I HATE light fluffy dumplings.

I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself. The only recipes I
could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and fluffy.

Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.

I want drop dumplings, not rolled.

Any suggestions?

I tried Googling and got these:

My guess is that the ones with egg would be my best bet.

Comments???

Dumplings for Stew
2 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup milk



MIx flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl. Add milk and stir to make a soft dough. Add a
little more milk or flour, if dough is too thin or stiff. Drop dough from tablespoonfuls onto
simmering stew. Cover stew tightly and cook for about 15 minutes without removing cover.

Plain Dumplings (Spatzen — Germany)
1 egg
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup water or milk
1 1/2 cups flour
Beat egg well; add salt and water and stir into flour to make a smooth batter. Drop by spoonsful
into large kettle of boiling, salted water. Cover tightly, and cook 10 minutes without lifting
cover. Test for doneness. Drain in colander.
Serve with melted butter or meat gravy.

Dumplings
These dumplings can be used for a variety of dishes. I love these in my homemade chicken soup.
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 tablespoon butter, melted
3 eggs
3/4 cup milk
Combine all ingredients together, mixing until totally combined.
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and drop by 1/2 teaspoons into water. Let boil for 10 minutes.

Dumplings:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 Tbsp butter
1 cup milk
1/4 cup minced fresh herb leaves such as parsley, chives, and tarragon (optional)
Forming the dumplings.
While chicken is cooking, mix flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add (optional)
chopped fresh herbs. 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. (Note: do not overknead! or your
dumplings will turn out too dense.) Form dough into balls or lighlty roll-out and use the end of a
2-inch diameter water glass as a mold to cut the dough into even circles. Set aside
Adding the dumplings.
Lay formed dumplings on the surface of the chicken mixture; cover and simmer until dumplings are
cooked through, about 15 minutes. Gently stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings, including
adding generous amounts of salt and pepper. Ladle portions of meat, sauce, vegetables, and dumplings
into soup plates and serve immediately.


Dumplings
INGREDIENTS
3 tablespoons cold butter, in pea sized chunks
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
pinch salt
pinch sugar (optional)
1/4 - 1/2 cup milk
METHOD
Cut butter into dry ingredients till it resembles coarse cornmeal. Stir in enough milk to make a
stiff, slightly sticky dough.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto a simmering stew, making sure the dumplings are in contact with the
liquid. Leave an inch or so between dumplings as they will expand. Cover and steam 10-15 minutes or
till dry to the touch and cooked through.
No peeking till time's up! Larger doughboys may take longer.



Dumplings:

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

Mix together flour, baking powder and salt. Bring just to a simmer in a small saucepan the butter
and milk. Add to the dry ingredients. Stir with a fork or knead by hand 2 to 3 times until the
mixture just comes together. Push the chicken pieces down so that they are submerged in gravy and
gently drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough over the top. Cover pan tightly and simmer slowly for 10
minutes. Don't remove the lid. Serve immediately.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:59:44 -0400, Larry LaMere >
wrote:

>I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>
>I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself. The only recipes I
>could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and fluffy.
>
>Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.
>
>I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>
>Any suggestions?

I know I may get a new one ripped for this but, my grandmother made
chicken and dumplings for me when I was a kid and it also featured
"leadball" dumplings -- it's a nostalgia thing folks, so back off.

I was never able to match the same dumpling density quotient as my
grandmother until I decided to try, wait for it:

Pilsbury Butterilk Grands

in the can. What I do is pop the can, divide each biscuit into halves
or thirds depending on how large a dumpling you want. I then dredge
the raw biscuit in a little flour and roll it between my palms to
compress it a bit (you may need to experiment a bit to get the right
level of leadeness). Then into the pot they go. Flip the dumplings
after a few minutes and cover until done.

These dumplings have a nice chewiness and are not floating air pockets
like the hand made dumplings.

Remember folks, this is nostalgia we're after here folks, not gourmet.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:59:44 -0400, Larry LaMere >
wrote:

>I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>
>I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself.

My mom used to make Turkey Glob Soup after Thanksgiving every year. I
make it from time to time, myself. Instead of a dumpling recipe, she
used an egg noodle recipe. Instead of rolling the dough out, she
spooned it into the soup. Saved lots of time, and they were so much
fun to chew!

