Chicken and Dumplings Roxie Waller Style

Chicken and Dumplings is a humble food that brings people together. No matter who you are, where you live or how you got here, a bowl of steaming salty broth with chunks of tender chicken floating on little rafts of parsley speckled dough will heal your woes.

Chicken and Dumplings is like a slow grinding blues song. First you just like it, then you can't help but get into it, and pretty soon all you can think about is wanting more.When I was growing up in Southern United States (in the 70s) "Integration and busing" was still new and struggling. I remember being told that many of the "Black" parents were mad because their kids were being made to go to my "White" school, instead of the school all their parents had gone to as children. It never occurred to me then how it must have felt to have integration only move in one direction.

I lived way out in the country on a dirt road beside my Grandparents' farm and next door to my other set of Grandparents. Both Grandmothers cooked a lot, their kitchens always steamed with bubbling pots of stew or canning jars filled with jam or tomatoes. There wasn't a lot of money in those homes, it wasn't anything like the movie "The Help", and when folks made food it was generally shared with a bunch of neighbors with no regard to much else than who needed it.I was lucky, the messages I got from my mom were about God's unconditional love and not so much of the cliches we hear about the South, now. My family is very emotional, my mom plays piano by ear (and can tear it up), and I heard a lot of gospel music. By the time I was out traveling on my own, I had a natural love for gutsy, soul-throbbing-with-just-a-touch-of-humor blues (oh, yeah.)This month my global buddies (we call ourselves the Let's Lunch bunch) are posting recipes that are inspired by music. To tell ya the truth, I can hardly listen to music when doing anything else because it just takes me over; I'm not kidding. I love all kinds of music and it was hard to pick just one, but eventually I always go back to my beginnings.Both my Grandmothers made Chicken and Dumplings, but my mom's mother (Roxie Waller) made hers just a little differently. Grandma Waller rolled out the dumplings instead of leaving them in clumps. As my mom will tell ya, my grandfather absolutely loved Roxie's food and would hardly ever eat anyone else's cooking. I can still hear him slurping up those dumpling noodles, and then sopping up the broth with a biscuit til the plate almost didn't need washing.

I guess when I mixed the feel I get from Chicken and Dumplings, the memories of the South, and how the food brought people together (even in the midst of poverty, tension and growing pains), it just felt like Jazzy Blues. Of course, this food can't help but make ya feel good, so it couldn't be sad blues. It had to be funny, and the song, "If I Can't Sell It", has always made me giggle out loud and grind my hips. If you can listen to it without moving, I think you should get your pulse checked.

I'll post the video, but if they have to take it down - here's the link, too:

If I Can't Sell It, I'm Gonna Sit On It, Cuz I Sure Ain't Giving It Away :D




RECIPE: Chicken and Dumplings Roxie Waller Style

1 (3-4 pound) Whole Chicken (farm raised preferred)
1 Carrot (chopped)
1 Celery Stalk (chopped)
1 Onion (chopped)
1 Bay leaf
salt/pepper
*optional - pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

(Dumplings)
1 cup Flour
1/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
1 teaspoon salt, pinch of pepper
1 Tablespoon Crisco (melted) or you can use Bacon Fat
1/3 cup Buttermilk
2 Tablespoons Chopped Fresh Parsley


1) Place whole chicken in a large pot with the chopped carrot, celery, onion and bay leaf. Cover completely with water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 1 1/2 hours til chicken is tender and fall off the bone good. (Make the dumplings while the chicken is cooking.)

2) Skim the broth, then remove the pot from the heat. Using a fork, remove the chicken meat from the bones and hold to the side in a dish.

3) Strain the broth and discard the vegetables, then return the broth and the chicken to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and optional red pepper flakes.

4) Bring to a simmer and place the dumplings into the pot, also. Cook at a low simmer for about 15-20 minutes, stir occasionally. Season, to taste and serve in bowls.

Recipe: Dumplings

1) In a bowl whisk together the flour, salt and baking powder.

2) In another bowl, whisk together the melted shortening (fat) and buttermilk.

3) Using a fork, combine the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the chopped parsley. Continue until mixed and starting to hold together. (If you need more moisture, add ice water just a Tablespoon at a time.)

4) Using your hands, press the dough together and remove to a lightly floured board. Knead for only about 5-6 times. Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut into long pieces, about 1 inch by 2 inches or your preference. Hold until you add them to the Chicken broth.

