for 24 hours

Remove chicken from the marinade (reserve marinade)and pat dry. Brown chicken in olive oil using a large casserole on medium high heat. Remove the vegetables from the marinade add them to the dutch oven (still reserving marinade) and add the salt pork. Cover and warm through for 10 minutes. Add the cognac and carefully light. Once the flames go away, add the mushrooms, marinade, salt and pepper and simmer for 2 hours.

Remove the chicken and vegetables from the pot, place in a casserole dish covered to keep warm.

Degrease the broth, bring to a boil and whisk in the cornstarch mixture. Reduce until desired thickness about 45 minutes or so, you want a think gravy. Add the chicken and vegetables and warm through.

Chick Pizzas

          So we had pizza night. Lance always decides what goes on the pizzas! Not lastnight, I made chick pizzas! If there is such a thing? Were always stuck with Lances 20 ingredient pizzas. His puts so much meat on it we have mini heart attacks after dinner. Well let me share the perfect "chick Pizzas" that even your hubby will love.

The first one was a simple feta and spinach, Make some pizza dough and roll it out. Top it with some tomato sauce (not too much) add thinly sliced Swiss cheese, yes i said Swiss, believe me! Then add a handful of fresh baby spinach leaves, top with 5 oz of crumbled feta. Place the pizza in the middle of the oven and bake at 450 for 20-30 minutes.

 The second Pizza:

Make a pizza dough and roll it out, top with tomato sauce (again not to much), shredded mozzarella cheese, precooked Italian sausage, small handfuls of each spinach and basil, sliced mushrooms (like 2), and handful of grape tomatoes. These are the ones from Costco. Its a mixed medley, so yummy :)

Again bake at 450 for 20-35 minutes.

Pizza is so easy to make at home, there's no excuse! Make sure you don't pile your ingredients to high. We learned this the hard way. We added so much veggies and meat that it took an hour to cook. Less is more people! Although Lance still makes his pizzas this way. Hes a dork!

Asian Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

1/2 teaspoon minced ginger

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro

3 tablespoon peanut butter

1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon very hot water

1 tablespoon  sugar

2 - 3 cups thinly sliced red and green cabbage

1/2 -1 cup sliced mini sweet peppers

1/3 cup sliced green onions

Cooked chicken ( I used the breaded chicken from Costco, Baked)

Directions:

Put ginger, garlic, cilantro, peanut butter, lemon juice, peanut oil, soy sauce, hot water, and sugar in food processor or blender. Pulse about one minute, until ingredients are well combined. Taste to see if you want more peanut butter.

Combine vegetables and dressing in a bowl and toss. Add chicken on top or you can mix it in. Top with chopped cilantro and peanuts.

Roasted Whole Chicken

Ingredients:

3-4lb Whole Chicken

1 Onion quartered

1 Lemon

4 garlic cloves sliced in half

2 tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

4 tablespoons Parsley, sage, and rosemary chopped (usually I would use thyme but parsley is what I had on hand)

Directions:

Clean and dry your chicken. This will help to insure a nice crust on your chicken once it’s finished. Stuff you chicken ;) With your onion, lemon and garlic. Don't worry about chopping them good, there in there for the flavor. You'll be taking them out before serving.

In a small bowl add your chopped herbs, olive oil, and a couple pinches of salt and pepper.

Rub down your chicken with the herb mix. Place in 450 degree oven for an hour to an hour and fifteen minutes until golden brown.

Once the chicken is roasted, let it rest for 10-15 minutes.

*One of our favorite things to have with roast chicken is fried potatoes. Add a couple tablespoons of shortening or butter to a hot pan and let it melt, add one sliced onion and cook for one minute. Add about 8 chopped red potatoes and fry for about 15 minutes. Season and serve.

Chicken Chow Fun

Ingredients:

3-4 Chicken breasts

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 clove garlic minced

3 tablespoons oyster sauce

4 tablespoons corn starch

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1/4 cup chicken broth

1 pkg Chow fun noodles

4 cups mung bean

1 cup nappa cabbage chopped

1 carrot julienned

1 teaspoon sesame oil 

Directions:

In a small bowl mix soy sauce, garlic, oyster sauce, corn starch, brown sugar, fish sauce and broth; set aside. 

