Friday, January 27, 2012

Chicken and Dumplings Recipe



I had to share this new recipe/dish I made tonight for dinner. After all when you see a recipe you want to try don't you like to hear feedback from people who've actually made it? Was it good? Was it a disaster?

I'm pleased to say this was a complete success!(although almost anything in a crock-pot is pretty simple)

Okay so I have been REALLY trying to eat healthy and working my butt off on the treadmill every day. I am bound and determined to get this baby weight off by summer time. That being said I must admit, I LOVE Pinterest and when I came across this recipe my stomach started growling rather loudly. I knew I had to make this!

I know. I know. Chicken and dumplings is not actually a diet or health friendly dish but I know you could tweak this a bit to be more healthy.

SO here's the recipe;

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Slow-Cooker Chicken and Dumplings
adapted from Bubble Crumb

Ingredients:
1lb of Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts (about 3)
2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
2 cans (10.5oz) Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
1 can (14oz) Chicken Broth
1 medium White Onion, diced
4 Large Flaky Refrigerator Biscuits (half a can)

Place thawed chicken in crock pot and top with butter. Add cream of chicken soup, chicken broth and diced onions. Cook on High for 4-6 hours or Low for 8 hours. Do not stir while cooking.

Cut each uncooked biscuit into 9 small pieces and stir into the chicken mixture. Continue to cook on High for 30 minutes. Remove chicken from slow-cooker and shred with a fork. Return to slow-cooker and stir everything together. Serve hot.

Makes about 6-8 servings.

(http://www.polishthestars.com/2011/11/slow-cooker-chicken-dumplings.html

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Now here is my version.......




I'm not very good at photography and I used my iphone to take this. My picture is not near as pretty as the top picture but you get my point.

I added, along with diced onions, one diced red bell pepper, half a bag of baby carrots chopped, and 1 can of green beans. (I would have used frozen or fresh but my hubby hates healthy fresh veggies....go figure!) I also added 1 1/2 cans more of chicken broth. Next time I make this I think I might leave out the butter. I really didn't see a significant reason for it besides adding more pounds to my post-baby gut. Also you can use low sodium broth and reduced fat biscuits. Whole grain biscuits would be ideal if I could find any. I seriously debated knocking out the biscuits all together. Crazy right?! Yeah that was a minor lapse in judgement that I thankfully ignored! This recipe was slightly short of a carbo/fat overload (which didn't help that I served it with the left over biscuits baked) but it was just too darn good to pass up! I highly recommend it!


Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Bonding

I made known a few posts back about how I was concerned with how Mazio and Arleigh would bond. I was more worried how he'd act with her really, but despite a few hang ups here and there with him not realizing how small and fragile she is I feel it has gone pretty well. After all he's still a toddler.:)

Thought I'd share some snap shots we've captured so far of their bonding times......













Sunday, January 15, 2012

Christmas and 2012 New Years

Just thought I'd share some pictures of us from the holidays.:)





Yay! My first Christmas!! Arleigh in her cute Christmas dress.:)






Out to eat with the family for my brother Josh and Ted being in town for the holidays! :)



Ted holding Arleigh on Christmas Eve. :)



"Little Mo" (as my dad likes to call her) in her cute sweater.:)



Daddy feeding his little girl on Christmas day. ;)



Papa Cline and Mazio!



Mazio and Uncle Josh on Christmas



Uncle Josh and Arleigh on New Years Eve



Mazio playing with his cousins on Christmas Eve :)



Mazio opening up gifts with daddy :)








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