Here are some recipes to check out:
http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-...oodles,FF.html

"Larry LaMere" > wrote in message
...
>I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>
> I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them
> myself. The only recipes I
> could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and
> fluffy.
>
> Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.
>
> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>
> Any suggestions?
>
> I tried Googling and got these:
>
> My guess is that the ones with egg would be my best bet.
>
> Comments???
>
> Dumplings for Stew
> 2 cups all-purpose flour
> 4 teaspoons baking powder
> 1/2 teaspoon salt
> 3/4 cup milk
>
snip

Kinda opposite to how most would want them. As the secret to the light ones
is a good strong roiling boil/simmer with a tight fitting lid, I would
experiment with a lower temperature when you drop them in, no movement of
the stock and leave the lid off.

If they ain't any good to eat, they surely will make good ground bait for
fishing <smile>

Frenchy
Who loved his Mum's fluffy ones!

Larry LaMere wrote:
> I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
> [snip]
> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>
> Any suggestions?

Get a box of Bisquick and follow their instructions -- I'm pretty sure
dropped is an option. They're pretty heavy. -aem

On 24 Oct 2006 18:15:23 -0700, "aem" > wrote:

>
>Larry LaMere wrote:
>> I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>> [snip]
>> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>>
>> Any suggestions?
>
>Get a box of Bisquick and follow their instructions -- I'm pretty sure
>dropped is an option. They're pretty heavy. -aem


Nope, tried that, made with milk or water thay're like foam.

Larry LaMere wrote:

> I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>
> I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself. The only recipes I
> could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and fluffy.
>
> Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.
>
> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.

Someone has to ask........ would mama have made them soft and fluffy, the way dumplings are supposed to
be, if she could?


A friend of mine once cooked rabbit stew with dumplings. When they sat down to eat, her young daughter
said she didn't mind having to eat bunny, but did she have to eat the fur too.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 21:35:49 -0700, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>Larry LaMere wrote:
>
>> I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>>
>> I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself. The only recipes I
>> could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and fluffy.
>>
>> Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.
>>
>> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>
>Someone has to ask........ would mama have made them soft and fluffy, the way dumplings are supposed to
>be, if she could?

Doesn't matter, it's what she made. Nostalgia. Comfort food.

My mother made something called "Chicken a la Queen" regularly when I
was a kid. It was shell noodles cooked with onions and garlic, a can
of tomato sauce, a pinch of oregano, topped with shredded longhorn
cheddar cheese. I loved it, even cold the next day.

Later, after I learned how to cook properly, I though I would improve
on the dish my mother used to serve. I sauteed the onions and garlic,
added tomato paste and fresh chopped Roma tomatoes, the shell noodles,
fresh basil and oregano, and topped it with an aged sharp cheddar and
a little parmesan.

It sucked. I wanted what I had when I was a kid. Nostalgia, comfort
food. Chewy dumplings...

Don't make me describe pork chops braised in Rice-a-Roni...

In article >,
Jed > wrote:

> On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 21:35:49 -0700, Dave Smith
> > wrote:


> >Someone has to ask........ would mama have made them soft and fluffy, the
> >way dumplings are supposed to
> >be, if she could?

So now we have "soft and fluffy" bread, but nobody with any taste wants
it. They want something with substance and texture.


> Doesn't matter, it's what she made. Nostalgia. Comfort food.
>
> My mother made something called "Chicken a la Queen" regularly when I
> was a kid. It was shell noodles cooked with onions and garlic, a can
> of tomato sauce, a pinch of oregano, topped with shredded longhorn
> cheddar cheese. I loved it, even cold the next day.


I didn't expect this to have dumplings in it, but no chicken either?

--
Dan Abel

Petaluma, California, USA

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:53:30 -0700, Dan Abel > wrote:

>In article >,
> Jed > wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 21:35:49 -0700, Dave Smith
>> > wrote:
>
>
>> >Someone has to ask........ would mama have made them soft and fluffy, the
>> >way dumplings are supposed to
>> >be, if she could?
>
>So now we have "soft and fluffy" bread, but nobody with any taste wants
>it. They want something with substance and texture.
>
>
>> Doesn't matter, it's what she made. Nostalgia. Comfort food.
>>
>> My mother made something called "Chicken a la Queen" regularly when I
>> was a kid. It was shell noodles cooked with onions and garlic, a can
>> of tomato sauce, a pinch of oregano, topped with shredded longhorn
>> cheddar cheese. I loved it, even cold the next day.
>
>
>I didn't expect this to have dumplings in it, but no chicken either?

Whoops. The original had canned chicken avec jus and my snooty version
had poached chicken breast. Sorry about that important omission.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:48:56 -0700, Jed
> wrote:

>Don't make me describe pork chops braised in Rice-a-Roni...