Check out all these fun Music and Food posts from my Lets Lunch buddies around the world:

Cowgirl Chef's Tiger Cakes (and a really sexy song)

Monday Morning Cooking Club (Hawaiian treat)

HotCurries and Cold Beer - (tribute to her dad with a song)

Burnt Out Baker - (rock and roll in the house)

GeoFooding - (a very fun video about One Meatball)

Grongar Blog (You can Polka while the Kishke bakes )





More to be added - check back often :D

A Basic Quiche Recipe Can Save The Day

Sometimes, in my cooking and looking for unique food ideas, I forget about the classics. Quiche is one of those classics. Knowing how to make a great quiche means you have a Go-To recipe for a great all-in-one breakfast, Lunch, Snack or Light Dinner.

This week I'm spending time out of town, in a rented condo with my sister-in-law while she heals and recovers from surgery. My mother-in-law has been here for a few days already, taking care of her daughter and cooking all the meals. The surgery went great, we're all feeling positive and honestly a little time to sit, chat and laugh with some of the people we love in life is a good thing. Cooking when you're away from home is a challenge, though. It's not your kitchen, you try not to spend too much money or buy things you can't use completely, and learning new equipment can be frustrating.

When I arrived, after a tiring day of winter airplane travel, I was so hungry. This plate of savory custard pie with chucks of honey ham, sauteed onions and cheese, warmed up til the home-made pastry returned to a flaky melt-in-your-mouth finish was exactly what I needed. Outside the windows of the upstairs condo were dripping in windy cold rain while I sat in warmth, savoring every fork of this thick french style quiche and catching up with stories of the past few days.
My mother-in-law had not planned this meal. She said she opened the refrigerator, thought how much she didn't want to go out in the rain for lunch and tried to come up with something that used whatever she already had there. Knowing the basics for making a good quiche were so handy.

I didn't plan on writing a post while I was here, but I thought this was worth sharing. There are a few everyday recipe basics that can really pay off; Quiche is one of them.

Recipe: Basic Quiche-

8 ounces Egg (4 eggs)
16 ounces Heavy Cream or Half-and-Half
8 ounces cheese
4 ounces ham, bacon, or vegetables (chopped)
1/2 onion chopped (raw or sauteed)
Pinch of ground red pepper or paprika
salt/pepper to taste
Pre-Baked 8-9 inch Pie Shell

1) In a bowl, beat the eggs and cream together. Add the seasonings (red pepper, salt, pepper)
2) In a pre-baked pie shell, spread the cheese, onions and chopped meat or vegetables.
3) Pour over the egg/cream mixture and bake in a 325F oven for about 45-50 minutes just til the eggs are set.

Let the Quiche set for a few minutes, then slice and serve warm, or chill for later to serve cold, room temperature or reheated.

Wishing you good food, good family times and good news.

Cowboy Chili - Chunky Style

Nothing says party like a bowl of Cowboy Chili - Chunky Style. It's easy to make ahead for a crowd, but also makes a cozy solo bowl on a lap tray in front of your favorite movie. There are so many people, cities and states that claim to make the "Best Chili." For a brief time, a few years ago, I lived in Texas. I can tell you, Texas pride is alive and well. In fact, Texas is the only state that petitioned to have Chili be the state food, and won. There is a Terlingua song that includes the lyrics: If you know beans about chili, you know that chili has no beans. In Texas it's often called "A Bowl of Red".

However, I grew up in North Carolina where the best chili I ever had included many types of beans and three kinds of meat. Even the cut of the meat varied from city to city.Another style, called Cincinnati Chili, is mixed with warm spices including cloves and cocoa. It's often served over spaghetti or as a hotdog topping. When patrons order they say one of these:

Bowl: chili in a bowl
Two-way: Chili and spaghetti
Three-way: chili, spaghetti and cheese
Four-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese and onions
Five-way: chili, spaghetti, cheese, onions, and beans

The origins of chili have just as many varied claims, but most credit the cowboys and pioneers of Texas. As the case for a lot of stews, it probably began as a poor man's way of making the most of the meats, spices, herbs and dried products available. The chili recipe I've been making for years is a combination of my favorite bowls of chili across the United States and a recipe from a paperback book called "Cookery for Entertaining" by Marlene Sorosky.

