Growing up in Wisconsin, we always had some version of a hearty soup or stew waiting for us after playing outside in the fall or winter. It was a great one-dish meal my mom could make quickly and in a large kettle so we had leftovers for days.

We usually ate our soup with some great buttered French bread, or even a regular whole grain bread. Once I learned to make homemade dumplings as an adult, there was no turning back.

I know what you’re thinking. “Why would I spend the time making homemade dumplings?”

Believe me, I thought that too at one point. After all, you will find good old Bisquick dumplings in some of my recipes, but there was just something about the combination of this thick delicious chicken soup that garnered spending a little extra time making homemade biscuits.

There are a zillion dumpling recipes out there, and some will admit that no two dumpling recipes they make are the same. That’s okay! That’s the beauty of this little gem.

How to Make a Good Dumpling

After mixing your dry ingredients, did you know you can smell your mixture and determine if you want to add more garlic, or any other delicious seasoning for that matter? Dumplings are meant to be savory, you can determine the taste by smelling how fragrant they are before you even cook them. Here are some other helpful tips.

Don’t overwork the dough: Overworking the dough is by far the number one mistake people make. Overmixing your dough will result in a tough, hard dumpling. Combine the wet and dry ingredients until they are just mixed enough to not see any of the flour, then stop. The dough should look a little lumpy and be tacky, but not sticky.

Leveling agent: Baking powder is the magic ingredient for dumplings to ensure they rise. Adding the correct ratio of baking powder is key. Adding too little baking powder to flour ratio and your dumplings will not rise, add too much and they will rise, then fall. Make sure your baking powder isn’t expired.

Hot liquid: It’s important that your liquid is at a boil before you drop your dumplings. If you cook your dumplings in liquid that’s not hot enough, they will turn out soggy.

Don’t overcook: To check for doneness, you can insert a toothpick in the center of your dumpling. It will come out clean when your dumplings are done cooking. If your dumplings disintegrate, you have cooked them too long. You can open the lid to quickly peek 3/4 of the way through your cook time.

Broiling: I like to pop my dutch back in the oven, uncovered, and broil for 10 minutes or so to brown them slightly.

How to Make Chicken and Dumplings

Make the Chicken Soup in a Stockpot

1. Cut up vegetables and sauté in butter.
2. Stir in flour and cook for 1-2 minutes.
3. Add broth and milk and whisk until smooth.
4. Stir in cut up chicken and seasonings.
5. Put lid on and cook in oven for 30 minutes.

For the Dumplings

1. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, pepper and garlic powder.
2. Add warmed milk.
3. Stir just until dry ingredients disappear.
4. Drop by tablespoon onto boiling broth.
5. Simmer covered for 15 minutes.
6. Transfer stockpot to oven and broil to brown.
7. Serve with fresh parsley.

Chicken and Dumplings Ingredients

Chicken: I love using chicken breasts in soups. It doesn’t matter if it’s white meat because the liquid in the recipe will make it impossible to dry out. If you have leftover chicken, even dark meat from a previous dinner, you can also use that, but when using already cooked chicken, add it during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

Butter: When I’m making a rich broth I prefer to sauté my vegetables in butter instead of oil.

Vegetables: Dice your carrots and celery in smaller 1/4 in pieces. This helps your soup cook faster.

Broth: I like to use broth with no salt added since there are other seasonings I add and am better able to control the flavor.

Flour: An all-purpose flour helps to thicken the broth. Flour and baking powder work together to ensure a soft, fluffy dumpling.

Seasonings: Salt, pepper and garlic are all I use to make this chicken dumpling recipe since the chicken broth and vegetables round out the taste.

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Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

Nothing speaks of comfort food more than Chicken and dumplings made in a thick, flavorful broth loaded with vegetables and topped with tender, fluffy homemade dumplings.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword chicken and dumplings

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 1 hour

Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes

Servings 3

Calories 551kcal

Author Sharon Knott

Ingredients

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter (salted or unsalted)
• 2 large carrots (cut into ¼ inch pieces)
• 2½ celery stalks (cut into ¼ inch pieces)
• ½ yellow onion (diced)
• 2 garlic cloves (minced)
• 3½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 3 cups chicken broth (unsalted)
• ¼ cup whole milk
• 1¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1½ chicken breasts (cut into ¾ – 1 inch pieces)

Dumplings

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
• ¼ tablespoon dried parsley
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk (warm)
• 1½ tablespoon melted butter (unsalted)

Instructions

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 300° F.
• In medium dutch oven over medium heat, melt butter and add the diced carrots, celery and onion. Cook for 7 minutes.
• Add minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute.
• Sprinkle in 3.5 tablespoons flour and stir for 2 minutes.
• Slowly whisk in chicken broth and milk until soup is smooth.
• Drop in cut chicken, salt and pepper.
• Cover with lid and cook in oven for 30 minutes.

