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Simple biscuits:
2 cups Lily White brand self rising flour
1 cup whipping cream
mix until just combined
knead a few times on lightly floured surface to 1 inch thickness
bake in 450 hot oven on greased sheet
small cut & tall will take about 10-12 minutes
This is my husband's invention. It's really just that throw something together kind of meal - fast and easy.
First, he buys the dumplings instead of making them. They have them in the frozen section of all the stores around here. I think he buys the Mary B's brand or something.
Get a rotisserie chicken. Pull the chicken from that and shred/chop (he adds the skin and all to this dish).
In a stockpot, add 8 cups of chicken broth. Boil the dumplings in the broth. After the dumplings are soft, add two cans of Cream of Chicken soup and the shredded chicken. Add pepper to taste. Let simmer until thick. Goes great with mashed potatoes.
This is my husband's invention. It's really just that throw something together kind of meal - fast and easy.
I think I'll try this tonight.
I usually just throw a bunch of chicken pieces into a crockpot with broth to cook all day, then when I get home all I need to do is ladle out the bones, pour in some cream of chicken soup to thicken it up, and float some pilsbury canned biscuits on top and put the lid bacon the crockpot. When the biscuits are done (about 30 minutes) its ready to eat.
Your husbands method is perfect for those "Oh no, I forgot about dinner" nights!
I think I'll try this tonight.
I usually just throw a bunch of chicken pieces into a crockpot with broth to cook all day, then when I get home all I need to do is ladle out the bones, pour in some cream of chicken soup to thicken it up, and float some pilsbury canned biscuits on top and put the lid bacon the crockpot. When the biscuits are done (about 30 minutes) its ready to eat.
Your husbands method is perfect for those "Oh no, I forgot about dinner" nights!
And that's exactly how we use it! It's definitely thick when it's done. We usually eat it with some biscuits for sopping. He puts a ton of pepper in his because he likes that nice pepper bite but that's why I just put pepper to taste. Wasn't sure if anyone else wanted some dumplings with their pepper like we tend to eat it!
Here's an oldie but goodie. This is one of those easy to make but SO good appetizers that I use all the time.
Cocktail Meatballs
By the way, I use a crock pot to do this because it's easy and I can just keep it warm without having to sacrifice my stovetop.
Meatballs ingredients
1 pound of ground beef (I use chuck)
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons minced onion (I use my microplane to do this; makes me life easier)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Sauce ingedients
1 12oz chili sauce
1 8 oz jar grape jam (this is one of those times that using cheaper is better. I find the store brands work best for this recipe)
For the meatballs, combine all of the meatball ingredients and make small meatballs. Each meatball will be about the size of a teaspoon (that's what I use to scoop out the mix to make my meatballs).
For the sauce, combine the chili sauce and grape jam. Bring to a boil but if you're using the crock pot, just put it on high. Stir it well after it's cooked a bit. Drop in your meatballs and cook for about 10 minutes until they're done or if you're using the crock pot, turn it down and let cook until ready to serve. I usually do this a few hours before serving if I'm using a crock pot. The idea here is to get the sauce nice and hot before you put in the meatballs so they won't crumble when you put them in the sauce. The very hot sauce will flash cook the outside, retaining the meatball shape. The reason you do not pre-cook the meatballs is because you want them nice and soft but infused with the sauce. Putting them in raw will do that.
As odd as this sounds, it's good eats and super simple to make!
Since I'm in the appetizers section of my recipes, here's another simple but genuinely yummy one.
Now, don't be fooled by the simplicity and ingredients. These things are addictive.
Crab Puffs
8 English muffins, split into the two pieces
1 stick of softened butter
5 oz jar of Kraft Old English Cheese (has to be this brand and cheese! Comes in this tiny jar, usually over near the Velveeta)
1/2 teaspoon of Lawry's seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon of garlic salt
7 oz can of crab meat - doesn't really matter which kind
1 1/2 teaspoon of mayo
Mix all the ingredients and spread on the English muffins. Freeze them flat on a cookie sheet and after frozen, cut into fourths. At this point, you can just store them in a ziploc bag in the freezer until ready to use. Bake them at really any ole temperature until they are brown and bubbling.