Heat wok and add 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Stir fry chicken and 2 tablespoons of sauce for 5-7 minutes. Add mung bean, cabbage, carrots and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add noodles and sauce, cooking until the noodles have absorbed all the flavors and are heated through. Drizzle on sesame oil.

Pesto

After harvesting a good portion of my basil I decided to make some pesto..This came out super good! We made pesto potatoes and poured it over baked chicken. You can use it in place of pasta sauce or pizza sauce. I used a mix of Italian and purple basil. You usually use Parmesan-Reggiano but I like Asiago Fresco

Ingredients:

4 cups basil

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts 

5 teaspoons minced garlic

2/3 cup + 1/2 cup Olive oil

1 cup shredded Asiago Fresco

Directions:

Add basil, garlic, and pine nuts in a blender and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add 2/3 cup of the oil and cheese, blend then slowly stream in 1/2 cup oil. Blend till smooth.

Turkey Chili

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 1/4 pound ground turkey

3 crushed garlic cloves

2-3 chopped Thai chilies or 1 tablespoons chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin

2 teaspoons oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoons pepper

2 tablespoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

28 oz can diced tomatoes

1 cup chicken broth

2 cups black beans that were soaked over night or 2 cans black beans

2 cups corn

10 oz frozen spinach defrosted or Kale

Directions:

Heat pot over high heat, add 2 tablespoons oil then add the onion; cook till onion is translucent. Add turkey, garlic, chilies, cumin, oregano, salt and pepper. When turkey is cooked through add sugar, tomato paste, diced tomatoes, broth and beans, cook for 15 min on medium heat covered. When beans are soft add corn and spinach and cooked covered for 10 minutes.

  

Thai Green Curry

Ingredients:

3 cups coconut milk

2/3 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons green curry paste

1 tablespoon chopped ginger

2 garlic cloves minced

6 red potatoes chopped and boiled (optional)

2 cups cooked chicken

2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce

4 tablespoons brown sugar

1 cup corn

1 cup sweet peas

1 large bunch Thai basil torn up

Directions:

Add coconut milk, broth, and curry paste to a large pot. Cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add ginger, garlic, potatoes, chicken, fish sauce and sugar. Cook for 5 minutes. Add corn, peas, and basil. Cook for another 5 minutes.

You can use shrimp in place of the chicken but make sure its uncooked and add it the last 5 minutes of cooking. Also you can take out the potatoes if your serving this with a different starch, My favorite is over Jasmine rice. You should taste while you cook to alter the sauce to your liking. You can also switch out the corn and peas for red and green bell peppers, and I don't add salt because the fish sauce has enough. 

Orzo Pasta Salad

This is a great dish to bring for a pot luck or to take as a lunch for a family day. Make this dish a day ahead so the pasta soaks up the flavors. 

Ingredients:

16 oz Orzo Pasta cooked according to pkg directions

1 15oz can black olives drained and sliced

1 cup cherry tomatoes cut in half

3 tablespoons dried parsley

1-2 cups artichoke hearts marinated in oil quartered

Salt and pepper to taste

1/2 cup chopped chicken(if desired)

Directions:

Mix all in a large bowl; add oil from artichokes to mix easier. Top with feta cheese

Grilled Korean Chicken

I found this recipe in the Prevention Magazine and its called Instant Teriyaki Chicken Although it don't taste like Teriyaki. Its more of a Korean BBQ taste.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons Soy sauce

1 1/2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoons tomato paste

4 Bone-in, skinless chicken thighs (about 5 oz each)

1 teaspoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:

Stir soy sauce, honey and tomato paste in a med bowl. Add chicken and marinade all day. When ready to cook heat grill or broiler to high and cook chicken till browned, about 5 minutes on the grill or 10 minutes under the broiler. Flip and brown until cooked through, about 2 minutes on the grill or 4 minutes under broiler. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve on top of sauteed Spinach.

Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

3 pounds ground Turkey

1 cup panko bread crumbs


1 small onion finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped parsley


2 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 garlic cloves minced

salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
In large bowl mix all ingredients, shape into 6 patties. Fry them or grill them until cooked through. easy peasy!

Rosemary potato pancakes

4 medium potatoes, peeled, shredded, & drained of liquids

2 tbsp sour cream

1 tbsp flour

1 egg

1/2 chopped onion

1 tsp rosemary

salt and pepper

Mix and fry. You can top with Parmesan cheese and a dollop of sour cream ;)

Portuguese Bean Soup

This is a recipe from my friend Maile, I enjoyed this soup and so did others I made it for. Simple and delicious! We had it on the side of pastrami sandwiches, great dinner, Thanks Maile! Quick tip..... Use a large pot because its alot of cabbage, It does boil down but still makes a good 4 quarts.

