K.I.S.S.(Chicken and Dumplings)

In the Keep It Simple Sweetie (I like Sweetie better than Stupid, don't you?) department, I had to figure out, once again, what to do with left over rotisserie chicken from Wednesday evening's dinner party.  Most of the white meat was eaten, but we still had 4 legs, 4 thighs, 4 wings and both carcasses left.  We also had the wings, but I hide those as a special snack for me.  I keep the carcasses for making stock (that I freeze for a multitude of later uses), but haven't gotten around to that yet.  I had no clue what to do with the leftover dark meat, which by the way, is so much moister and tastier than the white as far as I am concerned. 

I am over my horrendous meltdown and later whine of Thursday, but still feeling somewhat fragile emotionally.  I needed and wanted comfort.  How else to get it but through food?  We try to eat in a healthy manner, but we never deny ourselves anything.  We just try to control our portions.  After a bit of thought I realized nothing would make me feel better foodwise than receiving the big ol' loving embrace of a pot of chicken and dumplings.  So, that's what I did. 

I haven't made chicken and dumplings since the children were small and we lived on the Canadian border in upstate New York.  We'd be in snow up to our armpits.  My day with the children would be, clothes on, snowpants on, sweaters on, jackets on, hats on, mittens on, boots on, kids out the door....oops, son forgot to pee, boots off, mittens off, jacket off, snowpants down, pee, reverse order of clothes, finally out the door, kids bang door fifteen minutes later, undress them, throw everything in dryer, dry everything, an hour later when they whine to go out start all over again, this time it's daughter who forgets to pee.  In between, I'd stand at the stove making a big pot of chili or spaghetti sauce or chicken and dumplings.  At the dinner table that evening their Dad and I would sit across from two rosey cheeked children and watch them inhale their bowls of steamy goodness.  My children played outside every single day all year long.  They were never ill like the children kept inside during the cold weather.  As I type, I can see it all.  I so miss those days.  I really didn't appreciate them for what they were nor realize how fleeting childhood is.  I was the Mom, they were the kids and we just did our lives.  I didn't think much of it...silly me.

Chicken and Gravy

Since I hadn't yet made my stock, I dug around in the pantry and found a 2lb (4 cup) container of store-bought (for shame) chicken broth.  I put it in the pan and added the dark meat, bone in.  I added 2 carrots, 2 stalks of celery and nothing else as the broth was pre-made.  I simmered it all covered for about an hour.  Then, I removed the chicken and deboned it before returning the meat to the pot.  I brought it to a boil.  I added 1/2 cup of flour (Wondra) whisked with 1 cup water to the pot and made the gravy...easy, peasey.

Dumplings:

1 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

2 tablespoons oil

dash of herbes de provence

Mix dry ingredients, add wet, stir until soft dough forms.  Drop by rounded tablespoonful on top of gently boiling chicken and gravy.  Cover and cook until done but not tough.