Low salt, Low fat Chicken and Dumplings - early Weekend Recipe

EDIT: Nothing like presetting all the monthly recipes to take care of the posting so I can lecture prep and realizing that it never happened 2 months into the process.  So if you were expecting these recipes to post during the month for your enjoyment, I am sorry.  If you want to find the recipes which have now posted, try out the links below in the theme list.

Easy low-fat and sodium Chicken and Dumplings

I got this recipe through Carolyn Foster.  It started out with just sage in it and I found if you are removing fat and salt you need more herb flavors, so I added them. I think if you get a rotisserie chicken and pull it apart it will have less sodium than the canned chicken in the recipe, but that is just me.

2 large cans of chicken breast

2 48-ounce carton low sodium chicken broth

2 cups of pre-chopped celery, onion, carrots, and bell peppers

1/4 tsp ground sage

1/2 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp savory

1/2 tsp chives or garlic chives

1 Tbls olive oil

1 cup self-rising flour

1 cup cold water

1 tsp salt (use a 1/2 teaspoon for broth mixture and 1/2 teaspoon for dumplings)

Pepper to taste

Directions:

Sauté chopped vegetables and herbs in olive oil until translucent. Bring chicken broth to a boil add canned chicken breast to broth. Add cooked vegetables and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt to broth and reduce to simmer.

Dumplings: Form dumplings by mixing 1 cup cold water to 1 cup of self-rising flour and a 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix together until flour mixture consistency is sticky. Use a tablespoon to form the dumplings.

Drop dumplings one at a time into simmering broth mixture. Dumplings will form and will not stick together. Turn heat up to medium. Broth and dumplings will turn to a gravy-like consistency. Reduce to simmer again. Serve hot. Can be reheated for leftovers the following day. Leftovers may be kept up to three to four days in the refrigerator. Serves 10

RECIPE THEME:

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  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. 

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 () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

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

Traditional Chicken and Dumplings - Weekend Recipe

EDIT: Nothing like presetting all the monthly recipes to take care of the posting so I can lecture prep and realizing that it never happened 2 months into the process.  So if you were expecting these recipes to post during the month for your enjoyment, I am sorry.  If you want to find the recipes which have now posted, try out the links below in the theme list.

Not sure where I got this recipe.  Could be an old family recipe or one I collected when I was still living at home.  It was hand written and seems very traditional.

Chicken and Dumplings

1 Tbls olive oil

6 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs (about 2 pounds)

kosher salt and black pepper

4 stalks celery, chopped

4 carrots, chopped

2 onions, chopped

2 Tbls fresh thyme leaves or 2 tsp dried thyme

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 bay leaves

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbls baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

6 Tbls (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup buttermilk

2 Tbls chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, plus more for serving

DIRECTIONS

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the chicken with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Brown in batches, 4 to 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate; reserve the pot.

Add the celery, carrots, onions, thyme, and garlic to the drippings in the pot and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the chicken, bay leaves, and 10 cups water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Discard the bay leaves and transfer the chicken to a plate; let cool. Shred the chicken with 2 forks and return it to the pot (discarding the skin and bones).

Whisk together ½ cup of the flour, 2 cups of the cooking liquid, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a small bowl. Slowly whisk the flour mixture back into the pot and simmer until slightly thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

Make the dumplings: Whisk together the remaining 2 cups of flour, the baking powder, baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk in the butter, buttermilk, and parsley. Reduce heat to low and drop the mixture into the broth in 8 large spoonfuls. Simmer, covered, until the dumplings are firm, 12 to 15 minutes. Serve sprinkled with parsley.

RECIPE THEME:

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  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. 

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 () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

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

Fake Cracker Barrel Chicken N Dumplins - Weekend Recipe

EDIT: Nothing like presetting all the monthly recipes to take care of the posting so I can lecture prep and realizing that it never happened 2 months into the process.  So if you were expecting these recipes to post during the month for your enjoyment, I am sorry.  If you want to find the recipes which have now posted, try out the links below in the theme list.

Fake Cracker Barrel Chicken n' Dumplins

2 cups Flour
½ teaspoons Baking Powder
1 pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons Butter
1 cup buttermilk (you can use regular milk if needed)
2 quarts Chicken Broth

2 Tbls Crumbled Parsley
3 cups Cooked Chicken

Directions
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry blender. Stir in the milk a bit at a time, mixing with a fork until the dough forms a ball.

Heavily flour a work surface. Roll the dough out thin with a heavily floured rolling pin. Dip your cutter in flour and cut the dumplings in squares about 2″x2″. It’s okay for them not to be exact.  Use a floured spatula to put them on a heavily floured plate. Just keep flouring between the layers of dumplings.

To cook them, bring the broth to a boil. Drop the dumplings in one at a time, stirring while you add them. The extra flour on them will help thicken the broth. Cook them for about 15-20 minutes or until they not doughy tasting. Add the cooked chicken and parsley to the pot and you’re done!

RECIPE THEME:

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  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. 

