dumpling wrappers, potstickers, dim sum, and wontons are not synonymous. Dumpling wrappers, almost always round but occasionally square, are thicker than wonton wrappers, which are always square. potstickers are dumpling wrappers filled with a rich filling, folded over and pinched and then cooked in a very special way -- they are put onto a hot pan with a bit of oil, seared to brown and then covered in a bit of liquid to braise under a cover until the liquid is all gone and the dumplings literally "stick" to the pot. dim sum is a collective phrase for a great many "appetizer-like" foods, some of which are "dumplings" but not exactly the kind of dumplings made with dumpling wrappers. wontons refers to the thin square wrappers or to the wrapper with filling. They can be small or large and they can be boiled/steamed or deep-fried. The extra large ones are best truly steamed over gentle heat. For deep-frying, the smaller, the better. Here's my favorite "dumpling filling" recipe to put into wontons or dumpling wrappers (given to me by a little Chinese grandmother about 25 years ago in L.A.; true): DUMPLING FILLING Makes 12 to 24 1 pound ground pork -- shoulder 1/4 pound shrimp -- finely chopped 1 small bok choy -- chopped 1 egg 1 teaspoon cornstarch salt -- to taste 1/2 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons sesame oil 1 tablespoon water 1 teaspoon ginger root -- grated 2 stalks green onion -- chopped Chop bok choy coarsely and cook in boiling water for 5 minutes. Drain by placing in cheese cloth and squeezing out all water. Chop finely. Combine pork, shrimp, egg, cornstarch, salt, sugar, sesame oil, water, and ginger. Mix well. Add bok choy and chopped green onions. Put small teaspoon-fulls into won ton wrappers or larger tablespoon-fulls into dumpling wrappers. Boil them gently in water or chicken stock until floating. Dumplings can be boiled (steamed) or braised (fried). Or you can freeze them stuffed raw for later use. Joe

I made these, they're great. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Dumplings Ingredients: 2 C Flour 2 tsp Baking Powder 1/2 tsp Salt 1 C whole Milk 4 Tbsp Vegetable Oil Preparation: Mix above ingredients, blend them well and turn out on to a floured surface. Knead 4 or five times and divide dough into two parts. Roll out one piece of dough to 1/8" thick and cut into 1"x1 1/2" strips. Place into a large sauce pan that you have place 8 cups of water and 3 chicken bouillon cubes that has been brought to boil and the bouillon cubes have been dissolved. Cook 1 half of dumplings until just about done and strain and set aside. Next finish the other half of the dumplings in the same way. While cooking the dumplings you can prepare the sauce. Dumpling Sauce 3 Tbsp Butter 4 Tbsp Flour 1/4 tsp Salt 1 C Whole Milk 2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes (crumbled) 1/2 tsp sugar 1/2 -3/4 C Dumpling Cooking Liquid (after dumplings have been cooked) Place butter in medium sauce pan and melt, add salt and flour, stir until thick. Mix sugar with milk, and add to flour mixture a little at a time and stir constantly with a whisk until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Place cooked dumplings in dumpling sauce and add 1/2 cups of cooking liquid in which the crumbled chicken bouillon cubes have been added and stir gently, Simmer dumplings until blended on low heat. More cooking liquid may be added if needed.

I prefer to use just thighs for chicken and dumplings, but have used the whole chicken on occasion. Cook the chicken ( cut into parts if using whole chicken) and the vegetables (cut into bite sized pieces) in a heavy pot with just enough water or broth to cover, until done. I use quite a lot of vegetables, onions, carrots, celery, mushrooms, peas, chopped parsley. Allow to cool a bit, debone the chicken and cut it into bite sized pieces. Return to pot with broth and vegetables. You may need to add more broth at this point, you want enough liquid to cook the dumplings. Bring to a very gentle simmer, add dumplings, cover, cook until dumplings are done. (They will almost double in size). Dumplings 1 ½ Sticks butter 2 C water 2 C sifted all purpose flour 1 tsp salt* 4 eggs 1/4 ro ½ C flour * I like to use a seasoned salt. Morton’s Nature’s Seasoning when making chicken & dumplings, or garlic salt for beef stew with dumplings. For ham & dumplings I omit the salt entirely, they pick up enough from the ham broth. In medium saucepan, bring water to boil. Add butter to melt. Add flour and salt all at once, stir and continue to cook until mixture leaves sides of pan. Remove from heat, allow to cool slightly. Add the 4 eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition, (Be sure each egg is well incorporated into the flour mixture before adding the next one.) For the flatter, strip dumplings, turn dough out onto floured work surface (you may want to do this in sections, about a third at a time.) And pat out with floured hands or use rolling pin. Cut into strips, about 1" X 2". (Or get fancy and make whatever shape you like, squares, diamonds, etc.) If you prefer drop dumplings, skip the rolling out step, and just drop dough by the spoonful into gently simmering broth. (A cookie dough scoop is great for this). Cover and cook until done, about 8 or 10 min. These dumplings will absolutely melt in your mouth!

Ricky it was amazing! So moist. I sliced a nice thick piece and toasted it yesterday and then spread cream cheese on it. I let DH take the second loaf to work, it got scarfed up quick. I'm pretty sure it's the same recipe I used the last time but I couldn't find it. This time I printed it out and saved it in my little box. I need to type that one into my recipe book on my computer, it's a keeper.