Chicken & Dumplings Recipe

I adapted this recipe to a Crock Pot Recipe because we like it better cooked low and slow! I love to put everything in my crockpot in the morning, walking away and knowing that dinner will be ready late in the afternoon. This is my 13 year old daughters favorite crock pot meal. We haven't had it in a while and its on the menu for next Monday.

The recipe came from my Aunt Bernice.

Chicken & Dumplings

3 cans chicken broth
2 cans cream of chicken soup (homemade recipe below)
4 chicken breasts
2 cups water
10 large or 15 small tortillas (cut into strips or squares)

Cook chicken in the broth & water till done (this part is done on the stove top). Remove Chicken & cut. In the crockpot whisk cream soup into broth and water. Add the chicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste, Stir in the cut tortilla strips. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours.

*We use the regular flour tortillas. We tried the whole wheat tortillas and they didn't turn out right.

Homemade Cream of Chicken Soup ( yeild 3 cups which is about 2 cans)
Recipe from Tammy's Recipes.com

1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 or more tsp. salt (sometimes we have to add extra salt)
1/4 tsp. parsley
1 1/2 c. milk
3/4 plain flour

1. In a med. size pan, boil chicken broth, 1/2 cup of the milk, and the seasonings.

2. In a bowl whisk together the remaining milk and flour. Add to the boiling broth mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens.

We started making our own cream soups about 1 1/2 years ago when we realized that all the regular commercial brands contained MSG. I had just started reading all the labels of everything we bought (from reading "Nourishing Traditions) and was surprised to see how much MSG and HFCS was in all of our food. I do like the organic versions but sometimes they are not budget friendly. I usually quadruple the recipe and freeze the extra in 2 can measurements to use for future recipes.

Hope you enjoy making the Chicken & Dumplings - its a favorite at our home!

For more great crock pot recipes please visit www.diningwithdebbie.blogspot.com

Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry Muffins (recipe from my sister in GA)

1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 c. sugar
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
2 1/2 c. blueberries (fresh or frozen)

Cream butter and sugar together. Add in all other ingredients except blueberries and blend well. Fold in the blueberries & spoon mixture into paper-lined muffin cups. Bake at 35o degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes about 1 1/2 dozen.

*My variations on the original recipe
omit butter & use 1/2 cup coconut oil
omit sugar & use 1 1/4 cups sucanat
omit plain flour & use 2 cups fresh ground soft white wheat

These muffins are super yummy. I usually double or triple the recipe and freeze for breakfasts during the week. They thaw and reheat well! Everyone loves them. Enjoy!

For other cupcake and muffin recipes, please visit HoosierHomemade.com!

Lots of Menu's

Several years ago I asked everyone what their favorite dinners were, so that I could begin making menus. We had gotten to the point where I felt like we were eating the same things over and over. We made up the following lists on our drive to GA one day...

Homemade Macaroni & Cheese
Peas/green beans/ lima beans

Pirate Stew (Fix It & Forget It Cookbook)
Bread

Baked Hamburgers or country fried steak
Mashed potatoes or rice/gravy
crowder peas/green peas

Scalloped Potatoes & Ham (Fix It & Forget It Cookbook)
Green Vegie
Asparagus

Lasagna
Garlic Bread

Grilled Hamburgers/Hot Dogs
Baked Beans
Tater Tots/French Fries/Chips

Chicken & Dumplings
Lima Beans/Peas

Large salad with the following
eggs, cheese, croutons, popcorn chicken, garbanz0 beans, salad dressing
and whatever else we feel like that night!

Fish Fillets
Corn/brussell sprouts
Baked Potatoes

Taco's with salsa, cheese, tomatoes
Rice
Refried Beans

Grilled Pork Chops
Corn on the Cob
baked or Sweet Potato

Chili with cheese/sour cream
Cornbread

Sloppy Joes
Tater Tots/chips

Split Pea Soup (Fix It & Forget It Cookbook)
Croutons/Oyster Crackers

Brunswick Stew
Cornbread

Barbeque Pork Shoulder
Potato Salad
Baked Beans

Roast
Mashed Potatoes/brown gravy
Carrots & Green Beans

Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches
Broccoli Salad or Cole Slaw

