For the new year everyone tries to do Resolutions. I resolve to do this or that and it becomes a set of impossible goals like lose 50 pounds or restrictions like I will never eat carbs again, things like this are too large, too difficult and are abandoned statistically by Feb. 1.
I long ago abandoned the idea of resolutions. What I do instead is create a list of things I want to try for or do in the coming year. Some can be a year long vocation others can be a one-off that I do when the timing, season or boredom create an opportunity. This year I created a list of 26 items. Some are just silly like get a push scooter and ride it around town. Others are a little adventuresome, like grow a plant you never have before, or largely adventuresome like take a hike in a famous place on your bucket list. I decided I would share these with you during the year and get you to try them with me. I will include photos of me on my scooter!
Additionally this year, I will be continuing the recipe theme that I started in 2018. For this I will assign each month a theme and share a number of recipes from my massive archive to focus on that theme. This year we have 12 new topics, different from the topics of last year. To find the recipes of last year, check out this
recipe link or search the blog with the topic
Recipe2018.
The monthly themes this year will be:
Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)
Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes
March 2019 - Edible Flowers
April 2019 - Cajun And Creole
May 2019 - Seafood Recipes
June 2019 - Vegetarian Dishes
July 2019 - Zucchini Recipes
August 2019 - National Mustard Day – mustard recipes
September 2019 - Quiche
October 2019 - Crock Pot meals
November 2019 - Pies
December 2019 - Mocktails
You
can search the monthly theme by looking for the theme keyword in the search box
and it will pull up the recipes on that theme as posted, so look at the bottom of the
recipe in each posting for the KEYWORD in the ()s to search for each month. All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.
Since it is cold and raining and I am hibernating with a cup of tea I will share a great recipe for Chicken and Dumplings to get the year started.
Simple One-pot Chicken and Dumplings
Nothing beats
homemade, slow-cooked chicken and dumplings for a stick-to-your-ribs meal
perfect for cold winter weather. This one-pot classic comes from in the cookbook
Comfort Food Cookbook, published
by Grit Magazine.
Dumpling Dough
1-1/2 cups all-purpose
flour
1/4 tsp baking powder
Pinch salt
1 Tbls lard or butter
1/2 cup ice water
Chicken Soup
Directions:
In a large bowl, sift
flour, baking powder and salt. Cut in the lard until mixture resembles coarse
crumbs. Stir in ice water until mixture forms a ball. Wrap the dough ball
tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Remove skin from
chicken breasts, thighs and back; leave skin on legs and wings. Season chicken
pieces with seasoned salt/salt substitute and place in a large stockpot. Add
water, onion, celery, carrot and butter. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to
simmer. Cook for about 1-1/2 hours, or until meat falls off the bone. Remove
chicken and strip the meat from the bones. Return chicken meat to the pot.
Remove dough ball from
refrigerator. Pull off pieces of dough and roll into rough balls about 1 inch
in diameter. Drop into the simmering broth for about 15 minutes, or until
dumplings are cooked through. Add more water if necessary. Season broth with
salt, pepper and poultry seasoning while dumplings are cooking.
