Chicken & Dumpling Soup | Food Blog

Brrrr....it is COLD out there! I live in Wisconsin, and even though we aren't hitting record lows (we're probably hitting record highs, in all honesty!) it is still pretty darn cold out there. Checking the temperature outside just now, we're at 35 degrees which makes me feel like a baby for even complaining about how cold it is. But in my defense, it is still awfully gloomy. Which makes a great day for soup! Not just any soup though! A slightly smoky, rich & flavorful, dense & slightly creamy soup, with light & fluffy but slightly chewy inside; dumplings. Yep, that sounds perfect.

Except, I made it last night and today we ate leftovers. Don't you fret your pretty little face though, I'm still going to share. Which brings me to my next thing. I'm a pretty good photographer. I spend a lot of time behind the camera. But food photography never ceases to successfully evade me. I'm not a food photographer as much as I may try to be. I'm working on it though! And I am going to master it, part of having a good blog is having GOOD pictures. I'll get there, just be patient with me.

This recipe is slightly my own concoction, as mentioned earlier I am a fly by the seat of my pants type of girl when I'm in the kitchen. Little bit of this, little bit of that. I hardly ever write it down, and my boy: Travis, is always after me to "Write the stuff down!" I'm working on it. But for now, I'm slightly imperfect, but that will have to do. Hopefully you find the imperfections charming and endearing. (Yes, you're allowed to laugh.)

So, I started this recipe with my Dutch oven. I like the flavors I get from it, and I have been using this thing non-stop since receiving it a couple of years ago. I want it to have that perfect flavor everyone raves about: seasoning. You don't have to use one, you can use a plain old stock pot if you prefer.

Chicken Soup:

2 cans low sodium Chicken Broth (Swanson)

1 can Cream of Chicken soup (I used Campbell's)

left-over Rotisserie Chicken - I had about a half of one left.

roughly chopped

(include the gelatinous stuff.)

2 C. water

3 large carrots, sliced

1 medium yellow onion, chopped

fresh green beans, cut

Rubbed sage to taste (no more than 1 t.)

Poultry Seasoning to taste (no more than 1 t.)

salt & fresh ground black pepper to taste

In your pan, combine the broth, soup, and water. Stir until well combined over medium-high heat. If it starts to boil, turn it down to medium. If needed, add more than the recommended 2 C. of water. Once soup starts to simmer, add chicken, carrots, and onion. Save the green bean until the last few minutes of cooking so they still have some bite left to them. Also save the seasonings until last. Cook until onion is clear, and carrot is tender to the bite. Add green beans, and seasonings.

Dumplings (From Better Homes & Gardens New Cookbook)

1 C. flour

1 T. fresh or 1/2 T. dried parsley

2 t. baking powder

1/4t. salt

1/4 t. dried oregano

1 beaten egg

1/4 c. milk or half & half (I used half & half)

2 T. cooking oil

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium bowl and mix well. Make a well in the dry bowl. Combine wet ingredients in a small bowl. Pour wet into dry, stir until just combined. Don't over-stir. The BHG Cookbook says to make 6 dumplings. I made a bunch of small, teaspoon size ones. Use your discretion, either way works perfectly. Make sure you are adding the dumplings to simmering liquid.

Serve soup in bowls with sprigs of fresh parsley as garnish, or chives.

I hope you enjoy this soup recipe! It's New Year's Eve, let's say good-bye to 2011 and Hello! to 2012. Thanks for tuning in to my food blog this year, I'll see you guys again next year. Stay safe, & happy! Now go get your Midnight Kiss!