Chicken & Dumplings

For this month's International Incident Party by Jeroxie (with me as a co-host since it's my birthday month!) we're featuring dishes of nostalgia.

Abstract definitely fits with my personality, and since food is such a major part of my life, a dish immediately sprang to mind: Chicken & Dumplings.

If I could say one item from my life that has always brought with it happiness and fond memories, it is chicken & dumplings. From the time I was a child, until the present, this classic dish warms my stomach and soul every time I am able to savor a bite. It tends to appear when things are calm and peaceful, allowing me to appreciate the little things of the moment and reflect upon all the blessings I have in my life.

My siblings and I grew up on this dish, and it's one of the few I believe we have each mastered in our way. I prefer the strips of dumplings my middle sister is known for, to the common dumpling "balls" of dropping the dough into the soup. My youngest sister is known for her spice mixtures, and can turn any classic recipe into her own. And our brother is a master at eating this soup, although he can wield a spatula in his own right when he feels up to it (and he is healing from his surgery, albeit slowly).

Although chicken & dumplings are usually served with just onion, celery, and carrots, I love vegetables and add many more of my favorites that happen to be on hand. It helps individualize the soup and create a heartiness that can stand up to the thick dumplings. The soup is more satisfying and is a lovely personal touch to experiment with your favorite vegetable sampling. Enough recipes exist for practically every cook, with differences that range from how to cook the chicken, to which seasonings should accompany the dish. Chicken & dumplings is a classic for many people, so start experimenting and create new memories with potential nostalgia for your loved ones, too.

Chicken & Dumplings

Printable Recipe

Soup

3 lbs. farm-raised, organic, whole chicken (roasting instructions)

16 cups filtered water

1 large onion, medium chopped

6 large celery stalks, medium chopped

6 medium carrots, peeled and medium chopped

1 large leek, medium chopped

2 medium bell peppers, medium chopped

10 large crimini mushrooms, medium chopped

1/4 cup raw milk

2 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

2 tbsp dried thyme

Dumplings

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 cup raw milk

After roasting the chicken and removing it from the oven, allow it to rest while you prepare the water. In a very large soup pot, add 16 cups water and bring it to a low boil. While the water is heating, remove as much meat from the chicken bones as possible; set aside. Add the chicken bones and skin to the water and cook for 45 min.

During this time, prepare your vegetables and set aside in a large bowl. Once the simple stock is finished cooking, use tongs and a spider to remove all the chicken bones and skin. Then add the vegetables, as well as the raw milk through dried thyme. Cook over medium-high heat for 30 min.

Prepare your dumplings by mixing together the flour through raw milk in a medium bowl. Liberally flour your working surface and roll out the dumplings to cut into rectangles.

Add to the soup one at a time, ensuring none stick together. Lower the heat to medium and cook for 20 min. Serve with fresh parsley if desired.

~Yields 8-10 servings.

~Original by Brie.

Wonton Crusted Chicken Tenders

This blog is my happy place.

I am able to meet other like-minded people, share recipes and photos, and learn new things about food and life. It's a place where I escape the monotony of life and its negatives, which is why I rarely mention piddly little things I do not care to remember or bother other people with. I like to keep things positive and focus on my blessings.

(wait for it...) BUT

If you've seen my comments on Twitter, you'll know life threw me a curve ball the other day and I felt like you all deserved the whole story rather than my limited comments.

Last Wednesday evening, I was coming home from the dog park with Aurora. It was a busy night with people out Christmas shopping and the roads were full of cars, but was an otherwise cool, calm evening. I had just stopped at a red light and my cellphone's calendar alarm went off. Thinking it odd, since I knew I didn't have any plans, I held down Aurora with my right arm, reached down onto the passenger floorboard with my left arm, and picked up my cellphone.

WHAM!

Rear-ended by a Cadillac.

WHAM!

My car was shoved several feet into the car in front of me. Also a Cadillac.

My now oversized-accordion-formerly-known-as-a-car didn't make it.

My little Toyota Echo. My first car. My only car. I've had it since it had 6 miles on the odometer in August 2001 - 10 years. It's been with me through everything in my adult life.

I didn't think it'd go out like that.

My right arm is what prevented Aurora from being injured, so she thankfully escaped unharmed. I was in shock since I didn't see the other car coming. I grabbed my dog, attached her leash, and made our way to the sidewalk. I had to sit down as I was out of it and also shocked that I was in immediate pain. Being sore the next day was to be expected, but as I sat there in the cold darkness feeling pain slowly spread throughout my back and up my spine, I knew something was wrong. I was thankfully not bleeding, but I couldn't keep a clear head and was trying to sit still so I could decide how bad of shape I was really in.

