Friday, May 7, 2010

Fit for a Farmhouse: Chicken and Dumplings


Well hello all you pretty little modern housewives. How I've missed you so!! I am dearly sorry for my absence this past week. The hubs and I headed back to the east coast for his sister's wedding on Saturday and then we roamed New Jersey and a tiny piece of New York in search of the perfect town and perfect house to start our next adventure on the east coast. We certainly had no intention of finding said perfect house but were more focused on finding the perfect town. Amazingly so, we found both!

When asked what I would love in a home, my short version is "an old farmhouse that is fully modernized on the inside". Well, I have to say I found just that. We found an 1830's dutch colonial on 2 acres of gorgeous land along a pretty little brook. The house has that old world charm but was remodeled in 2000 and is absolutely to die for on the inside. Obvi, the kitchen is of huge importance and I DIED for this kitchen, especially the 1952 Wedgewood stove. And now all I can think about (other than crossing every part of myself that will cross so that we get this house) is the perfect meal to cook in my old farmhouse kitchen. One of the most delicious things to come to mind so far is a classic comfort food dish that we all know and love: Chicken and Dumplings.

I found this Chicken and Dumplings recipe in Cooking Light a few years back and not only is it delish, but being that it is from Cooking Light it's a bit healthier than the Chicken and Dumplings that may have been made in my farmhouse's kitchen back around the Great Depression, which is when this dish originated. So light a fire, turn off the TV, and set the dining room table because this is one classic dish to be enjoyed by you and your loved ones while appreciating a little old world charm.


Herbed Chicken and Dumplings

Cooking Spray
8oz skinless boneless chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite-sized pieces
3/4 cup chopped celery (about 1/4 inch pieces)
1/2 cup chopped carrot (about 1/4 inch pieces)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/8 tsp dried thyme
3 parsley sprigs
1 bay leaf
3 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
about 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup 1% low-fat milk

Heat a large saucepan over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan and cook 4 minutes, browning all sides. Remove chicken from pan and keep warm. Add celery and next 5 ingredients (through bay leaf) to pan. Saute 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Return chicken to pan, cook 1 minute. Add broth to pan and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour, chopped parsley, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Add milk. Stir just until moist. Spoon by heaping teaspoonfuls into broth mixture. Cover and simmer 10 minutes or until dumplings are done. Discard parsley sprigs and bay leaf. Serves 2 (serving size: 2 cups).

recipe and image courtesy of Cooking Light

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