Reasons I love fall (Number 3)

Comfort food.

Tonight I made one of my all time favorite comfort foods - Chicken and Dumplings.

This recipe is quick and extremely easy (I use frozen dumplings) and oh-so-yummy.

Chicken and Dumplings

Step 1 - Poach Chicken

Ingredients:

chicken, 5-6 lbs with skin and bones (I used 4 breasts and 8 thighs)

2 teaspoons salt

2 carrots, each cup in 3 or 4 pieces

1 onion, quartered

4 springs parsley

2 stalks celery, quartered

water to cover

Place chicken into a large pan and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add all other ingredients. Cover pot and simmer for 45 - 50 minutes or until done. Let chicken cool in broth. Remove chicken from pot, discard skin and remove meat from bones. Shred or cut meat into desired size pieces and store in a covered container in the refrigerator until ready to use. Strain broth and store for another use (broth may be frozen for up to 1 month).

Step 2 - Prepare dumplings

Fill pot with 90 ounces of store-bought chicken stock and bring to a boil.

Add 2 packages of frozen dumplings (I prefer Reames Homestyle Flat Dumplings or Mary B's Open Kettle Dumplings) and cook; following package directions, until done.

When dumplings are cooked to desired consistency slowly stir in one can of Campbell's condensed Cream of Chicken Soup to dumpling/stock mixture until dissolved completely.

Add chicken to dumpling mixture and simmer slowly until desired consistency (25-30 minutes).