Ingredients:

20 oz Portuguese sausage sliced

1 large carrot chopped

2 peeled potatoes chopped

2 med onions chopped

1 quart water

1 (8oz) can tomato sauce

1 tablespoon salt

2 (15oz) cans drained kidney beans

3 pounds chopped cabbage

Directions:

Add onion and Sausage to pot and fry for 10 minutes. Add all ingredients except beans and cabbage. Bring to a boil then turn down heat and simmer for 15 minutes covered. Add beans and cabbage, simmer for 20 minutes more.

Chuck Stew

This is a recipe from my friend Iwa. Its a hawaiian style beef stew that so simple and so good. You can play around with the ingredients as far as adding more veggies and potatoes just make sure you adjust the cooking time. Me and my family loved it! Thanks Iwa!

Ingredients:

4 lbs chuck roast cut in stew size pieces

2 onions cut in quarters

2 large potatoes cut

3 carrots cut

3 celery stalks cut

1 cup ketchup

1 tablespoon mustard

3 tablespoons brown sugar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/3 cup water

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large glass cake pan. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 2 1/2 hours.

Pizza Dough

Makes enough dough for two 10-12 inch pizzas

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups warm water (105°F-115°F)

1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) of active dry yeast

3 1/2 cups bread flour

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon sugar

Directions:  

In the large bowl add the warm water. Sprinkle on the yeast and let sit for 5 minutes until the yeast is dissolved. Stir to dissolve completely if needed at the end of 5 minutes.

Attach a mixing paddle to the mixer. Mix in the olive oil, flour, salt and sugar on low speed for about a minute. Remove the mixing paddle and replace with a dough hook. Knead using the mixer and dough hook, on low to medium speed, until the dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. If you don't have a mixer, you can mix and knead by hand. If the dough seems a little too wet, sprinkle on a bit more flour. Place ball of dough in a bowl that has been coated lightly with olive oil. Turn the dough around in the bowl so that it gets coated with the oil. Cover with plastic wrap. Let sit in a warm place (75-85°F) until it doubles in size, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours (or several hours longer, a longer rise will improve the flavor). If you don't have a warm spot in the house you can heat the oven to 150 degrees, and then turn off the oven. Let the oven cool till it is just a little warm, then place the bowl of dough in this warmed oven to rise.

Sausage, Beans and Rice

Ingredients

Cooked brown rice

2-3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 pkg (14 oz) smoked sausage

1 can red beans

Creole Seasoning or Cajun spice

Directions

Thinly slice the sausage and drain the juice from the beans.

Add 2-3 tbsp olive oil to to a large skillet and heat over medium heat.

Add the sausage and a healthy amount of creole seasoning . Stir occasionally for about 7 mins until the sausage is done.

Add the red beans and stir until warmed through.(Don't over cook or the beans will be mushy.)

Serve over rice.

You can add more seasonings late if you want. Don't add salt without tasting it because the Carole is salty enough.

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Ingredients:

1 Can (14 ½ oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 pkg. 6 oz Stove Top stuffing mix for chicken

½ water

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 ½ lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Pinch of salt and pepper

1 tsp. dried basil leaves or ¼ cup bunch fresh chopped basil

2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400*. Place tomatoes with their liquid in med bowl. Add stuffing mix, water and garlic; stir until stuffing is moistened. Set aside.

Place chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with basil, salt and pepper, and 1 cup cheese. Top with the stuffing mixture.

Bake 30 min. or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake until cheese is melted.

Quick and Easy Taco Salad

Ingredients:
1lb. Ground turkey
1 Packet mild taco sauce
1 can kidney beans
1 bunch lettuce, spinach or mixed greens
1 can sliced olives
1 package shredded cheese
2 tomatoes diced
1 bottle Catalina dressing
1 bag of tortilla chips

Directions:

Brown Meat and mix in taco packet. ( No liquid ) Cut greens and lay in bowl top with remaining ingredients add dressing to taste.

Note: You can use ground beef, but it will be oily. When I tried, it came out bad so I don't recommended it.