Saturday, November 16, 2013

Chicken and Dumpling Soup

This is the epitome of comfort food, folks.  :)

Don't let the long list of ingredients fool ya...it isn't hard to make!  I just itemized them into an easier format.
CHICKEN AND DUMPLING SOUP
Makes 8 servings

(3 c. pre-cooked, cubed chicken breast, OR...)
2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 c. flour
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 Tbsp. butter
1/2 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and shredded
1 stalk celery, diced
2 tsp. minced garlic

1 Tbsp. cornstarch
4 c. water
4 c. chicken broth (I use Better Than Bouillon, Vegetable Base)
1/2 c. half-and-half
1 tsp. poultry seasoning (onion pwd., garlic pwd., thyme, rosemary, sage and paprika)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

For dumplings, dump into a quart freezer ziplock:
3/4 c. half-and-half
1 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

DIRECTIONS:
1. Over medium heat, melt butter in a large skillet, dredge chicken breasts in flour, and brown on each side 6-7 minutes.  Set aside to cool, then cube.
2.  In a large soup pot, melt butter and saute onion, carrot, celery and minced garlic over medium until tender, about 4-5 mins. 
3.  Mix cornstarch into the water, then add to soup pot with broth, half-and-half, seasonings and chicken.  Bring to a low boil/simmer.
4.  Knead dumpling ingredients inside the ziplock until incorporated.  After soup has simmered for 5 minutes, snip off a tiny (1/4") corner of ziplock and using a kitchen scissors, cut 1/2" pieces of dough into simmering broth.  (The dough is really sticky, so make quick cuts with the scissors.  If needed, dip scissor into hot soup to loosen dough.)  Simmer for 10 minutes more.

Enjoy!

 

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

Lentil & Bacon Soup

Nothing warms the belly like a steaming bowl of soup on a chilly autumn night.  This recipe was something I threw together after searching for a tomato-based lentil soup recipe that would please my carnivores without being a full-on meat meal.

Bacon.  It's the answer to everything.  :)

Alas, I am the only one that LOVED it...the hubby is not a fan of beans, particularly thick bean soups.  So now I make it for book club, and teacher luncheons, and other such things so I can snag a serving.

LENTIL and BACON SOUP
*Makes 10 servings

The cast of characters:


Chop up and brown in a heavy-bottomed soup pot. 
      1 lb. bacon  (I pull it right from the freezer and chop it crossways with a chef's knife.)
Remove bacon and set aside on a plate lined with paper towel.
Discard all but 1 Tbsp. of bacon fat from pot and cook the following over medium-low heat, about 4-5 minutes.
      1/4 c. finely chopped onion
      2 tsp. minced garlic
Add bacon back to pot with the following and simmer for 1 hour until lentils are tender.
      12 c. water
      2 1/2 c. lentils
Add and simmer 1/2 hour more.
      1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
      1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
      2 tsp. salt
      1 tsp. black pepper
      1/2 tsp. marjoram

Serve with finely shredded fresh parmesan cheese and crusty bread.
*Someone told me that if you cook your lentils with tomatoes it takes much longer than if you cook them in water.  I haven't tried it with the tomatoes thrown in earlier to prove the theory, but my cook time is accurate.  Anyone want to play Test Kitchen?
 

Enjoy!

 

Monday, November 4, 2013

Weekend Getaway

Crisp cold air, scents of earth and moss and pine, quiet rustling leaves and the creaking of tree trunks as they gently sway...
 
  
...the warmth of sunlight as it crests the ridge and illuminates the colorful edges of the trees...
 
 
                            ...the sound of my children's happy voices as they explore and play.
 



 
It's a humble little place, with just enough "conveniences" to be easier than camping, but that's fine with me. The woods is one of my favorite places to unwind and recharge.
 

 

We had perfect weather to enjoy the cabin's woodstove and outdoor fire pit.  Brisk enough for layering up, but also plenty of sunshine to make you want to be outdoors all day.

 


 
Anything turns into a horse with this girl...LOL.  Adam is such a good sport.
 


I had brought along a book and so in between meal duties I sat out by the fire and kept it going.  That was all I had on my agenda for the day--mission accomplished. :)



 
The kids had fun "helping" Pete, Great Grandpa, and my Uncle Jim move some wood across the creek to the shed.
 
 
True to form, they made the work fun by giving the kiddos rides on the zipline.
 




And Uncle Jim gave them a demonstration on how he uses his tree stand to hunt.
 


 
Now we're back home and I'm working on the laundry, but I feel rejuvenated.  I personally need those doses of solice and quiet--away from my normal routine.  It fuels me to come back to my day-to-day, ready to dive in.