Classic Chicken and Dumplings

Classic Chicken and Dumplings
Original recipe by Real Simple

This is a great and easy meal to make on a winters day. The original recipe called for 10 cups of water. I used 8 cups of low sodium chicken broth and 2 cups of water instead. I also ended up adding more salt and pepper than what the recipe directed.  

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)
Kosher salt and black pepper
4 stalks celery, chopped
4 carrots, chopped
2 onions, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves or 2 teaspoons dried thyme
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 bay leaves
10 cups water
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for serving

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large pot or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; reserve the pot.

Add the celery, carrots, onions, thyme, and garlic to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken, bay leaves and 10 cups water.  Bring to a simmer and cook until chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the chicken to a plate.  Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pot (discarding the skin and bones).

Whisk together 1/2 cup of the flour, 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the pot and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Make the dumplings: Whisk together the remaining 2 cups flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Stir in the butter, buttermilk, and parsley. Reduce heat to low and drop the mixture into the broth in 8 large spoonfuls. Simmer, covered, until the dumplings are firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

Guinness Beef Stew

Guinness Beef Stew
Recipe submitted by Lisa VanMansum

Ingredients:

1 (3 1/2-to-4-pound) boneless beef chuck-eye roast, pulled apart at seams, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 onions, chopped fine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/4 cups Guinness Draught (do not use Guinness Extra Stout, it will be too bitter)
1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat to 325 degrees.

Season beef with salt and pepper.

Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.  Add onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until well browned, 8 to 10 minutes.

Add tomato paste and garlic and cook until rust-colored and fragrant, about 2 minutes.

Stir in flour and cook for 1 minute.  Whisk in broth, 3/4 cup Guinness Draught, sugar, and thyme, scraping up any browned bits.  Bring to simmer and cook until slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.  Stir in beef and return to simmer.

Transfer to oven and cook, uncovered, for 90, stirring halfway through cooking.

Stir in potatoes and carrots and continue cooking until beef and vegetables are tender, about 1 hour, stirring halfway through cooking.

Stir in remaining 1/2 cup Guinness Draught and parsley.

Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Serves 6 to 8

Recipe submitted by Lisa VanMansum

Do you like ice cream?  If yes, here's another recipe that Lisa VanMansum has submitted.  Buttermilk Ice Cream.

http://crowdedkitchen509.blogspot.com/2014/08/buttermilk-ice-cream.html

David's Cioppino

David's Cioppino
Recipe submitted by David Gaimari

What is Cioppino?

Cioppino is a fish stew originating in San Francisco.  It is considered an Italian-American dish, and is related to various regional fish soups and stews of Italian cuisine.   Cioppino is traditionally made from the catch of the day, which in the dish's place of origin is typically a combination of dungeness crab, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid, mussels and fish. The seafood is then combined with fresh tomatoes in a wine sauce, and served with toasted bread, either sourdough or baguette.  Definition from Wikipedia.org

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butter
2 onions, chopped
3 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 bunch fresh parsley, chopped

1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 1/2 cups white wine

2 (1 lb) frozen Seafood Medley packages (calamari, mussels, octopus and shrimp)
1 (1 lb) pasteurized crab meat

Directions:

Over medium-low heat melt butter in a large stockpot, add onions, garlic and parsley.  Cook slowly, stirring occasionally until onions are soft.

Add the crushed tomatoes, chicken broth, bay leaves, basil, thyme, oregano and wine to the pot and mix well.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.

Stir in the Seafood Medley packages and crab meat.  Bring to boil.  Lower heat, cover and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes.

Ladle soup into bowls and serve with warm, crusty bread.

12 to 14 servings

Recipe submitted by David Gaimari