PENNSYLVANIA DUTCH POT PIE or CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS!!!

Pennsylvania Dutch Pot Pie
Chicken Pot Pie or Chicken & Dumplings

Source: Bella Online
Noodles and dumplings made from homemade dough are used in many old Pennsylvania recipes. Chicken Pot Pie is a delicious main dish that's still very popular in Pennsylvania Dutch country today. Pa. Dutch style Chicken Pot Pie is not really a pie at all. In this thick and rich stew, noodle squares are cooked in chicken broth along with chicken, potatoes, celery, onion, and carrots.
Turkey, beef, or ham can be used instead of chicken to make Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie

Pot Pie Squares (the noodles)
3 cups flour
1 large egg
1 T. vegetable shortening (such as Crisco)
1/2 - 3/4 cup water

Combine flour, eggs, and shortening. Alternately knead & add small amounts of water until the dough holds together. Divide into two or three pieces. Roll each to about 1/8" thickness on a floured board. Cut into squares - about 2" to 2 1/2" each. Dry freshly made pot pie noodles for a half hour or more before cooking.

The Stew
Instead of stewing a chicken, you can also use about 3 or 4 cups of cooked and shredded chicken or turkey leftovers. If you use leftovers, add about 2 quarts. of chicken stock or 4 cans of chicken broth, (such as College Inn) instead of the 2 quarts of water.

1 - 3 lb. stewing chicken
2 quarts of water
5 medium potatoes - peeled and cut into bite size chunks
2 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup very finely diced carrots
1 small onion - chopped
1 T. dried parsley
1 tsp .salt
1/2 tsp. pepper

Cook the chicken in water until tender. Remove the chicken from the broth and separate the meat from the bones and skin; cut or shred the chicken meat into bite size pieces. Meanwhile, add vegetables & seasonings to the simmering broth and cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, then add the pot pie squares to the broth mixture, a few at a time, stirring frequently so they don't stick together. After all have been added, cook gently for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the noodles are tender. **Add the cut up chicken and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Remove from heat. Let stand about 5 minutes before serving. Pot pie is usually served on dinner plates or in shallow bowls. Serve with a salad such as coleslaw, pepper cabbage or lettuce with hot bacon dressing for a complete meal.

Chicken and Dumplings

Follow the pot pie recipe, but instead of pot pie squares, add dumplings. This dumpling recipe is from a Mennonite Community Cookbook.

1-1/2 cups flour
1 egg - beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
3 tsp. baking powder
2 to 3 T. milk
Sift the dry ingredients together. Add beaten egg and milk. Mix until well blended. The dough should be soft, but thick enough to drop pieces from a spoon. Drop by tablespoons full into the boiling chicken broth. Lower heat, cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Continue following the pot pie recipe from the **.

CUCUMBERS AU GRATIN & EGGPLANT/YAM AU GRATIN!!!!

CUCUMBER AU GRATIN

This is a good way to use up some of those excess big cucumbers we all seem to find in our garden this time of the year...

INGREDIENTS:
3-Tbs flour
3-Tbs butter
1-1/4-cups milk
1-beef bouillon cube
Dash of pepper
1/4-tsp onion juice
1-cup grated sharp cheese
1/3- cup fine dry bread crumbs
1-1/2 tsp butter, melted
2 med cucumbers, peeled

DIRECTIONS:
PreHeat Oven 350 degrees:
Blend flour & butter well. Gradually add milk and stir constantly over med heat until sauce boils and thickens. Stir in bouillon cube, pepper and onion juice. Remove from heat.
Add cheese, stirring until melted.
Stir in bread crumbs into melted butter to coat them well.
Slice peeled cucumbers about 1/8 inch thick into a 6 cup buttered casserole.
Put alternate layers of cucumbers and hot cheese sauce.
Top with buttered bread crumbs.
Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Remove cover and continue baking 10 minutes more or until cucumbers are tender and surface browned..

EGGPLANT & YAM AU GRATIN

Eggplant season has just begun, and you can enjoy this fruit (yes, it’s a fruit—not a vegetable!) through October...I like this creamy eggplant recipe...Nice to use instead of the tomato based ones!