The gentleman that caused the accident was kind and kept checking on me (the same with the other person in the front car), but Aurora was not having it. For the entire time we waited on law enforcement to arrive, she kept vigilant to keep everyone away from me. 

My warrior.

Guy arrived soon after the accident since I called him right away, and then Aurora thought it was a party. I felt relief emotionally to have him with me so soon, but the physical pain wasn't going away.

When law enforcement and the wrecker arrived, I declined taking an ambulance ride since I knew the wait would be long and the only thing they could probably do for me was prescribe medication; plus, if anything didn't feel right, I could always change my mind. Guy and I emptied a few necessities from my car, loaded everything into his car, and headed home. I had a panic moment soon enough when my neck and left jaw started going numb. I changed the position I was resting in to keep my spine and neck straight to prevent it from getting worse due to the swelling. Guy and Aurora kept watch over me that night and we made it through.

I waddled around the next day making necessary phone calls and setting up appointments. I was able to see a specialist right away who confirmed I had some injuries, and was scheduled for an MRI later that night for my neck and lower back. I had to rest over the weekend since it was too soon to start moving anything around. It was a long weekend, with more things becoming sore and being unable to find any position to offer relief from whatever was going on with my spine. I've never had to deal with an injury before and this foreign experience has not been pleasant.

Today I made my way back to the doctor who read me the results of the MRI. I was nervous. I was biting my lips. I was trying not to cry. I wasn't myself.

He spoke of technical terms and my spine, which basically translates to this: two bulging discs in my mid-neck, loss of curvature in my lumbar discs, two bulging discs in my lumbar spine, and one herniated disc in my lower lumbar with a torn annulus that is touching some outer nerves, which has me very, very close to needing surgery. Due to my young age and previous great health, we're going to try everything to avoid surgery. It's still too early to begin intensive treatment, which will involve extending my spine to relieve pressure and hopefully move the spinal cord back into place. I am scared of what this means, as I've been warned I will feel worse before I feel better. I will remain optimistic and do whatever I can to heal, dealing with anything that occurs as best I can. I keep telling myself it could be worse and reminding myself of the blessings I have.

Many of you have already expressed your concern and sent me well wishes, which has really touched me. Thank you for your kindness that extends beyond these pages. I will keep you all up to date with my progress, but I also do not want to hijack my blog with this event. I do not want to come across as a complainer, plus food is far more interesting.

The only recipe I have ready to share are these crunchy chicken fingers. As Andy on The Office would say, "They're finger lickin' delicious!"

The crushed wontons provide a thicker, heartier crunch than breadcrumbs and they do not require you to pull out a fryer. The baking keeps the wontons crunchy without chancing them getting soggy from any oil. You can add any spices you like to the coating to meld them to your liking. I actually didn't use any spices in my first batch since I ate them with my mustard, which provides plenty of flavor on its own. The chicken finger recipe I'm sharing has spices added until you can whip up a batch of mustard yourself. It's worth it!

Wonton Crusted Chicken Tenders

Printable Recipe

1 lb chicken breast

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 tsp curry

1 large egg, beaten

1 cup wontons, crushed

Trim off any excess fat from the chicken breast and slice into equal strips so they will cook evenly.

In a medium bowl, add the chicken and pour in the buttermilk, tossing to ensure the chicken is well coated. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Drain the buttermilk and add the flour through curry, mixing well. Place the egg and wontons into their own individual bowls.

Preheat the oven to 475*F and butter a baking sheet. Dip the chicken pieces one at a time into the egg and then into the crushed wontons before placing them on the baking sheet.

Bake for 4 min. Use an oven mitt to remove the pan and flip each piece with tongs. Place back in the oven and bake for 4 min more.

~Yields 8 pieces.

~Original by Brie.

Chicken: Roast, Stock, & Gravy + Mashed Potatoes

Last year I featured a roasted chicken and chicken stock during my Eat Cheap For A Week Challenge, which also was during my pre-camera era. Since I'm responsible for bringing mashed potatoes and gravy to Thanksgiving every year, I thought this would be a great opportunity to update my recipes and share with you my easy made form scratch Thanksgiving dishes.

I think gravy made from scratch with real fat is the healthiest and most delicious. Not to be misunderstood, I do not mean 'healthy' as in low calories or the like, but as in healthy fats your body knows how to digest and use instead of storing it away in arteries or fat cells.

