Dumplings

Last year for Fathers Day, Kurt's family got together and grilled out for supper. Kurt's sister, Anita, brought Chicken and Dumplings as a side dish. Kurt and I both thought it was really good! I told Anita how much Kurt and I liked it and how Kurt thought I should learn how to make it. She said she received the recipe from either her mother-in-law or grandmother-in-law. The recipe was simple enough that I was able to remember it until I got back home to write it down.

Dumplings
Mix:
2 c. flour
2 eggs
2 T. lard
1 t. baking soda
salt & pepper to taste
milk to consistency (like a pie dough)

Roll out about 1/8" thick and cut into squares or rectangles.

Cook in broth for 20 min. Add canned meat and cook additional 20 min.

The first time I made the recipe, I made beef and dumplings because I'd been hungry for beef and noodles. I made a full batch of dough, divided it, and froze half. I wrapped the dough tightly in plastic wrap and then stuck it in a plastic bag. I labeled and dated the bag and stuck it in the freezer.

Start with a pint of broth and the broth off the meat, but you may need to add more broth or potato water while the dumplings are cooking. Potato water is the water your potatoes are boiling in while you are cooking them to be soft enough for mashing. (Hint: You should be making mashed potatoes as a side for the meat and dumplings unless you are taking this for a potluck or carry-in.) Later, add a pint of meat and cooked until the dumplings are cooked, firm is fine but not chewy.

The first time I made this, the dumplings were undercooked and slightly tough. The second time I made this, I rolled them out thinner and cut them in smaller pieces. The dumplings were much better then. The first ones would have been fine had I cooked them longer, but we were getting pressed for time.

A half batch of dumpling dough fed four adults, two men and two women, with a man-sized meal or better of leftovers when served with mashed potatoes and home-frozen sweet corn.

As I type this, I'm considering making a batch of dough and freezing both halves to have on hand for a meal later. However, I don't know how well the dough defrosts in the microwave, so it will probably needed thawed out in the frig ahead of time. You can always make more fresh dough if you don't have time for the portion in the freezer to thaw out and you are really craving a dumpling meal.

P.S. Amanda, this post was prompted by your lard post on Facebook.

Buffalo Chicken Dip

I made this dip a few weeks ago for Super Bowl Sunday. Greg can be kind of picky, but he actually liked this. It was really easy, and I made only about an hour in advance, though you could make it a lot sooner and let it simmer in the crockpot. Someone also suggested serving it on buns as a spicy shredded chicken sandwich.

Ingredients

• 2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken, drained
• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup Ranch dressing
• 3/4 cup hot sauce (I used Kroger brand buffalo wing sauce)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

Directions

Heat chicken and hot sauce in a skillet over medium heat, until heated through. Stir in cream cheese and ranch dressing. Cook, stirring until well blended and warm. Mix in half of the shredded cheese, and transfer the mixture to a slow cooker. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top, cover, and cook on low setting until hot and bubbly. Serve with celery sticks and crackers. (I served it with Ritz chips, and they were great!)