Last week I received a package of products from Mixes From The Heartland. When they emailed a while back and asked me if I would like to try some of their stuff, I immediately emailed them back and told them I would love to try their Country Dumpling Mix and their Cornbread Mix. Imagine my surprise to receive those two, plus about 12 other mixes. I will be writing reviews of all of the items they sent as I use them. Guess which one we tried first?
When I ate a gluten filled diet, I loved me some good old southern style chicken and dumplings. My daughter, Becca, always asked me to make them when she came home from college. To us, they are comfort food, something we both love and shared so often. So, when we had to start eating a gluten free diet, Chicken and Dumplings are one of the things we mourned the most.
Last week I made the first batch of chicken and dumplings we have had since I started eating gluten free. I followed the directions on the back of the package, except that I only made half of the bag. The whole bag would have been too much for me and FabGrandpa. The result was less than satisfying–although they tasted good, the dumplings were hard little balls of dough that were difficult to eat. They were too chewy and just awful. I was disappointed. But instead of tossing out the rest of the package, I thought about what I did when I made them over and over, and came to the conclusion that it was ME, not the dumplings. I had done a couple of things wrong that caused what FabGrandpa called the “golfball dumplings”.
What I thought I did wrong was that I did not use enough liquid in the mix. I was distracted while I was making them, so the resulting dumplings were not wet enough to hold together. Then, because they wouldn’t hold together I squeezed them into a ball. That was the problem.
This is one of the dumplings from last week–hard and gooey, not much good. It was MY fault, not the mix.
Today, I set about making another batch of chicken and dumplings. I added the correct amount of liquid. But, instead of adding 1 1/2 tablespoons of oil, I added 1 1/2 tablespoons of Crisco and cut it into the flours like I used to do with my wheat dumplings.
This was the dumpling dough from last week. Too Dry.
I dropped the resulting dumpling dough into the chicken broth, covered and cooked for 12 minutes per the directions,and WOW! they were good. FabGrandpa even said they were good.
And this is the dough from this week. Enough liquid and wet enough.
The dough looked wet enough, and the spoonfuls of dough held together in the spoon, which did not happen last week.
These dumplings were fluffy and light. While they were cooking they made a creamy gravy characteristic of the chicken and dumplings I am used to eating. They had a very good flavor. We both had seconds, and wished there was more.
A 12.2 oz package of Mixes From The Heartland Country Dumpling Mix costs $5.99. The package will make a huge pot of dumplings, enough for a family of four to have a very filling meal, or a family of two to have at least two, maybe three, meals. You can order it here.
The ingredients listed on the package: White and brown rice flour (organic), (Non GMO) corn starch, tapioca starch, xanthan gum, non aluminum baking powder, and parsley.
I added a little salt, some Crisco, and buttermilk to make my dumplings. I will be buying some more of these, soon.
I ran into my old friend Sandy today and she said she had been talking with you about the GF diet for her husband. It was great seeing her. Haven't seen her since I graduated 31 years ago