What's For Dinner?
Easy Chicken 'N Dumplings
Make it like you like it!
I love to cook and as the chief cook in the family, I have some easily made favorites that I can rely on when I'm too tired to be creative.. Make sure you keep some basic ingredients in your pantry so that you are always ready when you start hearing,"What's for Dinner?"Easy Chicken 'N Dumplings
It's easier to make than to write about it :0)
Chicken of Choice cut up
2 cans cream soup
milk
I used to start by cleaning and cutting up a chicken. These days I keep boneless frozen chicken breasts in the freezer. You can thaw them in cold water for about 20 minutes and they don't have to be completely soft to begin cooking them. Remember, if your meat is boneless it cooks in 10 to 20 minutes where regular pieces might take an hour.
Put a little olive oil in a large frying pan or electric skillet. Heat it over medium to medium high heat. Meanwhile, pat your chicken dry and season it with a little salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the pan. Turn it over when it starts to brown. As soon as the bottom side starts to brown, add 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup(or cream of chicken, or some of both). refill one of the cans with milk and add that too. Stir until it looks like a sauce and reduce your heat to a high simmer. Cover the Pot.
Meanwhile, make dumpling dough.
1 1/2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons shortening (or oil or butter)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
Measure the dry ingredients. I like to add parsley because it looks nice in the dumplings. Cut in shortening and add milk. Stir until dough forms.
Drop by large spoonfuls onto the hot bubbling chicken mixture. Cook uncovered 10 minutes. Cover and cook 10 minutes more or until dumplings are done.
My Favorite Standby - The Betty Crocker Cookbook
All good cooks start somewhere.
Betty Crocker Cookbook: Everything You Need to Know to Cook Today, New Tenth Edition
Amazon Price: $18.87 (as of 11/26/2009)![]()
My Mother gave me a Betty Crocker Cookbook when I was 18. It has become a favorite reference book in my kitchen. I may not make the recipe the same way they did but it gives me a place to start.
I liked it so much that I gave one to my daughter when she got married.
Chili
Plan on letting this simmer at least 30 minutes to bring out the flavor.
It never fails, as soon as the beef and onions start cooking, my kids always want to know what smells so good and how soon they can eat. This is one time I wish I could add scent to my lens. It really is that good!Brown together:
1 pound ground chuck
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
Add:
2 cloves garlic
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 cup or can of diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon Worstershire Sauce
1 can beef broth (or water and beef base)
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
Dash red pepper and ground coriander (optional)
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
1 can kidney beans
salt and pepper to taste
Simmer until done.
I generally use dried spices because that is what I have on hand. All of these ingredients can be adjusted according to your preferences. I usually double everything because it makes good leftovers.
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Happy Cooks Give Nibbles :0)
Taco Wraps
A fun way to get veggies into the kids.

Buy at AllPosters.com
An American Spin on a Mexican Classic.
Yes, I know it's technically a burrito but the large wraps are easier to hold.
Ingredients Vary:
Meat - taco meat (recipe follows), left over chicken or beef strips.
Veggies - lettuce, diced tomatoes, shredded carrots, sprouts, diced cucumbers, hummus, cannelloni beans, refried beans, etc.
Rice - flavored rice if you have it. Leftovers work here.
Cheese - Colby Jack, Cheddar, whatever you prefer, shredded or diced
Large Enchilada shells - the large ones wrap better and are easier to hold.
Assembly Required!
Heat the Enchilada shell. Either in the microwave for 8 seconds or on a hot frying pan for 20 seconds. It doesn't take long but they will crack if you don't heat them first and they taste better warm.
Down the middle of the shell layer hot meat, hot rice, cheese and finally veggies (lettuce, tomatoes, etc.) If they are in season, I like to slice avocados into mine and top it off with some Catalina salad dressing. My daughter adds Italian. My husband likes his plain. - Go Figure.
Fold in the short sides (closest to the filling). Pull up one of the long sides and tuck it around the filling, into the pocket. Wrap the last part over it all.
Alternatively, instead of dressing add lemon juice, olive oil, sour cream dollops and salt and pepper.
Taco Seasoning
Don't like the MSG they put in packaged taco seasoning? Use this alternative.
Mix together and keep on hand;
1 TBS chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
Mix together:
2 1/2 Tbs of the spices
2 tsp cornstarch
2/3 cup cold water
Add to meat and simmer while stirring for a few minutes.
Green is Good
Just not from our food - Refrigerate Leftovers Promptly
Hungarian Goulash
What a funny name for such a rib-sticking meal.
1 cup chopped onion
1 small Clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tbs. Brown Sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp dry mustard
Dash cayenne red pepper
1 1/2 cups water
elbow macaroni
2 Tbs. flour in 1/4 cup cold water to thicken
Brown beef, onion, garlic. Add rest of ingredients down to macaroni.
Cover & simmer 2 - 2 1/2 hours adding macaroni approx. last 20 minutes
Thicken with flour & water, boil and stir 1 minute.
For Those At Home In The Kitchen
Rally round the Coffeepot!
What do you make that your family can't get enough of?
We all have family favorites.
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Reply
- Jun 15, 2009 @ 4:12 am
- Very nice lens. I am feeling hungry now. Thank you.
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Reply
- papawu papawu May 2, 2009 @ 7:16 pm
- I have no children so I can't say I know what it's like to have them around as I cook, but I certainly remember helping out in the kitchen. Fabulous recipes and a great lens.
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- AppalachianCountry AppalachianCountry Apr 11, 2009 @ 8:55 am
- We loved your chicken and dumpling recipe. Wonderful lens. Thanks for the hard work.
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Reply
- Nochipra Nochipra Apr 6, 2009 @ 11:56 am
- Great lens! I'll have to give that Chili recipe a try:) I created my own lens called Dinner Recipes Tonight. I'll hope you'll come by and visit. I'm still a newbie at this so I hope we can keep in touch on Squidoo and enjoy each other's recipes. I'm also on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Nochipra , I'll start following you:) Thanks. Nora
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- cappuccino136 cappuccino136 Feb 8, 2009 @ 5:47 pm
- A very comforting and tasty lens. I can smell the good home cooking! I just lensrolled this to my Arroz con Pollo lens. Nice to meet you.
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