Drop Dumplings for Chicken and Dumplings

My family loves a good Chicken and dumplings. But, I will put dumplings on top of other things sometimes as well. Things like soup, or left over chicken in a broth. Here is a good recipe I use.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour                                              3/4 cup milk
3 1/2 tsp. baking powder                                                    chopped or dried parsley, if desired
1/2 tsp. salt                                                                       Put on top of a stewed chicken or soup. Must be  
                                                                                         at least 3 cups of broth to make some gravy left                            
                                                                                         after dumplings are done.

1. Sift flour, measure with the baking powder and salt into the mixing bowl.
2. Add milk all at once and stir with a fork rapidly until well blended. Now would be the time to add parsley.
3. Drop by teaspoonfuls on top of stewed chicken or into the pot of hot boiling broth.
4. As soon as all dumplings are in the pot, cover and boil moderately for 12 minutes without uncovering. 
5. Check for doness with a toothpick. If it comes out clean then it is done.

I will often make up chicken that I have cut into pieces cooked quickly in a little olive oil, sauteed. 
Then sautee the veggies; carrots, celery, onion, maybe broccoli. Then add broth and put it all together. Then cook the dumplings on top. 
This is a quick and easy chicken and dumpling soup.

Buttermilk Buscuits

We love these biscuits. They are so tasty. MMMMM.

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour                                                1tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder                                                     1/3 cup shortening (butter, softened)
1/2 tsp. baking soda                                                            1 cup buttermilk

1. Sift flour, measure and resift 3 times with the rest of the dry ingredients, into a mixing bowl. (I don't usually sift but, maybe once). 
2. Cut in the shortening. (I use my hands. I've never been very successful with a pastry cutter).
3. Stir in buttermilk with a fork.
4. When thoroughly mixed, turn onto a floured board, knead 8-10 times, and roll out from 1/2 to 3/4 inch thick.
5. Cut with a floured biscuit cutter or glass, and place on a greased baking sheet (I use a pizza stone). 
6. Could brush the tops with melted butter.
7. Bake in  a 450 degree oven for 10-15 minutes. 
8. Makes 14-16 2 1/4 inch biscuits.

Oven Backed Baby Back Ribs

I am reposting a wonderful recipe for ribs. Since I hate ribs, it was a big deal to try to find a recipe that my husband liked and was easy. We brought these to a friends house. They seemed to be a hit. So we will try them again. Thanks to Christy Jordan of Southern Plate for posting this nice recipe. Enjoy.

Tender Babyback Ribs

Ingredients

• 1 Rack Pork Back Ribs
• 1 Jar or Bottle BBQ Sauce

Instructions

1. Using a knife, slice into the membrane on the back of the ribs (the white part) and use your hand to pull it off. Place entire rack of ribs in center of foil and brush with bbq sauce on both sides. Wrap well in foil to seal and place on baking sheet.
2. Bake in 300 degree oven for two hours. Remove from oven and open foil. Baste top with remaining bbq sauce and place back in oven, with foil still open, for an hour, or until sauce is nice and thick.

Super Fancy Jesus Cake

White Buttermilk Cake

Ingredients:
1 Cup (3 sticks) Butter, at room temperature
2 ⅓ cups Sugar
3 Large Egg Whites
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
3 Cups Cake Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 cup Buttermilk
Chocolate Syrup (Cocoa in a pinch)
red food color
green food color

Red jelly hearts (see below for alternatives)

1 tube yellow cake decorating gel (I have used Light Blue when Yellow wasn't available).

3  9-inch round cake pans

nonstick cooking spray

1 dripless candle and

1 piece of cardboard or heavy paper ( I use a cookie cutter (star of David)

1. Place one baking rack ⅓ from the bottom of the oven and the second rack, ⅔ from the bottom.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

3. In order to make sure that the cakes come out of the pans easily and without chunks, Prepare 3-9" round cake pans using the following method: on parchment paper, trace around the bottom of each cake pan with a pencil.

Repeat 3 times, so that you end up with 3 circles. 

Cut the traced circles out.

Butter each pan (bottom and sides) and place the parchment circle in each cake pan and butter the parchment paper, as well.

Dust the pans heavily with flour and then shake the excess out.

4. Using a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (you can use a hand mixer as well), beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium speed and 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. 

Scrape down the sides of the bowl. 

5. Add the egg whites and vanilla and beat on medium speed for about 1 minute.

6. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl.

7. Add about ⅓ of the flour mixture to the batter and beat on medium speed until incorporated. 

8. Add about half of the buttermilk and beat on medium speed until fully incorporated.

9. Continue adding dry and wet ingredients alternately, scraping the bowl down and beating until completely combined after each addition.

