Hi Ellen - This is so good and there's no cream!

I will say that I made it as written (without the parsnips) but Will said the dumplings were too "cheesy" - and since he had been requesting dumplings since summertime! I made some without cheese for him. He had in his mind, the exact kind of dumplings he wanted and they had NO cheese in them - LOL.

I loved them with the parm, though.

Chicken and Dumplings - peppi

Cuisine at Home, August 2004 Serves 6

For the Chicken:

1 ½ # boneless skinless chicken thighs, cut into pieces

½ cup AP flour

2 T. veg oil

2 t. salt

½ t. cayenne pepper

¼ t. black pepper

1 leek, sliced into moons

1 rib celery

1 carrot, diced

1 sweet potato peeled and chunked.

2 parsnips, peeled and diced

2 bay leaves

¼ c. dry white wine

1 qt. Chicken stock

2 t. lemon juice

1 t. each chopped sage and rosemary.

Preheat oven to 375, rack in center

Cut chicken and dredge in flour, peppers and salt

Brown the chicken in large oven proof pot with 1 T. oil over medium heat. Brown in batches, adding oil if needed.

Remove from pan when brown.

Sweat the veg. and bay leaves in oil until soft, 5 min.

Deglaze the pan with wine, simmer until almost gone.

Stir in remaining flour to coat vegetables.

Gradually add stock, cover pot and transfer to oven, cook for 20 minutes.(no chicken yet)

(Start dumpling dough now)

After 20 min, stir in chicken, lemon juice and herbs. Drop dumplings into stew and braise 20 minutes until dumplings are cooked, toothpick is clean.

For the Dumplings:

1 ½ c AP flour

3 T. Parm Cheese, grated

2 ½ t. baking powder

2 t. sugar

1 t. salt

½ t. ground pepper

2/3 c. whole milk

3 T. unsalted butter

Blend dry ingredients in a mixing bowl

Heat milk and butter util melted, blend into dry ingredients

Shape into small balls, or use small ice cream/cookie scooper

I don't know if I cut off the bottom of the instructions of it that's where they end - but other dumpling recipes say to drop them on top of the chicken mixture and cover -

These are dumpling instructions from another recipe. You probably already know how to cook dumplings but I didn't before last year so I'll include them. - Stacy

Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Once you have covered the pan, do not uncover while the dumplings are cooking! In order for them to be light and fluffy, they must steam. If you uncover the pan, the steam will escape and the dumplings will boil instead. After 15 minutes, test the dumplings with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, the dumplings are done

Peppi's Notes:I did thicken the final gravy with a bit more flour and stock since I like one that doesn't run all ove the plate. Serve in soup or pasta bowls.

Flavor was stronger/spicier the next day, so you may want ot make ahead or add more cayenne.

This really reheats well.

Peppi