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Chicken Dumpling Soup

November 6, 2009 by Shanna Hatfield

When the weather turns cold and staying at home cozied up by the fire seems like the best thing to do, I like to make a pot of homemade soup. One of our favorites is Chicken Dumpling Soup. It is comfort in a savory, steamy bowl of creamy goodness!

This soup can come together in less than an hour and is one I make from leftover baked chicken with potatoes. Once I take the cooked  chicken out of the pan, I pour all the juice into a bowl. The next day when I’m ready to make soup, all the fat can be easily skimmed off the top and the juice has all the great bits of meat and spices that make this soup extra tasty. Your chicken for the soup is pre-cooked as well as the potatoes, which is why the soup can come together so quickly.  I don’t usually measure the ingredients for this soup, so the following are “guestimates.”

Chicken Dumpling Soup

chicken broth (approx. 2 cups or 2 cans)

1 cup cooked potatoes, cut into chunks

1 cup celery, sliced

1 bag of frozen mixed veggies

3 cups cooked chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces

6 cups water

1 tsp. parsley

1/2 tsp onion flakes

1 can of refrigerator biscuits (do not use the flaky variety!)

2 cans of cream of chicken soup

salt and pepper to taste

In a stockpot, mix the chicken broth with the water, add in celery, potatoes, frozen veggies, chicken, parsley, onion flakes and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil on medium heat. Add in the refrigerator biscuits by pinching off a bite-sized piece at a time and dropping into the pot. Cover and let boil without peeking into the pot for about 15 minutes or until the biscuit dough is nearly cooked. Add in the cream of chicken soup and stir well to completely mix. Let simmer for about 5 minutes and serve!

 

Posted in Easy Recipes, Fast Recipes, Quick and Easy | Tagged , , | 1 Comment »

Budget-Friendly Entertaining

November 3, 2009 by Shanna Hatfield

If you’ve been avoiding hosting an event or party because of the expense involved, think about budget-friendly entertaining. Yes, there is such a thing! In fact, when you pair creativity and resourcefulness with some simple tips, you’ll find entertaining within your means is fun.
Set Your Budget
Decide how much you’d like to spend and then stay within that budget. A  good way to figure out the cost of a dinner party is to divide the amount you are planning to spend by the number of guests who will be attending. If you want to spend $150 and you are inviting 10 guests, plan to spend about $15 per person. When setting your budget, remember any price range will work if you are creative with your party ideas.
Set Realistic Expectations
What is the one thing you want to focus on with your party?  Is it an unbelievable menu? Exotic food? Breathtaking decor? What is the one area you want to be outstanding for your guests? Once you decide on your focus, plan your party budget by scaling back on certain areas and highlighting your main focus. What aspect of throwing a party excites you the most? This is the area where you will shine and where you should focus. If you are a fabulous cook, friends most likely enjoy feasting at your home. If you have an artistic flair, put your focus in the decorations.
Spend Wisely
If you are hosting a huge dinner party on a low budget, shop at wholesale stores. Keeping your menu simple will also cut costs. Choose something easy like an Italian theme and feed the masses with lasagna, bread and salad for a very low cost. If you want to do a Chinese  theme, whip up some stir fry, fried rice and have fortune cookies for dessert. A Mexican Fiesta could be nachos and  tacos. Shop for fun decorations at a dollar store. Look at items with a creative eye and you’ll be amazed at what you find. A recent trip to the dollar store ended with a purchase of metal candle sticks and marble coasters that, when glued together, created a perfect stand for oversized cupcakes! Candles also lend a festive mood and can be put into a variety of interesting containers you may already have for stunning centerpieces or accent lighting. This time of year, you can bring the outdoors inside with twigs, leaves and  pinecones to create centerpieces or accent table settings.
Serve Only One Course
If you are on a really tight budget, have friends over for dessert and coffee.  Fruit dipped in melted chocolate or a signature dessert that everyone loves would be very much appreciated. Or invite friends over for appetizers and beverages. Meatballs, cheeses and finger foods are always popular!Exchange Recipes

Hosting a recipe exchange is extremely budget friendly. You invite a group of friends to bring a favorite dish and enough copies of the recipe for all attendees to have one. Everyone samples the dishes, takes the recipes of those they like and there is minimum cost to the host, who is then credited for having a fabulous party with tons of great food. The only cost to you is your own dish, beverages and decorations. You can also use this recipe exchange idea during the holidays for a cookie exchange.

Host a Competition
Throw a best entrée or meat competition. You provide a salad, beverages, bread and dessert, your guests bring the entrées and compete for the winning title. You will need to furnish a prize for the “people choice” award winner, but it is a fun way to give your guests a variety of eating options. The prize could be a certificate you create or something inexpensive like a pack of recipe cards.Create a Welcoming Atmosphere

Warmth and genuine hospitality are free, but often overlooked. Greet your guests with warmth and enthusiasm, make them feel welcome, and you will have created a memorable experience. Turn the radio to an appropriate station that goes with your party theme. Light candles or turn your lighting to a warm glow. Fill your home with inviting scents – which could even come from a crock pot filled with cinnamon and apple juice.  Be gracious and that is what your guests will remember – not how much money you did or didn’t spend, but how wonderful you made them feel in your home.

Parties are all about the people, so make your next gathering one to remember!
Happy Entertaining!

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Pumpkin Cake is all Treat, no Tricks

October 30, 2009 by Shanna Hatfield

pumpkinsA few years ago I came across this  recipe for Pumpkin Cake that is so good.  It comes together quickly and tastes like you went to a lot of work. If you are entertaining this weekend, this delicious cake will be a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, especially for those who love pumpkin!

Pumpkin Cake

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack Pumpkin

3 eggs

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 package yellow cake mix

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1 can (16 ounces) vanilla frosting

1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened

In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, sugar and oil; mix well. Add cake mix and pumpkin pie spice. Beat for two minutes. Pour into a greased casserole baking pan, or two round cake pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. In a mixing bowl, combine the frosting and cream cheese. Spread over cake.  Topped with toasted pecans. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Enjoy and Happy Haunting!

Do you have any fun Halloween recipes to share?

Posted in Easy Recipes, Fast Recipes | Tagged , , | 2 Comments »

Making Meal Organization Simple

October 27, 2009 by Shanna Hatfield

When a friend recently had major surgery, her sister-in-law took on the task of organizing meals to be brought in to the family. She used a fantastic website called foodtidings.com to schedule the meals.

I love this website. You log in, go to the schedule, select the day you want to bring the meal, then type in what you want to bring. That information is posted where everyone can see it. Everyone participating knows what days are covered and who is bringing what so meals aren’t duplicated.

For the organizer, it makes things so much easier and simpler as well. They set up the basic information of who receives the meals, where, what time and what dates as well as inviting people to participate in bringing the meals. It is so easy for them to keep track of who is bringing what and when.

If you have someone who needs to have meals brought in due to illness, surgery, new baby, or family emergency, this is a great service to use.

You can also find some great tips and recipes on the site’s homepage.

If you are in charge of organizing meals for a loved one or friend, check this site out. It makes it very simple and easy to bring comfort and joy to others through food!

Posted in Quick and Easy | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

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