Dumplings

So, I've never attempted to make the beloved dish that my Grandma used to make, and she never passed on the recipe to me.  Now, years later, my grandparents were coming for Christmas to my Dad's house and Dad asked me to make chicken and dumplings and bring it to share with dinner.  Needless to say, I was a little worried that whatever I concocted it wouldn't come close to my Grandmother's recipe from long ago.  I was small and didn't pay much attention, and since then my grandma had suffered a stroke that has left her left side pretty much useless.  But, long story short, I threw some chicken in a pot with some water and bullion and let it cook while we opened presents, and then skimmed the foam off and let the chicken cool so I could shred it.  Then I found a recipe for dumplings that I hoped would not produce a chewy tough result, but rather a light and fluffy dumpling.  Much to my surprise, they turned out wonderful, and I believe it will be a common dish for me to make to bring to the family gatherings from now on.  I am also excited to experiment with other soup dishes to see what else the dumpling can add too.... Hooray!

Dumplings:

Ingredients:

    * 2 cups of white flour
    * 4 tsp. baking powder
    * 1 tsp. salt
    * 4 tbsp. soft margarine or butter
    * 1 cup of milk (or more)

Method:

   1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
   2. Cut in butter that's been kept at room temperature or use soft margarine.
   3. Stir milk lightly into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon and adjust amounts to make sure that you have a moist dumpling dough. (not too much though, or you get "fluff" balls, as my kiddo's called them)

Dumpling Cooking Tips

    * Make sure your soup or stew is on a gentle simmer. The liquid does not have to be boiling to achieve tender dumplings. Remember that pot temperature rises with the lid on and you don't want the contents to stick and burn.

    * Drop dumpling dough into the liquid by teaspoonfuls or for larger dumplings use a tablespoon.  Cover your pot with a lid so that the dumplings can steam.

Check your dumplings after 10 minutes. You can use a knife to cut a slit in one dumpling to check inside. Cook until dumplings are no longer raw in the middle. Ladle into serving bowls, including a dumpling or two per bowl.