Whistlestop Cafe Chicken And Dumplings Food

WHISTLESTOP CAFE CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a large, 2 1/2 quart saucepan. Add 6 cups water, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until very tener. Remove from broth and let cool. Reserve the broth.
• When chicken has cooled off, remove the meat from the bones and dice.
• Next, add milk and margarine to the broth. Bring to a simmer.
• TO MAKE THE DUMPLINGS: Cut the shortening into the flour, using a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 1/2 cup water and stir with a fork, just until dough leaves side of bowl. For rolled dumplings roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut into 4 x 1/2-inch strips or 2-inch squares. For dropped dumplings, pat dough to 1/2-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Pinch off dough to 1 1/2-inch pieces.
• Gradually drop dumplings, one at a time, into boiling broth mixture. Cover, reduce heat and boil gently for 15 minutes, or until dumplings are cooked. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking. Stir in chicken and heat through.

SOFT DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Mix flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a small saucepan bring butter and milk to simmer stage. Remove from heat and add to dry ingredients. Lightly stir just only until dough is formed.
• Carefully form dough into small balls the size of a quarter. Place each dumplings on top of soup or stew.
• Place a lid on pot and simmer for approximately 10 minutes.
• Garnish with parsley flakes.
• Serve and enjoy!

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS

Steps:

• Bring a pot of water to boil with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and boil chicken until cooked (around 30 minutes depending).
• Drain, rinse and chop into cubes or good sized chunks.
• Set aside.
• In a large pot, stir together the cream of chicken soup, water, boullion and milk.
• Bring to a simmer over medium heat.
• Heat the oil in a pan and add the garlic, onion, celery and carrots.
• Sautee until carrots are almost done and onion is soft.
• Transfer the chicken mixture and vegetables to the soup pot, and mix well.
• Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 30 minutes.
• Season with celery seed and black pepper to taste.
• To Make Dumplings: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• In a seperate bowl, mix together 1/2 cup of milk and 2 tablespoons of oil.
• Pour the liquid into the flour mixture, stirring just until moistened.
• Drop tablespoonfuls of the dumpling mixture into simmering chicken stew (after it has simmered for 1/2 hour).
• Cover pot tightly, and bring to a boil.
• Simmer for another 12 to 15 minutes.
• (I find they come out nice and fluffy if you keep the lid on:-).
• Serve hot.