It's Raining Again...Time For Comfort Food!

Comfort food isn't usually necessary in August but since it's raining for the 5th consecutive day so I think it's about time for some. Here's my go to comfort food recipe.....Chicken and Dumplings. It uses chicken breast as opposed to a whole chicken which makes it nice and easy! This recipe is from Cook's Country.

Easier Chicken and Dumplings
Serves 6-8

Stew Ingredients
5 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 large onion, chopped fine
1 tsp. salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 tbsp. all-purpose flour
3/4 cup dry sherry
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 cups frozen peas (I also added 1 cup of corn)
4 tbsp. minced fresh parsley


Dumpling Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1. For the stew: Bring broth to simmer in Dutch oven over high heat. Add chicken and return to simmer. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until chicken is just cooked through, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to plate and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Transfer broth to large bowl.
2. Return empty Dutch oven to medium-high heat and melt butter. Add carrots, onion, and salt and cook until softened, about 7 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in flour and cook, stirring frequently, for 1 minute. Stir in sherry, scraping up browned bits. Stir in reserved brother, cream, thyme, bay leaves and pepper and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until stew thickens, about 20 minutes.

3. For the dumplings: Stir flour, baking powder, and salt in large bowl. Stir in cream until incorporated (dough will be very thick and shaggy).4. To finish:Discard bay leaves and return stew to rapid simmer. Shred reserved chicken and add to stew along with any accumulated juices, peas, and 3 tablespoons parsley. Using 2 large soup spoons or small ice cream scoop, drop golf ball-sized dumplings onto stew about 1/4 inch apart (you should have 16-18 dumplings). Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until dumplings have doubled in size, 15 to 18 minutes. Garnish with remaining parsley. Serve.

Make ahead:Follow recipe through step 2, refrigerating stew and chicken in separate airtight containers up to 24 hours ahead. When ready to proceed, warm stew in Dutch oven and proceed with step 3.

So Much For The Diet!

I get these insatiable cravings that MUST be fulfilled. Today it's chocolate chip cookies! I actually halved this recipe (which was interesting when it came to the 1 egg) due to our so called "diet" and it still turned out great!



Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (My husband prefers milk chocolate)


DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.
In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips by hand using a wooden spoon. Drop cookie dough 1/4 cup at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.
Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.