INGREDIENTS:
1 lb. eggplants, peeled and cubed
1 lb. yams, peeled and cubed
1 tbsp. sunflower oil
1 onion, chopped
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/3 cup half and half cream
1 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour, sifted
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1 cup milk
1 ½ cups Feta cheese, grated

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees:
Boil eggplants and yams together until tender, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a pan. Add onion. Fry for 3 minutes until soft. Set aside.
Melt butter in another pan. Add flour until a thick paste is formed. Slowly add the milk until a smooth runny sauce is formed. Add salt and pepper. Set aside.
Drain eggplants and yams. Add onion, oil, turmeric, salt, black pepper and cream. Mash well until smooth. Set aside.
Heat sauce on medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat and add Feta cheese. Stir until melted.
Put eggplant and yam mixture in a greased ovenproof dish. Pour over cheese sauce and bake for 20 minutes until golden.

CREAMY MINNESOTA WILD RICE SOUP & BREADS!!!

CREAMY MINNESOTA WILD RICE SOUP
Have made this soup for years. Got the recipe from a guy who harvests Minnesota wild rice. If you can get the natural harvested wild rice (not cultivated) use that, but otherwise the cultivated will work!

Ingredients:
2-cups cooked wild rice
1-large onion chooped
1-cup chopped celery
1-can drained mushroom pieces (I use 2 cans)
8-cups water
9-chicken bouillion cubes
1-cup flour
1-cup whipping cream
1-1/2-sticks of butter (real butter)
Directions:
Wash 1 cup of wild rice thorougly; place the rice in a heavy sauce pan with 4 cups salted water; Bring to a boil and simmer covered for about 45 minutes, till tender but not mushy. Uncover & fluff with a fork, simmer for an additional 5 minutes...Drain excess liquid;
Saute onions, celery and mushrooms in the butter until tender. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables until well coated (mixture will be pasty):
To the wild rice add water and bouillion cubes...Add coated vegetables and whipping cream.
Heat and stir to make sure the vegetables blend into the soup..**DO NOT BOIL**.
No salt needed as bouillion is enough...I like pepper so I do add pepper to my taste.

WILD RICE BREAD

Break up wild rice to make 1/3 Cup; cook and drain well, saving 2‑1/2 cups of the rice water to use in making the bread.

Mix: 1/4 ‑ Cup Brown Sugar 1/2 Cup Molasses
1/4 ‑ Cup Oil 1 Tblsp. Salt
Add 2‑1/2 Cups Rice Water, while warm, (so sugar and molasses dissolves) and 1/2 Cup Instant Potato Flakes.
When liquid cools, add 2 Pkgs. Dry Yeast that has been dissolved in 1/2 cup warm water. Add 2 Cups Flour and mix; then add the rice and mix well.
Add approximately 7 to 8 more cups flour, until dough is no longer sticky; knead well. Place dough in greased bowl and let rise twice.
Divide dough into 4 pieces and shape into loaves.
Place in greased bread pans and let rise.
Bake at 325 degrees for 40‑45 minutes.

I am posting a wild rice bread made in a bread machine for all of you who don't have the time to make the above bread...Enjoy!

WILD RICE BREAD FOR BREAD MACHINE

Measure Ingredient
1 cup Water; lukewarm
3 cups White bread flour
2 tablespoons Dry milk
3 tablespoons Brown sugar
1½ teaspoon Salt
2 tablespoons Butter
½ cup Cooked wild rice; room temperature
¾ cup Rolled oats
2½ tablespoon Wheat berry
2 teaspoons Active dry yeast

Add ingredients according to bread machine manufacturer's instructions. Makes a 1.5 pound loaf. Recipe by: More Electric Bread Posted to MC-Recipe Digest V1 #1022 by "jms@..." on Jan 18, 1998

NOTE: Store your Wild Rice in tightly covered container in a cool, dry place and it will keep indefinitely!

HAPPY LABOR DAY & ROBERT REDFORD!!!

The vital force of labor added materially to the highest standard of living and the greatest production the world has ever known and has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pay tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation’s strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.
US Department of Labor:

Better Than Robert Redford Dessert

My friend Rita Kenow use to make this and bring to work for us to enjoy, and believe me we did....This is sooooo good!

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

First Layer:
1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, melted
1/2 cup broken pecans
1 cup flour
Mix and spread in a 9x13' pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.Let cool!

