Chicken and Dumplings..mmm mmm good!

I can remember years ago when I went to visit my best friend Kyrbie that that night, her mom was making Chicken and Dumplings for dinner. I can remember being a bit hesitant about staying for dinner that night because I really wasn't a fan of C&D. Nope, not a fan. However, I decided to be polite and just eat it anyways. So I tried a little and to my surprise I discovered that not only was it not bad, but it was pretty dang good!

After that I even tried to get the recipe from Kyrbie's mom because it was so good, but never was able to. Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago, and somebody mentioned C&D. It sparked my memory about that recipe and so I e-mailed Kyrbie to see about trying to get it again. Well, she e-mailed me back and sent me her grandmother's e-mail address and told me to try e-mailing her b/c it was actually Mer's mother's recipe. So, I did, and I'm happy to report that I finally got the recipe! WHOO HOO! You guys have no idea how excited I was to get this recipe!

Hubby and I went to the store and got all the ingredients last weekend, and made the famous C& D this past Monday. I am happy to report that it's still as delicious as I remembered it! Bryan loved it and we have a ton left over, so we'll be eating good for a while! We left some out, but froze the rest. Hopefully it will freeze well....this is my first time to experiment with it!

This recipe was so good that I can't help but post it for all of my friends to enjoy along with me! This recipe is exactly how I got it from Mer, so if you have any questions of how I did anything, just let me know!


Mer’s Chicken and Dumpling Recipe

One whole chicken cut up in pieces.

Cover chicken with water and salt to taste in a large pot. Cook until chicken is tender and done. Remove from liquid to cool. You should have no more than enough liquid left to have about half a pot. If you have more, pour some out. If you don't have enough, add milk to being it up to half full then add 4 cups of whole milk (not 2%) and 1 stick of margarine. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat to almost a boiling point. (Have your dumplings ready to add when the liquid is hot and steaming but before it starts boiling.)

Dumplings:

2 eggs
l-1/4 C. milk
3-1/2 C. flour
1-1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
2 T. shortening (not oil)

Roll out dumplings on a floured cutting board (use plenty of flour because this is what will thicken the liquid) as thin as cookies and cut into approximately 2 inch x 3/4 inch. (A pizza cutter works real well). Don't worry about the dumplings being covered with flour when you drop them in. Drop one at a time into hot (almost boiling) liquid, pushing them all down as you add dumplings. Cook until dumplings are puffy and well done. Be sure and gently stir them often and push them down as they cook. They will stick to the bottom if you don't. Check them when you think they are getting done, because you really can't tell just by looking at them. Keep the liquid hot but try not to let it boil too much. A little won't hurt but you don't want a rolling boil or it will boil over fast.

Have the chicken cut off the bone and ready to put back in with dumplings long enough to heat thoroughly. Enjoy. (and this is my favorite part) It really isn't hard after you make them the first time. Just relax and don't be afraid of them.

Isn't she just a hoot!

Thanks so much Mer!