Chicken Soup with Dumplings

This was something else we made from the chicken we cooked the other day. Most of the measurements here are approximate, because I was just kinda throwing things together. :) The dumplings are Grandma's recipe... this is 1/2 the dumpling recipe. I actually used a full recipe when I made this, but it thickened everything. I definitely would only use 1/2 next time.

It turned out pretty good... I was quite proud of myself. :)


Chicken Soup with Dumplings
(Me, Grandma Mickey)



3 Cup chicken stock
4 1/2 Cup water
1 Small onion, chopped
3 carrots, sliced
2 Stalk celery, sliced
2 Medium potato, peeled & cut into 2" pieces
salt
pepper
Thyme
2 chicken bouillon cubes
1 Pound chicken, cooked, cut into small pieces
1/2 Cup flour
1/2 Tablespoon baking soda
1/4 Teaspoon salt
1/2 egg
1/2-3/4 Cup milk

Instructions:
Put stock, boullion cubes, water, and onion in large pot; bring to a boil. Add vegetables and chicken, cook 5-10 minutes or until veggies are tender.
In a small bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add egg and milk. Drop by teaspoonfuls into soup, simmer for another 10 minutes.
Enjoy.

(Yes, that is the homemade french bread next to the soup. Amazing.)

Buckeyes

I have so many fond memories of making these with Grandma when I was younger!
Fighting with my siblings and cousins over who gets to eat the 'snowmen'....
Dropping the WHOLE buckeye into the chocolate, then having to fish it out with a spoon....
Sneaking some when Grandma wasn't looking (just kidding Grandma! We would never do that. Ever.) ...
Hiding some in my bedroom so my brothers wouldn't eat them all...

...the more I think about it, the more I am amazed that Grandma was willing to do this with us (the cousins). Oh well, we did have loads of fun! And I'm assuming Grandma had fun too. We must have been pretty entertaining, at the very least.

This was my first time making these by myself, without Mama or Grandma doing the majority of the work. I was pretty nervous, and had a near mishap (for some reason, I first measured 3 cups of powdered sugar. If it's REALLY sticky and liquidy, you didn't add enough powdered sugar), but they turned out pretty well! I am quite proud of myself. :)

Grandma Mickey's Buckeyes



3 Pound powdered sugar
2 Pound peanut butter
1 Pound butter, softened
12 Ounce semisweet chocolate chips
12 Ounce milk chocolate chips
1 bar paraffin

Instructions:
Mix together powdered sugar, peanut butter, and butter. Roll into small balls; refrigerate overnight. (Or freeze for a couple hours.) Melt together chocolate chips and parrafin wax, preferably in a double boiler. Dip balls in chocolate mixture using toothpicks to spear. Drop on wax paper. Chill.




(Note how pretty mine are! And the snowmen. I LOVE making snowmen. Seriously, three buckeyes for one! WOOHOO!)

What to Do with Extra Pie Crusts

It's nearly Thanksgiving. You are making your pies and -gasp- there is extra crust! What do you do? (Ignoring my over-dramatic-ness, of course).

You make these:
Mickey's Amazing Blackberry Tarts


This is something I learned from my Grandma. Whenever she had extra pie crust and I was over, she would let me have the extra and we would make 'blackberry pie.' We would simply take the extra dough, put it into a muffin tin, and fill with blackberry jam. (Homemade blackberry jam.... not that anyone would ever buy the store-bought kind. Silly people.) Then, bake until the crusts look golden brown, probably 10-15 minutes.

When these came out of the oven, Nathan & I both burned our tongues. Quite badly actually, but it was SO worth it.



Obviously, there can be a lot of variation with these. Different fillings, add a topping, don't use the muffin tin, etc. This was just what we did tonight.


This is the recipe I use for pie crust...


Pastry for Single-Crust Pie
(Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook)

1 1/4 Cup all-Purpose flour
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1/3 Cup shortening
4-5 Tablespoon cold water

Instructions:
1. In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening until pieces are pea size.
2. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the water over part of the flour mixture, gently toss with a fork. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of the water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form pastry into a ball.
3. On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten pastry. Roll pastry from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter.
4. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin. Unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease into pie plate without stretching it.
5. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edges as desired. Do not prick pastry. Fill and bake pastry as directed in recipes.

Yields: 1 pie crust

Calories: 140
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Fat: 9 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Protein: 2 g
Carbohydrates: 14 g
Sodium: 73 mg
Fiber: 0 g

Lasagna Roll-Ups: My Way!

Another post for the day, to make up for the one I missed yesterday. :)

This recipe is a mixture of a lasagna roll-up recipe I saw somewhere, and the recipe I learned from my mama & grandma. And... the small touches I've added! :) Enjoy!

Lasagna Roll-Ups


15 lasagna noodles
1 Pound ground burger
1 Container pasta sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small onion, sliced into small pieces
2 Teaspoon Italian seasoning, or various similar spices
1 Package ricotta cheese
1 Egg
1/3 Cup Parmesan
4-5 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
Parmesan, if desired
Italian seasoning, if desired

Instructions:
Cook pasta according to package directions; drain well. Seperate noodles right away to keep from sticking.
Mix ricotta, egg, and 1/3 cup parmesan in a bowl, set aside.
Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook meat through. Add onion and garlic when meat is almost cooked. When cooked, add pasta sauce, keep on low or medium low to warm through.
Lay out 3-4 lasagna noodles on clean tabletop or cutting board. Spread small amount of ricotta mixture on each, then meat mixture, then sprinkle with mozzarella. Roll up each noodle carefully, then lay seam side down in a 13x9 pan. Repeat process for all 15 noodles.
Cover with remaining meat sauce and mozzarella. Sprinkle with more parmesean and Italian seasoning, if desired.
Bake at 400 for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Serves: 6
Prep Time: 25
Cook Time: 15
Total Time: 40
(Lack of pictures due to lack of a camera battery.)