Chicken and Dumplings

I read an article not to long ago about how people don't use the food they have in their pantry before going out and buying more.I'm SO guilty of that one. And the kids are always saying stuff like.."we have no food, and I'm soooo hungry" And I say "there is food you just have to make it" but then when I want something or I'm looking for a quick meal, I do the same, so we go out and buy more groceries that are "easy meals"and leave the perfectly fine stuff sitting up in the pantry never getting eaten.So tonight is the night before our Friday grocery shopping, dinner usually consists of something unhealthy that comes from a box in the freezer. But I thought that I would "use the food we have". I had everything on hand to make this yummy dinner. Otherwise, the ingredients would have been over looked and sat waiting to be made.Plus it's something to think about when your trying to cut costs.
So P#3 and I starting preparing diner while the other Sweet P's were at school( you always got to start early when P#3 is helping!)And It turned out SO delicious. P#1 kept mmm-ing while eating. I think we will be making this again in the near future.Plus P#3 loves to help cook and bake, mostly just for the mess, and blowing into a cup filled with flour is always so much fun!

The recipe:

For the chicken:

2 tbsp. Extra virgin olive oil

4 chicken breast, cut into fourths

3 cloves garlic

3 cups fresh vegetables of your liking(i used carrots,broccoli,celery,cauliflower,onions)

2 cups chicken stock

salt and pepper

1 cup milk

1/3 cup flour

recipe for dumplings(below)

In lg saucepan heat EVOO, add chicken,salt and pepper to taste, garlic.Cook until no longer pink.

Add veggies and chicken stock.Heat to boiling.Reduce heat and cover. Cook 10 min.

In Small bowl mix milk and flour.Add to chicken mixture, heat to boiling until mixture thickens.Reduce heat to low.

For the Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp. Dried Basil

2 tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp.Shortening

3/4 cup milk

In med bowl, add flour,basil,baking powder,salt. Mix. Cut in shortening. Mix well until soft crumbs form. mix in milk.

Drop by Spoonfuls into chicken mixture.Cover and cook an additional 30-35 mins.

Serve and Enjoy!!