Once Upon A Time Recipes

There is always that special recipe that brings back wonderful memories of holiday meals with family and friends and grand times spent together.  Thanksgiving and  Christmas holidays are one of those times when memories flood back for me.  What about you?

It's always been a challenge for me to make chicken and dumplings.  Here in Indiana chicken and dumplings is another way of saying chicken and noodles (wide noodles).  But being raised in Colorado I always knew chicken and dumplings as chicken soup with fluffy puffs of batter steamed atop the soup.

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And the challenge was not the soup...It was the dumplings.  As a wedding gift a dear friend gave me a cookbook called The Complete Book of High Altitude Baking by Donna Miller Hamilton and Beverly Anderson Nemio.  (I'm not sure if the book is still in print, but I did find 2 used copies on Amazon.com.)  I decided one afternoon those many years ago when the wee ones were napping that I'd make chicken and dumpling.  And so the adventure began.

Chicken Soup

3 boneless chicken breasts                1 medium white onion, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced                 1 49.5 oz can of chicken broth 
2 bay leaves                                        salt and pepper to taste

Add all ingredient to a 6-quart sauce pan.  Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes until the chicken is done.  Remove the chicken from the broth and when it is cool enough to handle cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.  Return the chicken to the pot and simmer until you are ready to add the dumplings.  (I also make the chicken soup in my large  Crock Pot and then when I get home from work I only need to transfer the soup to the sauce pan to make the dumplings.)

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Dumplings 

1 egg, slightly beaten                            1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, melted                 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
1 cup milk                                                 OR  1/4 teaspoon thyme
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted                 savory, if desired
2 teaspoons double-acting
   baking powder. 

Blend egg, melted butter and milk together.

Sift flower once before measuring.  Mix and sift together flour, baking powder, salt and herbs, if desired.

Make a well in the center of dry ingredients.  Add small amount of liquid mixture.  Blend quickly.  Add remaining liquid mixture, using as few strokes as possible to blend  the two [mixtures] together.  Dough should be stiff.  Add a small additional amount of flour if necessary 

After having removed the bay leaves, bring the chicken soup to a rolling boil.  Reduce the heat to medium.  Then drop dough by tablespoonfuls into hot broth.  Cover with lid and cook 10 minutes.  Uncover and cook 10 minutes more.  (I have never adjusted the recipe because of altitude, but you can if you desire.)

Recipe yields 12 dumplings.  

I serve it tonight with Cheese Biscuits.  The mix a gift from Jimmy and Kelly because they know how much I love Jim 'n' Nick's when we visit them in Alpharetta. ( If you find a copy of the cookbook the recipe is on page 106.)  

What an adventure it has been, because for 44 years now I've been making and loving those chicken and dumpling meals on a chilly Autumn/Winter evening.

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Thanks be to God!!!


Cathy

Please join the fun. Share your family recipe and memories surrounding it. Make your comments here and then go to Mr. Linky so we can visit and share your recipe. Who knows your recipe might start a new holiday tradition at someone else's holiday gathering.

Once Upon A Time Recipes

There is always that special recipe that brings back wonderful memories of gatherings of family and friends and grand times spent together.  Christmas is one of those times when memories flood back for me.  What about yours?

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Today's recipe reminds me of the gift of  a friend gave me and all the wonderful recipes and stories it has to tell.  The book is The Twelve Blessings of Christmas by T.J Mills and how that gift brings joy to to family and friends.  It also brings back memories of one of those traditions my family had at Christmas and the breakfast pastry on Christmas Day.

It was a treat each Christmas to have this fruit-filled stollen warm and tasty with our eggs and bacon after early Christmas Mass.  The recipe I have been using is not as complicated and takes very little time to prepare.  And so I offer it from the pages of this delightful book!

Christmas Stollen

1 1/2 cups warm water

2 packages yeast

1 package yellow cake mix

4 1/2 cups flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 can cherry pie filling

Mix together water, yeast, cake mix, flour and salt.  Place in a greased bowl and let rise until double.  Divide in half and roll to a 12 x 8 oval.  Spread 1/2 can of pie fill on one side of dough and fold over half of the dough on top.  Repeat with remaining dough.  Place on a greased cookie sheet and let rise until double in bulk.  Bake in a 350  degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely and drizzle powdered sugar frosting.

(I place the loaves on baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  I also used cream cheese icing on the loaves.)

Baking this stollen each year also allows me the opportunity to thank God for Lisa who gave me this book in the first place.  She is on of those treasures for which I say,

"Thanks be to God!"

If you have a recipe your family enjoys traditionally every year, please link below so we can all share in the the excitement and try your recipe this year!!

Tea Talk and Zucchini Relish

Come, let us have some tea and continue to talk about happy things.

Chaim Potok

I'm having...A new tea by Lipton.  It's called Island Mango and Peach White Tea.  It flavor filled and refreshing.  I sweetened it a bit with Splenda.

My teacup is...One of my favorite mugs. It says exactly who I am.

I'm feeling...satisfied.  I canned the Zucchini Relish yesterday and there is such a feeling of satisfaction.  I think they turned out well.  We will be taste testing it today at work.  There are some fine palates there.

On my mind...finishing the laundry...I want it done before the weekend in case we decide to do something special.

Zucchini Relish

Finally, for all who wish to have it, here is the recipe for Zucchini Relish.

Wash zucchini, DO NOT PEEL.  Cut out seeds.

Shred zucchini-10 cups

4 cups chopped onion

5 tablespoons canning salt

MIX-- Set out at room temperature overnight.

Next day--Drain, rinse, and drain again.

Put in bowl with:

5 cups sugar

2 1/2 cups vinegar (I used cider vinegar)

2 large green peppers, diced

1 large red pepper, diced

1 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/ teaspoon black pepper

Put in pan and cook until it boils.

Put into jars with lids (makes 6 pints)

Put into pressure cooker and pressure up to 5 pounds.  Or place in a pan and cover jars with water about 1 inch over the tops and boil for 10 minutes.

Give it a try and let me know what you think!

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Thanks be to God!

Now won't you join me and visit Ruth at Celebrate Friendship is hosting Tea Talk at her house? Share a cup of tea or a cool refreshing drink with us.

Once Upon a Recipe

I didn't know until I started working on the Stubbs Family Reunion Cookbook how many recipes I have and that I use on a regular basis. I have to start deciding on the ones I really want to enter as there are those of the rest of the family that will be shared as well. The easy Carmel Breakfast Rolls is one I think I'll add. I have played with this recipe in the last few years as a way to use canned biscuits and make them fancy. Here's the recipe for your edification. Try it and let me know what you think. If you have your own easy-does-it recipe, please help us all by sharing it.

Carmel Breakfast Rolls

1 can large refrigerated biscuits
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 10 inch square baking dish with oil. In a small sauce pan melt butter. Add brown sugar and heat on high until it begins to bubble. Cook about 1 minute. Pour into the bottom of the baking dish. Sprinkle chopped nuts over this mixture. Place the biscuits on top of the nuts and bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on rack for 5 minutes and then invert the pan onto serving dish. Serve warm.

Please try this and let me know what you think.

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Thanks be to God!!

Guide us to your recipe by using Mr. Linky and let us cook along with you!