Awe comfort food!

Is there anything more divine than sitting down to a delicious meal? How about a divinely delicious meal that fills not only your hungry tummy but also your hungry soul? There have been times when I needed not only a really tasty meal but also a meal that brings me so much joy that I forget about my lousy day or lousy weather or the lousy neighbor’s dog! Everyone has their special dish that they describe as “comfort food,” usually produced by many hours in a hot kitchen and following a recipe written many years ago by a “granny.” And that SHOULD be the way to eat comfort food…right? WRONG…there is a time and place for “granny” and it’s usually not a Tuesday night before a big project is due at work. This is when I turn to recipes that illicit the same emotions you get from eating real “comfort food” without all the hassle of a weekend “prep-and-cook-for-hours” session. And whom do I turn to the most…Martha and the folks from “Everyday Food!” Their Chicken and Dumplings recipe is absolutely comforting without all the fuss. The first time I made this, I followed the instructions to the letter and it came out perfect…the chicken was moist and flavorful, the dumplings where tender and oh so good…and J. loved it! But I decided to make some changes…i.e. more veggies and some noodles (like the dumplings weren’t indulgent enough!). Enjoy!

Chicken and Dumplings

Adapted from Everyday Food

Ingredients

Base:

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

5 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

2 stalks of celery including leaves, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces

1 ½ cups cremini or white button mushrooms cut into thick slices

2 tablespoons good white wine like sauvignon blanc

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas

Dumplings:

3/4 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 3/4 Teaspoon dried dill weed

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

Optional addition:

1 package egg noodles

Directions

In a Dutch oven (or a 5-to-6-quart heavy pot with a tight-fitting lid), heat butter over medium heat and add onion, carrots, celery, mushrooms and thyme.

Cook; stirring occasionally, until onion is soft, about 5 minutes then add a teaspoon of salt. Stir until salt is incorporated then add wine and continue cooking for 2 minutes.

Add 1/4-cup flour and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add broth and bring to a boil, stirring constantly; season with a little more salt and pepper.

Nestle chicken in pot; reduce heat to medium-low. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, make dumplings: In a medium bowl, whisk together remaining 3/4 cup flour, dill, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. With a fork, gradually stir in 1/2 cup milk to form a moist and soft batter. It should be just a little thicker than pancake batter and should easily drop from the tip of a spoon. (Add additional 2 tablespoons milk if too thick.) Set aside.

After 20 minutes stir peas into pot then drop batter in simmering liquid in 10 heaping tablespoonfuls, keeping them spaced apart (dumplings will swell as they cook).

Cover, and simmer until chicken is tender and dumplings are firm about 20 minutes.

OPTIONAL: at this time you can boil some egg noodles to go along with the dish...only if you feel like living life on the wild side, that is!

Taadaa...comfort food in milliseconds!