The Best Chicken and Dumplings and a New Witch

Bev is very sick.  She is truly in a fight for her life.  I hardly hear from her because she is too weak to even think about using the computer.  Her niece keeps me updated on her condition which continues to be grim. After a weak of not hearing from Bev, she mustered up enough energy to send me a one sentence email.  It said:  cook something really good and eat it for me.  So sad!  Two months ago, I made Bev's recipe for chicken and dumplings for the first time.  It is comfort food at it's best.  I gave a lot of it away and keep getting requests from neighbors to make it again.  So, thinking of Bev, I give you this recipe in case you missed it the first time.  I only wish I lived near her so I could feed some of this to her myself.

Place whole chicken in a heavy pot. Add 1/2 a cup of butter.  Add bay leaves and salt and pepper.

Dice about 4 stalks of celery with their tops.

Fill the pot to cover the chicken.  Bring it to a boil and then turn it down to a low simmer and cover the pot.  Let it cook for 1-1/2 to 2 hours depending on the size of your chicken.

Remove the chicken and set aside to cool a bit. Add a tub or 2 of Knorr's concentrated chicken stock to enrich it.

The chicken should be falling off the bone.

You can tell when the chicken is done if your puppy starts to hover.

Mama...I think the chicken is ready.

Pour 3/4 cup of water into a bowl.  Add1/2 cup of oil, 2 beaten eggs, 1 tsp. of salt and some cracked black pepper.  Whisk this together and stir in 3 cups of flour just until combined.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface.

Roll it to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut it into 1/2 inch strips and them 4 inch pieces.

Bring the stock to a low boil and drop the strips into it.

After a couple minutes turn it back down to a low simmer, pull the chicken from the carcass and shred it and add it to the stock.  Add some fresh parsley.  Make sure to accidentally drop a few pieces on the floor for your puppy.

I pack it into bell jars to give it to friends.



I just know if I could give Bev a bowl of this it would make her feel a bit better.  Please get better Bev!  I miss you so much!

Though I am selling off most of my witch collection, I still look for rare pieces on ebay all the time.  This is a VERY rare piece and when I saw it, I immediately bought it.  This is an antique Norwegian fireplace damper pull.  I have always wanted one and only came across one other in all my years of collecting.

You can see it is quite large and very heavy.

I want to find the perfect house with the perfect fireplace where I can hang this.

This lady deserves to fly in just the right spot!

Comments

Marjorie said…
So sorry to hear your friend is not doing well. I lost a friend to cancer earlier this year so I know how much it sucks. Your witch is awesome!
Love the damper witch!
Love Leanne NZ
brokenteepee said…
I am so very sorry to hear about Bev's condition. I am thinking the most positive of thoughts for her to feel better.
Ina in Alaska said…
Heartsick about Bev.

Love the witch. Very special piece!
luckybunny said…
One of my favorite meals of all time :) Best comfort food ever. I'll be trying this :) Love the new witch! And yes, she does deserve to fly in just the right spot!
Anonymous said…
oh my, this post brought tears to my eyes,

I wish with every fiber of my being that Bev can win this battle,

that is such a unique damper pull, truly a keeper that one, your house is out there , just waiting for you.
Guillaume said…
I should buy a few of your witches, if you are selling them. This one is really cool! If only I had a fireplace.
mxtodis123 said…
Oh my, that soup looks fantastically good. Yummy! Sorry about your friend, Bev. I do hope she feels better soon.
Mary
Nellie said…
I am so sorry to hear that Bev is having such a difficult time. Yes, chicken and dumplings are truly special comfort food!
Robin Larkspur said…
your thoughts and energy for Bev are definitely surrounding her during this terrible time.
This soup looks so perfect.
and the new witch is positively wicked in the best sense of the word. So, are you actively house hunting?

Candles lit for Bev!
Unknown said…
I wish you lived closer! I know you could coax a few spoonfuls of chicken and dumplings into Bev!
So sad, it's not fair, cancer SUCKS! Isn't wonderful that you have her recipe! I'll bet she'd like to have you deliver a bowl if you could!
Sending best wishes to Bev -- may your virtual chicken soup from her recipe help to strengthen her!

Lovely damper pull. I like her nose and broom.
Marigold said…
Healing energy to Beverly...Love the witch!
Bev continues on in my thoughts, and prayers...i so want her to pull through.

I am a lover of Chicken & Dumplings. Will make this for my very own self. Mister does not like C&D.

Thank you for sharing and the update. I am hopping over to leave a bitty post in case she has strength to read.......
Post Script....

the dangling witch is wonderful.......
Well, Joyce..YUM!! But..but..aren't you living in the perfect house with the perfect fireplace? Or do you not have one of those huge old fashioned ones made of stone with the room behind it for firewood? You know, with the little door at end of the fireplace? Inside the fireplace is that hook for hanging a big kettle.. *sigh*.. making myself crazy here. Maybe in my next life! :) Just thought I would dream a little with you.
So..you don't have a fireplace like that? Hmmmmmm?? :)
Barb said…
I'm sure Bev appreciates your kind thoughts!! That witch is just wonderful!!!!! I'm sure you will find the perfect spot for her to fly!
Britt-Arnhild said…
I am so sorry to hear about your friend. How nice that you can cook and eat for her :-)
Sounds delicious. Sorry for Bev being so sick. And being the reason you thought of doing this dish, again.

Never saw a unique fireplace damper pull!!!!! Very interesting, this one...
Dee said…
I am so sorry to hear more bad reports on Bev's condition. I pray for her nightly. May God bless you Bev and please keep up the fight. You are loved and missed
So sorry to hear about Bev, times like this you wish to be there for them most..but I am sure she appreciates the thought and this lovely soup :) blessings and best wishes, xx Ozlem
Unknown said…
I have a witch just like the rare one that you posted a picture of a long time ago. I got it from a woman named Freda Launer who was a companion to a Norwegian countess in Oslo. This witch was her great grandmothers and she gave it to me in 1985 when she was around 80 years old herself. She has since passed. I no longer have use for it and wonder if you know it's value. Mine is exactly like yours with slight differences. I would appreciate any info you could give me.