Hope you’re all enjoying the first week of the New Year so far. I’ve been spending a few days with my parents and family in Georgia, so thought I’d share some of my mama’s famous chicken and dumplings.
OK, so they are only famous in my family, but these are the comfort pots of goodness that I grew up with.
Doesn’t that look positively scrumptious? If you have never had homemade chicken and dumplings, I promise you are missing out on a beautiful thing in life.Yum! Comfort food at its best. I did learn to make these, but haven’t done them myself for awhile.
But, here’s the low-down on the dumpling recipe. It’s a simple recipe made with plain flour, salt, and water. Mix that up together, into a dough ball that can be rolled out flat and cut into little strips. On a floured surface, just roll out the dough ball, nice and flat. Cut into strips and drop into a hot boiling pot of chicken broth and shredded chicken.
My mom makes her own broth by boiling chicken legs and parts and deboning, freezing it all and then getting it out when she wants to make something with it. I gave it a try and it’s really not hard, so if I can do it, so can you!See those cute little dumplings? These are the best dumplings you can imagine, no kidding. Check out her cute little pineapple salad she made for us too. Isn’t that old-fashioned? I love my mama, she is just the best mama in the world. Fresh broccoli from their garden rounded it out.
I was over at my sis’s house and took a look at her storage areas in her basement, as well as the Christmas closets down there. Some of you had asked how she stores all her Christmas decor. Well, she has a great full-size basement that’s been outfitted with shelving and lots of storage opportunities, so take a look at these ideas IF you happen to have a basement. A large room with concrete floor, they added these nice steel shelving units and some plastic ones too. Great for storage for anything extra. She said to tell you this is still a work in progress and she’s planning to organize it better.She’s got all sorts of extra stuff stored here. I have nothing like this at my house, do you? She loves entertaining, so definitely needs to have room for all of that stuff when tends to be big and take up a lot of space.Another plastic rack holds more.And yet another steel rack here in the corner. Right outside that room, is another space that my sis wants to turn into a craft room eventually. It has 2 sets of mirrored closets and this is where most of her Christmas gets stored. She said there are 4 trees standing up to the right that you can’t see. And here’s the 2nd mirrored closet. She definitely has more storage space than most of us do. So, that gives you some ideas on what sort of shelving you can get for storage and organization. Say hello to Buster, the Boston.Look what my niece got me for Christmas! How funny is this and she looks sorta like me too. I love it, a Christmas ornament.
So, that’s been my weekend. Hope yours was good too. I’ve got a lot of stuff going on this month that I will be sharing with you later, so might not be blogging as much as normal, but I will be around.
Have a great week!
Jessica @ These Are The Days says
Thanks Rhoda, my 8 year old Kade has been wanting to make this for a few months, it sounds simple…we’ll have to try it. Hope to meet you at Blissdom. 🙂
ava says
I love that ornament.
And now I want chicken and dumplins lol
Maggie says
Oh my goodness there is nothing better than a big ole plate of chicken and dumplings. Your mama’s look absolutely scrumptious! My grandma used to make them for me every time I used to go and see her which was quite often. I just loved to walk in the door and smell that big pot of dumplings boiling on the stove! I guess I know what we are going to be having for dinner tonight….
La says
Chicken n Dumplings is my very favorite comfort food. They are so yummy. I always love your posts about your mama.
Our basement is on my to-do list for the new year. I want to clean out all the useless clutter, go to Ikea to get some shelving units, and start using the area for storage.
Happy New Year! La
Fra n VA says
Will your Mama share her recipe for chicken and dumplings? Thanks
Rhoda says
Fran, I’m afraid the description I gave on how to make these are the best I can do. This is not a written down recipe, but one that is in her head, but if you just mix up that flour, salt, & bit of water until you get a good dough ball to roll out, you should be fine. Roll it out pretty thin.
Ricki Jill Treleaven says
Yummy, Rhoda! Your mom is too sweet. I have not made chicken and dumplings in a long time. I might make some this week! Have fun in Georgia!
