Chicken and Dumplings

Cold winter days and a hot pot of soup just seem to go together, don't you think? After recently finding a nifty, time-saving trick for shredding cooked chicken breast (use the dough hook on a Kitchen Aid mixer, or the cookie paddles on a Bosch), I turned the pot of broth into Chicken and Dumplings. Believe me - it was yummy and went down well!

12 C. chicken broth
2 celery stalks, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
Onion flakes
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 C. cooked, shredded chicken

Place all ingredients in a large soup pot and simmer over Medium heat until celery and carrots are tender, about 20-30 minutes.  If you don't care for a thin broth, stir in a little flour/water and bring to a boil, as for gravy.  For dumplings, stir together the following ingredients in a medium bowl:

6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. dried chives
1 1/2 C. flour
1/2 C. milk

Drop by small spoonfuls (the size of a whole walnut, or smaller) onto hot soup.  Cook uncovered over Medium heat for 20 minutes, then covered for 20-30 minutes.  And don't peek after the lid goes on!  Dumplings are done when the insides are bready and light colored.  If they're dark or seem a bit doughy, let them simmer a little while longer.

Baked Potato Soup

Even though I haven't posted in ages, I've still been eating. So I thought I'd pop on quick and share a delicious fall recipe with you - Baked Potato Soup. This is not your mama's potato soup - thin and brothy with sliced hotdogs. Mine is thick, rich, filling, has no meat and no fat. Well, 4 outta 5 ain't bad. See what you think!

2 extra large baking potatoes
3/4 C. butter
3/4 C. flour
3 tsp. salt
3 tsp. Wyler's chicken bouillon crystals
1 tsp. dried chives
1 tsp. dried onion flakes
3/4 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
8 C. 2% milk, warmed

Bake potatoes at 400° for an hour, or until done. While still warm, remove skins and discard. Mash both potatoes, one into small pieces and the other into large pieces. In large kettle, melt butter; add flour, whisk together and let cook 2 minutes. Whisk in remaining ingredients along with the milk and cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Add potatoes, stir well and remove from heat. Serve with cooked, crumbled bacon and chives.

Cherry Rice Salad

Do you ever go to a church potluck and instantly know who brought what? Or whose dish that casserole is in? I have been treated to this delicious salad since the early days of my marriage, thanks to one very sweet lady in our church. It's "her" salad, and a church function just wouldn't be complete without it. Once the first spoonful is gone, the rice just seems so pearly white! I hope you like this recipe as much as I do!

1 C. raw rice, cooked (not Minute Rice)
1/4 C. sugar
1 tsp. almond extract
8 oz. Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling

Mix hot cooked rice with sugar and almond extract; cool. Stir in Cool Whip and place in serving bowl. Top with pie filling and chill.

Spiced Pumpkin Lattes

Since it's pumpkin season, I thought I'd share my recipe for this yummy hot (and slightly sweet) drink. I hope you like it!

4 C. milk
2 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. brown sugar
6 Tbsp. Libby's pumpkin puree
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1 1/2 - 2 C. strong coffee

In a medium saucepan, whisk all ingredients together over Medium heat until desired temperature. Strain through cheesecloth. Makes 4-6 servings.

NOTE: You might want to add the sugar "to taste". My tastebuds have changed, and I no longer desire it this sweet. Also, make sure you strain it. If you don't, it has a slightly pulpy texture, and your last few swigs will be quite thick. This recipe is easily doubled - just store what's left over in the frig.

Honey and Oat Snack Mix

This could probably qualify as "granola", but since it's got chocolate chunks in it, I'm going with "snack mix".

3/4 C. butter
3/4 C. honey
1/4 C. brown sugar
6 C. Quaker old fashioned oats
4 oz. sliced almonds
1/4 C. self-rising flour
1 C. Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chunks

Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350°. In a medium sauce pan, heat butter, honey and brown sugar over Medium heat until melted. In a large bowl, combine oats, almonds and flour. Pour butter mixture over oat mixture and combine. Stir in chocolate chunks and pour onto sheet pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until medium golden brown. Let cool completely and break into bite-sized chunks.

NOTE: I don't keep self-rising flour on hand because none of my other recipes call for it. So I made my own - it was easy! I added 1 1/2 tsp. of baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt to one cup all-purpose flour and stored it in a small Ziploc bag in the freezer.

Potato Cheese Soup

No background story on this, other than it came from my sister-in-law. I've mentioned before that she's a great cook and baker, and this soup is just another indication of that. Hope you like it!

3 C. water or chicken stock
4 Wyler's chicken bouillon cubes
1 Tbsp. parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
6 small potatoes, cubed, unpeeled
1 C. carrots, sliced thin (or grated)
1 C. celery, diced
1 Tbsp. onion flakes
4 C. milk, warmed
2/3 C. flour
1 # Velveeta cheese

Combine water, bouillon cubes, parsley, salt and pepper. Add potatoes, carrots, celery and onion. Cook until tender. Combine milk and flour; add to rest of ingredients and bring to a slow boil until soup is thickened. Add cubed Velveeta; heat and serve.

NOTE: Because two of my kids don't like carrots, I usually grate them with my food processor so they're too small to pick out. A few also don't like celery, so I'll either dice that very small, or cut them extra large so they CAN pick them out. I would like them to get the nutrients of the actual vegetable, but at least they're getting some from the broth.

Gingersnap Bars

2 C. flour
1 C. sugar
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 C. butter, melted
1/4 C. Grandma's molasses
1 egg
2 Tbsp. cinnamon-sugar

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Press into greased jellyroll pan and sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. sugar, or cinnamon-sugar if you like. Bake at 375° for 10-12 minutes. Don't over bake or they'll get hard! Let stand 5 minutes, cut into bars and cool completely.

Taco Soup

Here's another soup recipe for you all to try. It's so quick and easy - and delicious to boot!

1# hamburger
Onion
1 can corn, drained
1 can kidney beans and liquid
24 oz. mild Pace picante sauce
48 oz. V8 vegetable juice
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. chili powder
1/4 C. sugar

Doritos
Daisy Sour Cream
Cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger and onion; drain. Add remaining ingredients and heat through. Serve with crushed Doritos, a spoonful of sour cream and/or shredded cheddar cheese.

NOTE: You can control the heat of the soup by choosing mild or hot picante sauce.

Chili

Gosh - is it just me, or are there a ton of Chili recipes out there? My word! If you tried a new recipe every day, it could take you many years of Autumns and Winters to get through them all! My family and I prefer the simple, everyday version over those with jalapenos, buffalo meat, white beans, or sliced zucchini. Believe me - my recipe is nothing special, but it is hearty and delicious. Thick, not brothy. Tomato-y with no chunks - just the way we like it.

1# hamburger
Onion flakes
Garlic powder
15 oz. Hunts tomato sauce
1 can Campbell's tomato soup
1 can chili beans
1 C. water
1 tsp. sugar
1 ½ tsp. chili powder
Salt & pepper to taste

Brown hamburger with onion and garlic; drain. Add remaining ingredients and simmer, uncovered, 30-60 minutes. Serve over rice, or top with grated cheese and corn chips.

Garlic Cheese Biscuits

Here's a quick and easy recipe for biscuits, straight from the box of Bisquick.

2 C. Bisquick
1/2 C. shredded Cheddar cheese
2/3 C. milk

Stir ingredients until soft dough forms and drop by spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/8 tsp. garlic powder

Mix and brush over warm biscuits