EASY CHICKEN STEW & DUMPLINGS

I thought I'd share a recipe with you that I've been making for nearly twenty years now. Whoa. That sentence makes me sound (and fee!) like an old granny lady. I guess I am getting old, ha! Last night I shared on IG how yesterday was our engagement anniversary, and when I wrote out the date- April 7, 1997... yikes! That was a loooong time ago! I'll be shopping for dentures and Depends before I know it, sigh.

This is a quick and easy main dish and takes about a half hour from start to finish, less if you've got the chicken already prepared. It's great year-round, too. It's warm and comforting in the colder months, and it keeps me from having to turn on the oven in the hotter ones when we still need to, oh I don't know, eat something other than cereal.

 INGREDIENTS FOR CHICKEN STEW

14 oz chicken stock

about 2/3 cup water

small bag frozen mixed vegetables

1 cup milk

1/2 cup flour

1-2 cups cooked chicken, cubed *

oregano, parsley, thyme & basil

dash garlic powder

salt & pepper 

fresh basil for garnish, optional

1. In large saucepan, combine broth, vegetables, water (I fill the stock up about halfway; if I use more water, I'm sure to compensate by adding a bit more spices), herbs & spices. Bring to boiling.

2. In a small bowl or liquid measuring cup, gently blend milk and flour with fork. Add to vegetable mixture and stir. Next add cubed chicken and stir. Reduce heat to medium and cook until mixture thickens- this may take several minutes. If the mixture still won't thicken or get bubbly, stir in a bit more flour.

3. While stew is thickening, prepare dumplings.

INGREDIENTS FOR DUMPLINGS

3/4 cup flour

1 tsp baking powder

1/3 cup milk

2 tbsp cooking oil

dash salt

a few shakes of dillweed and parsley

4. Combine dumpling ingredients to form a thick doughy mixture. Don't over-stir. If mixture seems too dry, add milk; too wet, add flour- this recipe is forgiving, which comes in handy when I'm making a bigger batch than usual. Drop dumpling mixture onto bubbling stew with either a cookie scoop or a spoon. 

5. Cover mixture and simmer over low heat 10-15 minutes. DO NOT LIFT COVER while simmering or the dumplings will not fully cook. Serve promptly. Enjoy!

*We cook chicken for this dish in a covered pan in about an inch of water over medium-low heat.

**If you're really short on time, you can combine about 1 cup biscuit mix and 1/3 cup milk for the dumplings; add herbs to dough mixture.

PS: This is Isabelle's basil, or hazel, as she calls it, and she is quite proud of it. She may have been a bit overzealous when pinching one of the leaves off, ha ha.  =)

Happy Wednesday!

CINDERELLA, COOKING, CLEANING AND CATS

We had a full weekend of reflecting on God's goodness as well as having lots of fun with family. I'll share Easter pictures later. I love how Isabelle's dress turned out, but I don't have pictures of the details and such just yet- it was so cold yesterday, and snow is predicted for much of this week, I wasn't about to head outside for "pretty pictures." Although...doesn't she look so beautiful in her Cinderella dress here? And so grown up! Waaaaaaaaaah. Pass the kleenex.

We had a Mommy-Daughter date to the movies last weekend. Can you guess what we saw? So much fun, and such a wonderful movie. She is so self-conscious recently (that's another post for another day) that I was really surprised when she said she wanted to wear her costume dress. I actually hesitated, but thank goodness I didn't object because she felt so special wearing it. I would have deeply regretted that.

Let's just pretend that plastic bag isn't over there...

This sweet boy of mine has been helping in the kitchen so much lately. It's a special time together. He has such a good heart, wanting to serve and help. Now if we could just get him to put things back where they go.  ;)

I wish our cats had some personality. Ha Ha

On Good Friday afternoon we made these Resurrection Rolls with my parents, who had dropped by unexpectedly. I love how this one right here turned out, looking just like an open, emptied tomb. So neat!

I found myself getting irritable and upset quite often during Easter weekend, and honestly, I was mad at myself for it. I don't know about you, but I often feel that there are so many expectations- put on by myself, I'm sure- and then instead of focusing on the beauty of his resurrection, I'm wasting my energy on things that shouldn't really matter. But I'm human, and a Mom, and I want that perfect photo of my kids all dressed up, and I want the memories of a special day/weekend, and... This has been a big trap for me lately. My priorities are not what they should be, and I KNOW the answer is in spending time in God's Word and being quiet and intentional in my time with Him, but I can't make myself do it. Does that make me sound awful? That I can't make myself read the Bible or spend quiet time with God?

Well, it feels pretty awful. So now I have a choice, and I want to choose well, to choose the very best.

Lastly, I feel so out of control with my house. Literally. There are bags here, stuff over there, piles of this and that pretty much...everywhere! Ack! This is not the environment I want for myself or my family, not at all. I don't even know what or how it happened, but it's draining the life right out of me and I need to make a change. But not just yet...right now I've got to finish up this no-longer-hot tea, finish up (what I really mean is make, but that would make me feel even worse, so...) lunches, and go get my little loves ready for a brand new day. And we're going to pray for one another.

Have a great Monday today!

HE IS RISEN!

The ultimate sacrifice, all because of great love.

You can believe in His promises.

You can trust Him with your heart and your life.

You don't have to worry about being perfect or about the mistakes in your life or past.

 

He loves and you and wants you to know Him in return, and once you do- once you really know Him and not just how the world paints Him to be- then you realize He is pure love. And you can't help but to love Him back.

His plans for you are good.

He has overcome the darkness in the world and you can live in peace.

He is risen indeed!

ON THIS GOOD FRIDAY

We've had a pretty great day here, despite all the not-so-great circumstances that generally accompany life with a busy family. Aside from an emergency trip to the chiropractor, the insufferable squabbles and bickering, attitudes, power struggles, and just plain selfishness, there have also been tender moments, kindness, thoughtfulness and forgiveness.

I wanted today to be set aside from other more ordinary days, and I think it has been. My biggest problem by far is that there are so many wonderful ideas out there, I've had the hardest time narrowing things down- I want to do them all! I'll share more about that later.

We're about to get dinner on the table and then we've got a few special things left to do before heading out for...if you guessed soccer then you'd be correct!... Ethan's game later this evening. I hope you and your family & friends experience the true joy and beauty of this day.

For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son...

                                                                                                                      John 3:16