Chicken and Dumpling Soup {Recipe}

I love Chicken and Dumplings. Usually I make the a traditional recipe, and the dumplings are made from scratch.

One night a few months ago I had a dream I made Chicken and Dumpling Soup. It was go good!

Nom Nom Chicken and Dumpling Soup!

I didn't even look up recipes. I knew I saw potato dumplings somewhere, and thought they'd be perfect for this soup. The homemade ones I typically make would get soggy, and wouldn't work. The question is: Where did I see potato dumplings? I looked at two grocery stores I usually go to, and they weren't there. Finally I found the potato dumplings at Big Lots. I made sure to pick up a few packages if this recipe was as good as it was in my dream.

I have to say, it's a good thing I picked up 2 packages of dumplings! Chicken and Dumpling Soup is amazing! My family must of agreed...they gobbled it up!

I just used some of the ingredients I've used in my regular Chicken and Dumpling recipe. I added more vegetables. One thing I used to do, that I don't do anymore is shave off the carrot skin. I leave it on.

It took about a half hour to 45 minutes to make. I paired it up with homemade blueberry muffins and a side of green beans. One can never have too many veggies.

Ingredients:

• Olive Oil (To Cover the Pan) or 2 Tablespoons of Butter
• 1 Big Onion
• 1 Garlic Clove
• 3 Carrots
• 3 Celery Stalks
• 1/2 a Container of Mushrooms
• A Handful of Spinach Leaves
• 2 Italian Sausage Links
• 2 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
• 2 Cups Chicken Broth
• 4 Cups of Water
• Salt & Pepper to Taste
• 1 Teaspoon Marjoram
• 1 Package of Potato Dumpling

Chicken and Dumpling Soup by on Scribd

Directions:

Drizzle the non stick pan with olive oil, or heat up the butter.

Start Chopping:

I chopped one veggie at a time, and added it in in this order: Onion, garlic, carrots, celery, and mushrooms.

Stir often, cook until the veggies are tender. Add in a handful of spinach leaves. At this point I put the lid on to make the spinach wilt faster.

I put the veggies into one of our soup bowls. I'm all about using as little dishes as possible.

Cook the Italian Sausage, and break it up as it cooks. Set aside in a different soup bowl.

Cook the diced chicken until it's no longer pink.

Add the veggies and Italian Sausage back into the pot.

Pour in the water and chicken broth. Add the salt, pepper, and Marjoram. Heat back up, and add in the potato dumplings.

Heat back up, and serve.

It was perfect! Have you ever cooked or baked in a dream?

Random Tid Bits

1. It sucks that my nephew Emerson (age 7) has 5 or so seizures a day. :(
   
   I couldn't help, but to laugh when my sister told me my nephew Edison (age 4 almost 5) fakes seizures to get attention. Even my sister found it funny at first.


2. It's so rainy in the midwest today. I'm prewriting, so it's actually Wednesday. Expect that food prices may go up. Some farmers are having floods. We had 5" of snow, then 5" more, and now 5" of rain is supposed to happen. Between that was more rain and snow, but too hard to measure.
   
   Many people don't really think much of Iowa and Nebraska, but it's where much of your food sources come from. 


3. I don't seek out watching The Bachelor. If anything I'm against the idea of it. Dating multiple people at once is a bad idea. Sometimes the TV is on, it comes on, and it sucks me in. The latest guy Colton - let's just say that I respected him for being a virgin. I disrespected the host for bringing it up multiple times like he was an alien for it. Some people do choose to wait, and that's ok. I'm sure many people that have waited don't talk about it. Therefore it's not of the norm. 


4.  I was really excited to of gotten both of my children in the most popular camp with their cousin Elijah. It will be Mica's last year to be in it. Evan - the cousin that's Mica's age is a year ahead of him in school, so he's already booted out.


5. My Dad got me this book The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth, hoping it would help with my allergies:







The book is interesting. Some stuff I do, and would be willing to try. I'm not anti natural healing.

I don't believe in good feng shui in your house. Ok, so the placement of furniture matters slightly. Don't put a TV where you are going to get lots of glares. Don't put something solid in front of an air vent. Does correct placement bring positive vibes? I don't think so.

Sure essential oils are great smelling, and can be excellent to add to cleaners. Do they cure everything? They may cure some things, but not everything. 

Crystals, rocks, gem stones, pink himalayan salt lamps all look cool, but in my mind they don't bring you positive energy, or zap out sickness.

All the sudden Isaak found the book above. He thinks he can cure anyone of anything. 

Isaak: "Mom I feel like I had bad breath the other day. I think I need an Oregano Oil pill." Travis and I both rolled our eyes at one another. Yes it may work, but he's believing it all! 

Isaak: "Mom I scraped my knee. I need to put tea tree oil on it." Travis thought I told him to do that. I put a little on a cotton ball, and patted it on his knee. Maybe it will help.

Is it Christopher Walken?

We were walking through Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska and all the sudden I saw this piece:

I said to Travis, "If anyone were to play the roll of this painted guy it would have to be a slightly younger Christoper Walken. Do you think he could play the roll of the painted guy above?

I can't help, but to think Christoper Walken, or Robert Wagner had something to do with Natalie Wood's death. One of them knows something. I think there was only 4 people on that boat when she died. The only remaining person is the one driving the boat. 

The fact that Christoper Walken typically plays a freaky role makes me suspicious of him. Let's put it this way...I wouldn't want to be in a dark ally with the guy. Does he give you the creeps? 

WW: Basquiat {linky}

I've always liked Jean-Michel Basquiat's work. It's raw, but interesting and unlike some of modern work it has a focal point. There was a movie called Basquiat. David Bowie played one of Basquiat's best friend's Andy Warhol.

Bowie looks like Andy Warhol here, right?

We got a chance to see a Basquiat at the Joslyn Art Museum in Omaha, Nebraska.

Award Ceremony - Breakfast of Champions

A few weeks ago we were invited to go to Mica's school, for his award ceremony.

The room was full of people! They don't just award one person first place. They did award a limited amount of people.

I skipped out of work to go. Last year I didn't go, and had Travis went instead.

The breakfast was good!

They awarded each kid with a medal. All the kids in the room got A's on their projects. Some kid's projects get to go to the zoo for another round. Mica's isn't going to that this year, but it did last year. when that happens they go against different schools.

Fun little fact: My maiden name is Spiehs, said like Sp-(long) eee-ss. I never see anyone else with that last name. There are 2 kids that go to school with Mica with that last name. We must be related somehow. 

Mica seemed like he didn't want to be there. He doesn't seem to like it when we come to his sanctuary - school. Suck it up buttercup! 

He snubbed the wild cat when it came to shaking his/her hand. He typically shakes hands well.

He didn't want me to take his picture. Too bad!

It is cool that they gave out medals.

#NancyDrew and #TheHiddenStaircase Swag Pack #Giveaway

Disclosure: **“Warner Bros. provided me with a swag pack to facilitate this post. The opinions I share are my own.”**

I love movies and shows that are from old books. While I didn't really get into Nancy Drew, I know a lot of people did! Possibly I just wasn't introduced to Nancy Drew. I do love mysteries!

Who doesn’t love an epic mystery?

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Disclosure Reminders: **“Warner Bros. provided me with a swag pack to facilitate this post. The opinions I share are my own.”**