Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings

Growing up we moved every year or so, but my grandmother lived in Oklahoma much of that time. Every year we'd go visit her and once in a while we would go to a restaurant called Po' Folks. They had the best Southern-Style Chick'n 'n' Dumplin's, the large soft noodle style dumplings. This is my attempt at mimicking my favorite dish off their menu. I haven't eaten at a Po'Folks in years plus it's my first attempt so it may be WAY off. I'm open to suggestions on changes if anyone lives close enough to frequent one and can guide me on flavors. I don't think the Po'Folks recipe has any chopped veggies in it, but I like them, so I added them. This is inspired a bit by Tamy's Pot Pies.

I wish you could see the dumplings better, they are sooooo good. This turned out so amazing! I'd definitely make this again, even better than the Chicken and Wild Rice soup base. I'd make this as the base for that in the future, and just add rice instead of dumplings.

Southern Style Chicken and Dumplings

INGREDIENTS
1/2 onion
3 stalks celery
2 medium carrots
3 Tbsp butter
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
1/2 tsp Ground Thyme
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Salt (to taste, add more at end if needed)
1 tsp Pepper (to taste, add more at end if needed)
64 oz chicken stock/broth
1 can evaporated milk
3/8 cup flour

DUMPLING INGREDIENTS
2 cups flour
3 Tbsp shortening
1 tsp salt
cold water (I just grab a 2 cup glass measuring cup and fill it)

DIRECTIONS
Dice onion, carrots, and celery. Add 1 1/2 tsp butter to a large 12" skillet or small stock pot, saute onion, carrots and celery over medium low until onion is browned and carrots just start to soften, stirring occassionally.
While the vegetables are browning, dice the chicken breasts and thighs.
Once veggies are browned, remove to small bowl.
Add remaining butter to skillet, add chicken and mix with onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, salt and pepper and saute until just cooked through, stirring occassionally.
While chicken is browning, combine flour, salt and shortening in food processor. Pulse a few times. Drizzle in water while pulsing, until it forms a soft dough. Form dough into two balls, roll out as thin as possible (work with 1/2 at a time). Cut into 1" x 2" pieces.
In a small bowl add flour and 1 cup broth and mix well.
Once the chicken is browned, add the veggies back in, pour in the remaining broth, the flour mixture and the evaporated milk. Bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Drop in dumplings, and lower heat to medium. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes. Taste broth at this point and add additional salt and/or pepper if needed. Cover and cook for another 10-15 minutes over low, should be thick and bubbly like a cream soup. If needed mix a little more flour and water together and add until desired consistency is reached.

Crunchy Granola

Rather than adding dried fruit to the granola when it's done drying, I add it in as I'm serving it. So many dried fruits can be mixed in: cranberries, pineapple, apricots, raisins, whatever you are in the mood for.

Crunchy Granola

INGREDIENTS
1/2 c honey
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c oil
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c chopped nuts and seeds ex. walnuts, pecans, almonds, sunflower seeds
6 c rolled oats
3/4 c wheat germ

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 250.
Mix honey, brown sugar, oil, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger in medium saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
Remove from heat, stir in vanilla.
Mix together oats, nuts, seeds, and wheat germ.
Pour over sugar mixture, mix together well.
Pour evenly into 2 jelly roll pans.
Place pans in oven for 40 minutes, stirring occassionally.
Turn off oven and leave the pans in the oven overnight.
Place in airtight containers in the morning.

Summer Tortellini

This is basically my way of using up all the extra bits of veggies and produce before it goes bad, so the vegetables and meat choice are fairly flexible. The ingredients reflect what I used this time, but feel free to swap out the ham with grilled chicken, sausage, salami, or anything other meat. Or add in cubed cheddar or other cheese.

Summer Tortellini

INGREDIENTS
1 pint grape tomatoes, cut in half
1 zucchini, sliced thin
1/2 green pepper, bite size pieces
1/2 red pepper, bite size pieces
1/2 yellow pepper, bite size pieces
2 cups ham, diced
1-2 packages tortellini, cooked according to package
Italian Dressing
Fresh Parmesan

DIRECTIONS
Lightly coat zucchini and pepper in italian dressing and sauté in pan until lightly softened (just to take a bit of the bite out, you still want it crunchy).
Toss ham, sautéed vegetables, tomatoes, tortellini with just enough dressing to lightly coat.
Grate fresh paremesan cheese on top.

Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

Of all the dinners I've mentioned in Menu Plan Mondays, this was the most requested recipe. So, I finally took the time to get my ingredients figured out. A few notes, I prefer teriyaki, but use soy sauce if I'm out. I also use fresh garlic and ginger, but you can substitute powdered garlic and ginger. This serves 4, approximately 2 skewers per person.

Hawaiian Chicken Kebabs

INGREDIENTS
2 Chicken Breasts, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 red pepper, 1/2 green pepper, 1/2 yellow pepper, cut into 1" squares
1 onion, cut into 1" cubes
1 can pineapple chunks, reserve juice for glaze
1 1" ham steak, cut into 1" cubes

Glaze:
1/4 c reserved pineapple juice
2 Tbsp teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
1/8 c vegetable oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/2 Tbsp brown sugar
2 crushed garlic cloves (or 1 tsp garlic powder)
1 Tbsp grated ginger root (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
1 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp ground pepper

DIRECTIONS:
Soak bamboo skewers in water for 5 minutes
Skewer ingredients alternating between veggies, pineapple and meat
Mix well all ingredients for glaze in small bowl
Pour half of glaze mixture over skewers
Cook skewers on grill over low heat for 20 minutes, turning half way through and coating with remaining glaze.