Monday's Meal

One of my children was not born in the South but they both are most definitely Southern. I am not a fan of Cracker Barrel restaurants but I am a decided minority in my home. My children in particular love the dumplings.

Now, honestly, this is not something I get. What's so great about, what is in essence, wet pieces of bread. Yet people talk about dumplings as if they fell from the sky right next to the manna. I just don't get it.

But because I am a nice person, my children do occasionally get dumplings (only occasionally because I wait until they remember to beg for them again). And because I am really nice, I once looked up a copycat recipe for Cracker Barrel's dumplings that actually tastes quite a bit like theirs. That is what I will nicely share with you today.

Because I'm nice, you know.

You can make these with chicken by cooking a whole chicken and then removing the meat from the bone. The broth can be what the chicken is cooked in or you can use canned broth or bouillon. I just used bouillon and threw in a can of drained chicken for a little meat in it since it was a side dish and not the main one. If you cook a chicken, don't worry about measuring the amount of broth. Just use what is there and add or detract as you feel necessary. My instructions are for using prepared broth.


Dumplings (with or without Chicken)

4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all - purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 Tablespoons shortening
3/8 cup buttermilk (I just use regular milk)

Mix together flour, baking soda, and salt. Cut in shortening. Add the milk and mix to a dough. Set aside.
Bring broth to a boil. Add pepper. Pinch off about 1 tablespoon sized pieces of dough and drop into boiling broth. Reduce heat to medium.
Add any meat you want. Allow to cook about 20-30 minutes or until broth has thickened and dough is cooked through.