Fall comfort. Chicken and dumplings.

It's the last day of August and the humidity is off the charts. There certainly is no hint of fall in the air in the Berkshires. However, there are other clues. The milkweed pods are out and the leaves are crunching beneath my feet. And here and there you see a splash of orange in the trees. 

These are also warning signs. Everyone should take cover soon because the pumpkin season is approaching. You will soon be inundated with everything pumpkin. In the near future, you'll be sipping on your pumpkin latte while nibbling on your pumpkin donut. 

I will undoubtedly eat my share of pumpkin yummies. But I also hope to rise above this pumpkin frenzy and celebrate some of the other delicious fall foods and dishes. For example, chicken and dumplings. One of my favorite things about fall is that it's a time for comfort food- rich, hearty, soul-warming fare. The dumplings in this recipe are so filling. They perfectly soak up all of that flavorful chicken broth. Mmmmm. This recipe is great for leftover, roasted chicken.

As an important side note, I am happy to be using local eggs. I used them to make my dumplings. This is one of the benefits from attending the Farmers' Market. I now get my eggs from a neighbor who lives on the next street over. He has over 20 hens and there is such a difference in taste. And I feel better knowing where the eggs come from and that the hens are free range and loved. 

Now on to the recipe...

I start with making the dumplings first and then set them aside (covered up with a dish towel or plastic wrap). 

After mincing 2 cloves of garlic and 1/2 cup of celery, you saute them in butter and olive oil. You add flour and then chicken stock. After that simmers for about 15 minutes and thickens, you add peas and plenty of chicken...

After adding the chicken, return this to simmering. Then, you can add large scoops of dumpling batter. Make sure the dumpling cooks before turning it over, keeping it at a simmer. I would say at least 5 minutes per side for the dumplings. 

Once the dumplings have cooked on both sides, you're ready to serve it up, nice and hot!

Chicken and Dumplings

Dumplings:2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 to 1 cup milk 
Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and milk together. Then pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and fold. Mix thoroughly. The batter will be thick and sticky. 

Sauce:

 4 to 5 cups of cooked, shredded chicken1 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 cup diced carrot or peas or a 1/2 cup of each
1/2 cup diced celery
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1/4 cup flour

1/4 heavy cream or half and half (room temperature)
5 cups chicken stock
Freshly ground black pepper

In a Dutch oven or a deep pan, melt butter and oil over medium heat. Add carrots and/or peas, celery, garlic, and bay leaf. Saute the vegetables for about 5 minutes or until soft. Next stir in the flour and make a roux. Continue to stir the flour and cook it for 2 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock, 1 cup at a time, and continue to stir well. 

The sauce should simmer for about 15 minutes to make it thicken. Add the shredded chicken into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Using an ice cream scoop, carefully drop the dumpling batter into the sauce. Let the dumplings cook for about 10 minutes until they are firm. Turn them over after 5 minutes. Season with black pepper and serve.