Dumplings

• In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, and parsley.
• Make a well in the middle and stir in warm milk and butter until dough comes together. Mix only until the dry ingredients disappear.
• Remove chicken soup from oven and take lid off. Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, form golf ball size balls of dough and place on top of soup evenly. (Do not push down.)
• Cover and simmer on stovetop for 15 minutes.
• Place in oven, uncovered and broil on high for 5-10 minutes to brown your dumplings if desired.

Nutrition

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 52g | Protein: 40g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 116mg | Sodium: 2064mg | Potassium: 784mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 8565IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 256mg | Iron: 4mg

The post Homemade Chicken and Dumplings first appeared on Plated for Two.

The post Homemade Chicken and Dumplings appeared first on Plated for Two.

If you’re looking to keep some of the old and blend in some of the new, this revision of a traditional, tasty side dish is perfect for your next Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, Mother’s day, Father’s Day or special celebrations.

When it comes to making a side dish as plain as green beans taste incredible, the first step is in not drowning it in a kettle of boiling water which drains all the flavor and nutrients out.

There is nothing better than vegetables roasted in a shallow pan and infused with some simple ingredients like salt and pepper, rice vinegar, and garlic salt, to name a few. Of course topping it with grated parmesan cheese and slivered almonds, after you take it out of the oven really takes it up a notch.  

Five minutes of prep and 15 minutes in the oven will deliver this dish that seals all the nutrition in.

I love making this dish during the summer as a side when I’m grilling out as well, why just have it only a handful of times a year when it tastes this good!

How to Turn Your Plain Beans into Crack Beans

1. Preheat oven. Line a shallow baking dish.
2. Wash green beans and dry.
3. Trim the stems on either side of the beans.
4. Whisk together seasonings, oil and vinegar.
5. Add beans and toss until thoroughly coated.
6. Place beans single file in shallow pan and bake.
7. Remove from oven and sprinkle with parmesan and almonds.
8. Serve.

Savory Green Bean Ingredients

Green Beans: Whether you are buying your beans from a Farmer’s Market or grocery store, look for beans that have a nice green color, are firm, and snap when bent back. Weigh about 3/4 of a pound if you are buying them from a bin and have a scale handy. This is approximately 2 handfuls depending on your hand size. Discard any beans that have turned brown, are soft, or are very tiny in size. Expect that your beans will cook down some.

Oil: Fat is a crucial ingredient when it comes to roasting vegetables in the oven. This is where I can feel free to use a vegetable oil if I have it, but olive oil or canola work well too. It’s important to make sure the beans are evenly coated in the oil and seasoning for even roasting in the oven.

Seasonings: The secret ingredient here that many don’t think to use often, if at all, is the ranch seasoning in dry powder form. I used to buy the smaller packets in the salad dressing aisle but immediately graduated to the container when it came out. I enjoy using it randomly on a variety of meals and appreciate the seal-tight container keeping it fresh longer. I also use classics like salt and pepper, and spice it up a little with red pepper flakes in this recipe.

Toppings: I always feel that a touch of parmesan cheese can really give a good layered flavor. Green beans wouldn’t be the same without the crunch of sliced almonds.

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Crack Green Beans-The Best Roasted

The perfect oven roasted green beans, infused with a savory mix of seasonings, and topped with grated parmesan cheese and slivered almonds will turn this basic vegetable into one of your favorites. Give your traditional "green bean almandine" a much healthier facelift by ditching the sauce.

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword the best roasted crack green beans

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 20 minutes

Servings 2 servings

Calories 296kcal

Author Sharon Knott

Ingredients

• ¾ lb fresh green beans (trimmed)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• ¼ tsp vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
• 2 tsp ranch seasoning (dry powder)
• ¼ tsp salt (or more to taste)
• ¼ tsp ground black pepper
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• pinch red pepper flakes
• 1½ tbsp parmesan cheese (grated)
• 1 tbsp sliced almonds

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a small baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Wash and thoroughly dry green beans. You can use paper towels, napkins or a clean kitchen towel to pat them dry.
• Use a knife or kitchen scissors and trim any stems from green beans.
• In a small bowl, combine vegetable oil, vinegar, ranch powder, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and red pepper flakes.
• Whisk ingredients together until well combined.
• Add green beans to bowl and toss in oil mixture until beans are well coated.
• Spread prepared green beans evenly on cookie sheet.
• Bake in oven for 15 minutes.
• TIP: Green beans will still be somewhat crunchy. If a softer texture is desired, turn off oven and allow to sit in closed oven for 10 minutes. This will soften the beans.
• Place roasted green beans in a bowl and toss with grated parmesan cheese and sliced almonds and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 296kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 13g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 817mg | Potassium: 410mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 1208IU | Vitamin C: 21mg | Calcium: 111mg | Iron: 2mg

The post The Best Savory Oven Roasted Green Beans first appeared on Plated for Two.

The post The Best Savory Oven Roasted Green Beans appeared first on Plated for Two.