The weather here has turned cold (well, relatively speaking...it's 48F.),
and the crockpot chicken question made me think of chicken and dumplings, so
this is what I'm going to make for dinner tonight:

Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (from Cooks Illustrated)
Serves 6 to 8
"A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich flavor,
but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it. If you are in a hurry,
you may poach boneless chicken breasts in low-sodium canned stock, then pull
the breast into large pieces, and skip step 1 below."

Poached Chicken with Creamed Gravy and Aromatic Vegetables
1 large roasting chicken, 6 to 7 pounds
1 large onion, cut into large chunks (not necessary to peel)
2 bay leaves
Salt
3 celery stalks, trimmed and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1-by-1/2-inch pieces
6 boiling onions, peeled and halved
4 tablespoons softened butter or chicken fat from the cooked chicken
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
2 tablespoons dry sherry or vermouth [I prefer sherry or Madeira]
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
3/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Ground black or white pepper

Baking Powder Dumplings
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup milk

Preliminary: Cut up chicken as follows:
Cut off legs, separate thighs and drumsticks. Cut off wings. Cut off breasts
and separate. Cut along ribs on both sides to remove back. Remove skin
from breasts, thighs, and drumsticks; set those pieces aside. Using poultry
shears or a cleaver, hack remainder (wings, back, breast bones, and ribs)
into 1- to 2-inch pieces.

1. For the chicken: Heat deep 11- or 12-inch skillet or Dutch oven over
medium-high heat. Add hacked-up chicken pieces (back, neck, and wings) and
onion chunks; sauté until onion softens and chicken loses its raw color,
about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and continue to cook until
chicken pieces give up most of their liquid, about 20 minutes. Increase heat
to medium-high, add 6 cups hot water, chicken parts (drumsticks, thighs, and
breasts), bay leaves, and 3/4 teaspoon salt, then bring to simmer. Reduce
heat; continue to simmer, partially covered, until broth is flavorful and
chicken parts are just cooked through, about 20 minutes longer. Remove
chicken parts and set aside. When cool enough to handle, remove meat from
bones in 2- to 3-inch chunks. Strain broth, discarding chicken pieces. Skim
and reserve fat from broth and set aside 4 cups of broth, reserving extra
for another use.

2. While chicken is cooling, bring 1/2-inch water to simmer in cleaned
skillet fitted with steamer basket. Add vegetables; cover and steam until
just tender, about 10 minutes. Remove and set aside.

3. For the dumplings: Mix flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl.
Heat butter and milk to simmer and add to dry ingredients. Mix with a fork
or knead by hand two to three times until mixture just comes together. Form
dough into desired shape; set aside. [The article illustrates flat
noodle-like dumplings, biscuit-like dumplings, and round puffy dumplings. I
always ignore those instructions, and just drop spoonfuls of the dough onto
the simmering chicken. I think the more you handle the dumpling dough, the
more leaden it gets.]

4. Heat butter or reserved chicken fat in cleaned skillet over medium-high
heat. Whisk in flour and thyme; cook, whisking constantly, until flour turns
golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Continuing to whisk constantly, gradually add sherry
or vermouth, then reserved 4 cups chicken stock; simmer until gravy thickens
slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in optional cream and chicken and vegetables;
return to simmer.

5. Lay formed dumplings on surface of chicken mixture; cover and simmer
until dumplings are cooked through, about 10 minutes for strip dumplings and
15 minutes for balls and biscuit rounds. Gently stir in peas and parsley.
Adjust seasonings, including generous amounts of salt and pepper. Ladle
portion of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings into soup plates and serve
immediately.


Variation:
CHICKEN AND HERBED DUMPLINGS WITH AROMATIC VEGETABLES
Follow recipe for Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables, adding 1/4
cup minced soft fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives (or scallion
greens), dill, and tarragon to dumpling mixture along with dry ingredients.
If other herbs are unavailable, all parsley may be used.


Bob

On 23 Dec 2004 15:31:03 -0600, "Bob" wrote:

Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (from Cooks Illustrated)

Thanks, Bob. Crash has developed a taste for chicken and dumplings, and
this recipe looks absolutely orgasmic!

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

On 23 Dec 2004 15:31:03 -0600, "Bob" wrote:

Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (from Cooks Illustrated)

Thanks, Bob. Crash has developed a taste for chicken and dumplings, and
this recipe looks absolutely orgasmic!

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

Can't forget about "Roy Rogers" Cowboy cooking - try this

Roy Rogers Chicken & Dumplings

The ingredients a
3 1/2 lb Chicken Water to cover 1/2 Onion Salt and pepper to taste Garlic
powder 1 1/2 cup All-purpose flour 2 tsp Baking powder 1/2 tsp Salt 3 tbsp
Vegetable shortening 2/3 cup Milk (up to 3/4 cup)

The recipe yield is:
6 Servings Info:
Place chicken in a large pot and almost cover with water. Add onion half,
salt and pepper and garlic powder. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer and
cook, covered for 50 minutes, or until chicken tests done. Remove from heat
and pull chicken from pot. When cool enough to handle, remove skin and
discard. Remove meat and pull into serving pieces. Discard chicken bones and
onion from pot. Skim fat from the top of stock. Return chicken pieces to the
pot of stock. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, baking
powder and salt. Cut in shortening, and enough milk so that batter is smooth
but not too runny. Bring pot of chicken and stock to a simmer, then drop
batter by spoonfuls into the hot liquid. Let cook 5 minutes, uncovered, then
cover the pot and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until dumplings test done.


"Damsel in dis Dress" wrote in message
news
On 23 Dec 2004 15:31:03 -0600, "Bob" wrote:

Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (from Cooks Illustrated)

Thanks, Bob. Crash has developed a taste for chicken and dumplings, and
this recipe looks absolutely orgasmic!

Carol
--
"Years ago my mother used to say to me... She'd say,
'In this world Elwood, you must be oh-so smart or oh-so pleasant.'
Well, for years I was smart.... I recommend pleasant. You may quote me."

*James Stewart* in the 1950 movie, _Harvey_

Bob wrote:
The weather here has turned cold (well, relatively speaking...it's
48F.), and the crockpot chicken question made me think of chicken and
dumplings, so this is what I'm going to make for dinner tonight:

Chicken and Dumplings with Aromatic Vegetables (from Cooks
Illustrated) Serves 6 to 8
"A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
flavor, but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it.
(snipped yummy recipe)
Bob

Why would the day of the week matter in the use of cream?

Jill

Jill asked:

"A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
flavor, but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it.
(snipped yummy recipe)
Bob

Why would the day of the week matter in the use of cream?

I'm just guessing here, but I think the author was implying that weekend
dinners are more "special".

Bob

Jill asked:

"A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
flavor, but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it.
(snipped yummy recipe)
Bob

Why would the day of the week matter in the use of cream?

I'm just guessing here, but I think the author was implying that weekend
dinners are more "special".

Bob

Bob wrote:
Jill asked:

"A touch of heavy cream gives the dish a more refined look and rich
flavor, but for a weeknight dinner, you may want to omit it.
(snipped yummy recipe) Bob

Why would the day of the week matter in the use of cream?

I'm just guessing here, but I think the author was implying that
weekend dinners are more "special".

Bob

Interesting, and you're probably correct in your guess. However, it seems
silly to predicate "special" with a day of the week. Last night I pan-fried
2 tilapia fillets and made a sherry-garlic-ginger-sauce to spoon over the
top, and steamed some brussels sprouts. I suppose I should have left off
making sauce for the fish because it was Thursday

Jill