Stew for a cold day:

Large package or 2 of stew meat

1 medium onion chopped

1 stalk of celery chopped

1 med bag of baby carrots

1 bag of baby red potatoes

3 cans of v-8 juice

bouillon 

water

saute onion in butter

add meat and cook till browned

salt and pepper meat to taste

add vegetables

pour in v-8

use enough water to cover the meat and veggies

add 4 cubes of beef bouillon 

cover and simmer on medium heat until vegetables are tender

after potatoes get soft, you can smash to make a thicker broth

serve with cornbread or saltines:) 

Chicken and Dumplings X 2 + suggestions

Chicken and Dumplings

*tonight was probably the last cold cold night of 2009 so we took the opportunity for one of the

ultimate Texas comfort food!

Pressure Cooker method...

*fill pot with cut up chicken (I prefer to use some with skin, but most unskinned pieces)

*add 2 handfuls of baby carrots

*2-4 stalks celery cut into pieces

*1 cut up onion

*garlic (I use 7-10 cloves)

*salt/pepper/curry powder to taste

*fill with water to 1-2inches below top of cooker

*put lid on cooker and turn heat to medium

*after the cooker begins to steam from top, cook for 15-20 minutes

(do not let cooker steam dry!! pay attention!)

*remove from heat... DO NOT TAKE OFF LID!!!

*let pressure die down until you can wiggle little top and no steam comes out

*remove lid and let the stew cool
*after cooled... put into refrigerator to let fat harden to be removed before you add dumplings
(thanks Kyle for reminding me!! GREAT easy way to remove fat from broth!!)

Dumplings:
*canned biscuits (organic store have these now) I used Pillsbury dinner rolls to make the dumplings for this batch

*after you skim fat,

*remove bones from chicken (be sure to get the little ones!!)
*put back onto stove and bring to boil
*divide rolls into thirds and roll into balls for dumplings

*drop balls into the boiling broth... they will swell up, but just keep adding (I used 2 cans)

*use spoon to push the new dumplings under the broth

*after you add all dumplings... let it simmer on low for another 20-30 minutes.. stir down a couple of times...make sure all dumplings get cooked through

ENJOY on a cold day with lots of family!!!

makes great leftovers!

below the pictureof our last cold 2009 day,

is Cindy Solomon's grannies recipe... Thanks Cindy for another version

Sue Bradley's Chicken and Dumplings

*cut up a whole chicken and cook till it falls off the bone

*debone and add 1 stick of butter

dumplings

2cups flour

1/2 c salt

1/4 c butter

water to make a stiff dough

Mix all ingredients adding water last

when dough forms a ball, dust counter with flour

pour dough onto flour and dust with flour to work dough

roll out like working a pie crust

cut into strips (you don't want your dough too thin)

have broth of chicken boiling

drop dumplings into broth

after all dumplings are in broth boil for 20 minutes low heat

when done, salt and pepper to taste

yields 4 servings

(Sue always tripled the recipe)

Moddie's Taco Soup (also called Santa Fe Stew by my friend Karen)

Moddie's taco soup! (Will's favorite)

Today is Valentines Day!! Elly called Will's mom, Moddie to get Will's favorite soup recipe. Here it is..... We're having it with warm tortillas and a big ole fresh fruit salad (Em says the strawberries are monstrous at Sams!) blackberry & apple cobbler w/ice cream for dessert! Ymmmm! (Elly and Em are doing the cooking tonight!)

Sent: Thursday, February 14, 2008 9:44 AM

To: Elly Doran

Subject: Taco soup

Good morning. My theme song these days is... If I only had a brain...I found your copy safe and sound in the floor board when we got home. (had to include Gaye's wonderful humor... she's one of the funniest... most fun people I know... I'm glad God put her in Elly's family!)

Regarding the soup.... It is my opinion that the longer you let it simmer,the better it is.

1 lb ground beef

1 chopped onion

1 pkg ranch style dressing mix

1 pkg taco seasoning mix

1 1/2 cups water

2 cans Mexican stewed tomatoes

1 can pinto beans (drained)1 can black beans (drained)

1 can crean style corn ( 2 if you want)

1 pkg corn torillas

grated cheese

Brown beef and onion, drain

Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for at least 30 mins.

Cut tortillas into 1/2" strips and bake until crisp

Serve with grated cheeseI did not do the tortillas strips. It is probably very good.

Love ya, Gaye