I was given that book in North Carolina when I was in college and by the time I was married and had my first baby girl I had made almost every recipe in the book. The other day I saw it was selling on Amazon for $200.00. My copy is in pieces, held together with tape, and some recipes only legible to me and my memory. I've tweaked it a bit to fit my taste and to add some of the warm spices I love, including a little beer sometimes to keep it interesting.I hope you'll try it, and I know you'll love it. This is one of my most requested party foods. I highly recommend a nice slab of skillet corn bread to sop up the bottom of the bowl.

[Today's chili is one of the recipes included in our Let's Lunch bunch (a group of bloggers all over the world having a virtual lunch together.) So, you are in luck -- click on these other sites to see a whole world of Chili recipes and ideas, too. The recipe for my Cowboy Chili-Chunky Style can be found at the bottom of the page~]

Let's Lunch on Chili:

Zest Bakery -Charissa‘s Clean Out Refrigerator Night Cassoulet

Cowgirl Chef - Chicken Tinga Chili

Dreaming of Pots and Pans -Dave's Chili

Burnt-Out Baker - Vegetarian Chili

HapaMama - Chinese New Year Chili

GeoFooding - Hawaiian Chili

Spicebox Travels - Vegan Vaquero Chili

A Cook And Her Books - Full of Beans Chili

Cheryl Lu-Lien Tan - Keema Chili

RECIPE: Cowboy Chili - Chunky Style
(makes about 8 servings)

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
3 Garlic cloves, minced
2 lbs. Stew Beef, bite-size cubes
2 lbs. Sausage meat
1 can (28oz) Whole Tomatoes
1 can (6oz) Tomato paste
3 Tablespoons Chipotle Chili powder
2 Teaspoons Cumin
2 Teaspoons Dried Thyme
1 Tablespoon Cocoa Powder
1 Teaspoon Kosher Salt
1 Tablespoon Sugar
*optional* 4 oz. Dark Beer or Ale
1 can (15oz) Organic Baked Beans
1 can (15oz) Kidney Beans
1 can (15oz) Pinto Beans

1) In a deep pot, heat the oil on Medium. Add the onions and garlic, cooking just until soft.

2) Add the beef and sausage and cook until all pink is gone. Stir and break up sausage to cook evenly.

3) Pour the whole tomatoes into a bowl and hand crush them, then add them to the meat in the pot, along with tomato paste, chipotle powder, cumin, thyme, cocoa, salt, sugar, baked beans and beer (if using.)

4) Stir, cover the pot, and simmer on low for about 2 hours. Stir occasionally and add a little water if needed.

5) Stir in the kidney beans and pinto beans and continue to cook for about another 30 minutes. The beef should be very tender.

This tastes even better the next day after the flavors have combined in the refrigerator. This also freezes really well and can be reheated til bubbly hot on the stove, or in the oven at 350F.

Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Brisket

Can't you just picture it: a cup of dark, rich coffee and a plate of fork tender Brisket on a slice of homemade bread? Here's a little help- You can't see the coffee? It's on the brisket, and it's one reason it taste so cowboy-good. Now, just add that coffee rub to a few more tasty seasonings and you'll have a smokey glaze that will cover your brisket and stick to your ribs.

Cowboy Coffee Rubbed Brisket

The coffee grounds create a campfire, barbecue-style crust on the meat that works in the oven or on a grill. Don't trim your brisket until after you've cooked it, because the fat keeps it moist and adds a ton of flavor. This is one of those meals that taste even better the next day, chilled or warmed on a sandwich. Cut the meat on the diagonal for easy slicing and don't be stingy, just pile it on. Life can be a tough ride some days, but your brisket doesn't have to be, right? Cover it with a spicy coffee rub, cook it long and low, and maybe you'll feel like singing under the stars, too. Yippee-Ki-YAy


Recipe: Coffee Rubbed Brisket

Coffee Rub~

1/4 cup Smoked Paprika
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 Tbls. Ground Coffee
1 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1) Mix all ingredients together well.
2) Rub all over a 3lb. Brisket and place it into a foil lined baking pan.
3) Cover the Brisket loosely with foil to enclose.
4) Bake in preheated 350F oven for 1 hour, then reduce heat to 300F and cook for about 2 more hours.
5) Remove the Brisket (it should be fork tender) to a plate and keep warm.
6) Pour the pan drippings into a sauce pot and add:For the Glaze~

2 Tbls. Honey
1 Tbls. Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbls. Soy Sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chili powder
salt and pepper to taste.