Since I'll be making my dishes ahead of time, I will not have any turkey fat available to make my gravy with. This is why the week before Thanksgiving, I'll roast a chicken and use both its carcass for broth and fat in my gravy; plus the chicken gets included in my meals for the week. I love being able to use the entire animal to ensure nothing goes to waste.

My dishes have a delicious depth of flavor from the organic, naturally raised chicken, especially since I include the fat. I do not have to use other fats or large amounts of seasonings as the chicken dishes are able to shine on their own. The homemade stock is my favorite since the taste is perfection and I can use it in so many other dishes. The homemade gravy also has a ton of flavor and is wonderful to use in not only the mashed potatoes, but over the meat dishes at Thanksgiving dinner as well. Plus, this is great practice for the turkey in case you're nervous about roasting a bird for the first time.

These recipes are simple and do all the work themselves. Plus you get all the credit for their deliciousness. Good luck with your Thanksgiving cooking!

Roasted Chicken

Printable Recipe

3.25 lb organic chicken

1 lemon

4 tbsp butter

kosher salt & fresh black pepper

Preheat the oven to 375*F. Wash the chicken thoroughly, inside and out, then allow to drain and rest for 10 min.

Place the chicken on a baking pan with a lip, breast side up, making sure the wings are tucked under, then put a lemon into the cavity.

Carefully massage 2 tbsp butter on each side of the chicken between the skin and breast meat without puncturing the skin. Rub it around really well, then rub your hands all over the chicken to spread around a thin layer of butter to help brown the skin and help the seasonings stick.

Liberally season the chicken with salt and pepper.

Cook the chicken for approximately 90 min (20 min per pound, plus 20 min). Remove from the oven and allow the chicken to rest for 30 min before carving.

How To Carve A Chicken

I like to start on the outside and work my way in. First, the drumsticks.

Using a sharp knife, make a cut on the top between the drumstick and the thigh until you reach the joint.

Using one hand, begin to gently lift up the drumstick while cutting horizontally into the joint.

Now the drumstick should be able to be lifted up to reveal the joint (my knife is just below the joint). Cut between the joint to remove the drumstick completely. 

Repeat with the other drumstick.

Now to remove the thigh, begin cutting between the center of the chicken and the thigh.

Begin pulling the thigh away from the body of the chicken, continuing your cut until the thigh is completely removed.

Repeat with the other thigh.

Remove both chicken wings, which I only use in the stock. They are easy to chop off, then set aside.

Now it's time to tackle the chicken breasts. 

I start by cutting the breasts in half down the length of the breast bone. 

Then, begin slowly cutting the breast away from the rib cage by keeping the blade next to the bones. Take your time and make sure you're cutting from top to bottom to ensure a clean cut.

Once the breast is cut away, slice through the skin and plate.

Repeat with the other breast.

I was able to harvest just under 3 lbs or 3 cups of chicken meat to use in recipes throughout the week (minus about 1/4 cup I shared with my dog while carving). I also removed all the skin to use in the stock.

Before starting the stock, strain the chicken fat from the roasting pan into a container through 2 layers of cheesecloth and set aside. This fat will be combined with the fat made in the chicken stock, and then used as the base of the gravy.

Chicken Stock

Printable Recipe

roasted chicken carcass

4 large celery, roughly chopped

2 large carrots, roughly chopped

2 onion peels, roughly chopped

8 cups filtered water

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

1 tsp celery seeds

1/2 tsp coriander

Place the leftover chicken pieces into a very large pot over medium-high heat. 

Cover with the vegetables and spices.

Then add the filtered water. Allow to boil, then lower to a simmer and let cook for 4 hrs. Strain the stock into a tupperware and place in the refrigerator overnight. 

In the morning, skim off the fat that has floated to the top and add to the chicken fat saved from the roasting pan. 

Now store the chicken stock in the refrigerator or in the freezer until needed.

You can see how homemade stock is gelatinous from the collagen that cooks out from the chicken bones. You can't get this kind of nutrient dense stock from a can. Homemade stock is full of minerals, proteins, and amino acids the body needs to thrive. This stock will rapidly return to a liquid when heated while cooking.

Chicken Gravy

Printable Recipe

4 tbsp chicken fat

4 tbsp all-purpose flour

2 cups chicken stock

2 cups raw milk

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp black pepper

In a wide pot over medium-low heat, add the chicken fat and flour to make a roux. Whisk together for 3-5 min until a light brown and thick.

Whisk in the chicken stock, then the raw milk to ensure no lumps form. Add the salt and pepper, then simmer for 20-25 min, stirring occasionally, until the gravy has thickened and coats the back of a spoon.

