Chicken and Dumplings

After this

and this

and this

we were all ready for some of this!

This is my recipe for Chicken and Dumplings.  It's a combination of several different recipes, with my added special ingredient of Red Pepper Flakes.  You don't add so much that it makes it too spicy, just enough to add flavor and a little bit of warmth.  Result:  warm happy belly.  SO here's the recipe - maybe it will help keep you warm on these unusually frigid nights!

Chicken and broth:

• 1 whole chicken (organic if you can find it/afford it)
• 1 T. olive oil
• 1 carrot
• 1/2 onion
• 12-16 cups of water
• 1 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 tsp pepper
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes

Dumplings:
this recipe is from Hillbillyhousewife.

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup milk
• 2-1/2 cups unbleached flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon each salt & sugar

Begin by making the broth.  In a large stockpot, heat some olive oil over med. high heat, and place the whole chicken, breast side down, onto the oil.  Let it sizzle while you cut the 1/2 onion into large chunks, and while you peel and chop the carrot.  Add the onion and carrot to the pot, and then cover the chicken with water.  Add the paprika, garlic salt, and regular pepper.  Bring it to  boil, and then reduce the heat to low.  Let it simmer for about 2 hrs. 

Take the chicken out and put it in  large bowl.  Using a fine sieve, strain the broth into another bowl or pot.  Put on some relaxing music, and using your fingers, pull the chicken meat off the bones.  ( I listen to tunes b/c it takes a while).  Once all the chicken is off the bone, and the broth is strained, put about 2/3 of the broth back into the big stockpot.  I freeze the other 1/3.  I also save out about 1/3 of the chicken for a later meal. 

Return the rest of the chicken to the pot.  Bring the stock and chicken to a simmer while you mix up the dumpling batter.  Mix all of the dumpling ingredients together in a bowl.  Drop teaspoon sized scoops of dumpling dough into the simmering broth.  Sprinkle in the magical red pepper flakes.  Put the lid on and walk away.  DO NOT TAKE THE LID OFF FOR 20 MINUTES!!  This keeps the steam in - resulting in fluffy dumplings.  Take the lid off and ladle the steaming chicken and dumplings into awaiting bowls and serve to hungry tummies.
Enjoy!
jessica

My Father-in-law smokes...

...ribs and chicken! :)  Okay men...are there any men who read my blog? 

Anyway if you have a man you should make him read this post because it is all about meat and fire and smoke - manly man things.  Or...if you don't have a man and are craving a yummy smoked meal, you fire up that smoker yourself girl! A great guide for all things smoking is this book, Smoke and Spice which Ryan and his dad use on a regular basis - this would make a great Father's Day gift ;) 

So here is our step-by-step guide for making that perfect southern smoked ribs and chicken.

Step 1:  Pull off the fibrous membrane
on the back of the ribs. 

If you skip this step, you risk making tough ribs.  Nobody wants to eat tough ribs.

Step 2:  Season the meat.  

My father-in-law uses this rub for the ribs, that he buys here

and this rub for the chicken which can be purchased here.

Step 3:  Prepare the smoker.  He has this propane smoker, which starts the fire super fast, but if you have a traditional smoker (like my husband uses) you will have to light the charcoals using lighter fluid, or for the purist, use a chimney starter and wait for them to turn white.

Place the wood chips in the tray of the gas smoker or directly on the charcoal in a traditional smoker.  My father-in-law uses a combination of a wood chips blend and wood chunks.

 

Instead of pouring water into the pan to create the smoke, he pours Coca-Cola. 

It produces a lovely flavor. 

Step 4:  Put the ribs in a rib rack and chicken directly on the wire rack and into the smoker.  The ideal temperature is 180-220 (on a charcoal smoker the temp needs to stay in the ideal range).  Wood chips and chunks need to be added every 45-60 minutes to keep the smoke going (the more wood you use, the smokier it will taste).  You want to maintain that temperature for 4-4.5 hours for chicken, and about 7 hours for ribs. 

Step 5:  When they are done, he pulls them out and lightly covers half of them in Sweet Baby Ray's Original Barbecue Sauce (only half because some people like the dry rub by itself).

Step 6:  Serve 'em up along with some fried pickles (Ryan uses this recipe), fruit, and pasta- oh boy!