Mom's Dumplings

Recipe via Mom Pallett

2 cups of white flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 tbsp. soft margarine or butter (optional)
1 cup of milk (or more)
1 tbsp parsley flakes if desired


Method:
1.Combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.

2.Cut in butter that's been kept at room temperature or use soft margarine.

3.Stir milk lightly into the flour mixture with a wooden spoon and adjust amounts to make sure that you have a moist dumpling dough.
 4. Drop by tablespoonfuls on top of boiling meat or vegetables, not in the liquid. Cook with lid on for 15 minutes. Do not remove the cover until dumplings are done.
With a slotted spoon remove dumplings to heated bowl or plate.

Dumpling Cooking Tips
•Make sure your soup or stew is on a gentle simmer. The liquid does not have to be boiling to achieve tender dumplings. Remember that pot temperature rises with the lid on and you don't want the contents to stick and burn.

•Drop dumpling dough into the liquid by teaspoonfuls or for larger dumplings use a tablespoon. There's no need to worry about shaping perfect dumplings because they will puff up as they cook. Cover your pot with a lid so that the dumplings can steam.

•Check your dumplings after 10 minutes. You can use a knife to cut a slit in one dumpling to check inside.

Cook until dumplings are no longer raw in the middle. You are now ready to serve your chicken and dumplings or soup and dumplings. Ladle into serving bowls, including a dumpling or two per bowl.

If you like a little sweet with your meat, add:

Raisin Dumplings
•1/2 cup of raisins
•1 tsp chopped onion
•1 tbsp. chopped pecans

Sweet Drop Dumplings
These dumplings go well with beef dishes
•1/4 cup of raisins
•1/4 cup of apples
•dash of cinnamon

For Chicken or Turkey Dishes, add Peaches or Mangos to Your Dumpling Recipe
•1/4 cup of raisins
•1/4 cup of chopped peaches or mangos

Steamed dumplings are a wonderful compliment to homemade soups and stews, adding extra wholesomeness, texture, and taste. The next time you're wondering what to serve with that chicken dish or beef stew, pop some dumplings "under the hood" for hearty, down-home goodness