~Yields 2 cups.

Mashed Potatoes

Printable Recipe

5 lbs Russet potatoes

1 stick butter

1/2 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 tbsp black pepper

Wash the potatoes well (I leave the skin on, but you're welcome to peel them).

Cut into 1/2" to 1" pieces and add to a huge pot over medium-high heat. Cover with water and allow to boil for 30 min. 

Drain the potatoes and add back to the pan. Mash the potatoes first. Then add the butter, buttermilk, and salt and pepper. Mash again until ingredients are combined. Taste to adjust seasonings if needed.

Heap on a pile of mashed potatoes and top with the homemade chicken gravy. Enjoy.

~Yields 10-12 servings.

Eat Cheap For A Week Challenge

The recession is being discussed everywhere you look - food bloggers included. People are constantly conversing and comparing notes on how to save money anywhere they can. It seems one of the first things people sacrifice is food.

No more daily take-out or dine-in meals. No more daily coffee runs to the local shop. No more throwing wasted food away because it went bad or no one felt like having left overs.

Suddenly, it's boxed meals and cheap imitation foods, instead of smarter food choices.

Since I'm a big believer in organic foods, I'm not willing to sacrifice my food first. I'd rather continue to eat as healthy as possible for a variety of reasons - level of health, especially as the cold weather approaches and germs tend to spread; mood regulation, to fend off depression or irritability; higher nutrient value in less food consumed, to prevent myself from eating and snacking constantly; etc.

Many of my friends and family believe I'm spending triple digits at the grocery store each week because I'm vocal about eating organic as much as possible. Oh, how I wish I had that kind of money. The truth is I have been frugal in my weekly grocery runs for quite some time now. Sure, I splurge occasionally on a big ticket item if I have a certain recipe in mind or if I'm celebrating a holiday and cooking a lot of food, but the majority of the time I watch my dollars carefully. (I also tend to go weekly since I use fresh vegetables and other ingredients, so they do not keep for several weeks.)

I decided I needed to do something to prove how it's possible to eat cheap organically. I Stumbled upon the food blog Cheap Healthy Good and found my answer. They took a challenge to eat for a week on $25 with a diverse menu that yielded 17 meals. All the recipes they used looked delicious and straightforward. I decided to duplicate their challenge with two differences: buy a week's worth of groceries for $50 and all ingredients must be organic.

Grocery List

2 whole chickens $14.72

8oz self-serve creamy peanut butter $3.99

6 carrots with top $2.99
3/4 lb green bell peppers $2.83
1 medium cucumber $2.70
1.29 lbs red potatoes $2.57
1 can salsa $2.50
6 pack 2 oz raisin boxes $2.09

1.18 lbs celery $1.76

1 lb yellow onions $1.69

Greek yogurt $1.69

1 can black beans $1.67

bundle green onions $1.59

1 lb brown rice $1.49

1 can corn $1.29

4 oz green chilies $1.19

1 can garbanzo beans $1.09

1 can white beans $0.89

2 lemons $0.79

2 oz roasted peanuts $0.44

1 small ginger root $0.28

Total $50.25 (it counts, just round down)

Now, this only works if you're able to shop at a store with self-service items, meaning not everything is in bulk. For example, I was able to purchase 2 oz of roasted peanuts instead of paying several dollars for a big jar of them. I also used several ingredients already on hand, which does not count toward the grocery bill.

Below are the 5 recipes I cooked and how many meals each provided:

Marcella Hazan's Roasted Chicken

Printable Recipe

2 3 1/2 lb chickens

1.29 lbs red potatoes

3 carrots

olive oil

2 lemons

4 tbsp butter

salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375*F. Wash each chicken thoroughly, inside and out, then allow to drain and rest for 10 min.

Roughly chop the red potatoes and carrots into large pieces, saving any scraps. On a 13-by-18-inch pan, place the potatoes and carrots around the edges. Cover with a few tablespoons of olive oil, plus salt and pepper. Wash the lemons well, then roll on a hard surface and puncture with a knife several times; set aside.

Place the chickens on the pan, breast side up and making sure the wings are tucked under, then put one lemon into each cavity. Carefully massage 2 tbsp butter on each chicken between the skin and breast meat without puncturing the skin. Liberally season the chickens with salt and pepper.

Cook the chickens for 160 min (20 min per pound, plus 20 min). Remove from the oven and allow the chickens to rest for 30 min before slicing.

Dinner: 2 chicken breasts & roasted potatoes and carrots

~Yields 2 servings.

