WinterWeight

Please enjoy this super professional-looking photo.

Dinner is, in our opinion, the hardest meal of the day. We are always starving by the time six or seven rolls around, but often in no mood to go buy groceries. Some nights we reach into the far recesses of our pantries and brains, and start throwing things that maybe go together into a pot. (Note: Angel hair pasta and peanut butter may sit next to each other on your shelf, but should never get any closer than that.) Other nights we get overly ambitious. We'll go to the store on the way home from work, recipe link at the ready on our phones. These nights end with either a delicious meal and full bellies, or a half-empty bottle of wine and a $35 take-out bill. 

Last night was a rare marriage of ambition and ease. When a kindly boyfriend offered to run to the store, he was assaulted with an envelope covered in messy scrawl that formed some semblance of an ingredient list. 30 minutes, ONE dirty pot and only one (ok fine, two. And a half.) glass of wine later, we had delicious chicken and dumplings padding our thighs and warming our souls.

We used a recipe loosely followed by some chick called Martha-something-or-other. We'll post our modified version after the jump.

Chicken & Dumplings

3 tablespoons butter

1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch pieces

5 medium carrots, cut crosswise into 1 1/2-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

1 cup (spooned and leveled) all-purpose flour

1 can (14.5 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill, or 3/4 Teaspoon dried dill weed

1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk

1 package (10 ounces) frozen peas

Heat butter over medium. Add onions, carrots and thyme- about five minutes

add 1/4 cup of flour and chicken broth, whisking until disolved

when broth is boiling, add chicken to pot, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.

add peas just before you add the dumplings.

in separate bowl, mix baking powder, flour, 1/2 cup of milk, garlic powder and salt with a fork. the batter should be a bit thicker than pancake batter.

using a fork, drop medium-size drips of batter into the chicken and broth.

space them a bit, as the dumplings will expand.

let the dumplings boil for 5-10 minutes. they will brown on top and form a hard but mushy ball when they're ready.

season soup with salt, pepper and garlic powder to taste and enjoy.