Chicken & Dumplings

Absolutely — here’s a classic, from-scratch Chicken & Dumplings recipe that’s rich, comforting, and perfect for a cozy NJ night (especially this time of year).

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🥣 Classic Chicken & Dumplings

🛒 Ingredients

For the Chicken Base:

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken thighs (or breasts)

• 1 tablespoon olive oil or butter

• 1 small onion, diced

• 2 carrots, sliced

• 2 celery stalks, sliced

• 3 cloves garlic, minced

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1 cup whole milk or half-and-half

• 3 tablespoons flour

• 1 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 teaspoon dried parsley

• ½ teaspoon black pepper

• Salt to taste

• Optional: ½ cup frozen peas

For the Dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar (optional but good)

• ½ teaspoon garlic powder

• ¾ cup whole milk

• 4 tablespoons melted butter

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👩‍🍳 Instructions

1️⃣ Cook the Chicken

• Heat oil/butter in a large Dutch oven.

• Season chicken with salt & pepper.

• Brown on both sides (about 4–5 min per side).

• Remove and set aside.

2️⃣ Build the Flavor

• In the same pot, sauté onion, carrots, and celery (5–7 minutes).

• Add garlic and cook 30 seconds.

• Sprinkle in flour and stir 1–2 minutes.

• Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk.

• Add thyme, parsley, pepper.

Bring to a gentle simmer.

3️⃣ Shred the Chicken

• Shred cooked chicken.

• Return it to the pot.

• Add peas if using.

Let simmer 10–15 minutes until slightly thickened.

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🥟 Make the Dumplings

• Mix dry ingredients.

• Stir in milk and melted butter just until combined (don’t overmix).

• Drop large spoonfuls of dough on top of simmering soup.

⚠️ Important:
Cover tightly and simmer on LOW for 15 minutes.
Do not lift the lid — steam cooks the dumplings.

After 15 minutes, check doneness. They should be fluffy and cooked through.

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⭐ Pro Tips

• For richer flavor, use thighs instead of breasts.

• Want thicker stew? Add 1 extra tablespoon flour when building base.

• Want old-school Southern style? Skip milk in broth and use all stock.

• For extra cozy: finish with 1 tablespoon butter stirred in at the end.

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Crown Roast

CROWN ROAST

 

This dry rub is for per pound:

1 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

¼ tsp ground thyme

¼ tsp ground sage

1/8 tsp ground bay leaves (I just smash the leaves small)

½ clove garlic (I used the already chopped stuff in the jar and LOAD it with garlic)

 

Put in a bowl or something that allows you to cover the meat with red wine and a little water.  Marinate overnight.  When ready to cook.  Preheat oven to 450.  Put meat on a rack that is raised so the heat can hit the whole roast.  Pour all the wine and drippings into the bottom of the pan and add some water.  I cover the bones with foil so they don’t burn.  Insert meat thermometer.  Cook for 15 minutes and then reduce to 350 degrees.  I used ChatGPT to determine the time and temp to pull the roast out.  

Mine was 6.75 and it said after the initial 15 minutes cook 18-20 minutes per pound.  For 6.75 that was 2 to 2-1/4 hours.  Remove when the meat temp is 140 degrees.  Tent and rest loosely with foil for 15-20 minutes before carving. 

Take all the pan drippings and add to an already made package of pork gravy.  When we cut it, each one will have a bone.  Cut along the bone for each chop.  ENJOY!

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

 12 once bag of fresh cranberries

1/3 cup of orange juice

1 cup of sugar

Combine berries and juice in microwave casserole.  Nuke 6 minutes on high.  Add sugar and stir well.  Recover and let sit for 4 minutes.  Blend in food processor.  All almond extract to taste.  Chill well.

Zucchini Patties

 2 cups grated zucchini

2 eggs beaten

1/4 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup of flour ( I ALWAYS FORGET THIS)

1/2 cup of grated part

1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese

salt and pepper

2 tablespoons of oil (need way more than this)

BBQ BEEF

 2 lbs. eye round roast, cooked and shredded with fork.  Cook with onions and peppers if you want.

2/3 cup of sugar

1 tsp dry mustard

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 tsp finely chopped onion

1 small sweet pepper diced

2 cups of ketchup

After cooking roast and shredding, add to sauce mixture and let simmer 1/2 to 3/4 of an hour.

BOLICHE

1 - 4 lb eye round of roast or beef rump roast trimmed

2 or 3 fresh chorizo links (casing removed)

Mojo

1/2 cup of sour orange juice (added some lemon to sour it)

2 garlic cloves minced

2 teaspoon of cumin

1 teaspoon of salt

Sofrito

4 tablespoons of olive oil, divided

1 large onion chopped

1 green bell pepper chopped

2 garlic cloves minced

2 tablespoons of tomato paste

2 teaspoons of cumin

1/2 teaspoon of salt

6 cilantro leaves or 1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves divided

1 cup pimento stuffed olives, plus some of the olive juice

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 potatoes peeled and thickly sliced

1.  With a sharp knife, make a lengthwise slit through the center of the meat.  Insert the end of a wooden spoon to expand the opening and make it large enough to stuff.  Stuff the chorizo into the opening.

2.  To prepare the mojo, which together sour orange juice, garlic, cumin and salt.  Put the beef into a glass baking dish and rub half the marinade over the beef.  (Reserve the remaining marinade.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or at least 3 hours.)

3.  To make the sofrito, heat 2 teaspoon olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat.  Add the onions, bell pepper and garlic and saute until soft and golden.  Add the tomato paste, cumin and salt and cook for 1 more minute.  Scrape the sofrito into a bowl and return to the pot on the stove.

4.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the pot over high heat and brown the meat on all sides.  Once the meat has browned, add the remaining marinade, half of the sofrito, 4 cilantro leaves, and enough water to come half way up to the meat.  Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer, covered tight until the meat is tender but not falling apart.  2-3 hours.  Remove the meat from the pot and set aside.  Simmer the sauce uncovered until slightly reduced.  Add the rest of the sofrito, olives, wine and the remaining cilantro leaves and cook for about 5 minutes.  

5.  Meanwhile cut the meat into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Arrange the potatoes along the bottom of the pot in the sauce.  Place the meat over potatoes and cover with sauce.  Cook over medium low heat until potatoes are tender, 15-20 minutes.

6.  Remove from heat and service the boliche with rice.

 

Irish Soda Bread - Mrs. C's style (Guaranteed to not disappoint)

1 cup of golden raisins (plumped... put in bowl cover with hot water, microwave for 45 seconds, drain immediately and put on paper towel to cool and dry excess water) 

4 Cups Flour

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp salt

4 tsp baking powder

1 pinch of baking soda

1/4 lb. room temperature butter

2 eggs room temperature

1-3/4 cups of buttermilk

The night before take out butter and eggs to come to room temperature.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  

Sift together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda.  Very important!

Cut in shortening (if you don't know what this is ... google it).

Mix together in separate bowl eggs and buttermilk.  Add to dry ingredients and mix - only enough to wet dry ingredients.  Add raisins.  

Bake in greased and floured cake pan or spring form pan for 1 hour.  Check with tester at 45 minutes to see if it comes out clean.