7) Stir to combine all ingredients well and heat on Med/High for about 10 minutes. It's ready when the sauce has thickened and glossy. Taste for seasoning.
8) Serve over /or with sliced Brisket.

How To Make Tea Smoked Salmon - Swimming Up Screen -

Does anyone need to tell you how healthy and power-packed Salmon is with Protein, Omega 3 and Vitamin D for our bodies, brain function and structure? I've had Western and Eastern doctors confirm the importance of Salmon, and praise it as one of the best foods we can consume. Oddly enough, it's good for us AND it taste good. Tea Smoked Salmon

With so many easy ways to prepare Salmon (poaching, roasting, curing, frying it, making it into a salad, etc.), how could you ever get bored? One of my favorite preparations is a simple, in-house tea smoking. Ever since we played around with this method in Culinary School, I've been teaching and preaching about its fun and smokey goodness, mostly unsolicited. So, I thought it was about time I talked about it here in the blog. If I'm honest, I have to say I didn't used to be a fan of this fish. I realize now, that I had generally eaten it over-cooked, unseasoned, or probably just a mealy farmed and unfortunate version of this historical creature.

If you haven't tried Salmon this way (Tea Smoking), take a little time and follow this pictorial lesson. It makes a great family meal, a crowd impressing party platter, and you can prepare it a day or so ahead of time. In my How-To, I'm using an enamel covered iron casserole pan, but I've used Oven-proof casserole pots, cast-iron double skillets, and even thick baking pans.

HOW TO TEA SMOKE SALMON FILLET:

Here are the ingredients:

1 Wild Salmon Fillet (I used 1 1/2 lbs here, but you can use less )
1/4 cup Tea Leaves (make it a smokey blend ie., Lapsang Souchong)
1/2 cup uncooked Rice
3 Tbls. Brown Sugar
Orange or Lemon Rind (1 large piece or several smaller)
Fresh Herbs as available (thyme, chives, oregano, etc)

Mix all the ingredients (except the Salmon), together in a bowl.

STEP 1) Season the Salmon with a rain of salt and fresh ground pepper on all sides.

STEP 2) Choose a heat resistant, oven proof casserole or pot, including a wire rack or grill that fits inside.

STEP 3) Line the pot (underneath the grill or rack) with Aluminum Foil, using enough to extend off the sides in both directions.

STEP 4) In the center (beneath the grill or rack) add the mixture of the smoking ingredients
STEP 5) Place the casserole over a Med/High temp and heat until you see a bit of smoke rising from the center of the smoking ingredients. Then place the seasoned Salmon (SKIN SIDE DOWN) on top of the grill or rack, close the casserole with its lid, and wrap the whole lid with the extended foil.
STEP 6) Turn the heat down to Med. and continue to cook for about 15 minutes (less if you used a smaller piece of Salmon). Carefully remove the whole pan from the heat and allow to rest (off the heat, but still covered) for 10-12 more minutes. Then, very carefully undo the foil from the pan and lift the lid. Your Salmon should be juicy, and smokey pink/brown.
STEP 7) Allow the Salmon to sit open for a few minutes before you gently remove it with a long fish spatula to a prepared plate.

SERVING SUGGESTION:

A platter sprinkled with Mache Greens or Arugula and Lemon slices makes a great presentation. If you need to hold it for a day or so, allow it to cool completely, then wrap tight in plastic to hold in the refrigerator.

EASY EASY CLEANUP:

Remove the grill or rack to the sink for cleaning.
Fold up the used foil paper and TOSS IT AWAY - could that be any easier? Right?
One of the keys to the amazing smokey taste is using good tea leaves, and a nice dark flavor. You can also smoke the Salmon with lighter tea, even an Earl Grey or a Tisane with Lavender or Citrus if you want a flavor that makes a great Salmon Salad or Mousse.

Hope you have as much fun as I have doing this method. I'd love to hear about it. Thanks for stopping by here.

Authentic Cassoulet - Daring Cooks

I went on a culinary journey without even leaving my kitchen. I took 4 days to create an authentic Duck Confit, Pork Belly, Sausage Cassoulet (rhymes with Hoo-Ray!) I didn't spend every hour of those four days just cooking this, of course. In fact, I just did a little each day while cooking dinner or other food. At the end of the week - Voila, I had a giant pot of comforting Cassoulet for the weekend. For me, it was part of the monthly food blogging challenge called Daring Cooks. A chosen host submits a technique, recipe, cultural aspect of cooking and it is meant to encourage us brave cooks to stretch and grow (and this month was no exception.) Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman.