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 () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

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

Crockpot Chicken and Dumplings - Weekend Recipe

EDIT: Nothing like presetting all the monthly recipes to take care of the posting so I can lecture prep and realizing that it never happened 2 months into the process.  So if you were expecting these recipes to post during the month for your enjoyment, I am sorry.  If you want to find the recipes which have now posted, try out the links below in the theme list.

Crock Pot Chicken and Dumplings

This version I found Flour on my Face by Arlene Mobley and adapted.  It is cold, it is not snowy here like it should be and but I still want my comfort food.  So this a perfect recipe that is easy and wonderful and allows me to spend my time reading books!

4 boneless chicken breasts

6 cups chicken broth

1 medium onion

3­6 bay leaves

salt

pepper

1­2 cans of biscuits

1 Tbls parsley

1 Tbls savory

Directions

Put the first 6 ingredients in a crock pot and cook on high for 4 hours. Remove the chicken breasts from the crock pot. Carefully strain the hot broth removing the onion, bay leaves and any sediments. Return the broth to the crock pot.

Cut or pull the chicken into bite size pieces. Return chicken to the crock pot and heat on high for about 30 minutes. Cut biscuits into 4ths or strips. Drop biscuit pieces into the crock pot and stir. Return the lid and cook until the biscuits are cooked through, about 30­60 minutes depending on how many biscuits you use.

To thicken the gravy mix 2 teaspoons flour with 2 teaspoons water until lumps are gone. Add to crock pot, along with remaining herbs and stir. Replace lid and cook on high until biscuits are cooked through and gravy has thickened.

RECIPE THEME:

Each month a theme is chosen and a number of recipes on that theme from my massive archive will be shared.  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. 

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 () to search for each  month.  All recipes this year will be tagged Recipe2019 so you can find them all.

The themes are:

Jan 2019 – Chicken and Dumplings (CDumpsJan)

Feb 2019 - Pasta Dishes (PastaFeb)

March 2019 - Edible Flowers (FlowerMar)

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

Midwinter Body Wash - Monthly Bath Blend

This body wash has a cool, crisp scent that isn't too overpowering. Not to mention, it is full of ingredients that are actually good for your skin during the drying winter months!

1 cup Castille Soap
½ cup Lavender Hydrosol
½ cup Rosemary Hydrosol
1 Tablespoon Jojoba oil
1 Tablespoon Aloe Vera Gel
10 drops Douglas Fir essential oil
5 drops Lavender essential oil
5 drops Nutmeg essential oil

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a jar or bottle with a tight lid, close, and shake well.

To use: shake to mix ingredients and then squirt onto a wash cloth, loofah, or bath puff. Lather and rinse.

New Year - New Recipes - New Plans - New Herb Fun with Chicken and Dumplings

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

1 whole chicken, cut into pieces (about 4 pounds)
1 Tbls BYP Lemon Thyme Gourmet Salt or BYP Savory Salt Substitute
3-1/2 quarts water
1/2 small onion, chopped very fine
1 stalk celery, chopped very fine
1 carrot, chopped very fine
1/4 cup butter
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tsp BYP poultry seasoning

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. 

Happy New Year - wishing you Good Luck and Fortune in 2019

There are many foods that connotate good luck that are to be eaten on January first.  These are some of the most common.  I've linked each one with a recipe so you can enjoy and the best recipes combine more than one!

Noodles

In many Asian countries, people eat long noodles on New Year's Day in order to lengthen their life. One catch: You can't break the noodle before it's fully in your mouth.

Greens

Green symbolizes luck - think about four leaf clovers, money, and jade jewelry. Since many New Year’s resolutions include a healthier lifestyle, greens can translate into kale, brussels sprouts, and peas. 

Cinnamon

It is a powerful spice which has been used medicinally around the world for thousands of years. This is also a magical spice that is used for success, healing, action, energy, protection, prosperity, love, and purification.  A great item to move your life into a new place for the new year.

Pork

Pork, once reserved for the elite, symbolizes wealth and prosperity. Aim high this year by filling up with a hearty pork dinner on January 1st.

Cabbage

In Germany, Ireland, and parts of the United States, cabbage is associated with luck and fortune since its green hue resembles money. This includes sauerkraut, so a meal of pork chops and sauerkraut is the perfect New Year’s meal.

Fish

In some countries, people associate fish with moving forward into the new year since fish swim in one direction. Other people, however, think fish symbolize abundance since they swim in schools. 

Lentils

Thought to resemble coins, lentils are eaten throughout Italy on New Year's Day to bring good fortune in the year ahead.

Pomegranate

Long associated with abundance and fertility, pomegranates are eaten in Turkey and other Mediterranean countries as a sign of good luck. It doesn't hurt that this jewel-toned fruit is in its prime come January.

Black-Eyed Peas
Considered a common good-luck food in the South, black-eyed peas are thought to bring prosperity, especially when served with collard greens. Which brings us back to the beginning with green foods.  Another perfect combination.

May your New Year by Prosperous, Bountiful and Filled with Joy!