Monday, June 24, 2013

My Family's Favorite Dinner ~ Old-Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings



Source

Chicken and Dumplings
This can be made very frugally with a few backs and necks.  It's a do with what you've got recipe.  I remember being so poor that I'd haggle with the butcher to just buy a few chicken backs or necks.  Even two dollars was more than I had to spend.  Back then I was cooking for two and a toddler.  There are six of us now.  This will make enough for 6 to 8 people.  We make this nearly every time we have family visiting from out of town.  It's our favorite family dinner.
10 lbs Chicken leg quarters, or 1 whole chicken, or any package of chicken of your choice.
The more chicken you boil, the better the broth.  You really want some dark meat for flavor.
6 eggs
flour
salt & pepper
Okay, first of all, put the chicken into a large stockpot. Salt and pepper it generously. Boil the chicken for at least an hour, until the chicken is ready to fall off the bones. Take the chicken from the broth, and put it in the refrigerator until it’s cool enough to handle. Keep the broth simmering.
Next, crack six eggs into a large bowl and beat well with a fork. Add some salt and pepper. Start adding flour half a cup at a time until the dough becomes stiff, hard to mix, and a bit dry. Bring the broth back to a full boil, then begin dropping dough by teaspoonfuls into the broth. Allow them to boil about 20-30 minutes until they are cooked through when you cut them. It won’t hurt them to cook them a little longer. Meanwhile, de-bone the chicken and add back as much chicken as you’d like to the broth. Save the rest for another meal.
Serve this up on a bed of mashed potatoes and enjoy!

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14 comments:

  1. My goodness Laura this looks delicious - I am a vegetarian myself but always looking for good recipes to cook when the family visit. Will certainly be trying this one out - thanks you. Great post as always
    Lots of love
    Dorothy
    :-)xxxxxxxxx

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  2. Hi Dorothy,

    I'd love it if you'd share good vegetarian recipes. We are trying to eat increasingly plant based. Hope you have a terrific week. Oh, and relax! ~smile~

    Blessings to you,
    Laura

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  3. Oh my DEAR Lord...I will have to send this recipe to my sister. She and I grew up going to Cracker Barrel on long road trips from FL to TN...breakfast, lunch, and dinner. My sister always ordered their chicken n dumplings. Is this recipe similar? I will send it to her! She's a much better cook than me. :) Thanks for stopping by my blog today...no toe stepping...all grace...real!

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  4. Hi Jennifer,

    I've never had the chicken and dumplings at Cracker Barrel. Honestly, our family likes our own so much, we never buy it anywhere else. At Cracker Barrel, I like to get chicken fried steak. That's something I've never learned to make. Oh, and the rolls! Yummy! Maybe hubby and I need a date night at Cracker Barrel!

    Blessings from Harvest Lane Cottage,
    Laura Lane
    Carthage, Missouri

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  5. Oh my this recipe brings back WONDERFUL memories....my Mother In Law who was also my dear friend would bring me home made chicken & dumplins when I was sick.....I miss her...and them SOOO much.
    stopping by to visit from Fluster’s Creative Muster Wednesday Linky Party
    Carolyn @ iamthecraftylady.com
    I hope you will stop by for a visit!

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  6. Hi Carolyn!
    One of my earliest memories is of my mother rolling out and cutting long noodles instead of dumplings. She dried them over a broom handle between two chairs!

    I'm coming by to visit your blog in just a few minutes.
    Thanks for talking back!

    Blessings,

    Laura
    Lane

    My blog, Harvest Lane Cottage

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  7. Your Chicken and Dumpling recipe looks great, my hubby will love it:) I worked at Cracker Barrel for over 3 yrs and I think I ate everything but the Chicken and Dumplings!! Have a great week~ Lynn @ Turnips 2 Tangerines

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  8. Hi Lynn,

    I've never had Cracker Barrel's Chicken and Dumplings. Honestly, our family likes these so well, I make them for nearly every family dinner with extended family. We serve them over mashed potatoes. If you have any questions, let me know.

    Blessings,
    Laura

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  9. I have never made dumplings, you make it sound so easy. Thanks for sharing on Tuesdays With a Twist.

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  10. Hi Joyce,
    The way I make them is easy. If you can make biscuits, you can make dumplings.
    Blessings,
    Laura

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  11. YUM, YUM, YUM! I love chicken and dumplings. I have a quick recipe that you use biscuits for the dumplings. My family loves it, but oh nothing like good old fashioned cooking. Thanks for sharing with SYC.
    hugs,
    Jann

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  12. Hi Jann, I once tried a recipe that used tortillas cut into strips for noodles. Yuck! They were slimy. I no longer experiment. Don't mess with perfection. ~smile~

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  13. One of my favorite cold weather meals is chicken and dumplings. I like read how other people make them!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

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  14. We love chicken and dumplings. Your recipe looks delish. We've never served them over mashed potatoes - a different idea for us!

    Nancy
    allibrary (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete

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