For you, I hope it encourages you to try something new also. This Cassoulet experience was particularly positive because all along the way we were creating separate dishes that could be a welcome addition to a culinary arsenal on their own:

Duck Confit
Duck Fat (incredible for french fries or potato casseroles)
White Northern Beans (cooked with Pork Back and herbs)
Sauteed Italian Sausages with Onions and Garlic Cassoulet Since making this Cassoulet felt like a little journey, I thought I'd give you the recipe like a travel journal. I've listed things as I did them each day. You can use it to follow along when you make this, or create your own way that matches your lifestyle. At the end, I'll include the recipe as given, also. My only regret is that I can't add Click-n-Sniff to this posting because the smells of browning duck, pork, sausages, onions, legumes and herbs along the way were like a daily aromatic amuse bouche for the whole family and had them excited about the weekend bounty they ultimately devoured.

Steps: Day 1-

1) I bought a whole duck, broke it down into leg/thighs, breasts, wings, carcass and fat trimmings.
2) Liberally rubbed Sea Salt all over the leg/thighs and covered with plastic on a plate and refrigerated over night.
3) Trimmed the 2 breasts and held in fridge for another use.
4) Saved carcass and wings for Duck Stock
5) Placed all fat into a deep sided skillet and rendered it for duck fat, cooled it and held in refrigerator.

Day 2 -

1) Placed the leg/thighs into a baking dish, nestled in a few twigs of thyme and rosemary and a couple cloves of garlic, then covered in melted duck fat.
2) Cooked in the oven 375F for 1 hour.
3) In a deep pot, placed 3 cups of dried Northern White beans and covered with water. I placed those in refrigerator for overnight. Day 3-

1) Drained beans and put them in a large pot with a bouquet garni (a tied selection of parsley and thyme), a bay leaf, a handful of pork rind and about 1 lb pork belly.
2) Heated the bean, etc. to a boil, then reduced to a simmer for 30 minutes, added a little salt/pepper, stirred things up and simmered for another 30 minutes til the beans were tender.
3) Removed the onions and herbs and threw those away. Removed the Pork Belly: cooled, wrapped and held in the refrigerator. Drained the beans: cooled and held the beans and the water separately for later. Removed the pork rind for using when browning the sausages.
4) In a skillet on Med/High, I heated a few ounces of duck fat til very hot and added the sausages to the pan. I browned the sausages, removed and held those on a paper plate while browning the onions, garlic and pork rind from the beans, in the same hot duck fat.
5) In a blender, I added the browned onions, garlic and another tablespoon of duck fat and pureed until smooth. 6) In a large iron pot I put it all together. I started with a bottom layer of slab bacon, latticed together. I added beans, then layered with Sausage (all along the way adding a few spoons of the puree.) I added more beans, then the Pork Belly...more beans, then the Duck Confit, and ended with beans.
The last step was to pour the reserved bean liquid into the pot, just covering the top layer of beans.
I put the whole pot into a preheated oven on 400F for one hour, then reduced the heat to 250F for 1/2 hour. I removed it, let it cool and refrigerated it overnight so all those individual meals would combine their flavors into one giant savory snuggly for my insides.

Day 4 - Cook and Eat Day :D

By now, everyone in the family knew what we were having for dinner, could say "cassoulet" and even helped set the dishes out; talk about excitement.

I preheated the oven to 375F and cooked the Cassoulet for one hour, reduced the temp to 200F and let it simmer for 1/2 hour.
I wish I had the time to tell you how it tasted.......JUST KIDDING, I mean don't you think you can almost taste it yourself by now? There was a warm hardy full-flavored meat in every bite. The sausage had a tiny bit of spice and heat, the duck had that fall apart texture with a little saltiness, the pork belly was so tender and almost sweet, and it was held together with the creamy white beans and pureed onions. Oh good Lord...oh good, Lord. We had two bowls each, and I had earlier scooped out a small casserole for freezing. When I can leave our son with something so good for dinner on the weekend, it makes for a guilt-free date night for my husband and I.
If you start this on a weekend, you could cut this process in half, I think. Or you could do a little each night like I did. I very much like recipes that contain recipes like this one. Here's the recipe as given to me, (from the travel channel Anthony Bourdain ), which I cut in half. Let me know if you've ever made something like this, or if you try one. Thank you for stopping by to read. Hope I made you hungry. :D