End with dry ingredients. 

The batter will be thick and glossy.

10. Spoon the batter evenly into three separate bowls. You will have about 3 cups of batter in each bowl. 

11. Tint each bowl of batter the different colors. Adding as much (cocoa or) syrup to the "black" one as you would like to get the color and consistency that you would like.

Method:

Bottom layer (black): Combine chocolate syrup and stir.  Combine with one portion of the batter and mix.  Pour into one of the cake pans.

Center Layer (red): Add 10 drops of red food coloring to one remaining bowl of batter and mix well.  Pour into the second pan.

Top Layer (green): Add 10 drops of green food coloring to remaining portion of batter and mix well.  Pour into remaining pan.

12. Pour the batter into the prepared cake pans. 

13. Stagger the cake layers on the oven racks so that no layer is directly over another. 

14. Bake for 25-35 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out (mostly) clean and the tops are flat and browned.

15. Monitor each layer as they may be done at different times.

16. Set the cake pans o racks to cool for 10 minutes. Invert the cakes onto the racks and cool completely before frosting. 

(At this point, the cakes may be placed in gallon size freezer zipper bags and frozen up to 3 weeks).

Cream Cheese Frosting: 

Ingredients:

2- 8oz. blocks of Cream Cheese, softened

1 cup Butter, softened

4 tsp. Vanilla

10-12 ½ cups of Sifted, powdered sugar 

Instructions:
1. Beat cream cheese, butter and vanilla with a mixer until light and fluffy.
2. Gradually add 2 cups of sugar, beating well. 
3. Gradually beat in additional powered sugar to reach spreading consistency. 

(May need to do this in two halves to fit in your mixer).


Now to frost the cake. Remember to put the black layer on bottom, red in the middle layer, and green on top. Frost the whole cake nice and thick with smooth top.

Decorations: Place the red jelly hearts in a band around the perimeter of the cake.  (If you can't fine red jelly hearts, use a tube of red decorating gel to make the hearts.(I used red hot hearts, conversation hearts, or I have even molded hearts (craft stores have those)).  

Construct a 6 point star out of cardboard or heavy paper and place lightly on top of the cake ( I use a cookie cutter).  Trace the star with yellow decorating gel, remove the star, and fill in the outline of the star with the gel.  Place the dripless candle in the center of the star and light.

Presentation: The shape of the cake is round to represent the world into which Jesus was born.

The bottom layer of the cake is black to signify that we all are sinners, which is why Jesus came to earth.  

The red layer symbolizes  Jesus' blood that was shed on the cross for our sins. 

And the green layer denotes the new life we have in Christ after our sins have been washed away.

The  pure white frosting stands for the righteousness and purity of Jesus Christ, 

and the border of red hearts represents all of the brothers and sisters united in Christ and circling the earth as his witnesses.

On the top of the cake is the gold star, the Star of David.  The star shone bright heralding Jesus' birth and lighting the way to the manger.

The red candle is Jesus who came into the dark world to bring truth and light to all who are willing to receive it.

Together: Each person holds a green candle and lights it from the red candle and says, "We are the light of the world to shine for Jesus." Place the candle on the cake.  When everyone has had a turn, finish by singing Happy Birthday to Jesus.

I found this in Christian Parenting Magazine in 2001. I have tweaked it quite a bit over the years. The original one called for a boxed cake. This one is so much tastier.  It does have many parts to it but, it is worth the trouble when you see the look on faces as you go over the significance of each part.  I think it will be well remembered as the kids get older.  We used to eat this in the morning before opening presents but, the sugar buzz was too strong. So now we celebrate HIS Birthday on Christmas eve with this cake. We will even eat on Birthday plates and use Birthday napkins. Just like everyone else's Birthday.

Traditions are so important to families.  It's amazing what children will pick up as a tradition by accident.  Shouldn't we do our best to make some  traditions on purpose that mean something?

Buckeyes

I got this recipe from an old friend, Darcy Hall. I have to thank her because I have been making it every year since I received it about 15 years ago. Hope you enjoy it. My family sure does.

This is what a real buckeye looks like. 

This is what your peanut butter Buckeyes will look like.

Buckeyes


1 18 oz. Jar of creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 boxes (or pounds ) of powdered sugar
2 sticks butter softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup finely crushed graham crackers
1 lb. dipping chocolate (I found fondue chocolate this year in the produce section and it was much better)
Or 1 12 oz. bag of chocolate chips and 1/3 bar of paraffin

Have all ingredients at room temperature.

Mix all ingredients (except chocolate) by hand, thoroughly. It will take awhile to get the sugar mixed in completely but, don't give up.

