***Yes, I have one of the fancy pasta machines, but sometimes it is just easier to roll the dough out on a pastry cloth.  You can see in the picture I used a noodle cutter. Many years ago, I bought that and used it often, but before that, I used a knife to cut the noodles.  Either way, it works, and the noodles are delicious.

Chicken and Rice Soup

This is another easy and delicious chicken dish with the chicken and broth recipe as a base.

   It’s amazing how many different dishes can be made from this simple base recipe.

 Make one recipe of chicken and broth at the top of this page

and return strained broth to the stockpot, setting chicken pieces aside for later.

To this add: 

• 1 medium onion chopped finely
•                        1 cup sliced carrots
•                        2/3 cup medium-grain white rice
•                        2 chicken bouillon cubes
•                        1/4 teaspoon salt
•                        1/4 teaspoon red pepper
•                        1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

   Heat mixture to boiling and reduce the heat to low.   Cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

   Add chicken pieces, stir, and simmer for 10 more minutes.  Serve hot.

   My family likes a little extra heat, so we sprinkle a little cayenne pepper onto each bowl of soup.

Homemade Chicken and Dumplings

  This is one of Dave’s favorite meals, homemade chicken and dumplings.   These are, without a doubt, the best-tasting dumplings I have ever had.  The broth thickens as the dumplings cook.

   Using the basic chicken and broth recipe at the top of this page, cooking the chicken until it falls apart, (as you can see in the second picture in the strip to the right), straining the broth, and pouring it back into the stockpot is really pretty simple.

   After pulling the meat from the skin and bones, add it to the stockpot, forming a base for the dumplings.  Heat the chicken and broth to boiling, while you prepare the dumplings.

   For the dumplings, in a medium-sized bowl, add:  

•   1 – 1/2 cups of flour
•   3/4 teaspoon salt
•   2 teaspoons baking powder

   Taking two knives or a pastry blender cut in           

•  3 Tablespoons shortening until mixture looks like meal
• Stir in 3/4 cup of milk

** Don’t over-mix the batter!

      Drop dough by spoonful onto the hot chicken, and turn it down to a simmer.  Cook uncovered for 10 minutes, cover, and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Dumplings should be light and fluffy.   Serve and enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Begin by making the basic chicken and broth recipe at the top of this page.

After straining the broth, pour it back into the pot, (reserving chicken) and add:

•    1 cup small carrots, cut into 1/2″ – 3/4″ pieces
•    1 cup Yukon Gold potatoes, with skins, cut into 3/4″ pieces

Bring broth and vegetables to a boil and simmer for 12 minutes or until tender.

Remove vegetables to a medium-sized bowl or glass measuring cup.  Measure and return 3 cups of broth to the pot.

In a small bowl combine:

•                                                         1/2 cup all-purpose flour
•                                                                         1 tsp salt
•                                                                    1/8 tsp pepper
•                                            Stir in 1/2 cup milk until smooth.

    Whisk into broth in the pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thick. (about 5-8 minutes)

Remove from heat and stir into the hot broth:

•   1 cup frozen peas
•   1 cup frozen corn
•     Add the chicken pieces and the cooked carrots and potatoes.

Stir gently.

Preheat oven to 350º

   Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and set aside as you prepare the dough.

   ***You can use a pie crust mix if you like, but I just stir up my own.  It is really pretty easy and more convenient.  The cake flour in the recipe below makes the crust a little lighter, and my family likes that.

Piecrust:

•      1 – 1/2 cups cake flour*
•    1/4 tsp salt
•         1/2 cup shortening
•        1/4 cup cold water

   Measure flour and salt into a bowl.  Cut in shortening thoroughly.  Sprinkle in water, mixing until all flour is moistened and the dough cleans the side of the bowl.

   Form into a ball.  On a lightly floured pastry cloth, roll out the pastry into a rectangle slightly larger than your casserole dish.  Gently roll the pastry around your rolling pin and unroll on top of the chicken and vegetable mixture.

   Cut, if necessary, and crimp and press to the edge of a casserole dish to seal the edges.

Brush the top of the pastry with 2 tablespoons of melted butter.

Bake at 350º for 35 – 45 minutes until the pastry is golden brown and the mixture is bubbling.

             * No cake flour?  Not to worry!   The recipe to make your own is below. 

 *I came across this tip on the internet the other day!  How many times have I needed cake flour and had to run to the store or change my plans?  Can you believe that it is just this easy?  Not to mention the savings...

 Cake Flour

• 3 – 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cornstarch

 Place flour in a medium bowl.

  Add the cornstarch to the flour and whisk together until fully incorporated.

 You now have cake flour!