Crystal's No Cluck Chicken and Dumplings

Of course this has nothing to do with writing but Ron and I have renewed our vows (ha!) to our bodies and have become even more strict in our vegetarianism. We have vowed not to use chemical-filled meat substitutes so I've gone crazy (a la Food Network type lunacy) in the kitchen. I swear I'm ready for Chopped: The Vegetarian War. So any how, here's my latest recipe which was wonderful for a snowy evening in Kentucky. And by the way, I am getting closer to my goal of getting a full draft of the new novel done by the end of Decemeber.

Took the photo after several bowls so the best dumplings were already in our bellies.

CRYSTAL’S NO CLUCK CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS


2 quarts liquid no chicken broth or vegetable broth

Black pepper

Salt

1 cup of diced onions, celery and carrots

1 potato

¼ cup of vegetable oil

1 T dried vegetable broth (fake chicken flavor)

1 can of cream of celery soup (if you are vegan you can leave this ingredient out)

½ cup of water



Put liquid broth on to boil in a medium to large-sized pot. Place onions, celery and carrots and vegetable oil in a small skillet or sauté pan. Cook until the vegetables are tender (for a heartier taste allow the onions to brown a little). Add dried broth and water. Add this mixture into the boiling broth and at pepper and salt to taste.



Dumplings:

2 cup flour

1/3 cup vegetable shortening or butter

2/3 cup of milk



Mix and form a dough ball. Knead a three or four times but don’t over knead. Roll out thin and cut in 2 inch squares. Drop the dumplings into the boiling broth slowly. Stir gently once the dumplings begin to form. You might want to dunk them back down into the broth with a spoon as they pop up to the surface. Your dish is done when your dumplings are completely cooked through.