OMG... you just made me laugh out loud! Not because my mother made it
but because your mother had to be of my mother's era - when that sort
of thing was considered good home cooking for families.

--
See return address to reply by email

sf wrote:
> On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 18:48:56 -0700, Jed
> > wrote:
>
>> Don't make me describe pork chops braised in Rice-a-Roni...
>
> OMG... you just made me laugh out loud! Not because my mother made it
> but because your mother had to be of my mother's era - when that sort
> of thing was considered good home cooking for families.

Ah yes, the instant era. Mom always thought she was really making something
great when she braised pork chops using a couple of packets of McCormick
"pork gravy" mix (what?) and some water and served it with Minute rice and a
can of green beans. But Mom never claimed to be a cook; never pretended she
enjoyed it. It was just something she was supposed to do. So that's what
she did

Jill

On Wed, 25 Oct 2006 05:14:15 -0500, "jmcquown"
> wrote:

> But Mom never claimed to be a cook; never pretended she
>enjoyed it. It was just something she was supposed to do. So that's what
>she did

Mine too...... but to make matters worse, she was a "home economics"
major at the state college.

--
See return address to reply by email

> My mother made something called "Chicken a la Queen" regularly when I
> was a kid. It was shell noodles cooked with onions and garlic, a can
> of tomato sauce, a pinch of oregano, topped with shredded longhorn
> cheddar cheese. I loved it, even cold the next day.
>
>
> It sucked. I wanted what I had when I was a kid. Nostalgia, comfort
> food. Chewy dumplings...
>
>---------------------------
Where does Chicken come into all this??

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 21:35:49 -0700, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>Larry LaMere wrote:
>
>> I HATE light fluffy dumplings.
>>
>> I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly and want to make them myself. The only recipes I
>> could find in her recipe box and cookbooks always come out light and fluffy.
>>
>> Nobody in the family seems to know how she made them.
>>
>> I want drop dumplings, not rolled.
>
>Someone has to ask........ would mama have made them soft and fluffy, the way dumplings are supposed to
>be, if she could?
>
>
>A friend of mine once cooked rabbit stew with dumplings. When they sat down to eat, her young daughter
>said she didn't mind having to eat bunny, but did she have to eat the fur too.

BTW, your system clock is off by about 3 hours.

"Dr. Watson" wrote:

>
> >A friend of mine once cooked rabbit stew with dumplings. When they sat down to eat, her young daughter
> >said she didn't mind having to eat bunny, but did she have to eat the fur too.
>
> BTW, your system clock is off by about 3 hours.

My system clock says it is 11:28 pm, same as my watch.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 23:28:47 -0700, Dave Smith
> wrote:

>"Dr. Watson" wrote:
>
>> >A friend of mine once cooked rabbit stew with dumplings. When they sat down to eat, her young daughter
>> >said she didn't mind having to eat bunny, but did she have to eat the fur too.
>>
>> BTW, your system clock is off by about 3 hours.
>
>My system clock says it is 11:28 pm, same as my watch.

Says 1:28 a.m. on Agent. Wish I knew what to suggest.

Damsel in dis Dress wrote:

>
> >> BTW, your system clock is off by about 3 hours.
> >
> >My system clock says it is 11:28 pm, same as my watch.
>
> Says 1:28 a.m. on Agent. Wish I knew what to suggest.

I have noted that when I see my posts they indicate the exact time that I post them and that the header times
are the same as the time I posted, but with no indication of time zone. Others indicate a GMT time, and some
indicate the difference from GMT. Mine just have the one date. I am assuming that it is my newsgroup provider.

On Tue, 24 Oct 2006 19:59:44 -0400, Larry LaMere >
wrote:

>I HATE light fluffy dumplings.

I'm sure someone here can help you. For instance, I've never made
rolled dumplings but they couldn't possibly be light or fluffy. Me?
Mine are medium. They aren't like balloon bread, but they aren't lead
either.


--
See return address to reply by email

"Larry LaMere" > wrote in message
...

> I remember mama's chicken and leadballs fondly
> and want to make them myself. The only recipes
> I could find in her recipe box and cookbooks
> always come out light and fluffy.

If I were you, I'd try using one of her recipes, but mixing it with a much
heavier hand -- dumplings are one of those things that, if you want light
and fluffy, you mix lightly and carefully. So mix it up, beat it up, and
then give it another try.
-j