Vickie H. says
Love this idea, but without specific instructions I have NO idea HOW MUCH of anything to use for this! I am NOT a natural born cook…gotta have a recipe for EVERYTHING!!! Perhaps I can GOOGLE some info! Wish me luck! And thanks for the inspiration!
Emily R says
Easiest thing in the world…get a can of refrigerator biscuits (not the buttery ones or it gets buttery in a bad way) cut them into pieces and toss them in the pot for 20 minutes. Easy peasy dumplings!
Down Comforter says
Oh my does the chicken and dumplings hit the spot…That looks like the perfect meal for this cold winter night. One question, would you mind coming over my way to make it!?
Amanda @ Serenity Now says
Chicken and Dumplings is a great winter comfort food meal! Looks delish!!
I am so envious of that great basement. Such wonderful storage options. My Christmas stuff gets shoved up in the attic.
Luciane at HomeBunch.com says
Rhoda,
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and your mom’s place!
Please, say “hi” to her from me… and tell her that we’re grateful that she raised such a fine woman!
Have a great week!
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
PS: If you have a minute, come take a look at some really beautiful and inspiring living rooms at my blog today! 🙂
Lauren says
Yum! That looks like a great dish to prepare on a cold winter’s day! Very hearty. Love your sister’s storage. We too have an unfinished basement, and I hope to add more storage shelving this year to it as well.
Pattie says
Yummo, that looks good, I see that little Boston Terrier, my favorite doggie’s in the whole wide world.. I have two of them.
Sheila says
Oh, I was just telling Mr. Magpie that Iwanted some chicken and dumplings the way my grandmother made them. This looks yummy, Rhoda!
Hope your holidays were good ones and that your New Year will be blessed of the Lord.
Love you…
XO,
Sheila 🙂
bj says
ahhh, these look just like my mother’s dumplins. I use her recipe, too. The secret is to roll the strips VERY thin…yummy..they were my very favorite meal, growing up. Such comfort. My mom didn’t shred her chicken, tho. She used the big chunks as I do. I always buy a large hen and boil it for the wonderful broth. GOOD GRIEF…now I am so hungry for them. :)))
Cindy says
Hi Rhoda,
I hope you had a lovely Christmas and it sounds like you are off to a good start on your new year, getting to visit with your folks. How wonderful for you!
I lived in Arkansas for two years many moons ago and I learned how to make ham and dumplings, just like your chicken and dumplings, only with ham. It is so delicious! I taught my daughter how to make them just last February. I love the chicken better, less salty.
Your sis looks to be very organized, but like you say, most people don’t have that much space to start with, I sure don’t. But I do stay fairly organized, sometimes.
The best of everything in the New Year to you.
Hugs, Cindy
Simple Daisy says
Now that looks like one delicious meal!! Perfect for winter evenings!
Happy New Year!
Pinky says
Your Mama’s dumploings look delish! Chicken and dumplings is perfect on a cold winter night! We are both SICK tonight so ahving chicken noodle SOUP….out od a can:):) I love your new ornament too! I sure WISH I had your sister’s storage space! My basement is mostly finished so I am LACKING in storage space:( And I NEED alot more!!!! XO, Pinky
Nerina says
WOW…you were a lucky girl growin up with all that yummy home cookin!!
I am droolin over here for some of that fabulous storage space!!
Adorable ornament, she sure has you pegged…in a good way 🙂
Happy New Year…I hope all of your dreams come true in 2011 xOxO
Michelle Colasante says
You had me at “dumpling.” Thank you for sharing a family recipe … I can’t wait to try it! I’m a Yankee by birth, but I’d swear I’m a Southern girl at heart.
Kat says
Hi sweet friend and Happy New Year!
Oh, those chicken and dumplings look good! My Mom does a pear salad (and sometimes pineapple) just like your Mom. Oh so good.
Love your new ornament…perfect for you girl!
Wow, your sister really does have the storage. You might remember that we have lots of tall shelving lining our garage and that’s where we store our Christmas and other “stuff”.
Hugs,
Kat