Second Layer:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1/2 of a(12- or 16-ounce) container thawed whipped topping
Beat and put on top of cool crust!

Third Layer:
1 (6-ounce) box or 2 (3-ounce) boxes instant chocolate pudding
3 cups (2-percent) milk, cold.
Beat and put on second layer. Cover with other 1/2 carton cool whip. may put chooped nuts, toasted coconut or slivered chocolate candy bar on top!
Refrigerate several hours!

Picture by Christy Jordan

Yukon Gold & Sweet Potatoe Casserole!

YUKON GOLD & SWEET POTATOE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 carton(8oz)spreadable chive and onion cream cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
3 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

TOPPING:
1/2 cup shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:
Place russet potatoes in a Dutch oven and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, place sweet potatoes in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain; mash with half of the cream cheese and sour cream and all of Colby cheese. Drain russet potatoes; mash with the remaining cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in the milk, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Spread 1/3 of the russet potato mixture into a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dishes. Layer with 1/2 of the sweet potato mixture. Repeat layers. Spread with remaining russet potato mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 15 minutes or until heated through. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over casserole. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
I tried this recipe from Taste of Home and my family liked it so much I decided to share it with you:

KEEP THOSE FLIES AWAY:

From Angie at "Love The Prim Look"
Sounds weird but when it comes to flies, I will try anything.

We went with some out of town friends to Sweety Pies on Sunday for breakfast, and we sat in the enclosed patio section beside the house. We happened to notice a couple of zip lock baggies pinned to a post and a wall. The bags were half filled with water, each contained 4 pennies, and they were zipped shut. Naturally we were curious! Ms Sweety told us that these baggies kept the flies away! So naturally we were even more curious! We actually watched some flies come in the open window, stand around on the window sill, and then fly out again. And there were no flies in the eating area! This morning I checked this out on Goggle. Below are comments on this fly control idea. I'm now a believer!

Many people swear that a zip-lock bag filled half-way with water and attached over entry-ways will repel flies. No one yet knows how or why it works, but there is speculation that it has something to do with the way the moving water refracts light. If you have tried this please use the comments to share your results with the rest of us.

I did tried the ziplock bag and pennies this weekend. I have a horse trailer with full LQ. The flys were very bad this weekend while I was camping. I put the baggie with pennies above the door of the LQ. NOT ONE FLY came in the trailer. The horse trailer part had many. Not sure why it works but it does!!!!!!!

Fill a ziplock bag with water and 5 or 6 pennies and hang it in the problem area. In my case it was a particular window in my home. It had a slight but significant passage way for insects.Every since I have done that, it has kept flies and wasps away. Some say, that wasps and flies mistake the bag for some sort of other insect nest and are threatened by this.

I swear by the plastic bag of water trick I have them on side porch ( our house entry) and all around the basement door. We saw these in Northeast Mo at an Amish grocery store & have used them since. They say it works because a fly sees a reflection & won't come around.

Regarding the science behind zip log bags of water? My research found that each of the millions of molecules of water presents its own prism effect and given that flies have a lot of eyes, to them it's like a zillion disco balls reflecting light, colors and movement in a dizzying manner. When you figure that flies are basically prey for many other bugs, animals, birds, etc., they simply won't take the risk of being around that much perceived action. I moved to a rural area ant thought these "hillbillies" were just yanking my city boy chain but I tried it, worked immediately! We went from hundreds of flies to seeing the occasional one, but he don't hang around long..

Now for those fruit flies: Check my post on getting rid of Fruit Flies.

Washington Monument! Laus Deo!

This is another great one sent to me by Angie (Love the Prim Look 2)!

Laus Deo!

One detail that is never mentioned is that in Washington , D.C. There can never be a building of greater height than the Washington Monument . With all the uproar about removing the ten commandments, etc., this is worth a moment or two of your time. I was not aware of this amazing historical information.

On the aluminum cap, atop the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C. , are displayed two words: Laus Deo.

No one can see these words. In fact, most visitors to the monument are totally unaware they are even there and for that matter, probably couldn't care less.

Once you know Laus Deo's history , you will want to share this with everyone you know. These words have been there for many years; they are 555 feet, 5.125 inches high, perched atop the monument, facing skyward to the Father of our nation, overlooking the 69 square miles which comprise the District of Columbia, capital of the United States of America.

