Well it has been forever once again. I have to be honest, I have not been cooking that much lately. I am about 13 weeks along with my second baby and still coping with nausea and heartburn almost all day long. That being said, poor sam has really been eating a lot of cheese toast, almond butter and jelly sandwiches, yogurt, and so on! However, this week I have pulled it together and made a couple items for him (and us) that he enjoyed. First recipe, chicken and dumplings. Really not that hard for any of you that haven't made it homemade. There are so many different ways to make this recipe, some call for herbs and spices and other vegetables, which is the route we normally take in this house, but NOT with chicken and dumplings! These dumplings are a bit different they are more bready and less chewy than what you may get at Cracker Barrel. Some people like it that way though, but this is my favorite.

Chicken and Dumplings
3 organic chicken breasts
1/2 t chicken boullion paste
1 can cream of chicken soup
black pepper to taste
1 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 t baking powder
3/4 t salt
2 T crisco
3/4 c milk

In a pot, put just enough water to cover the chicken breasts and add the chicken bouillion. Just cook these on medium low heat until cooked through.

Remove the chicken breasts and boil the leftover cooking water until reduced a little (pour out some of you have to)

Turn down the heat, add the soup, black pepper, and milk, and shredded cooked chicken. Let the mixture get bubbly (be careful though, it may stick if it gets too hot!)

While that is warming up, grab another bowl to make your dumplings. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the crisco until mixed through. Stir in the milk just until all ingredients have been moistened.

Drop by spoonfuls into your pot until all have been dropped in and top pot with a tight fitting lid. Set the timer on your oven for 12 minutes and dont open until the timer goes off! Then it's ready to eat! Enjoy!


Next recipe I got this idea from a local restaurant called "The Redneck Gourmet". Pimiento Cheeseburgers! Sounds gross, but you just have to try it, pretty tasty.

First things first, I like homemade pimiento cheese, but storebought would be fine too.

Pimiento Cheese

6 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese
6 oz extra sharp white cheddar cheese
4 oz jar pimientos-drained
1/2 cup mayonnaise (may use less)
1 t sugar
diced jalapenos (optional)

Shred your cheese (it is much better this way, don't buy the preshredded stuff), add the sugar and pimientos and mix. Now, add the mayonnaise, I would start with half of that and stir it up and add more until you have the consistency that you like. Next add in the jalapenos if you like. Then it's done! So easy!

Make your normal hamburgers on the grill or however you prefer and when almost finished top with a generous amount of the cheese and turn off the heat to the grill and just shut the lid. Wait about 5 minutes then they are ready to go. I like to gently melt the cheese like this because it can sort of just melt off the burger if you get it too hot! These burgers are so good and worth a try. Sam also likes the cheese toasted on some bread as well!

Enjoy!