Recipe Swap~ Basil Dumplings & Chicken Soup

Another successful swap! The theme this time was Soup. I submitted my Broccoli~Cheddar & got this yummy deliciousness in return from Melissa at "Delicious Meliscious". When I read about her work to mommy at night day, I really could sympathize. I feel the same way... I awake @5:30am, shower, dress... run to catch my 6am commuter bus to NYC. I walk a mile to work, grab breakfast then leave at 3pm... walk the mile back to my commuter bus * get home hopefully by 4:30! Spend a few minutes with my toddler & prepare dinner & eat... cleanup then get every thing ready for the next day... bath-time for tot, reading, bed... Whoa. I am exhausted just typing my schedule! So for this soup, I prepped all of the veg on Sunday- Washed, cleaned & peeled & chopped. You can get a homemade dinner on the table working moms~ take it from me. It just takes planning, prep & organization. 


I used my dutch oven for the soup rather than my crock-pot. And I used a "soup starter kit" from the grocery store produce section. Do you know what that is? Our store has a package with each one of these items:  Onion, carrot, parsnip, celery, turnip & potato.. it also came with a leek (which I'll be using for another recipe this week). These kits are money-savers in my opinion & allow me to use all the veg I'd want in my soup as well as my added dill, which is such a yummy herb. Because of the starch from the potato, I didn't need to use the cornstarch. I still had a thick & satisfying broth.

I stayed exactly on point with the provided dumpling recipe originally adapted from Cooking Light, although I did create buttermilk mixing vinegar & milk. They came out so good!!!


Thank you so much, Melissa for such a wonderful & warming Fall swap choice. I'll put this on my rotation now! YUMMM for leftovers too...


Chicken & Basil Dumplings
adapted from Delicious Meliscious


Soup Ingredients:

• 1-2 TBSp Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 large carrot, cut into  2" pieces
• 1 small parsnip, cut into  2" pieces
• 1 celery stalk, chopped into 2" pieces
• 1 small turnip, chopped into 2" pieces
• 1 medium, red Potato, skin on, chopped into 2" pieces 
• 64 oz. low sodium Chicken broth
• S & P
• 2 split Chicken breasts, bone in, skin on 
• fresh Dill, chopped
• fresh Parsley, chopped

Soup Directions:


Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onions &  cook for 3-4 minutes or until softened. Add the carrot, parsnip, celery, turnip & potato.  Cook, stirring constantly for about a minute. Add the chicken broth & S&P. Cover and cook on medium low for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft.


Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degree. take the chicken breasts, skin side up, on a baking sheet & rub them with olive oil. sprinkle with s & p.Roast for 35-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. Set aside to cool. When cooled, remove the chicken from the bone & shred it (getting rid of skin & bones.) Add the shredded chicken to the soup, along with the chopped dill.


Dumplings:

• 1 1/4 cups of flour
• 1/2 tsp dried basil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 cup 2% Milk
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten

Combine the flour with basil, garlic powder, salt, & baking powder in a large bowl. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender (or back of a fork) until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Whisk together milk, vinegar & egg. Add milk mixture to flour mixture, stirring until just combined.


Drop dumpling dough, 1-2 tsp per dumpling, into the chicken soup.Cover and cook for 7 minutes (DO NOT LET THE BROTH BOIL).  Add the chopped parsley to the soup & enjoy!
<3 Lishie