Chicken Strips/fingers
Cheddar Broccoli Rice
Field Peas

Homemade Pizza includes...
cheeses, peperoni, italian sausage, ham

Spaghetti
Garlic Bread

Spiral sliced Ham
Sweet Potatoes
green peas/black eyed peas

Meatballs
tater Tots
Jalapeno Poppers

Chicken Pot Pie

Loaded Baked Potatoes +
ham, cheese, sour cream

Steak Stir Fry with
onions, bell peppers, stir fry vegies

Steak Stroganoff (Fix It & Forget It)
Whole Wheat Noodles
Green Beans

Homemade Vegie Soup (Fix It & Forget It)
Cheddar Drop Biscuits

Greg's Awesome Baby Back Ribs
Baked Beans
Cole Slaw/Broccoli Salad

Thats 29 yummy menu's that we can choose from. Any of the vegies are interchangeable, it just depends on what we have and what we feel like that day. I really like to use my 6 qt. crockpot and my favorite crockpot cookbook is "Fix It & Forget It" And some nights, Greg & I sneak off for a date and the kids fix their own dinner. Greg usually takes leftovers to work for lunch and we eat them for lunches in the middle of our homeschool day.

I've been lazy lately with the menu planning and its time to start again. I started this morning and have the menu planned for this week!

Free Pasta from Ronzoni

Ronzoni is having a contest and giving away free pasta....

http://www.itpaystoeatpasta.com/ip.cfm?u=14732463-31EE-4F4B-93DC-2B88B7CFC311

Copy and paste the link to enter the contest

Menu Plan Monday

Menus for the week...

Sunday: Grilled Pork Loin, Baked Beans. French Fries

Monday: Scrambled Eggs with Ham, Biscuits (Dad is out of town)

Tuesday: Chicken Alfredo with broccoli

Wednesday: Roast & Carrots, Mashed Potates & Gravy, Green Beans

Thursday: Spaghetti & Garlic bread

Friday: Hot Dogs, Chips & Dip (RV'ing at college football game)

Saturday: Grilled Burgers, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans

Head on over to "I'm an Organizing Junkie" at http://orgjunkie.com for more great weekly menu ideas!

Fall Decorations

Its beginning to look alot like Fall, at least in the house. I am ready for it to feel like it outside too!
I love the turkey! We found it at Lowe's and Greg bought it for my birthday! He is standing on the table runner I made last year. Happy Fall Y'all!!!!!!

Frugal Laundry Aids

As of Feb., I have joined the ranks of the legions of folks making their own laundry detergent...it is so easy to do, lasts for a long time and is very, very inexpensive. When I first made it, I tacked a piece of paper above the washer and had everyone make a hash mark everytime they did a load of laundry. At the end of the first bucket of detergent, I added up the number of marks and divided it into the cost detergent and the result was 1/2 cent per load. My cost didn't include the water used to make the detergent. You can't beat 1/2 cent anywhere, under any label. And the detergent cleans well. I got my bucket and lid for free by asking at the Kroger Bakery Dept. if they had any extra and they gave me one. Their icing comes premade in large buckets and if you ask at the right time, you can get the bucket and lid.

Laundry Detergent
1 bar Ivory Soap
1/2 cup Arm & Hammer Washing Soda (not baking soda)
1/2 cup 20 Mule Team borax

Grate the bar of soap and put into a large pan. Add 6 cups of water and heat, stir until soap melts. Add Washing Soda and Borax, stir until dissolved. Pour 4 cups hot water into bucket, add soap mixture and stir. Then stir in 2 gallons of water. Let soap sit for 24 hours to gel. Then stir and use. I use 1/4 cup per load for my front load high efficiency washer.

For a top load washer you may need 1/3 to 1/2 cup. I use a long wooden paint stirrer stick from Home Depot to stir and the end.


Homemade Fabric Softener

3 cups water
1/2 cups white vinegar
1 cup hair conditioner

Stir together well and put into container. Shake well before each use. Use like downey.

I use the cheapest cond. I can find (usually the coconut scent). And I store this in an old fabric softener bottle. Works great and no static.

Also, I read about just using White Vinegar instead of fabric softener so I thought I would try it. I have used it on our whites for months now (1/3 c.) works really good and no, the whites don't smell like pickles. They don't have a smell at all. It is supposed to help cut down on the softener left in the towels and help them absorb better. Also, at Walmart you can buy a gallon of white vinegar for about $2.50 so this will last a good long time.

I had found a recipe for stain spray but wasn't please with the results. It just didn't cut through the grease, so for right now I am back to 409. I have been able to treat some stains by rubbing a little of the detergent right on the stain and letting it sit a little while. That has been a good alternative, but still doesn't work well on Allen's greasy spots waiter clothes.