Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients:

For the stew:

3 - 3 1/2 pounds of cooked and shredded chicken (a rotisserie chicken works fine)
4 Tablespoons butter
4 carrots, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
2 celery ribs, sliced 1/4" thick
1 medium onion, chopped fine
6-8 Tablespoons flour
5 cups of chicken broth
1/4 cup of milk
1 teaspoon thyme
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
1 to 2 cups of peas (canned or frozen)
3 Tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

For the dumplings:
2 cups of All-Purpose Flour
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup of whole milk
3 Tablespoons Butter, melted

Directions:

In a large dutch oven, saute the carrots, celery and onions in butter until vegetables are soft.  Add 6 Tbls flour and continue cooking over medium heat for a few minutes to cook out the "flour" taste.

Add the chicken broth, 1/4 cup of milk, thyme, bay leaves, salt and pepper.  Stir scrapping bottom of pot.  Add more flour if you prefer thicker sauce.   Add the chicken, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer about 1 hour.

To make dumplings, When stew almost done, in a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Mix well with a wire whisk.  Add 3 Tbls. melted butter and 1 cup of milk. 

When stew is done, add peas and chopped parsley.  Mix well.  Remove and discard bay leaves.  Return to a simmer and drop dumplings by rounded tablespoon onto the top of the stew.  Leave a little space between dumplings if you can because they will rise while cooking.

Reduce heat to low.  Cover and cook until the dumplings have doubled in size, about 15 to 20
minutes.

Hershey's Best Brownies

I can't believe I've never made brownies not out of a box until now.  I've made numerous "bar" recipes from scratch but never strictly brownies.  So I web searched and settled on "Hershey's Best Brownies," mostly because I had all the ingredients.  They are excellent!  I will use this as my go to brownie recipe from now on, no more boxes!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter or margarine
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 4 eggs
• 3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
• CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING (optional, recipe follows)

Directions:

• 1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

• 2. Place butter in large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave at MEDIUM (50%) 2 to 2-1/2 minutes or until melted. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well with spoon after each addition. Add cocoa; beat until well blended. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat well. Stir in nuts, if desired. Pour batter into prepared pan.

• 3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until brownies begin to pull away from sides of pan. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Prepare and frost brownie with CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING, if desired. Cut into bars. Makes 24 to 36 brownies.

CREAMY BROWNIE FROSTING

• 6 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
• 6 tablespoons HERSHEY'S Cocoa
• 2 tablespoons light corn syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Beat butter, cocoa, corn syrup and vanilla in small bowl until blended. Add powdered sugar and milk; beat to spreading consistency.  Makes 1-2/3 cups frosting.