Make into small balls and place on a cookie sheet, covered in wax paper.
Refrigerate at least one-hour.

Melt chocolate in double boiler (or in the microwave according to directions on the package).

Place a toothpick in a chilled ball and dip into the chocolate leaving a small section around the toothpick not dipped.

Place back onto wax paper and let set or refrigerate until set.

This makes a big batch. Maybe 80-90 buckeyes.

Hope you love them.

Chicken Pot Pie

First I made Chicken in the crock-pot the day before. You can make up the chicken or store buy a rotisserie chicken. Whatever works for you. I will post how I cooked it in the crock the day before. So this will actually be two recipes in one!

Whole Chicken with Vegetables in the Crock-pot

Whole chicken (mine was frozen. Cooking time will be longer if it is frozen)
Several handfuls of carrots (baby whole or chopped)
4 stalks Celery, chopped
Red potatoes, cut in quarters (about 6-8 depending on the size your crock-pot)
Onion, whole chopped or quartered
3 cloves of garlic (more or less depending on your family)

What to do with it:
Cook on low (if fresh, not frozen) for 6-8 hours. (If you have a newer crock-pot it cooks hotter then the old ones so check it)
If your chicken is frozen, I usually put it on high for an hour or two then turn it down to low for the rest of the time.

It will make some broth in the bottom. You want that.

I put the whole thing in the refrigerator over night.

It is done when the legs are starting to fall off.

Pot Pie
This will make 2 deep dish pies. Use 1/2 chicken for one pie.

Besides the chicken, vegetables  and broth from yesterday:
3 TBL flour
(possibly more chicken broth or water to make up the difference)
2 pie crusts (If I don't make homemade crust, I buy the one in the freezer section (Trader Joe's) that is uncooked and folded (some are rolled-Pillsbury).


Pull all meat off the bone. Rip it up or chop it to be about bite size. If you rip it will come apart nicely in the broth.
(I save my bones to put back in crock to make broth. You can throw them in the freezer until you can get to them.)

Pull out all carrots and celery and potatoes. Chop them down to bite size.

Put all meat and vegetables in a big pan on the stove with the broth left in the crock. (You may have to add extra broth, or water, to the pan to get the pot to look like a thick stew. Meaning more vegetables and chicken then broth.

Heat up the whole mixture until it comes to a boil.
Take out about 1/2 a cup of hot broth from the pan.
Add about 1/2 cup of water cool or room temp.
Add the flour to the broth and water and whip it with a fork until there are NO lumps.

Once all the lumps are gone, Slowly pour the flour mixture into the boiling pan while you stir quickly with the fork.  Careful to get  it mixed throughout the whole pan.

Let the pan do a low boil watching and stirring so that it doesn't stick to the bottom or burn.

While this is thickening up, open up our pie crust. Put first crust in the bottom of a deep pie dish.

Once your contents of the pan is nice and thick (Not too long. A few minutes.), spoon into your pie crust. Remember not to go above about 3/4 full.

Take the top crust and lay it out on the counter, making sure all cracks are put back together. Cut a hole in the middle to give plenty of vent. I use a small heart cookie cutter or cut out a heart. Fun to use a cutter that goes with a holiday theme. Should be about 1 and 1/2 inches big.

Place second crust carefully on top of pie. Go around the edges and pinch top with bottom crusts to seal it. You might need to pull or cut off any extra that is hanging over too far.

Bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for about 30- 45 minutes.
It should be nice and lightly golden. (I cover the edges of the pie with a pie shield, you can use tin foil, so the edges don't burn before the rest of the pie is done).

You should be able to use a pie server to serve.

Can also use a casserole dish. No matter the shape. Also, to save on calories you can leave off the bottom crust. It is just so yummy with them both!

ENJOY

Hot Pumpkin

3 cans (15 oz. ) of Pumpkin

6 cups milk

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1/2 - 1 tsp pumpkin spice

1 tsp vanilla

1. Mix all ingredients into a pan (or Crockpot) and warm until hot. Be careful not to burn or curdle the milk.
2. Drink. You can add a dollop of whipped cream and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

I whipped the drink in the cups with my frother. 

If you heat it in a crockpot, you can leave it in there on warm for several hours. Stir occasionally.

Options:

• You could use whipping cream for a richer flavor.
• You can add cocoa powder for a chocolate pumpkin (that is  yummy too.)
• You could use almond, or coconut milk or another alternative milk for  a more healthful drink. Since Pumpkin is full of vitamins.
• This is a good drink to put in a To Go cup and give to the neighbors.

Let me know how you like it.