Laus Deo! Two seemingly insignificant, unnoticed words. Out of sight and, one might think, out of mind, but very meaningfully placed at the highest point over what is the most powerful city in the most successful nation in the world.

So, what do those two words, in Latin, composed of just four syllables and only seven letters, possibly mean? Very simply,
They say " Praise be to God!"

Though construction of this giant obelisk began in 1848, when James Polk was President of the United States , it was not until 1888 that the monument was inaugurated and opened to the public. It took twenty-five years to finally cap the memorial with a tribute to the Father of our nation, Laus Deo. "Praise be to God!"

From atop this magnificent granite and marble structure, visitors may take in the beautiful panoramic view of the city with its division into four major segments. From that vantage point, one can also easily see the original plan of the designer, Pierre Charles l'Enfant...a perfect cross imposed upon the landscape, with the White House to the north. The Jefferson Memorial is to the south, the Capitol to the east and the Lincoln Memorial to the west.

A cross you ask? Why a cross? What about separation of church and state? Yes, a cross; separation of church and state was not, is not, in the Constitution. So, read on. How interesting and, no doubt, intended to carry a profound meaning for those who bother to notice.

Praise be to God! Within the monument itself are 898 steps and 50 landings. As one climbs the steps and pauses at the landings the memorial stones share a message.
On the 12th Landing is a prayer offered by the City of Baltimore;
On the 20th is a memorial presented by some Chinese Christians;
On the 24th a presentation made by Sunday School children from New York and Philadelphia quoting Proverbs 10:7, Luke 18:16 and Proverbs 22:6.. Praise be to God!

When the cornerstone of the Washington Monument was laid on July 4th, 1848 deposited within it were many items including the Holy Bible presented by the Bible Society. Praise be to God! Such was the discipline, the moral direction, and the spiritual mood given by the founder and first President of our unique democracy "One Nation, Under God."

I am awed by Washington 's prayer for America Have you ever read it? Well, now is your unique opportunity, so read on!

"Almighty God; We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that Thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government; and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy, and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility, and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion, and without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Laus Deo!
When one stops to observe the inscriptions found in public places all over our nation's capitol, he or she will easily find the signature of God, as it is unmistakably inscribed everywhere you look. You may forget the width and height of "Laus Deo ", its location, or the architects but no one who reads this will be able to forget its meaning, or these words: "Unless the Lord builds the house its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain." (Psalm 127: 1)

BANK ACCOUNT!!!

BANK ACCOUNT!!!

This is AWESOME ... something we should all remember and thanks to Angie-Lovetheprimlook for sending it to me!!

A 92-year-old, petite, well-poised and proud man, who is fully dressed each

morning by eight o'clock, with his hair fashionably combed and shaved

perfectly, even though he is legally blind, moved to a nursing home today.

His wife of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After

many hours of waiting patiently in the lobby of the nursing home, he smiled

sweetly when told his room was ready..

As he maneuvered his walker to the elevator, I provided a visual description

of his tiny room, including the eyelet sheets that had been hung on his window.

I love it,' he stated with the enthusiasm of an eight-year-old having just

been presented with a new puppy.

Mr. Jones, you haven't seen the room; just wait.'

'That doesn't have anything to do with it,' he replied.

Happiness is something you decide on ahead of time.

Whether I like my room or not doesn't depend on how the furniture is

arranged .... it's how I arrange my mind. I already decided to love it.

'It's a decision I make every morning when I wake up. I have a choice;

I can spend the day in bed recounting the difficulty I have with the

parts of my body that no longer work, or get out of bed and be thankful

for the ones that do.

Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open, I'll focus on the new day

and all the happy memories I've stored away.. Just for this time in my life.

Old age is like a bank account. You withdraw from what you've put in.

So, my advice to you would be to deposit a lot of happiness in the bank

account of memories!

Thank you for your part in filling my Memory Bank.

I am still depositing.

'Remember the five simple rules to be happy:

1. Free your heart from hatred.

2. Free your mind from worries..

3. Live simply.

4. Give more.

5. Expect less.

Pass this message to 7 people except me.
Have a nice day, unless you already have other plans.