This was my grandpa's one recipe. He died a bit young from Lou Gehrig's disease so whenever I make this, it gives me that moment to think of my grandpa. Oh and if you're on a diet, avoid this recipe!!
Stuffed Shrimp
About a pound of shrimp. You want at least large size.
1 sleeve of ritz crackers
1 large handful of shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick of softened butter
Butterfly the shrimp on a cookie sheet so they're open on the main body but not the tail. We usually keep the tail on for this recipe, gives you something to hang onto when you're eating them. In a food processor (or blender if you don't have one), put in the ritz crackers, cheddar cheese, and butter. Blend/pulse until mixed.
Put a spoonful on each of the butterflied shrimp. Put in oven (again doesn't really matter what temp). Cook until browned and bubbly.
The taste of these is hard to describe but good is too simple a word. I could eat the whole flipping pan! These are GOOD!! Mmm...butter and cheese.
Every Southern cook has their own special way to make fried chicken. Usually, it's the method that was passed down to them from their momma, cook, etc. There are tweaks everyone makes and once you have it down, you're likely to live and die by YOUR way of making fried chicken.
Heres' how I do mine.
You can buy a whole chicken and break it down but I found the grocery stores were clever enough to make fryer chicken packages that include all the pieces of a broken down chicken. Although, since I love thighs, sometimes I'll just cook those. Just depends on my mood.
Something to know. Dark meat takes longer to cook than white meat. So, when you're frying keep your dark meats together.
I start with a large cast iron skillet that had a lid (about 5 inches deep, I would say). I have one skillet that I use exclusively for frying chicken. Now, that being said, you can use a regular skillet but there's just something about the cast iron that produces results.
When I get my chicken, I take it out of the bag, dry it well and place it on a cookie sheet. I sprinkle salt on it and then place it into my refrigerator overnight uncovered. I want the chicken dry, dry, dry before I cook it. Makes the skin crispier.
I hate getting gummy fingers from dredging, so I usually use a paper bag for my flour bag. In that, I use all purpose flour and my seasonings. I have no measurements for this but I always put plenty of pepper, a touch of cayenne, some garlic powder, some onion powder, and a touch of Lawry's.
I beat some eggs, add a bit of hot sauce and buttermilk, and put that into a shallow dish.
For my grease, I use shortening. I put the skillet on medium and melt enough shortening until the skillet is halfway full. I make sure my grease is ready to go before I dredge the first piece of chicken. My mother used lard but I did change it to use shortening (see, there's my tweak!).
I fully coat my chicken (fresh from the frig) in the buttermilk mixture. Then I plop it into the paper bag and shake. Taking that out with tongs, I carefully slip the chicken into the skillet (I hate splatters). I do this until the skillet is full but where each piece still has plenty of room around it. Do NOT crowd your chicken.
Now, I put the lid on the skillet for the first five minutes of cooking. I do this because I have found it results in a juicier fried chicken. After I uncover it, I cook it about another 5-7 minutes on that side and then turn, cooking for another 10 minutes on the other side.
Some important points. Do NOT let your grease get too hot. You want golden brown not burnt. Too hot and you end up with too brown chicken on the outside and raw chicken inside. If your grease starts to splatter, it's too hot. You want a nice need bubbling of your grease as it cooks the chicken not a full out splatter and spit.
Remove the chicken to drain on racks. Continue the same process until all the chicken is done.
Now, this isn't any KFC chicken. This is a very crisp flavorful skin (with a bit of heat since I like it that way) that's got it share of Vitamin G. I don't like that kind of fried chicken where the batter is so thick it's like bread, so this really lets the chicken skin shine.
I'm sure you will find, as others chime in, that everyone has their own way of making fried chicken. This is mine.
Darn it Southbel!!! I started C & D because of your post this morning, and now I want some fried chicken instead! Fried chicken is something I've just never developed a knack for. For fried chicken I let Publix do the work for me. I do make oven fried chicken cooked in butter that is easy and delicious, and I recently started adding Old Bay spice to the batter thanks to a recent city data meet up. YUM!!!
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