~Adapted from Cheap Healthy Good & cooking tips from Robin at Caviar & Codfish.

After this dinner, I had 5 lbs chicken meat left. I did not have to purchase chicken stock since I had plenty of scraps to make my own - a little over 2 quarts in fact. After stripping the chickens of all their juicy meat, throw each chicken into a pot (or throw them into one jumbo pot if you've got it) with 10 cups of water each and food scraps from prepping the vegetables for the week (meaning dice up all the veggies now and store them in tupperware to utilize the left overs in the stock and for faster cooking later - except the carrots, just peel them and leave them whole since one needs to be grated later) and any preferred spices. Let the stock simmer for 4 hours. Strain the stock into several containers and refrigerate overnight.

Before using, skim off the fat and save for cooking in the future by freezing (and don't forget to save the chicken fat from the roast pan, too! It makes the best gravy base.)

Chicken Curry

Printable Recipe

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup brown rice

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

1 tbsp curry powder

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken

1 can garbanzo beans

1 carrot, grated

4 oz raisins

Greek yogurt

cilantro

Bring chicken stock to a boil and add the brown rice. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 min until rice is tender.

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add onion, curry, salt and cook for 5 min. Stir in the garlic and ginger, cooking for 1 min. Add the remaining ingredients through raisins and cook for 5 min.

Plate 1/2 cup rice with 1/2 cup chicken curry. Top with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt and cilantro to taste.

~Yields 4 servings.

~Adapted from Cook's Illustrated Chicken Curry in a Hurry

White Bean Chicken Chili

Printable Recipe

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup celery, diced

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup green bell peppers, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp cayenne pepper

2 tsp cumin

2 cups chicken stock

1 can white beans

1 1/2 cups shredded chicken

1/2 cup raw milk

2 green onions, diced

1 tbsp all-purpose flour

salt & pepper

Greek yogurt

Heat olive oil on medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add celery, onion, bell pepper and cook for 5 min. Add garlic, cayenne pepper, cumin and cook for 1 min. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 5 min. Add the white beans, chicken, milk and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the green onions and flour, stirring well. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with 1 tbsp Greek yogurt, if desired.

~Yields 4 servings.

~Adapted from Chili Cheese Fries.

Chicken Over Noodles

Printable Recipe

Soba noodles*

sesame oil

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tbsp ginger, minced

1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp brown rice vinegar

3/4 tsp crushed red pepper

1 cup chicken, chopped

1 carrot, chopped

1 green bell pepper, finely sliced

green onions, diced

roasted peanuts, chopped

Cook soba noodles according to instructions, then toss with sesame oil (1/2 tbsp per bundle).

In a pan on medium heat, add the ingredients from garlic through red pepper, stirring until well incorporated. Add the chicken and cook until all ingredients are thoroughly warm.

Plate 1 bundle of soba noodles with 1/3 chicken mixture, carrot, and bell pepper. Top with green onions and roasted peanuts to taste.

~Yields 3 servings.

~Adapted from Food Network.

*Use 1/2 cup brown rice if noodles are unavailable.

Chicken Picadillo

Printable Recipe

2 cups chicken stock

1 cup brown rice

1 can black beans

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup chicken

1 1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup salsa

4 oz raisins

slivered almonds

cilantro

Bring chicken stock to a boil and add the brown rice. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 30 min until rice is tender. Stir in can of black beans.

Heat olive oil and onion on medium-high heat in a large skillet and cook for 3 min. Add ingredients of chicken through garlic and cook for 5 min. Add salsa and raisins and cook for 2 min.

Plate with 1/2 cup black beans & rice and 1/2 cup chicken picadillo. Top with almonds and cilantro to taste.

~Yields 4 servings.

~Adapted from Cooking Light.

I think the challenge was a success. I ate delicious meals all week long and even had 2 cups of chicken stock left over for another time, and made Smitten Kitchen Oatmeal Cookies with the leftover raisins (which are phenomenal!). I realized afterward a few of the meals doubled up on protein, meaning I ate chicken and beans. I think I could successfully redo this challenge for less money by switching up the menu some. If I was growing my own vegetables or bought dried beans, that would save even more. However, this was a great starting point that hopefully shows how important it is to continue to eat as healthy as possible on a frugal budget.

Thanks to Kristen from Cheap Healthy Good for approval to share my take on their challenge! Be sure to review their challenge which has a more thorough breakdown of prices per meal.

Update: I submitted this post to participate in Food Renegade's Fight Back Friday. Be sure to check out all the other fabulous real foodies!